She watched as his eyes struggled to stay focused on her. She saw his battle to decide what to say next. His fierce devotion to protect her at all cost fought to control his desire to claim her as his own once and for all.

"You remembered what?"

"I remembered what happened last night."

"I told you what happened; popcorn and a movie. That's all."

"Derek, are you trying to tell me that now you don't remember?"

"Baby Girl, you've got a great guy who loves you and wants to make a future with you and…"

"You don't. Is that what you're saying because if it is, then I'll understand and I'll just turn around and walk out that door and pretend I never came back to say, what I just said and…"

He pulled her to him and claimed her lips with his stopping her ramblings without asking or waiting for her permission. He didn't want to think, didn't want to talk himself out of his feelings and for once didn't want to let common sense and reason keep him from having her even if it was just for one brief moment.

Then they both needed air, needed to breathe and purely out of necessity he let her go and broke the kiss. Their chests heaved in sync as they struggled to bring their breathing under control. He wanted to laugh at the sight of her bright ruby red lipstick that was now smeared across her chin but he refrained as he could tell by the sparkle in her eyes that his lips and chin must now be the mirror image of hers.

He slowly regained his senses as he began to wipe the color from his lips, his eyes searched for tissues and an excuse for what he had just done. She moved to the bright pink box next to her computer and held it up to him as he pulled two fluffy white sheets from it wiping his hands and face.

"Now what?"

She couldn't ignore the hopeful sound in his voice. There was so much that needed to be said, to be decided and done. Fear, doubt and guilt seemed to overtake her all at once.

"Now what, what? I-I- don't know…"

She was rambling again; he knew kissing her senseless wouldn't fix the mess that they'd created. So, he watched her as she struggled with the dilemma that was, "them." He felt his own panic now as the ramifications of their evening together suddenly hit him and he needed to sit down before his knees gave out..

"Penelope, I don't want to pressure you or put you in a bad situation…so if you don't want this…us…I'll understand… but I…"

Before he could say anymore, the sound of the door opening interrupted them and as Kevin's head appeared through the door he wanted to burst into laughter at the silly exaggerated toothy grin on his face.

"Hi Plum Sauce! Hi Derek! Hope I'm not disturbing anything."

She wiped what she hoped was the remaining displaced stains from her chin then turned to face the oblivious man.

"No, uh not at all."

"Hey Kevin."

"I just wanted to remind you that I'll pick you up at seven."

"I won't forget." She responded with her own exaggerated grin.

He waved and nervously backed out of the door totally unaware of what had just transpired only moments before. She felt guilty and Derek knew he was asking the impossible of her. She was a good person, she didn't hurt people and she'd never leave Kevin if she knew it would break his heart. He was the strong one, the one who didn't do relationships, didn't need anyone; he was the one that was indestructible who saved lives and walked away unscathed. How could he ask her to be with him knowing what it would cost her?

"Derek?"

"It's okay, Baby Girl."

He placed a sweet kiss on her forehead and walked passed her and out the door of her office. He wanted to turn and walk back and insist she choose him but he loved her too much to make such a demand and so, without another thought to the contrary he left her and headed back to his office.

He nearly knocked JJ down as he rounded the corner; with his mind still on Penelope he hadn't bothered to look up and JJ nearly became a casualty.

"Whoa there!"

"JJ! I'm sorry are you okay?"

"Sure, no harm no foul. You looked like you were miles away; you good?"

"Yeah sure…"

"I was just on my way to get you and Garcia, Hotch wants us in the conference room."

"No, don't tell me we have a case."

"Yes and it's a bad one."

The new case was sending them to the other side of the country and Derek welcomed the distance away from Garcia and all that had happened within the last twenty-four hours. Somehow he felt that California wouldn't be far enough to keep him from thinking about her. He'd always had this fantasy of getting up the nerve and telling her how he felt and finding out that she felt the same way and the two of them starting a life together free to love each other openly. But that's not what had happened and she now knew how he felt; it hadn't changed a damn thing and she was still with Kevin Lynch.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she watched them get on the elevator. She wanted to forget last night and she wanted to forget their conversation earlier but she couldn't. It reminded her that she was a coward too afraid to choose him and willing to stay with Kevin out of some obligation she felt she had to him. She saw the hurt in Derek's eyes as she confirmed her plans with Kevin; he didn't even wait to hear what she had to say to let her explain things. She watched him leave her office and she never tried to stop him. He would never force her to make a choice because he loved her enough to not be the one she chose in the end. He valued her safety and happiness above his own and her heart broke for him as she let the full implication of his commitment to her sink into her being.

Twisty's Tavern – Evening

Kevin was giddy as he sat across from her; like a schoolboy out on his first date. She used to think it was cute how he would act when he was around her; like he was the luckiest kid in school being seen with the, "It" girl. Garcia had never been the, "It" girl, she despised those girls who'd teased her and made her life miserable in high school. Now being with Kevin, she was confused why he reacted to her like so many had reacted to her rivals so long ago.

"I got us tickets to the, "Little Shop of Horrors," Revival this Saturday! I know how much you liked that movie when you were a girl, so I…"

"Kevin…"

"I thought we could hang out together all day, breakfast at Lenny's and…"

"Kevin, I…"

"I'll come as Seymour Krelboin and you can be Audrey Fulquard and we can sing along…"

"Kevin, please…I need to tell you…"

He grabbed her hand and squeezed she saw the desperation in his eyes as he rambled on and on.

"Hurry up and finish your salad, so we can go back to your place and make mad passionate love together…"

"Uh Kevin, Sweetie, I hate to disappoint you but we're right in the middle of a case so I need to stay focused after I get back home. You know in case the team needs something."

"But Plum Sauce it's nearly ten don't they sleep? I mean you need your sleep too, they can't possibly expect you to stay up all night just in case they may need something!"

"Kevin, this is not a normal 9-5 job and you know that!"

"I just wished you were as devoted to me as you are to your job, that's all."

"Kevin, please, you know I love you but this is my life and it's not going to change."

"Well it should." He pouted.

She used to love how he pouted…not anymore. All she could think about was all the time she'd wasted because he had shown an interest in her and she foolishly believed that he was all she could have. Kevin was a great guy but he just wasn't...he wasn't Derek.

Home of Penelope Garcia – Morning

She felt his breath on her neck and heard him snoring in her ear and she was being held firmly in place by his tight grip. She'd wanted to send him home last night but he nearly begged her to allow him to stay. She had pretended to have work to do until he finally fell asleep. However he quickly engulfed her in a needy embrace as soon as she crawled into bed.

Glancing over her shoulder she tried in vain to extricate herself from his grip but it only managed to wake him as his hands began to roam up and down her body. She stiffened pulling harder to free herself.

"Muffin cakes, what's wrong?"

"It's late, Kevin I've got to go to work."

With a silly grin that he certainly had mistaken as sexy, he lifted the blanket and looked at himself.

"Penelopeeeee, you can't leave me like this…"

She wanted to gag at how pitiful he seemed to her now. How could she tell him that he made her sick to her stomach? She hadn't let him touch her in weeks for various acceptable reasons but she was here now and he obviously was too.

"Kevin, I can't."

He watched as she turned and walked toward the bathroom and he thought about giving it one more try but he refused to beg her for what she used to give him freely. He was sick of her excuses and tired of being last on her list of things to do, literally.

He heard the water running in the shower; she'd always complained about him not being spontaneous maybe it was time to show her that he could be. Besides, he needed more control in their relationship…he wanted her…he needed her and for once he was going to take what was his. Penelope belonged to him it was time he reminded her of that.