AN: Okay, so after watching this week's new episode, what Garcia said was niggling at me. And that woke up Sebastian. And that means there will be no sleep for me until I get this out. It's really for real a one shot. No extending this one.
MN: She acts like I am forcing her to write this and I am not. The idea was hers, I just suggested to her that she put it in writing.
SPOILER ALERT: 8X18 "RESTORATION"
Disclaimer: If I owned Criminal Minds, this would have been part of the episode.
Beta: Don't think I'm going to manage to find one that saw tonight's episode at after midnight.
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"Oh, I will, as long as you promise to bring me some of my future mother-in-law's peach cobbler." Penelope Garcia grinned to herself. She knew there was no chance that he was alone and she wondered how he would respond.
"As soon as we're done here, I promise."
Damn. He'd taken the easy way out. She finished punching up the information he needed and relayed it to him.
"Tough old man. Thank you." He disconnected before she could tease him further.
Sitting alone in her lair, she hooked one finger around the chain tucked into her purple sweater and pulled it out. She grasped the ring that hung from it tightly and sighed. She hated hiding their relationship from their friends. She was all for coming clean, but he wanted to wait, make sure that neither of their jobs would be in jeopardy.
It had started 6 months ago. They had been spending more and more time together since she'd split from Kevin. And one night, he'd just laid it on her.
She was nestled into his side as the credits from the movie they had watched rolled on the screen. The wine they had shared was making her deliciously sleepy and she knew that she would be spending the night in his guestroom again. She realized he was staring at her and lifted her chin, turning her face toward his. "Derek?"
His hand came up to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing it gently. "I know you know that I love you. But do you realize that I love you?"
Her heart skipped a beat, then started pounding. "What?"
His brow knitted in frustration for a moment, then he brought his lips to hers, kissing her softly, briefly. "I love you Penelope Garcia."
After an initial moment of shock, she smiled. She reached a hand to the back of his neck and pulled, bringing his mouth back into crushing contact with hers. They devoured one another, their mouths a tangled fury of lips and tongues. When her chest began burning for oxygen she broke their contact.
Breathing heavily she looked up at him, their eyes locking. "I love you too, Derek Morgan."
He had proposed a month ago, and, if she had had it her way, they would already be married. But, there were things to take care of first.
She tucked the ring back into her top as her phone rang.
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"Did someone grab forks?" Derek Morgan looked around the bullpen as he set the steaming cobbler on Blake's desk.
"Hot Stuff, your lack of faith wounds me." His fiancé grinned at him, spreading seven forks like cards in her hands."
"I wrangled up some plates." Blake set the stack next to him and Rossi produced a large spoon to serve it with.
He dished up the treat, each of them taking a plate as they sat around Reid and Blake's desks.
"What is that, Morgan?"
Derek looked at Reid as he closed the door to the jet's mini fridge. "My mom's peach cobbler."
"Wooo, Garcia's gonna be a happy woman." JJ stuck her fist out and he gladly bumped it. He suspected that she knew. He had for a couple of months now. She kept making little comments that he would have accepted as teasing from Prentiss were she still around, but, coming from JJ, screamed to him that she was well aware of his not so little secret. He even got the impression that she had realized his current restoration project was far from ordinary. He intended that house to be the one he moved to with Penelope. The one that would be their home.
From his backward seat in a desk chair, Derek looked around at his team. His family. It was because of them that he'd found the strength to admit to what had happened to him on national television. And now he could finally come clean with them about the last secret in his life.
"I've got something I need to tell you guys."
Rossi had cocked an eyebrow at him, but his smile gave away his impish intentions. "Great, he came uncorked. Now we're going to have to deal with a never ending flood of honesty from him."
Hotch glared at his longtime friend then looked to Morgan. "Go ahead."
Penelope was seated directly next to him and he could see the fine white gold chain peeking out around her collar. He reached over and slid his finger under it, withdrawing it and the attached ring from their hiding spot, then taking her hand in his. He eased the surprise in her eyes with a smile, and drew her hand up to kiss it gently.
"You sly dog!" Rossi had been the first to overcome his shock.
Hotch followed suit quickly and broke into a huge grin. "Wow. Congratulations."
Blake chimed in immediately after. "Yes, congratulations."
JJ was grinning wildly. "When? Cause I'm guessing about four months."
Penelope shook her head. "Six. He proposed last month."
Reid snorted a laugh. "Well it's about time."
The entire team turned to stare at him, and he shrugged. "Hey, if I can tell two people should be together, think of how obvious it really must be."
With that the group devolved into laughter. After several long minutes, they finally were able to regain control of themselves. JJ practically dragged Penelope and Blake toward her office, talking about wedding planning, leaving the four men sitting together.
Hotch was back to his serious self. "Strauss?"
Derek grinned. "Taken care of. That's why we were waiting to tell everyone. We didn't want you guys to have to lie for us. But it's all gravy."
"I suppose there is just one question remaining." Reid paused until the other three men were looking at him. "Who gets to be 'Best Man'?"
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AN: Thank you for reading my little piece of drabble. I hope you all enjoyed the fluff of it all!