Chapter Three- Alexander's POV

Most of my time was spent at headquarters and even despite me being the best man, I had done most of my best man's help at work. I couldn't get my mind off that night we found a bomb in Penny's car, she had fallen asleep on the couch as reruns of Friends played on the tv across us.

It had been quiet at the museum so we had no reason to go but tonight I sat in a crowded and loud bar with Ed and the rest of his wedding party, this was my idea of a bachelor party, to be fair I didn't have a lot of time planning it.

"Dude, what the hell has gotten you in a slump?" Stewart asks me.

I shake my head and down my first drink, "nothing man, just work, you know," I shrug him off. I was cradling my first drink for most of our time here just in case I was called in.

"You sure? Because if it is I think you should throw it in with our waitress," He smirks at me. I shake my head.

"No, I'm just not in the mood. Sorry Ed," I chuckle at my best friend.

"Nah, it's fine. I know you're tired but I appreciate you being here anyways," Edmund tells me and I give him a tight-lipped smile.

"yea, man you look like shit, your gonna end up collapsing on the day of the wedding," Julian says, I stifle a chuckle.

"Guys, I appreciate it but I'm fine, I promise" I assure them and they nod slowly. The subject was moved off me as we asked Ed if he was ready to be a married man, he definitely was. There were a good week and a half until the wedding and my best friend was more than ready to have Savannah as his wife.

"so where the hell are you two going for your honeymoon?" I question.

"Bora Bora, that's been her dream place to go," He tells me.

"damn that work bonus worked out huh?" Stewart jokes and I smile. Edmund rolls his eyes.

We didn't leave the bar till after midnight and I wasn't as buzzed as the rest of the group, I did only have one drink on edge at the fact I could get a call for work at any second. Throwing my keys onto my kitchen counter I sigh tiredly. Julian did have a point, I hadn't slept properly in months, and with the weekend coming up I knew Savannah would appreciate it if I didn't look like a zombie during her pictures, and unlike all the other days I would come home and work on the case on my own I headed to bed. I collapsed the second my head hit the pillow.

"Go, Go, Go!" William yells. I watch as swat knocks the double doors open up and we slowly walk into the dark museum. The museum had been held under hostage since late afternoon, and now after dark, we were finally going in.

William motions our group to split up and I take charge and turn to the right, raising my gun slowly as I turned the corner. The hallway was eerily quiet as we walked down, my co-workers gently shake on the door handle of the closed doors, finding them locked.

I stop as I hear yelling down the hall, I turn and nod my head to the door down the hall, my co-workers nod and follow my lead. Lauren grips the unlocked doorknob and I nod at her before she swings it open, I step in slowly, the room was dark as I stepped in, and before my eyes could adjust to the dark lighting a gunshot goes off.

"FBI!" The three of us yell, I round the corner to see a man with a ski mask holding a gun out to me.

"Put the gun down," I demand the male, and before I could blink another gunshot goes off and I turn around to Dave. As the male falls to the ground, I quickly rush over to the hostage behind him.

"shit," I grumble as Penny looks up at me completely terrified. I crouch down beside her and place my hand over the top of hers as she held onto her side that was bleeding. "I need a medic!" I yell into my earpiece before I slide my gun onto my hip.

"Xander," She mumbles.

"shhh, I gotcha, don't talk," I tell her and she winces in pain.

"I'm scared," she says, yea so was I.

"you're good, you're gonna be okay," I assure her. "Dave call a medic now," I demand over my shoulder before I hear feet running away. I glance away from our hands back to her face, "Hey Pens, eyes on me, okay I need you to stay with me," I demand softly.

Her eyes flutter telling me she was having trouble staying awake, with my free hand I cup her neck and make her look at me, "Penny," I say as her eyes flutter open again and her lips coat with blood. My heart stopped at the same time as hers because I had lied to her weeks back when I was worried about seeing her dead body but I didn't know what was worst, seeing her die or finding her body.

I gasp as I jump up in bed "fuck," I mumble, I finally register the phone ringing on my nightstand, grabbing it numbingly I answer and start grabbing clothes before grabbing my keys and gun and rushing back to headquarters.
~~~~~~~~~~~
I pull open the door to the suite and on the other side, it reveals Penny in her light brown dress that flowed to the floor, "god Xander when I texted everyone to get a good night's rest, I fucking meant it," She tells me as she brushes past me.

"Hello to you to Pens, come on in," I gesture as I close the door.

"you look like shit," she says circling the room of us groomsmen, we were all dressed and the photographer had just left. Penny moves over to the bathroom for Edmund and I hear the two conversing. "Xander!" she yells and I sigh, grabbing my tie and making my way across the suite.

"If I knew better, I'd say you are whipped," Stewart smirks and I flip him off. I allow Penny to sit me on the side of the large bathtub as I begin with my tie, she comes back with spoons.

"what the hell are you doing?" I ask as she steps in between my legs.

She grabs my chin and forces my head up before placing the spoons under my eyes and I jump at how cold they were, "I need to get rid of your bags," she says and checks her watch, "because we have an hour and a half," she says.

"How's Sav doing?" Ed asks, slightly nervous, I smile at his nervous tone.

"Okay, I mean she was a nervous wreck when she pushed me out the door and demanded I made sure you boys are okay,"

"Typical," I muse as I tighten my tie and straighten it, still keeping my head tipped up.

"I'm going to punch her if she yells at me once more, I can't wait until you two are off to Bora Bora," Penny sighs dramatically and Ed chuckles.

"I appreciate you Pen, you know that," He says before walking out of the bathroom. I could feel Penny's stress a bit and I felt bad, I had neglected a lot of the best man duties for work, and a lot of the wedding stuff that we were supposed to help with fell onto Penny.

"I'm sorry I left you hanging," I tell her, she glances away from her watch and stares down at me. I notice how her eyes quickly glance over my face.

"It's fine, I mean you are making sure I'm not dying so," she shrugs. I hold myself from rolling my eyes. A couple of minutes later she slowly removed the spoons and I can now feel the full effect of my numb face now. I stand up and follow her to the mirror.

"You know Pens, you look damn good in that dress," I smirk and she rolls her eyes.

"Of course I look good," she brushes off and my smirk widens. "I'm hoping to get a dance from Savannah's cousin, you know him right?" She teases and I tick my jaw.

"Oh hell no, the only dance your getting is with me," I say as I hold her hip and step closer, "preferably in a hotel room, door locked, you naked," I tell her leaning forward.

Like Penny being herself, she simply rolls her eyes and swats my bicep. I chuckle, "come on Pens, I know you want the same,"

"Oh please," she pushes me away and walks away. I follow her. "Also can you do me one thing?" She asks, I shrug stuffing my hands into my suit pants.

"Take like a half-hour nap, you still look exhausted," she tells me.

"Aye aye captain," I nod. Penny gives us men more instructions before taking her leave and leaving the suite.

"Wow I'd love to loosen her up with some fun," Stewart mumbles as the door closes behind her.

"Stewart, shut up," Ed and I mumble together.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The wedding was beautiful and I knew Edmund shed some tears as Savannah walked down the aisle, her dress was beautiful I had to admit and it fit her perfectly but like always my eyes were on Penny.

"Okay well, do you need me to come in?" I question as I loosen my tie before rubbing my forehead.

"No, we're fine, I just thought you should know because you know, your so invested," Lauren muses.

"Lauren shut up," I mumble and she laughs.

"I'm serious Alex just stay there and enjoy yourself, get drunk, wasted even, and take a girl to bed because fucking hell you've been head upon this case you deserve it,"

"Just call me if you need me," I say turning around and staring at Ed and Savannah's slow dance on the dance floor for their first dance.

"We won't need you,"

"But you can always call me,"

Lauren laughs, "okay I understand, but we won't call you. So drink up!" She exclaims before she hangs up. As I lower my phone I stare at it. I hated how she ended cell phone calls like that.

I put my phone's ringer a little bit higher before shoving it into my suit pants and walking back into the reception area. I smile a little as I see Penny smile at one of the bridesmaids, I make my way over to her.

"You know I think you should deserve some congratulations for such a beautiful wedding Pens," I whisper into her ear before pulling back and tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

She turns around and I knew immediately she was a little tipsy by the way her eyes glossy, "see I was trying to tell Sav that and she flipped me off," She smiles.

"Well, congratulations," I muse, "drink?" I ask her, tilting my head back to the bar. She shrugs and moves past me. I forced myself not to look down at her body because I knew her dress dipped down her cleavage a bit.

Placing a hand on her back as she stumbles "I'm going to sleep like a baby after this wedding, it had me stressed," She sighs and I chuckle.

"That's why you deserve a drink," I say and flag down the bartender, giving him our orders.

"So are you being called in?" She asks leaning on the bar, I raise an eyebrow at her, "I saw you step out before the dance started, I'm surprised your still here,"

"Watching me Pens?" I tease.

"Picturing you doing a nude catwalk," she shrugs turning to me a bit. My dick woke up at this point.

"Well, I mean considering I've been doing that to you since we met," I reply smoothly and she rolls her eyes. "And no I'm not leaving, they just wanted to update me, which was pointless cause we've got nothing," I respond.

"I bet you are excited till you get to sleep after this," She says.

"The wedding?" I question before thanking the bartender for our drinks.

"The attacks," she confirms.

"Oh yea," I nod swallowing my drink, I think it needs more ice. "This is my longest case,"

"Didn't you have that one in?" She begins.

"Arizona, yea," I nod.

"Can I ask something?" She asks me fully turning to me, I nod slowly. "You could have anyone in this room, single or not so why the hell are you here with me?"

"You're drunk," I point out, avoiding the question.

"No, I'm tipsy, not drunk yet, answer the question Mr. FBI agent,"

I chuckle, "you just do something to me," I shrug.

"Or I do something to your dick?"

"Oh, so you do know?" I tease her and she rolls her eyes. Even in the dim lighting her hair, which was pulled back into a low ponytail, was perfect and no hair out of place.

"I'm here in the back of the room with you because you don't take my bullshit of flirting and brush of my looks and give me a run for my money,"

"So you'd kiss me if you had the chance?" she asks.

"Course, but then you'd either slap me or punch me so I've held my tongue," I tell her truthfully. She narrows her eyes at me before nods.

"I had always wanted to slap you," she muses.

"You have," I remind her, "remember? Back when I won at poker and teased you for a week,"

"Oh. Yea." She mumbles and I laugh, finishing my drink.

"So?" I ask and watch the first dance come to an end and people begin to crowd the dance floor again. "May I have this dance?" I question her.

She finished her drink "wow I can't believe you asked for a fully clothed dance," she laughs, music to my ears.

"And I can't believe I'm saying yes," She tells me before grabbing my hand and dragging me to the dance floor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I woke up to the annoying sound of my ringtone before it finally goes to voicemail, "shit" I grumble reaching for it on the nightstand.

"Alex, what the fuck?" Bill says, "we're needed at the office, come on man," He says before hanging up. I groan as I fall back against the pillow rubbing my eyes. Sitting up slowly I feel my drunken headache. I look down and curse again as I see someone else in bed with me.

I realize it as Penny, "fuck," I curse again before sliding out of the bed gently, I quickly dress and grab a notepad and pen, quickly writing down a note for her and putting it on the nightstand beside her.

I stare down at her, her hair sprawled over the pillow and her pouty lips, she looked peaceful and I just fucked up whatever friendship we had by putting my dick in her.

Pulling the covers move over her body I slowly brush her hair out of her face and lean down kissing her forehead before my phone rang again. I answer the call as I slowly close the hotel door behind me.

"I'm gonna be late, I'll be there in forty-five," I tell Bill.

"Okay, at least bring coffee," He says before hanging up.

An hour later I was walking into the conference room with two trays of coffee, "damn you took my offer up!" Lauren exclaims as I hand her a cup of coffee.

"So what was it? Drunk or hook up?" Lauren asks.

"Maybe it was both," Dave winks at me and I roll my eyes.

"Enough about me, what did you idiots find?" I question them sitting down in my chair. I had ditched my suit jacket and tie, thankfully I had my to-go back in my car and changed quickly.

They tell me all the new information they found and I nod, "so the next place is?"

"We're strapping in now," William says walking in. We stood up quickly and grabbed our vests.

Nothing like a normal day at work catching a group of terrorists. Nothing like it.