without you¹ | derek morgan. ✓

43 | fairly predictable.

derek's pov.

I slowly wrap my arm around Charlotte as we walk out of the hotel room.

"Use protection!" Emily calls out after us, chuckling breathlessly.

Charlotte and I let out soft laughter, shaking our heads as we try to ignore Emily's words, shutting the hotel room door behind us.

The laughter slowly dies down as we make our way down the hall and to the elevators.

I look down at Charlotte, my eyes flickering up and down as I examine her slowly, "I'm so sorry about that." I state, pressing the elevator button.

Charlotte nods slightly at my words, "It's okay. I didn't-" She begins.

I shake my head, "No, no, no. It's not okay. Emily stepped over the line, which seemed to have made you uncomfortable. I didn't tell her anything that has ever happened between us, I promise. S-She's just my best friend, and for some reason, she loves pretending like boundaries don't exist, and for some reason, she thinks of everything so sexually." I state, rambling on.

"I didn't feel like-" She begins, shaking her head in a bit of denial.

I drop my head down a bit, shaking my head, "Yes, you did." I state.

Charlotte sighs, shaking her head, "No, I didn't." She states in denial.

"Yes, you did." I argue back.

"Stop telling me what I feel." She argues.

"Stop trying to spare my feelings." I argue.

Charlotte scoffs lightly, leaning forward to push the elevator button again.

"I did that already." I state.

Charlotte nods sarcastically, "I'm well aware, Captain Obvious. It clearly didn't work, so I tried it again." She states.

I shake my head, "Why are you acting like this?" I ask.

"Acting like what?" She asks.

I flail my arms a bit in the air, "Like this. Why are you acting like what Emily said didn't bug you? It clearly did." I argue back.

Charlotte hufs lightly in anger, ignoring my words and pushing the button again, "God, could these damn elevators go any slower than this." She mumbles under her breath.

"The irony." I state under my breath.

Charlotte's brow furrows, "What is your problem?" She asks.

I huff in annoyance, "You're hiding your feelings! I hate it when you do that! When you close off sections of your life because you don't want to be too vulnerable." I state.

Charlotte looks up at me, her cheeks burning, "Too vulnerable!? That's a load-"

I scoff, "Of what? Bull?" I ask, cutting her off.

Charlotte rolls her eyes as I nod.

I shake my head, "Okay, if this is a load of such bull, then tell me, why don't you open up to me? Why does Reid know more about you then I do? Why do you constantly push me away? What happened that caused you to hate your birthday and holidays?" I ask as if I'm interrogating her.

"What is this? An interrogation?" She asks.

I groan softly, tossing my head back in slight annoyance, "There you go, again, putting up those damn walls." I state.

Charlotte opens her mouth to say something, her lips parting slowly, but she soon gets cut off by the elevator door opens.

"Finally." She huffs, stepping inside the elevator.