L A Y L A ' S P O V

One thing I don't miss about downtown Chicago? The traffic.

What should have been a ten minute drive has turn to forty five and we're stuck in a sea of red lights and drivers who I can only guess got their license out of a lucky dip.

"You're driving a Prius not a semi," Derek waves his hands towards the windscreen even though he and I both know there's no way the driver of that car can see him. "Just go."

Despite the obnoxiously slow driver in front of us, my Christmas playlist is still playing through the speakers, it's snowing outside but the car is filled with warmth as is the hot chocolate I'm clutching in my hands.

"Your road rage is ruining my Christmas vibe."

"This traffic is ruining my Christmas vibe," Derek laughs. He takes a right turn and the road is clear and we've got a green light. "Finally."

After we got back on the road last night we decided to stop at a hotel to get some sleep and be able to get showered and cleaned up before we got into Chicago this afternoon. Derek said the hotel bed was shitty but I used him as my mattress so I slept perfectly.

Our first stop today is the Chicago police department. I know my brother is on shift today and Derek also wanted to catch up with a few old friends he worked with before the holidays. There's also someone else I'd like to talk to while we're there.

When we finally pull up to the police station Derek parks and while he hops out of the car, I quickly drain the last of my hot chocolate. I throw open my door and groan.

I love Christmas and snow, but the sludge that was once crisp white snow that turns brown and collects at the edge of the road? Not so much.

I took to Derek.

He looks back at me.

"You want me to lift you over the snow, don't you?"

Yes. I flash him the smile he can't say no to. "It can't be called snow if it's brown and," I wave my hand towards my shoes. "I'm wearing new boots."

Derek heaves an amused sigh. "You really are something else."

He picks me up out of the car and doesn't set me down until we're at the front door of the police station. I smile and kiss his lips. "I could get used to the princess treatment."

Derek grins, placing his hand on my lower back before he opens the door and guides me through. "And you will."

We walk down the hall and into the main room. The layout of this office is kind of like our bullpen, with a sea of desks across the room. Scanning the room, I can already see my brother in the far corner but when I look towards Derek, he's already catching up with someone.

Leaving him to it, I make my way over to where my brother is working at his desk and knock my foot to his chair to get his attention. "Merry Christmas fucker."

Adam swivels in his seat, face brightening with a wide grin at the sight of me. He's laughing when he stands and pulls me into a hug. "I'd hit you for that comment if I hadn't seen you in months."

My brother and I are only three years apart and excluding my teenage rebellion years of I hate everyone and everything, we've always been pretty close.

"Wait," He laughs, pulling back to look at me. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, Der—"

Something, or rather someone catches Adam's attention over my shoulder and I'm quickly forgotten about. "Is that Derek Morgan? Holy fuck, it is."

Adam literally pushes me aside and brushes past me, leaving me standing here alone. Siblings, huh? Was that shove necessary? No. Does it show his excitement of seeing an old friend? Yes.

"Great conversation," I mumble to myself watching him cross the room and greet Derek. They hug and do that guy thing where they slap each other on the back. "I'm fine thanks, how are you? And your wife? And the baby on the way?"

My eyes land on some officer a few feet away from me, looking at me like he's about to reach for his taser because I'm a crazy woman standing here having a conversation with herself. Awkward.

Turning my back to him, I realise now is my chance to slip away for a minute.

I want to talk to my ex. No, I don't want to talk to him, I want to thank him for cheating on me. Sounds weird, I know. Let me explain.

Because if he didn't cheat on me, I probably would have never left that relationship. Hence the chain reaction of I wouldn't have moved to DC, furthered my career, meet Derek. The cheating aside, he was nice to me and the ideal boyfriend on paper. But I got too comfortable in the relationship to realise that I was bored and that there was no real spark between us.

Still wish I hadn't had to physically walk in on the cheating though, even though the interaction was less than a minute. I opened the door, saw some blonde girl riding my boyfriend, laughed in disbelief and saw their faces drop, then I turned on my heel, walked out of the apartment and never looked back. I didn't even bother grabbing the things I left there. Some clothes, pyjamas, a hairbrush, nothing that wasn't replaceable.

When I wouldn't take his calls, I got a series of texts saying how sorry he was and that he made a mistake, but there's no coming back from cheating for me. After a few weeks, he seemed to get the hint and the texts and calls completely stopped.

I cross the room and come to a stop at his desk. His back is to me and his head is down in some paperwork so I tap my hand to his shoulder to get his attention.

Only when he turns do I realise that it isn't my ex at all and there's an unfamiliar face staring back at me. "Oh, I'm sorry," I say, taking a step back. My eyes quickly scan the room, wondering if I have the wrong desk. "You're not Jake."

"Miller?" The guy asks and I nod. "This was his desk but he quit a couple months back." The guy explains, rolling his pen in his hand. "No one has heard from him since."

"Oh," I say, confused. "Well, thanks."

That's weird that he quit because I know he loved his job here. Maybe I should get Penelope to look into him for me. Also I should probably get Penelope to look into the girl who works reception in Quantico. Because it's a weird coincidence that the girl my ex cheated with now works in the same building as me, hundreds of miles from Chicago. 

I've seen her around the office and in the halls a couple times but I don't think she knows who I am. She either looks past me like she's never seen me in her life or doesn't look at me at all. And honestly, I'm not mad about it.

That shitty part of my past aside, I cross the room again when Adam ushers me over with a wave of his hand.

"Layla," My brother says, looking between Derek and I and I realise he's about to introduce me to the guy I'm dating because he doesn't know we know each other yet. "This is Derek. We've been friends since college and worked together here for years."

I contemplate on fucking with Derek and holding out my hand in an introduction but he shoots me a don't even try it look.

"We know each other," I say. We're quite well acquainted actually. I woke up with Derek's face between my legs this morning. "We rode up together from DC. We're on the same team."

Derek said that he should be the one to break the news that were dating to my brother so I leave our connection at that for now.

"Holy shit," Adam laughs, his eyes lighting up when he looks between Derek and I. "Of course you are. How did I not put that together?"

Derek snickers and nudges his shoulder. "You never were the brightest."

I tune out the next few minutes of their conversation while they go back and forth borderline verbally abusing each other but their pissing match eventually ends when they decide to hit the gym together later to see who can bench more. Men.

"I get off in a couple hours," Adam says, checking his watch. "See you both at the house?"

Derek and I are soon back in the car and I pull up the directions to the address and we're stuck in a sea of traffic once again.

-

"Will you just shove your hands up the turkeys ass already?

"First off, it's disgusting and second, it's disgusting."

My whole body hums happily at the sound of my dad and sister in law arguing in the kitchen. I'm home.

"Our love language is offending each other," I explain to Derek as we shrug off our coats in the entryway. "So don't be alarmed."

Derek laughs as he follows me down the hallway. "Got it."

I lace my fingers through Derek's as I guide him down the hallway of my childhood home. We pass the living room on the right, stopping for a second to appreciate the perfectly decorated Christmas tree and twinkling lights by the fireplace.

I tug Derek down the hall towards the kitchen before he can look too closely at all the one too many embarrassing photos of me from my childhood hung on the walls. We're staying here for a week though, so it's inevitable he'll see them but I'll avoid it while I can.

"What's going on in here?"

My dad turns at the sound of my voice when we step into the kitchen. He's wearing my sister in law's pink apron and holds up his stuffing covered hands. "Violet is playing the pregnancy card and forcing me to do vile things to this turkey."

Violet rolls her eyes and swats him with a dish towel. For a five foot two, six month pregnant woman she's surprisingly violent. "I'm having my aversion to meat and you're being a little bitch about it."

"Okay okay calm the insults for a second. We have company."

Violet was the only one I told I was bringing Derek home, but until now she hadn't seen him. So when she leans out of his view and mouths wow to me, I have to stifle my laughter.

I smile when I pull Derek forward and after I do the introducing, I quickly explain how Derek and my brother know each other from college and to not say anything about us dating until after Derek tells Adam.

"Derek.." My dad mumbles to himself, raking his brain to try to remember that name. His amused eyes lift to Derek's. "Were you the one that Adam got caught streaking naked through the campus library with?"

Derek's chest puffs with pride when he grins. "No, but I was the one who dared them to do it."

"Smart thinking. I like it." My dad nods in approval at Derek while he laughs. He sneakily slides away from the turkey on the stove to wash his hands. "We should talk more."

"I know what you're doing," Violet says, her eyes narrowed at my dad. "You're trying to get out of helping with dinner."

That's exactly what he's trying to do, but still, my dad shakes his head in denial and clutches his hand to his chest in offence. "I am not. Violet, I'm sorry but I have to get to know my daughters boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend." Until he asks.

"You haven't asked her yet?" My dad winces as he claps Derek on the shoulder and guides him out of the kitchen. "Rookie move."

'You like football?' Is the last thing I hear before the door closes behind them. When my dad finds out Derek used to play, that will have them wrapped up in conversation for hours. I'm not worried at all. They're going to get along just fine.

"Well, well, well," Violet bumps her hip to mine as she passes. "What tall, dark and handsome present did you get yourself for Christmas?"

One thing my brother has done right in this world was marrying this girl. She really is like my sister and she fit right in with our family. I have no idea how she deals with him but that's a question for another day.

She's also the only person I can really talk to about Derek right now. So while I help by basting the turkey and she works on some of the sides, I tell her about how we're dating and we shouldn't be.

"I have no idea what will happen when we're caught. Co workers dating is apparently a big no no."

Violet places the last roll on the baking sheet before she looks over at me. "Why?"

The next few minutes are me giving her a brief rundown of everything. Emotions are heightened in the field...we could get hurt or sabotage a case trying to look out for each other... blah blah blah.

"They can't tell you you're not allowed to date," Violet eventually settles on saying. "That's too much temptation."

I snort. "You're telling me."

The temptation and secret keeping was fun and exciting at the start, but lately it's seeming more and more like a chore. I don't want to have to lie to everyone all the time anymore because this is deeper than temptation now. For both of us. I hope.

Before I know it dinner is done, Adam gets home from work and all five of us sit down at the dinner table.

Derek looks between my brother on his wife. "How did you guys meet?"

Violet grins behind her water glass. "Robbed a store. Adam booked me. It was love at first handcuff."

"Love at first handcuff," Adam snickers. "That's a porn title not how we met."

My dad groans and pinches the bridge of his nose while we all laugh. "Don't say porn at the dinner table."

"So the lying thing runs in the family?" Derek chuckles, pointing his fork towards me. "Layla told the nail lady I was a gigolo once."

My dad reaches across the table and holds his hand up in a fist bump to me. "Nice one."

Adam's fork clatters to his plate and he throws his hands up. "How is gigolo acceptable to say at the dinner table and porn isn't?"

"Shut up and eat your food." My dad slaps the back of Adam's head. "I slaved over this meal."

"Slaved," Violet snorts, rolling her eyes. "You chopped some carrots and bailed."

The playful bickering from around the table is all drowned from my senses when Derek's hand finds mine underneath the table. He smiles softly, squeezing my hand before he rests our hands on his lap and they stay there the whole way through dinner.

After our plates are cleared away, Adam asks my dad if he wants to join him and Derek at the gym. My dad looks almost offended at the offer when he says, "I'll be eating dessert and falling asleep in front of the tv, thank you very much."

Sounds like heaven. "I second that."

We can't to go see Derek's family tonight anyway. He said both his sisters are working late and his mom is volunteering somewhere downtown tonight so we're going to have dinner with them tomorrow instead.

Derek gave me a look before he disappeared out the door with my brother, a look meaning 'i'm going to tell him now', which he looked a little nervous to be doing. I know my brother won't be angry, because he has no real reason to be. Derek and I are both adults in a consenting relationship. But will Adam be dramatic about it? Absolutely.

The rest of my night is spent catching up with Violet and my dad over Christmas movies and mugs of hot chocolate, updating them on how much I'm loving my new job and feeling my little niece or nephew kick Violets stomach. It couldn't be more perfect.

D E R E K ' S   P O V

I'm in an awkward situation here. I'm trying to figure out at what point do I break the news to Adam that I'm dating his sister.

When he's spotting me while I bench two hundred pounds? No because he might decide to let the bar fall and break my neck. Over a beer? He could smash it over my head.

We made it through our full gym session and I still haven't figured out the right way to tell him yet.

"You seeing someone in DC?"

That's a pretty normal question but I'm a little on edge right now. "What?"

Adam snickers, nudging his shoulder to mine before he zips open his gym bag. "Don't lie. It looks like wolverine was clawing at your back."

Oh fuck, fuck, fuck.

I cautiously look over my shoulder and sure enough, there's red scratch marks down my back from what I can only guess was round three last night. I avoid his eyes when I pull my shirt on over my head, hiding the evidence that his sister likes it rough and begs me to come inside her.

This is one hundred percent not how I wanted this conversation to start, but I guess it's go time. "I need to tell you something."

"Why did you get all serious?" Adam laughs, pulling a fresh shirt from his bag before his eyes lift to mine. "It's not like you're dating my sis- No! Ew!" He takes a couple steps back, wagging his head back and forth, a mixture of shock and horror across his face. "Please tell me you're not."

Okay, he doesn't seem to be mad, just uncomfortable. I can work with that. "Yes, Layla and I are dating."

I get that he can't be too impressed with the fact that the guy who he spent most of his twenties with going out every weekend to the bars, getting with girls and not calling them back, is now dating his little sister. We were both doing that at one point and he's happily married now so he can't not believe I could have changed too.

I swear Adam's face actually turns green and he heaves while he avoids my eyes and desperately tries to pack up his bag. "I think I might be sick. I need to get out of here."

He and Layla are definitely siblings. Always with the dramatics. He's so flustered right now it's laughable. "You might want to put some pants on first."

He actually trips over his feet a couple times, desperately trying to pull his sweatpants on as he tries to get out of the room and away from me. But what I say next stops him in his tracks.

"I'm serious about her."

Adam's hand pauses on the changing room door. He drops his head between his shoulders and the tension in his body relaxes a little at my words.

"I'm not the same as I used to be. I've changed." Layla's changed me. "Layla will be my first girlfriend." Only girlfriend ever if I have my way. "I'm asking her this weekend." Not sure when, but I am.

The strain from behind Adam's eyes lifts a little more when he turns to look at me. "How long?"

The exact dates are a little blurry because there's a lot of them. The first time we hooked up? The few weeks we were 'just friends'? The friends with benefits stage or when we officially started dating. So I shrug when I say, "A couple months."

"Months?" Adam practically gasps, the shock evident in his eyes. "Shit. You really have changed."

It's completely my own fault, but I really wish me being loyal to someone wasn't so surprising to everyone.

I can't help the smile that crosses my lips when I say, "She makes me really happy."

Adam's sigh is audible and I know I have him semi won over. "Is she happy with you?"

"Yes." I mean, I think?

"Good." He nods like his sister's happiness is the most important thing to him. As he should. He laughs half heartedly and nudges his head towards the door. "I need a beer if we're going to continue this conversation. Or five. Let's go."

The rest of this conversation probably would go better with a little alcohol in the mix, but there's one thing I'd like to get out of the way now. I clear my throat. "About what you saw—"

Adam suppresses another gag while he avoids my eyes again. " Didn't see anything. Don't know what you're talking about." He turns his back to me and heads towards the door. "I'll meet you in the car."

Him denying he seen the scratches on my back is better than my lie of saying I was mauled by a bear so there's that.

-

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :) Next chapter I think it's time Derek finally asks the question lol. Also, What do you think Layla's Christmas present to Derek is going to be?