Premise- Now that she has a second chance at life she plans to really live. And that means starting a smoking hot sex life. Derek can help Penelope out with that or get the heck out of her way.

A Life Worth Living

Chapter One

December 28, 2007- Friday

"Um...oh," he rubbed at his forehead and over the top of his head "I should have called first."

Standing there at her doorway the last thing he expected to see was another guy in her apartment, sitting on her couch, looking like he was comfy and he belonged there.

"You're home? You weren't supposed to come back till after the first of the year."

"Change of plans."

"Oh....you remember Kevin Lynch, right? Kevin, this is Derek Morgan. We work together."

Work together? Damn. That one hurt. He felt like they were a lot more than that to each other. Weren't they?

She was always on his mind. It seemed he couldn't go ten minutes without his thoughts drifting back to his baby girl.

Derek Morgan could tell himself that this was all because she had been shot the month before, and even though that did contribute to all his feelings about her and them, it wasn't just because of that at all. Even if she wasn't shot he knew he'd be all wrapped up in her right now because of the arguement they had that day.

"I wonder. Was it that he was too handsome or too interested in me that tipped you off to how wrong he was?.....Just cause you wouldn't cross a crowded room to hit on me doesn't mean a less superficial, more perceptive man wouldn't. Hey, Derek, you want snappy? You SUCK!"

And then she slammed down the phone.

In that second, as he sat there stunned, he knew that Penelope Garcia had no clue what he thought or felt about her. How he had never dated her because he wasn't ready to be with someone who meant so much to him. To open himself up like that. It scared the hell out of him and something in him jerked away from that fear every chance he got to lean over, brush his lips to hers, and finally taste the sweetness she had offered since day one.

But he didn't think he could keep pulling away now. And he didn't know that he honestly had the guts to do anything else either. All he did know was the two weeks he had spent at his mother's house for her birthday and Christmas all he could do was think about Penelope. Worry about her being alone. Their phone calls were all too short for him. The banter was rare. He put it off on her feeling all mixed up still over being attacked by Jason Clark Battle.

Derek couldn't enjoy himself in Chicago so he came home early and decided to, as he was driving home, detour straight over to Penelope's apartment to check on her. He had already given her a Christmas present before he left on vacation- tickets to a play she wanted to see- but he had picked up something more while in Chicago. Though he could certainly give it to her another day he used that as an excuse to stop over at her place, completely unannounced, and he got quite the rude awakening.

Another guy all up in her place.

Derek didn't know why that was like a punch in the stomach. She had dated other guys since he met her. Sure the dates never went anywhere serious but then again neither did his. He had never had to watch her on an actual date before though.

And it had never been after he told her that he loved her.

But he hadn't done anything else since then. He guessed she didn't plan on waiting for him to figure it out. Maybe that was smart. Maybe it would take him six more months or six more years to feel ready to date her. It felt so big. He was quaking at the thought of being her man and also at the thought of anyone else being her man.

Damn it! She had him all turned around. "Uh, yeah, Garcia, didn't mean to interrupt. I'll just go and leave you to your....yeah. I'll call you."

"Wait, Morgan!"

He was already halfway to the stairs. She stepped into the hallway and asked him "You okay?"

"Yeah."

"Did you have anything to....talk to me about or....you just wanted to hang out? Because you've never just dropped by before like this."

"I just got back tonight. I guess...uh....I wanted to see with my own eyes that you're doing good. You haven't sounded right on the phone. But I guess you're good, huh?"

She looked into the apartment and then at him. "Getting better everyday."

Like a boulder was sitting on his chest, he suddenly found it hard to breath, as a small smile graced her lips. A smile for another guy.

"Good. That's real good, baby girl. Get back inside. Its cold in this hallway.....and, Garcia?"

She gave him the softest and sweetest look. She probably heard how raspy his voice got when he said her name. A dead giveaway that he was about to tell her something she would want to hear.

Morgan went on "You look really amazing tonight. Bet you take his breath away."

She lit up. "Thanks."

Derek jogged down the stairs and back into the cold, gasping for air as he stood there. His world crumbled down.

She had been wearing a sexy, tight, green dress with cute flowers pinned in her blondes curls.

There was no doubt about it. She was hooking up with that guy. And Derek knew that the choice had been made for him. He didn't have to decide if he was ready to be with her. She was ready to try, once again, to move on from him.

Over the years he had watched her go on first date after first date before. But it never hurt quite as much as this. Last month, when she mentioned her coffee shop guy, it bruised his heart. This time though, knowing she was on a date, made his heart feel torn to shreds.

He couldn't blame anyone but himself for this happening. She might be his if he just asked her to be. She might be wearing that dress for him. She might be trying to take his breath away tonight instead of some other guy.

(Watching every motion

in this foolish lover's game.

-

Haunted by the notion

somewhere there's a love in flames.

-

Turning and returning to some

secret place inside.

-

Watching in slow motion

as you turn my way and say

-

Take my breath away, my love.

Take my breath away, my love.

-

Take my breath away) (Berlin)

XXXXXXXXXX

Did he feel like a complete stalker and a fool? Yes. But that did not stop Derek from sitting in the cold outside of Penelope's apartment and watching till Kevin Lynch left.

Derek breathed a sigh of relief that it was only twenty minutes after Derek himself had left Penelope's doorstep. If that guy spent the night Derek didn't know what he'd do. Probably get drunk and stay that way till he had to go back to work next Tuesday.

He started his car to go home but his cell rang before he pulled out of the parking spot. A glance at the screen showed: Baby girl.

Clearing his throat he answered "Hey, baby."

"Please tell me your truck broke down."

He stifled a groan. "Um...." for the life of him he had no clue what to tell her at that moment.

"I know you worry, especially after what happened the last time I went on a date, but you can not mess this up for me, do you understand me? Not even your good intentions are a good enough excuse to ruin something that could be really good for me."

The quick and cold way she was speaking told him he was so busted. He hated when this happened. He felt underwater and unable to get to the surface and find a way to make it all right again. No one else on earth could get him like this.

"Garcia, I don't wanna mess up anything for you."

"Then why am I watching you staking out my building? I went to look out the window to see if Kevin got to his car and there you are, Morgan. Tell me you're not really thinking about chasing off another man from my life because if you do, so help me God, I will use my magic fingers for evil instead of good and make the license bureau convinced you have about 4,000 moving violations!"

He was glad she didn't say she'd take him off the grid, which is what she would do to the worse of the worse, but he got her point.

Derek asked her "Chase off? All I did was tell them to treat my baby girl right. No one should be in your life who can't do that."

No one should be in your life but me, he thought

"I'm serious this time. I want to have a boyfriend! I want a sex life. I'm still alive and I want to feel alive,"her voice caught with emotion. "Just because you have no desire to make love to me doesn't mean there isn't another man out there who will treat me right and make love to me every single damn day and every single damn night. And I will have that. This time, Morgan, you better back off and let me live my life!"

Click.

Jumping out of his truck he actually ran up to her apartment and banged on the door. When she pulled it open she yelled at him "WHAT NOW?"

"This," he growled out before pulling her against him. When she was pressed to his body, looking up at him with wide eyes filled with questions, Derek whispered "If you want to make love to someone then you make love to me."