Derek tried to concentrate on the sound of his shoes slapping against the concrete path trying to stop his thoughts from going to the one place his heart couldn't bear to go...Penelope. "Come on, man! One more mile! You're almost there! Keep it up! You got this!" He tried to encourage himself to push on and push thru to the it was too late; she invaded his head and his heart like a runaway train, and there was no stopping the onslaught of memories that came flooding back fast and furious.

Knowing he was done, he slowed his run to a jog then to a fast walk, and now he found himself strolling threw Central Park. Every time he closed his eyes, memories of his Baby Girl assaulted his heart. Finding a park bench to sit on, he let himself get lost in memories of her and what they once shared before it all came to an end. He remembered the sounds of her laughter, the feel of her silky hair running through his fingers, the way she smelled a fragrance that was so uniquely Penelope. The way her arms felt around him they made him fee like he was safe, grounded and truly home. His heart constricted in his chest, the pain of her being gone cutting him to the core. He tried to shake oft the heart ache. Trying to regain control over his raging emotions, he rebuilt the walls around his heart even higher and thicker than before.

He got up off the bench, ready to head back to the hotel. He had met his mom here in New York to have a little time together and to do some baby shopping for Desiree, who was soon expecting her first child. Fran knew that Derek was happy for his little sister, but she also knew he couldn't help but think about what could have been with Penelope. If only he had just been brave enough to tell her of his love for her instead of running for fear that he would do wrong by her and never be all that his God Given Solace deserved.

As he strolled along, a small boot laying on the path caught his eye as he bent over to pick it up. He couldn't help but smile; it was lime green with hot pink flowers on it. He laughed shaking his head it had to be the cutest and probably smallest little boot he had ever seen. Turning around, he scoured the crowd looking for the owner he saw a woman ahead and could see the straps of the child carrier she wore. He picked up to a jog to catch her.

"Excuse me?" he called. He received no response, so he tried again. "Excuse me, miss!" As he caught up to her, he reached out a hand and placed it on her upper arm. At the feel of a stranger's touch, the woman's arms instinctively went around the little girl she carried and held the babe close to her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, but it seems that Cinderella here has lost her glass slipper…or in this case boot," Derek said with a chuckle, holding the boot out in the palm of his hand. He had noticed the woman stiffen as he started to speak and started to really take in her appearance her honey blond hair was pulled back into a pony tail she was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans, a black hooded jacket that was covered in splashes of bright colors and a pair of simple white tennis shoes. He was close enough to be able to smell the vanilla brown sugar lotion she used. There was something familiar about her and his heart started to pound hard in his chest could it be after almost a year of searching, and hoping to find her could she actually be...

As she turned to face him, her dark brown eyes were open wide with shock, and he also picked up a little fear "Derek?" she whispered, so softly that he almost missed it.

"Penelope? Oh my God, Baby Girl, is it really you?" So many things were going through his head. Why was she in New York? Did she live here? Why had she left him and the team without a word to anyone? Why had she not contacted anyone? Was this baby hers?

His mind went a million miles a minute, jumping from question to question but not being able to ask a single one. He took a step back from her, his eyes devouring her. Her hair was still blonde, a little darker than he was used to, and it took everything he had not to reach out and see if it was as soft as it looked. She was thinner but still had some of the curves that he loved so much and knew by heart. And even though she looked tired, she glowed and was possibly even more beautiful than he remembered her to be.

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Penelope's eyes took in the man who stood before her, the man who she loved with all her heart but couldn't have. She stood there staring at him not able to believe that he was right there, close enough to touch. She almost did reach out to touch him just to make sure that her eyes and weary head weren't playing tricks on her but she knew that with the way her body reacted to his presence that this Derek was very much real. He was really truly there standing not two feet from her and then she started to panic. What was he doing in New York City? How had he found her? What did he know? Did he come alone?

Just then, the baby wiggled, she came back to the reality: that her daughter would soon wake and need to be fed. She bent and kissed the babe's head whispering to her gently, "Soon, Baby. We'll be home soon." Penelope rocked her back and forth to ease her daughter back to slumber. She reached out and took the boot from Derek's hand. "Thank you. We have lost more shoes, boots and socks than I can tell you". She gently placed the boot back onto her daughter's socked foot. Looking down at the babe and then to Derek again, she said, "Thanks again, Derek, but I really should get going she is going to need to be fed soon. It was great to see you. Take care." And with that, she spun on her heel and walked off as fast as she could.

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Derek stood there stunned for a moment. A "thank you" and a "take care"? Was she serious? After all this time, she thought that that was all he deserved? She thought that he would just let her walk away with no explanation?

Oh, hell no! Derek wanted answers, and he felt he deserved them now. He took off after her catching up to her quickly and reaching out to grab her arm, bringing her to a halt. "Slow your roll, woman! I have questions, and as your best friend, I deserve some answers."

Penelope looked up into his eyes, and he could see the conflicting emotions battling just below the surface "Please, Derek, don't do this just let me go! This can't.. it won't end well."

"Let you go? What are you talking about? Hell, no! I won't let you go until I get the answers I deserve, Penelope! So what's it going to be Penelope? We can have this little heart to heart here in the middle of Central Park, or we can take it home to your place either way Baby Girl it's going to happen" The determined look on his face let her know there was no way he was going to just walk away and that the confrontation that she was not prepared for and was hoping to avoid for jus a while longer was about to take place right here.

Now.

Today.