Disclaimer: I own nothing...

A.N:First off... Happy New Year, everyone! New year, new story =P Hope everyone had a brilliant Christmas and got everything they wanted... sadly I didn't, I had no Morgan or any other hot man under my tree =( lol

It feels like forever since I last posted, but I have quite a few stories on the go at the moment, but for now enjoy this baby =)

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Rhythm Of Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Penelope held onto him just a little bit closer, her eyes crying silent tears as they danced in amongst all the other happy dancers at the bar.

She would not let him see any of the tears she'd shed at what the next day involved.

Penelope knew as she held him, that after this, they'd go home separately and when she woke up and went to work that morning, he'd be gone. He was going undercover, there was no changing that and this was the last time she'd get to feel him so close for God knew how long.

She didn't even know if he could feel her fingers gripping his shoulders just that little tighter, or feel the rumble of her tears in her chest as she kept her cheek next to his firm chest to avoid him any visual of her tear covered face.

She didn't know, and she didn't care to find out. She just wanted to hold onto him and never ever have to let him go.

Derek's arms flexed around her body, he felt her every perfect placed curved, trying to remember what this felt like to have her close. He closed his eyes as he nestled closer into her hair and he took in her sweet smell, the perfume he'd gotten her years ago still her favourite.

He smiled to know that he had such effects on her life, that he could cause her to gain new favourites and lose old loves. He didn't want that to sound superior in her life or even domineering, he didn't want her forced to have to change, he wanted her to be introduced to new things and love them just as much.

He hoped she'd smell like this when he came back. He hoped she was still his Red Delicious; he prayed she'd still have those ruby lips and the colourful clothes, that she remained intact and unharmed.

He stood and sent a silent prayer hoping that she stayed the same, perfect, precious Penelope Garcia that rocked his world.

The lights flew around them, taking away all the other people, making their emotions become more and more known, they couldn't hide it, they were going to miss one another in equal amounts and if this was it for a week, a month, 6 months, a year, more, then they both wanted to make this moment count.

They both felt so shut off in such a public place, their chemistry isolated, their grips locked to the other and nothing seemed to matter, not even the beat of the music, or the flashing lights, or their team members that were scattered around the bar waiting for them to come back.

All that mattered was them.

Penelope felt her heart gallop and a lump formed in her throat, she pushed away, "I need some air, I'll be right back," she smiled weakly and fled the dance floor, leaving Derek alone, her ability of hiding her every emotion diminished in one of the glares of bright lights.

She didn't want to think that this could be it. That by some evil chance, something might happen to Derek, that he might get hurt and she wouldn't have been around to help him or get to him. Her heart twisted violently in her chest at the absolute icy cold terror that he might well fall in love while away, that one of the many women he came into contact with might be his reason to never come home.

She slumped down onto the bench just outside the bar and felt completely miserable. She promised she wouldn't be like this, but now that the goodbyes were looming she was becoming a wreck.

"You left me." Derek's deep tone come from behind her and her shoulders tensed and she reached up to wipe her tears. Derek walked around the bench and slid down next to her, he leant back, his arm going around her back ready for when she sat back down.

"I'll be back in, in a minute, Hot Stuff," she told him and smiled, but she could tell her game was up, he had her marked. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry." She began to mutter, "I'm losing my best friend."

"Who said so?"

"This undercover stuff does," she told him and he'd never seen so much devastation brewing before, "I get it, it's your job, but you're jobs here as well."

"Penelope Garcia's best friend is a well worth it job, if not underpaid." He teased her and she laughed a little and looked over at him, her smile not illuminating her features as he so wished, "I'll be back."

"Could be famous last words."

"Hey now, Baby Girl, why the negativity?" He asked her and pulled her back and closer to him, his arm wrapping around her shoulder.

Penelope looked out across the road, "I'm just gonna miss you." She finally admitted, after days of knowing she'd finally allowed herself to say it out loud and to someone. "Standing in there I just realised that there's a lot I'm gonna miss, and I don't know how long I'm going to have to wait for it to come back."

Derek had never realised the effect this was causing, so he released her a little and turned to face her, making her his entire attention.

"What if something happens? Or you change? Or I change? Or you fall in love and you never want to come back?" She fretted frantically, "I couldn't bare you not coming back here, Handsome, I really couldn't.

"To not see your smile, or hear you laugh or get one of you hugs. I'm gonna miss it all like crazy and well, it could happen, you could find you like it wherever you're going, and you might like everyone else better. There are so many things that could happen for you to not ever want to come back."

Derek leant forward thoughtfully, his hands joint between his legs and he looked back at her as she sat frozen on her spot on the bench.

"Give me a good enough reason to come back," he told her, it wasn't a request or a gentle question, he was demanding she give him an answer.

"Come back to me." She said meekly and now Derek froze, her eyes locking fiercely with his.

"Why?" He asked her incredulously.

"Because I'm in love with you that's why." Penelope said and dissolved into more tears, she looked up to the starry sky, trying her hardest to calm herself and revel in that silence.

Derek sat back up, turned to her, a small smile on his lips, "come home with me tonight."

Penelope looked at him, "why?" she took her chance to ask him.

"So I have the most perfect memory possible to come home to." He said and put his hand out to her.

Penelope looked at the simple gesture and put her heart on the line.

She put her hand in his.

Penelope let Derek take her home that night; she was giving him every reason to come home.

And all your tears will subside
All your tears will dry
And long after I've gone
You'll still be humming along
And I will keep you in my mind
The way you make love so fine
We may only have tonight
But till the morning sun you're mine all mine

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Rhythm Of Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

A/N: This was going to be a ONEshot but after having it read it got made into a multichapter and boy did it set off on it's own life...

Song: Plain White T's – Rhythm of Love

Now... who wants more?