Stranded for Christmas

Morgan and Garcia

Note- The tone of this story is simple and sweet, like a TV Christmas movie, so I won't be writing a love scene for this chapter.

December 2009

Chapter Six

Just when Derek had been trying to once again convince his heart to give up on any romantic notions it had about Penelope Garcia, she marched into the living room of the cabin, seemingly suddenly overcome with emotion and loudly proclaimed "I love you too, Derek Morgan," before coming over to the couch, kneeling next to him, wrapping her hand around the back of his neck and pulling his mouth up to hers for a soft, but intense locking of lips.

Even though he was in his late thirties, when he was around her he felt like a teenager again. Every look between them meant so much; every touch sent electric charges careening though his body; every time they spoke on the phone his heart soared; whenever they flirted he was left speechless and aching for her.

And, also like a teenager, he always hesitated to make a move on her. But that didn't mean he hadn't leaned in to try to kiss her before. Plenty of times he had tried to go there but she often gave him a cheek or else made it into a hug or, in the most intense moments, just ran away from him, leaving him to remind himself that even though plenty of other women wanted him in that way, Penelope was more comfortable just being buddies with him.

It was a hard lesson to ever learn. Especially when her beautiful dark eyes and plump, glossy lips drew him in time after time, not to mention her curves let his mouth watering and her dirty word laced flirting and mastery of innuendo sent him off the charts with wanting.

But wanting is all he had ever been able to do until this very moment when she finally decided to cross that line.

All too soon, she pulled back, leaving him panting breathlessly, in shock. He whispered her name. "Penelope...?"

"I got your text, from Friday, and I don't know...it just touched me and I just...I hope that was okay."

"Okay?" he choked out.

"It was just a friendly Christmas kiss!" she blurted out.

He arched an eyebrow and pulled her into his arms, against his chest, ignoring the aching in knee, from where he pulled a muscle while out jogging that morning. "Woman, it needs to be Christmas everyday for us then," he murmured, as his lips hovered just the barest inch from hers.

He felt her relief at his words and that was all the go-ahead signal he needed before crashing his mouth down onto hers. He had come up to this cabin this weekend to put away the last of his feelings for her, believing that even though she was single now she still wouldn't want to change their status from just friends, but now he was more caught up in his desire for her...for them to be everything to each other...than ever before.

And he planned to show her that so there were no more doubts left in her mind of how much she owned his heart...so if she didn't want a relationship with him she would at least know all that she had given up in the name of being just friends.

Once he too had thought just friends would be enough but long ago his heart had told him that just friends was just a tease of all they could be, and just a way to leave him lonely...aching for the love only she could give him.

Getting lost in the sweet taste of her lips, Derek moaned against Penelope's lips, and tightened his grip around her soft, curve packed body, wanting this moment to never end.

XXXXXXXXXX

Penelope's lips had curved into a smile when Derek declared "Woman, it needs to be Christmas everyday for us then," right before he pressed his lips against hers.

She had been nervous that the kiss she impulsively gave to him moments before would somehow be unwanted- even if all the signs for so long pointed in the other direction- and when he said those words she knew that he did indeed want her badly. It made her heart soar and fill with even more want, need, lust and love for him, as she finally let her stubborn mind believe that Derek Morgan was a man she could have as much more than just a friend.

Wrapped up in the smell, taste and feel of Derek, Penelope got lost in his kiss, and found herself sliding down to rest on the couch next to him, still wrapped tight in his arms, when their kiss broke apart a long moment later.

Her eyes slowly opened and she found him staring at her with a tender smile on his lips. In his gaze, she could see nothing but love and excitement, which was echoed in her mind, body and spirit for him.

She caressed his cheek. "Christmas every day. I think I could get used to that."

He gently kissed her again. "Well worth the long, long, oh so long and torturous, five years of being buddies, wait. But you do know we got a lot of time to make up for, right?"

She giggled. "I'm up to the challenge if you are."

"Bring it on, baby girl," Derek said, with a slight growl to his tone, as he moved in for another kiss.

After a moment she jerked away.

"What's the matter? Is this all going too fast for you?" he asked, worriedly. "We can slow it down, okay?"

"Too fast? You just try to keep up, tiger."

He chuckled.

She said "I was just wondering if your knee is up for this."

"My knee is in heaven, just like the rest of me. Don't you know how long I've been waiting for this...for you? Feels like all my life but really it's only been five wonderful but frustrating long years of being stuck in the friend zone with you. Now that I'm out, I plan to fully enjoy every second it."

In that moment she truly believed his words about wanting her all along, though she felt that like her his feelings had grown as time went on, changed and rearranged and deepened with time. Though just like him she had wanted him, in some way, shape or form, all along.

And now he was offering her everything she had dreamt about, everything she had come to think she could never have for her own because...she wasn't enough for him. The look in his eye at this moment told her she was enough. In fact, it told her she was everything to this man.

She had never felt more loved in all her life. Finally her insecurities started to die and she let herself get lost in the feelings that were swirling around them in that moment, the feeling that they were turning a corner that would take them to the beautiful, filled with love, rest of their lives together.

Caressing his cheek, she said "I've been wanting this forever too," before she gently brought her lips back to his.

Outside the snow started to fall again, ensuring they wouldn't make it home that night for work in the morning. The mountain roads would soon become impassable.

They would just have to enjoy one more night at the cabin. But tonight they surely would not spend in different rooms, but instead wrapped up in each other's loving arms.

XXXXXXXXX

On Tuesday morning, Derek walked into the bullpen of the BAU and spotted Emily and Reid near their desks. He walked over to them and gave Emily a harsh, hard look before saying "I can not believe you pulled that on me and Garcia, Prentiss."

She nervously said "Um...sorry? Come on! I was just hoping it would be what you two needed. I didn't mean to piss you off. I promise I'm not gonna get between you two again. Is PG really mad?"

Reid noticed Penelope coming into the bullpen. "I'd say we're going to find out in approximately seventeen point three seconds."

Penelope walked over to them. Her eyes quickly moved up and down Derek before she spun on her heel and pointed her finger at Emily. "How dare you, missy!"

"I'm really sorry, Garcia. I know it was kinda out of line-" Emily started.

"For that little stunt," Penelope said "you've earned yourself..." then she smiled "a spot as my bridesmaid, one day to be determined in the hopefully not too distant future!"

She hugged a shocked Emily. A grin curved Derek's lips and he chuckled.

Reid looked confused. "What is she talking about? Garcia is engaged to Lynch? I thought they broke up and he's seeing-"

Morgan said "Bite your tongue, kid. She's done being with anyone but yours truly."

His eyes lovingly caressed her, as she pulled out of her hug with Emily and turned to look at him, catching his gaze.

Emily asked "Wait a minute, so it all worked out? I knew it! I knew all you two needed was a little alone time. Reid is not the only genus around here. Now if only I could be as smart about my own sex life."

Morgan put his arm around Garcia's waist. "I guess I owe you a thank you, Prentiss," he said, warmly. "I will never be able to pay you back for what you put in motion last weekend."

Reid asked "What did she do? I'm lost."

Morgan said "It don't matter what she did, all that matters is that it worked." He looked down and into Penelope's eyes. "And next Christmas no one is gonna have to set it up so that we're together...never again. I think we can take it from here, right, baby girl?"

"We can take it all the way, my love," she answered.

Emily made a gagging sound before saying "Okay, okay, I'm happy for you but let's keep the lovey dovey moments to a minimum. It's not even nine am yet, people."

"As long as I'm unit chief," Morgan said "you're safe, Prentiss, but the moment Hotch takes his job back there are gonna be some big changes around here."

Penelope gazed into his eyes with a sweet, loved filled look in her eye. "We've waited five years already. What is a little while longer before we can make it official?"

Reid asked "You're really already talking about marriage? Are you two pulling our legs?"

Derek chuckled. "When you know, you know, kid. You'll see one day, if you're as lucky as me."

"As us," Penelope said.

By the next Christmas they were celebrating as man and wife, with their dog Clooney and their cat, Princess Leia, and a baby on the way. They didn't go back to the cabin because they didn't need to get away from it all anymore. Now they had all they wanted and needed in their home, where their love and friendship grew every day of the year.

It always felt like Christmas to Morgan and Garcia because they were blessed with being in loved and loved back by their best friend.

THE END