Chapter 2

Penelope rolls onto her back and slowly opens her eyes. The room is mostly dark except for a light behind her head. Everything looks fuzzy without her glasses. She rolls to her side and nearly falls onto the floor.

"Easy there," a gentle voice prompts. She sits up and squints at the shape of David Rossi standing in the door frame.

"What time is it," she asks sleepily.

"Early," he replies. He glides into the room, stopping briefly to set a steaming mug of coffee onto a desk then moves over and sits next to her. He reaches up and slips her glasses onto her face.

"Thank you," she says softly. "How early?"

"It's not even seven yet." He strokes his fingers gently through her hair untangling the long strands. He leans his face forward.

Penelope jerks back. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to give you a good morning kiss," he explains gently. He slips his hand behind her neck and pulls her towards him.

"I have to brush my teeth first," she protests.

He ignores her and captures her mouth with his. It's a long slow kiss that makes her lips tingle and the rest of her body snap out of its' sleepiness. She wraps one arm around his waist and the other around his neck as he deepens the kiss.

He breaks the kiss and nibbles his way to the side of her neck.

"Good morning," he breathes into her ear causing her nipples to tighten in response.

"It is a good morning," she sighs. "I can't believe you kissed me. Kevin says that morning kisses are gross."

"Kevin's an idiot," he growls.

She giggles and clings to him briefly before her brain suddenly turns on and she realizes she is sitting on his couch, in his office - early in the morning.

"Did we sleep together," she questions.

Dave pulls back and takes in the petrified look on her face. He chuckles. "Yes. Right here on this couch."

She examines the couch and while it looks roomy, she can't imagine that he was very comfortable laying there with her. Her own back felt a little stiff.

"We were watching the movie," she begins. "I don't remember much after that."

Dave chuckles and eases her head to his chest. "That's because you fell asleep before we were twenty minutes in," he explained. "I watched by myself, while you sawed logs."

"I am so sorry," she apologizes. "It must have been the wine and the good food."

"It's okay. I enjoyed just holding you in my arms and listening to you breathe."

She jerks upright to look him in the eye. "Oh my God! Did I snore?"

Dave laughs again and shakes his head. "You did not."

She settles back against his chest. "That's good."

They sit in silence for a few moments before she speaks again. "Did you watch the whole movie?"

"I did," he replies succinctly.

"Did you like it?"

He takes a moment. "Yeah, I did. At first, I wasn't sure but it grew on me. I can understand why you like it so much. You would be Tank Girl, the heroine out to save the world."

"She's all about nose picking, flatulence and random casual sex," she beams. "My kind of girl."

"Well that is nothing like you," he counters. He disentangles himself from her and stands up.

"That could be me," she pouts.

He shakes his head. " 're too much of a lady. You'd like to be her but you're not."

"I hate profilers," she mutters.

"Really," he asks as he settles behind his desk. "Then why are you falling in love with one?"

She stares at him for a moment before silently sinking down into the couch. "Wake me in a bit, I have to be at work by ten."

"I will," he promises. He smirks as he leans back in the chair and watches her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

This time she wakes to the smell of fresh coffee and the sound of David whistling in the other room. She sits up and stretches, rolling the kinks out of her neck. Coffee and a shower were tops on her list. She gets to her feet and pads out of the office to the kitchen. Dave, at the stove, has his back to her and she can't help but admire the way his jeans cling to his round cheeks and slim legs.

"Just the way I like my men, barefoot and in the kitchen," she teases.

"Hey sweetheart, " he greets her happily. "I was about to come wake you. Coffee?"

She smiles and nods. He reaches for a mug and the coffee pot.

"What time is it," she asks.

"Nine fifteen."

"Nine fifteen," she repeats. "Nine fifteen!"

She jumps into panic mode and runs into the office. She grabs her shoes and tries to put them on as she bounces back to the door.

"There's plenty of time. It only takes twenty minutes to get to the office from here," he explains.

"I can't go to the office like this," she screeches. "I have to go home, take a shower and change."

He shrugs. "Take a shower here. No one will know you wore that last night, except me."

She stops and looks at him like he has grown a third eye. "I will know. This is not clothes that I wear at work."

"I don't know why not, it looks great on you."

She hustles past him. "Where are my phone and my purse?"

She glances around the kitchen as Dave watches her amusedly.

"Help me," she cries.

"Look in the sitting room," he says patiently. She runs to the other room. "I made you a bagel sandwich you want me to wrap it up?"

He heads for the kitchen.

"I'll see you at work," she hollers from the hallway. The front door opens and closes before he can reply. He rushes to catch her before she leaves. On the porch, he watches as she backs out of the driveway and speeds off down the street.

He shakes his head and goes back into the house.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It is nearly eleven when Penelope steps out of the elevator and marches towards the door of the BAU. She called Hotch earlier and told him she overslept, to which he had chuckled and explained that Dave had called to say he had overslept as well. She was momentarily mortified to think that Hotch now thought that she and Dave had slept together, until she realized that she really didn't care.

She hustles through the double glass doors and is immediately accosted by Kevin.

"Where have you been," he asks worriedly. "I came by your place last night and you weren't there."

"You came over?"

He nods. "After my thing was done. I dropped by to, you know, help you celebrate your birthday."

She blinks at him. "You came over to, uh, you know?"

"I tried to call you too but it went straight to voicemail."

"My phone died," she replies absently. She glances to the left and notices the whole team, minus Dave and Hotch, trying to look like they were not paying attention.

"I was really worried," he tells her. "Where were you?!"

She looks at him taking in his freshly washed hair and clean clothes.

"Really? How worried were you?"

"Very," he replies softly. He slides closer to her, putting his hands on her hips.

"What time did you come over," she inquires.

"About eleven thirty," he shrugs. He leans closer to kiss her but she places her hand on his shoulder and stops him.

"And what time did you go to bed?"

He frowns. "Just after midnight."

"So, you were so worried about me that you went directly home from my place and went to sleep?"

He drops his hands and steps back. "I was tired."

"What if I had been in a car accident, Kevin? Did you call the police? Or local hospitals?"

"Were you in an accident," he inquires.

"Do I look like I was in an accident?"

He shakes his head. "No. You look beautiful by the way."

"Thank you," she says abruptly.

"Are you mad at me?"

"You're not a very good boyfriend," she points out.

He looks affronted. "What do you mean?"

"What do I mean?! Yesterday was my birthday and you didn't stop by my office, you didn't call, send flowers or anything. And then you think you can come by my house at eleven thirty for sex? A woman needs more than that," she explains. "You need to do better because there are other men out there and I am done being second best."

"What does that mean?" he growls.

Before she can answer, Dave steps out of the break room and strides over. He stops between them, just short of Penelope and holds up a small brown paper bag. "You forgot your breakfast, sweetheart." He leans over and presses a kiss on her mouth.

"Hey," Kevin yells. "Get away from my girlfriend!"

Dave slowly turns around. The air fills with tension. The team is suddenly completely vested in the goings on. "Or what," Dave asks lowly.

Kevin swallows hard and attempts to feign bravery. "Or there's going to be trouble."

"Trouble," Dave repeats. "Let me tell you something, MR. LYNCH. You should pack it in now and go home."

Kevin frowns. "I don't understand."

Dave takes a step towards him. Kevin leans back but stands his ground. "I'll put it into words you may understand. Player two, has entered the game."

Dave pivots away, he caresses Penelope's chin and gives her a wink. "Have a great day, beautiful."

Penelope smiles and watches as he traverses to his office. She looks back at Kevin. "Do you understand now?"

She doesn't wait for an answer, instead she spins on her heel and marches purposely to her office.

Kevin watches her disappear. He looks at the team who have returned to their files. His glance slides up to Dave's office. He does his best glare before stomping in the direction of Penelope's office.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Should we…" Reid starts as he watches Kevin leave the area.

"She'll be fine," Derek interjects. His head is buried in a file. "Let them work it out."

"Do you think she spent the night at Dave's," Emily inquires.

JJ laughs. "I'd lay money on it."

Derek looks up at Dave's office. The older man has his door open, he sits at his desk watching the area where Kevin just disappeared.

"I was worried for a moment that Dave was going punch Kevin," Reid mused.

"You and me both," Derek replies. "But the old man has better control than I would in that situation."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I can't believe this," Kevin states as he stomps into Penelope's office. "Are you sleeping with him?"

She looks up from her desk. "If I am, it's none of your business."

"None of my business?! You're my girlfriend and I won't stand for it."

"Why don't you go tell him that," she suggests.

"Maybe I will," he counters.

"And where, exactly, would you like to be buried," she asks as she settles into her chair.

He deflates and steps further into the room. "I didn't know you were unhappy."

They lock eyes. "Me either," she says softly.

"I love you Penny," he admits. "I don't want to lose you."

"Then you need to work harder at keeping me," she shrugs. "Because I have one foot out the door of this relationship."

"What do you want me to do," he asks.

"I want you to be an adult, Kevin. I want you to figure out how to treat me without me telling you. Be the man in this relationship," she pleads.

"I'll do my best," he promises her. "But I can't buy you the things he can."

"I don't need things, Kevin. I need someone I can rely on."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"That was quite a show," Hotch states as he leans against the door frame to Rossi's office.

"Wasn't meant to be," Dave replies. He eases back in his chair.

"No?"

Dave shakes his head. Hotch steps into the room and settles into the chair across from his friend and mentor.

"Did you sleep with her last night," Hotch asks carefully.

Dave raises an eyebrow in response. "I don't kiss and tell, Aaron."

"I know," Hotch says as he shakes his head. "I apologize for asking. I'm just… when I agreed that you should ask her out, I wasn't expecting you to move so fast."

"Nothing happened," Dave assures the younger man. "We fell asleep on the couch watching a movie."

"I'm sure your back is enjoying that," Hotch chuckles.

"Not really but the rest of me, the part that got to hold her, is just fine."

They stare at each other for a moment.

"So what's your plan," Hotch inquires. "What's the end goal here?"

"What's it to you," Dave frowns.

"As your boss, I need to make certain you aren't going to get into a punching match with Kevin Lynch." Dave scoffs. Hotch continues. "And as your friend, I don't want to see you or Garcia get hurt. If you are truly trying to have a relationship with her; you need to make certain you are one hundred percent committed."

Dave leans forward resting his elbows on the desk. "I might be twenty odd years older than Kevin Lynch and he may have a few pounds on me but don't worry, if things get physical between us, I'll be the one standing in the end."

"You sure about that?"

Dave ignores that comment. "And as for Penelope, I promised not to hurt her. If anyone gets hurt, it will be me."

"Well, I don't want to see you get hurt either," Hotch admits.

"I'm already one hundred percent invested Aaron," Dave tells him. "If she chooses him, it will be inevitable."

End Chapter 2