Title: Not Yet
Author: A.M. Glass
Copyright Dates: January 17th – 27th, 2008
Ratings: (USA) T (UK) 15 (AUS) MA
Spoilers: None.
Pairing: Reid/Garcia
Show Disclaimer: The characters from "Criminal Minds" were created by Jeff Davis. The following companies produce the show: Touchstone/CBS Paramount Network Television, The Mark Gordon Company, ABC Studios and Paramount Network Television. The Executive – Co–Executive producers are: Gigi Coello-Bannon, Deborah Spero, Edward Allen Bernero, Debra J. Fisher, Mark Gordon and Jeff Davis.
Author's Disclaimer: Let's face it, I don't own "Criminal Minds" or any of the characters, back story, etc. I'm not making a cent from it – if I did, I'd buy a new computer and some other things. The story; along with any original characters are mine though… I think; pesky copyright laws.
Author's Notes: This is the next installment to the "Not Quite Babysitting" series and in order for this to make sense you'll need to read the other four stories, starting with "Not Quite Babysitting," "Can't Shouldn't," "Sorry," and "Stumble." I am a Morgan/Garcia shipper, yet after reading a few Reid/Garcia stories I wrote "NQB." It was supposed to be a one-shot story and it's sort of grown to five so far. The characters may not act like they do on the show however I think given certain circumstances I can see this happening. This story has taken longer than the others as I've changed a lot of things that didn't work and hopefully the extra time will have made this a more readable version.
&&&&&&&&
"Reid... Spencer, come on, its time to wake up," Garcia said as she gently shook his shoulder.
Spencer groaned, 'A few more minutes,' he thought, 'Just a few more.'
Garcia sighed, she really didn't want to wake him, but she knew she had too. "Good morning sugar lips," she whispered in his ear. She smiled. 'Well, that got his attention,' she thought as his eyes opened.
Spencer blinked rapidly, at first wondering where he was, until he saw Penelope leaning over the back of the couch. He smiled, he couldn't think of a better way to wake or be woken than by looking into the face of Penelope Garcia.
"Good... morning?" he asked hesitantly as he looked out her window – it was still dark outside.
"Technically speaking, most people would still consider it night Genius, but as it's you, I thought I'd say morning," Garcia replied grinning.
Reid sat up on the couch. "Sorry," he apologized.
"Not a problem, you were tired..." She meant it, it wasn't a problem. She knew he was exhausted when he arrived back at the office but he was bound and determined to take her out.
As much as she wanted him to go home and get some sleep knowing they could get together later on, she gave in.
Besides, it did give her the opportunity to watch him sleep one more time.
He would practically curl in upon himself and the way his hair covered his cheek. It was all she could do to keep her hands to herself when all she wanted was to run her fingers through it.
She'd watched his eyes moving rapidly beneath his eye lids and wondered what he was dreaming.
She left him momentarily when she heard him mutter in his sleep "Don't go Penelope."
She would have let him spend the night as he did before, but this was different. Previously he was simply keeping an eye on her as a favor more than anything else.
Now, they'd gone out, had a wonderful time, spent hours talking and in most likelihood continued until she'd noticed his eyes drooping.
She had suggested he take a nap, "Just a short one, I don't want you driving in this condition."
He had tried to talk his way out of it, but all she had to do was fold her arms across her chest and he caved in. She'd have to remember that later on, she'd smirked.
"I should go," Reid said as he folded the blanket Garcia had placed over him.
"Hey, it's alright," she told him placing her hand on his shoulder.
"Thanks. You know, this isn't the ending I imagined," he told her.
"Do tell Dr. Reid," she said playfully, loving how he blushed.
Reid ducked his head. He wasn't sure what it was about her – he hadn't blushed this much since, he couldn't remember when. He looked up...
Garcia was pleasantly surprised when Reid kneeled on the couch raising him to her level and kissed her.
"Actually," he murmured when he broke the kiss, "This was how I imagined it ending."
Garcia smiled, her eyes closed.
It was delightfully sweet and charming – in essence it was Reid.
"Was it okay?" he asked. He was anxious, had he acted rashly? Was she going to slap him?
Garcia caressed his face – beaming when he leaned into her hand. "It was perfect," she told him. She felt her heart clench when he smiled – it took her breath away.
She'd seen him smile from time to time, but this one was different, she had caused the sweet expression on his face. "Is something wrong?" she asked when his smile turned to a frown.
"Umm..."
"What is it?"
"I know I said I should leave..."
"But you don't want to?" she ventured.
He nodded. "I'm not trying anything," he said quickly. "I... it's just; I don't want to go yet." He didn't want to leave. He felt at peace, among other things around her and he didn't want the feeling to end.
It made him wonder – he couldn't understand why Morgan never tried beyond the one attempt to ask Penelope out while she was in the hospital. He would have kept trying.
It was obvious Morgan cared for her, was concerned enough to ask him to keep an eye on her, which he was imminently grateful for. Yet it didn't explain how Morgan could be in Penelope's presence and not be affected.
Simply being around her made him feel alive – made him feel – normal. He could act normally around her and she wouldn't think him odd or freakish.
She accepted him for him and that more than anything else made him decide to court her. He was going to invite her to the movies, more dinners? Perhaps he'd learn to cook her something she liked?
Flowers – he would need to find out what her favorite were. Maybe some pens? She did have quite the collection.
What else...
His eyes fluttered closed and his arms wrapped themselves around her.
Garcia smirked as she kissed him.
She noticed he was a million miles away, lost in thought. The intense look on his face grew and it made her wonder what he was thinking of. How he probably would have continued his train of thought had she decided not to interrupt and kissed him.
It wasn't as if it were an arduous task, she quite like it and imagine her surprise when she felt his arms gather her closer.
Their first kiss was perfect – this was toe curling.
And before her mind shut off and her baser instincts took over she thought, 'Where did he learn to kiss?'
&&&&&
Morgan looked at his watch, it was almost 3am. He glared at the apartment complex – warring with himself. He shouldn't be here. He had no right to do this.
He and Garcia weren't going out.
In fact, she turned him down when he did ask.
So there was no logical reason for his jealously. She could go out with whomever she pleased.
Yet here he was, parked across the street of Garcia's place.
He knew Reid had made plans to see her after they landed. It was obvious to him they'd end up back here, so he waited.
Now he was waiting for Reid to leave.
His behavior was raising all kinds of red flags, yet he didn't see them. The only thing he did know was if he wasn't careful he'd cross a line and he'd put himself in a position where he was no better than any unsubs they profiled.
He crouched down in his seat when he heard the front door to the complex open. He couldn't hear what was being said, but his blood began to boil.
There was no way he didn't know what they were doing now.
Reid was kissing Garcia.
What incensed him more was it didn't seem awkward.
For the most part, first kisses usually were.
The list of what to do was a long one: Who made the first move? Which way do you tilt your head? Did you check your breath? How long should it last? And so much more, yet there was none of this from what he could tell.
He didn't see them both move to each other only to stop and try to figure out the logistics, which meant only one thing to him: they'd done it before.
Had they been kissing the entire time?
Morgan shook his head.
He didn't want to believe that.
Garcia wasn't that type of woman.
Was she?
No, of course not.
He still wanted to know what they had been up to following dinner. The lights had come on in the living room and it wasn't until later when her bedroom light came on that he had to talk himself out of jumping out of the car and interrupting their date on some false pretense.
So he sat and thought.
He thought back to Reid's reaction before they'd left on their last case. He could tell Reid had been surprised by Garcia's actions – hell he had been surprised.
"Hold up," he said out loud as he sat upright. Prior to the meeting, he had been giving Garcia a shoulder massage. He hadn't been doing it long before she left her office.
Morgan knew she had been enjoying it prior to that moment. He smirked. Garcia may have thought she'd repressed her moan, but he had heard it. He'd noticed the way she clenched the armrests of her chair, how her legs trembled.
He saw all these things and in a perverse way was pleased he could garner that type of reaction from her. However, his - yes – his smugness took a blow when she jumped out of the chair.
Had Reid done the same thing?
Had he placed his hands on Garcia?
Morgan gripped the steering wheel tightly.
&&&&&
Garcia and Reid made their way downstairs.
He told her she didn't need to walk him out. "In fact, I'd feel better if you stayed inside."
"Nonsense, I'll be fine, beside," she said as she effectively nudged him out of her apartment. "I have you with me, what more could I want or need," she said seriously.
"All right," he conceded. As much as he may have wanted to disagree with her, he figured it was a losing battle. "I'll see you later?" he asked as they exited the elevator. He was uncertain about Garcia's feelings toward him and he didn't want to push.
"I'll come after you if you don't," she replied as they reached the front door of the complex.
"Well, I guess this is good night," Spencer said as opened the door and stepped outside.
"Good morning Genius," she answered as she kissed him. He didn't disappoint when he embraced him. 'I could get use to this,' she thought. "Umm... Reid."
He blinked rapidly. He was amazed how quickly he got lost in her kisses, her embrace. "Yeah..."
Garcia pulled back, "I think we have a problem."
"What?" he asked suddenly concerned. Something had happened in those brief precious moments they'd shared.
Had she changed her mind?
Had she realized this was a mistake?
"Reid, don't let that gorgeous head of yours make you crazy. You're probably thinking I've had a change of heart or something..."
"You haven't?"
"No."
"Then?"
She looked into his eyes and saw a mixture of confusion and relief. She took a deep breath, "I don't want you to turn around..."
His head automatically started to when she tugged him closer to her body. She felt a quiver go through his body.
"You're not playing fair," he groaned.
She kissed the tip of his nose. "Sorry sugar lips, but you can't turn around."
"Penelope, you're worrying me, what's going on?"
"Morgan."
Reid shook his head. "What about him?"
She bent close to Reid's ear, "He's parked across the street – where you usually park," she told him. She could feel his body become rigid.
"Are you sure?"
She nodded. "I recognized his car from the times he would drive by after..." she faltered.
"It's okay," Reid said hugging her. "You don't have to say anymore." He squared his shoulders, "I'll talk to him..."
"No."
He looked at her quizzically, "No?"
"Not now, later."
Reid frowned. He wanted to walk over to Morgan and demand he make up his mind, because he wasn't going to step aside.
"Okay, but," he held up his finger, "I should be there when you speak to him," he stated firmly.
"All right," she said, acknowledging silently she'd made the right decision. She knew he'd probably ask and as surely as he had, she couldn't deny him his chance to be heard.
Reid quickly kissed her, he couldn't help it. "Go on in, I'll be fine," he told her softly.
Garcia nodded and closed the door behind her. She turned to find him standing at the bottom of the steps waving to her, she waved back.
Reid barely glanced in the direction of Morgan's car, when it pulled away.
"Soon," he muttered as he got into his car and drove off.
The End.