"At least he's speaking to me again, even if it's not face-to-face. Last night we talked on the phone for over an hour, but I got the impression that there's nothing to be done to fix our relationship," Garcia said with a sad sigh as she look out the passenger side window of Morgan's black SUV.
"But it's a start, right?" Morgan replied as he kept his darkly shaded eyes on the road. "It's been a month, are you still hoping for a reconciliation?" He asked as he gave her a sideway glance that allowed him to see her shrug, but she vocalized no response. "I don't know…you know….maybe it's better this way." He said casually as he carefully broached the conversation he had wanted to have with her for over a week now.
"Better…better for who Morgan? I loved him I had imagined that one day I would marry him and have 'his' children. Look at me now I'm 2 and ½ months pregnant and alone."
"You are not alone," He said as he turned and looked sternly at her, and she felt a little bit guilty and threw him an apologetic.
"I know, I'm sorry…it just feels that way sometimes." She said as she turned her face back towards the window and stared out at the passing scenery.
"Well that's part of the reason I wanted you to come over," Morgan stated just as they pulled up into his driveway.
"Why?" She asked her curiosity peaked. He only smiled and then exited the truck. She watched him as he jogged around the front of the vehicle and opened her door, and then helped her out of the truck. Once they were inside Morgan offered Garcia something to eat and drink, she only accepted some juice, and then she stood watching as he made a toasty fire in the living room's fireplace. She didn't bother mentioning that it was 70 degrees outside because she knew that he didn't make the fires for warmth, but just for the coziness, they provided to the house. "Where's Clooney?" She asked as she looked down the hallway that led to two of the downstairs bedrooms. It was unusual for her to come over to Morgan's and not get accosted by his very large dog.
"Uh, I put him in the garage, I knew you were coming over today and I just didn't want him jumping all over you. I thought he might hurt you or the baby." Morgan answered as he stood up and stared down at the crackling fire.
"Thanks," She said sincerely because she herself had been concerned about that very thing when Morgan had invited her over. "Now will you tell me what's going on? You said you brought me over for a reason…" Morgan nodded his head as he walked up to her and grasped the glass of juice from her hand, placing it on a nearby table. Then he grasped her hand and led her down the hallway past the staircase.
"I was stuck for a bit trying to decide which of the four rooms would work best," Morgan spoke as he pulled her behind him to the first of the two bedrooms on the first floor. "I rationalized that it would be better for you to have everything on the first floor, instead of going up and down the stairs." They stopped in front of the bedroom door.
"Morgan, what are you talking about?" Garcia asked in confusion as Morgan opened the door and the view of a beautifully decorated nursery filled her eyes. "Oh my God," She gasped out as one hand fell against her chest and the other against her belly, which didn't yet show any 'real' signs of the baby growing inside of it. She stepped into the room whose walls were painted in a neutral color of soft yellow and white. There was a large oak sleigh-shaped crib with a matching dresser and changing table, and also a rocking chair that looked to be made of the same wood as the other furnishing. There were plaques and pictures on the walls that went well with the color palette of the room, and toys and stuffed animals littered the room. "When did you do all of this?"
"Honestly I started the day you told me you were pregnant," He said as he moved to the dresser and picked up a large plush frog toy. "I know I ran off like a scared little punk but later after work, I drove to a baby store and bought this and a few other things," He wiggled the frog a bit. "I stood in that store for at least an hour trying to pick out the perfect toy. 'Course my mind immediately gravitated to the 'boy' toys and I snatched this up, but then I got to thinking well what if it's a girl? I was lost," He chuckled as he remembered and Garcia smiled sweetly at him. "One of the young female clerks came over to help me and she put it into perspective for me she said, 'we girls like frogs too'." Garcia nodded her head.
"This is true, in fact, I had three pet frogs when I was a kid."
"Yeah?"
"Yep."
"So I did good, do you like it?"
"Derek it's beautiful. Looks like you've got everything a baby will need. You definitely got a head start on me. Honestly, I didn't want to buy anything until I found a bigger place. As you well know I'm looking to buy a nice little bungalow for me and junior here, but so far I haven't 'loved' any of the houses I've looked at."
"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about that," He spoke as he grabbed her hand again and pulled her to a door in the nursery that was right across from the crib. He opened the door and she bunched her brow a bit and wondered why he was showing her one of the two closets in the bedroom. She was surprised when he opened the door and found an opening to the huge bedroom next door. "I didn't do much decorating in here, just put in the bare minimums; bed, nightstand, and a couple of dressers. And you already knew it had the master bath. I figured I'd let you decorate it how you wanted."
"Me…what? Morgan, I'm not moving in here, I can't."
"Yes you can, come on you know I own four properties, and when you told me you were looking for a bigger place so you can have room for the baby, this made the most sense. The best part is I happen to know the landlord and I worked out a sweet deal for you, so it's rent-free for life, which leaves you more money for the baby."
"Ok, now you've really lost your mind. I have been paying my own way since I was 17 years old, and that's not gonna change, and this," She waved her hand about. "Would not work, I can't kick you out of your home Derek, especially when you've put so much work into this place. No offense, but it was a dump when you brought it and I personally thought you were crazy, don't know if I ever told you that…"
"On more than one occasion," Morgan interjected with a grin.
"Well I stand corrected because you pretty much tore it down and build it up from scratch and it's beautiful, so I just wouldn't feel right having you move out just so the baby and I can have a bigger place. I have a great realtor and she'll find us a great place."
"Woman, it makes no sense to go out and purchase a house when there's plenty of room here, and I not moving out." He stated and she turned to him stunned. "We can both live here and raise our baby here…together."
"No!" She said flat out and then turned and left the nursery.
"No, you just told him no, just like that?" Prentiss asked as she turned to where Garcia sat at one of the nearby tables with Reid and Seaver, sipping some herbal tea. Prentiss stood fixing herself some coffee as Reid and Seaver silently followed their conversation.
"Yeah just like that, I don't need Morgan to take care of me I just need him to help take care of this baby."
"Yeah I get that but I don't know…don't you think it would be beneficial for the baby to have both parents in the home?" Prentiss added as she stirred some Splenda sweetener into her coffee.
"Statistically speaking, children who grow up in a two-parent home generally do better in life than those in a single-parent home. They're more likely to graduate high school and college, and most have no criminal record." Reid stated.
"Didn't you grow up in a single-parent home, Mr. Brainiac?" Seaver asked in a teasing tone and Reid bunched his brow and pouted a bit before he replied.
"Yes, I did."
"Yeah and look how you turned out," Prentiss added as the three ladies stared at the younger man who sat grinning, full of pride.
"Uhnnn, ok so that's a point for the reasons why I should move in with Morgan," Garcia said as she focused back onto Prentiss who giggled as Seaver smirked, and Reid gave a baffled look, unsure if he had just been insulted or given a compliment. "But it's just not a good enough reason. This is the 21st century and women have come a long way. I'm perfectly capable of doing this by myself."
"But why do it by yourself when you have a man right here offering to do it with you." A voice spoke out and all eyes fell onto Morgan who had just entered the room but had heard the tail end of their conversation.
"And I plan to take you up on that offer, you can help even if we live in two different homes…we're doing it now," Garcia threw out teasingly as she smiled around the brim of her teacup, as she lifted it to her lips.
"Yeah, but we don't have a baby to look after 'now', but once he or she is here I want to be there every second, I don't want to miss a thing; the diaper changes, the two o'clock feeding, the first steps, the first word…nothing," Morgan said with such conviction the three ladies all ooohed and awwed a bit.
"C'mon, that has to be another mark on the pros side," Prentiss said as she looked at Garcia, who rolled her eyes and sipped her tea but didn't argue the point. Morgan flashed her with a wide smile, knowing he had won this round and was wearing her down just a bit.
"Ok I think I've figured out why you've been so reluctant," Morgan said as he breezed into Garcia's office.
"C'mon in I'm not busy or anything," She tossed out casually and remained focused on the search she was in the middle of doing for Special Agent Cooper's BAU team. Before Morgan could continue her phone buzzed and she picked up one of the pencils on her desk and used the fuzzy-covered end to push the button to connect the call. "Talk to me."
"Good morning beautiful," A sultry voice with what Morgan detected was a British accent filled the room, and Garcia's face lit up with a saucy smile.
"Well good morning, Agent Rawson."
"Wow, why so 'formal' today?" He asked playfully.
"Sorry babydoll, momma's very busy multi-tasking right now, we can be casual later, so what can I do you for?" She asked her fingers still flying across the keys.
"Coop wanted me to check to see if you found those files of the missing person cases that coincided with the murders in this area."
"Yeah sending them to you now," She said as she struck the enter button.
"Damn, beautiful, sexy, smart, and efficient…you sure you won't take me up on my proposal and marry me?" Rawson teased and invoked a girly giggle from Garcia and a frown accompanied with an eye roll from Morgan, who was biting his tongue in order to keep from cursing the man on the other line out.
"I told you you'll have to wait your turn," She replied playfully and she could hear him laughing as she ended the call with another jab of her pencil. "Now how can I help you hot stuff?" She asked as she turned her seat to face him and give him her undivided attention. She was greeted with a scowl of disgust on Morgan's face.
"What the hell was that?" Morgan asked in a demanded tone and Garcia arched her brows and smirked at him.
"What?" She asked innocently though she was fully aware of what he meant.
"Beautiful, sexy, smart…" He mimicked in a pretty good British accent.
"What do you disagree with that assessment?"
"You know I don't but he should be more professional when he's talking to you," Morgan said his scowl still in place.
"Right like you are? Oh my…you're jealous." She teased as her smirk turned into a full-fledged smile.
"I am not jealous."
"Mmm…hmmm," Garcia hummed out as she leaned back more comfortably in her chair and crossed her legs enjoying the moment; she thought Morgan looked damned good when he was green with envy.
"I'm not, I don't have to be because I know something Agent Rawson apparently hasn't been made aware of."
"Which is what exactly?" She asked.
"You're carrying 'my' baby, and soon you'll be moving in with 'me', and hopefully taking 'my' last name." He said confidently.
"For your information, Agent Rawson does know that I'm pregnant with your child, in fact, he's even offered to go to Lamaze classes with me." Morgan responded with a 'hmph' and grumbled out a 'like hell' under his breath, but Garcia ignored him and continued speaking. "Also, I have not decided yet whether or not I want to move in with you, and I get that you want to be close to the baby when it comes, but I just don't think that's enough of a reason for us to shack u…" Her words stopped abruptly as her brain finally caught up to what her ears had heard. "Wait…'taking your last name'…Derek what…" Again her words stopped abruptly when she saw him pull a small black velvet ring box from behind his back.
"Before you say anything, just listen," Morgan spoke as he stepped forward and set the box on the desk before her and her eyes followed and remained locked onto the box. "I've been giving this thought ever since the night at my mom's when we made love on her living room floor. The second it was over it hit me that I didn't want it to be over, ever…and it wasn't even about the sex, although I'm man enough to admit to you that it was off the chain and I've never had it 'that' good before. It was something else, I can't explain it…it was like things clicked and when I came to your room later that night I wanted to tell you then, but you made it clear that you didn't want it to be more than comfort sex…"
"Morgan I…" He stilled her word by holding up one of his hands.
"It's ok I understood why, I know my reputation, I worked hard to create and maintain my player persona. I've never seen myself as the type to settle down and raise a family, at least I never saw myself that way, until 'that' night. I love you, you are my best friend, and 'before' I would never let my mind wander too far down a lustful path with you." She arched her brow at him a bit. "Oh yes sweetness I have had very nasty thoughts about you…and me…together long before we hooked up. Hey, I am a red-blooded man, and contrary to what you may have been told or may think, you are one hell of a woman. You are indeed very beautiful, oh so sexy, and smart, don't let any man fool you into believing that we don't like 'all' those traits in a woman, they're major turn-ons. Now… being with you is all I can think about…you and the baby. I realize I do want to settle down and have the house with the white picket fence, with 2.5 kids and a dog," He chuckled nervously and she giggled as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Your house doesn't have a white picket fence," She pointed out.
"So I'll build one," He replied as he kneeled down in front of her and grasped both of her hands in his. "I love you Penelope Garcia and I can't tell you exactly when it happened but I've fallen crazy in love with you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you if you'll have me." She closed her eyes freeing the rest of her unshed tears and pressed her lips together as if she were trying to contain a scream. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes and graced him with a smile as she nodded her head at him. "Is that a, "Oh Morgan I love you too and yes, I'll marry you?" He asked in a girly voice as he rolled her neck and she threw her head back a bit and laughed outright as she sniffed back more tears.
"Oh Derek Morgan, I do love you too and have been in love with you for a while now, and yes…yes, I will marry you." She stated as she rolled her neck, mimicking his move.
"She said yes!" He bellowed out as he snatched up the box and opened it and then pulled out the 3.5-carat princess cut diamond ring he had purchased a couple of weeks prior. He began sliding it on her fingers just as the door opened and Rossi, Reid, Prentiss, and Hotchner all poured in.
"Congratulations," Rossi was the first to speak out.
"It's about time," Prentiss stated.
"Yes it is long overdue," Hotch concurred as he extended his hand to Morgan who grasped and shook it when he stood up, while Rossi kissed Garcia's cheek when she stood from her chair.
"So when is the big day?" Reid asked as he moved in to give Garcia a quick kiss on the cheek. Garcia shrugged as she threw her 'fiancée' a questioning look.
"Hey kid we just got engaged, but we can do it right now as far as I'm concerned," Morgan replied but Garcia quickly shook her head at that idea.
"No way, Garci is having a big 'traditional' wedding."
"I don't know about the 'traditional' part," Garcia interjected as she made a sour face at the idea.
"Fine untraditional just not some cheap justice of the peace 'shotgun wedding'," Prentiss said as several arched brows looked at her. "Oh no…no…not to say that that's what this is…I didn't mean that…no, no." The others chuckled at her expense.
"So you're volunteering to be my maid of honor?" Garcia asked and Prentiss' eyes grew large.
"Really, you want me…I would have thought you'd want JJ…wow, really?" Garcia nodded her head. "Ok, yeah I'd be…honored," Prentiss said with a smile.
"Of course, I'll ask JJ to be one of my bridesmaids, but she's just too busy nowadays with the Henry and the new job to handle the duties of the Maid of Honor, and there's a lot to do between now and June 10th," Garcia stated.
"June 10th?" Reid repeated as he looked at Garcia baffled. "You just picked that date just now…off the top of your head?" Garcia nodded her head vigorously and no one else, save Reid, seemed to find it odd. "Does the date have some special significance to you?"
"Not yet but it's going to be our wedding date and our anniversary date for many years to come. And I figure it's a little over a month away, so it gives Prentiss and I time to plan an uber slammin wedding, and most importantly, it's still early enough that I'll still have my girlish figure so I can fit into a wedding dress and not look like I'm hiding a beach ball underneath it."
"Wait…is that how all women set their wedding dates, basing it around whether they can fit into their wedding dress?" Reid asked still a bit confused, and everyone else in the room simply nodded their heads.
"And did you get the tux for little Jackie?" Garcia asked as she walked through the underground parking garage, and headed for Esther to go out and make some last-minute errands for her wedding which was in less than two weeks.
"Yes Princess I got all the tuxes rented and I've also rented the white limos for our wedding party," Morgan confirmed as he spoke into his cell while making his way into the back of the jet to get some coffee.
"Good I'm headed out now to finalize the floral arrangements we picked and to pick up my dress from the seamstress. I had really hoped I would be able to fit the dress without having to have it altered."
"Hey you're full of my child right now, and if the kid's got a head like his old man he needs room," He joked and she giggled immediately feeling uplifted by his words.
"I miss you, when will you guys be home?" She asked as she continued on her trek to her car.
"Oh I miss you too baby, but we'll probably be in the air for another 4 hours or so," Morgan said as he sighed heavily at the thought of how long it had been since he saw his babygirl, it had definitely been a long week for him.
"Well, that'll give me plenty of time to make sure I have a hot home cook meal waiting for you when you get home." She said as her caddy finally came into view.
"Oh, I just want a hot Penelope Garcia, naked when I get home." He replied in a hushed tone so the others wouldn't overhear him.
"If you be a good boy and eat all of your vegetables, you can have that for dessert."
"Mmmm…yes ma'am. See you in a few, I love you…"
"I wuuuuuv you to Garcia…*Smack*…oww," Reid's voice came over the phone and Garcia laughed as she heard Morgan and Reid bickering over the line just before the call disconnected.
"Penelope," A voice called out from behind her and Garcia jumped in fright.
"Oh my God!" She squealed out as she quickly turned to face the man that had scared her. "Kevin, don't sneak up on me like that."
"I'm so sorry…are…are you ok," He asked as he reached out as if wanting to hold her up but back far enough as if he were scared to touch her. "I didn't hurt the baby did I?" He asked with genuine concern.
"No, I'm fine and the baby is fine too."
"Good." He smiled bashfully. "You look great, it really is true what they say about pregnant women, you do glow." She smiled at his kind words. "I've been meaning to stop by and say I'm sorry about the way I've been acting…"
"No, no apologies are necessary…you're totally entitled to treat me like crap I cheat on you and…"
"It's ok, really I forgive you. I want you to be happy Penny even if it's not with me which leads me to my congratulations to you and Agent Morgan. I heard about the upcoming wedding, haven't gotten my invitation yet though." He stated as he frowned up a bit.
"Oh, I didn't invite you. I'm sorry I…I just assumed that you wouldn't want to come, It wasn't because I don't think of you as a friend because I still do…I totally do," She babbled out embarrassed.
"I was joking, I am really happy for you but I'm not ready to watch you walk down the aisle to another man."
"Oh…ok," She sighed in relief, and then they stood quietly for several long seconds.
"You headed out to lunch, me too," Kevin spoke out, interrupting the quietness. "You want to go grab something…its Wednesday so Nate is running his meatloaf special today, your favorite." He offered but noticed her hesitation and quickly tried to recant his offer. "But if you're busy then we can take a rain check. I just want you to know that I too still think of you as my friend."
"Thank you, Kevin, for still wanting to be my friend…and you know what I have been craving some of Nate's meatloaf, in fact, I've been craving just about everything these days." She said as she patted her belly, and Kevin smiled kindly at her as he stared longingly at her stomach. "Would you mind if we take your car though, mine is full of wedding stuff and there's barely any room for me? You can just drop me back off here after lunch."
"Sure, I'm parked just over here." Kevin agreed as he led the way to his lime green Ford Prius.
"Well that wasn't as awkward as I thought it would be," Kevin said casually as he stopped the car at a traffic light that had turned red as they journeyed back to work. They had had a nice lunch at Nate's dinner which was just around the corner from their job and had become their favorite place to eat for the past three years. They had very nice, amicable conversations.
"Nope it wasn't, and that's a good thing because I meant what I said before I want us to remain friends," Garcia said as she reached out and briefly placed her hand atop his but moved it just as he shifted gears and moved through the intersection. He turned to give her a smile and to tell her he wanted the same but was greeted with a terrifying sight of a red truck just as it struck the passenger side of his car. Everything seemed to move in slow motion, and he watched in horror as the force of the impact snapped Garcia's body forward and sideways towards him and sent glass everywhere, all before blackness and quiet engulfed him.