Chapter 2

AN: Thank you for the reviews! This is really kind of a romp of a story... Now, onto the next installment...

It was a short drive to Derek's home. He hated a long commute, so he lived only a few miles from BAU headquarters. It was one of the reasons the team met at his house a lot after work for drinks, cookouts, bitch sessions…other gatherings like that.

The other main reason was his basement. Morgan had a party palace in his basement. Big screen televisions- two of them- were the basis of one wall. The best blu-ray players, surround sound stereo, Wii, a pinball machine, a full bar, a ping pong table, and a patio that lead out to a hot tub. There were comfy couches; one, Penelope's favorite, was futon-style that reclined into a bed with the touch of a handle. Tons of beanbag chairs and pillows, too.

Because he worked so hard, he believed seriously he should play hard, too. Being a single, thirty-something guy, he had nothing else to spend his money on. He had parties a lot; a great portion of the FBI was invited when he did. He even told Penelope to bring Kevin, although he disliked him. Everyone loved his recreation room and the parties that happened there. Except for one person.

Kevin went to one party three months before they broke up, and refused to go to another one, regardless of how many times Penelope had begged.

"That is a sinful, nasty, hedonistic place," he'd said, curling his upper lip in disgust. "I feel like I am at risk of contracting venereal disease whenever I walk in there."

"It isn't that bad," she'd murmured.

"Penelope. He was in the hot tub with six women. Six. He may send home one or two, but he is going to make use of that…that...pleasure pit with the rest!" Kevin scoffed, his face turning red. "Reclining beds everywhere. He is just missing a pole!"

Penelope had told Derek about Kevin, especially the last part about the pole.

He'd burst out laughing. "I gotta get me one of those!"

As they walked into the house, she slid her shoes off onto the mat.

She saw Derek trying to toe his shoes off. That wasn't going to happen, they were tied and he needed to untie them. Obviously, he'd overdone it at work today; he couldn't even bend at the moment.

Shaking her head, she knelt before him, and leaned forward towards his feet. "Here, let me."

He inhaled sharply and muttered something she couldn't tell, then said, "No, baby, I got it."

Working on the laces, she said, "Don't be silly. Now lift."

As she pulled off the first shoe, she noticed how huge it was. The thing was a damned boat! She snuck a peek at the tag. Size thirteen.

She glanced up at him, ready to make some comment about his big feet, and ended up eye level with his crotch... Whoa, Nellie!

Apparently, what Prentiss said about the shoe size correlation was correct.

Blushing just a little, she went back to the other shoe and fumbled with the laces, then pulled that one off. She sat back on her haunches and smiled up at him. "All done."

Lowering his hand, he cupped her cheek. His eyes were so warm, tender. "Thanks, sweetheart."

For a moment, she just stared up at him, feeling a tingling from where his hand was touching her, and he was giving her a different sort of look, too.

Suddenly, he dropped his hand and took a step backward. "Hey…head on downstairs…I'm going up to get my medicine. I'll meet you down there."

Derek's house was a split level. She watched as he reached the wrong hand to the rail, and winced, then shook his head and trotted up the rest of the stairs unassisted.

She started down the stairs. When she opened the door, she saw the pole in the corner of the room where his makeshift dance floor was. Her jaw dropped, then she closed it, then it dropped again.

"Oh, good Lord," she groaned. That was tacky, and it gave Kevin credence for thinking it was a pleasure palace.

"Like the addition?" Derek said, coming up behind her. He was carrying a bottle of water in his good hand. He handed it to her.

She opened the bottle for him and took a sip while he put two painkillers in his mouth. "Your resale value just went way, way down with that, love bug."

He reached for the bottle back, took a big swig of water, and tilted his head back, swallowing the pills. He shuddered, which wasn't a surprise for her; he was a big baby whenever he was sick and hated taking any medicine.

Then he smirked again and answered, "Not if I sell this house to a sexy person."

She couldn't help it- Against her better judgment, she giggled.

As she looked over at the pole, she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to do one of those stripper twirls. She'd always wanted to spin around a pole like that; it was so naughty, she knew it would be fun.

"So," he said, interrupting her thoughts. He was over by the blu-ray player. "What do you want to watch? Iron Man? Bourne?" He grinned and held up the last one, "Chocolat?"

Her mouth dropped open in surprise again. It was her favorite movie, one she forced him to watch with her years ago. "Chocolat?"

"Yep. Got it for you," he said, then added, "if I could ever get you over here again."

She felt kind of horrible about that. It was true; they used to spend hours together,watching flicks, before Kevin came into the picture. She kind of let that die away, once she got a love interest in her life. Kevin didn't like Derek, and vise versa, and she was so wrapped up in Kevin...

Actually, there was no kind of about it. She did drop the ball on their friendship. Derek never did; he dated tons of women before she dated Kevin, and he still made time for her. Well, she was never going to do that again, regardless of whom the man was.

Smiling, she wandered over and stood in front of him. "Awww, sweetheart! You bought Johnny Depp to share with me in the pleasure dome?"

He crinkled his nose. "Lord, woman. Don't put it that way. Yeesh!"

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Really, it was a very sweet thing to do."

"You're welcome." He put his water on the end table and sat down, then stretched out his good arm. "Let's watch."

"No, honey," she said. "You're the injured one. You pick the movie."

He grinned. "I pick Chocolat. Besides, you being here has me feeling one hundred percent again."

"You are too good to me, Derek Morgan," she said, sitting next to him.

Gently, just like old times, she laid her head on his shoulder. She heard him sigh, and together they watched the sweet movie unfold.