Note- This story starts during season three episode 20 (the season final) which was called Lo-Fi. Morgan is sitting at a bar in New York City, staring at a beer, thinking about how he got into an arguement with Hotch and Kate Joyner.

True North

Chapter One

May 2008

SSA Derek Morgan was lost in his thoughts when his cell phone rang. After a quick glance at the screen he answered "Yeah, baby?"

"Hey. You sound ticked," she drug out the last word. "What's weighing on that beautiful mind?"

He let out a long sigh. "Nothing to worry about, Garcia. This case is just grating on me already."

"Come on, tell Mama what went down."

"You've got work to do. You don't need to be listening to my complaints."

"I'm on a break. And, need I remind you, I have access to all the cameras in the city. If you keep this up I might have to use some facial recognition software to hunt you down and come drag it out of you with my secret, sexy ways."

He chuckled a little. "Woman, you do know just what to say to me."

"Mmm-hmm, so reward me, my love."

After a moment he told her "I got into it with Hotch cause he won't stand up to Joyner."

"Oh yeah?"

"She won't listen to a damn thing I say and Hotch won't back me up. I know I shouldn't have lost it on them but I'm getting frustrated as hell, baby, with this case and all of it."

"All of it?"

"Yeah."

"That sounds serious and it doesn't sound like a new feeling."

"I don't know, Garcia. A lot of stuff is going on in my head today." He paused and then told her something he wasn't sure he wanted to but now that they were talking it was all coming out "Hotch said I'm up for Joyner's job if she screws this case up."

"Oh! Um...wow.... uh...that would mean you'd be moving to New York."

"I probably wouldn't take it."

"It could be huge for your career."

"Yeah."

"And it sounds like she's screwing it up, at least by your standards, so does that mean I'm losing my Hot Stuff to the Big Apple?"

"Don't think you can get rid of me that easily."

It had been a few weeks since Derek learned that Penelope was done dating Kevin Lynch. If she was still with that guy than Derek might think a little harder about the job promotion. He still didn't think he could take it though. Plain and simple, he couldn't leave Penelope behind. He had no desire to learn what it was like to live without her.

Not that he was with her, in a romantic sense, now. He was still hurting and confused over her hooking up with Lynch. And blaming himself for it ever happening at all.

"Baby," Penelope said "I know you can work with that Joyner chick to get this done. She just doesn't see how brilliant my man is. I get why your head is all filled up with all these whirling thoughts right now but, till we get this unsub, you gotta stay my uber strong super crime fighter cause the team needs you. They can't do it without you. If you take that promotion we'll find a way but right now you're on our team and we need you."

"Will we find a way, baby girl?"

"To get by without you? It will be hard as hell but you gotta do what's best for you, Morgan, and you know I support you always. One billion percent, baby!"

"Yeah, I do know that. But do you know what I need most, sweetheart? Something only you can give. That is if you want to."

"Speak to me, my love, and let me ease your troubled mind as only mama can."

"Silly girl, I need us to find our way. I need...." he let out a long breath "I just wanna feel like something makes sense still. I could figure out the rest and get through it if I knew you were my.....

port in the storm. Nobody gets me like you do, Penelope."

"You know I got your back, Derek, always, always, always. You can't shake me even if you move five hundred miles away and make me take a three hour train ride to try and seduce you."

He chuckled. After a moment his tone grew serious and he asked her "God, baby girl, do you get how bad I want us to figure things out?"

Penelope sniffled. "I want that too but I thought you're mad at me?"

"Garcia, I'm not mad, okay?"

Her voice broke "I let him touch me and I know that hurt you."

Rubbing his hand over his head he told her "That's my fault."

"No, it was my mistake. I tried to get over all I feel for you but, baby, I'll never be over you. I am your port in the storm, I promise. No matter if it takes another four years to figure us out!"

His voice thick with emotion he said "Woman, you don't even know how damn sick I am of holding back....I'm fed up with being a coward when it comes to us. I'm sick of myself and sick over what I've done when you're the light of life and I know that. I know it and I just need you to know how real this is for me.....how the last couple of months of thinking about you being with another man has ate at me. Its killing me, baby girl!"

"Its long over with Kevin. Really it is. I couldn't make it work with him because he's not you. I just didn't know how to admit that to you when I realized how bad it was hurting you. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner the real reason I ended it with him. I should have been honest."

"We gotta talk this out, baby girl, and the sooner the better cause I don't wanna lose another chance."

"Me either. I've already proven I've run out of patience for waiting but I suck at moving on. Its always only been you. We got to get things on track, baby."

"You don't know how good it is to hear this, Penelope."

"You know you have my heart hook, line and sinker. Don't doubt that, my love!"

"You, too, baby girl. I should have been screaming that at you every day for months now. Just screaming that I need you."

"Yeah, you should have," she said, happily.

A moment later SSA David Rossi walked in and sat down next to Derek. Derek told Penelope "Sorry to cut this short, baby, but I gotta go. I'll call you when I can."

"Stay strong, my amazing knight."

"Okay, girl, for you." Derek clicked off the call. He looked at Rossi and said "Look, I know I lost it back there. I'm gonna get my head back in the game now. You don't gotta tell me Joyner is in charge cause I get it. I just don't think she knows what she's doing half the time and I don't want the bodies to keep piling up. I tried to speak my peace but all I did was get shot down. You telling me that wouldn't piss you off if your boss didn't back you up?"

"Hotch trusts your judgement, Morgan. Its not his show this time though. We all have to do our best to support Kate because if she screws up then we all lose."

"You think I'm sabotaging her or hoping she fails?"

"No. But I know you're up for her job if she goes down in flames over this."

"I don't want that job. I have a life in Virginia that is about a lot more than my career and I will be damned if I walk away from that now."

Rossi stood up. "Sounds like you're ready to get back to work. I figured you would come around given enough time to think."

Rossi walked out and, after a moment, Morgan followed. They headed outside and got into an SUV, with Rossi driving. After a block of silence Rossi asked "So how is Garcia faring with the video?"

Derek looked at him.

Rossi added "You called her right?"

Derek eyes got lighter. It was no secret he snuck off to call Penelope over and over during every case, whether it was work related or not. Without that he couldn't cope. He had forgetten how he got by before he knew her but he figured it wasn't very good.

"Let me call her again and ask. That didn't come up."

Rossi smirked. "Well what did come up? The weather?"

Derek smiled.

Penelope answered "Hello, sweetness, I'm pouring through video footage as we speak but if you need to talk more I can take a minute."

"Just wanted an update."

"This is gonna take me a while. Mama is the best but she only has one pair of eyes. Even if they are stylishly attired they still can't view 4,000 tapes at once."

"I hear you. Do your thing, baby girl, and get back to your man when you got something."

"Will do."

"Garcia...."

"Mmm-hmmm?"

"Love you, sweetheart."

Her voice was very sweet. "I love you so very, very much right back. And if you move to New York I'm gonna have to follow you so deal with it!"

He laughed. "My sexy little stalker, huh? You're lucky I would never file charges."

"Cause you'd like it too much! Bye, baby!" Click.

Derek looked at Rossi. "Nothing yet."

"I take it you learned she ditched Lynch?"

Derek's head whipped to the side. "Huh? What do you know about that?"

"Lynch came to me several times to discuss their relationship. He wanted to assure me it wouldn't interfere with work and neither would the break up."

Derek took in and out a breath. "Lets just focus on work so we can get home. I got a life I wanna get back to far away from this city."

Rossi grinned, as he wove through traffic, "Its not so bad here, is it? Sounds like you and Garcia are making some memories that you can take home with you."

Derek grinned. "True, true, true."