Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not Criminal Minds, not Hallmark.

AN: Well Happy Holidays everyone! This story is nearly complete, just like when I did my Halloween one. So there shouldn't be too much waiting. This is going to be the first time I ask for reader participation when it comes to the last chapter. Be on the lookout for requested opinion to how the story shall end. Right now, it will be set as a T rating.

The Profiler Choice Awards 2015 are now taking nominations until the end of December. Don't forget to show your support.

This goes out to evgrrl09. She rocks! I kinda don't know what I would do without her at times. So this story goes out to you

Happy Holidays

"Dang it!" Penelope grumbled as she looked in her fridge. She was out of milk and cream. Today couldn't get any worse. All she wanted was to make herself some hot chocolate and drown herself in sappy Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel.

Everyone on the Hallmark channel get's their happy ending. Why couldn't she? She shook her head. She knew why: it just wasn't in the cards for her. She had mistakenly given her heart away to the one man that would never want her. In doing that she would always find flaws with everyone she dated. She constantly found herself comparing her boyfriends to her best friend, and that would only leave her in heartache when they never measured up. They were not Derek.

That left her here and alone on December twenty third, watching Hallmark movies, and wishing she could be the lead character just once and finally get her Hallmark happy ending.

Even the universe was mocking her right now. First Sam broke up with her a week before the holidays and now she couldn't even make her favorite wintertime beverage.

She slammed the fridge door shut and leaned against the counter trying to regain any ounce of happiness.

"Penelope?" Sam asked as he nervously bounced his knee.

Penelope turned to face her boyfriend. They were just about to sit down and watch a holiday movie. "Yeah, Sweet Cheeks?"

"Do you ever feel like you settled?" he asked, not meeting her eyes.

"Where is this coming from?" she asked, sitting back on the couch to get a better view of him.

"Why do you think we broke up the first time?"

"We were both in different spots in our lives. But we came back together, it happens all the time," she said.

He finally met her gaze. "We broke up because you wanted Mr. Right, and I wasn't it. I was Mr. Right Now…" He took her hand. "Just like now."

She pulled her hand away like she had just touched fire. "What are you saying?"

Sam sighed as he moved away from her. "I'm Mr. Right Now, just like I was back then–"

"No, you're not," she interrupted. "Sam, we are moving forward with our lives and I want to be wi–"

"Derek Morgan," he interrupted. "You want to be with Derek Morgan."

"No, Sam, you're wrong. I want to be with you, and only you," she protested.

"God, I wish that was true. I wish that was true with every ounce of my being. But it's not. You can't let go of him, even with a five year relationship with Kevin you were unable to let go of Morgan-"

"What does Kevin have to do with us?" she asked, raising her brow.

"It's just an example. You were with Kevin a long time, all signs pointed to you two getting married but you never did. Instead you ended a five-year long relationship. I've talked to Kevin in passing before. Morgan was always number one, where he was number two."

"Sam, no! That wasn't the case,"

"He was always number two, just like I am number two," he told her dejected.

"You are completely wrong. Morgan is just my friend. We are nothing more and will never be anything more. First off, he has Savannah. They live together. Second, Morgan is more like my brother than anything," she explained.

"You do not have a brother and sister relationship. You and I both know that. Sure, he might have Savannah, but I am talking about you and your feelings towards him right now." Sam swallowed.

"Are you breaking up with me because you think I have feelings regarding Morgan? Sam, don't be silly."

Sam reached for her phone that was sitting on the coffee table, when she went to protest he held up his hand. "Just let me prove something to you, really fast okay?"

She nodded her head, not saying anything.

He held out the phone to her. "Even on your speed dial I come second. Much like Kevin probably did," he said.

"Sam, I have to have him there. It's work related."

He shook his head. "If you need to tell yourself that, that's fine…. However, number three on your speed dial is Aaron, followed by the rest of your team. I only rank above them, never Morgan."

Tears started to spill from her eyes. "Sam, you have it all wrong. Don't do this, please!"

Sam swallowed. "I wish, god, I even prayed, that with time you would find away to let go of the hold Derek has on you and fully love me but I don't think that will ever happen."

"Sam–"

"I deserve better," he interrupted. "I know I do. I know I did back then, and I know now, too. I love you, Penelope, and I wish my love was enough, but it's not. It'll never be enough when Derek is the true owner of your heart."

"Oh God, Sam!" she cried.

"I think it's best if I leave," he said, standing up. He turned to her and tried to give a heartfelt smile. "I hope one day you finally go after him or at least learn to let him go." He walked out of her apartment, leaving her crying on the couch.

"Screw you, Derek," she mumbled as she wiped a tear away, thinking of what Sam said. He was right and there was no one she could blame but herself. She had fallen for Derek, hook line and sinker, years ago. Probably after the first time he had called her 'Baby Girl.' The love she had for him only grew when their friendship blossomed. She wished she could have placed a wall along her heart when it came to him, but by the time she realized she needed to, it was too late.

The next day after Sam left, she acted like her plans to be with Sam on Christmas were still intact. She didn't want to let on anything had changed. And no one would have noticed anyway. The only person that would have was Derek, but he and Savannah had left for Chicago the day before. So she only had to put on the fake act for a little while.

She didn't want anyone to pity her. So she decided to keep everything quiet and would let the team find out after the first of the year when they came back.

She looked at her phone. "43 degrees out…" She shook her head. "If I didn't need this right now I would say to hell with it."

She grabbed her jacket and made her way to the store. She just wanted to get in and get out. The sooner she got back to her house, the sooner she could get into her ratty flannel pajamas and curl up and cry into her hot chocolate while watching movies.

Once she got to the store, she nearly ran to the milk and cream. She was on a mission. She needed the next few days to cry out everything, her lost love with Sam, and her never love with Derek. Hopefully, after crying everything out she would be able to face Derek again and hear of his happy tales, of him and Savannah in Chicago. She'd be able to put on a brave face and learn to only love him from afar-

"Penelope?"

Penelope turned to face the voice, and to her surprise, there stood Savannah.

"Sav- Savannah? What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in Chicago?" Penelope asked, completely taken aback.

Savannah cocked her head to the side and then looked Penelope up and down. "Why would I be in Chicago?"

"Derek told me you guys were going to Chicago for Christmas this year." She blinked at Savannah.

Savannah stood there for a moment before she spoke. "I was never going to go to Chicago with Derek. Hasn't he talked to you since Thanksgiving?"

Penelope had no idea how to feel. First, Derek had just told her two weeks ago him and Savannah were going to Chicago. Did he lie to her? Was it just that Savannah was on call? "No, the last I heard you guys were headed to Chicago."

"Penelope, Derek and I are no longer together."

"What?" she asked, completely dumfounded. She nearly dropped her items on the floor.

"Yeah, before Thanksgiving we decided that it would be better to go our separate ways. Our jobs are just too different. We never saw each other, and when he did, we constantly were fighting. It wasn't healthy," she explained.

"But you live together."

"My name was never on the house. It was all in Derek's name. The weekend after Thanksgiving I moved out. I'm now staying with my sister," Savannah mentioned.

"He never told me," Penelope whispered.

"I'm not surprised," Savannah remarked. "Well, I am a little bit, but not as much as you would think. He probably didn't want you to feel bad and invite him along with you and Sam. But I don't really know."

"He never said anything to me."

"Penelope, can I ask you a question?" Savannah asked looking at her.

She nodded, still in shock. "Yeah,"

"How come you and Derek never got together?"

"I- we-…" She took a deep breath. "We don't have that type of relationship. We were only just ever friends."

Savannah shook her head. "I don't think you believe that just as much as I don't. You guys have a special relationship. I always thought there was more than what you all let on,"

"There isn't," she said quickly. "At least not for him." She laughed nervously.

Savannah nodded her head in understand before moving down the aisle. She turned to look over her shoulder. "I wouldn't be so sure about that."

Penelope was left standing there, her ingredients in hand. Part of her was angry at Derek for not telling her, but a bigger part was somewhat excited.

"I hope one day you finally go after him or at least learn to let him go."

Sam's words echoed through her head. Everything happens for a reason. Maybe this was the chance she needed to take. She could finally get her happily ever after, just like all those movies on Hallmark. She just needed to take a chance and go for it.

She grabbed her phone and dilled a while known number. When she finally heard the phone pick up, she took a deep breath. "Fran, we need to talk."