𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬

I would- derek

Derek didn't even hover before picking up your call, excusing himself from the table where the team was sat for dinner, your father included as he made his way outside, smiling to himself at the ringtone you insisted on putting on his phone so he'd know it was you calling blared loudly in his hand. His smile, one he was sure would make you a giggling mess if you were there to see it, slipped right off his lips when he heard your voice, shaking, soft, not at all like it would be when you saw something interesting while studying and simply had to tell him.

"Do you want me to come over and check it out?" Derek asked after you'd very quickly explained to him in a rush what happened, convinced someone was trying to open your window and come into your place.

"No," he wasn't convinced, you didn't think he was. "Just tell me it's nothing."

"It's nothing," he sounded very sure of himself and you nodded, feeling just a little better simply at the sound of his voice but you knew you'd feel just as scared again after his voice was gone. "Baby, it's nothing, I'm sure of it, just lock your door and your windows and go to bed, okay, I'm just a phone call away if you hear anything else."

He calmed you down as much as he could, knowing that for the most part whatever you heard outside your window wasn't anything to be scared of and that's what he told you and you pretended it was enough as you hung up, but he knew you'd not let it go, probably propped up on the stairs of your little condo, looking around at every sound, you'd probably not get much sleep and he knew you didn't need another reason to be skipping out of bed without shutting an eye.

He sent Garcia a quick text before taking a car to your place and he found you right where he thought he would, a little breath of surprise leaving his lips when you skipped over the stairs and right into his arms, gripping his hand tightly as he led you through every room and every corner, checking and double checking and finding nothing.

"You didn't have to come over, Der," you breathed softly, embarrassed as the two of you ended up right back in front of your door, hesitantly letting go of his hand now that there was no sign of anything wanting to harm you. "I didn't want to ruin your night," you pulled your sleeves over your hands, looking over his fancy suit, all dressed up for a fun night but standing in your place fighting imaginary monsters instead.

"You didn't ruin my night, sweetheart, and of course, I was going to come over," he raised a brow at you, reaching over to gently brush a fallen eyelash from your cheek, not at all surprised when you leaned into the touch, skin warming under his soft hold. "You were scared," he explained and you scoffed lightly.

"Doesn't take much to scare me, you know," you took a little step toward him, smiling lightly when he moved his hand to your neck, keeping you close just because he could. "You going to come running every time I'm scared?"

"I would," he shrugged, and it was addicting the way you melted into him, another little step leading you right into his arms, free hand settling on your waist and allowing his eyes to drag over your face, it was a selfish thing really, a curiosity, he could feel your heart beating against his palm, could see you trying to swallow your breaths. "There's nothing out there," he promised but you weren't convinced, the very sound you'd heard earlier skipping through the room, a shiver running right up your spine as you faked a small smile.

"I know," you nodded, bringing a hand up to squeeze his arm, fingers crawling up until they were tangled with his. "Thank you for coming to my rescue," you were trying to guide yourself around him, gripping his hand as you tried looking for the key to the front door. "Now that I know there's no boogie man waiting to get me, you can go back to listening to all my dad's horrendous jokes," he stopped you before you could reach for the door, shaking his head as he shook off his blazer jacket, winking as he let you go to throw it over the banister.

"You don't have to thank me," he was kicking off his shoes next, already trying to figure out which movie he was going to watch while you fell asleep next to him. "Did you eat something yet?" he knew the answer and even though he knew there were better options, he slid past you toward the kitchen, rummaging around before pulling out a tub of ice cream.

"Derek?" you watched him with curious eyes as he grabbed two spoons from the drawer and then moved all the way to the other side of the room where he sank down on the couch, free hand patting the spot next to him. "You're staying?" it was a silly question, one clearly already answered but he smiled still, nodding as you slowly walked over to him. "For the night?" he nodded again and you couldn't help but giggle, a soft sound, one that had the same impact on him that his smile had on you, his heart soaring at the little smile paired with it.

"Someone has to protect you from the boogie man, you know, just in case," he told you once you'd sat down next to him, not wasting a second before scootching into his side, placing the gentlest of kisses to his shoulder before he snaked his arm around you, guiding your head into his neck in the process and when the sound came through again it wasn't even slightly as terrifying as it should be, a kiss placed to your forehead as you stole a glance up at Derek. "I'm not going anywhere."

And he didn't, not when he realized it was really just the wind playing around with your trees, or when you started losing interest in the ice cream and the movie to look up at him every chance you got, or even when you fell asleep on his chest, snoring lightly, something he'd surely have to tease you about later and when he tried to move to the other chair to give you room and you gripped his shirt in your sleep, he knew that leaving you alone just about ever again would be all but impossible.