Author's Note: Thank you all so much for the reviews for last chapter!

I just want to let you know that I have an idea for an AU story that wouldn't involve the BAU at all. Our favorite agents would have entirely different lives and careers, but before I tackle this, I want to know if it's something you're even interested in. If you'd like to weigh in, feel free to visit my profile and let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading. Enjoy!

~Angie

Penelope had barely slept a wink last night, and every time she did find slumber, it had been riddled with dreams of Derek Morgan—not that she was complaining. When she'd woken up this morning, she could still taste him, and if she thought about his kiss long enough, her lips would start tingling again. That wasn't hard to do…the trick was pushing the event (and it had been an event complete with fireworks!) from her mind.

After all, it had been a single occurrence. They hadn't even made plans to see each other again. He had said that kissing her had been worth waiting for…but was that all he wanted?

She hoped not…she hoped it was just the beginning.

With a yawn and a groan she stretched and then swung her legs over the side of the bed. Stuffing her bare feet into her purple fuzzy slippers, she wiped the sleep from her eyes and headed downstairs.

"It's after ten," Darby said as she walked into the kitchen.

Penelope yawned again. "It is?" she asked groggily. She hadn't looked at the clock. "Coffee?"

Darby pointed to the coffee maker, and Penelope bumped into the stool on her way over. "Owww," she muttered stopping to rub her knee.

Darby laughed. "Have a seat. You're dangerous in the morning. Can't even navigate my kitchen." She grabbed a mug from the cupboard and placed it in front of Penelope, then proceeded to fill it. "There you go."

Penelope sat down on the stool and doctored her coffee. Lifting the mug, she inhaled deeply and then sighed contentedly. "Bless you," she said, then took a long swallow.

Darby frowned. "Did you sleep OK?" she asked.

Penelope shook her head. "Mmm mmm," she told her sister in law.

"I told Payton that mattress was too lumpy," she grumbled.

"The mattress was fine," Penelope assured her. "I had another problem."

"Which was?"

Penelope pursed her lips together in order to hold back the beaming grin she felt coming on. "Do you remember Derek Morgan?" she asked.

Darby laughed as she took the stool across from her. "Who doesn't? He was…charming, to say the least. He always had girls chasing him. But I…" Darby gasped. "Were you one of the girls after him?" she asked.

"God, no," Penelope said with a frown. "Definitely not. I saw way too many desperate teenage girls throwing themselves at my brothers to ever stoop to that. Desiree, the friend that I met up with last night, is his sister."

"I didn't know that."

Penelope nodded. "Yeah. He was…at the house when I got there, and…he gave me a ride home."

"Really?" Darby said knowingly, giving Penelope an even stare.

"Don't look at me like that!" Penelope said. "You make feel like…"

Darby lifted her eyebrows.

"Stop!" Penelope said with a laugh.

Desiree grinned and took a sip of her own coffee.

"Anyway, we…we met a few times at his house when I was in high school, and…" Penelope sighed. "I honestly never thought much of it, because he was so much older than I was, but…he told me he had a thing for me back then."

Darby's grin widened. "I don't know why you're so surprised, Penelope. You were fun and vivacious. Men love that."

"Am I not fun and vivacious anymore?" Penelope asked.

"No," Darby said thoughtfully. "You are. But…you changed when your parents died. You stopped letting people in."

Penelope didn't say anything for a moment, just sat there quietly. "I…you're right," she finally said. "But last night, with Derek…I don't know if it's because he brings me back to a place where I was carefree and young…but I felt more like me than I have in a long time."

Darby grinned. "Then I like him already."

"I can't believe you didn't wear pants," Darby said with a shiver. Payton instinctively wrapped an arm around his wife and pulled her against his side.

Penelope grinned. "Didn't even pack any," she admitted.

"Well, you'd better hope someone asks you to dance and keeps you moving all night long," Darby said.

"Hey," Penelope said in greeting, as she walked up to Desiree, het sister Sarah, and some other girls she vaguely remembered from high school.

"Hey," Desiree said with a grin. "Penelope, you remember my sister Sarah?"

Penelope nodded as she smiled back at Sarah, and then listened as Desiree named off the other three women: Keri, Amanda, and Jordan.

She returned niceties with the women, and Keri frowned. "How long has it been since you've been to a street dance in late September Chicago weather, Penelope?" she asked.

Penelope grinned. "Since high school," she answered.

"Obviously," Keri remarked dryly. "Or you would have had the good sense to have worn pants."

"I…" Penelope's voice trailed off as her eyes widened in shock. She turned to look at Desiree, and Desiree looked just as surprised as she was.

I'm so sorry, her friend mouthed.

Penelope chose to shrug it off. She'd never let anyone belittle her before; she wasn't about to start now.

"Desiree, you didn't tell us Derek was in town," Jordan said, thankfully changing the subject.

"How did you know—"

Desiree turned around to look in the direction Jordan was pointing, and the rest followed suit. There he was…standing across the street talking to a cluster of people.

"Keri, didn't you have a huge crush on Derek in high school?" Jordan asked in amusement.

"I did," Keri said dismissively. "But Derek's always liked older women."

"I thought he dated Bianca Beaton," Amanda said thoughtfully. "She was younger than you."

"Yes, well…you see how long that lasted," Keri commented dryly.

Penelope tore her gaze away from Derek, her focus returning to the group once again. "I think Derek just likes women," Sarah chimed in, and then looked pointedly at Keri. "And I've noticed he prefers them to have a good disposition."

Penelope mentally high fived Derek's older sister as Keri huffily looked away.

They were engrossed in conversation a few minutes later, and Penelope couldn't help but notice that the other woman purposefully ignored anything she said. She had to hold back a grin at that. Obviously Keri didn't realize she was doing her a favor.

"Ladies." His unmistakable voice came from behind.

She turned around and Derek was standing there with a sexy grin on his face.

"Derek," Keri said quickly. "It's so nice to see you again. How long are you in town for?"

"Tomorrow," he answered, not sparing her a glance. "Penelope," he said softly.

"Hello," she returned.

"Would you like to dance?"

With a grin, she stepped down off the sidewalk and took the hand he'd offered her.

She could feel Keri's glare on her back as they made their way to the crowd of people dancing in the street.