18 MONTHS LATER

Derek took a sigh of relief as he drove up to his home. The team had been out on a long case. For three weeks, they worked to solve a series of brutal rape homicides on the central coast of California. Each case got more personal for the unsub. The team grew frustrated until Reid discovered a connection between the victims. They had all been performers. By triangulating their dump sites, the team was able to stop the eighth homicide from occurring.

At the stop light, Derek gripped the wheel tightly to release tension from his hands. He gave a tired smile as his gaze fell upon his ring upon his left hand. He had been married for just over a year now. His proposal had been fun to coordinate. Penelope had been working hard to gain the strength to power walk a mile. As she approached her last lap, Derek was waiting at the finish line on one knee with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. He smiled as Penelope held her hand to her chest in surprise. She seemed to skip toward him, which was against her training exercises, but he didn't stop her, nor did her therapist. He remembered how her flushed cheeks deepened in redness when he removed the engagement ring from his pocket. Her sweet brown eyes had filled with tears as he revealed the diamond before her. The second he asked the most important question of his life, she agreed whole heartedly. He had never felt so complete.

A honk from the car behind him removed him from his memory as he continued his drive home. Once he parked in the drive, he smiled as he found Clooney waiting for him in the garage. Derek fed his furry companion before entering the house.

He didn't see her right away. He heard the bath water running. Derek raised his eyebrow in surprise. He wasn't sure what his Baby Girl had planned for him, but he was about to find out.

Before he made his way to their bedroom, he was stopped when he noticed a letter upon the coffee table from the hospital. It was marked as an overnight male delivery. He envelope was stained with tears and smudges. Derek took a timid step forward, reaching for the envelope with shaky hands. It was addressed to Penelope Morgan, a name change he was proud to witness. However, his fears from her beating consumed him as he removed the paper. Derek exhaled as he began to read the contents of the letter which stated:

... we are pleased to inform you that we have found a potential lung for you, Ms. Garcia. If you are interested in learning details of the surgical process, please contact Doctor Johnson as soon as possible...

Derek felt as if the floor beneath him collapsed. Life with one lung had given Penelope plenty of obstacles. She hated her limitations. Activities that would take her a matter of minutes took twice as long as her body tried to heal itself. He had held her as she cried in frustration and anguish many nights. However, they seemed to move toward acceptance and progress.

Yet, one issue continued to break Penelope's heart. Penelope's condition made her an unsafe candidate to bear children. Due to lack of oxygen getting to the child, the likelihood of miscarriage was quite great. Penelope's heart had been broken when she discovered that reality. Though doctors informed the couple that it wasn't impossible for them to conceive and deliver the baby to full term, her body's condition would make any pregnancy high risk.

Derek sat upon the couch and couldn't escape his thoughts. His heart was torn apart by equal levels of selfishness. On one hand he wanted nothing more than to remind Penelope that he was fine with the way thing were. They were adjusting to her new life style and she was still his Goddess. With one look, she made his heart swarm with pride and desire. Nightmares continued to plague him as his unconscious mind returned to her beaten state. Nothing terrified Derek more than losing her.

However, his equal half of selfishness longed for her to accept the lung. Through therapy and treatment, they would work toward a life that was more active and, hopefully, full of young ones. His dreams would be filled with her pregnant form, her stomach swollen with his child. Derek would grow excited with the thought of impregnating his curvy wife.

Derek's thoughts were once again shaken as he heard the bath water stop flowing. He stood carefully and placed the letter back upon the table. When he entered their bedroom, he heard low music playing from their iPod player. Candlelight greeted him as he removed his leather jacket and placed it upon the bed.

When he entered the bathroom, his heart stopped from the image of perfection that greeted him. Candlelight surrounded the bathroom. His gaze followed the lights until his eyes laid upon his wanting Goddess. Her hair was lifted into a bun upon her head with fallen curls upon her cheeks. Her eyes possessed a smoky appearance while her lips were covered with his favorite raspberry chap stick. The fragrance of the water consumed him as bubbles and rose petals surrounded her. She rubbed her neck with her left hand, flashing the diamond ring she would be eternally proud of. Derek flashed her a lust filled smile and leaned against the wall, staring down at his temptress.

"Welcome home, husband," she said with a smile.

"This is a very good welcome indeed," he said with a smile.

Penelope flashed him a smile and moved slowly toward him. Her seductive moves intoxicated him. "I missed you," she said biting down on her lower lip.

Derek looked around her tub and rose an eye brow to one of their vibrating toys that laid beside the bath tub. "I see that," he replied with a smirk.

"Oh, that is for us," she informed, coating her arms with water. "Won't you join me?"

The image of her longing for him made him hard. "How about a tease?" he said with a wicked grin.

"A tease?" she questioned.

"If I undress, you need to get wet for me," he said with a smirk.

"I am already," she said with a moan, her head falling back against the tub.

"You and I both know what I mean," Derek said with a chuckle.

"Fine," she agreed with a smirk, "But with one condition." He raised an eyebrow toward her and she exhaled slowly to tease him. "I want to come with you inside me. It's been too long."

"You can do that more than once, Goddess," Derek said with a satisfied grin upon his lips.

"But I want you more," she said with an unwavering smile. "And you don't want me to lose interest... do you?" Penelope lifted her arms which caused a portion of her bountiful breasts to lift from the water. Her nipples peaked in desire and interest, causing Derek to salivate in need and hunger. "What do you say, Agent Morgan?" Penelope questioned.

Derek moved his gaze toward her playful eyes and began removing his clothes. With each amount of skin that was revealed to her, Penelope grew wetter in want. As he removed his jeans and boxer briefs, Penelope let loose a breathless sound as his erect cock greeted her. He stood firm in attention, making Penelope salivate with want. She began to move forward in an attempt to taste him, however, Derek raised a hand to halt her movements. He motioned toward the small vibrator and indicated that he was ready to watch her. She raised an eyebrow in surprise but he only smirked and nodded for more.

When Penelope grabbed the small black instrument, she turned the base to begin it's pulsating setting. Her clit throbbed as the sound caused a memory of desire and completion to fulfill her.

"Do it," Derek growled, his onyx eyes clouded with domination and desire.

Penelope slipped the device into the water and it eagerly greeted her swollen bud. She gasped as she leaned her head back against the tub. The sensations caused her body to shake and buck toward the vibrations. With her eyes closed, she took the time to allow her hearing to dominate her senses. She listened as Derek's hand greeted his throbbing cock and she grew wet as his pleasure filled grunts echoed through the room. As her wrist moved in response to her movements, she caused the setting of the device to increase, resulting in a more electric sensation to consume her. "Ugh," she moaned as her hips began to buck furiously. "Derek," she moaned, opening her eyes slowly.

He looked like a man who was thirsting beside an ice cold lake. His body glistened in the dim light. The bead of precum now burst and covered his shaft in throbbing desire. "Baby," he groaned.

"I need you," she moaned. "I always need you."

Derek didn't need much encouragement to enter the steaming tub. He took a seat beside her and thrust her form over his waist, her soft thighs on either side of him. She removed the vibrating assistant from her pulsating core, turning it off and tossing it toward the sink. She stole his lips in an eager kiss, one filled with desire and longing. His grip on her was tight and resulted in her moaning in pleasure.

His hardness teased her entrance, her sounds growing louder as his mouth traveled down her neck. Without warning, Penelope lowered herself down on him. Both moaned hungrily as feelings of fullness and home consumed them. Derek's hands moved down to her hips and he began bouncing her upon his cock rapidly. Penelope's mouth sucked and bit along Derek's neck as her fingers dug into his shoulders and back. Her body bucked frantically against him, his control over her movements making her crave completion.

Derek was not a quick man by any means. Each time he made love to his Goddess, he worshiped her body for hours, making them experience sensations that were foreign to them. However, as her body bucked against him wildly, he could sense her need for swift and animalistic completion. "Pen?" he moaned, his hands traveling to the outsides of her thighs.

"I'm so close," she moaned, stealing his lips in a heated kiss. "Please," she breathed against him.

He didn't need to be asked twice. His thumb surged to her core and pressed against her swollen nub strongly. Penelope released a scream of desire as she clawed into his body, her inner walls tightening against his thrusting cock. Derek's movement froze and he felt himself explode within her tighten walls. He choked out her name as her breathless lips placed themselves softly against his neck. The after shocks of her release gave him a boost in pride as her mewls and moans filled his ears.

"You're so beautiful," she moaned against him.

"Isn't that my line?" he asked with tired humor.

"I stole it," she replied.

He could only laugh as he took advantage of her weakened form. His hand lifted her right breast, greeting him the sight of her most hated scar. Each time they made love, Derek made it a point to kiss along the wound, reminding her of her eternal beauty.

Penelope removed herself from his tired member and turned her body so her back was flush to his chest. She smiled as his grip tightened around her and his lips found her neck. "I missed you," she repeated, her eyes closing with new found exhaustion.

"Right back at you, beautiful," Derek said kissing down the column of her neck.

"How long do you have off?" she asked.

"We have half days the rest of the week to wrap up paper work from the California case. We resume regular hours Monday."

Penelope nodded as her finger nails grazed his forearms. Being in her husband's arms was her favorite place in the world.

"I found the letter," Derek murmured.

Penelope nodded, replying, "I had a feeling," she answered.

"What are you thinking?" he asked with timid curiosity.

Penelope sighed and looked out toward her bedroom door. Since receiving the letter, her heart was in a torrent of conflict. While she was relieved that her body had finally began adjusting to life without a lung, news of an available organ sparked hope within her of being able to carry hers and Derek's child safely to term. It sparked the hope of being able to return to her active life without harmful consequences. However, her heart stopped as she remembered the heartbreak and concern that lived in her husband's eyes during her surgeries and healing. She didn't want him to go through that suffering once again. "I want to know what you think," she replied.

Derek sighed and began answering her slowly. "I think that I have varying dreams every night. Some nights return me to my darkest fears of losing you. Of seeing her beaten and dying, knowing I couldn't save you. Yet, there are nights when my dreams are filled with hope. We are walking down a pathway, your hands tangled in mine. I look toward you and you remain so beautiful. However, we stop and you place my hands upon your stomach and my heart booms with pride and longing."

"Oh Derek," she sighed, turning her head toward his. He leaned his forehead against hers and she sighed contently as his thumb grazed her cheek.

"Doll, I know that this choice is your decision, but know that I support you in whatever you decide."

Penelope looked up at her husband with love filled eyes. He continued to amaze her with every minute they were together. His love for her was boundless and she was coming to accept that every second they had together was breathtaking. She nodded against him and pressed her lips against his. Penelope conveyed her love and desire for him as well as her fear and anxiety within their kiss. His hold upon her tightened as her tongue sought entrance into his mouth. After moments of healing and answers, she rested her forehead against his and focused her gaze downward to take a few calming breaths. "I want to have your baby," she said confidently. "I want our lives to not be altered by the state of my body. I want us to have a happy life where we watch our grandkids play as we sit in our rocking chairs with chocolates and smiles. I need to have this procedure, Derek. Do you understand?"

He nodded and pressed an approving kiss to her lips. "I love you," he whispered.

She smiled and turned her body from him, returning to their resting position within the tub while enjoying the remaining heat from the water. Though their path would continue to be filled with twists and turns, each took comfort in the fact that they would be on their path together, chasing away the darkest of nights.