Chapter 27

AN: Thanks for the reviews everyone! Next chapter coming up. I can't believe I have just two left after this! It's been a fun ride...Posting today, because I plan on sleeping in a wee bit tomorrow morning, and I won't have time to post!

He was driving her crazy.

It had been three weeks since Lenny had held her hostage, three weeks since she'd been scared for her life and for Derek's, and three weeks since Lenny had died.

However...

It had also been three weeks since they realized Lenny was right about one thing. She'd found out at the hospital she was pregnant with Derek Morgan, Junior (or Penelope Morgan, Junior. She wasn't partial!). Both baby and mommy were fine, thriving and happy. Terry and family had been healing and starting to thrive; the BAU team was back to normal and happy.

But something was wrong with Derek.

True, looking at him, seeing him at work, no one would ever know that there was something bothering her Hot Stuff. He was deliciously normal, gorgeously healthy, and tremendously proud of their bun in the oven. He'd handed out granola bar cigars to everyone at the BAU.

Rossi had immediately complained that he wanted a real stogie when the blessed event occurred.

Prentiss wanted a chocolate one, and so did Reid. They both had pouted at him for trying to spread his health fanatic thoughts to them.

"Do I look like I need to lose weight?" Reid had even griped.

The day by day things were the same. Derek was still loving, still showing all the affection he had for her in his regular, mundane activities. He touched her like she was made of glass, fragile and delicate. He held her with adoring worship...

...but he hadn't made love to her.

Now, Penelope tried very hard not to think about this. It wasn't that big of a deal, but deep down, it really bothered her. Their relationship was a hot one, based on sex—a lot of sex—as an expression of their love. She wondered what the hell was going on.

At first, she'd thought that maybe Derek was one of those guys that took one look at a pregnant woman and said, Oh, hell, no. Just completely turned off by the thought of pregnancy.

Hey, if it could happen to Elvis, it could happen to any man...

Then one morning, two and a half weeks ago, she'd come out of the shower, wet and naked like she always did, and blew that foolish thought out of the water.

Her fiance had been strapping on his ankle holster, sitting on the edge of their bed, when he looked up at her. Immediately, his eyes had filled with such heat, it made her tremble.

Shortly after, he'd quickly donned his pants and kissed her, heading out to the kitchen for breakfast.

She'd made romantic dinners, and he'd treated her so sweetly, like she was a delicate rose, a sweet flower. He showed her so much love, so much compassion, it was wonderful.

But he didn't touch her afterward, even when she made bold movements towards him.

She thought afterward that he was just stressed out and tired. They'd done some long nights on a case, and that could've been his issue.

Then he held her at night, his erection poking her in her behind, the small of her back, her belly...and he woke with morning wood that made her drool, it was so pronounced.

He'd simply excuse himself to the shower, like everything was normal.

This morning, this Saturday morning...he wasn't getting out-she wasn't letting him out-of their bed, and she was getting what she needed.

Derek slowly woke and yawned, stretching his arms above his head.

And heard an immediate clink of metal.

Come to think of it, he felt something foreign, like leather around his wrists.

He opened his eyes and saw his beautiful Baby Girl kneeling on the bed, her bottom resting on her heels. She was wearing one of her most angelic looking nighties. It was white, see through, with a satin ribbon underneath her overflowing breasts and lace trimming accenting those bountiful curves.

Derek groaned as his poor neglected dick throbbed in his cotton sleep pants. Good God, the woman had it going on. He was going to have to start sleeping in the basement, because this morning proved a trip to the shower was not going to help him.

"Baby..."

She smiled sweetly at him. "Hi, Hot Stuff."

"What are these?" he asked, tugging at his bound wrists.

"Accessory to Pleasure," she said, and then added unnecessarily, "You remember...the chapter after Backdoor Boogaloo."

"Honey, I know that," he snapped, irritated.

"Oh, good," she said, still giving him a Southern belle simple smile.

Maybe because he was horny as hell, maybe because he was aching with want for her and he couldn't do anything about it, maybe because it was a Saturday morning and he planned to work out and get rid of this agitation, but her little smirk irritated him even more.

He tugged a little more at his bonds in frustration. "Baby. What is going on?"

"I don't know, D," she said, leaning forward so that her face was near his. "I was thinking I should be the one asking you that."

He frowned, catching on to her thoughts. This didn't seem...this wasn't...

"Do you want me?" she asked, her eyes dark amber, her lips perfectly pink and delicious, matching the shadow of her nipples in that see through outfit she was wearing.

He couldn't fight this. He needed to protect her. He was doing this for them...for all of them.

"This is ridiculous. Let me up," he snarled, glaring at her.

She sat back on her heels again, the heat in her eyes dampening out and being replaced with moisture. She looked so hurt, so upset.

He cursed himself and changed the tone of his voice. "Baby..."

"Are you cheating on me?"

"What?" he asked incredulously. Was she crazy?

"You heard me," she whispered, her eyes narrowed but her chin quivering. "Is there another woman?"

"No! Of course not!" he snapped again. "How could you even—"

"Then why haven't you touched me?" she interrupted, obviously still hurt, still angry.

His heart seized in his chest. "Penelope..."

She was looking down at her folded hands. "You used to make love to me daily. Sometimes twice a day or more, showing me how much you loved me. Now..." She paused and looked up at him. "Do I repulse you?"

"Oh, my God, no," he said swiftly, as if denying it faster could erase those words from her mind. "Baby, I still want you. Every damned day. Every minute of every day."

"Then why, D?" she asked.

The clock ticking in the room sounded deafening loud to his ears. He had a hard time answering what he was feeling in his heart. He loved her, loved her with everything he had in his body and soul. He also cherished her, knew how delicate she was, how fragile the babe inside her was...and how quickly they both could have been taken away. He'd seen that in an instant.

He couldn't risk the baby, couldn't put her at risk. He knew some women miscarried, some had problems with their pregnancies, and he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize their health.

He'd never loved anything like he loved both of them.

"Answer me, Derek Morgan," she said, frowning at him.

"After what happened...after..." He couldn't finish. He simply looked up at her, taking a deep breath. "I can't lose you."

Her frown disappeared, only to be replaced by a soft smile of understanding. "You're not going to lose me, angel fish."

"You and the baby mean everything to me," he whispered fiercely. "I can't. I won't."

"Derek, sex isn't going to hurt me," she said, shaking her head. "The doctor said everything is fine, and—"

"It could," he interrupted, frowning. "I read up on dangers to early pregnancy and pregnant woman. After what happened...after-" he swallowed hard, obviously still haunted. He shook his head, and continued, "I'm not taking that risk. Not until you are much farther along, and even then, we'll...hey!"

Penelope straddled her fiancee's chest. "That's too bad you're not willing to take that risk, Hot Stuff. Life is all about taking measured risks, taking chances, loving and living, and being grateful for it. I'm not fragile, and neither is Junior."

"P..." he warned, but his voice lacked conviction.

"If you don't live your life the way you've been living it, you let Lenny win," she answered, looking him square in the eyes. "I'm not about to let that SOB take one more minute of my happiness."

He watched as she tugged the little white nightie over her head, freeing her swollen breasts. He gasped before groaning, as she leaned forward, touching her nipples to his bare chest, and then whispered by his ear:

"So, mister: You may not be willing to take a chance...but aren't you glad I am?"