All Tangled Up Inside

Chapter One

April 2010

With every step she took across the hotel lobby, getting closer to the rest of the team that was already gathered to head to the airport, Penelope Garcia experienced flashes of memories. This had been happening to her since the moment her eyes opened that morning.

Derek had his eyes fixated on her as she got closer to the group. But his gaze revealed nothing about if he remembered the drunken kiss they shared in the back seat of the taxi the night before.

What if it was just a blur for him?

She didn't know what it meant, if anything, but what she did know was she had a boyfriend and his name was not Derek Morgan.

Yet it wasn't Kevin who gave her a kiss that burned her lips and imprinted itself on her mind, heart and soul. That was all Derek.

Penelope seriously wondered how she could ever kiss Kevin again after knowing what it felt like to have Derek's lips on hers and his arms locking her body tight against him. All at once, when their lips connected, she had felt completely free and completely safe at the same time. That particular sensation had never happened to her before. His kiss left her tingling from head to toe. Her mind hazy. Her breathing shallow. And then the cab had pulled up to the hotel, followed by cabs that held their friends, and the moment was over.

As if nothing had happened at all they went to their own hotel rooms and didn't call each other or knock on each other's door in the middle of the night. The wine in her system left her feeling sleepy so she didn't stay up all night wondering what in the world would happen next.

But she distinctly remembered falling asleep saying his name over and over in a sing-song fashion "Morgan. Morgan. Morgan. Morgan. Morgan," still giddy from what had happened.

Now she told herself that maybe he had forgotten it and it would never be mentioned between them. She wasn't sure she could deal with that but then again it would make things so much easier if she didn't have to face the feelings she had been pushing down for years now.

As she reached her co-workers she said "Good morning, my lovelies, did you all sleep well?"

Most everyone mumbled or groaned, letting her know they were still cranky and hung over. They had been stuck in Seattle another night because of torrential rain and decided to hit a bar after they had dinner.

Derek answered "Like a baby," with his eyes locked on hers. The heat that filled his eyes was unmistakable.

She swallowed hard. He remembered.

XXXXXXXXXX

Penelope attempted to sit in the front of the plane where she could get some privacy and time to think but Derek wasn't having it. He followed behind her onto the plane, carrying her luggage and his own, stopped in the middle section and stowed everything overhead.

He stepped out of the aisle and let everyone else grab a seat and then he said, in a teasing tone, "Hey, Garcia."

She cocked her head around and looked back at him. He was crooking his finger at her and smiling. Then he motioned to a seat and said "Right here, hard head."

With her face burning and the feeling that everyone on the plane knew her and Derek had kissed she got up and moved over there. It would only cause lots of speculation if she begged off.

She spent the whole flight sitting facing him, with his eyes staring at her, hour after hour, and all the conversation around her going in one ear and out the other. The look in his eyes told her that not only did he remembered but he wanted to kiss her again. Gulp.

XXXXXXXXXX

Back in the bullpen Penelope tried to hurry to her office, her whole body on fire from the way Derek had been staring at her on the plane, but he called out to her "Baby girl, don't you go rushing off just yet."

She turned around.

He grinned at her "You. Me. Dinner tonight. What do you say?"

"I'm sorry. I have plans with Kevin."

Derek's face fell. He rubbed at the back of his neck. "Uh…okay."

"I really am sorry, handsome," she said quietly.

"No. Don't worry about it. Yeah….uh….some other time, I guess. Night, Garcia."

She spun away and walked as fast as she could to the sanctuary of her bunker where she could try and think straight again.

XXXXXXXXXX

Derek sat down at his desk, letting out a heavy sigh, and shook his head. Then he rubbed his palm on his forehead.

He had been lying to himself since last night. Telling himself that kiss meant something to her and she wasn't going to let it be the only one they ever shared.

Fool, he spat at himself in his head.

If she was sticking with Lynch then he had to get over what happened the night before. He hated that he was back in this place again. Built up by her only to be crushed again.

Two years before he had no doubt in his mind that she knew he was in love with her and last night he had no doubt in his mind she wanted him as much as he wanted her. But in the cold light of day now, just like what happened two years back, it all looked different.

And once again he was left with empty arms and a head full of questions about why she didn't want him to be her man.

Standing in the rain in front of the bar the team broke off to fill the three cabs they had called to haul them back to the hotel. Derek watched as Penelope headed to one with JJ. He called out "Get your sexy ass over here, baby girl. You're riding with me."

She was more than tipsy on wine and giggled at his possessive tone. She walked over and got in the cab. He followed her inside and closed the door then told the cabbie the name of the hotel.He could feel the warmth of her body heat and it sent his blood boiling.

He turned and looked at her, in that cramped back seat, and said "I have one word for tonight: finally. This better not be the last time either. I'm hooked now."

She smiled the sweetest smile. "Hot Stuff, you know what happens in Seattle stays in Seattle," she answered him, referring to the fact that they had danced for the first time after much begging by Derek.

"That right?" he asked her. His voice was low and filled with desire. "Who says?"

Her eyes were moving between his eyes and mouth. She pressed closer to him. "Oh my…..you're the sexiest man God ever made."

He whispered "Come get your sexy man."

For a second her eyes searched his but then she stopped thinking and pressed her lips to his. His hands dove into her hair and held her head still so he could control the kiss, deepening it and tasting her in the way he had wanted to for what seemed like all his life now. His arms wrapped around her and brought as close to him as he could, elicting a moan out of her as her tongue slid against his.

All too soon the cab bumped to a stop. "$27.50"

Derek gave him a fifty and climbed out. The rest of the team was around and that stopped him from saying anything more to Penelope. She looked completely overtaken by lust. Seeing that look in her eye convinced him they were okay.

She wanted that kiss. She wanted more kisses. The woman he thought he had lost the chance to love…the only woman he ever wanted to give his heart to….wasn't lost after all. She was closer than ever now.

He couldn't stop smiling as he went to his room, ripped off his clothes until he just wore boxers and fell into bed, exhausted by the long day and the beers he had.

Derek dreamt of his baby girl and woke up more convinced than ever that they were just about to become a couple after way too many missed chances to be with each other that they both let slip by for years.

Now was their time. He couldn't wait to see her again.