Note- This story takes place during season five, episode six which was titled The Eyes Have It. At the end of the episode Penelope shows Derek his new office. You can watch this scene on you tube, if you are unfamiliar with it. He kisses her forehead and soon after she leaves.

The first few lines of dialogue come from the transcripts of CM.

The Wait is Over

Looking at the picture she gave him, Derek Morgan couldn't help but smile. It was so her. So perfect. And suddenly all his stress and worries were forgotten. All he knew, in that moment, was that she loved him.

"Woman, you have lost your mind but you are the best."

She flashed a brilliant smile as she nodded and answered "I completely agree."

"Come here."

Penelope offered Derek her forehead to kiss and he lay a lingering kiss there, as his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Way to soon for his liking the moment ended when she pulled slightly back, but stayed in his embrace.

His hand moved down her back and around her waist as he squeezed her tight with friendly affection.

Her brown eyes fluttered as they rose up to connect with his. The moment lengthened, held, sizzling with tension.

He knew how to keep himself in check though. He had practice every day that he had known her. Derek was about to move back when Penelope, her eyes hazy with longing, slightly extended her neck to bring her lips closer to his. She stopped short of brushing her lips against his.

Derek inhaled the sweet smell of her-vanilla, citrus and roses- and felt the weight of her soft, warm body pressed to his side. Lost in the feel of her and the tenderness of this moment, of how she knew him so well and loved him so purely, even if it wasn't a romantic love like he sometimes longed to have with her, Derek lowered his head and gently brushed her lips with his.

Penelope's hand rose to clutch his shirt and she applied the softest pressure back before she broke their kiss. Her hand patted his chest a few times and she stepped back. "I'm going to go so you can enjoy your new uber office. You deserve this promotion and I would not be surprised in the least if one day you leave us all behind and get your own team. When that does happen though make sure you don't forget your biggest fan."

Giving him a small smile Penelope headed for the door. Derek's eyes followed her.

"Penelope," he said, his voice thick with emotion.

She stopped at the door and looked back.

He went on "Thank you for everything....everything since the day we met. Thank you very much."

"Shouldn't I be thanking you? You're my sexy fantasy maker, Hot Stuff."

He chuckled and looked down.

Penelope said "Good night, you gorgeous and irresistible acting unit chief."

As soon as she left he sat down behind his new desk and picked up the photo of her again. A soft smile was on his lips.

Even though he knew she saw their kiss as friendly and didn't expect it to lead to anything- considering she had a boyfriend- Derek didn't want to let the moment go without doing something to show her his devotion.

He turned on the computer, put in his password and went to his e-mail. Selecting her personal account, instead of her work one, he wrote to her:

Even if I was offered a team to run in some other city I would turn it down. Because you're not there. Whatever happens, it won't be me who walks away. I love you, baby girl, and that means I'll see this through to the end.

He hesitated for a long moment but then he sent the e-mail.

XXXXXXXXX

Penelope was dressed in her pajamas, in her computer room at home, when she read Derek's email. She was sipping hot chocolate and trying to shut off her mind so she could sleep.

After reading the e-mail several times she signed into her IM program and was rewarded with seeing that Derek was signed in too. In a way that was a bad sign- he couldn't sleep and knowing that haunted her- but in a way it was also the best possible thing because if she waited until morning she'd just file away the events of this day and move on like it never happened.

She was good at that. It kept her from falling to pieces. This innate ability to close her mind to yesterday's pain or joy and jump into the current day as if it was all that mattered. She learned it after her parents died but she used it whenever things were just too emotional to deal with for her.

Not letting her brain overrule her heart she sent Derek an IM: The question is what do you want to have happen?

It helped that it was the middle of the night. Being overly tired kept her usual defenses at bay. And the memories of his lips against hers made her body flush with pent up desires she couldn't ignore, no matter how much she tried to play it off in front of him.

Penelope sat there biting her bottom lip. A few minutes passed and she distracted herself with Facebook. It was at the point where she figured Derek wasn't going to respond, maybe he wasn't sitting in front of his computer at that moment or maybe he just didn't want to answer, when he typed back: Dangerous question, doll face.

She typed: Very apropos though, don't you think?

He typed: Shouldn't you be asleep, beautiful angel?

She typed: So you can ravish me all night long in my dreams? Now that you mention it that sounds like heaven. You should be asleep too. You're the one who has a whole team to run, my handsome noble knight. I'm already thinking up a special treat to give you on boss's day. Much better than what I gave Hotch last year. Something for your gorgeous eyes only.

He replied with a smiley face.

More minutes passed. She sighed and went back to Facebook. Derek sent her a message: I need to get some shut eye. You do the same and I mean it. You don't want your boss to have to spank you, do you?

She typed: So I don't get an answer?

A minute went by and then he typed: Baby girl, I want you to get whatever it is you want.

She typed back: Cop out.

Then she closed the program. A half hour later she was in bed when her cell rang. Reaching out to the night stand she grabbed it, knowing from the ring tone who it was, and didn't bother to put on her glasses to read the caller ID.

Penelope burrowed back under the covers. "I'm not mad at you. Go to sleep."

She could hear relief in his tone. "That's good to hear cause you know it makes me crazy when we fight."

She mumbled, exhausted and not willing to play games with him anymore today, "It takes two to fight and I'm down for the count so good night, my love. See you in the a.m."

"Garcia," he said quickly, to make sure she didn't hang up.

"Mmm-hmmm?"

She heard him let out a long breath. After a minute he said "You wanted an answer, right? Okay, here goes, what I want to happen...when all is said and done and its all figured out the way it needs to be....I want us to share an address."

Penelope bounded upright. Her heart beat out of control. Tears shimmered in her eyes.

After a minute of silence Derek said "You don't have to decide tonight. I can wait." Then he hung up.

Smiling and crying at the same time, Penelope turned on the light, put on her glasses and then called Derek back. "Do you really think I need time to decide?"

His voice was thick with emotion when he whispered "I don't know, baby. You telling me different?"

"Maybe there are no such things as happy endings but the closest thing to a happy ending for me is to be in your arms. Every second I've ever spent with you I treasure and I'd treasure the chance to rack up even more moments with you."

He whispered, his voice shaking and sounding more vulnerable than she'd ever heard, "Would you give up him for me...for us, baby girl?"

"I love you, Derek. Trust that. I wouldn't ever play with your heart and hurt you. I wouldn't have asked you how you want us to end up if I didn't know that I do anything to make sure we get there, as long as your answer was that you want to be with me. This isn't just what you want we're talking about here. Its what I want just as much as you do. I adore you, my precious, amazing hero."

For a moment she heard what sounded like him crying on the other end of the line and then he spoke, and she could tell he was smiling again, "You're the light of my life!"

"And I always will be so don't wait on me anymore....because life is too short to waste on waiting when we could be spending it doing all the delicious things we've talked about over the years."

Derek chuckled. "Oh yeah. Where do you want to start?"

"Now that is a dangerous question, sweetness," she flirted.

They spent hours talking that night and by the time the sun came up they knew they were going to be okay.

THE END

Inspired by Near To You. Song by A Fine Frenzy. Mvid by WhoaKittyKitty.