Chapter 3

AN: Thank you for the reviews. A lot of you are close in what you think is going on. Just remember: I truly believe there is only one person for Garcia, and if you have read any of my stories in the past...you know who that is! Still, it is so fun to play with all the wonderful characters at the BAU in Quantico!

Derek knew that if he didn't leave the BAU in a heartbeat, he was going to explode. The whole Reid/Penelope thing was still wracking his brain. He couldn't believe it. His heart, what was left of it, was telling him there was no way in hell his Baby Girl was interested in Reid. He didn't know what was going on, but he just didn't think it was that.

Grabbing his bag, he left the bullpen and the main floor as quickly as he could. Making it to the gym, Derek quickly stripped down and put on shorts and a tank top before he made his way to the boxing ring. He signed up to spar with someone, anyone. He hoped it was some big dude who wouldn't mind extra aggression. While he waited, he went over to the standing bag and began to punch the crap out of that.

"Easy, there," Prentiss said, standing behind him and laughing. "Trying to kill a leather sack?"

"Just...getting...out... aggression," he muttered, still socking the bag.

She watched as he pummeled the bag for a long time, before finally sighing and commenting.

"Ah," she murmured, "you heard about PG and Reid."

He stopped immediately, "How'd-?"

Prentiss simply raised an eyebrow at him. She was always very intuitive.

He growled, then wiped the back of his sweaty forehead with his equally sweaty forearm. A few droplets ran into his eyes anyway, causing his eyes to sting. "Yeah. Can you believe it? Is that not the biggest fucking joke you have ever heard?"

Prentiss took a drink of water from her bottle, then shrugged her shoulders. "Not really."

"Penelope, the sexiest tech to ever grace the FBI, and Reid?" His eyes narrowed. "Come on, Prentiss. You know that ain't a match made in heaven!"

"Penelope can choose whomever she likes." She thought for a second more, then she scowled at him. "And what's wrong with Reid? He's sweet. Charming. Quite handsome. Don't snort at me, Morgan. You've even called him pretty boy."

"Boy." He snorted again. "That's the optimal word. He's what? Twenty-one?" He sneered before socking the bag again.

"Reid is twenty-seven, Mr. Dates Girls Who Are Barely Legal."

That stopped him. He looked absolutely indignant. "I do not. Hell, I haven't even dated an intern in years."

"That's besides the point, anyway. We're getting off subject. Age shouldn't be a factor for her choosing Reid. All sorts of relationships work with different age ranges," Prentiss explained. "He's nice. They get along well, and they have a lot of fun. She's closest to Reid after you and JJ. And she likes the brainy type, I think."

"What?"

"Well, she went for Lynch, didn't she?" Prentiss shrugged again. "He seemed smart."

"Lynch was a fucking idiot!"

Emily put her hands on her hips. "If you are going to yell at me, I am going away."

"I didn't ask you to come over!" he snapped. The moment she turned, he regretted saying it. "Emily. I'm sorry."

"Derek, what is wrong? You weren't like this when she was dating Lynch; why now?" Emily could tell her friend was hurting, but she couldn't help him unless he talked. She knew there was a slim chance that he'd talk to her. He was so hostile and angry right now; it was going to be harder than hell to reach him.

Derek's mouth flattened into a thin line, and she saw the wall come up slowly, the defensive one he brought up for everyone but PG.

She shook her head sadly. "Fine," she answered, turning again.

"There is nothing wrong with him. That's the problem." Derek sat on the weight bench nearby and ran a hand over his face, then he exhaled heavily.

"You've always hated everyone Penelope dated."

Derek rolled his eyes at her in exasperation. "Could that be because she's dated a lot of idiots?"

"No," Emily replied, giving him a confused look. "Some of them were really nice, Morgan. If you'd gotten to know them, you would have liked them."

"Yeah, right."

"Colin Nelson was nice. Really nice. A soccer player with abs of steel who knew martial arts. He was funny; all of us liked him. Except you," she said flatly. She gave him a questioning look. "Any one of them would've been fine, you could've been friends with them, but you choose to hate them, instead. Why?"

Derek didn't like where this was going. Deep in his heart, he knew exactly why he didn't like them, didn't want to like them. They were all very wrong for Penelope.

Truth be told, there was only one man good enough for Penelope. He always thought someday she'd see that, too. He was never afraid that she'd settle for a Lynch, or a Peterberger (The buck toothed wonder she dated before Lynch), or a Nelson (The lisping moron before Peterberger). He wouldn't let her.

But Reid...

Sonofabitch. He felt absolutely deflated, like someone stuck a pin in him and all his bluster wheezed out with his aggression.

"Morgan!" the ring leader called. "You're up!"

Derek turned to see a massive man in the ring with a hungry look on his face. He was obviously pumped up and ready to rumble.

Sighing, he hung his head. All the piss and vinegar was out of him now; he didn't stand a snowball's chance of beating that guy.

"I gotta go," he muttered to Prentiss, and headed to the ring to get his ass kicked.