Note- This starts after season three episode 14 where Derek finds out Penelope is now dating Kevin Lynch.

Story Seven: Let Me Stay

No woman ever hurt Derek Morgan the way Penelope Garcia had. He didn't know he could get this mad or this hurt. That he could be this confused and lonely and wrecked inside.

Inside, of course. On the outside he tried to not let it show. Though he knew he wasn't pulling it off all that well he damn sure was going to keep trying his hardest to fake that he was still okay.

That's why he went on a date tonight with a chick he met while out jogging. It was pretty cold this time of year but he didn't care. He needed to be out burning off energy when they weren't on a case.

He refused to sit home and think about what his baby girl was doing with some other guy. How she didn't need him anymore- the way she did back when she was first hurt. How they were on the brink of something right before Battle came into their lives and then how scared Derek got because she was hurt, how that pushed him to tell her about his feelings for her, and how she moved on anyway.

After all these years she just moved on to Lynch. The name alone made Derek's jaw clench. He tried to focus on his date, sitting across the candle lit table from him, but all he noticed about her was that she wasn't anything like Penelope. Meaning she wasn't who or what he wanted at all.

But he picked up her hand and held it anyway. Flashed her a smile and pretended to still be a player. Maybe eventually the pretending would turn him back into who he was before he fell for Penelope. He kinda doubted it.

What choice did he have but to try though?

"You seem distracted," Abby said "Are you here with me or still at work?"

"Sorry. Yeah, the last case was a beast. I'm here, swear." Such a lie but he had no choice really.

His cell rang. He made an apologetic face as he pulled it out of his pocket. "It could be the job." Glancing down he saw Baby Girl written on the screen and immediately answered "Hey, everything okay?"

It seemed lately she was freezing him out so to get a call from her this late at night on a day off made him jump to scary conclusions.

Her breathing was ragged. "Someone broke in-"

Derek jerked to attention. "What? When? Where are you?"

"I'm at home."

Before she could say more he was jumping to his feet and pulling out his wallet. He threw money on the table.

Penelope went on "Someone broke in next door and..." she sounded like she was hyperventilating. "I'm sorry for bothering you but-"

"Baby girl, I'm on my way. Just breathe for me. I'll be there soon. Your door is locked right?"

"Yeah."

"I'm already on my way. Just hold on, sweetness."

"Thank you." Her voice was so small and terrified that it just about ripped out his heart.

Derek clicked close the phone and told his date. "I'm sorry. I have an emergency."

Though she made a suspicious face he could careless. He ran out of the restaurant, jumped in his truck and sped to Penelope's apartment. He knocked. As soon as she opened the door he pulled her into his arms.

By this time she was a lot calmer.

He looked down at her. "Tell me what happened."

She moved out of his arms. He came inside, closed and locked the door.

Penelope said "It was so stupid. Kevin brought me home from dinner and there were cops everywhere. There was a break in next door. Seeing that....I just lost it. I don't know why. I couldn't even breathe. Nothing happened and yet I freaked out like I was attacked again."

"You didn't feel safe here. Nobody would call you getting upset a strange reaction after what happened to you."

"I'm sorry I messed up your night. I'm fine. Thanks for coming over to check on me. Goodnight, handsome."

"Hey," he said softly "I get that you're pass the initial shock, the flashback and the terror but that doesn't mean you should be alone right now."

"Really, I'll be okay. You shouldn't have to put your life on hold to baby sit me. You've done enough of that already."

"And I loved every minute of it, baby."

"That's sweet."

"Let me sleep on your couch tonight."

"No, Derek, seriously, I'm fine now. After I hung up from calling you I realized how unfair I was being and how ridiculous."

"You're not being either of those things. Its not unfair cause I wanna be here and its sure as hell not ridiculous to freak out when you hear your neighbor had someone break in. If you send me home I'll stay up all night worrying about you. Just let me stay. Unless this is about Lynch-"

"What does that mean?"

"That he would be upset if he knew I was here."

"Its not that serious with him. Besides, I decide who I'm around. Not him."

"Good to hear, baby girl. I would hate to think just cause you've got this new guy in your life you don't need me anymore."

Penelope sat down on the couch. "Kevin was here when I freaked out...I really think I was having a panic attack or something...but he couldn't do anything for me. That's why I called you. But I shouldn't have done that to you. Its not right. Why should you have to be my hero?"

"You hear me complaining?" he asked, as he sat down next to her. "I kinda thought we'd get through this whole aftermath together but...its not working out that way, baby."

"You were here for me when I needed you most. I can't ask you to keep coming back and sleeping on my couch."

"That's what I wanna do most. Let me."

"Why would you want to waste your time that way? You could be out living your life. Not propping me up constantly. I need to get pass this on my own."

"You don't have to do anything on your own, if you don't want to. That's what I'm here for, baby. Don't the fact that Lynch doesn't make you feel better give you some kind of clue to the mistake you made by getting with him?"

"Its not your place to judge who I date. It was a mistake to call you. I'm sorry."

"All right. I'll go. But first you need to answer me one question."

Her eyes got wide as she looked at him.

He asked "What did I do to make you give up on us?"

"Derek," she said, her voice sad and filled with regrets. "Nothing. You didn't do anything wrong. You've been great. Better than you should have had to be. You were holding my hand though it all."

"I'll always do that, baby girl, cause you're my girl. You're my very best friend. But I wanted more. You know that, right?"

She nodded slightly.

Derek asked "But you don't?"

"When I think about you and me I can't even breath. Its too big. Its everything. And if I get everything and it gets messed up.....I just don't think I can risk it. Kevin isn't like that for me. He's just another geek like me and its not really scary at all to date him. Sure he's not gorgeous and brave and funny and sensitive and amazing...he's not you, Hot Stuff. But no one is....Right now I'm just a mess and you deserve so much better than me."

He cupped her face in his hands. "I love you, baby girl. If you want me then please say it so we can be together. Let me hold you tonight and every night. Let me keep you safe so you never have to panic again that someone will come through that door and hurt you. I'll be right here to keep that from happening."

"I can't ask you for all that. Its too much."

"Its what I want." He leaned his forehead against hers. "Its not moving too fast. We've been flirting for years already. We know each other better than most couples who have been dating for months. I just want to hold you, baby, and be your security blanket."

"You're my hero. I don't want to make you feel obligated cause I was shot."

"I wanted you long before that. You're my baby girl. Didn't I ask you to go out that night it happened? I wanted you, Penelope, then and I do now. I hate that you hooked up with Lynch. I don't get it. We're right together, you and me. You're just what I want and who I need....let me be here with you. I love you, sweetness. I just want to stay here and hold you every night. When I'm at home you're who I think about the most. Worry about the most. Let me be here so we can both feel better."

She nodded and then she gave him a very short kiss, one asking for forgiveness and for a second chance. Derek answered her with a kiss of his own. Then he lay back on the couch, pulled her into his arms and stroked her back till she relaxed. "Thank you for calling me tonight, baby girl."

"You were on a date, weren't you?" she teased, her tone teary with happiness.

"Busted. But I don't even remember her name now."

Penelope looked up at him. "You really want to live together?"

"More than anything else in the world."

"And we can still take it slow?"

"Like turtles, promise."

"Not that slow. We've already managed to drag this out nearly four years!"

He chuckled and kissed her again. "Whatever speed you want."

"I love you, handsome."

"God, does that sound good. I love you too, baby girl. And I promise..."

"Yes?"

"I will put the toilet seat down and keep the lid on the toothpaste."

Penelope cracked up. Derek muffled her laughing with a kiss. From that day on they always lived together, except for a few days after a big fight, and they always slept in each other's arms, chasing away the demons and the bad memories with their love for each other.

THE END

Inspired by Take Me Away. Sung by Avril. Mvid by TvObsessed.