Penelope sighed sadly when she shut down her computers for the night. She didn’t really blame anybody, the last days had been really stressful and she’d almost forgotten that day herself. She didn’t even expect Hotch, Spencer or JJ to remember it. But she was disappointed about Derek since she’d have expected more of him. She sighed again and left her office.
“Wait for me, mama!” she suddenly heard his voice behind her when she was heading for the elevators. She hadn’t even noticed him but was glad he was still there.
Derek hurried to her while she was holding the doors open for him. “You’re leaving early today.” he smiled at her and pushed the button. “Any special reason for that?”
Her heart sank. He’d really forgotten it. He’d never forgotten that day before. “No.” she shrugged. “I’m just… tired I guess.”
Derek frowned and studied her face. “Hope you’re not falling ill. I hardly ever heard you say you were tired.”
“We all need some sleep from time to time, right?” she tried to give him a smile but was sure she failed. She felt like crying at the moment because of both anger and sadness. How could he forget this?!
“Hey, what’ wrong, doll face?” he softly asked. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No.” she replied. It’s more about what you missed to say.
“Don’t lie to me, baby girl!” he grabbed her arms and gently made her face him. “Tell me, what’s wrong!”
“It’s nothing, really.” she reassured avoiding his eyes so that he could not see the disappointment in hers. The sound of the elevator arriving at its aim kept her from being asked again. The doors opened and Penelope looked confused at the highest floor in front of her. “This is not the… car park.”
“You got it, mama!” he grinned, stepped out of the elevator and held out his hand for her. “Come along with me, there’s something I want to show you.”
Hesitantly she took his hand and let him lead her up the small stairs where he opened the door to the roof. He wanted to pull her with him but she refused. “You know that I don’t feel exactly comfortable that high above the ground.”
“Trust me” he smiled at her. “you’ll like it!”
Penelope sighed and finally stepped outside. The roof was covered with pebbles that scrunched under her feet. Except that the roof was empty and Penelope really wondered what Derek could want to show her up here that was of any significance.
“Come on, mama, it’s safe, I promise.” he grinned walking towards a little stony building which in her eyes had no use up here.
“You’re not gonna throw me off the roof, are you?” she asked and shivered slightly. The night was starry and therefore quite cold.
“You really think I would do something like that?” he smirked and stepped behind the stony thing the use of which remained cryptic to Penelope.
She shrugged and followed him just to be completely overwhelmed the next second. There was a small table covered with gifts. The whole team was standing there, glasses filled with champagne in their hands and smiling. Penelope’s jaw dropped.
Derek grinned and handed her a glass: “Happy Birthday, baby girl!”
She looked at the glass, at her co-workers and then at Derek. Finally she was able to smile and mumble a “thank you.”
They chinked their glasses and drank a toast to their still stunned analyst.
“Okay” Derek smiled after a while taking the empty glass from Penelope. “it’s time for your presents.”
“We drew lots to come up with an order.” JJ smiled, hugged her friend and handed her one of the boxes from the table. “And I’m first. Happy Birthday, Pen!”
“Thanks.” she smiled and ripped the package open. It was a collection of the most colorful and most screwy pens she’d ever seen. “They’re great.” she smirked.
“The seller assured me they’re all single copies.” JJ explained.
“I’m next.” Hotch handed Penelope another gift. “This is from Emily and me.”
“Thank you… Sir.” she said sheepishly and opened that one a little more carefully. Her jaw dropped again when she looked at the box of the computer safety system she’d only told Derek she wanted to have for her own laptop but wasn’t able to find. “Sir… I… thank you…” she stammered. “It’s… great. Thanks, Emily.”
“You’re welcome.” she smiled. “Happy Birthday.”
“Well, that’s… um… mine.” Reid smiled and handed Penelope another present.
“Thanks, Spencer.” she hugged him and then looked at the present in her hand. She was rather sure it was a book – it almost always was – and she wondered which he’d bought this time. He always seemed to know what she’d ever wished to read but never managed to buy for whatever reasons.
Penelope opened the present and looked at the original edition of Flaubert’s Madame Bovary. She stared at him almost in shock: “How did you know? And… where did you…”
“Derek told me you’ve been looking for it for quite a while.” he shrugged.
“That’s right.” she nodded. “And I was absolutely unable to find it. So, how did you find it?”
Spencer smirked: “You know, you’re not the only one who has friends out there that can help you with things like that.”
“Okay, it’s time for my present now.” Derek stated and smiled mischievously.
Penelope’s heart started to beat a little faster at the expression on his face and the fact that she couldn’t see any other present lying around.
“Follow me, mama!” he waved her nearer.
Slowly she walked up to him and looked at the gadget his finger pointed at. “What’s that?” she asked.
“A telescope.” he replied. “I borrowed it from Spencer. Come on and have a look through it!”
“Derek, what’s all that about?” she wanted to know.
He grinned at her: “Just come and take pot luck!” he took her hand and led her over to the telescope. With a brief glance he made sure it showed the image he wanted her to see and then pointed at it giving her an asking look.
Penelope smiled a little skeptically and looked through the ocular. “Wow” she gasped looking at a blue and mostly brown fog with a strange figure in its middle. “it’s beautiful.”
“That’s the Eagle Nebula.” Derek explained. “You see the bright star top right?”
“Yeah.” she whispered still overwhelmed by the image she was looking at.
“It’s called Penelope.” he grinned.
Penelope jumped up and stared at him in shock: “You’re kidding!”
Derek’s grin grew wider and even more triumphing: “No.”
She stared at him then back at the telescope and again back at him: “How did you find that?”
He chuckled: “You know, I didn’t… exactly find it.”
Now she was utterly perplexed. “Then… what?” she asked.
Derek handed her a framed document and grinned: “I had it named after you.”
Completely and helplessly lost for words Penelope took the certificate from him and stared at it for a couple of minutes. Then finally she lifted her head and looked into his eyes: “You mean… you… make me… a present… of a star?”
“Happy Birthday, sweetness.” he got closer to her. “Hope you like it.”
She looked up at him with the brightest smile he’d ever seen on that beautiful face. “It’s perfect.” she whispered and blinked back the tears that had sprung to her eyes.
“In this case, it’s the very thing for you, beautiful.” he smiled and brushed a strand of her golden hair behind her ear.
His hand rested on her cheek sending an enjoyable heat through her body and her heart leapt for joy. How could she ever have thought he’d forgotten her birthday?!
Derek smiled contentedly. The surprise had obviously been successful. And his present had been just as perfect as he’d wished it to be. He was more than happy that she liked it. Without even thinking about it Derek leaned down to her and gently pressed his lips against hers.
Penelope’s heart skipped a few beats when his lips met with hers. She was sure this would be a short amicable kiss but was disabused when Derek’s hand found its way behind her neck to pull her a little closer.
Her lips were soft and sweet and as much as Derek had wanted to keep this kiss short he couldn’t. His whole body started humming and he wanted more – much more. His hands acted on their own, the one on her cheek sliding behind her neck and the other one behind her back pulling her body closer to him.
She opened her mouth with a delightful sigh when he pulled her closer. Her arms wrapped around him she let her tongue duel with his. Her whole body prickled and she couldn’t stop the soft moan that escaped her throat.
“Hey, hey, hey, behave!” JJ admonished. “You’re not alone up here.”
A little embarrassed they let go of each other and smiled sheepishly.
Her four co-workers were grinning at them. “Come on, let’s have another glass of that marvelous champagne!” JJ suggested and they made their way back to the table.
“Thank you, gorgeous.” Penelope whispered. “That was the best birthday I’ve ever had – and the best present I ever got from anybody.”
“I’m glad you liked it.” he smiled and stole a short but passionate kiss from her.
She blushed a little and whispered in the most seductive voice he’d ever heard: “I guess I should thank you for that adequately.”
“What do you have in mind, goddess?” he asked playfully.
“I’ll show you later” she smirked her voice still sinfully seductive. “in my apartment – or to be more precise: my bedroom.”
These words drew a longing growl from somewhere deep in his throat and that sound made Penelope giggle.