Savior

Chapter 2

-xx-

Catherine awoke the next morning with a slight pep in her step. There was a new number in her phone from the night before, and a permanent smile attached to her face.

They played pool and had a few more drinks until Cate called it a night. Big showing tomorrow! She boasted, but Derek saw that the smile did not make its way to her eyes.

Truth be told, she absolutely adored the house she was showing. Cate loved her job, but finding a home for a family was her favorite part. She could watch kids taking in their new home all day long. It was just so special.

She longed for the day to buy her own home, but truly enjoyed finding dream homes for her clients.

However, showing homes after her attack brought on panic attacks. She would catch herself steadying on the counter when showing a kitchen off. And a candle never made its way back into a home she showed. She barely lit a candle in her own condo anymore.

As she made her way to the kitchen, she checked her cell phone. There were a few emails regarding today's showing, and she sent off quick replies to those.

A text from her mother – Good luck today! Find the perfect family! Love, Mom

She smiled. Her mother was her biggest supporter. Dad had told her to leave the real estate business behind. He hated it now. It almost took his youngest daughter from him, and he wanted no part in it. Her mother knew it was her passion, though, and supported her daughter through it all.

Helena had even gone to the first few showings Cate put on when she was medically cleared. It gave Catherine a sense of calm to have her mother there – and her mother could sell a house! She had a knack of pointing out the little things to clients – the perfect type of furniture or wall color for each room.

When Cate scanned her text messages, she found one that she wasn't expecting. Derek. He only put his first name when he entered his information into her cell phone, but that was all she needed. It even came with a silly Snapchat filtered photo of the two of them as his contact picture.

You've got this. I'm only a call away. x

She released the breath she didn't know she was holding in.

When she walked out of the FBI Building a year and a half ago, she never expected to see Derek Morgan again. But she would never forget the man who held her hand as she was being worked on by medics in the condo, and again in the ambulance.

He made it a mission to visit her in the hospital. Derek personally ran her debriefing meeting. He gave her his office number in the event she needed anything.

No matter how many times she started to dial the number on his card, she never followed through with hitting send.

But this simple text message he sent her brought those butterflies back to the surface. After a few drinks last night, she gained enough courage to flirt. Derek was forever the gentleman, and never let her buy a drink, nor did he act on the flirtation. She was not going to be a one-night only woman.

She sent back a simple smiley face with an xo typed in next to it, and prepared herself for the day.

-xx-

"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Cavanaugh! Let's chat tomorrow. I will be in my office all day!" Cate smiled and waved to the newly married couple as they walked out of the three bedroom home.

Catherine turned around to tidy up the paperwork she had left on the dining room table when she heard a knock at the door.

"It's open!" she called out, and paused from her work to look up from the table.

Derek walked through the door with a bouquet of roses in his hand. "Cate," he greeted.

"Hi," she squeaked out through the smile breaking through across her lips.

"For you," he said as he handed her the soft pink roses. She graciously took them and placed them to her nose. "How'd it go?"

Smiling as the scent of fresh roses filtered through her nose, "Really good. I have a few potentials. I am definitely going to have a full day of work tomorrow!"

He laughed, "on a Sunday?"

Cate nodded. "Work never ends!" She slowly placed the roses on the dining room table as she finished sorting away her paperwork into their respective folders, and then into her bag.

Derek lost himself in watching her. A black pencil skirt that fit in all the right places, topped with a white and blue striped button up blouse. The kitten heels were his favorite though. Without them, she was around 5'7", and the two inches those heels added put her at a perfect height for his 6'1" frame.

"See something you like?" she quipped as she started into the kitchen.

Derek smirked. Yes, he most certainly did. "You look great, Cate."

She smiled back at him, "thank you." The brunette walked back into the dining space with a Styrofoam coffee cup in hand. "I definitely like what I see."

He couldn't help the smile he flashed in her direction. After his morning work out, he switched into a pair of loose jeans and a dress shirt. She had seen him all dressed up for work, dressed down at a bar, but today he wanted to impress her. It seemed to be working so far.

"This is a good surprise. Thank you." She sat on the arm of a chair at the dining table. Cate took a sip of her coffee and smiled at him.

"I wasn't going to wait to see you again," he admitted honestly. The blush creeping into her cheeks made her look away from the man in front of her. When she bit her lower lip to keep her beaming smile at bay, he clenched his fist.

Derek was going to enjoy courting her. He was not rushing anything and taking the chance of letting her slip out of his life again.

There was a spark between the two of them, and neither could deny it. Cate placed her cup onto the table and pulled her long hair into a ponytail.

She caught herself watching Derek's movements. He wandered through the living and dining space of the home, taking in the little quirks that she loved about this house. "This is one of my favorites. Hope it makes a family really happy."

She sighed as she looked into the back yard. It was perfect for cookouts and parties. There was a huge lot for a swing-set. That was probably something she wouldn't get to attain.

Catherine pushed away any man who led on to wanting a family over the past two years. If it was mentioned, she never called them back.

Deep down, it was something she truly wanted, but with the injuries she sustained, there was a very slim chance of making her own family. She had decided to not prolong relationships with the potential of losing them for that reason.

Derek looked over at her so deep in thought. Her hand was instinctively on the handle to the door, and her bottom lip was tucked between her teeth. "What are you thinking about?"

She turned towards him and feigned a smile, "nothing really." Cate shook her head, clearing the thoughts that crept in and finished filing everything away into her laptop bag and purse. "What are you up to on this fine day?" she asked, hoping to hide the disappointment in her voice.

"I was hoping you would join me for dinner," he offered. She smiled. "I'll take that as a yes?"

"I'd love to," she replied. Casting one last glance around the home, she made sure all the lights were off and the back door was locked. "I would like to get home to change, so where can I meet you?"

He smirked, "I think you look perfect."

The blush was back. It was amazing to Derek to know that he had that control over this woman. Best yet, was everything he said to her was meaningful.

Derek couldn't help the smile that crossed his face at her expression. "If you'd like, I can follow you home and then we can go from there?"

Cate nodded, "sounds like a plan."

Derek started towards the door, and held it open for her to cross through when she followed him. She breathed in the fresh spring air, and slipped on her sunglasses.

As Derek opened her car door for her, she smiled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied, and let his hand linger on hers for a moment on the door handle. "I'll follow you."

She nodded as he closed the door. Cate placed her head back on the head rest of her SUV and let out a deep breath.

Something about this man was too perfect. But for once in her life, she was going to be treated like a princess.

-xx-

"Home sweet home," she welcomed as she unlocked the door to her condo.

It was a cute little two bedroom, just enough for Catherine. The beige and blue living room was spacious but homey at the same time. The entertainment center was filled with trinkets from past vacations and picture frames filled with family and friends.

"Where were you thinking of going?" she asked as she slipped out of her heels.

Derek shrugged. "What are you in the mood for?" he asked as he eased himself onto the couch. "There's a new Italian spot around here. Rossi said it was legit Italian."

Cate smiled fondly at the mention of Dave Rossi. She had met him once in the hospital and again at Quantico. "I am always in the mood for Italian," she quipped. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll be out in a few. There's some beer in the fridge, I think?"

The brunette sauntered off down the hallway towards the two bedrooms. One was the master bedroom, and the other had been turned into her at-home office.

A few minutes later, Derek looked up from his cell phone to see Catherine walk back towards the living room. She was in a pair of tight jeans and a loose cream colored top. Cate had a brown cardigan draped over her arm, and her cell phone to her ear. "Maddy, how about you and I go out tomorrow? We can go to a movie, or go shopping. Whichever you want!"

The smile that crossed Cate's face when her niece replied to her was infectious. Derek could not control the smile on his face at her pleasure.

"I will pick you up tomorrow afternoon, okay? I have some work in the morning, and then I am all yours, kiddo."

They said their goodbyes and hung up. Cate placed her phone on the kitchen island and went to grab her heels from earlier. "Someone has you wrapped around their finger."

She beamed. "She definitely does. But I absolutely love it!"

Her hair was in a simple bun, and her face had a fresh application of makeup. Derek loved how she enhanced her natural beauty with some eye liner and mascara. The gloss on her lips made him grip the couch.

When she turned her back to him for a moment, the low back on her top showed off her shoulder tattoo. It was an anchor with watercolor roses.

"I like that tattoo." She glanced over her shoulder and smiled. "You wear it well."

Derek stood from the couch and walked to the brunette at the counter. He slipped his finger around her top to see the rest of the piece. Life's roughest storms prove the strength in our anchors was in script beneath the anchor.

Derek pursed his lips. If only they had figured out the case just hours before, she never would have faced that storm.

He slowly ran his thumb over the ink and felt Cate take a deep breath. "I'm sorry," he started.

She shook her head and turned around. "Don't. You have nothing to be sorry for." Cate took his hand in hers. "I proved to myself how strong I am. There is nothing to apologize for."

Derek placed his other hand to her cheek, and grinned when she relaxed into his touch. He stroked her cheek, with tenderness she had never felt.

"Ready to go?" she asked, knowing full well neither wanted to leave the apartment.

He nodded and stepped back. The two walked out of the condo together, and after Catherine made sure to lock the door, she snuck her hand into Derek's as they walked to his SUV.

-xx-