[a/n: please do not hate me for how this chapter ends. i left the end bit for this chapter so i'd have something new to put into derek's POV. it needs to be this way as a setup for the last chapter. much love. peace.]

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

Derek sat at the back of the jet with his headphones clamped on, listing to some smooth jazz to sooth his aching soul. His thoughts drifted back to home and his baby girl waiting for him back in the BAU...

He was sure his heart stopped the moment he heard the crash. So great was his concern that he bolted from the washroom without a second thought.

"Baby girl, are you alright?"

"Derek Morgan, don't you dare come into this room!"

Then he realized that she was probably still only partially dressed, so he slowed his roll out of respect to her.

"What happened?"

"Wine, gravity, and a deadly pair of tights", she joked wryly from her general living room area. She didn't know where he was or what direction he happened to be looking in because she had her back to him, but he could clearly see when she sat up that his first assumption had been correct- she was still only half dressed.

"I'm fine, but I haven't yet achieved full modesty, so if you would be so kind as to avert your lovely eyes from my general direction for a few ticks I would be eternally grateful", she continued.

"Sure thing, princess", he assured her sweetly, not yet turning away as he was still unsure as to the actual amount of damage her fall had caused her.

"My hero", she giggled, lifting herself off the floor without too much difficulty.

When he was sure that she could remain standing, he looked away and tried to busy himself with other thoughts besides her lacy royal purple underwear. After all.. the hero always peeks, right? He cast his gaze around her bedroom until it came to rest on the loudest pillow Derek had ever seen. He chuckled to himself as he picked it up. What a crazy, mad, wonderful women she was. And then an idea that was worthy of such a women occurred to him in a flash of insanity.

He held the pillow tightly in his hands, creeping towards her like a cat, ready to pounce at the last possible second. He hoped she would ignore the fact that he could again see her nickers as she pulled her pyjamas bottoms over them. He was on pins and needles, wondering if she would sense his game and turn around to catch him in the act at any moment. Then he would have a lot of explaining to do..

Just as she pulled the waistband snugly over her hips, he struck. The blow sent her reeling slightly at first, but when she turned around, a slow, vengeful, yet perfect smile spread across her face.

"Oh, you are so dead.."

And the full out war that had followed had truly been the stuff of legends. He would never forget it. Not as long as he lived.

"I'm really glad you're staying", she confessed, seemingly out of the blue, giving him that warm smile that he loved so much.

"Me too, baby girl", he rumbled, giving her the same smile in return.

She giggled and scrunched her nose up and stuck her tongue out between her teeth until Derek was sure she couldn't get any cuter.

"Why can't it be like this all the time?", she asked with a sigh, slinging her arms around his neck, a gesture that always felt so right to him.

"Be like what all the time?", he asked, nuzzling comfortably into her embrace.

"You and me?", she attempted by way of an explanation. "Just us? With no pressure and no rules and no distractions? Why can't we just stay like this all the time?"

"Well", Derek considered, resting his forehead against hers, "There are unsubs.. and paperwork.. and boyfriends for a start."

"Ahh, screw 'em", she joked, rolling her eyes and rubbing noses with her boy affectionately. "Why would I need any of that when I've got you?"

And that's when they both realized that it was happening; the little awkward moments that build before an imminent kiss were taking place. They both got very still and their breath came in whispers. A flash of hot awareness flushed each cheek. The lids of their eyes were drooping closed and there lips felt full and heavy. There was nothing for it now and nothing to stop it... until..

"Penelope..", Derek interrupted, disturbing the tension in the air, even though a large part of him was screaming at him not to.

"Derek..", she muttered at soul chilling level only he could hear.

"We should-", Derek paused to clear his throat and pull away from her. "We should-um.. It's really late. We should-should get some sleep..?"

And just like that, the moment was lost. The magic that could have been, vanished.

"Oh", she mumbled, sitting up and tugging at her left sleeve self-consciously. "Yeah.. I guess.."

"Yeah", Derek nodded, shuffling nervously at the foot of her bed, unsure of his next move.

Penelope couldn't meet his eyes any more and looked anywhere but directly at him. When her gaze fell on the discarded pillow, she picked it up and held it out to him awkwardly.

"You'll be needing this..", she managed.

"Yeah", Derek nodded stupidly. "Yeah, I suppose I will.." when he looked up at her, he saw her spirit withering before his eyes and it nearly killed him. He had to say something. Had to make it better somehow. "Listen.. we're okay still, right?"

She'd looked up at him in surprise we he'd started speaking again, but he saw something change in the depths of her eyes when she responded. "Yeah, of course. We'll always be okay."

He could tell the sentiments weren't sincere, but he let it go. She needed to be alone right now, and he would respect that. He headed to the couch without another word and tried his best to get any semblance of sleep.

"Morgan!", Reid barked, shaking his fellow agent's arm to rouse him from his trance-like state.

Derek removed his headphones and looked around in confusion.

"We've landed and everyone else has left already", Reid explained, seeing that Derek was still half in his stupor.

"Oh, sorry, Reid", Derek apologized. "Thanks for waking me.."

"You weren't asleep!", Reid chuckled, packing his novel away in his messenger bag and slinging the bag over his shoulder. "You should think about getting some if your hallucinations are becoming that vivid though."

"Will do", Derek assured the doctor, rubbing his tired eyes and following the young agent off the jet.

[a/n: again, sorry about the angst. nasty stuff, but necessary, i assure you. more to come.]