Note- This story takes place immediately following season six, episode one "The Longest Night." I learned about this song after seeing a post at tumblr. This story was written for a prompt that will be tackled also by other writers who post to this account. Check back here because chapter two and three will be stories by other authors that use the same prompt.

Prompt number one: Cleaning

I Got You by LoveforPenandDerek

Morgan and Garcia

September 2010

"Derek Morgan," she muttered as she picked dirty towels off the railing of his stairs "you really need a maid."

Despite her grumbling, Penelope didn't actually mind doing a quick clean up around her man's house. Whatever it took to make it warm and inviting for him when he got home. This last case had been hell on him. The team was in Los Angeles during rolling blackouts chasing an unsub who tied Derek up and made him watch as the baddie killed a cop and kidnaped his daughter.

It had been a truly hellish night for him.

She could tell how torn apart he was inside just as soon as they got a chance to talk on the phone. He was barely holding down his rage, anger, worry, guilt and hurt. Hearing all that in his voice made her own heart ache.

Derek had snapped at her then but Penelope didn't let it get to her. If he was hurting, she hurt ten times worse for seeing his pain and wishing she could take it away, and it was the same with him if she was suffering.

She had teased him that she would "Leave a light on," for him when he came home from this gruesome case and, after thinking about it a bit, she decided that is just what she should literally do.

All summer long he had given her comfort, wrapped her in his strong arms to let her know she had him to lean on, had made her laugh and kept her smiling, never giving her a reason to regret breaking up with Kevin last June. It wasn't anything annoying or hurtful that Kevin did that led to her ending it with him. They had a pretty good relationship but she couldn't see spending the rest of her life feeling like she did at the end of that case in Alaska: that she wanted to go home to Derek but she had to go home to Kevin. Feeling like she was cheating herself and both of the men in her life out of the chance to really be happy. She knew back then that she could make Derek happier than he had ever been and, looking back now, it was clear that her instincts had been spot on.

All summer long she had seen him lap up the attention she had given him. On most days, his hundred watt smile was back in full force.

And she intended to keep it that way.

(A place to crash, I got you.

No need to ask, I got you.

Just get on the phone, I got you.

Come and pick you up if I have to) (Leona Lewis)

XXXXXXXXXXX

When he turned his SUV and navigated down his street Derek was feeling as low as he had in a year or maybe more. He really felt like he screwed up out in California. They shouldn't have gone in that house without backup. Now a cop- a father of a spunky little ten year old girl- was dead.

Derek had promised to always look out for Ellie but he knew the reality was it would be damn hard to do from across the country. Frustration at himself, his choices, his reactions to this whole mess, and what had went down simmered in his blood as he drove that last block to his home.

It should be his sanctuary but all too often over the years whenever he walked into his home all he could see was how it was nothing like where he grew up. There was no laughter, no joy, no smell of home cooked meals that hit his nose as soon as he opened the door, no music, no signs of life beyond his slobbering dog. Too often Derek's home was just a place to sleep between cases. He moved often, as he bought properties and sold them, not caring all that much where he laid his head when he was home from work. His only requirements for his house were: a comfortable bed, hot shower, big screen TV and state of the art security system.

He didn't bother to do much decorating ever because what was the point anyway? He didn't have time to throw parties or have people over.

Truly the only time his house felt like a home was when his mother, sisters and nephews visited or when his baby girl came by to see him. Then there was life inside those walls. Then he had a reason to feel comforted. Then it was the sanctuary it should be.

When he spotted Penelope's car in his driveway tonight he stared at it for a moment, taken by surprise, remembering her text about having a headache so she was heading home early and wouldn't be at work when the BAU team got back to the office. A moment later he smirked as he realized she had told a fib so she could surprise him at his place.

That woman amazed him. The way she knew how to make him smile, laugh, get turned on, how to give him comfort with just a soft look, whispered word, or touch of her hand. She got him- understood him like no other every had- and she had him in the palm of her hand, whether she believed it or not.

So many times he had gone back and forth in his head, over the years, about them: what would they end up being to each other, what did he want, what could he really have, what could he offer her, what did she want, what was gonna go down. But no more. Now they knew they had each other and all the playing it cool was thrown away in favor of admitting they wanted nothing more than to be together as much as possible.

(What's weird about it is we're right at the end.

I'm mad about it.

Just figured it out in my head.

I'm proud to say I got you)

Walking into his house that night, it felt like the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders. He had walked into not just a house but his home.

He was greeted with the image of his happy, barking dog. His home smelled like fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. Soft music was playing. And when he called out "Baby girl," she called back "There's my handsome man."

Derek chucked off his coat, dropped his go bag and kicked off his shoes. Heading through the living room, he went toward the small home office that was down the hall. Before he made it there Penelope left the room and met him in the hallway. He jogged the last few steps and pulled her tightly into his arms in a fierce hug, burying his face in her sweet smelling hair.

His voice was gruff- filled with emotions he knew he didn't have to explain to her because she just got it- when he said "Sorry I was short with you. It was a rough one."

She pulled back, looking up and into his eyes, her eyes shining with love and understanding. Her hand caressed his cheek. He leaned down and gave her a tender kiss and then just held her in his arms, her cheek against his chest, for a long moment before taking her hand and leading her back to the living room.

"Something smells good, girl."

"Mama's been cooking for my lover."

He smirked at her. "Thank you very much for that but what I need more..."

Her fingers ghosted right under the cut on his face. "Some TLC for this?"

"Something like that," he teased, tangling his fingers in her hair before giving her another, harder and more filled with lust, kiss. Against her lips he murmured "Mmmm, its good to be home."

Finally he had a home- because finally he really had Garcia in his life in the way he needed most. No more games. No more pretending. No more hiding. And he knew for sure now that no fight or hurtful words would chase her away or make her give up on him. No amount of insecurity, doubt or fear in her could make him give up on her either. He knew where he belonged and it was right with his baby girl.

Even on his worse day she was the light in his life. The light left on to guide him home to himself and their love every time he had to go away.

She was stronger than he could ever be. And that's why she was his true backbone, his strength. Without Penelope Garcia having his back, Derek Morgan would crumble. It wasn't that way before he met her. But it would forever be that way after he knew her.

There had been moments of doubts before but now he was sure: she'd have his back forever; be his love for life; she was his and she would always be here when he came back home.

Their goodbyes would only be for as long as a case took him away, not because another lover stole her from Derek's side. And when he came back home from chasing monsters she'd be there with a smile, a kiss, and a light left on.

(Go ahead and say goodbye.

I'll be all right.

Go ahead and make me cry.

I'll be all right.

And when you need a place

to run to,

for better or worse

you know I got you.

A place to crash, I got you.

No need to ask,

I got you.)

THE END