Epilogue

Women's Detention Center – Downtown Quantico, VA – Afternoon

It had been two months since Derek's release from the hospital. His body had fully healed but his heart and emotions were still mending. He'd proposed to the woman of his dreams and was looking forward to becoming a father to their child, yet he felt as if there was still unfinished business with Tamara.

Against the advice of Penelope and the rest of his family and his team, Derek wanted to see the woman who'd nearly stolen his life. He needed closure and his questions answered. So, here he was alone and being escorted to an interrogation room to have a final conversation with Tamara Barnes, the woman who he had considered a friend and confidante.

Tamara had been found guilty of assault and attempted murder, and destruction of private property and now was waiting behind bars to hear her fate. After her trial, Derek was the last person she ever expected to see again. She had to admit that she was excited and hopeful, perhaps he had had a change of heart.

Her face lit up when he walked through the door. He took the seat in front of her, the narrow gray table between them and a security guard standing in the corner keeping a close eye on them.

"You came." She said softly.

"I needed to talk to you." Derek began.

She examined his face before speaking again. She saw something she'd never seen before in his eyes, guilt maybe.

"Look Derek, I don't blame you."

"Blame me, for what?"

"For putting me here, in jail. Your testimony was quite powerful, but I don't blame you at all."

"Tamara, you broke into my home, destroyed it and then you tried to kill me!"

"I wouldn't have done any of it if..."

"If what?"

"Derek, you're a handsome man, charming and you have an effect on women."

"An effect, what are you talking about, Tamara?"

"You pursued me, after my brother's case. You kept in touch making sure I was okay. You made me fall in love with you, my hero!" She said dreamily.

"You and I were friends, nothing more."

"You're such a man." She chuckled. "You're all the same, you think if you don't say the words or have a conversation, it doesn't exist, and you can do whatever you want. So, if it makes you feel better to pretend that you had no hand in my fate, go ahead. It doesn't excuse you, Derek."

He could hear the voices of his friends warning him not to come. He should have stayed away but it was too late now. Tamara was the one locked away, but he was the real prisoner here, unable to move and unable to shut the woman up.

"Okay Tamara, the truth is, I felt something for you. From the moment I met you, you seemed so, so, fragile teetering on the brink of breaking into a million pieces."

"I knew it!" She cheered.

"Let me finish, please."

Tamara nodded, a wide satisfied grin spreading across her face.

"I was at a rough place in my life, I'd just been given the charge of my team and it forced me to distance myself from everyone who meant anything to me, especially my best friend. I needed something, someone to talk to who wasn't a part of that side of my life."

"I enjoyed our talks. It made me feel good to know I could give a little back to you for being there for me."

"When I started getting my footing again, I realized that what I felt for you Tamara was empathy."

"NO!"

"It wasn't love or affection, not even close. It was empathy and somehow that empathy evolved into a friendship that I felt I owed you, but Tamara, it wasn't love and I'm so sorry for making you think that it was."

"I can't believe you."

The confident grin was gone now, replaced with anger and tears. She'd been wrong all along and she could see in his eyes that he was telling the truth. What she thought she'd seen in his eyes earlier was remorse and pain, not guilt, not regret...just remorse for ever coming to her rescue.

Derek checked his watch and stood to leave.

"I understand your sentencing is coming up in a few days and I hope all goes well for you, Tamara."

Tamara looked down at her hands then back at him.

"Derek?"

"Yes?"

"I hope one day you can forgive me."

"I've already forgiven you, Tamara and I'm sorry that things turned out this way."

Aunt B's Bakery –

Penelope was nervous and whenever she was nervous, she craved sweets; being four months pregnant didn't help either. Her craving for blueberry muffins had brought her to Aunt B's for the biggest and tastiest blueberry muffin in town. She smiled as the young man handed her order across the counter. She decided to find a quiet booth nearby to partake guilt-free.

"Oh my god, this is so good." She moaned.

"Penelope?"

Penelope jumped at the sound of the familiar voice.

"Sam, what are you doing here?" She asked. "Are you following me?"

"No, no, I promise! I just stopped in for a cup of coffee. This is where we met, remember?"

"Don't remind me."

"I...I... I saw you in line, and since I was here, I just wanted to say, hello."

Penelope eyed the man who'd betrayed and conspired against her to ruin her life.

"Let me guess, blueberry muffin?" He nervously began again.

"You guessed it." She replied taking another bite.

"I remember how much you loved them."

"Yeah, well it seems like this little guy likes them too."

Penelope rubbed her slightly expanding belly.

"Your...pregnant? Uh well, congratulations...to both of you."

"Thank you."

"Uh, Penelope, I want to say again how sorry I am for what I did to you and Derek. There's no excuse and if it weren't for Derek refusing to press charges I'd be in jail with Tamara."

"My fiancé is kind to a fault. I suppose I owe you a thanks too."

Sam shifted and hung his head.

"You Saved Derek's life and for that I'm grateful." She added.

"Thank you for that."

"Don't be mistaken Sam, what you did to us was reprehensible and if I never see you again, it will be too soon."

Sam was stunned and speechless. He wasn't sure what he had expected from her. He deserved her words, but the sting still cut to the core.

"You're absolutely right, and again, I'm sorry. I wish you the best, Penelope."

Sam turned and quickly left the bakery.

Penelope suddenly lost her appetite for blueberry muffins. She wondered how Derek's visit with Tamara was going. He'd been blaming himself as if he'd caused her to run off the rails and insisted on talking to her. It was a bad idea; she knew, and their friends knew it, but Derek was stubborn and insisted on carrying the wait of the world on his shoulders.

She tossed the remainder of her muffin in the trash and headed home.

Home of Derek and Penelope –

She found him sitting quietly in the den. The room was dark, and she could sense his mood. He didn't say a word, he just looked up at her, his eyes following her as she took the seat next to him. Derek quickly gobbled her up in his arms and pulled her close, still silent. She had always been his soft shoulder and even though she called him her hero, she had saved his life more times than he could count. So, it was now, she was his God-given solace in the storm.

"Are you okay, Handsome?"

Derek inhaled deeply then exhaled.

"I am now, I am now." He replied kissing her lightly on the head.

4 Months later – Rossi Mansion – Christmas Eve – Morning

Since childhood Penelope had always dreamed of a Christmas wedding. However, being eight and half months pregnant was not a part of the dream. She'd second and third guessed her desire and plans to wed today, but her future husband being the man that he was insisted she have her fairytale wedding. So, here she was standing before the large full-length mirror looking at her reflection, fully pregnant belly, and all.

She felt the tears welling up in her eyes at the thought of marrying her best friend and the man of her dreams. Derek Morgan wanted to spend his life with her, who would have thought it. Life had a way of showing up in the most amazing ways.

Derek paced the floor of the room that had been set aside for the groom and his men. He was nervous at the magnitude of the day. Penelope had agreed to be his wife and though forces had conspired against his dreams of a life with her, and his childhood had made him feel dirty and worthless, here he stood, smack dab in the middle of God's greatest blessing and he was thankful.

"You ready for this?"

Derek turned to see the man who'd been like a father to him even before marrying his mother.

"I'm ready."

"Then what's wrong?"

"Dave, I'm afraid that I'm not enough for a woman so amazing as Penelope."

"Of course, you're enough."

Derek wiped the sweat from his head and began pacing again. Dave stepped in front of him, placing a fatherly hand on his shoulder.

"All you have to do is love your wife and your child. Penelope knows your heart and she's not expecting or demanding perfection."

"What if I mess up?"

"We all mess up! Look how long it took me to get it right and even now I still mess up, but I found the woman who loves me through my mess ups and my failures and she loves me any way!"

"I hear you; I hear you, but I don't deserve her, Dave."

"It's what's called, favor and the good news is that favor isn't fair!"

Derek chuckled and nodded as Dave pulled him into a warm embrace.

"Now let's get you married."

Just as Dave opened the door, Reid stepped inside and approached his best friend and smiled.

"It's time."

It was a beautiful wedding; for years to come some would even say it was the most beautiful wedding of all. Derek and Penelope had done what neither of them thought they could, they found love and happiness in a world that was often trying and dangerous. Their vows spoken on that day would become the blueprint for their lives, lived hand in hand in sickness and in health. They had both whispered promises to themselves to make the other happy, to put their family before themselves and it had worked. They were strong against evil, they defeated obstacles that tried them over and over.

Their son, Hank Spencer Morgan was born on Christmas day. Penelope and Derek would joke about how they appreciated his patience and allowed them to get through the reception before making his entrance into the world. He was a spitting image of his father, strong, wise beyond his years and fearless, but he had his mother's heart, always seeing the good in people willing to love without expecting it back in return.

Derek would spend countless nights at home, while the house was quiet and everyone was asleep, looking up to the sky and thanking God for not forgetting him and for forgiving him when he thought he had. He remembered the words of his stepfather, who told him on his wedding day, that he was enough, that he was favored despite being unworthy. Then just before checking the locks and setting the alarm, Derek would glance again to the sky and say,

"Thank You."

"I learned patience, perseverance, and dedication. Now I really know myself, and I know my voice. It's a voice of pain and victory." – Anthony Hamilton

THE END