Disclaimer: I don't, as ever, own a single thing =(
A/N: Apologises for the MASSIVE delay! Life's not kind with time and the muse ran...So no update =(
But I hope to satisfy the break I made you go through! lol
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The team could tell something was bothering Penelope when the pair got back into work the following Monday. She had a sad look to her, her hair not so bouncy and her eyes not so lively as they had been.
Derek sat in his seat and felt completely defeated. He hadn't meant for that effect to happen. He wanted it to be a relax affair, something that would close a chapter to Penelope's life, now he felt like he'd let her down.
Little did he know was that she wasn't sad because he'd taken her to California, what was getting her was her lack of knowing how much Derek loved her.
Derek sat forward and picked his phone up and dialled a number he'd remember from a long time again. The biggest cheer up bouquet he could afford later, he sat back before deciding he needed to work.
However, every thought he had seemed to channel back to Penelope. To her face when they left the restaurant. Her expression was that of complete devastation and he hated every bit of it. He didn't want her to feel like that, he didn't want her family to make her feel like.
He just hoped that at the end of 'wooing' her she'd realised that she had a perfect family all along.
That and a man that loved her more than the air he breathed.
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Penelope look at the bouquet she'd received and burst into tears all over again. She felt like such a tortured soul. She felt played with and she felt utterly useless and used all at once.
Derek had sent her the most beautiful bouquet of flowers, had chosen her favourite flowers, in her favourite colours and had sent a card with them. One that illustrated beautifully that they were just friends.
The bitterness of that 'date' hit her again in one long wave and she felt her heart clamp some more at the memory.
She didn't react fast enough to the light tap and immediate opening of the door, she just looked up and saw Emily and JJ enter and she tried in face as her hands dragged down her face taking away the some of the tears.
She smiled but failed, they knew something was wrong with her whether or not she hid it. JJ went in and knelt down in front of her, a hand taking Penelope's, Emily stood with her arms crossed, her face begging for answers to the unasked question.
"Well?" Was all Emily needed to say and the answer exploded.
"I wish he wasn't so nice." Penelope sniffed as JJ handed her a tissue, "I mean he did something no one's ever done, he looked after me, held me when I cried because of my brothers and I fell deeper in love."
Emily and JJ exchanged looks, a pitied look, but a knowing look. They didn't need names to know who this was about.
"I don't actually know what to do... I'm so mixed up and he sends me flowers to cheer me up and again my resolve breaks. I fall on my arse every time!"
"That's not true, PG." Emily said sounding unconvinced with that statement. "The man wouldn't want to use all his free time up on you if it wasn't like that."
Penelope looked up at her brunette friend, completely unaware that Hotch and Derek were walking down the hallway, her lip trembled. "I got all dressed up at that night and I got shot down and that hurt me, but there's a part of me that wants to keep hope that he loves me, but now..." She sucked in a deep breath. "Now I'm not sure. What's the point in trying Girlies if all it's doing is setting me up for a bigger fall? I don't deserve that, I know I don't. I deserve someone that's going to try his hardest to prove to me he loves me."
"You just can't stop yourself can you?" JJ said as she stood up straight.
"No, and that makes this harder."
Hotch looked at Derek and smirked. "Think you've got some making up to do."
"It might not even be me." Derek said nervously and turned back and went to his desk in the bullpen. Now he felt terrible.
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Before he headed to his fourth lesson that night, Derek wrote a note and tapped it to Penelope's office door. He then left satisfied and with a small smile. When she got home she was going to have multiple gifts ready and then by the following weekend she was going to know just how far his love flowed for her.
Penelope walked slowly towards her office, looking forward to going home.
She hid a groan at seeing the paper and tore it off the door, she didn't even read it just added it to the stuff in her purse and left with her keys in her hand and her heart dragging five paces behind her.
She got into her beloved car and sat there and started the car, the radio blared on and she just stared at it.
(Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you're never coming round
(Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears
(Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by
Penelope didn't even turn the radio off; she just left the song to play. Whatever she did she wasn't getting away from this feeling. She just grabbed her bag and brought the folded paper out.
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time (all of the time)
I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark
Penelope opened the paper and saw Derek's handwriting scrawled across it. Don't ever give up hope, Baby Girl. That was it; he could've just told her that, she thought as she reread the words.
Once upon a time I was falling in love, but now I'm only falling apart
There's nothing I can do... a total eclipse of the heart
Once upon a time there was light in my life, but now there's only love in the dark
Nothing I can say... a total eclipse of the heart
"Not my friend tonight Bonnie." Penelope mumbled and flicked the radio to turn off and put the car into gear at last and left her parking space and went home.
She didn't know that Derek was still waiting around in the car park, he'd seen it all. He frowned and quickly dropped her text before heading off himself, keeping a distance between his and Penelope's cars. He watched her turn left, as he indicated and headed right.
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Derek listened to Gwen not even an hour later speak and he had smile, he couldn't believe he was one step ahead of the game.
"Romance her... send her things when she's down, make her feel better, subtly tell her that you love her without spreading it all over things. It'll work better, than anything else."
She saw Derek smirking down and she had to find out why.
"What's up, Derek?" Derek's head shot up then. "Well?" Gwen asked as a moments silence lapsed.
Derek felt on the spot, he felt Alan and Clive staring at him and his mouth went dry. "I kinder did that today..." He trailed off some. "I mean, she was down, so I sent her flowers and I overheard a conversation so I sent her mini gifts to cheer her up, all saying I love you without saying I love you."
"Seems you're a lot smarter than the love game, Derek."
Derek felt his phone go off as she walked away and he grabbed it and opened it.
Don't come over tonight, I'll be no fun and I just want to go to bed. xBGx
He frowned at that text response, he'd told her he'd be over to see her, he needed to talk to her, now he wasn't sure. He didn't respond and he wouldn't acknowledge her request. She was in need of some help, help to realise something, and he was in need of seeing her.
It was as soon as he got out that he went to Penelope and he stood with food and waited as she took her time to answer it.
Penelope blinked in his appearance and crossed her arms to her chest. "I said I was going to bed."
Derek then realised she was in her pyjamas then and smiled. "Let's say I came to tuck my Baby Girl in."
Penelope smiled a little lightly and Derek gained entrance. "I see you got my gifts then..." He said as he looked at the multiple random things around ,the teddy bear, the masses of flowers, the chocolates, her favourite wine, her favourite type of jewellery.
"I'm not happy about you bankrupting yourself." She said and went into her bedroom and crawled back into the bed. "I'm not worth it."
"The woman I'm in love with is always worth it." He said as he plucked a red rose out of one of the bouquets and went into her bedroom; he stood in the archway, leant against it, crossed a leg over the other and watched her as she sat up a little, her lips parted with shock.
"Pardon?" Penelope asked somewhat disbelieving.
"I didn't just come to tuck you in, Goddess; I came to tell you that I wanted you to keep your hope alive because one day I will get it right."
Penelope watched as he came towards her, the tatters of the last date in her head, but they dispersed when the searing spread of chemistry hit her with just one kiss.
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A.N:Song: Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse Of My Heart
Hope that ending makes up for the wait!