Series Six One-shots: The Longest Night

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the ideas

Prompt:

Morgan: Hey.
Garcia: Hey back.
Morgan: Baby girl I'm sorry for taking your head off.
Garcia: Oh darling, our love is a rock. No bad day can come between us.
Morgan: Word.
Garcia: Come home safe. I'll leave a light on.

. . . . . . . .

Trudging back into the bullpen Derek wanted nothing more than to turn around and walk away.

Walk away from everything. How much longer could he take this? It was times like this he wondered if it was all worth it. Yes they stopped Billy Flynn, but at what cost?

None of the team were hanging around long; they didn't need to be in the next day, as they were so late back and everyone was shattered. Each grabbed what they came in for, dropped off what they didn't want. Derek headed towards his office, head down.

"You think he'll be OK?" Reid asked Prentiss, watching Morgan take the steps towards his office two at a time.

She shrugged. "Not tonight, but soon," she answered.

Reid looked confused.

"Morgan will work it out his way; we all have our ways to cope."

Prentiss scooped up her bags and left. Reid decided to hover, just in case.

. . . . . . . .

Finally looking up, as he neared the office, Derek noticed his desk lamp shining through the slats of his blind. Great, leaving that on all this time will probably have earned him an environmental memo from Strauss, another mark in her bad books, as if he needed anymore.

Dropping his bags as he opened the door, Derek slid into his desk chair, head in hands. He was exhausted, physically and mentally, but knew he wouldn't sleep, not tonight anyway.

Dragging his hands down his face and rubbing his eyes, he noticed the pink, heart shaped post-it note stuck to his lamp. He read it.

'Told you I'd leave a light on! See you soon Sugar x.'

He let a small smile creep across his lips. That girl really was something else. No matter what, or where, she could reach out and drag him back. Glancing at his watch, he realised the time, it was the early hours of the morning already; he couldn't call her now, could he?

Switching the light off, Derek got up and left. He didn't even register Reid standing at his desk, watching him go.

. . . . . . . .

Sitting outside, in his dark SUV, Derek glanced up at Penelope's apartment window. He should go home and try and get a couple of hours sleep. Then he could come back and see her at an appropriate time.

He jumped involuntarily, as his phone rung.

"Are you coming up, or sitting there until the sun finally rises?"

That same half grin appeared; how did she do it? Looking back up at the window, he saw her.

"How'd you know I was here?" He asked.

"I am the All-Knowing Goddess of the BAU. Now get your butt up here."

With which the phone went dead, leaving Derek no choice but to make his way up.

. . . . . . . .

Derek hated to see the look of concern on her face as he entered her apartment.

"Oh Baby Boy, does it hurt much? It looks like it does. Shouldn't you be lying down or something?"

"Give it up woman, I'm fine," though, he had to secretly admit to liking her fussing.

The problem with the attention was it made him realise just how much he hurt. Not just the cut above his left eye; that Garcia was referring to, but every muscle seemed to burn from excessive tension. To honest he had forgotten what a battering he had taken just over forty-eight hours previously. At least now he had a reasonable explanation for the constant pounding in his skull.

Garcia made her way over to the couch, giving Derek a tug to follow, which he didn't resist. As Penelope settled herself in the corner, Derek sat next to her, eventually leaning back against her as she wrapped her arms around him. He let himself enjoy the warm of her against him.

He knew people didn't understand their relationship. That there was constant speculation about whether they ever would or wouldn't 'get it together'. But his Baby Girl was so much more than that to him.

She was the one that never judged him. He didn't have anything to prove to her. She loved him for what he was, Derek Morgan, and he loved her in return. That was why it never matter what was said or done between them, they knew they had each other. Together they could get through anything.

"So Cupcake, talk to me," she finally prompted, squeezing him a little tighter.

"Why'd we do it?"

"Do what, Honey?"

"Why do we chase around the country, tackling one UnSub after another, only to know that tomorrow there will be another pile of possible cases."

"You do it because you are a good person, and the good guy always wins in the end, Sweetie."

"But he doesn't, Spicer lost, my Dad lost. Now another kid is out their without anyone. At least I had my Mom and sisters, but Ellie has no-one!" As he spoke he could feel the anger rising again.

"I'm more than willing to help track her Mom. I can do things that other services may not be able to do, if you don't tell anyone," not that Penelope thought he would tell anyone.

"Then what? We palm her off on a mother that didn't want her," he added bitterly.

"Wow Tiger, we don't know that. Don't judge her before you have met her. We don't know the circumstances behind their separation."

Derek knew she was right. He was channelling his anger onto an unknown person; anything to try and rid himself of it.

"I know what she is going through. Seeing your father murdered," he breathed deeply, trying to contain his emotions, "Baby, you know too, I know you were older, but losing your parents, having no-one. Ellie's just a kid!"

Penelope said nothing, just hugged him closer, as if she could absorb all the hurt in him. HIs words had cut her, but only because they were true. She hadn't met Ellie, but was more than aware what the girl was facing.

"Every time I close my eyes I can see her crying. She was so strong through it all, barely a tear, but all I can think is that somewhere in the dark, on her own, now, she's letting it out. Who's going to help her through this? Who's going to be there for her?"

Penelope watched as he snuggled in closer to her, needing her as much as she has needed him in the past. She hated seeing Derek so vulnerable, but was honoured that he trusted her enough to let her in.

"When my Dad was shot," he gulped, the image as clear in his mind as if it had happened only yesterday, "I had to be strong, for Mom; of course she never said that. But I remember, she only cried twice in front of us. When she hugged me straight after it happened and after the funeral. She wanted to be strong for us. She talked about Dad and encouraged us to talk about him. But not him dying, not what I'd seen. It was keeping that pent up that caused me to do the things I did."

Penelope listened, letting him talk himself through it all.

"Not that that's an excuse, but when you feel no-one is listening, you do stupid things to get attention. I don't want Ellie to take that route, because once she does, she becomes even more vulnerable."

Pen knew what he was referring to. Derek had told her about his past, about what had happened to him. Slipping down the couch, Penelope lay facing him.

"Sweetness, you have done everything you can right now. I will help you help Ellie, in any way we can, but you need rest and this Goddess needs her beauty sleep. So close those amazing dark brown eyes. You have already given Ellie one thing you have never had."

"What's that?" he asked, suddenly feeling sleepy.

"Closure."

Turning round, Penelope snuggled back against Derek. Spooning each other on the couch, Derek breaths begun to steady, Penelope could tell he was starting to relax. His arms were still tight round her, a feeling she enjoyed. Pen knew she couldn't physically protect Derek from the dark world they co-habited, but she could protect him emotionally, especially from himself. He was his own worse judge, so self-critical. She shut her eyes, knowing her job was done, for now.

Derek's mind started to clear, Penelope was truly his solace, and without her he would have been lost a long time ago. There were few people in this world he could name that he trusted one-hundred percent, but Penelope was top of that list, she knew things about him even his Mom didn't. Pulling her as close as he could, he could feel himself drifty safely off to sleep.

. . . . . . . .

"A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out."

Anon