D E R E K ' S P O V

"Would you rather...know the date of your death or the cause of your death?"

"The cause," I say like it's obvious. "If I knew it was a plane crash, I wouldn't fly anymore. Simple."

Penelope playfully narrows her eyes at me. "What if the plane fell from the sky and crushed you?"

I click my tongue, pointing my pen at her. "Then I'm extremely unlucky."

"Okay, I have one," Emily says, swivelling around in her desk chair. "Would you guys rather have a bad haircut or bad dye job?"

Layla snickers, shooting me a teasing look across our desks. "Derek doesn't have that problem."

Everyone laughs when I give her the middle finger. Hotch and Rossi have their offices and Spencer has his office down the hall, so I am well and truly outnumbered by women in the bullpen.

Usually by around four o'clock every day, we are all finished our paperwork but we get paid till five so you best believe we all sit around for that last hour, wasting the time away by asking each other random questions.

"Alright," I sigh, knowing it's my turn to ask a question. "Tattoos or piercings?"

Penelope and Emily say they prefer piercings and JJ, Layla and I say we prefer tattoos and in what I'm assuming is trying to get to know Layla better, JJ asks her if she has any tattoos.

"I do," Layla smiles, shifting in her seat. "I would show you but it's not in an office appropriate place."

I am making it my mission to see that tattoo one day.

When we slept together, it was more of a 'move the necessary clothes out of the way' situation and I'm sure it was a good thing for Layla and I's friendship that we haven't seen each other fully naked, but that doesn't mean I'm not majorly regretting the fact that I didn't get to see everything.

"And...it's five o'clock," JJ says, checking her watch as she grabs her bag. "I'm out of here."

Grateful that we got through the day without a new case, we all start filing out of the office. Penelope spends the whole ride down the elevator showing Layla all the photos of her new kittens.

"This is Romeo and Juliet," Penelope beams like a proud parent. "Look how cute and small they are. I just want to squish their little faces and squeeze them with all my love."

I shoot Penelope a look, knowing we discussed this topic already. "But.."

Penelope rolls her eyes, holding her hands up in defence. "But I won't squeeze them too hard."

"They are adorable," Layla smiles, handing Penelope back her phone when we all step out of the elevator into the parking garage. "I need to come over and meet them sometime."

"Text me and we'll make a plan," Penelope says, stopping by the driver side door of her car. "Actually, do you need a ride home?"

"No, thank you," Layla smiles at her, patting her hand to my shoulder. "I'm putting Derek to work already. He's coming to my apartment to build my new furniture."

"Interesting," Penelope grins, subtly pumping her eyebrows in my direction. A silent conversation is passed between us in a matter of a split second and I just know she is already gearing up to grill me tomorrow.

Saying good bye to Penelope and wracking my brain on how to avoid that conversation tomorrow, Layla and I walk towards my truck.

Turns out that favor Spencer called me for yesterday was to go over to Layla's apartment and build her bed. If I didn't have that stupid date, I would have met her yesterday, we wouldn't have slept together and we wouldn't have had that awkward encounter this morning. But still, I have no regrets.

"So," I say, climbing into the drivers seat. My eyes flicker to Layla's in the passenger side. "How was your first day?"

"I basically sat around doing nothing and met five new amazing people," Layla chuckles, smiling softly. "It was great."

Since Layla obviously hasn't worked a case with us yet, today was just a day for her to meet and get to know everyone and learn how we deal with our paperwork.

Wait..only five new people? "What about me?" I ask, grinning.

Shrugging, Layla makes a teasing meh sound while she clicks her seatbelt into place.

I blow out a breath when I chuckle, turning the key in the ignition. "You're very confident for someone who's getting my free labour."

"Here's your payment," Layla laughs, reaching into her purse and handing me a granola bar. "Now I can be mean to you."

-

Layla unlocks her apartment door, letting me walk through.

"Sorry," She says, nodding her head towards all the moving boxes scattered around the living room. "It's still a mess in here."

"You were preoccupied yesterday," I smirk. "I get it."

She lets that comment about last night slide, making her way towards the bedroom. Just as she's about to push open the door, Layla pauses.

With her hand on the door knob, she winces when she looks back at me. "Give me a second? I was in a rush this morning so it's probably even messier in here."

I snicker. "Aka your underwear is everywhere."

"Exactly," She mutters to herself before she slips behind the door and closes it.

Maybe it's just me, but it's kind of rude that I don't get a peak. I lean my shoulder against the door frame, talking to her through the wood. "So, what kind are they?

Along with the sound of some drawers slamming shut, Layla laughs in response. "Wouldn't you like to know."

Although didn't get that much of a look at the goods yesterday, I did catch a small glimpse. "Are they all black and lacy? With little bows on the front?"

The door swings open to Layla standing there, one eyebrow raised when she sweeps her hand out. "What happened to pretending yesterday didn't happen?"

I smirk when I brush past her and into her bedroom. "Around everyone else? Yes. Just me and you? No. Like it or not, Layla, you're not forgettable."

One thing I've learned about Layla today is that she's not shy, so to say I'm surprised when a slight pink shade creeps across her cheeks at my comment, is an understatement.

"Did you just blush?"

"What?" Her head snaps to mine, guilty written all across her face. "No."

"Yeah," I snort. "Okay."

Not to toot my own horn, but I'm pretty sure Layla would describe last night as unforgettable too. The sex was explosive, spontaneous and just pure, in the moment ecstasy.

I've been having flash backs of it all day. The way her lips parted when she moaned my name, her small gasp and her eyes fluttering closed when I filled her completely and remembering just how perfect she felt wrapped around me.

Fuck.. I need a drink.

Veering my thoughts away from that topic before I get a semi, I drop my tool bag by my feet, crouching down to line up the bed base. "Can you grab me a drink?"

"Sure," Layla smiles, getting up. "What do you want?" She calls out to me, voice travelling from the kitchen.

"What have you got?"

"I have...water, water or water."

"Eh...the second one."

Layla walks into the bedroom with two bottles of water and throws one into my waiting hands.

"Sorry," She laughs, sitting herself down on the floor beside me. "I've yet to go grocery shopping so all I have is water."

"I'll take you after we finish up here," I say, grabbing the wooden slats and my drill. I shrug when she gives me a puzzled look. "What? You have to eat."

"Thanks," She says, lips quirking up at the corners. "I need to change before we go," She says, rummaging through the moving boxes that are scattered across her room.

I raise an eyebrow when she heads to the bathroom with a pile of clothes in her hands. "You can change in here. Don't stop on my account."

Throwing a middle finger my way, the bathroom door gets closed in my face and I chuckle.

I have most of the base put together by the time Layla emerges from the bathroom in a simple sweatshirt and black yoga pants, her makeup washed off and..great. I didn't think it was possible, but somehow she looks even better dressed down.

My eyebrows raise when I notice her reach for a pair of black framed glasses on her nightstand.

"You wear glasses?"

Layla nods, sliding them onto the bridge of her nose. "Yeah, I wear contacts during the day though."

"I like them," I grin. "You have the whole sexy librarian vibe going on."

"Oh god," She groans, knocking her foot against mine. "Of course you would link my bad eyesight to something sexual."

I shrug shamelessly. "I am who I am and I'm not going to apologise for it."

Sharing a laugh, we focus back on getting this bed built. Well, I focus back on it. Layla looks pretty while she watches me.

Once the frame is screwed together and I place the mattress back on, I grab the bedpost and shake it a little. "Somethings not right."

Layla pauses, baffled eyes dancing between me and the perfectly made bed. "It's not? What's wrong?"

"It's an easy fix," I say, laying down on the mattress. I send a smirk her way, placing my hands behind my head. "We need to test the stability. Just climb on top of me and we'll rock the bed a little."

That comment gets a pillow launched at my face while Layla laughs, shaking her head. "I'll be testing it out tonight. Alone."

"Come on!" I yell out to her when she disappears out the bedroom door. "Just a little?"

My head sinks into the pillow when the door falls closed and I'm left in the bed by my lonesome. A guy can try.

-

You get a good chance to get to know people by what they buy at the grocery store.

Layla picked up the usual fruits and vegetables, the pantry staples and general products but when we get to the sweet section, she is quite literally like a kid in a candy store.

"What's your favorite candy?" She asks me, reaching for some Reece's peanut butter cups.

I roll the shopping cart to a stop beside her. "I don't eat candy."

Layla blinks at me. "You don't eat candy?"

I grab her hand, placing it on my abs when I wink at her. "You don't get this from eating candy."

I notice the way her hand lingers on my stomach, feeling the ridges of my six pack underneath her fingertips. I can practically see the flash backs of last night blaze through her eyes before she subtly shakes them away, taking a step back.

She gives me an amused side eye, throwing some M&M's in the cart. "You work out so you can eat crap like this."

"No, that's what you do," I laugh. "I like to eat healthy."

"I don't think I trust you, just like I don't trust myself in this aisle," She winces, looking at the pile of chocolate in the cart. "We need to go before I buy everything."

Pushing the cart behind her through the store, my phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out to find a face time request from Spencer. Already knowing it's my favorite Reid calling, I answer with a smile stretching across my face. Aidan learned how to use his parents phones and I love how he always calls me to talk.

"Baby Reid," I grin. "What's up, my man?"

Aidan's excited little face fills my screen. "Derek, mommy bought me a big boy bed today!"

I chuckle. "She did? And let me guess.. I have to put it together?"

Any new furniture, bookshelves or bed frames anyone on the team has bought in the last ten years, it's safe to say I've build them all. Which I of course don't mind, it's usually all simple and I could do it with my eyes closed. Except the five story cat climbing tower Penelope bought last month. That one was a head scratcher.

Aidan smiles. "Pretty please?"

My eyes narrow slightly in a teasing way. "Only if you say it."

Aidan immediately knows what I'm referring to and he giggles. "You are smarter than my dad!"

"Hey!" Spencer yells from somewhere in the background, offended.

I chuckle. "I'll be right over, kid."

Ending the face time, I slip my phone back into my pocket.

"He is so adorable," Layla laughs, clearly having caught that conversation. "I barely got two words out of him yesterday."

I knock my shoulder against hers. "I'll put in a good word for you with him."

Loading all the groceries and the tonne of chocolate Layla picked up onto the conveyor belt, we stand back while the cashier rings us up.

The cashier smiles at us, scanning some of the groceries. "Can I just say, you two make a beautiful couple."

"I think so too," Layla says, grinning at the woman. Her eyes are on me though and I know that mischievous glint in them is about to fabricate one hell of a story. "I love him so much...even when he cheats on me."

Making up ridiculous lies to strangers I'll never see again is hilarious and definitely one of my favorite pass times and with that statement, it's clearly one of Layla's too. Not that I had any doubts, but this just proves we're going to get along like a house on fire.

I throw the cashier a meaningful look, clutching my hand to my chest dramatically. "I just have so much love to give, you know? It would be rude to reserve it for only one person."

The cashier, who is now wishing she hadn't said anything at all, hands Layla her receipt with a dumbfounded look floating between the two of us when she mutters, "Have a nice night."

We both flash the cashier our widest grins when we say, "You too."

"Let's go, babe," Layla says, linking arms with me. "We have to get to our church service."

Layla and I are still laughing at the disturbed look on the cashier's face when we make it out of the store, heading towards my truck in the parking lot.

"So, babe," I mock, swinging my arm around her shoulder. "I'll see you in hell?"

Layla heaves a teasing sigh, meeting my eyes. "There's a special place reserved for us."

-

After dropping Layla's groceries back at her apartment, and another failed attempt on trying to convince her to test out the new bed, I drive us over to Spencer and Averie's house.

"We're here," I yell, holding the door open for Layla to walk through before me so I can get a sneaky look at her ass.

Friends.. fuck my life.

"Hey!" Averie yells back, her voice travelling from the kitchen as she approaches. "I hope you're hungry, I'm making spaghetti."

"Look at you," Layla grins, gesturing to Averie's cooking apron. "You look like a proper housewife."

Averie dusts herself off, flashing us a teasing look. "It's very suburban of me, I know."

When Layla follows Averie into the kitchen, I head upstairs and into Aidan's room. Spencer and his son are sitting on the ground, surrounded by a sea of screws, bolts and the unmade bed frame, looking completely helpless.

"Need some help?"

"Uncle Derek!"

Aidan runs to me when he sees me and I drop my tool bag on the floor before I hoist him up into my arms, throwing him up while he giggles.

"Now," I grin, placing his feet back down on the ground. "You ready to help me?"

Dare I say it, Aidan is more help than Spencer when it comes to handy work. His little fingers come in handy picking up all the tiny screws. I'm about half way done when the sound of the girls laughing echos from downstairs.

Spencer's brows crease. "Who else is here?"

"Layla," I say, drilling the headboard into place. "I was with her when you called."

Aidan taps one finger to my shoulder. "Is she cool?"

I love that Aidan likes to get my opinion when he's sussing people out. He can be very shy around new people, but once he's comfortable, he is anything but shy. He is exactly like Spencer. It's still crazy to me that the kid has a kid now.

I nod at him when I chuckle. "She's cool."

My conformation is enough to bring Aidan out of his shell because the next thing I know, he cups his hands around his mouth when he hollers, "Layla, get your ass up here!"

"Aidan!" Spencer says, appalled. "You're not allowed say ass. You say butt."

"Layla, get your butt up here!"

Spencer sighs, giving his son a disapproving look while Aidan and I both laugh, fist bumping each other.

Layla appears at the bedroom door a few seconds later, shocked by the words that just came out of his mouth. "You were so shy yesterday! What the heck happened?"

Aidan's little shoulders shrug. "Derek said you're cool so I'm cool with you now."

His logic, and his trust in me is unmatched.

By the time Aidan gives Layla his room tour and shows her all his books and toys, I have the bed all put together. Finishing it off, I throw the pillows and blankets back on it.

"Alright little man," I grin, peeling back the comforter. "Hop in and test it out."

Aidan's back sinks into the mattress, shutting his eyes and placing both his little hands behind his head when he mutters, "This is the life."

"Dinner is done!" Averie yells from downstairs. "Get your asses down here!"

Spencer heaves a sigh, shooting Layla and I a look. "And you wonder where Aidan gets it from."

-

We all fall into conversation when we're gathered around the dining table.

"So," Averie says, reaching for her fork. "Layla, hit us with your first impressions of everyone."

Layla nods, finishing her bite before she says, "To start.. Penelope is the sweetest person alive."

Any one who knows Penelope knows that that's true so Spencer, Averie and I laugh when we agree.

"I caught a vibe between Emily and JJ," Layla says, dropping her voice to a whisper. "Is there something there?"

I laugh, knowing the vibe she caught is right. "Yeah, they're.. Aidan, cover your ears... they're fucking, they think we don't know but we do so don't say anything."

"I love that for them," Layla laughs, shooting me a quick look. "Wait.. isn't that against protocol?"

"Yeah," Spencer laughs, swirling his fork in his spaghetti. "So especially don't tell Hotch."

Layla and I are in agreement that no one can know about last night. We don't want to make things complicated and it would be a whole ordeal because any sort of relationships within the team are forbidden, even if it's only sexual. I get why, in the field we can be put into some tough situations and letting personal relationships cloud your judgment can be really harmful.

But the fact that it's forbidden and against the rules kinda makes me want Layla more.

"Next," Averie says, encouraging Layla to continue. "Rossi?"

Layla laughs, bringing her water glass to her lips. "He definitely has sugar babies."

"Right?" I chuckle. "We've all thought that for years."

Watching Averie and Spencer navigating parenting has been hilarious. So when Aidan's eyes travel between his mom and dad and he asks "what's a sugar baby?", I hide my snicker behind my hand, wondering how they're going to play this one.

Spencer clears his throat, desperately trying to keep a neutral expression. "It's a girl..friend."

Aidan nods before his eyes then float to me. "Uncle Derek? Do you have a sugar baby?"

I choke back a laugh. "No, buddy, I don't."

Coming to my rescue and steering the conversation away from that whole topic, Layla continues on her first impressions when she says, "Beneath that tough guy persona..Hotch is definitely a softie."

Averie laughs. "Definitely."

Spencer and I share a look across the table which I can only describe as really? The girls clearly notice something we don't because the last thing we would describe Hotch as is a softie.

Averie adds on to Layla's statement when she says, "Derek too. Underneath that macho ladies man persona he's definitely a huge softie."

I almost choke on my spaghetti. "Hold on, what? Now I'm a softie too?"

"Mhm," Averie grins, reaching for her water glass. "You and Hotch hide the fact that you're softies and Spencer just is a softie. He likes to be the little spoon."

"Hey!" Spencer says, pointing his fork at his wife. "You stop exposing me."

"Can we circle back?" I ask, interrupting Spencer and Averie's bickering. "I am not a softie."

"Derek Morgan," Averie sighs, giving me a smug look. "When you meet the right one, you are going to eat those words some day."

Where my life is now, I can't see that ever happening. But one thing I know about Averie is that that girl is never wrong.

-

I've only known Layla for about twenty four hours now, but I swear it's like I've known her forever. Along with the fact that I'm extremely attracted to her, I feel comfortable around her.

Layla seems to get that vibe too because she was comfortable enough to tell me that my music wasn't good enough for the drive home, stole my aux cord and plugged in her own phone.

I couldn't stop smiling while she was singing her heart out the whole drive home. And then she got truly offended when I asked who's song it was. Note to self from Layla's exact words - 'don't you dare diss Harry styles like that again.'

Even after I dropped her back at her apartment and made sure she got inside the complex door safely, I catch myself smiling on my drive back to my house.

...weird.

-

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :)

Also just a heads up, I'm going to be taking a short two week break from posting because I'm going on vacation/holidays :) so there probably won't be a new chapter up until after I'm back!