"Don't."

Derek opened his eyes at the sound of her broken voice. His heart stopped in his chest as her face was marred by betrayal and heartbreak. The hands that were keeping him from holding her were shaking upon his chest. He could see the tears ready to fall from her eyes and couldn't understand why she needed to be brave. Not after that moment. "Pen..."

"Derek, we can't do this," Penelope said sadly. Penelope was trying to gather every ounce of courage to keep their distance. She could see the confusion in his eyes. As their lips danced in that wonderful moment, she longed for them to make love like they had before. Yet, when her mind returned to that painful day, she felt his body leave her after their moment. She remembered his gaze upon her, one she could only imagine was one of disgust and shame if it meant he left her. She could hear her apartment door close and the sound of his old truck as he drove away from her, breaking her heart all over again.

His heart fell to his stomach. He could read all the despair upon her face and wanted nothing more than to heal her like she has healed him time after time. Derek knew that she was hurting and wondered if it was what she went through physically that is causing her to be withdrawn. "Are you hurt? Do you need medicine?"

Her heart was breaking at his care and concern. He was so blind to what happened and feared what would happen if he knew that he was the cause of her suffering. "Derek, this... us... it won't work."

He was struck dumb as he watched her back away from him. "Baby, you can't be serious." She stared at him with haunted eyes that possessed no hope. "Pen, I..."

"Derek, what happened between us after Emily's funeral was a mistake. I should have never let things escalate the way they did. It damaged us, Sugar, and I don't think we can ever go back."

"It wasn't a mistake," Derek growled meeting her gaze with fire and anger. "It was never a mistake for me, Penelope."

"I don't believe you," she said sadly, preparing herself for his anger.

"Yeah, you've said that before," he said angrily. "Pen, I don't know how to convince you that this is what want."

"Derek, I counsel victims' families. I know the signs and events that occur after one has lost someone out of violence. People need to feel a sense of belonging and comfort after they are surrounded by death. I gave that to you willingly. We were together for the sake of comfort and the human need to feel less alone."

Derek's teeth clenched as he watched her spout out facts like Reid. "It was more than that," he said.

"Don't fool yourself or me," she said sadly turning away from him.

"What was it to you?" he asked at her retreating back. "What did our time mean to you, Penelope?"

Hot tears cascaded down Penelope's face as heartbreak and physical pain dominated her sense. "Everything," she whispered.

Derek's heart broke as he watched her pained form. He stepped closer to her, longing to see her face. "Do you really believe that it meant nothing to me, Penelope?"

She couldn't answer him. Her fear of what her words would be stopped her.

"You can't answer me, can you?" he asked sadly. "Penelope, our time together was filled with passion and healing I never knew existed. It took everything in my power not to cry out your name as your soft hands and sweet lips touched the darkest part of my soul. You saved me, Penelope Garcia. You did."

Penelope tentatively turned to meet the eyes of her former lover. She knew he was trying to save her. That is what Derek did. He wanted to save someone. Yet, she couldn't let him save her if he was lying to himself. "I know that what happened that night was raw and passionate. If I helped you heal after Emily's passing, I am thankful. But, we can't do this again, Derek."

"You're afraid," he challenged her.

"I am," she agreed, "But not for reasons you are thinking, Derek."

"Then explain it to me," he said growing frustrated. "Explain to me why you are afraid, why you are running from us."

"Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to," she warned stepping away from him.

"I am asking," he said taking the long strides toward her. "Explain it to me, Penelope."

"Derek," she cried, turning her head from his gaze.

He reached out and cupped her face in his hands, wiping away her tears. "It's me, Baby Girl. You can tell me..."

After a moment of internal debate, she decided to confess her fear to him. "You'll run." She pressed a kiss to each of his palms and held tight to his strong hands. "If I tell you, you will run, Derek."

"I wouldn't" he said strongly.

"You have."

He knew he deserved that blow, but wasn't expecting it to hurt as much as it did. "You have no idea how much I could go back to our time together and hold you. Remind you of how much you meant to me, what you still mean to me. Baby Girl, you are my everything."

"Why did you leave?" she asked softly. "Did I repulse you that much that you had to leave?"

Derek was shocked by her question. "No, you didn't repulse me, Penelope." She laughed bitterly and turned her head from his gaze in unconvinced by his words. "You don't believe me?" Derek asked.

"Derek, I know what I look like without clothes. It's no wonder you ran."

He couldn't believe this was his confidant and spunky Goddess he was madly in love with. Her insecurities and doubt painted her fearful and that broke his heart. "Penelope, you're wrong," he said firmly. "You are gorgeous, curvy and someone I would love to call mine."

"You don't have to..."

She was cut off by his lips capturing hers in a passionate kiss. His tongue stole entry into her mouth as he held her as tightly as he could without hurting her. He took one of her hands and moved it down to his growing manhood within his jeans. He could feel the shock on her face. He fought not to chuckle at her surprise. "You do this to me," he growled making his way down her jaw line to her neck. He moved her hand in stroking motions to encourage his developing hardness. He hope that would be evidence to his desire for her. Yet, he knew she needed to hear the words as well. His lips found her ear and he continued, "Every time you enter a room, touch me, look at me with your doe brown eyes, I am hard as a rock," His lips latched down on her neck and she moaned in pleasure, holding him close with her bruised arms. "You give me reason, you teach me kindness, you bless me with your love," he said as his lips danced across her breasts. As his mouth traveled up her neck and back to her lips, he kissed her deeply, desperately attempting to convey his love for her in that moment. Resting his forehead gently without disturbing her wounds, he took sharp breaths to calm himself as he stared into her brown eyes. "I will always regret leaving that night. But if you will have me, we can start from here."

Penelope found herself falling. She fought like hell not to feel this way about him after their night together, however, she couldn't escape his love and her love for him. "I am in love with you," she whispered upon his lips. Derek's bright smile caused her to chuckle quietly. She touched his face reverently and pressed a tentative kiss upon his lips. "Please don't run from me again," she asked brokenly. "I couldn't..."

"Never again," he said silencing her with a kiss. "I am yours," he whispered.

They were lying together upon her bed sharing kisses of promise and love. He loved to watch her smile in calm comfort as he held her close. His fingers combed through her blonde locks and he smiled as she began falling asleep upon his chest.

She gripped his shirt tightly and surprised him in their moment. Looking down, her eyes were closed tightly and her breathes were shallow. "Pen..." he asked nervously.

"It's okay, Hot Stuff," she said through the pain. "It's just my body tell me I need to get some medicine."

"I'll get it..."

"No," she said pressing a kiss to his lips. "I need to pee anyway," she said with a tired wink.

"Oh, that's sexy," Derek said humorously.

"Don't you know it," she said with a wink moving slowly out of their warm embrace. He sat up and pressed another wanting kiss upon her lips and she smiled against him. Nuzzling his face softly, she pressed a final kiss to his addictive mouth. "I'll be right back." She moved off him and slowly made her way to the bathroom.

Before entering, she turned and watched the man she loved rest upon her bed. His eyes were half closed and he gave her a tired smile. "I love you, Derek Morgan." she whispered reverently.

He winked at her and rested his head against her soft pillows. "And I love you, Penelope Garcia." After she escaped into the bathroom, Derek smiled and found himself more relaxed than ever as he waited for his Goddess to return.

After finishing her lady business, Penelope came to face herself in the mirror and was shocked at what she saw. The wounds that she was very much aware of were still there. However, she looked white as a sheet. A sudden wave of pain burst from within her chest and she gripped her sink tightly. As she attempted to ride out the pain, her urge to cough dominated her physical desires. Her eyes widened as she opened her eyes and she saw blood cover her closed fist. Looking up at the mirror into her reflection, there were patterns of spattered blood upon the glass and trickles of blood escaping her mouth. She wanted to cry out Derek's name, but no words would escape her, only blood. Her familiar tendency to faint at the vision of blood consumed her she felt herself slip into darkness.

Derek sat up in alert as he heard items fall from within the bathroom. "Baby Girl?" he cried out. A loud thump encouraged his fears as he sat up from the bed and moved toward the bathroom door. When he got there, he knocked and called out her name. When she didn't answer, he concern grew and his hand made its way to the doorknob. Finding it unlocked, he opened it. Derek could feel the blood drain from his face as his eyes took in the image that greeted him as he opened the door. He saw the scattered beauty products upon her sink and the floor. He first caught sight of the blood patterns upon the mirror. His heart sank as the image of his Goddess crumpled on the floor came into his sight. "No," he cried out pushing his way through the door. He leaned down and gathered her into his arms, touching the warm path of blood that escaped her mouth. "Baby, baby you need to wake up for me," he said, his control bordering the line of panic with each passing second. "Please wake up."

"D?" she moaned in pain.

"Shhh," he silenced her, pressing a kiss to her hair.

"D, something's wrong," she said squeezing his thigh in pain.

"Don't talk, Penelope," he ordered gathering her in his arms. "Im going to save you," he said firmly as he moved with purpose to his old truck.