Gold Blood (Criminal Minds, Derek Morgan x OC Fanfiction)

The Puppeteer

[Trigger Warning: Mention of suicide]

***

“Derek, I don’t think I'm–“

“I know being on camera makes you uncomfortable for your own reasons. But this is a time sensitive matter,” cut Derek as he tried to convince me to go on the camera and lead a press conference in order to lure our unsub out. “You matched the profile of his vic. If you go now we will save a lot of time from searching for another volunteer for this task and better chance for Tiffany to come out of this alive.”

“You are right, Derek. I hate cameras,” I confessed with a pit in my stomach. “I even hate my picture taken. What makes you think I can endure leading a live press conference out there in front of those people? How am I going to answer their questions?” I defended myself, “Those reporters are savages.”

“Cookie, you're nervous about this, I understand. But Tiffany Hutchson’s life is on the line,” he stated matter of factly, “I know you are scared, but I also know that you have a knack for being an actress yourself. Treat this one job as one of your acting classes in high school.”

“Derek…” I shuddered at the thought of having to go on national television. For years I had done absolutely everything in my power to minimize my digital presence; to be comfortably invisible. This task will put all those years of work into jeopardy.

Derek took a seat next to me, and slid his chair close to me so our knees touched. He placed his hands on either sides of my jeans-clad thighs. Despite the pretty harmless touching that Derek and I comfortably shared, I couldn’t help but feel that his touch was sending thrills through my spine, but not enough to pry my anxiety off of my mind.

Unaware of my thoughts, Derek locked his deep chocolate eyes with my hazel ones rather seriously. “Elizabeth.”

Ugh, I hated it when he used my name in times like this.

“I don’t know what gets you so scared out of your mind about this, but if you are, know that I will be standing next to you through the whole thing. And if going out there makes you a target for our unsub, then believe me, honey, he won’t be able to come anywhere near you, because God is my witness, I will be there protecting you with my life,” he swore. He cupped my cheek gently. “I promise that as long as we haven’t caught our unsub I will never let you out of my sight. Hell, I’ll camp at your room and sleep on the floor if I have to,” he said with an unmoved determination in his intelligent eyes. “Please, believe me.”

I thought of Tiffany Hutchson and realized that I had to stop being a coward if I wanted her name to make it to my notebook. I looked into the intense, pleading eyes that was Derek’s and made my mind.

“Angel of mine?” I murmured.

This line brought a sweet yet handsome smile on Derek’s face. “Yours, baby,” he responded tenderly, patiently waiting for my next words.

“You have always been, my guardian angel. You’re one of the few good things that comes into my life and I hope you know that I never once doubted you, Derek Morgan,” I said with a wistful smile, and nodded to myself, “I’ll do it.”

A brilliant smile that melted my insides flashed on Derek’s devastatingly handsome face. “That’s my good girl.”

***

After airbrushing a finishing a touch of a nude, pink lip to my look, I took off the clip that was holding my hair together, letting my hair down to my back just on top of my shoulder blades.