I love being sick. Ok, not really. But I was at home with an awful head cold recently and my half-asleep semi-conscious self thought up this story. Just a oneshot, and a simple one. My friend Sabrina loved the idea, and I dedicate this lovely Morgan/Garcia tale to her.
THIS IS A ONE-SHOT.
--
"Sweet baby Jesus, this chunky monkey ice cream is so pricey…but it's sooo good…"
Penelope Garcia was downing her third pint of Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey ice cream. Spencer Reid sat next to her, watching nervously. He was used to Garcia being crazy…but he wasn't used to seeing her pregnant.
Yes, pregnant.
Penelope's baby bump was huge. She was wearing a pink and orange flowered top, but her round belly was undeniable. Her due date was close…within the month, to be exact.
And she hadn't told the father yet.
"You sure you wanna eat that here? I mean, there are a lot of computers." Reid said uneasily.
"Hey, you try carrying this baby around for nine months, mister!" Garcia threatened.
Reid winced, "I'm just saying…"
Suddenly, Garcia's phone rang, "Baby girl, I feel like I haven't seen you in months."
Garcia dropped the pint of ice cream on the floor, "Shit. Hi."
"Oh I see how it is…" Morgan said in a mock-hurt voice over the phone.
Penelope smiled. She's been avoiding him for months. Well, at least for five months, when she'd started to show, "Sorry, honey, I dropped something." Upon realizing she couldn't reach the pint on the floor, smacked Reid, "Pick that up!"
"Huh?"
"I was talking to nerd boy," Garcia said, "What can I do for ya?"
Morgan asked for the name of a possible unsub, Garcia found it, and that was that. She sighed and rested her elbows on the table in front of her. The baby moved around inside her stomach, and she touched it with her hand.
"I know, I know," she said quietly, "You do that every time."
"Garcia, not that it's any of my business," Reid said as he put the ice cream container back on the desk, "But I really think you should tell him."
"Reidikins, we've discussed this," Garcia said to him, "It's not happening."
"Clearly something did…" Reid raised his eyebrows, looking at her belly.
Garcia smacked him.
"Ow! Stop hitting me!" Reid whined, "Look, I'm only trying to help."
Garcia growled at him, "I know, but you're not."
--
Derek Morgan was on the chase again. Hotchner had given him the call, letting him know that one of three suspects turned out to be the unsub. Now he was in the black SUV, speeding to a small, lower-class neighbourhood, likely to be crawling with drug dealers.
It didn't help the unsub was one of these dealers.
He sped into an empty parking lot and jumped out of the SUV, followed by Gideon, Emily and Hotch. They wore their protective vests and carried guns, ready at any given moment, in case. This was routine.
Morgan easily broke down the locked door in the front, and others went with him.
At that exact moment, Penelope Garcia's water broke.
--
"Reid?"
Reid was slapping around a fuzzy pen, clearly bored and tired of babysitting the pregnant nightmare, "What?"
"I think I just peed."
He frowned, "I'm sorry?"
"I mean, I peed my pants," Garcia said, frowning, "But it doesn't feel like I…AGGH!"
Reid knew exactly what was happening.
"Put down the ice cream, we're going to the hospital."
--
"Are you the baby's father?" the doctor asked as they wheeled Garcia to the delivery room.
"No, I'm just a friend," Reid said, exasperated, "But he should be here soon."
"Reid, don't leave me!" Garcia begged, "These damn labour pains are worse than the book says!"
Reid swallowed. The ride to the hospital had been so frightening; he was surprised he hadn't swerved off the road when he drove. Now he was about to assist Penelope Garcia and watch her give birth. He'd seen worse things, of course, but this was the mother lode.
No pun intended.
"I won't leave, I'm just going to call Gideon," Reid said, "I promise."
He flipped open his phone and dialled Gideon immediately. After two rings, he picked up.
"It's Reid," he said quickly, "Garcia's in the hospital…and the doctors say the baby's coming tonight."
--
The birth of Penelope's baby was certainly a sight to see. The entire team arrived, much to Reid's relief, in fifteen minutes. Emily held Garcia's hand through the process, while Gideon helped coach the session. Reid had nearly fainted in the delivery room, and was sent out to be with Morgan and Hotch in the waiting area.
Morgan sat on one of the hard, plastic chairs with his head in his hands. Hotch sat next to him.
"She wasn't due for another two weeks yet," Hotch spoke up, "But you know Garcia. She never likes to be late."
Morgan nodded.
Hotch leaned forward, "Hey, you alright?"
Morgan sighed, "I just wish she would've told me."
Hotch looked up at Reid, who suddenly became very interested in the tiles on the ceiling.
"You knew."
"Damnit, Hotch," Morgan lifted his hands, "Of course I knew. Hell, everyone knew." He stood up, "I don't understand. She tells me everything. Or so I thought."
Reid muttered, "Maybe she was afraid."
Both men looked at the young agent, who seemed intimidated by the sudden attention.
"Garcia loves you, Morgan," Reid said suddenly, "And you love her. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out."
He bit his lip, "I'm gonna go out and get some air."
--
The baby's cry rang out at 11:08 pm, and the doctor announced it was a girl. Emily began to cry as the tiny bundle was given to Penelope, and Gideon broke into a grand smile.
"She's amazing, Penelope," Emily said, "She really is."
"I know, and she's all mine…" Penelope's eyes began to shimmer, as she looked at the tan-coloured infant in her arms, all warm and quiet.
Gideon sighed, "Well, I'm going to go check on Reid and the other two."
He exited the room and left the three girls together.
"What are you going to name her?" Emily asked.
Garcia replied, "Hope. Hope Delana Morgan."
She looked up just in time to see Derek Morgan standing in the doorway.
Garcia smiled at him, "And it's time for her to meet her daddy."