Moment of Truth Chapter 2, a criminal minds fanfic

A/N: Thank you to every one of you who reviewed this story and added it to your alerts and favorites! Your wonderful reactions make me so happy!

Now to the conclusion of this little two-shot. Hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Criminal Minds. I'm just playing a little :)

This was it. She was finally going to do it – take the biggest risk of her life. Penelope drew in a deep breath and turned to face Derek. The tender, caring expression on his face, as he tracked her movements with his eyes, gave her that last little ounce of courage she needed to proceed.

This is our moment of truth
Either we win or we lose this love
It's just the way that we feel
We'll know if love is for real, soon enough
Let out your feelings tonight
Cause oh, I know that I want you
It's all up to me and you
And the moment of truth

"Derek, when Kevin … ended it, he said some things to me. Things … about you."

Derek couldn't help the bolt of tension that shot through him. He had no idea what was coming, but he instinctively knew that it had been something difficult for Penelope to face. The thought hurt him. The urge to make some angry, scathing comment about Lynch was tempered only by the raw vulnerability in his Baby Girl's face as she prepared to continue.

Instead of raging, he encouraged her, sitting forward slowly, hands now resting loosely in his lap. "Go on, Baby Girl. You know you can tell me anything."

Penelope fiddled nervously with the hem of her shirt as she stumbled over the words, "He said … he said …" He saw her take a breath before she went on, this time rushing everything out. "He said that you want me. That you watch me walk away and you look like you want to be with me."

She had been looking everywhere except at Derek as she spoke. Now she sneaked a quick look at him, but glanced away before she could register his expression. She was too afraid that she wouldn't be able to finish. She hurried on, "I just wanted to know, you know? So I know whether to … to hope … or just give up and move on."

Having said it all, Penelope finally looked at Derek. She met such a look of stunned confusion on his face that right away, she was certain that both she and Kevin had been very, very wrong. Derek looked as though it was the furthest thing from his mind.

Penelope backtracked quickly, "Oh god. He was wrong, wasn't he?" She twisted her hands together, mocking the way her heart felt.

"Derek, look … I'm sorry I said anything. Can we just forget it, please? Please?" She hated the pleading note that had crept into her voice.

"No." Though he spoke the word gently, with a soft shake of his head, Penelope felt almost as if he had slapped her. She flinched, and spun on her heel, sudden tears blinding her. She didn't know where she was going, but she had to get away from him … just long enough to get her composure back.

The sudden movement broke Derek's paralysis as he realized she'd misunderstood. He flew up off the couch and was standing behind Penelope in mere seconds. He felt her stiffen as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back gently against him.

"No, baby. He wasn't wrong." Resting his head on her shoulder, he spoke the words gently into her ear, and waited patiently for them to register. He knew when they did when he felt her tremble in his arms.

"I died a little inside every time I watched you walk away with him, and remembered that I could have had my chance, if I was only brave enough to take it."

Derek turned Penelope around in his arms, bringing both hands up to cup her face. She stared at him, her turn to be stunned, and a single tear escaped and traced a path down her cheek.

Following the tear with his thumb, Derek whispered, "I don't want to be that coward anymore, Penelope."

Far too many times a heart gets broken
Just because three words are never spoken
We can't let that bother us
Not when we're so much in love
I could never get enough of saying I love you

He slid his hands up to weave them into her hair, drawing her face closer to his. Bending to her, Derek delighted in the way Penelope wrapped her arms around him and her eyes drifted shut as she anticipated his kiss. Then he pressed his lips to her full, sweet ones, and his world imploded. Kissing her was so much more wonderful than he had ever dreamed it could be.

Penelope relished the feel of Derek's mouth on hers, his lips soft and warm, the taste like nothing she had ever tasted before. Derek slid his hands out of her hair, only to wrap his arms around her and bring her body flush against his. With a tiny moan, Penelope allowed him access to deepen the kiss.

Reluctantly releasing her mouth, Derek kept Penelope within the circle of his arms as he leaned his forehead against hers. Needing her know it all, Derek tilted his head back to look down into her eyes.

"Penelope, you have always been everything to me. I love you, baby."

The smile that lit her face tugged at Derek's heart as he let himself get lost in the wonder of having her in his arms, the way he'd wanted for so very long.

Penelope reached a hand up to tenderly trace his cheek, and Derek felt his breath catch when she whispered gently, "I love you too Derek. Always."

This time the kiss held an undercurrent of passion that Derek and Penelope both knew they would never get enough of exploring. In that moment, both understood that everything they had ever needed could be found right there in each other's arms.

FIN