[a/n: okay, so basically "snake eyes" was a slap in the face for me, so it took me a few days to get up the energy to write again. my renewed inspiration came from all of you here on fanfiction still soldiering on in spite of everything. still writing, still hoping, still dreaming, and then it struck me that that's why there are sites like this. this place keeps our dreams alive. so, hears how i would have written that episode. i've skipped over all the case bits for the most part because that wasn't the part that i was interested in this time around. love y'all. peace.]

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL HERE IN.. the towel made me do it, i swear...

"Are you sure?", Derek heard Hotch ask, "Thank you, Garcia, and calm down okay? We'll get him."

Derek motioned quickly to catch Hotch's attention before he hung up the call.

Hotch asked for a wordless explanation with a raised eyebrow.

Derek shook his head, but gestured that he should pass over the cell quickly.

"Um, actually, could you hold on for a second, I think we have something..", Hotch lied to keep her on the line.

"Sure thing, boss man", Penelope complied seamlessly, awaiting further instructions.

Hotch held his hand over the receiving end of his phone and whispered, "Can't you just call her yourself?"

"She's been avoiding my calls", Derek answered, which garnered him a concerned glance from his boss.

"Is everything okay with you two?", he asked, worried that any complications might effect the swiftness of their case.

"That's what I'd like to know", Derek sighed.

Hotch nodded and put the cell back to his ear, "I'm going to have to hand you off to Morgan because there's a situation here, but he'll give you the details."

Penelope blanched and her blood ran cold. "Oh no, sir! Please don't do that-!", Penelope begged fruitlessly.

"Hey, baby girl", Derek greeted, preparing himself for another cut-off dial tone to sound.

"Heyyy..", Penelope sighed in defeat. Logically she knew she couldn't keep running forever. She had given it a real college try, but her efforts had been entirely in vain.

"Listen, sweetness, I know you've been avoiding me", Derek goaded gently. "and I think I might understand why, so if you just talk to me and get it off your chest you'll feel better and we can go back to actually, you know, speaking."

"I'm sorry", Penelope moaned, distraught and caving. "It's just Kevin and you and J.J. and Emily-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up", Derek interrupted, attempting to sort out her possible reasons for being upset with so many people at once. "Start from the beginning; Where is all this coming from?"

Penelope took in a steadying breath. This was going to be uncomfortable. "Remember when I told you Kevin had no problem with you staying over for a few days while your place was being fixed?"

"Yeah.." Derek replied, waiting for her to continue.

"Well, I kinda.. lied", she cringed.

"Garcia, you didn't", Derek was shocked and slightly upset now himself. "Penelope- Baby girl- Why would you put me in that position?"

"I know", Penelope whined pitifully, "I'm sorry. I mean, I managed to convince him it was a solid, strictly business plan the other day when you first set up camp, but then he called me again this morning, all fired up from talking with his mother and I had to calm him down again. Playing peacemaker at seven in the morning is a real turn off."

"I'm sorry that Kevin is giving you stress about this", Derek apologized sincerely. "Listen, I'll be fine moving into a hotel for the remain-"

"No, you will not!", Penelope was quick to protest. "That will just make my stance on the matter look weak", she back peddled, thinking on the fly. "Besides, the reason we even discussed you coming to stay over was the repair work is punching a hole in your wallet and you would be hard pressed to stay in a hotel given your current financial standing."

Derek silently handed her that victory. She'd hit the nail on the head. "So what are we going to do about Kevin?", he asked.

"Leave Kevin to me", Penelope huffed determinedly. "I'll sort him out one way or the other.."

"Sheesh, remind me never to piss you off", Derek jibbed playfully.

"Too late, sweetness", she chucked half-humourlessly.

"And what was my indiscretion?", Derek wanted to know.

Penelope stopped short, no longer willing to continue.

"Come on, princess", Derek almost sing-songed. "The truth shall set ye free.."

"It was the towel..", she mumbled, mortified and barely audible, having placed her head in her hands.

"Excuse me?", Derek asked, confused.

"It was the towel", she reiterated more clearly, giving up all pretence of strict morality.

"...I don't follow", Derek insisted after a moments contemplation.

"I had just spent twenty minutes on the phone explaining to my loon of a boyfriend that your stay at my apartment was perfectly innocent", Penelope began to explain in more detail. "That nothing could ever happen between us because we were best friends and I had him and yada-yada-yada."

"Uh huh..", Derek encouraged.

"Then I come around the corner looking for you, and what do I see?- You standing in the middle of my frickin' bedroom doorway, in nothing, but a towel."

"Oooh..", Derek said in sudden dawning realization.

"Yeah", Penelope sighed in frustration. "You definitely don't make my life easier, sugar plum."

"I apologize", Derek sighed humbly. "I really am not making this easy on you, am I?"

"For sure", Penelope nodded, then relenting slightly she added, "Not that it was an entirely unpleasant experience.."

Derek grinned. She was teasing, and that meant he was in the clear. "Somebody like what they saw?"

"There isn't yet a number to describe how many heart attacks I was having", she giggled saucily.

"You know, I think your boyfriend has a reason to worry if you're thinking such naughty thoughts, miss thing", Derek warned jokingly.

"That is the dilemma", Penelope sighed, shrugging, "but what is one to do when one is craving chocolate?"

Derek chuckled. "See you later, silly girl."

"Good-bye, my sweet treat", Penelope fare-welled happily, glad to be rid of her tension for now. "Oh, and Derek?"

"Yes, baby girl?", he asked.

"Tell Emily and J.J. to call me, I kinda may have snapped at them before you all left."

"Will do", Derek agreed, "later, player."

"See ya."

[a/n: more to come.]