Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: Thanks for the all the reviews! The response to this is overwhelming, so thank you! I don't apologise for cliffhangers ;)

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- True Love's Lie -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Derek felt as though all the air in his lungs had been sucked straight out. He couldn't breathe. His lungs constricted and his legs went weak and he stumbled backwards into James who caught him and stabled him.

"Whoa, c'mon, let's get you to a seat," He said and guided Derek over to the table, away from the television as the news continued to document the fiery remains of the plane.

"Derek," He heard his mom speak up, but he couldn't make his body move to look at her or respond, "Derek," She tried again, still no response, "Derek, I need you to look at me." Fran tried as she crouched in front of her son. She tried her hardest to hide her own heart break. She had only just embraced Penelope into her family and had seen one woman truly love her son and now she had seemingly lost her.

Derek finally looked up with tears his in eyes, fear igniting the brown orbs.

"Derek," She started gently, "I'm sorry for your day turning out like this, but please know that she loved you with her entire heart."

Shaking his head in disbelief, Derek spoke up, "Don't lie to me, Ma. I was just Derek to her."

Fran realised why he claimed her as just Penelope earlier that day. It was because he felt like just Derek to Penelope and her heart broke. "I will tell you now that that woman held you as more than just Derek. You realise the reason she left was because she was heartbroken thinking that you just saw her as Penelope." Fran saw her breaking her son even more, but she needed him to know. "She didn't want you for your looks, Derek; she was in love with you. She loved your heart and what you gave to her. She was even prepared to allow you to go off with whatever woman came into your life, because you'd be happy. She would just sit back and count that woman's blessings for her."

"Why are you doing this to me?" Derek asked his mom, feeling this torture getting too much.

"Because even though the news is hurting us all, you need to realise that she is as much under your skin as you are hers. If she is dead, Derek, you gave her a lot. You gave her a best friend that she would rather keep around while her heart broke than lose you."

"But I lost her," Derek mumbled as the numb feeling began to subside enough to allow him to respond to things around him.

Fran was speechless to respond to that. She couldn't think of a reasoning or an ounce of optimism because in that moment of time the only truth they had was documented on the screen.

"All passengers were aboard when the flight crashed," The TV spoke up above the silence that had settled. "Still there are no signs of survivors. Emergency services are on site to sort through the wreckage."

"I gotta get there," Derek whispered and then stood up. He wiped his face of the few tears that had freed themselves and he pumped his chest out, ready to face this reality.

Sam stopped him in his tracks, "You're not driving anywhere. I'll take you." He told him and saw Derek was going to argue with him, "You're in no fit state to drive, Derek."

"I just need to get there," Derek said sorrowfully, grief ravaging him whole. "She's not dead."

Derek didn't hear anything else as his mom and Sam pulled him free of the confines of the house and started the short drive to the airport.

The party forgotten, Derek's birthday celebration a distant priority.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- True Love's Lie -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Derek sat in the car quietly watching the scenery pass. He wasn't watching it, his mind wasn't on reality. His mind was on watching the video footage caught of the plane falling to the ground like a massive ball of fire. He had images of Penelope's smile in his head. He kept hearing her giggle at him, or speak his name. He kept imagining her touch him, hug him, sit next to him.

However, it was all drowning in a mess of panic as he realised that the last moment he saw was the last moment he would ever get any type of interaction or truth with her.

If she was dead, memories were all he had. Memories and regrets were what he would live by if today marked the day he lost his one true love forever. If that was the result then he knew he would never forgive himself for never telling her just what he truly felt.

He now realised just how everyone had come to conclusion that she was in love with him. He took note of her treatment to him; how it varied to that she had given to Kevin when she was with him. How she looked at him, touched him; spoke to him. Penelope had put herself out there time after time and Derek had just turned a blind eye to it and now it took her dying to realise everything.

Sitting there, not really taking in the conversation around him, he only now acknowledged just how Penelope had been taken for granted in his life. How he hadn't taken time to cherish the little moments, to lavish in her laughter, or linger in her happiness. He had always expected her to be there and nowhere else.

Then it stuck him.

The fact that she had disappeared only that morning after embarrassing her in front of all of his friends that she had only done that because she her heart was breaking.

The moment the car was parked, Derek bolted. He needed evidence that she was on the flight. He needed to believe that she had been declined access on board, that she was changed that her mind, that the news had gotten it wrong.

That he still had some hope to win her heart.

As he ran into the airport wildly, Derek looked around and saw all of the commotion and ran towards it. His mom and Sam running behind him quickly. He was prepared to cause physical damage if he was declined entrance. He was a man on a mission. One that could either give him everything, or destroy him entirely.

Derek felt like the longer he took getting to the departure lounge the longer he was wrongdoing Penelope by not being there. Everyone might have believed the news back at his mom's house, but he simply couldn't believe that she had perished along with all the other passengers on that plane. Likewise he hadn't believed that when she was shot there was any way in the world in which they lived on that she had died from that.

Until he had hardcore evidence then he would live through that mantra. Even if it meant that he never got that proof, he would carry on believing that she would waltz back into his life and just ignite the same feeling she always did. He wanted to feel the same sense of solace lace his entire being and protect him.

"Derek!" Same called out as he pulled away from Fran to keep up with Derek. Neither knew what Derek was capable when he was like this and neither wanted to find out. Yelling his name didn't work, not even after the fifth or sixth time, so Sam kept his stride up and followed Derek.

Derek saw signs for the departure lounge and he ran against the masses. Whilst everyone cried and fled to get away from the shock and the imminent death caused by the plane crash he ran towards it.

All the while his mind screamed a repetitive prayer.

He froze when he reached the large area, the air disappearing again, but for another reason.

Penelope was sitting down in the departure lounge, all alone, while everyone ran around in amongst the chaos and hysteria. She was alone, and looking vulnerable, but she was well and truly alive.

Within seconds he moved from his spot to go to her, pull her up and kiss her like it were his last ever chance because by some divine power, Penelope was alive and not on the flight home.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- True Love's Lie -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-