I swear I have written more Morgan/Garcia stories that are an off-shoot of "A Baby Changes Everything" than for any other pairing or series. There is just something about Garcia being pregnant and Morgan suffering and exploring the joys of fatherhood that makes me want to keep visiting this pair over and over. And it helped that I owed Graveygraves a story with this pairing…so it all worked out in the end - especially with the song prompt she chose!

Song prompt: "Just The Way You Are" by Bruno Mars

I don't own Criminal Minds.

Just The Way You Are

Penelope Garcia-Morgan watched as the sun came up over the horizon. It was a perfect day. Almost.

She had woken up early from a dream she couldn't recall but it had scared her. Shaken, she had quietly slipped out of the bed - careful not to wake her husband - and made her way to the living room.

Sitting beside the window, she had stared out into the dark night. She couldn't put her finger on what had her upset, but whatever it was, it made the baby jumpy too. Feeling a kick, she rubbed the bump of her tummy.

"Shhh," she soothed. "Go back to sleep."

Another kick was her answer.

Great, she thought mournfully, even the baby knows something is up. Shivering against the sudden chill in the air, she wrapped her arms around herself. Tears ran down her cheek.
****

Derek rolled over to wrap his arms around his wife and found empty space instead. Sitting up, he looked around the room in bewilderment. "Pen?" he called out.

Rubbing his eyes, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and reached for his robe. Slipping it on, he made his way out of the dark bedroom. Stepping into the living room, he took a moment to adjust to the faint light from the moon.

"Pen?" he called out again. Making out a figure sitting by the window, he quietly walked over. He laid a hand on her shoulder. "What are you doing here?"

Turning her head away, Pen refused to look at him.

He turned her head to face him. The moon shone on the tears in her eyes to make them sparkle like diamonds. Concerned, he knelt down beside her. "Beautiful, what's wrong? Talk to me."

"Not beautiful," Pen choked on a sob.

Derek gave her a confused smile. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not beautiful," she repeated and broke down. Her sobs filled the quiet room.

Caught by surprise by the emotional outburst, Derek stayed where he was until Pen's sobs subsided. Taking a deep breath, he struggled to find the right words to prevent another crying jag.

"Pen, for the sake of my being kept out of the loop here and sounding stupid, may I ask what brought this on?" he asked gently.

"You're going to laugh at me."

"No, I won't."

"It's stupid."

"Let me be the judge of that." Pen turned her head away, but Derek crooked a finger under chin. "We promised that there wouldn't be any secrets between us." He stood up and sat on the window sill. "Is it the baby?"

She shook her head. "No."

"So, what has you so upset?"

She took a deep breath and blurted out, "Why are you with me?"

Derek paused. "I'm not exactly following you."

Pen swiped at her nose. "Why are you with me? Why did you marry me?"

"Because I love you, you silly girl."

"You could have been with someone else," she replied.

"I could have," he agreed, "but I would rather be with you."

"So, why aren't you?" she challenged.

"Why am I not with someone else?" Derek asked, flummoxed by her question. "Because I love you."

"Why?"

"Usually, I don't mind 'Twenty Questions' when I'm interrogating an UNSUB, but Baby Girl, I'm beginning to sound like a parrot repeating everything you say." He reached over and brushed a lock of hair from his wife's cheek. "Tell me what is on your mind."

"Why are you with me?" she repeated slowly.

Derek began to speak, but shut his mouth. Whatever he said was going to only make matters worse, so he bit his tongue. Something had upset her but if he was going to get an answer he was going to have to wait until she was ready.

"There are so many more beautiful women out there than me," Pen continued with a sniff.

"No, there aren't," he contradicted.

Pen shook her head. "Yes there are."

"You are the most beautiful woman I know."

"Now you are being nice." She stood up and spread her arms wide. "Look at me, Derek! I'm fat and ugly."

"You're pregnant," he replied matter of fact.

"But I'm not beautiful. I know I'm not."

Derek furrowed his eyebrows. "How do you figure?"

"Look at me!" she cried. "I'm not pretty like Emily or gorgeous like JJ."

"No, you're not…"

"See? I was right!" Pen's eyes filled up.

Derek jumped up and pressed an index finger to Pen's lips. "Hush your pretty mouth, woman! And let me finish. Are you calling me a liar?" he asked with a hint of exasperation in his tone.

"No."

"Good. What I was going to say is that you are not pretty and gorgeous like Emily and JJ, because you aren't them. You are Penelope Garcia, an individual who has her own unique beauty and talent. You are the most generous, loving, and caring person I know. You spread happiness just by walking in a room. You love your friends and family and you would go to the ends of the earth to make sure that who ever hurt them or wronged them would pay dearly," Derek said sincerely.

Pen tried to meet her husband's eyes but couldn't. Derek cupped her face, gently but firmly, in his hands while he continued to pour out his heart.

"You are upset that you don't look like the gorgeous models…well, maybe they should be upset because they don't look like you. You have an inner beauty that radiates from every pore and lights up your eyes that make the stars look dull. And when you smile…" Derek caught his breath as tears filled his eyes. "You want to know when I fell in love with you? It's when you turned and smiled at me. I didn't see a woman who lacked what others have - I saw an angel and a beautiful woman who pulled the world out from underneath me and knocked me to my knees."

A tear broke free and was quickly followed by another.

Derek held her gaze. "You say that you don't know why I would be with you…the better question is: Why are you with me?"

"Because I love you," Pen choked, her heart overflowing with more love than she thought possible for one person.

"Now you know how I feel. I love you. I love your smile, your laughter, your loyalty, and most of all, I love your beautiful, generous, loving heart." Derek leaned in and kissed the faint scar across Pen's chest, then laid his hand over it. "When I asked you to marry me and you said yes, I thought for the first time that there really was a God and He was forgiving me for every sin I ever committed. Then to heap on the blessings, He blessed me with a child who is going to be the perfect replica of her perfect momma."

The tears fell faster from his eyes, but Derek didn't try to brush them away.

"If I had gone with anyone else, I wouldn't have our baby. And she wouldn't have her momma. I love you both. While I stood at that altar and said those vows, I was also chiseling them in stone. I meant what I said, and there is no way I will ever go back on my word. Ever."

Pen reached up and brushed the tears off his cheek with her thumb. "That is the most romantic thing I've ever heard."

"Would you believe that I failed English Lit?" he teased.

"I know; I looked up your transcripts," she smiled.

Derek raised her small, white hand and pressed it to his lips. "I love you. I always have. I always will."

"I know."

"No more thoughts about why I did what I did, okay? And if you have a fear or a question, you come to me first before assuming the worst. Understand?" he ordered gently. Pen nodded. Derek covered the swell of her belly with both of his hands. As if feeling her daddy's presence, the baby kicked.

"I think the baby isn't happy that you woke her up. Come back to bed so I can show you why I'm glad you said yes to my proposal." Derek stood up and picked his wife up in his arms and carried her into the bedroom. Placing her on the bed, he covered her body with his.

"I love you, Derek," Pen said.

"I love you too, Baby Girl. I'll say it until the day I die."

"Show me."

"My pleasure," he said and covered her mouth with a hot, deep kiss before proceeding to show her the depth of his love.

For that morning, and for always.