Savior

Chapter 18

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Cate held her breath as she pressed send to the e-mail she had on her laptop. Six years later she was giving up her condo, but she finally had a future to look forward to.

Message sent, popped up on the screen. She released the breath and closed her laptop. Cate placed her computer next to her on the couch and closed her eyes for a second.

For once, she could see herself in a home like those she had sold for the past ten years. She yearned for a backyard and a garden, knowing full well that her mother would tend to said garden. A pool would be a bonus as she gave up the pool at her gated community.

She could not wait for the cookouts in their big backyard; Derek manning the grill and herself hosting their friends and family. Birthday parties with children running around the yard, smiling and laughing.

Cate shook the thoughts from her head as she stood from the couch and walked into the kitchen where Derek sat at the table working away on his own laptop. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind.

Derek leant back into her embrace and sighed in contentment. "It's sent."

She rested her chin on his shoulder. "I can't tell you how excited I am, Cate," he admitted. She smiled against his skin. "The best is yet to come."

"Definitely," she agreed. "I'll talk to my mom tonight and see if there's anything interesting that's been listed lately."

Derek finished typing away at the report in front of him. She tried her best to not read what was on the screen, but words would jump off the screen at her. Blood. Victim. Stab wound.

Cate quickly removed her arms from around Derek and walked towards the counter. She leaned on to the cold marble, letting it cool her suddenly warming skin.

It was as if her scar was burning just by reading those few words. She pressed her hand to her side as tears burned her eyes. Cate tried to take deep breaths in order to calm her mind, but there was no use.

Derek rushed to her side from the table just as she slid to the floor and tucked her knees to her chest. He placed a hand to each of her thighs as she rocked herself, her eyes closed as deep breaths moved between her lips.

"Baby," he mumbled as his hands ran up and down her bare legs, to the hem of her shorts. "I'm here, Catie."

She slowed her rocking, and opened one eye to see the man kneeling in front of her. She took several more deep breaths, focusing on her breathing and clearing her mind.

Cate uncurled her hand, noticing that her nails dug deep into her palms. She exhaled one last time as Derek took her hand into his; he ran his fingers over the indents she made.

He knew nothing he said would snap her out of her reverie, but being there for her spoke volumes. Derek inwardly cursed himself for trying to catch up on reports at home, knowing how easily her PTSD could be triggered.

The brunette closed her eyes, let out yet another deep breath, and finally opened both eyes. Slowly, gray-blue orbs focused on dark brown, taking in the comfort and concern in them. "Tomorrow," she muttered.

Derek did not ask, but continued to massage her legs.

"Tomorrow will be three years."

He mentally kicked himself even more for not realizing the date. It was one of a million cases he had worked on in his time with the BAU, but it was always going to be the most important. Without it, the two may have never crossed paths, but because of it, Cate would bear physical and mental scars for the rest of her life.

Derek could see his girlfriend come back to him on the floor in the kitchen. She slowly stopped counting her breaths and the rocking stopped all together. Her eyes turned back from steely gray to the vibrant blue he fell in love with.

"Three years since you entered my life," she stated, a shy smile taking over her face.

She lowered her legs to the cool tile beneath her and leaned into Derek's warm embrace. "Since both of our lives changed."

Cate turned her head against his chest, calming herself by listening to his heartbeat. She focused on his fingers dancing across the base of her neck. "I wish we had been set up on a blind date three years ago instead," she joked.

Derek smirked against her shoulder. "Nah," he began, noticing how she leaned closer to him. "I'm not a blind date kind of guy."

Cate shook her head. "Why am I not surprised?" she asked with a soft laugh. A smile settled across her lips. "I do prefer when you set up date night though."

"I am pretty good at that," he admitted. He placed soft kisses up to the strap of her tank top and back down her shoulder again.

"No," Cate whined as she shrugged her shoulder away from his touch. "We have dinner at my parents' tonight, and I really need to start getting ready." She was back to her normal self, something Derek was very happy to see. He knew it settled just beneath her skin, and the flashbacks could always come back.

Derek rested back against the cabinets next to her. "You're no fun," he joked as he helped the brunette off of the floor.

Cate started towards the doorway of the kitchen. "On second thought," she started. The brunette turned back to him and flashed a devilish smile. "Maybe if you ask nicely, I'll let you join me in the shower," she teased.

Cate barely made it to the hallway before Derek lifted her into his arms. She squealed in delight as he carried her into the bathroom.

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