She was quite surprised to find the bed empty when she opened her eyes. Usually Morgan would stay in bed until well past noon. She would always get up early fix him breakfast and serve it to him in bed and then he’d coax her back to bed where they would stay cuddled up, either sleeping or watching old black and white movies on TV for most of the day. She heard his hushed voice and turned in the bed to find him in the kitchen rummaging through her cabinets and the fridge as he spoke into the phone nestled between his ear and shoulder.
“Look I’m a grown ass man and I don’t explain my actions to my mother anymore so what makes you think I’d explain them to you Tam?” Garcia suddenly felt like she was eavesdropping on something very personal but being that she lived in a loft there wasn’t really any place to go for privacy except the bathroom, which she decided would be a good place for her to go to afford Morgan some privacy. “I’m not having this conversation with you.” There was a pause before he spoke again. “No not later, not ever.” At that moment he noticed Garcia as she moved from the bed and moved toward the bathroom. “Morning Princess,” Morgan tossed out sweetly around a smile which instantly soured to a frown. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll call you later.” With that said he slapped the phone shut and tossed it on the countertop. “I made your favorite, eggs benedict.” Morgan said placing their plates on the counter as if nothing out of the ordinary had just occurred.
“Mmmm, smells good,” Garcia replied as she leaned against the counter and watched him. “What are you doing up so early?” She asked the obvious.
“Been up for a while, couldn’t get back to sleep.” He answered honestly.
“Is everything ok?” She asked as she nodded her head towards the cell phone on the counter, which suddenly started to ring. Morgan lifted it and upon seeing the name, flipped it open and then turned the phone off before dropping it back on the countertop.
“Yep,” He said as he moved to the fridge. “So what’s your poison, apple juice or orange juice?” He tossed over his head which was buried in the fridge.
“Orange juice please.” Morgan grabbed the carton of juice and then moved back to the counter. He poured them both a tall glass of OJ and then settled on the barstool beside Garcia. They ate in comfortable silence for a few moments before Garcia spoke again. “You wanna talk about it?” She offered.
“No, because there’s nothing to talk about,” Morgan mumbled around a mouthful of food.
“OK but you know…”
“Yes Princess I know I’ve always got your ear if I need it, and thank you.” He ended the conversation by leaning over and kissing her temple and they finished their breakfast in amicable silence.
“So how was your sleepover with Morgan last night?”
“Kevin,” Garcia spoke through a sigh as she addressed her boyfriend while they stood in the snack area, drinking their morning coffee.
“I know I know, I’m not supposed to ask. But you can’t fault a guy for being curious when his girlfriend shares her bed with another guy.”
“Don’t make it sound sorted, it’s not like that and you know it. I’ve explained to you over and over again that it’s just a thing that Morgan and I share, it’s like a tradition and completely platonic.” Garcia defended growing irritated that she had to defend what she saw as a sacred time with Morgan. A time that they never shared with anyone else on the team and never, ever discussed with anyone else.
“I know Pen, and I get it I do honest, but…” He stumbled for the right words, words that wouldn’t pissed her off and have him in the doghouse, again.
“But what?”
“Well, you’ve already had four ‘traditional’ nights together this month.”
“Oh,” Garcia replied genuinely surprised. “I didn’t realize.”
“And with the cases you’ve been working and the ones that I’ve been working, you and I haven’t had any alone time at all this month, and I’m kind of…”
“Oh my God please do not say horny.” Garcia interrupted him holding up her hand in warning.
“I was gonna say ‘missing my girlfriend’, but yeah I’m also horny. Seriously I have a bad case of blue balls down there.” Kevin confessed and loud enough to be heard by several seated at the nearby tables.
“Well that’s not something you hear every morning,” Prentiss tossed out as she and Morgan made their way to get some coffee.
“No and it’s something I never want to hear, any morning.” Morgan added as he filled his cup and frowned slightly as he glanced at Garcia, who stood mortified with her face almost as red as her hair.
“Excuse me I’m just going to go to my office and die from humiliation now,” Garcia announced and then turned to make her exit. “And if you value those blue balls of yours you better not follow me,” She threw over her retreating back to Kevin who was in fact about to follow her but stopped dead in his tracks at her words. He then turned back to where Prentiss and Morgan sat.
“Boy is she mad at you,” Morgan said casually and then took a sip of coffee.
“Uhm huh, Prentiss added and then took a sip of her own coffee. Kevin stared at them with what looked to be a cross between a cringe and a smile.
There was a soft knock at the door, which she had heard but intended on ignoring. After a few seconds there came another knock.
“What?” She barked out and the door opened.
“Whoa momma,” Morgan entered as he held one of his hands up in the air in surrender. “You still mad?” He asked even though he could ‘see’ the answer to the question.
“Yes at this moment I officially hate all men, so if you’ve come looking for a favor you might want to try back later, much, much later.” Garcia said in a huff as she slammed her fingers against her keyboard.
“Actually I come baring gifts, lunch to be more precise.” Morgan stated as he held up a large brown paper bag. He could see her rigid shoulders slump down just a bit, and he knew that was a sign that her anger was diffusing a bit.
“What did you bring?” She asked as she purposely kept her back to him, not wanting him to see the smile on her face just yet.
“A couple of Philly cheese steaks and some fries from Nate’s café, right across the street. I know they’re your favorite.”
“Mmmhmm, and so you got me two, just because I’m a big girl doesn’t mean I eat like a pig Morgan.” Garcia said as she swirled in her chair to grace him with a hard glare.
“Please woman, you’re beautiful and you’re not big you’re thick, and just the right kind of thick in all the right places.” He said with a charming smile and a wink and this garnered him a smile and an eye roll from Garcia. “I got two sandwiches because I thought I’d join you for lunch if that’s all right.”
“Only if you’ve got a Mt. Dew in that bag.” She replied and he opened the bag and pulled out two 12oz cans of Mt. Dew, holding them up for her inspection.
“OK I’m yours to do with as you will.” Garcia said with a smile.
“Watch it now,” Morgan spoke as he moved to loom over her, leaning into her space a bit. “Don’t let that sexy mouth talk you into something that sweet behind of yours can’t get you out of.” She giggled at the teasing and Morgan saw the flirtatious glint return to her eyes, and knew it was playtime.
“Oh my sweet behind and I are ready and willing, anytime and anyplace my chocolate Adonis,” She threw back at him. Before their banter could continue they were interrupted by the person standing at Garcia’s open office door.
“Am I interrupting something?” Tamara Barnes asked as she stood in the doorway and two sets of eyes zoomed in on her. One held a look of surprise while the other full of anger.
“Ms. Barnes…uh…I mean…Tamara.” Garcia called out as she quickly stood and took a step away from Morgan, who took note of her movement and frowned slightly.
“What are you doing here Tam, I’ve ask you not to stop by my job anymore without calling first.” Morgan said in greeting.
“Actually I didn’t come here to see you Derek. I’ve already tried to discuss this situation with you and since you weren’t very forthcoming I decided to come speak with Penelope, but I guess I don’t need to do that anymore since it looks like I just got the answer I came here for, when I walked in. So Penelope tell me how long have you been fucking my man?” Tamara spat out venomously and all Garcia could do is look at her like a fish caught out of water.
“Whoa, whoa slow your roll. You’re way outta line,” Morgan interjected as he stepped up and in between the two women as if to physically protect Garcia from further verbal accusations.
“Am I, you spent the night at her house last night Derek, and then I come here and find you two looking like you’re about to throw down right here on the floor, and with the door wide open.” Tamara continued to rant as she moved further into the office. “So I think I have a right to know if she’s fucking ‘my’ man.”
“No, God it’s not like that.” Garcia began to explain but Morgan gently grasped her wrist as he turned to address her.
“You don’t have to explain what we do or don’t do. Not to her,” He pointed behind him. “Not to anyone.” He said and when she nodded her head a bit he then turned back to face the angry woman at the door. “As for you, I’ve already told you once I’m a grown man and I don’t answer to you.”
“Morgan we’re in a relationship and you don’t think an explanation is warranted when I find out you’re sleeping with another woman?”
“We weren’t…” Garcia again started to explain.
“Don’t,” Morgan hissed out a warning and threw Garcia a look she had never seen from him before and it caused her to instantly clamp her mouth shut and take another step back from him. “Give me a minute I’ll be right back and then we can finish our lunch.” His words enraged Tamara even more but she didn’t voice her anger, she simply huffed out a chuckle as she crossed her arms against her chest and rolled her eyes upward. Morgan swiftly moved to her and grasped her at her elbow and led her from the office.
“Let go of me,” Tamara said through gritted teeth, wrenching her arm free when she realized that she was being escorted to the elevators. Morgan released her arm and they stopped and threw glares at each other.
“What the fuck is your problem?” He asked his own anger starting to get the better of him.
“My problem is you sneaking around behind my back with that…that cow.”
“Now you’re really starting to piss me off. You don’t know Garcia you don’t know anything about her or our relationship, so you really need to keep your mouth shut about her.”
“So you admit there it a relationship?”
“Never denied it, we’ve always had a relationship long before you and I hooked up and we’ll have one long after you and I break up.” Morgan declared and his words seemed to sting a bit as Tamara noticeably flinched. “Not that it’s any of your business, but my relationship with Garcia is completely platonic. She’s my best friend and I love and respect her too much to have some ‘fling’ with her, and she’s too much of a classy lady to mess around with a man who she knows is in a relationship.”
“Oh,” Tamara said as she spoke more softly, her anger suddenly replaced with embarrassment. “So there’s nothing going on between you two?”
“Isn’t that what I just said?” Morgan replied his anger still raging.
“Look I’m sorry, ok. I guess I just let my jealousy get the better of me.” She offered an apology but could see by his demeanor that it wasn’t appeasing him. “Come on put yourself in my place and try to see where I’m coming from. Most people don’t have the type of relationship you two seem to have. I’m sorry,” She reached out and grasped his hand and when he didn’t recoil from her touch she took a step closer to him and continued. “I’m really sorry.” She said again more nervously as she lifted her free hand to her neck and subconsciously tugged on the gold chain still housed there. The necklace instantly caught Morgan’s eye.
“Where did you get that, why are you wearing my necklace?” His eyes suddenly held a dangerous gleam.
“You left it at my place the other night, actually that’s why I stopped by yesterday to bring it to you, I noticed how important it seems to be to you, so I thought you might want it.”
“Take it off.” He said and then forcefully turned her around and moved his hands to the clasp.
“OK, just wait a minute.” She said as she lifted her thick tresses to give him better access to the clasp. “I didn’t damage it Derek, I just wore it.”
“It’s mine you don’t touch my things without asking me first.”
“Then you shouldn’t leave your things lying around ‘my’ house.”
“Fine, then I’ll stop by later to get the rest of my things from ‘your’ house.” He stated and then turned to leave.
“Derek,” She called out for him and he quickly turned and stalked back to her.
“I’m done having this discussion with you, here at my place of work. You’ve embarrassed me enough, so leave and don’t come back here again unannounced.” Saying nothing more he stalked off heading back to Garcia’s office, which he entered and then slammed shut behind him. He turned and growled at the closed door and then took a deep breath to calm himself.
“I’m sorry,” Garcia’s meek voice caught his attention.
“Babygirl you aint got nothing to be sorry about,” He said as he pulled up another chair to her desk and sat down in it. “But I guess you could say I told you so.”
“For what?”
“You were right, I never should have gotten involved with the family member of a victim whose case I’m working.”
“Hmmm, anyway I hope you explained things to her and she understands.” Morgan didn’t reply and she reached over and nudged him a bit. “You did tell her the truth right?”
“Yes, I told her that you’re my best friend always have been and always will be.” She smiled kindly at him for a second before looking serious again.
“Both of our significant others think we’re having sex, what up wit that?”
“What Lynch too?” Morgan chuckled as he reached for one of the sandwiches that Garcia had already set out on top of her desk.
“Yup, that’s actually what we were discussing this morning. I mean I’ve told him over and over that we’re just friends but it’s never enough. He always wants me to define our relationship and there’s no way to define our kind of relationship, and believe me I have actually sat down and tried, and I couldn’t find the words.”
“Way I see it we don’t need to define it or explain it so long as you and I get it,” He said as he took a big bite into his sandwich. “Mmmmmmm this is so good.” He mumbled and Garcia giggled a bit as she reached out and wiped the glob of cheese from the corner of his mouth with her thumb and then without a second thought sucked her thumb into her mouth.
“Yeah you’re right we’re just too weird to explain.” Garcia said as she pulled her thumb from her mouth. She was so lost in her current thought she hadn’t notice the way Morgan stared at her, had no way of knowing how what she had just done affected him. “What?” She asked when she realized he had topped eating and was staring at her. He had to swallow down the lump that had formed in his throat before he could respond.
“Nothing, eat up before it gets cold.”