Savior

Chapter 11

-xx-

Derek could not contain the smile on his face as he watched Cate saunter through the ballroom. She stopped to talk to several of her peers, giving each her full attention and award winning smile. She would introduce Derek to every person they spoke with; her grin when she stated 'boyfriend' could have made him blush.

The two perused the silent auctions and raffle baskets, joking with each other as they put tickets into random baskets.

Only he knew she was nervous about making an acceptance speech later in the evening. The tight knit group of realtors that worked beneath her brought over a round of shots, not knowing she was grateful to calm her nerves.

As Derek looked through the ballroom, he could only beam when he admitted he was with the most beautiful woman in the room. The dress she wore seemed to have been made for her and fit her like a glove, accenting every curve on her body. Her natural beauty shone through the make up her sister applied, and he caught himself watching her dimple whenever she laughed or became animated in conversation.

His chest filled with pride as she showed off the bracelet he gifted to her. Cate's mother, Helena, showed her appreciation to Derek treating her daughter well.

Cate had walked off with a friend to hit the ladies room, leaving Derek with her mother. "You're very good for her, Agent Morgan," Helena commented as they watched the brunette walk through the crowd. "She seems very happy."

The smile on the older woman's face brought one to Derek's. "She makes me extremely happy, ma'am," he replied. "And please, call me Derek."

A soft laugh left her lips. "Only if you call me Helena." The black man nodded. "If you'll excuse me, I need to say hello to a few former colleagues," she stated, gesturing to a couple who were seated a few tables away.

Derek started towards the bar as he waited for Catherine to return. A twinge of hurt hit him as he recalled her mother calling him Agent; was that all they would remember him as? He shook the thought from his mind as he continued to the bar.

"Who let the Fed in?" he heard from behind him. Derek stalled for a moment, confirming the voice was speaking to him. He slowly turned around to see a blonde man with his arms crossed over his chest. "Remember me, Agent Morgan?"

The question dripped with sarcasm and the stench of hard liquor. Derek straightened himself up and faced him directly. "Should I?" he replied. Derek remembered who it was.

-xx-

"Grace, c'mon," the brunette goaded. "I can't leave him with my mother for too long."

The redhead laughed. "You make your mom out to seem crazy!" she exclaimed as the twosome walked back into the ballroom. "What exactly, Derek, are your intentions with my daughter?" Grace feigned a different voice, causing Cate to bust out laughing.

"That's something my father will say," Grace placed a hand on Cate's forearm as the two laughed harder.

"You are the youngest daughter, Cate," she reminded her friend. "And your Dad has always been over protective of you."

The brunette smirked. "Oh, the joys of having a Police Chief as your dad." Cate stopped in her tracks when she saw Derek near the bar. "Fucking Cole," she mumbled. She started in the direction of Derek and the blonde man.

With the crowd near the bar area, she kept having to skirt around people and tables on her way to the two men.

Cate forced a smile to her face as she walked up to the two. "What are you doing, Cole?" she asked, willing herself to keep her voice level.

The blonde haired man turned to her and grinned. "Ah, Cat," he started, his arrogance playing through. "Look who I found!" he exclaimed, "the guy who saved your life!"

His voice boomed, causing people around them to turn to look at the trio. Cate could feel her cheeks start to get warmer by the second. Her fingers traced the bracelet on her wrist, making herself take long, deep breaths. "What do you want?" she asked plainly.

"Aw," he started, "you brought the guy who didn't let you bleed out as a date tonight?" He swayed from his left foot to his right, slightly off balance. Her nose turned up at the smell that came off of him. "That's really cute, Cat." He purred, knowing how much disdain she had for the nickname.

Derek could sense her anger and reached next to him to take her hand. "I do remember you," the black man began. "You're the piece of shit who could not be bothered to visit his girlfriend in the hospital."

Cate bit her lip when he put it all together. At the time of Cate's attack, she had been dating Cole off and on for almost two years. In all of the time she spent in the hospital, Cole had only been in one time to see her. It was her sister, Jackie, who told Cole that the two were done. Jackie had said that Cate needed to worry about regaining her strength and not wonder where he was all the time. The blonde took the news better than Jackie expected – he never once begged to see her; he just explained that he understood what Jackie was telling him.

Cate could have sworn that Cole was following her around when she was finally able to drive herself and go out by herself. Flowers and packages would show up out of the blue on her doorstep.

"I was told to stay away," Cole spat at Derek.

Cate scoffed, causing him to turn to her. He began to lose his balance again, reaching out for a person walking by to steady himself. "After three weeks of you not showing up, Cole." Cate placed a hand to her hip. "After you were able to get into my client list and call up every client I had. You took clients and sales out from under me as I was in the operating room!" She tightened the grip she had on Derek's hand. "Do you want to know why I'm here tonight, Cole?"

The blonde man looked away from the brunette. Her eyes were steely gray with anger, and her eyebrow arched.

"I'm here tonight because I am number four in our district, and as expected, you're nothing.´ His eyes flashed towards her as she continued. "I made something of myself in spite of you. I'm not a piece of shit like you are."

Cole stumbled towards the brunette, but did not expect Derek to step in front of her hand. He placed his hands to the drunken man's chest, holding him away from Cate.

"You can get as angry as you want, Cole, but remember this." She took a step in the direction of their table, standing next to him, looking him dead in the eye. "I am a top five real estate agent, and you're at the bottom of the barrel. You are nothing. You have nothing. And you have no one to blame for that but yourself."

Cate placed a hand to Derek's arm as he released the blonde. Her lips were pursed together and her jaw was set straight. The blue in her eyes slowly came back as she calmed herself down. Derek's hand found her waist as she started towards their table.

"He should have let you die!" Cole called after them.

Cate let out the deep breath she did not realize she was holding and laughed. She could only shake her head as she led Derek back to their table.

The two walked silently back to where her mother and aunt sat. Her aunt could tell by the look on her face that she was in need of a drink; she winked in Cate's direction and took off to the bar.

Derek took a seat and eased Cate into his lap. "I'm sorry, baby."

She wiped the gloomy look off of her face and turned to him. "You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for." He placed his lips to hers. "He started drinking not too long after Jackie talked to him," she mumbled.

"Don't think that that is your fault," he replied, rubbing his hand over her arm. "You moved on, and as you said, made something of yourself. Do not let him bring you down." He smirked, "tonight is your night, baby."

She grinned. "Thank you," she searched into his deep brown eyes, a sense of calm and comfort taking over her body. "For coming tonight. I'm pretty excited to show you off," the brunette joked.

Derek kissed her arm that was in front of him from how she sat on his lap. "I'm not the one looking like a million bucks tonight," he replied, taking in every inch of her.

Cate blushed. "I don't agree with that statement at all."

She turned as her aunt returned to the table with drinks for the four of them. She smiled a thank you as she took her glass of wine. Derek placed his glass of whiskey on the table and leant closer to her ear. "I still want to know what's on under that dress."

Derek could have sworn her felt her shiver at his words. She could not respond as the host for the evening took the stage.

-xx-

My apologies for the massive delay. Between two sick kids, life, work, etc. this fell by the way side. I had written this chapter – and then deleted it, twice.