This was written in response to the Pick Your Own Pairing Challenge from Chit Chat on Author's Corner. The prompt was: While A is out of town on a work assignment, B reflects on how much he/she means to him/her, in spite of the differences in their personalities. I hope you enjoy this little oneshot! - Angie

Derek Morgan sighed as he leaned back in his chair and away from his desk. He hated paperwork. It was monotonous—you couldn't tackle it, you couldn't pull a gun on it…the only thing it was good for was an excuse…he could always go into Penelope's office under the guise of being burnt out on paperwork.

And it was always the same. She'd make some witty comment, sympathize with him, and then massage his shoulders from behind while he sat down in one of her plush rolling chairs. Those skilled hands could have him relaxed in seconds. He had no doubt that those hands were masterful in lots of other areas as well…and he wasn't opposed to finding out just what else they could do.

Just her smile made his heart skip a beat; her touch would probably push him over the edge. Not that she had any idea. Penelope Garcia was completely clueless as to just how sexy she was. One smirk and she could get him to do anything. Luckily, she hadn't caught on to that yet. And that was probably part of the attraction for him. He loved that she didn't know how charming she was.

His experience with women may have been expansive in number, but it was limited in variety. His past included women who held most of their charm in their breasts. At least, that was what he'd thought. But now he was willing to concede that it might have mistaken charm for silicone…

They'd fallen into an easy routine, he and Penelope. When the team wasn't away on a case, he'd bring her coffee every morning, without fail. They were the only days she was actually on time. She brought him lunch. And not stupid salads, either. Not that there was anything wrong with a salad (as an appetizer), but Derek was a meat and potatoes man, and Penelope was a fantastic cook.

And she made him smile…every day. It didn't matter if he was here at the office, or if he was away on a case and only got to speak to her over the phone…her voice had the power to put a smile on his face no matter what was going on around him.

He got up from his desk and made his way to her office, turning the light on before taking the seat in front of all the monitors. He would have fired up her computer…if he knew how. It just wasn't Penelope's office without the monitors filled with her cheerful screensavers and the humming sound of her machines running. He sighed. He hated it when she was away from the office. But he supposed she did need to be up to date on the most recent technology if she was going to be effective at her job. Stupid conferences.

He pulled his phone from his belt clip and looked for her on speed dial. What'cha doin'? he texted.

His phone beeped less than thirty seconds later. We're on break.

Three seconds later, he heard ringing in his hear.

"Derek Morgan, I presume."

Derek laughed. "I miss you," he admitted.

"I miss you, too," she told him.

"Yes, but…what parts of me?" he asked huskily.

The line was silent for a moment. "Excuse me?" she asked.

"I said…what parts of me do you miss?" he repeated.

"Derek Morgan, are you flirting with me?" she asked in amusement.

"Yes," he said. "Is it working?"

"Doesn't it always?" she returned.

"God, I hope so."

Penelope giggled. "I miss your hands," she told him with a sigh.

"Really?" he asked, interest piqued.

"Yep," she said. "Especially the one that carries my coffee into the office every morning," she told him.

"Oh, baby girl. That was like a dagger to my heart."

"Well, I'm sure you'll find some blonde to mend it tonight," she teased.

"Penelope Garcia, when are you gonna realize that the only blonde I'm interested in is you?" he asked.

"When you stop dating other women," she shot back.

"Penelope," he said, voice suddenly serious, "When was the last time you heard about me going out with anyone?"

"Well, I…" Penelope wanted to answer, but the fact was…she couldn't remember. "I don't know," she admitted.

"I'm holding out for you," he told her.

"Right," she said with a nervous laugh.

"Penelope?"

"What?" she asked. He could hear the breathlessness in her voice.

"I…am holding out…for you," he told her, making sure to speak each word with conviction.

"I…my…my break…is…it's over," she said, stumbling over her words.

"Bye, Penelope," he said in a teasing tone.

"Derek!" she said before he could disconnect the call.

"What?" he asked.

"You won't…you won't have to hold out for long," she promised.

And with a smile, Derek Morgan closed his phone.