A/N: Hi guys! I'm so sorry that this took so long. I had the worst writer's block for this chapter. But anyway, here it is. Basically just a cute little chapter. The big huge chapter is probably next. I'm still not quite sure about what I want to do yet. It might take me forever to write the next chapter since I am starting high school tomorrow... but I promise I won't forget about it! Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing! Enjoy :)
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Penelope's mouth hung open in surprise, her hands flying up instantly to cover it. Within an instant, a rush of memories flooded her mind – the first time she had met Derek, how he had cared for her after she had been shot, the fear she had felt every time he had been in danger, the day that he told her he was in love with her, their first date, meeting his family, and everything in between. Every kiss, every laugh, every silly nickname, every touch, every 'I love you'; every single word shared between them. And that was when she realized it – Derek Morgan was the love of her life. And he was kneeling right in front of her, on the property of their own house, asking her to be his wife.
"Oh my goodness... Derek..." she barely managed, fumbling for the right words – suddenly realizing that he was still anticipating an answer from her. She snapped out of it.
"Yes! Yes, of course I'll marry you!" Derek stood up and slid the ring onto her ring finger.
"Wow..." she beamed. "It's beautiful."
She wrapped her arms around his neck; his went around her waist.
"We're getting married," she grinned happily.
"And it's about damn time." He returned her smile. She looked deep into his eyes, holding onto the moment – a moment that she would cherish for the rest of her life.
"I love you so much."
"I love you, too, baby girl," he leaned in closer. "More than anything." He whispered across her lips before completely closing in the distance between them. They pulled away after a moment, both feeling breathless. There was a look in Penelope's eyes that Derek knew all too well. They were both thinking the same thing.
"Come on," Derek took her hand in his. "Let's go."
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The next morning, Derek was awaken by the sunlight that was just starting to come in through the windows. Penelope had fallen asleep his arms. But she just looked so content there that he didn't even bother getting out of bed. Instead, he stayed exactly where he was, enjoying the tranquil silence of the morning. It was nice to have this kind of peace of mind for once. He looked down at the woman asleep on his chest admiringly, reminiscing about the previous night.
Penelope squirmed upwards so that she was level with Derek, nestling her head into the crook of his neck; her arms still wrapped tightly around his torso. Derek smiled and planted a soft kiss on her forehead, snuggling into her embrace. It was those kinds of moments that he had learned to love. Those quiet mornings after spending the night making love to his woman, his soul mate, and falling asleep in each other's arms; feeling like they were the only two people in the world. Just him and her. It was the little moments like that when he realized how lucky he really was. They made him realize how fortunate he was to have such a strong, devoted, and passionate relationship. Those were the moments that made him feel truly happy – and before he met Penelope, that was one emotion that he hadn't been too familiar with. She had brought happiness into his life – and for that, he would be forever grateful.
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A little while later, Derek stirred, realizing that he had somehow managed to fall back asleep; yawning as he faded back into consciousness. Penelope followed suit, squirming around for a moment, until her eyes suddenly fluttered open; her gaze fixed upon him.
"Good morning, princess," he greeted her softly.
"Oui, c'est vrais... c'est un très bon matin, mon cher."
He shook his head at her, grinning. "You drive me crazy, you know that?"
She shrugged innocently. "I'm just trying to help you with your French."
He looked puzzled. "Baby, why on earth would I ever need help with my French?"
"Because," she said knowingly, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "We're going honeymooning in France."
Derek looked baffled. "Since when?"
"Since now."
"Ohh no. Uh-uh. There is no way we are going honeymooning in France. I was thinking of somewhere more... tropical... like the Bahamas..."
Penelope rolled her eyes dramatically. "Oh, Derek. That is so... been-there-done-that. You need to think outside of the box. Just picture it. We could spend a week on the coast... then we could go to Paris for a week... go see the Eiffel Tower... go see a show at Moulin Rouge... take a night cruise along the Seine," she grinned. "So? What do you think?"
He paused for a moment; smiling at the thought of the two of them in Paris together. Honestly, he would be happy going anywhere with Penelope. But on second thought, France didn't sound half bad.
"Alright, fine. You win. But on one condition."
She raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"
"You're doing all the talking while we're there."
She laughed, hitting him playfully with the back of her hand. "You are such a goof. I'm getting you a French-English dictionary."
Derek groaned. She grinned, satisfied. "So... who are we gonna tell first?" she asked him, on a slightly more serious note.
He thought for a moment. "Well, I was hoping that we could call my mom on Skype at some point today... And as for everyone else... I guess they'll just have to wait until the engagement party." He smiled deviously.
"Ooh, I like the sound of that... but you do know that as my best friends, JJ and Emily have a legal obligation to be immediately informed of any changes in my martial status, right?"
He grinned. "Yes, Penelope."
"Okay, good." She said, studying him for a moment. "Want to know your first French lesson?"
"Sure. Why not."
"Je t'aime." She gave him a quick peck on the lips. "I love you," her eyes lit up as she said those three words.
Neither of them said a word for a moment, both lost in each other's eyes. Derek gently ran his finger down her cheek.
"I love you, too, baby girl. More than you will ever know."