Close Quarters

Chapter Three

April 2010

Penelope grimaced as worked her way through IM conversations between the unsub and the second victim. The unsub had portrayed himself as the ideal man. He had played on all of his victim's insecurities and then tailored his responses to make her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. The most special. The luckiest.

Derek was in the same room as Penelope, a living room, as he looked around at the dead woman's belongings. This is how they spent the day before too.

But then her mind hadn't kept wandering to thoughts of Derek jerking off to a fantasy of her. That was hot as hell to Penelope and made her doubts about if he truly found her attractive seem rather silly now.

Dealing with the computer work though, and thinking of the unsub, wiped away most of her high and brought her back to earth. It was horrible the way some men could abuse women.

She was glad Derek was so honorable. He made her feel safe and protected, whenever he was near, and when he was far away he was still just one speed dial from coming to help her. She was a proud woman and usually did not ask for his help but to know it was there meant the world to her.

Penelope paused, as she realized that her thoughts betrayed her feelings about the men in her life. She hadn't been thinking of Kevin or his honorable intentions, his kindness or how he could offer to protect her. She had been with him for two years and a couple months, before the break up in February, and still he wasn't a hero in her mind.

The break up was kinda ugly but they were friends again now. No one knew it even happened but JJ. Penelope didn't feel like getting into it with everyone. If she dumped Kevin then that would be a different story but he had dumped her.

And, no way around it, that was humiliating. The man she had settled for didn't want to settle for her. Some irony.

"Sweetheart?" Derek asked, as he paused his search, and walked behind her chair. His hands massaged her shoulders. "You need a break?"

She stifled a moan at the feel of his hands on her. Yesterday this kind of touch would feel innocent but today it was sparking a wild sexual hunger in her. She squirmed in her seat as slight moisture pooled between her legs.

Derek could get her wet like that. As quick as a snap of a finger and with no effort at all. Just being around her. With his hands on her now her breasts were growing heavier by the second- aching to be licked, sucked, pinched, caressed, tweaked and twisted till she was coming hard, gushing out her essence and screaming herself hoarse saying his name. Not that she had ever experienced an orgasm as good as she imagined but that is what fantasy was for, right?

"I'm okay," she said, trying to keep her voice even. "Though I don't think I can do this for two whole weeks."

She knew he assumed she was talking about dealing with the disturbing thought of what the unsub did to his victims.

XXXXXXXXX

"Lets hope we don't get stuck here for that long, baby girl," Derek said, moving away from her and going back to his search.

He had tried to sound encouraging for her but it was realistic to think that he unsub might not be caught for a couple of weeks unless he sped up his schedule. The team didn't have enough to go on without another victim, though they would try their hardest to make sure there was no fourth victim.

They all knew how it worked though. They could very well be in Indiana for a while. Penelope had gulped when she first heard that. Derek had felt tension oozing out of her over that piece of information.

He didn't know if it was about him, about being away from Lynch for that long, or about something else totally. Maybe it was all about her being upset for the victims.

She was kind that way and cared deeply for all the people that suffered at the hands of the unsubs they dealt with on a daily basis.

Derek sure as hell hoped she wasn't upset about having an adjoining room next to him. Sexual tension aside, she was his best friend and he hoped they might hang out a little bit after working hours. He hadn't seen her nearly as much as he wanted to in the last couple of years.

She had Lynch in her bed and he took up all her spare time. At least Derek assumed so. He hadn't asked her to spend much time with him because he didn't want to interfere. And he also couldn't deal with her saying "Sorry, I have to be with my boyfriend this weekend," so he never put her in the position to tell him that.

It meant he missed his baby girl in a way he hadn't before she hooked up with Lynch. Back then she was always available for him and he took advantage of that. When he was in the mood they did everything and anything together. From hanging around all day at his house- which wasn't the same one he lived in now- watching movies and playing with his dog to going to concerts, plays, street fairs, museums and whatever else they could find to do. But when he wanted space he thought nothing of taking it. Sometimes for months on end. He must have drove her crazy with his hot and cold behavior.

He regretted that now.

XXXXXXXXX

"I'm not leaving you here alone- " Derek started to say, a few hours later.

"Hell no, you aren't." She looked around the room. Though no murder took place there it was the place from which the woman was thought to have been kidnaped. Penelope felt like she could feel a presence there- a sadness seeping through the air.

Derek went on "So that means you get to come with me as we talk to the neighbors."

"I get to be a field agent?"

He gave her a playful look. "SSA Garcia, for a day."

"SSA Baby girl," she flirted and then blushed, averting her eyes.

He couldn't believe how their encounter that morning had got to her to this degree. It had been nearly five hours now and she was still acting like she had sex on the brain. Well, good. He was glad to know she was affected by him still.

Cause she sure as hell still had all it took to get him hard and overheated.

XXXXXXXXX

After talking to some neighbors Penelope said "Hot Stuff, I'm not going another step without some nourishment. And you need some just as badly, my love. Time for a lunch break."

"You're speaking my language, sweetness. Lets get out of here." He opened the door to the lobby for her and she walked outside.

As they drove to the restaurant Derek called Hotch and filled him in on what little they found out so far. When he hung up Penelope asked "Any good news on their end?"

"All dead ends. It looks like you better get used to Indiana, baby."

She gulped and looked out the window.