Complete Opposites (Part II)
Title: Complete Opposites
Authors: inward_audacity
Beta: floatingamoeba
Category: Romance/Humor
Rating: FRM
Warning: Sex, Language
Pairing: Morgan/Prentiss
Summary: They are as different as fire and ice yet they are attracted to each other like moths to a flame.
Authors' Note: AU. Written for cm_bigbang. Beautiful art done by the amazing krimskii can be found here. Go check it out now!
Tamara slammed the door angrily, causing the coat hanger by the door to wobble a little. She had just returned from the press conference Derek had held in light of that threat Emily received. She pretended to be from the press and sneaked into the event just so she could watch him dump that woman in front of the whole world but to her dismay, he had jumped to her defense.
"I don't know who you are or why you did it but please stop," Derek said seriously, looking at everyone in the crowd. "What you did was unnecessary and illegal and not to mention, very disgusting..."
The more she thought about his words, the angrier she got. How could he defend her like that? She clenched her fists, her nails digging deeply into her palms and glared daggers at the picture of that woman. If anyone thought she'd take it lying down, they were so wrong... She had to do something about it. Apparently, that woman had cast some sort of spell on her man, and she was the only one who saw it. She had to save her man...
...
"You didn't have to do that, you know?" Emily said quietly and sighed as she plopped down on the couch in the little room not far from where the army of reporters was. "You could have pissed her off..."
"I did the right thing," Derek said seriously. "I had to do something..."
"You are so stubborn," she huffed angrily.
"Pot calling the kettle black..." he muttered.
"Are you trying to pick a fight?"
They glared at each other for a second then turned away, crossing their arms over their chest. They sat in silence for several moments, the dull drone of the air conditioning the only sound. Eventually, Derek gave in and apologized first. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.
She looked up at him and sighed, "I'm sorry too...you were only trying to help."
"So, we're good?" he grinned.
"When were we ever 'good'?" she teased him.
He laughed heartily, "True. Can I have a hug?" he asked, looking at her with his puppy dog eyes. "It's an 'I forgive you' hug," he said when she rolled her eyes. "Come on...it's just a hug. Unless you're too scared," he taunted.
"You did not just do that?"
"Do what?"
"Fine," she glared at him playfully, "Just a hug. If I find your hands in places they shouldn't be at, I'll kick your ass to Russia."
"Violent..."
...
With their hands clasped tightly together, the manoeuvred their way through the throng of paparazzi and their prying cameras to their car with the help of security and several cops. The dark haired woman bit her lip as she watched her man wrap his arms around that woman, shielding her from the crowd. Pushing her way to the front, she covertly dug out that little penknife from her pocket, ready to eliminate her competition.
In the large crowd, it was hard to spot her and when they finally got closer to her, she elbowed the people in her way, injuring several people and security along the way. Emily froze in shock as she watched that manic coming at her, her hands poised to push that knife into her chest. Everything happened so fast that she didn't know how to react and before she knew it, she was being pushed to the ground. When Emily finally looked up, Derek was on the ground, the knife meant for her sticking out of his chest.
"Derek!" she gasped, launching herself at him and pressing her hands over his wound, praying it was enough to slow the bleeding. "Stay with me..." she whispered fearfully, "Call an ambulance!" she screamed while the cameras continued snapping pictures of the famous quarterback. She hadn't realized that tears were flowing freely down her cheeks. "Please, Derek...stay with me...don't close your eyes..."
...
Emily was a complete mess as she waited for news on Derek's injury. She paced the length of the waiting room of the hospital while biting her perfectly manicured nails nervously. She knew that word already got out and there were tons of rumours going around but she couldn't careless - right now, all she could think about was Derek.
"I'm going to the chapel downstairs..."
The older Italian man raised his brows and studied her questioningly for several moments, "I didn't know you're a Christian," he finally said.
"I'm not. Call me the second you have news of him..."
…...
"I don't know how to do this...I haven't done this in a while," she whispered as she clasped her hands together. "If...if you're real and you really care about us like they say you do, then please do something to save him. I...I don't want to lose him."
She brushed the tears rolling down her cheeks away with the back of her hands and looked up at the crucifix, sighing softly. "He's annoying and cocky and sometimes, he makes me wanna strangle him...actually, all the time," she chuckled softly as her tears continued to roll down her cheeks. "He's always late, he always gets himself in trouble and I have to clean up after him...I think he does it on purpose sometimes, just so he can watch me get upset. He's all that and more - he's obviously not perfect but he's a good guy..."
"I'm not his biggest fan but I'd rather have him around to get on my nerves than see him lying there, and not know if I'm ever going to see his smile again. He has a really nice smile, you know?" she said wistfully. "He's really good with kids, they love him... It's all my fault," she whimpered. Finally, she broke down completely and cried her heart out, burying her face in her hands.
She didn't know how long she had been there or how long she cried when her phone rang. "He's out..."
Emily leaped out of her seat and ran all the way up several flights of stairs to Derek's ward. He lay lifelessly on the bed and the only thing that gave her a clue that he was still alive was the heart monitor beeping quietly in the back. Slowly, she sat down in the chair next to him and let out a small sigh of relief that his hand was still warm when she held it.
"What did the doctor say, David?" she whispered.
The older man gently patted her shoulder, "He's not in any danger now. The knife punctured his left lung but they fixed him up and they think he's going to fine."
She gently stroked his knuckles, nodding numbly. "When is he going to wake up?"
"He'll wake up once the sedatives wear off...it'll be at least a few hours - maybe tomorrow morning. Why don't you go home and change? He won't wake up for a while..."
She shook her head, "I want to stay here. I have some extra clothes in my car...I'll get it later. You're the team manager, how is this going to affect the team?" she asked, "It'll probably take a while for him to recover... God, the press must be going insane now..."
"Don't worry about the press, the team's publicists are working on it," he said reassuringly, "You just worry about this guy."
"Thank you..."
...
Derek awoke to the quiet beeping sound in the background, feeling sore and tired. From the framed picture on the wall, a failed attempt to brighten up the boring white walls, he deduced that he was probably not dead but in the hospital. He looked around the room for several seconds, feeling like he had forgotten something and when he remembered what he was looking for, he began to panic - worried that she had been hurt too. He let out a quiet sigh of relief when he found her at the door with a paper cup in hand - he sighed contentedly, he'd take the aroma of coffee over the smell of antiseptic any day.
"Is that for me, Princess?" he croaked quietly, his throat dry and sore.
"No, you're not allowed coffee - it's just water for you until you have a clean bill of health."
He pouted like a child denied of his favourite toy. "When can I go home?"
"When?" Emily asked incredulously. "Never, if it's up to me! I am never letting you out of my sight again!"
"I saved you and you're yelling at me?" he frowned, shaking his head.
"I didn't need you to save me!" she cried angrily. "What were you thinking? You could have gotten yourself killed!"
He grinned as the bed was raised up for him to sit comfortably with a click on the remote. "Were you worried about me, sweetheart? I thought you always wanted to stab me yourself..."
"Do you want me to stab you?" she challenged. "I am very angry with you right now!"
"Why are you so upset? I saved you - if it wasn't for me, you'd be the one lying here. Why are you yelling at me?"
"Because you could've gotten yourself killed! How would it have looked if I - your publicist - let you take a knife meant for me and then you died?"
"But I am fine now. I'm hurt but not dead. What kind of man would I be if I didn't protect you?"
"I told you, I'm a big girl, I don't need anyone to protect me. And I don't need you to 'get stabbed' for me. So, if you do it again, I'll have to finish the job."
Derek rolled his eyes. "Fine - next time someone comes after you with a knife, I'll get out of the way and watch, okay? Happy now?"
"No!" She looked down at him, her nails digging deep into her palms. "Do you have any idea how much you scared me? I thought you were going to die."
"From how you yelled at me for the last five minutes, I think I got the idea," he said nonchalantly.
"Oh, really?" Emily looked at him, angry tear brimming in her eyes and she tried to blink them away. "You think you understand how terrified I was, trying to stop the blood gushing from your chest, thinking you were going to die in front of me?"
"What do you want me to say - 'I'm sorry I saved you' or 'I shouldn't have saved you'? Look, I'm fine now, can you just relax?"
"No, I can't relax! I'm mad at you! You're such a...reckless, insane, insufferable, conceited..." she trailed off, leaning down to kiss him vociferously.
He was taken aback by her actions for a second but he quickly regained his senses and let his hands wind up in her hair, keeping her close. He returned to kiss with equal fervour until they had to separate for some much needed oxygen.
Staring at him with wide eyes, Emily pulled away abruptly. "This doesn't change anything! I'm still mad at you!"
He laughed heartily, knowing that he shouldn't expect anything less from his feisty publicist. "I know. You're always going to be mad at me," he whispered against her lips. "I always thought you tasted sweet, Princess."
"What?" she raised her eyebrows.
He quickly shook his head and brushed her air away from her face. "When did you know you wanted to kiss me too?"
"I don't know..." she huffed, punching his good arm. "Whenever you're around, I feel this swirling vortex of infuriated annoyance and sexual attraction and... Ugh - you know what, you suck."
He laughed again and cupped her cheeks. "You're so cute, Princess - come here..." He pressed his lips firmly against hers and grinned, "Does this means we're dating for real now?"
"Did you forget I still work for you?"
"So?" he shrugged, "Nothing in your contract says you can't date me or anyone else for that matter. And you're crazy if you think I'm going to let you date anyone else but me after that kiss."
"What does that mean?"
"That means when I get out of here, I'm taking you on a date," he said confidently, "How do you feel about Italian food?"
...
Emily huffed in annoyance as she watched the nurse tending to Derek's wounds putting her hands on his toned chest while they flirted playfully. She couldn't hear what they were talking about but she was sure she didn't like the way they laughed as they chatted. She couldn't help but wonder why a guy like him - who could have anyone he wanted - would be serious about someone like her. She snapped out of her reverie when she heard him call her name.
"What are you doing over there?" he asked, smiling brightly, "Come here."
She smiled faintly when he quickly wrapped an arm around her when she sat down next to him on the bed. "Is that hot chocolate for me?" he whispered conspiratorially as the nurse left the room.
"No," she said then shrugged his arm away. It was initially meant for him until she saw him flirting with the nurse. "It's mine. You can only have water."
He pouted, "Come on...I've been having nothing but plain water and bland hospital food for the past couple of days. Just a little sip? Please?" he pleaded, looking at her with his puppy dog eyes and kissed her hand.
"You are incorrigible." As she watched him sip the hot cocoa drink happily, she bit her lip and her thoughts began to wonder back to the stability of their relationship, if you could even call it that. "It must be nice to have a such a cute nurse taking care of you, huh?" she blurted out bitterly before she even realised what she was doing.
"What?"
"Nothing," she quickly replied, mentally kicking herself for embarrassing herself in front of him yet again.
Derek chuckled lightly and cupped her cheeks, looking her right in the eye. "You're jealous."
"That's not true. Why would I be jealous?" she defended weakly.
He grinned. "You're so silly it's so cute."
"You just flirted with your pretty nurse right in front of me and then insults me," she said, "You must be some kind of dating expert."
"So, you admit that you're jealous?"
"So what if I am?" she crossed her arms over her chest and pouted.
"Come here, baby," he said, pulling her close to him. "Karen the nurse isn't my type."
"Please," she rolled her eyes, "Anything in a skirt is your type."
"We were just flirting," he said, "Don't get the wrong idea, okay? I'm not interested in her at all. I like you, silly."
"For how long?" she asked quietly, "How long before you lose interest and look for someone else?"
"Emily..."
"It's not that I don't trust you but watching a new girl leave your apartment every other morning isn't exactly reassuring..."
"I know I didn't give you a good impression of me but if you stick around long enough, I can change that," he said confidently. "I really, really like you and I know you really like me too so, I'd really like it if we'd give us a shot. Please? I'll let Tamara finish the job if I let you down..."
"Don't say that!" Emily chided, punching his good arm, "I have nightmares about you dying!"
"Silly girl," he grinned, pulling her in for a kiss, "Come here."
Derek threaded his fingers in her hair, keeping her close as he deepened the kiss, his tongue darting out to tangle with hers, causing her to moan softly. The quiet and apprehensive knock on the door broke them from their passionate reverie. Both turned towards the source of the noise to find two men standing at the door.
Emily's cheeks flushed bright red upon realising someone had just caught them in the midst of a very heated kiss.
"That's something I wasn't expecting," the older man noted, smirking, "Seems like you're enjoying your stay, Derek."
He shrugged nonchalantly and smiled. "David, you've met Emily before."
"Yes, we've met," David smiled charmingly, "Nice to see you again."
"Hey, don't try to seduce my girl," the dark man joked, wrapping his arm around Emily.
He laughed, "I don't think the current Mrs. Rossi would be happy with that either. I'm here for business; I've talked to your doctors, while they're happy that your condition has stabilised, they said it might take a while before you can play again."
"Why is that?" Emily asked worriedly, holding Derek's hand tightly. "I thought the doctor said that they fixed him already..."
"I'll let Doctor Spencer Reid explain it to you."
…...
The young doctor stood in front of them, awkwardly clearing his throat before he began. "As you already know, when Mr. Morgan was stabbed, the knife punctured his lung. We've managed to repair most of the damage but the body needs time to heal on its own too."
"How long are we talking about?"
"At least two months..."
"Two months?" Derek looked at the doctor incredulously. "Why? The Superbowl playoffs are in three months. I won't have enough time to train..."
"I'm sorry but if you don't give your body enough time to heal on its own, it could lead to problems in the future. If the side effects were minor, you could experience shortness of breaths but the worst thing that could happen is that your lungs could collapse and it can be fatal," he explained. "I've talked to Mr. Rossi and I understand that your training is very strenuous. While you can do light exercises to help your body return to the way it was before your were injured, rigorous exercises are not recommended."
"What kind of light exercises are we talking about?" Emily asked quietly.
"Low-impact exercises are suitable - like cycling, slow jogging, swimming and walking," he replied seriously. "And Mr. Morgan would have to constantly monitor himself. If he pushes himself too far, his condition might worsen. He would also have to return for check-ups every week so we can monitor his condition. Once, we think he has recovered completely, he can return to his training."
An awkward silence hung over the room like thick syrup for several moments. "I think I should leave you alone now," Dr. Reid said awkwardly. "Feel free to contact me if you have any questions."
"I should leave you two alone too," the older man smiled sadly. He gave Derek a pat on his shoulder, "Don't worry, the team can handle the playoffs, just focus on getting better."
"Thanks, man," he smiled faintly.
Emily watched as the two men left the room the turned to him once the door was shut. "I'm so sorry...," she whispered, biting her lip as she tried to keep the tears from falling down her cheeks.
"It's not your fault..." She shook her head and was about to disagree when he stopped her. "How is this your fault? I started it; I told everyone we're dating and that girl was my fan...if it's anyone's fault, it's mine, Em."
"You're lying in the hospital because you saved me!"
"And I'd do it again," he said, looking her in the eye. "No regrets..."
She sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder, "For a guy who keeps getting on my nerves, you're pretty sweet."
....
Derek drummed his fingers impatiently as he watched Emily carefully pack his folded clothes into his suitcase. He had been in the hospital for the whole of last week and he just could not wait to return home. He had initially thrown his clothes into the bag but she quickly stopped him with a roll of her eyes and began to help him pack. She had been living in the ward with him for the most of the week and he knew she felt the same way about going home but he just couldn't fathom how she had the patience to take the time to neatly put the clothes into his bag.
As the minutes ticked by, he began to enjoy watching her in her nesting mode. "What?" she asked when she noticed the wide grin on his face.
"Nothing," he shrugged and leaned in to press a tender kiss on her lips. "Are we ready to go?"
"Almost," she smiled, zipping up his suitcase. "We just have to wait for the bodyguards to get here."
"Bodyguards?" he raised his brows. "Do we really need that?"
"I don't want a repeat."
"Baby, don't you think it's a little to extreme...that was just a one off thing."
"You can't promise me that it won't happen again," she said angrily. "You got lucky this time but what if the next time..."
"There won't be a next time..."
"How do you know?" she snapped.
Derek sighed and wrapped his arms tightly around her, "Hey," he whispered, "I know you're worried but it'll be okay. How many crazy people can there be?"
"You'll be surprised," she murmured wryly. He chuckled softly and pressed a tender kiss on her forehead. "I don't care," she said, "You have to have the bodyguards with you for at least a week or two. You can't be too careful. I don't want to be covered in your blood again, Derek." She pouted and unleashed her puppy dog eyes on him when he hesitated, "Please? Do it for me?"
He sighed, unable to resist her. "Fine - one week."
Emily grinned and kissed him quickly, "Thank you."
…...
Emily had unconsciously tightened her grip on Derek's arms as the left the building and out into the streets where the crowd was. Her breathing quickened as the horrible memory from a week ago haunted her. Knowing that she was probably more upset than he was, he slipped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. His shoulder curved protectively around her as they manoeuvred their way in the crowd.
As they made their way to the car, reporters and cameras had all their attention on them. The news of his injury had spread like wild fire and it fuelled many rumours - some of it was true but they did their best to ignore it. They would eventually have to make a formal appearance and explain why Derek would not be at the training for a while but as for now, he was more than happy to just pretend that it was not a big deal.
The car ride home was quiet. Emily wasn't too keen on saying anything and simply stared out of the tinted windows. He might had been the one who got hurt but she was the one who covered her hands over his gaping wound, praying that it was enough to keep him alive until the ambulance came. "Hey," he whispered, nudging her gently, "You okay?
"They're following us," she sighed tiredly. "Why can't they just give us a break?"
"Ignore them." He wrapped his arm around her and she gladly accepted the hug, snuggling closer to his side. He closed his eyes as he stroked her hair. 'If only the paparazzi could see us now...' he thought. He scoffed and was suddenly thankful that the car windows were tinted.
"Is something wrong?" Her head snapped up, worry was evident in her eyes. "I felt you jerk a little. Is it your lungs? Are you hurting? Maybe we should go back..."
"I'm fine - trust me. I was just thinking how the paparazzi would give anything to see us like this..."
"Like what? It's not like we're doing anything inappropriate."
"You know them. They like to make things out of nothing just to sell magazines."
She didn't say anything more but just laid her head on his shoulder. "Don't scare me like that again," she whispered. "I don't like it."
"Sorry," he said sheepishly, pressing a gentle kiss on her forehead.
Derek continued to run his fingers through her long, dark hair as she dozed off on his shoulders. He knew that she had spent the past couple of nights worrying about him and she somehow managed to fall asleep, nightmares would haunt her. He wasn't about to lie to himself or anyone who would ask, he was scared out of his wits too. He had been injured in the past and some hurt more than others but he never had such a encounter with death - or at least what he thought was death.
But when he looked at the sleeping beauty in his arms, he couldn't help but think that maybe the incident was a blessing in disuse because in normal circumstances, she would never have admitted her feelings for him.
"What's so funny?" He snapped out of his reverie when she heard her murmur against his chest.
"Nothing," he smiled, "Go back to sleep, baby." He waited until her breathing slowed and her lolled against his neck when he whispered into her ears, "I think I love you..."
....
Emily Prentiss took deep breaths to calm herself down as she stood in front of the mirror. She was in a pair a dark jeans, a red tank top and a cropped jacket. She turned to look at Derek who was lying on the bed, "What do you think?" she asked.
"Good."
"Is it appropriate? Maybe I should wear a dress instead... What do you think?"
"I think you look great in anything..."
"You're not helping!" she frowned, throwing her hands up in the air. "I'm meeting your mother for the first time. I have to make a good first impression. She probably already hates me..."
He grinned and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "I beg to differ," he smiled and kissed her neck, "I think she'll love you - there's a lot of love about you."
"You're just saying that so I'll quit bugging you..." she said with a roll of her eyes but smiled softly. "What did you tell her about me?"
He shrugged, "I told her you're beautiful and smart...pretty much perfect."
"Please tell me you're kidding..."
"I am," he grinned. "Just relax, okay? You'll do just fine."
"I should try on that dress," she murmured, moving out of his arms.
"Why do you have to change in the bathroom?"
"You want me to change in front of you?"
"Why not? We're dating...couples change in front of each other, don't they? It'll save you time from having to walk in and out of the bathroom," he added when a look of hesitation crossed her face.
"Fine." From the corner of her eyes, she could see his eyes slowly widened as she took her top and her jeans off. A chill ran down her spine as she felt his eyes travelled down the length of her body. She swallowed heavily when she felt him drawing closer to her.
"Damn, you're hot..." he whispered hotly against the back of her neck, pressing his front firmly against her back. Her breath hitched in her throat when he peppered kisses on her neck and his hands stroking the bare skin on her stomach.
The next couples of minutes was a complete blur to her, she didn't how he managed to kiss her senseless and move them to the bed simultaneously but she wasn't about to complain. She wasn't exactly stationary herself. She raked her nails down his spine and arched her back to bring him closer. When his hands brushed against the top of her breasts, she knew she had to stop him before they went any further. "Derek..." she murmured breathlessly, "We..." but her sentence bled into a pleasured moan when his lips sucked at her collarbone.
"You like that..." he smirked, moving to lie on top of her.
"Yes..."
Her eyes shot open when she felt his excitement pressing firmly against where she wanted him the most. She let out another soft moan before she reluctantly pushed him away. "We can't...," she mumbled, looking at him apologetically.
"I want you," he whispered, looking down at her - she couldn't have looked another sexier than she was in that moment. She was lying in his bed in only her lingerie and her lips swollen from their impromptu make out sessions.
"I know," she smiled, blushing lightly. "I want you too, baby."
"Then what's the problem? Mama wouldn't mind if we're just a little late..."
"It's not about that," she sighed, stroking his cheek tenderly, "But we can't... I asked the doctor, we can't do anything until he clears you."
"Not even if we take it nice and slow?"
She shook her head, looking at him sadly. "I'm sorry," she said, "I wish we could too."
"That is so unfair," he pouted.
"I know. I hate it as much as you do. I'm sorry..."
"It's not your fault..." Derek murmured, kissing her forehead. "I'm not mad at you."
"Glad to hear that."
"I better go take a cold shower..." he winked at her then pushed himself off the bed, grinning when he caught her blushing. "And baby, wear the jeans or I just might slide my hands under your dress when we're alone..."
…...
Derek Morgan grinned as he waited patiently for his mother's arrival. They managed to leave their apartment building without getting mobbed, so they were on time and Emily finally stopped freaking out. This was turning out to be a good day - it'd be better if their earlier make out session turned into something more but he wasn't about to complain.
"Are you sure she won't hate me? What if she does?"
"Mama could never hate you," he assured, squeezing her hand. "She's the nicest person you'll ever meet. There she is!" he grinned excited when he spotted his mother approaching them from afar. "That lady in the yellow shirt - that's her."
Emily watched awkwardly as her boyfriend and his mother exchanged hugs. "Hi," she smiled softly, stretching her hand out for a handshake when Derek finally introduced them, but his mother went for a hug instead and she had to say she was pleasantly surprise. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Morgan."
"Please," the older woman smiled, "Called me Fran or Mama like Derek does. Derek's right - you are beautiful."
"Thanks," she blushed.
"So, I hear he's been giving you problems?"
"Mama!" he stared at her incredulously, "You can't believe everything the papers write..."
"So, you're telling that none of those were true?" Fran raised her brows.
"Well..." Derek stammered and Emily couldn't help but laugh softly and laughed a little harder when he glared at her playfully.
"It's true," his mother glared at him. "Speeding?" she looked at him sternly and Emily was amazed at how a big man like Derek would recoil at just one glare from his mother. "I thought you grew out of that? You think you're still sixteen?"
"Mama, can we not do this here?"
"Oh, you know what being embarrassed is, huh?"
"Fran," the younger woman smiled softly, patting her arm, "He learnt his lesson." she smiled, "But if you have any suggestions on how to keep him out of trouble, I'd listen."
"Hey! Whose side are you on?" he pouted, then turned to his mother. "Don't listen to her, Mama. She's tougher than she looks. She can kick my ass..."
"I like you even more now..." Fran grinned.
"Let's just go before I'm even more embarrassed by own mother..."
"Did he ever tell you that he invited the entire fire department to my birthday one year?" she asked, smilingly as Derek groaned. "They still send a card..."
"Oh, do tell..." Emily grinned and winked at him.
....
Emily smiled softly as she made her way from the cafeteria of the hospital to the therapy room where Derek was. When the therapist and the doctor informed them that he was making great progress and that he would be able to return to train with his team soon than expected, she felt like a huge burden was lifted off her shoulders. She knew no one was happier than Derek himself - he might act nonchalant about not training with his team, but he had confessed to her that he really missed his teammates. That was when she realised he was a bit of a softie and even teased him about it.
However, her smile turned into a frown when she saw the headlines of the various magazines on the magazine rack of the convenience store. 'Derek Morgan - too injured to play in this year's Super Bowl!' and 'Chicago Bears replacing their star player due to his injury!'.
"What the hell..." she muttered before whipping her cell phone. "David? This is Emily - Derek's publicist," she quickly informed him. "Tell me that the Bears aren't going to replace Derek..."
"Calm down, Emily," the older man said, "I saw the magazines. Those are just rumours - completely untrue..."
"You're not joking, right?"
"No."
"Thank God," she let out a sigh of relief. "But this is still going to affect his endorsements..." she continued after a moment. "How did they press come up with that?"
"Well..."
She raised her brows when she noticed the change of tone in his voice and she didn't like that one bit. "Is there something you're not telling us?"
"I made up that story and the press ran with it like they always do..."
"Why would do that?"
"Because it will make the team's star player look better when he does come back stronger," he explained smugly. "I've spoken to Derek's doctor and therapists and he's doing really well. This won't hurt him at all; in fact, it'll make him look like a phoenix rising from the fire when he returns to the team. The sponsors will love that and it makes the team look really good..."
Emily rolled her eyes, "Bottom line, the team looking good means that the team will have more budget for next year and a raise for you."
"No wonder Derek loves you," he laughed. "If he sees those magazines, tell him everything I've told you, but I think he probably know I was behind that."
She rolled her eyes again but resisted the urge to yell at him. She had told herself to not get hung up about David's choice of words "First of all, that was bad joke; secondly, don't ever use Derek like that again and lastly, I think you're wrong about the part where you say he loves me, she added. She knew David was like a father to Derek and would tell him everything and she couldn't help but wonder how much did he know about her boyfriend's feelings for her, despite the fact that she told herself to not let his words get to her.
"Ask him about that, miele," he smirked as if he knew more than she does and hang up the phone.
…...
"What's wrong?" Derek asked when he noticed that Emily was being unusually quiet.
"Why do you immediately think that something is wrong?" she countered, crossing her arms over her chest but her shoulders slumped when he looked at her pointedly. "It's nothing..."
"Come on," he rolled his eyes, "I might have gotten into collage with a sports scholarship but that doesn't mean I'm an idiot. You're unusually quiet, you were distracted at dinner with Mama - she could tell, by the way - and you're frowning a lot. So, unless you want to get Botox injections before you turn thirty-five, you should tell me what's going on. I can help..."
"I don't want to talk about it...," she snapped.
"Is it that time of the month?" he asked quietly after studying her for several moments.
"What? No!" she exclaimed, her face turning red. "Why would you say that?"
"Baby, nothing to be embarrassed about..." he smiled, rubbing her arm, "I grew up with three women, it's no big deal - when it's that time, they get really moody. Are you having the cramps?"
"God, no! Please stop..." she half said, half pleaded. "It's really not that."
"Then is it about work?" he asked, "If it's about the magazines, it doesn't matter. David does that sometimes to put the team in the limelight."
"It's not about work either..."
"Then it's me," he said seriously. "Did I do something wrong?"
"No..." she pouted, "It's something David said that is bugging me."
"Did he try to hit on you?" Derek asked seriously, almost as if he was ready to tackle David if her answer was yes.
"No!" Emily laughed. "God, no...He's old enough to be my dad."
"Then what did he say?"
"It was something about you. He said you love me..."
"Oh... I'm going to kill him."
Her eyes widened at his response, "You mean it's true? Derek, we just started dating! Don't you think it's too soon?"
"I didn't tell him I love you," he retorted.
"Then why would he say that?"
"Because," he began, taking a deep breath, "I told him I like you a lot and I can see myself being with you for a long time. And somehow he comes up with this whole theory that I'm in love with you and I still don't know it yet." He looked at her seriously and interlaced their fingers, "I know we just started dating and you're right, it's still too soon for all that. I like you a lot and in the future, I can see myself falling in love with you but not right now, okay? So, don't freak on me..."
"Sorry..." she smiled, squeezing his hand, "I like you a lot too...when you're not getting on my nerves."
"Almost had a moment there..."
She giggled and kissed him, "I'm sorry."
Authors: inward_audacity
Beta: floatingamoeba
Category: Romance/Humor
Rating: FRM
Warning: Sex, Language
Pairing: Morgan/Prentiss
Summary: They are as different as fire and ice yet they are attracted to each other like moths to a flame.
Authors' Note: AU. Written for cm_bigbang. Beautiful art done by the amazing krimskii can be found here. Go check it out now!
Tamara slammed the door angrily, causing the coat hanger by the door to wobble a little. She had just returned from the press conference Derek had held in light of that threat Emily received. She pretended to be from the press and sneaked into the event just so she could watch him dump that woman in front of the whole world but to her dismay, he had jumped to her defense.
"I don't know who you are or why you did it but please stop," Derek said seriously, looking at everyone in the crowd. "What you did was unnecessary and illegal and not to mention, very disgusting..."
The more she thought about his words, the angrier she got. How could he defend her like that? She clenched her fists, her nails digging deeply into her palms and glared daggers at the picture of that woman. If anyone thought she'd take it lying down, they were so wrong... She had to do something about it. Apparently, that woman had cast some sort of spell on her man, and she was the only one who saw it. She had to save her man...
...
"You didn't have to do that, you know?" Emily said quietly and sighed as she plopped down on the couch in the little room not far from where the army of reporters was. "You could have pissed her off..."
"I did the right thing," Derek said seriously. "I had to do something..."
"You are so stubborn," she huffed angrily.
"Pot calling the kettle black..." he muttered.
"Are you trying to pick a fight?"
They glared at each other for a second then turned away, crossing their arms over their chest. They sat in silence for several moments, the dull drone of the air conditioning the only sound. Eventually, Derek gave in and apologized first. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.
She looked up at him and sighed, "I'm sorry too...you were only trying to help."
"So, we're good?" he grinned.
"When were we ever 'good'?" she teased him.
He laughed heartily, "True. Can I have a hug?" he asked, looking at her with his puppy dog eyes. "It's an 'I forgive you' hug," he said when she rolled her eyes. "Come on...it's just a hug. Unless you're too scared," he taunted.
"You did not just do that?"
"Do what?"
"Fine," she glared at him playfully, "Just a hug. If I find your hands in places they shouldn't be at, I'll kick your ass to Russia."
"Violent..."
...
With their hands clasped tightly together, the manoeuvred their way through the throng of paparazzi and their prying cameras to their car with the help of security and several cops. The dark haired woman bit her lip as she watched her man wrap his arms around that woman, shielding her from the crowd. Pushing her way to the front, she covertly dug out that little penknife from her pocket, ready to eliminate her competition.
In the large crowd, it was hard to spot her and when they finally got closer to her, she elbowed the people in her way, injuring several people and security along the way. Emily froze in shock as she watched that manic coming at her, her hands poised to push that knife into her chest. Everything happened so fast that she didn't know how to react and before she knew it, she was being pushed to the ground. When Emily finally looked up, Derek was on the ground, the knife meant for her sticking out of his chest.
"Derek!" she gasped, launching herself at him and pressing her hands over his wound, praying it was enough to slow the bleeding. "Stay with me..." she whispered fearfully, "Call an ambulance!" she screamed while the cameras continued snapping pictures of the famous quarterback. She hadn't realized that tears were flowing freely down her cheeks. "Please, Derek...stay with me...don't close your eyes..."
...
Emily was a complete mess as she waited for news on Derek's injury. She paced the length of the waiting room of the hospital while biting her perfectly manicured nails nervously. She knew that word already got out and there were tons of rumours going around but she couldn't careless - right now, all she could think about was Derek.
"I'm going to the chapel downstairs..."
The older Italian man raised his brows and studied her questioningly for several moments, "I didn't know you're a Christian," he finally said.
"I'm not. Call me the second you have news of him..."
…...
"I don't know how to do this...I haven't done this in a while," she whispered as she clasped her hands together. "If...if you're real and you really care about us like they say you do, then please do something to save him. I...I don't want to lose him."
She brushed the tears rolling down her cheeks away with the back of her hands and looked up at the crucifix, sighing softly. "He's annoying and cocky and sometimes, he makes me wanna strangle him...actually, all the time," she chuckled softly as her tears continued to roll down her cheeks. "He's always late, he always gets himself in trouble and I have to clean up after him...I think he does it on purpose sometimes, just so he can watch me get upset. He's all that and more - he's obviously not perfect but he's a good guy..."
"I'm not his biggest fan but I'd rather have him around to get on my nerves than see him lying there, and not know if I'm ever going to see his smile again. He has a really nice smile, you know?" she said wistfully. "He's really good with kids, they love him... It's all my fault," she whimpered. Finally, she broke down completely and cried her heart out, burying her face in her hands.
She didn't know how long she had been there or how long she cried when her phone rang. "He's out..."
Emily leaped out of her seat and ran all the way up several flights of stairs to Derek's ward. He lay lifelessly on the bed and the only thing that gave her a clue that he was still alive was the heart monitor beeping quietly in the back. Slowly, she sat down in the chair next to him and let out a small sigh of relief that his hand was still warm when she held it.
"What did the doctor say, David?" she whispered.
The older man gently patted her shoulder, "He's not in any danger now. The knife punctured his left lung but they fixed him up and they think he's going to fine."
She gently stroked his knuckles, nodding numbly. "When is he going to wake up?"
"He'll wake up once the sedatives wear off...it'll be at least a few hours - maybe tomorrow morning. Why don't you go home and change? He won't wake up for a while..."
She shook her head, "I want to stay here. I have some extra clothes in my car...I'll get it later. You're the team manager, how is this going to affect the team?" she asked, "It'll probably take a while for him to recover... God, the press must be going insane now..."
"Don't worry about the press, the team's publicists are working on it," he said reassuringly, "You just worry about this guy."
"Thank you..."
...
Derek awoke to the quiet beeping sound in the background, feeling sore and tired. From the framed picture on the wall, a failed attempt to brighten up the boring white walls, he deduced that he was probably not dead but in the hospital. He looked around the room for several seconds, feeling like he had forgotten something and when he remembered what he was looking for, he began to panic - worried that she had been hurt too. He let out a quiet sigh of relief when he found her at the door with a paper cup in hand - he sighed contentedly, he'd take the aroma of coffee over the smell of antiseptic any day.
"Is that for me, Princess?" he croaked quietly, his throat dry and sore.
"No, you're not allowed coffee - it's just water for you until you have a clean bill of health."
He pouted like a child denied of his favourite toy. "When can I go home?"
"When?" Emily asked incredulously. "Never, if it's up to me! I am never letting you out of my sight again!"
"I saved you and you're yelling at me?" he frowned, shaking his head.
"I didn't need you to save me!" she cried angrily. "What were you thinking? You could have gotten yourself killed!"
He grinned as the bed was raised up for him to sit comfortably with a click on the remote. "Were you worried about me, sweetheart? I thought you always wanted to stab me yourself..."
"Do you want me to stab you?" she challenged. "I am very angry with you right now!"
"Why are you so upset? I saved you - if it wasn't for me, you'd be the one lying here. Why are you yelling at me?"
"Because you could've gotten yourself killed! How would it have looked if I - your publicist - let you take a knife meant for me and then you died?"
"But I am fine now. I'm hurt but not dead. What kind of man would I be if I didn't protect you?"
"I told you, I'm a big girl, I don't need anyone to protect me. And I don't need you to 'get stabbed' for me. So, if you do it again, I'll have to finish the job."
Derek rolled his eyes. "Fine - next time someone comes after you with a knife, I'll get out of the way and watch, okay? Happy now?"
"No!" She looked down at him, her nails digging deep into her palms. "Do you have any idea how much you scared me? I thought you were going to die."
"From how you yelled at me for the last five minutes, I think I got the idea," he said nonchalantly.
"Oh, really?" Emily looked at him, angry tear brimming in her eyes and she tried to blink them away. "You think you understand how terrified I was, trying to stop the blood gushing from your chest, thinking you were going to die in front of me?"
"What do you want me to say - 'I'm sorry I saved you' or 'I shouldn't have saved you'? Look, I'm fine now, can you just relax?"
"No, I can't relax! I'm mad at you! You're such a...reckless, insane, insufferable, conceited..." she trailed off, leaning down to kiss him vociferously.
He was taken aback by her actions for a second but he quickly regained his senses and let his hands wind up in her hair, keeping her close. He returned to kiss with equal fervour until they had to separate for some much needed oxygen.
Staring at him with wide eyes, Emily pulled away abruptly. "This doesn't change anything! I'm still mad at you!"
He laughed heartily, knowing that he shouldn't expect anything less from his feisty publicist. "I know. You're always going to be mad at me," he whispered against her lips. "I always thought you tasted sweet, Princess."
"What?" she raised her eyebrows.
He quickly shook his head and brushed her air away from her face. "When did you know you wanted to kiss me too?"
"I don't know..." she huffed, punching his good arm. "Whenever you're around, I feel this swirling vortex of infuriated annoyance and sexual attraction and... Ugh - you know what, you suck."
He laughed again and cupped her cheeks. "You're so cute, Princess - come here..." He pressed his lips firmly against hers and grinned, "Does this means we're dating for real now?"
"Did you forget I still work for you?"
"So?" he shrugged, "Nothing in your contract says you can't date me or anyone else for that matter. And you're crazy if you think I'm going to let you date anyone else but me after that kiss."
"What does that mean?"
"That means when I get out of here, I'm taking you on a date," he said confidently, "How do you feel about Italian food?"
...
Emily huffed in annoyance as she watched the nurse tending to Derek's wounds putting her hands on his toned chest while they flirted playfully. She couldn't hear what they were talking about but she was sure she didn't like the way they laughed as they chatted. She couldn't help but wonder why a guy like him - who could have anyone he wanted - would be serious about someone like her. She snapped out of her reverie when she heard him call her name.
"What are you doing over there?" he asked, smiling brightly, "Come here."
She smiled faintly when he quickly wrapped an arm around her when she sat down next to him on the bed. "Is that hot chocolate for me?" he whispered conspiratorially as the nurse left the room.
"No," she said then shrugged his arm away. It was initially meant for him until she saw him flirting with the nurse. "It's mine. You can only have water."
He pouted, "Come on...I've been having nothing but plain water and bland hospital food for the past couple of days. Just a little sip? Please?" he pleaded, looking at her with his puppy dog eyes and kissed her hand.
"You are incorrigible." As she watched him sip the hot cocoa drink happily, she bit her lip and her thoughts began to wonder back to the stability of their relationship, if you could even call it that. "It must be nice to have a such a cute nurse taking care of you, huh?" she blurted out bitterly before she even realised what she was doing.
"What?"
"Nothing," she quickly replied, mentally kicking herself for embarrassing herself in front of him yet again.
Derek chuckled lightly and cupped her cheeks, looking her right in the eye. "You're jealous."
"That's not true. Why would I be jealous?" she defended weakly.
He grinned. "You're so silly it's so cute."
"You just flirted with your pretty nurse right in front of me and then insults me," she said, "You must be some kind of dating expert."
"So, you admit that you're jealous?"
"So what if I am?" she crossed her arms over her chest and pouted.
"Come here, baby," he said, pulling her close to him. "Karen the nurse isn't my type."
"Please," she rolled her eyes, "Anything in a skirt is your type."
"We were just flirting," he said, "Don't get the wrong idea, okay? I'm not interested in her at all. I like you, silly."
"For how long?" she asked quietly, "How long before you lose interest and look for someone else?"
"Emily..."
"It's not that I don't trust you but watching a new girl leave your apartment every other morning isn't exactly reassuring..."
"I know I didn't give you a good impression of me but if you stick around long enough, I can change that," he said confidently. "I really, really like you and I know you really like me too so, I'd really like it if we'd give us a shot. Please? I'll let Tamara finish the job if I let you down..."
"Don't say that!" Emily chided, punching his good arm, "I have nightmares about you dying!"
"Silly girl," he grinned, pulling her in for a kiss, "Come here."
Derek threaded his fingers in her hair, keeping her close as he deepened the kiss, his tongue darting out to tangle with hers, causing her to moan softly. The quiet and apprehensive knock on the door broke them from their passionate reverie. Both turned towards the source of the noise to find two men standing at the door.
Emily's cheeks flushed bright red upon realising someone had just caught them in the midst of a very heated kiss.
"That's something I wasn't expecting," the older man noted, smirking, "Seems like you're enjoying your stay, Derek."
He shrugged nonchalantly and smiled. "David, you've met Emily before."
"Yes, we've met," David smiled charmingly, "Nice to see you again."
"Hey, don't try to seduce my girl," the dark man joked, wrapping his arm around Emily.
He laughed, "I don't think the current Mrs. Rossi would be happy with that either. I'm here for business; I've talked to your doctors, while they're happy that your condition has stabilised, they said it might take a while before you can play again."
"Why is that?" Emily asked worriedly, holding Derek's hand tightly. "I thought the doctor said that they fixed him already..."
"I'll let Doctor Spencer Reid explain it to you."
…...
The young doctor stood in front of them, awkwardly clearing his throat before he began. "As you already know, when Mr. Morgan was stabbed, the knife punctured his lung. We've managed to repair most of the damage but the body needs time to heal on its own too."
"How long are we talking about?"
"At least two months..."
"Two months?" Derek looked at the doctor incredulously. "Why? The Superbowl playoffs are in three months. I won't have enough time to train..."
"I'm sorry but if you don't give your body enough time to heal on its own, it could lead to problems in the future. If the side effects were minor, you could experience shortness of breaths but the worst thing that could happen is that your lungs could collapse and it can be fatal," he explained. "I've talked to Mr. Rossi and I understand that your training is very strenuous. While you can do light exercises to help your body return to the way it was before your were injured, rigorous exercises are not recommended."
"What kind of light exercises are we talking about?" Emily asked quietly.
"Low-impact exercises are suitable - like cycling, slow jogging, swimming and walking," he replied seriously. "And Mr. Morgan would have to constantly monitor himself. If he pushes himself too far, his condition might worsen. He would also have to return for check-ups every week so we can monitor his condition. Once, we think he has recovered completely, he can return to his training."
An awkward silence hung over the room like thick syrup for several moments. "I think I should leave you alone now," Dr. Reid said awkwardly. "Feel free to contact me if you have any questions."
"I should leave you two alone too," the older man smiled sadly. He gave Derek a pat on his shoulder, "Don't worry, the team can handle the playoffs, just focus on getting better."
"Thanks, man," he smiled faintly.
Emily watched as the two men left the room the turned to him once the door was shut. "I'm so sorry...," she whispered, biting her lip as she tried to keep the tears from falling down her cheeks.
"It's not your fault..." She shook her head and was about to disagree when he stopped her. "How is this your fault? I started it; I told everyone we're dating and that girl was my fan...if it's anyone's fault, it's mine, Em."
"You're lying in the hospital because you saved me!"
"And I'd do it again," he said, looking her in the eye. "No regrets..."
She sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder, "For a guy who keeps getting on my nerves, you're pretty sweet."
....
Derek drummed his fingers impatiently as he watched Emily carefully pack his folded clothes into his suitcase. He had been in the hospital for the whole of last week and he just could not wait to return home. He had initially thrown his clothes into the bag but she quickly stopped him with a roll of her eyes and began to help him pack. She had been living in the ward with him for the most of the week and he knew she felt the same way about going home but he just couldn't fathom how she had the patience to take the time to neatly put the clothes into his bag.
As the minutes ticked by, he began to enjoy watching her in her nesting mode. "What?" she asked when she noticed the wide grin on his face.
"Nothing," he shrugged and leaned in to press a tender kiss on her lips. "Are we ready to go?"
"Almost," she smiled, zipping up his suitcase. "We just have to wait for the bodyguards to get here."
"Bodyguards?" he raised his brows. "Do we really need that?"
"I don't want a repeat."
"Baby, don't you think it's a little to extreme...that was just a one off thing."
"You can't promise me that it won't happen again," she said angrily. "You got lucky this time but what if the next time..."
"There won't be a next time..."
"How do you know?" she snapped.
Derek sighed and wrapped his arms tightly around her, "Hey," he whispered, "I know you're worried but it'll be okay. How many crazy people can there be?"
"You'll be surprised," she murmured wryly. He chuckled softly and pressed a tender kiss on her forehead. "I don't care," she said, "You have to have the bodyguards with you for at least a week or two. You can't be too careful. I don't want to be covered in your blood again, Derek." She pouted and unleashed her puppy dog eyes on him when he hesitated, "Please? Do it for me?"
He sighed, unable to resist her. "Fine - one week."
Emily grinned and kissed him quickly, "Thank you."
…...
Emily had unconsciously tightened her grip on Derek's arms as the left the building and out into the streets where the crowd was. Her breathing quickened as the horrible memory from a week ago haunted her. Knowing that she was probably more upset than he was, he slipped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. His shoulder curved protectively around her as they manoeuvred their way in the crowd.
As they made their way to the car, reporters and cameras had all their attention on them. The news of his injury had spread like wild fire and it fuelled many rumours - some of it was true but they did their best to ignore it. They would eventually have to make a formal appearance and explain why Derek would not be at the training for a while but as for now, he was more than happy to just pretend that it was not a big deal.
The car ride home was quiet. Emily wasn't too keen on saying anything and simply stared out of the tinted windows. He might had been the one who got hurt but she was the one who covered her hands over his gaping wound, praying that it was enough to keep him alive until the ambulance came. "Hey," he whispered, nudging her gently, "You okay?
"They're following us," she sighed tiredly. "Why can't they just give us a break?"
"Ignore them." He wrapped his arm around her and she gladly accepted the hug, snuggling closer to his side. He closed his eyes as he stroked her hair. 'If only the paparazzi could see us now...' he thought. He scoffed and was suddenly thankful that the car windows were tinted.
"Is something wrong?" Her head snapped up, worry was evident in her eyes. "I felt you jerk a little. Is it your lungs? Are you hurting? Maybe we should go back..."
"I'm fine - trust me. I was just thinking how the paparazzi would give anything to see us like this..."
"Like what? It's not like we're doing anything inappropriate."
"You know them. They like to make things out of nothing just to sell magazines."
She didn't say anything more but just laid her head on his shoulder. "Don't scare me like that again," she whispered. "I don't like it."
"Sorry," he said sheepishly, pressing a gentle kiss on her forehead.
Derek continued to run his fingers through her long, dark hair as she dozed off on his shoulders. He knew that she had spent the past couple of nights worrying about him and she somehow managed to fall asleep, nightmares would haunt her. He wasn't about to lie to himself or anyone who would ask, he was scared out of his wits too. He had been injured in the past and some hurt more than others but he never had such a encounter with death - or at least what he thought was death.
But when he looked at the sleeping beauty in his arms, he couldn't help but think that maybe the incident was a blessing in disuse because in normal circumstances, she would never have admitted her feelings for him.
"What's so funny?" He snapped out of his reverie when she heard her murmur against his chest.
"Nothing," he smiled, "Go back to sleep, baby." He waited until her breathing slowed and her lolled against his neck when he whispered into her ears, "I think I love you..."
....
Emily Prentiss took deep breaths to calm herself down as she stood in front of the mirror. She was in a pair a dark jeans, a red tank top and a cropped jacket. She turned to look at Derek who was lying on the bed, "What do you think?" she asked.
"Good."
"Is it appropriate? Maybe I should wear a dress instead... What do you think?"
"I think you look great in anything..."
"You're not helping!" she frowned, throwing her hands up in the air. "I'm meeting your mother for the first time. I have to make a good first impression. She probably already hates me..."
He grinned and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "I beg to differ," he smiled and kissed her neck, "I think she'll love you - there's a lot of love about you."
"You're just saying that so I'll quit bugging you..." she said with a roll of her eyes but smiled softly. "What did you tell her about me?"
He shrugged, "I told her you're beautiful and smart...pretty much perfect."
"Please tell me you're kidding..."
"I am," he grinned. "Just relax, okay? You'll do just fine."
"I should try on that dress," she murmured, moving out of his arms.
"Why do you have to change in the bathroom?"
"You want me to change in front of you?"
"Why not? We're dating...couples change in front of each other, don't they? It'll save you time from having to walk in and out of the bathroom," he added when a look of hesitation crossed her face.
"Fine." From the corner of her eyes, she could see his eyes slowly widened as she took her top and her jeans off. A chill ran down her spine as she felt his eyes travelled down the length of her body. She swallowed heavily when she felt him drawing closer to her.
"Damn, you're hot..." he whispered hotly against the back of her neck, pressing his front firmly against her back. Her breath hitched in her throat when he peppered kisses on her neck and his hands stroking the bare skin on her stomach.
The next couples of minutes was a complete blur to her, she didn't how he managed to kiss her senseless and move them to the bed simultaneously but she wasn't about to complain. She wasn't exactly stationary herself. She raked her nails down his spine and arched her back to bring him closer. When his hands brushed against the top of her breasts, she knew she had to stop him before they went any further. "Derek..." she murmured breathlessly, "We..." but her sentence bled into a pleasured moan when his lips sucked at her collarbone.
"You like that..." he smirked, moving to lie on top of her.
"Yes..."
Her eyes shot open when she felt his excitement pressing firmly against where she wanted him the most. She let out another soft moan before she reluctantly pushed him away. "We can't...," she mumbled, looking at him apologetically.
"I want you," he whispered, looking down at her - she couldn't have looked another sexier than she was in that moment. She was lying in his bed in only her lingerie and her lips swollen from their impromptu make out sessions.
"I know," she smiled, blushing lightly. "I want you too, baby."
"Then what's the problem? Mama wouldn't mind if we're just a little late..."
"It's not about that," she sighed, stroking his cheek tenderly, "But we can't... I asked the doctor, we can't do anything until he clears you."
"Not even if we take it nice and slow?"
She shook her head, looking at him sadly. "I'm sorry," she said, "I wish we could too."
"That is so unfair," he pouted.
"I know. I hate it as much as you do. I'm sorry..."
"It's not your fault..." Derek murmured, kissing her forehead. "I'm not mad at you."
"Glad to hear that."
"I better go take a cold shower..." he winked at her then pushed himself off the bed, grinning when he caught her blushing. "And baby, wear the jeans or I just might slide my hands under your dress when we're alone..."
…...
Derek Morgan grinned as he waited patiently for his mother's arrival. They managed to leave their apartment building without getting mobbed, so they were on time and Emily finally stopped freaking out. This was turning out to be a good day - it'd be better if their earlier make out session turned into something more but he wasn't about to complain.
"Are you sure she won't hate me? What if she does?"
"Mama could never hate you," he assured, squeezing her hand. "She's the nicest person you'll ever meet. There she is!" he grinned excited when he spotted his mother approaching them from afar. "That lady in the yellow shirt - that's her."
Emily watched awkwardly as her boyfriend and his mother exchanged hugs. "Hi," she smiled softly, stretching her hand out for a handshake when Derek finally introduced them, but his mother went for a hug instead and she had to say she was pleasantly surprise. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Morgan."
"Please," the older woman smiled, "Called me Fran or Mama like Derek does. Derek's right - you are beautiful."
"Thanks," she blushed.
"So, I hear he's been giving you problems?"
"Mama!" he stared at her incredulously, "You can't believe everything the papers write..."
"So, you're telling that none of those were true?" Fran raised her brows.
"Well..." Derek stammered and Emily couldn't help but laugh softly and laughed a little harder when he glared at her playfully.
"It's true," his mother glared at him. "Speeding?" she looked at him sternly and Emily was amazed at how a big man like Derek would recoil at just one glare from his mother. "I thought you grew out of that? You think you're still sixteen?"
"Mama, can we not do this here?"
"Oh, you know what being embarrassed is, huh?"
"Fran," the younger woman smiled softly, patting her arm, "He learnt his lesson." she smiled, "But if you have any suggestions on how to keep him out of trouble, I'd listen."
"Hey! Whose side are you on?" he pouted, then turned to his mother. "Don't listen to her, Mama. She's tougher than she looks. She can kick my ass..."
"I like you even more now..." Fran grinned.
"Let's just go before I'm even more embarrassed by own mother..."
"Did he ever tell you that he invited the entire fire department to my birthday one year?" she asked, smilingly as Derek groaned. "They still send a card..."
"Oh, do tell..." Emily grinned and winked at him.
....
Emily smiled softly as she made her way from the cafeteria of the hospital to the therapy room where Derek was. When the therapist and the doctor informed them that he was making great progress and that he would be able to return to train with his team soon than expected, she felt like a huge burden was lifted off her shoulders. She knew no one was happier than Derek himself - he might act nonchalant about not training with his team, but he had confessed to her that he really missed his teammates. That was when she realised he was a bit of a softie and even teased him about it.
However, her smile turned into a frown when she saw the headlines of the various magazines on the magazine rack of the convenience store. 'Derek Morgan - too injured to play in this year's Super Bowl!' and 'Chicago Bears replacing their star player due to his injury!'.
"What the hell..." she muttered before whipping her cell phone. "David? This is Emily - Derek's publicist," she quickly informed him. "Tell me that the Bears aren't going to replace Derek..."
"Calm down, Emily," the older man said, "I saw the magazines. Those are just rumours - completely untrue..."
"You're not joking, right?"
"No."
"Thank God," she let out a sigh of relief. "But this is still going to affect his endorsements..." she continued after a moment. "How did they press come up with that?"
"Well..."
She raised her brows when she noticed the change of tone in his voice and she didn't like that one bit. "Is there something you're not telling us?"
"I made up that story and the press ran with it like they always do..."
"Why would do that?"
"Because it will make the team's star player look better when he does come back stronger," he explained smugly. "I've spoken to Derek's doctor and therapists and he's doing really well. This won't hurt him at all; in fact, it'll make him look like a phoenix rising from the fire when he returns to the team. The sponsors will love that and it makes the team look really good..."
Emily rolled her eyes, "Bottom line, the team looking good means that the team will have more budget for next year and a raise for you."
"No wonder Derek loves you," he laughed. "If he sees those magazines, tell him everything I've told you, but I think he probably know I was behind that."
She rolled her eyes again but resisted the urge to yell at him. She had told herself to not get hung up about David's choice of words "First of all, that was bad joke; secondly, don't ever use Derek like that again and lastly, I think you're wrong about the part where you say he loves me, she added. She knew David was like a father to Derek and would tell him everything and she couldn't help but wonder how much did he know about her boyfriend's feelings for her, despite the fact that she told herself to not let his words get to her.
"Ask him about that, miele," he smirked as if he knew more than she does and hang up the phone.
…...
"What's wrong?" Derek asked when he noticed that Emily was being unusually quiet.
"Why do you immediately think that something is wrong?" she countered, crossing her arms over her chest but her shoulders slumped when he looked at her pointedly. "It's nothing..."
"Come on," he rolled his eyes, "I might have gotten into collage with a sports scholarship but that doesn't mean I'm an idiot. You're unusually quiet, you were distracted at dinner with Mama - she could tell, by the way - and you're frowning a lot. So, unless you want to get Botox injections before you turn thirty-five, you should tell me what's going on. I can help..."
"I don't want to talk about it...," she snapped.
"Is it that time of the month?" he asked quietly after studying her for several moments.
"What? No!" she exclaimed, her face turning red. "Why would you say that?"
"Baby, nothing to be embarrassed about..." he smiled, rubbing her arm, "I grew up with three women, it's no big deal - when it's that time, they get really moody. Are you having the cramps?"
"God, no! Please stop..." she half said, half pleaded. "It's really not that."
"Then is it about work?" he asked, "If it's about the magazines, it doesn't matter. David does that sometimes to put the team in the limelight."
"It's not about work either..."
"Then it's me," he said seriously. "Did I do something wrong?"
"No..." she pouted, "It's something David said that is bugging me."
"Did he try to hit on you?" Derek asked seriously, almost as if he was ready to tackle David if her answer was yes.
"No!" Emily laughed. "God, no...He's old enough to be my dad."
"Then what did he say?"
"It was something about you. He said you love me..."
"Oh... I'm going to kill him."
Her eyes widened at his response, "You mean it's true? Derek, we just started dating! Don't you think it's too soon?"
"I didn't tell him I love you," he retorted.
"Then why would he say that?"
"Because," he began, taking a deep breath, "I told him I like you a lot and I can see myself being with you for a long time. And somehow he comes up with this whole theory that I'm in love with you and I still don't know it yet." He looked at her seriously and interlaced their fingers, "I know we just started dating and you're right, it's still too soon for all that. I like you a lot and in the future, I can see myself falling in love with you but not right now, okay? So, don't freak on me..."
"Sorry..." she smiled, squeezing his hand, "I like you a lot too...when you're not getting on my nerves."
"Almost had a moment there..."
She giggled and kissed him, "I'm sorry."