FRATERNIZATION | DEREK MORGAN (ON HOLD)

THIRTEEEN

"All right, I want to set a dormitory fire. Where would I start? Tessa." Derek questioned as he guided the girl outside of the room they were previously in and onto the balcony.

"The basement seems like the obvious option right?" Theresa leant against the railings as she looked towards Derek.

"The upper levels would be fuel." Derek nodded in confirmation. Resting his hands beside Theresa's waist on the railings, trapping her between his body.

Theresa didn't seem to mind, instead she began to fiddle with the end of his tie and looked up at him through his lashes. She liked the affects that she was having on him today.

She found protective and possessive Derek hot.

"Then why did I start on the third floor, Tess?"

"Because it wasn't the building you wanted to set on fire." Theresa whispered softly, her warm breath mingling with his, which was enough to drive Derek insane.

"You're so fucking good, darling." Derek smirked allowing his eyes to travel up and down her once again, before standing up straight and walking down the stairs to exit the building.

Theresa's eyes widened once she saw the smoke coming from the dormitory across from the one that she and Derek were currently in. She grabbed Derek's hand and sprinted down the stairs and towards the other building.

"Move. Move. Get out of the way!" Derek shouted as he rushed towards the building. "Stay here." He ordered Theresa as he ran into the burning building.

She wanted to run in after him, but before she got a chance, she felt arms wrap around her waist and pull her back. She tried to squirm out of their grip in fear that she was going to be taken again but she quickly relaxed once she heard Reid say,

"It's just me, T."

"Derek's in there." Theresa tried to go again, but this time Hotch stood in front of her.

"Derek'll be fine." He blocked her view of the burning building, just incase something happened and Derek wasn't in fact fine. "He might be here watching." Hotch circled around as he thought about the unsub staying to watch their fire take place. "Elle. Take pictures as many as you can. You got it."

"He saved me, Spencer, I have to save him." Theresa snapped without even thinking.

Only then did she feel her breath hitch. She had spoken without being addressed. She'd broken the rules. Reid slowly released the girl from his grip as she turned and faced him with a panicked look. Her hands flew up to her throat as she gasped for air.

"T, it's okay." Reid attempted to reassure the girl, although it didn't seem to have done much good. She still couldn't breath. "Theresa. It's okay." He repeated but slower.

It was almost as if he had kicked the box from under her again and the rope was around her neck, cutting off her oxygen supply.

The girl shook her head in response, it wasn't okay. She felt her knee's weaken and just before her legs buckled a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her into his chest.

"What happened?" Derek demanded Reid as he held the girl tightly. "Tess, everything's okay, you hear me?"

Theresa buried her head into Derek's chest, clinging onto the shirt that he wore for support. She tried to mimic his breathing in order to regulate her own. Once again, his presence had saved her life.

His fingers began to comb through her hair as he looked around at everyone. Nobody appeared to be watching her, instead they were all focused on the fire that was happening in front of them.

"I'm sorry for running in." Derek whispered guiltily.

Theresa wanted to tell him that it wasn't his fault. That she spoke out of turn and she was punished for it. But then she'd have to tell him who she was and for the past year he hadn't seemed to have recognised her.

She got a clean slate with her relationship with Derek. He didn't see her as some victim he once saved and needed to protect, instead he saw her as a colleague and a valued member of the team.

Theresa didn't want for that to change. She didn't want Derek to look at her differently or with sympathy in his eyes. She didn't want him to feel bad for her.

Derek pulled away and cupped the girls face with his large hands. His thumbs caressed her cheeks and he tilted her head back to make her look up at him.

"Everything's okay, Tess."

Theresa slowly nodded, she trusted him more than anyone. If he said that everything was okay, then it was.

"I'm sorry." She managed to whisper. This was the first time she had felt truly vulnerable in front of the team.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Derek whispered back, pulling the girl into his chest once again. He looked over to Reid, who was watching them both carefully. "Go get in the car, I'll meet you there." He pulled out his keys to give to Theresa, who took them with a closed lip smile and walked off to the car.

Derek cleared his throat, gaining Reid's full attention. He seemed almost scared but that was probably because he knew that Derek was angry.

"Listen to me, Reid, and you listen well." Derek spoke slowly and harshly. "When I'm not here, it's your job to protect her. You got that?"

"Y-yes, s-sir. I got that." Reid stuttered nervously in fear of what Derek's anger could do if he didn't agree. He'd never seen anyone care for someone the way that Derek cares about Theresa.

In a way, Reid found it humours, Derek couldn't remember that 7 years ago he saved Theresa's life. That in fact she was his first case alone as a profiler. The relationship he had built with the girl wasn't based on their past, he cared about her now because he had gotten to know her in a whole knew environment.

He found it kind of beautiful that no matter what, he would protect her. He would care for her and be in her life.

Just like the definition of soulmates stated, they were ideally suited for another as a close friend or a romantic partner.

Reid just wasn't sure which it was yet.