Use Your Words

Chapter Seven

Tuesday February 15th 2010

Their date started at three in the afternoon and ended at nearly three in the morning. Derek surprised Penelope by taking her on the train to New York City where they had a romantic dinner and saw a Broadway show. Then they rode the train back home. The six hours on the train were plenty of time to talk.

Though she jokingly complained that they should have gotten a private room so they could do more than talk. Their chat was good for them though. They were able to talk abut the past, reminisce about when they first met, and also moments when things went wrong along the way, and they were able to talk about the future too. He couldn't stop smiling after she asked him how many kids he wanted since he was ready to be done practicing finally.

Holding her hand all day, or having his arm around her, supplied the physical connection he needed but he was craving more. By the time they were in her apartment it was all Derek could do not to carry her to bed and make love to her.

He helped her out of her coat then kissed her temple as he stood behind her. "Thank you so much for spending today with me."

"You planned quite the first date, baby."

"Just wait till our second one. I hope your passport is in order, Garcia. Maybe we'll check out Paris."

She spun around, her eyes light with teasing, and slapped his chest. "That would be hard to do in the one day we have off before we head back to work."

"Okay, maybe when we get our annual vacation this Spring. What do you say?"

"No way."

"No way, girl? What do you have against the city of lights?"

She ran her finger down his shirt and then she crooked it in the top of his pants. "That vacation is earmarked for having you naked in bed twenty four hours a day. So there's no use in wasting the airfare to go to Europe."

He laughed. "Crazy woman, I wanna show you the whole world and you will not stop me with your constant need for sex."

Penelope laughed. "Yeah, I really don't think you're gonna spend your life complaining about too much sex, do you?"

"You got me there." There shared a tender kiss and then he stepped back. "I should get home, sweetheart. How about I pick you up for breakfast in the morning?"

"I told JJ I would do brunch at her place. Why don't you come?"

He pulled her close. "A chance to spend more time with you....hmmmm? You talked me into it." Derek lay a sweet kiss on her lips and then headed for the door.

Penelope called out, her tone shaking with emotion suddenly, "I love you so uber much!"

Turning he stared at her with love radiating in his eyes. His voice was deep when he responded "I love you too," before he went home for a few hours of sleep until he could see his girl again.

XXXXXXXXXX

Derek picked Penelope up to go to JJ's house for brunch. He could sense she was a little nervous for the whole ride there, which only made him nervous. He didn't like that she seemed to be worrying about JJ finding out that they were together. Why would it be a big deal? Didn't all their friends always say they would end up together in the end anyway?

So it shouldn't be a big surprise.

But maybe it was all becoming too real for Penelope. Telling JJ would take Derek and Penelope out of the private, secret, sexy world where they had been for days. The perfect dream world filled with hot phone calls, tender kisses and promises of a future together.

There was no way to hide this change in their relationship from the team though and Derek wouldn't want to-even if they could pull it off. He wanted everyone to know how happy he was now. He wanted to shout his lungs out about how Penelope loved him and they planned to spend their lives together.

After parking in front of JJ's house he looked at Penelope, who had been really quiet for the whole ride, "You ready, baby girl?"

She nodded slightly. "Mmm-hmm."

Derek turned to get out but Penelope grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"Wait, handsome! Um...er..."

Not liking the sound of her fretting he turned around and gave her a serious look. "What seems to be the problem, sweetheart?"

Her eyes searched his. "Its okay to tell JJ and Will about us being together, right?"

Derek cupped her face in his hands. "Penelope, I want to marry you. Why wouldn't it be okay to tell everyone we know?"

He felt relief flood through her body and watched as she visibly relaxed. "I was just checking to make sure."

"Silly girl," he whispered before giving her a series of tender kisses that left them clinging to each other, caught up in overwhelming emotions that couldn't be hidden or tamped down anymore.

He didn't want to drown in misery ever again- like all the days when he was sure she would never be his and his foolish years of pushing her away before that. He wanted to drown in her love now instead.

(And you're my survival.

You're my living proof

that love is alive and not dead.

-x-

And tell me that we belong together

dress it up with the trappings of love.

-x-

I'll be captivated.

I'll hang from your lips

instead of the gallows of heartbreak that hang from above!

And I'll be your crying shoulder.

-x-

I'll be love suicide's.

I'll be better when I'm older!

I'll be the greatest fan of your life.) (Edwin McCain)

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Derek was standing behind Penelope with his arms wrapped around her waist when JJ opened the door. Squeezing Penelope gently he told JJ "Good morning, we're dating now." Then he lay a kiss on Penelope's temple, smiled and moved past her into the house asking "So where is the little guy at?"

Derek disappeared inside in search of Henry.

JJ looked confused. "What did he say about dating?"

"We're dating now. And no, this is not why I broke up with Kevin. Not really. Its just that Kevin was not my one, you know. The one. He wasn't. So I ended it and then I got a little drunk on Valentine's Day drinking wine at home alone and missing Derek so I called him and we had phone sex and things sort of went from there."

JJ's mouth dropped. She slipped outside and closed the door so Will and Henry wouldn't hear. "Oh my God! Are you sure about all this?"

"I'm so sure about him that I've agreed to marry him."

JJ's mouth gaped some more but she hugged her friend and said "Oh, wow! Wow, Pen! I'm so happy for you....for you both....but wow. This all came about fast, huh?"

"Kinda but not really. Its not like we haven't always thought about being together. Now we're just going for it. Buts its....sorta, kinda....mind blowing, you know? It's a whirlwind but in the best way."

"Derek really asked you to marry him? Did he get down on one knee and everything?"

"Not anything like that. Not yet. Its more unofficial. Maybe when he gets me a ring he'll do all that. Maybe not. I'm just...floored...that he's so ready and sure and that he's one hundred percent in. There's no doubt in him anymore, Jayje, and its such a beautiful thing to see him looking at me and know he isn't holding back now." The next part she said with tears in her eyes and her voice breaking "Know he loves me with all his heart."

They hugged again. Will opened the door. "Honey, its cold out here! Come on in, ladies. Hey, Pen."

Penelope pulled away from JJ, wiped at her eyes, and then smiled at Will. "Hey, sweetie. I heard you cooked brunch today. I can't wait to see what you made."

"Well come on inside and get warm first. You crazy women hanging outside in the freezing cold."

Penelope smiled, as she walked inside, "Yeah, we can be a little bit crazy sometimes, that's for sure."

She looked in the living room and saw Derek playing with Henry. He looked so good holding a child in his arms. The smile on his face was sweet and tender. Her heart seemed to grow another size as she finally let herself believe they would have a child together one day.

Derek said to her "Come on, baby girl. Come say hello to this little guy." Henry lit up at the sight of Penelope and reached for her right away. Derek added "Oh, I see how you are, kid. Just turn on me the second a pretty lady comes along. What about the bro code, huh?"

Will and JJ laughed. Penelope took her godson into her arms and gave him a happy, teary smile. Her emotions were on overload but she wouldn't have it any other way. She couldn't remember feeling happiness like this in all her life before the moment Derek told her that he wanted her to one day be his wife.

The day she became his spouse could not come soon enough for her. Maybe they weren't ready yet but the happiness coursing through her had her wishing today was the day she become his bride and that she'd never spend another night away from him again.

With his job it wouldn't be possible to sleep in the same bed every night but she was longing for the moment when he would come home from his trips to find her waiting in their bed for him. If Derek changed his mind at this point about wanting that- all of it: house, babies, marriage- she didn't know how she would ever pull herself together again.

Their eyes met, as she held Henry, and Derek beamed at her. She could see in his trusting gaze that he was counting on her as much as she was counting on him. They weren't gonna change their minds this time and they weren't gonna back down either.