BAU Headquarters – Monday Morning

Derek's phone pinged as he stepped off the elevator; it was a text message from Tamara.

"Sorry for my behavior on Saturday. I hope I haven't ruined our friendship; it means everything to me. Forgive me?"

"You can never ruin our friendship. Nothing to forgive." He replied.

Forgiveness, it seemed so easy. Now if only Penelope would forgive him. Derek's eyes scanned the large two-story room stopping at Penelope's lair above. He decided to start his day with a try at getting her to talk to him.

Two by two he took the steps dropping his bag in his office first before heading toward Penelope's. Just as he raised his hand to knock, he heard voices; she wasn't alone.

Shaky Grounds –

Reid stepped inside the small coffee house just ahead of the regular morning traffic. He'd timed it down to the exact millisecond so as not to get trapped in a long line. It was his turn to bring the coffee for the team and he'd memorized everyone's preferences with the help of his eidetic memory.

Just as he placed his order, Reid heard familiar voices from a booth nearby. Turning slightly, he was surprised to see Sam and Tamara having a heated conversation. It was odd seeing Penelope and Derek's exes together. Whatever the two were talking about, it seemed intense. Careful not to be seen, Spencer moved toward the pickup area to wait for his order and to keep an eye on the two.

"Are you sure this will work?" Sam asked.

"Of course, it will work. Derek may think he's in love with Penelope, but he's still a man. Given the right circumstances, any man will fall."

She was right, after all Sam had fallen for Tamara's offerings. He hadn't planned on becoming a regular in her bed, but now he had found comfort there and he was no longer able to resist her.

"So, how do you plan on getting him in bed and keeping him there so that Penelope gets to see the two of you together?"

"You do still have the key to Derek's, don't you?" She asked.

"Yes, I do."

"Well, hand it over and leave the rest to me."

Sam dug into his pocket and pulled out the key. Then with one last examination of the key, he placed it in her hand.

"Whatever you're planning, it better work."

"Don't worry lover, it'll work."

BAU Headquarters –

Reid's genius brain was on overdrive; he knew Derek, his best friend, and he knew that he would never willfully cheat on Penelope. There was a lot at stake if he hurt the woman that the entire team loved and depended on. Seeing Sam and Tamara together, whom he knew didn't know each other, sent up a red flag for the profiler.

Reid stepped off the elevator and rushed upstairs carefully balancing the hot drinks with both hands.

"Whoa, slow down Spence!" JJ warned. "What's the rush?"

"We need to talk...now!"

JJ followed the young genius into his office. She scanned the tray of drinks while Reid set his bag on the floor next to his desk.

"You won't believe who I just saw together?"

"Who?"

"Sam and Tamara."

"Sam as in Garcia's ex and Derek's friend?"

"Yes!"

"But they don't know each other, do they?"

"If they do, none of us know about it and what's the likelihood that they're together just when Garcia and Morgan are broken up?"

"This could be nothing but coincidence. Both are single..."

"Their conversation was pretty intense, JJ."

"So now what?" JJ began. "Do we tell Derek and Penelope?"

"YES! NO!" He hadn't thought that far. "I don't know!"

"We'll split up, I'll talk to Garcia, and you talk to Derek."

"Deal!"

The Smythe Gallery –

Tamara busied herself logging in the latest acquisitions. She needed to keep her mind on work and not on Derek. He loved her, he had to love her! The truth was, he didn't. It wasn't like Derek was the only man on the planet; he wasn't even the only one she'd been interested in over the years, but no one had made her feel so complete, so safe as he did.

Tamara felt foolish declaring her feelings for Derek. Planning it in her head, it seemed so much like a fairytale, but it turned out to be a nightmare instead. Still, she wasn't quite ready to believe that there was no future for her and Derek and after tonight if all went well, Penelope would be out of his life for good.

"You know I always imagined museum curators as stuffy, uptight old men."

Tamara turned to see Sam walking through the door. She was oddly happy to see him.

"Well, that's far from the truth, my friend." She smiled.

Sam gazed at the walls as he approached her. There was something different about her today; he couldn't put his finger on what it was. She was a beautiful woman; no doubt and he began to wonder if...

"What are you doing here?" Tamara asked.

"I was in the area for a meeting, and I wanted to check to make sure we were set for tonight."

Tamara pulled the key from her pocket and held it between them.

"I'm ready, Derek Morgan will never be the same after tonight."

"And neither will Penelope. One look at you and Derek in bed, and she'll be done with him forever."

"What if it doesn't work?" She asked fearfully.

"I know Penelope and she'll never forgive Derek after seeing the two of you together with her own eyes. Never."

BAU Headquarters –

"Come on Pretty Boy, Tamara and I are friends, nothing more!"

"Does she know that, Morgan?"

"Yes, she knows."

Morgan took a seat behind his desk. His morning coffee had gone cold, and he wasn't in the mood to discuss his personal life.

"Look, I know how much you and the rest of our friends want Penelope and me together, and so do I, but it may never happen now. She won't even look at me; it's like I'm invisible. What you're talking about is crazy! There's no way Tamara would be a part of breaking me and Baby Girl up!"

"All I know is that she and Sam were together, and they seemed pretty cozy and whatever they were talking about, was serious."

"JJ, I'm tired of talking about Derek! He's made his choice and it isn't me!"

"Garcia, you're pregnant with his child! Isn't that worth a conversation with him?"

"JJ!"

"Won't you at least think about what I'm saying? Sam and Tamara, did you know that they knew each other?"

"They don't know each other! At least they didn't when he and I were together."

"So..."

Penelope placed a hand on her stomach as she lowered herself into her chair. Sam and Tamara, together, what were the odds that they were working together to keep her and Derek apart? It sounded like a huge stretch but Derek, the Derek she knew had convinced her that he would never hurt her.

"Okay, say your suspicions are correct, how do we fix this? I remember the last time I warned Derek about getting too close to that woman and it nearly ended our friendship. I'm not sure I want to go down that road again."

"All I'm saying Garcia is, talk to Derek."

Penelope nodded her head, yes as she pulled her phone from her purse.