Past—About 1 year and 3 months after the wedding date

As Penelope rushes to get a seat in the quiet car of the train, she turns quickly and knocks her coffee onto the sleeve of the man in front of her.

"Fuck" he says as the warm coffee spills on to his jacket.

"I'm sorry."

He lets out a low growl and walks away. She walks after him and apologizes profusely, but it falls on deaf ears; he closes the bathroom door in her face.

Great she thought—what a way to start her first day. Today is an action packed day, with a full day of classes and a faculty mixer in the evening. This is her schedule for the next 9 months, Monday through Thursday she heads to Philadelphia on the 7am train. Her first class is 10:30 and and the 2 hour train ride always gives her time to fine tune her lecture notes. She's teaching two undergraduate classes and one graduate class. Even though she wasn't at MIT, she was happy.

Since, she was a professor she toned down her colorful look a bit- On the first day of anything she always toned down her look, did want to scare the natives, she thought.

After her first class she called Derek—he was going to be her plus one tonight and she wanted him to meet her supporting characters at the school. She loved when he used her profiling skills at events like this.

"Handsome, what time will you get to Philadelphia. Maybe we can grab dinner before." She said excitedly.

"Philadelphia?" he said as if that was jogging his memory

"It's a faculty night, remember – mingling with the professors of the college? Meeting the wives? Wine- in the city of brotherly love. I can't wait to show you some love—maybe I should get a hotel room—what do you think, angelfish?

"Baby Girl, we haven't even hit the road yet—I won't land till 4 this afternoon."

"But I asked you to go forever ago –" she said with a slight whine

"But, baby girl- I'm exhausted. This case took a lot out of me."

"Every case takes a lot out of you," she snapped—she sighed and resigned to his answer, "I'm sorry about that D. It's fine. I'll be in late tonight."

"Well, I'll let you go – wrap up," she continued.

"Love you, Baby Girl."

"Love you, handsome," she said as if she was on autopilot and hung up her phone.

She was disappointed that he could make it – she wanted him to meet her work supporting characters. She didn't have many opportunities to bond with them or meet their families because almost all of the faculty lived in Pennsylvania – a few commuted from NYC and DC – but they weren't tenured. She wanted to make a good impression—she felt like she was in High School, again.

After her second class, she went to a cafe off campus to grab a late lunch. It was packed. She was placed at a little table outside. She ordered a latte and salad nicoise. Right after her latte was delivered, a tall man asked to join her. She couldn't see who he was because the sun was glaring in her glasses – when she tried to see his face he went on to explain. "All the tables are taken and I have to teach a class in 40 minutes."

Ah, a fellow teacher—"sure," she said

"I am Penelope Morgan, Robotics Professor"

"Stellan Grahn, Philosophy Professor – you can call me Stella"

"Nice to meet you," she said as she extended her hand. When he reached for her, she noticed the coffee on the sleeve of his white shirt. She added, "Where you on the 7am train this morning?"

He looked at her surprised – and he gave her this sexy smile as if she was one of his fans. She understood how he could think that—he is tall like 6'3 or 6'4, broad shoulders, blond hair – kinda shaggy, like Tom Cruise in Vanilla Sky, —piercing blue eyes and he was fit; she could see his definition through his suit. He was like a Nordic God she thought. He wore a casual navy suit with a crisp white shirt—no tie and the first button was open. She couldn't put her finger on who he reminded her of – then it hit her—Eric from True Blood. Yes, he was a Nordic God she said smiling to herself.

"I think I spill coffee on you, this morning?" she said apologetically. "I tried to find you to apologize but you were pissed"

"agh, that was you" he said as his smile widened, "I was having that kind of morning, well that kind of day—as you can see I haven't had a moment to change out of the shirt, yet. Sorry for being an ogre this morning"

She chuckled lightly—A Nordic Ogre she thought.

"What?" he asked perplex.

"Nothing" she said smiling, "Let me buy you lunch, I really am sorry."

They continued to chat away and she discovered that he too commuted from DC and had been at the college for 5 years. His family is from Sweden and he visits them during the breaks. They talked about Philosophy, Robotics, Cold Play, and wine. When he had to head out to class, he pulled out money to pay for the meal.

"Hey Plato, this one is on me"

He was surprised by the nickname and so was she—"You can pay next time," he said "Nice meeting you Penelope" and with that he was off.

Being the only female in her department wasn't anything new – Computer Science and Robotics are male dominated fields—to Penelope. Meeting the wives of her colleagues was always interesting; so many of them married their students- she wondered what statistic Reid had about that. The wives always assumed she wasn't married even though she had a ring on her finger, which should have been a glaring sign.

The Computer Science Department chair, Franklin Simpson – was a love, he was an older gentleman who was very fond of Penelope. He introduced her to the heads of the Mathematics, English, History, and Philosophy Departments. When Franklin was done with politics of the mixer—she snuck away to the bar and ordered a glass of wine. She took a sip and headed to the terrace.

She checked her phone and she had no texts from Derek. He must've been really beat she thought and she felt bad about the guilt trip she laid on him earlier. She started to text him a sexy message when she heard.

"Tuckered out?"

She turned to see Stella behind her smiling.

"Is it that obvious?" she said taking a sip of her wine and putting her phone in her pocket.

"When the most beautiful woman in the room exits, I find it to be my duty to check on her," he said as he walked into her personal space.

She looked up at him and said, "In addition to teaching philosophy you protect damsels in distress. An every day superman" she said with a smile. Why, she thought was she flirting – she looked away from his blue eyes and said, "I actually came out to check on my husband. He had a rough day at work."

"Oh," he said as he brushed her bangs out of her face, "The beautiful ones are always taken."

She blushed, "Well I should go back in side and put back on my party girl hat."

She said and quickly returned to the party.

When she arrived home that night Derek was up watching the last quarter of a basketball game.

"How was it?" he asked.

"You had to be there" she shrugged as she took off her shoes, and unbuttoned two of the buttons of her shirt. "I'm so exhausted—I've been going since 6 am and I'm dressed like Ally McBeal – do you want a beer?"

"Nah, I'm good."

"Who's winning?"

"The bulls"

Derek watches as she pulled her shirt out of her skirt, then she ran her fingers through her hair as she read the headlines from today's paper—that's lying counter in the kitchen. She takes a sip of beer as she puts her knee on the stool. She realizes that she still has her stockings on and unhooks them from her garter belt. Derek can't stop watching the show—she rolls the stockings down slow. He knows the game she's playing and he is game.

Before she moves to the other leg, she takes a sip a beer and asks "Derek what's the score?"

"Uhm, what?" he said. Her black bra peeked through her shirt was taking off her stockings and he could only think about kissing her neck and caressing her skin. The skin between her stockings and skirt looked like porcelain.

She takes another sip and glances over at him seductively—"what's the score?"

"110-91" he answered distractedly.

"Tight game," she takes the other stocking off the same way.

He gets up and heads over to her.

She looks at him and says, "Nope finish watching the game—don't come over her because you are hot and bothered."

"Uh-Huh" he said with sexy smile.

She sprints away from him and he chases her through their new house to the bedroom – where he ravishes her.

"I love it when you wear those stockings" he said panting after their intense lovemaking.

"I know – I wear them just for you."

"Do you now?"

"Yup, I know my husband thinks it sexy and I gotta keep his engine revved," She said playing with his chest.

"Sorry I missed your faculty mixer," he said kissing her forehead.

"You would have hated it—a bunch of self-important stuffy academics and their wives –but I was looking forward to seeing you in a suit," she said as she kissed his collarbone.

He laughed.

"You can really wear a suit, sug– was the case bad?"

"Yeah, a family of Russian gypsies killed entire families for their daughters. Then the daughters would marry the sons – when they were of age."

"That is so sick, D," she said rubbing his cheek and jaw line. "The wives must have had Stockholm's Syndrome."

"Yeah, and Hotch tried to break her but just couldn't—her last words to her son were don't tell them about your brothers."

"Jesus," she knew he was focused on the other unsubs out there. He wanted to save everyone. "But remember you saved two girls today. You're a hero to them." She said giving him a kiss. "You are a hero."

He started playing with her breast—"You always see the bright side don't you?" he asked.

"Life is too short – you have to stay in the sun, handsome. "

"You are my sun," he said and kissed her. In one quick motion, he flipped her on top of him and they made love again and fell asleep in each other's arms.

Thank you so much for the follows and reviews—they motivate me to keep on the writing train.