Reclaiming His Solace

A/N: It may seem that this is a Thanksgiving story but it is more of a holiday season one. It will begin just before the American Thanksgiving and end on or around New Year's. I should say that I plan to have it all posted well before then as I am nearly finished writing it. Btw, all mistakes are mine since this is un-betaed.

This story is a departure for me as I have never as memory serves written a multi part fic before. I really want to thank everyone who read and reviewed my comeback story. I hadn't written one I felt confident enough to post in years so the reviews, both good and bad were welcome. Please feel free to let me know what you think this time, too. Happy reading, I hope.

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. I'm simply borrowing the characters for stress relief. My own as well as theirs. No money is being made, promise.

Part 1 – Crap and Double Crap!

When you have a larger than life personality like that of Penelope Garcia in your midst there is never any doubt the holidays were festive and filled with special memories. For the BAU team, Penelope's refusal to let the ugliness they faced everyday in their jobs wipe out the need to create and treasure the good times was a benefit of working with her that each one of them was thankful for on a daily basis.

For Derek Morgan, their current acting unit chief, he counted himself twice lucky to have Garcia as part of his team and as the person he considered his best friend. At least, she was until two significant events in recent months began to threaten their personal relationship.

The first had been his decision to pursue a relationship with Tamara Barnes despite having Penelope's prophetic like and care inspired advice ringing in his ears. The other had been his promotion to acting unit chief when Aaron Hotchner had made the sacrificial decision to step down so their team would not be dismantled.

Now with Thanksgiving weekend just over a week away he wondered if the growing estrangement between Garcia and himself was going to be the catalyst to further mess up the holidays for the rest of their team. Normally by this close to the start of the festive season Penelope would have sent out her customary invitations to her thanksgiving extravaganza. This year, nothing in his email inbox, no text message, not even her more traditional paper invite. Nada. Zilch. Nothing. Crap!

Knowing he was likely the cause and facing up to it and speaking to her were two totally different matters completely. However, he was not a man who ran from his fears or a good fight and this confrontation with Penelope might likely encompass a bit of both those elements.

Knocking firmly on her office door, he heard her rather staid response and cringed. That too was his fault. He'd cut back on calling her "baby girl", "Sweetness", "Princess", "Goddess" and the like and in very little time she'd ceased to tease and flirt with him, too. The worst part though was she had stopped much of her playfulness with the team, as well. It had been quite some time since she had answered the phone with one of her many zany one-liners. They hadn't been addressed by the "queen" or "oracle" of anything in longer than he could recall. Double crap!

As he opened the door he made a decision and prayed it was the correct one. Only Penelope could make him second-guess himself more than at any other time. "Morning, Goddess." He opted for that endearment over "baby girl" fearing he might well have lost the right to call her that.

Without responding she turned to face him. Derek could see the confusion on her face and he felt the mental kick in the pants he could see she was entertaining the notion of delivering to his backside. He deserved it and more. Derek decided to wait her out knowing if he remained silent long enough Penelope would grow concerned and speak first.

"What do you want, Derek. I'm not in the mood for games."

Damn! He cut straight to the point. "I was wondering about Thanksgiving."

"What about it?"

"Are you hosting a dinner as usual?"

"Didn't see the point this year. There's not a whole lot to celebrate."

"Would you reconsider?"

"Are you going to come and reveal to the whole team that you are involved with the sister of a victim whose case we handled?"

Direct hit. "They know. And we all need this. I think you need this. We…" he stopped to gesture between the two of them, "…need this."

"Why now, Derek? You've been quite happy without me in your personal life for weeks now."

"No. No, I haven't. I've known we were growing apart and I've just been too chicken to face you because I knew I was the root of our problems."

"You expect me to believe you were afraid to face me." The look of blatant disbelief on her face would have been funny had it been directed at anyone other than himself.

"I'm not afraid of you. Knowing you possess the ability to make my very existence disappear that's a definite yes. I know you, P and you'd never hurt me physically but I hate to admit when I've made a serious error. That being said, the fear of losing you completely from my life is far worst. I don't want to lose my God given solace just because I've been acting like an ass!"

She smiled at that statement. It didn't quite meet her eyes but it was a definite improvement over their lack of interactions of late. "No argument there, Agent Morgan."

He sagged. She was continuing with more formal address, which meant she was and intended to maintain her distance. This would not do at all. "Pen, listen to me please. I know, believe me, I know that I am going to have to work hard to regain your trust and respect. I'll do the legwork and all the heavy lifting. All, I'm asking for is a little opening in that wall you've constructed marked "no "hot stuff" allowed."

"You hurt, Derek."

"I know."

"This will be your only chance."

"I know that, too."

"And dinner will be at your house."

"That can be arranged."

"Fine." She gave him another weak smile before beginning to make mental plans aloud. "I'll get the invitations out by morning and start shopping right after work tomorrow."

"I can come by tonight and help with the invites and take you shopping as long as there's no case."

"Ha!" The force of her disparagement hit him like a brick before he listened to the rest of what she had to say. "We both know no one would be able to read your chicken scratch and the last time you went shopping with me for this particular meal we ended up with two types of turkey, two styles of ham, a roast and candied yams. No salad, no other sides and seven different kinds of dessert."

"Now that was an excellent Thanksgiving meal." Derek rubbed his tummy, licked his lips and gave her his most endearing smile.

"You're incorrigible." Penelope was laughing now a bit of a sparkle even in her eyes.

"Aw! There it is. There's the opening I needed to see to maintain some hope. I want your friendship back, Pen." He knew his serious tone was sucking the little bit of playfulness that had surfaced back out of the room yet he deemed it necessary to get his point across.

"We'll see, Derek."

"It'll happen, baby girl." He couldn't stop himself he had to let the endearment be said. With that he exited her office feeling far more lighthearted than when he'd arrived.

TBC…