Title: Type of Man
Author: A.M. Glass
Copyright Dates: December 19th – December 21, 2007
Ratings: (USA) T (UK) PG (AUS) PG
Pairing: Garcia/Morgan Reid/JJ by mention only.
Spoiler: Very small one for "Lucky".
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: I'm not sure if this story works or at least the premise. As I don't have a beta reader, I couldn't ask for an opinion prior to posting the story. Also, I wasn't sure about the end. I'm not sure if it's hokey.
Derek Morgan wasn't the type of man to settle down and have children.
He wasn't the type of man who would keep himself to one woman for the rest of his life.
He wasn't the type of man who would wake up with the same woman in his arms – relishing the warmth – the comfort of holding someone through the night.
Derek Morgan wasn't the type of man who would wake up at 3 am, telling his wife to: "Go back to sleep, I'll take care of it," as he goes to the nursery and picks up his daughter – falling in love all over again.
No, Derek Morgan wasn't that man.
He was more.
He was the type man whose eyes were finally opened to see his best friend – the one he could tell anything to – was the love of his life.
He was the type of man who entered her office, turned her chair so she was facing him and proposed – much to her surprise and delight.
He was the type of man who dropped to his knees and hugged his wife and kissed her stomach when he found out he was going to be a father.
Derek Morgan was the man who cried unashamedly when the nurse placed his daughter into his arms after she was born.
He was the man I spent forty years with.
He was the type of man who made me believe dreams can come true.
He was the greatest husband, a wonderful father and he was the man I gave my heart too.
Derek is my life – he became that the first time I saw him. I didn't know it would take a bullet for him to see me – something he'd told me he'd regret for the rest of his life.
Something I told him I wouldn't change for anything.
Our children, Rachel, Thomas, Jason and Faye will miss their father – who couldn't be more proud of them if he wanted.
Each of them have different parts of Derek in them, whether it's their smile, their laughter, their courage, their hearts – they have the best of him.
And little Derek – his namesake is probably sleeping peacefully – unaware how his Grandfather cried after he heard the baby was going to be named after him.
I knew he's somewhere watching – and if he's not – my Babies and I will track him down.
Wait for me, Hot Stuff.
Your Baby Girl.
"This is what our mother had written for our father. As you all know, she never had a chance to read this, having passed away in her sleep two days after him," Rachel Morgan, the eldest of the Morgan children managed to say as she wiped at the tears falling steadily down her face.
The church was packed with friends and family.
And in the front where two caskets, one dark brown, the other pale yellow – a special order their parents had taken care of long ago.
"We're hoping they're both watching over the family," Thomas added as he hugged his sister.
"Mom... Mom," Jason's voice broke as he tried to maintain his composure. He looked up, swallowed a few times, blinking back the tears that were waiting to fall. "We're not sure if Mom knew what was going to happen, but we found it by her beside. We figured she didn't want to be away from him longer than she had too..." he stopped as he remembered walking upstairs and finding his mother lying peacefully in bed with a smile on her face nearly crushed him.
He'd kept say, "Mom... Mom... Mommy?"
Perhaps she hadn't heard him calling to her.
He stared at her chest, willing it to rise and fall.
'Breathe... please breathe,' he kept telling himself, yet in the back of his mind he knew his beloved mother was gone.
He was rooted in place, he couldn't move, he knew he should go to her, be with her, anything but standing still.
It wasn't until he heard his brothers and sisters voices down the hall headed to her bedroom when he knew he had to keep them out.
He couldn't let Faye or Rachel see her this way. But he didn't have the chance to stop them – they were entering the door and as he turned around, time seemed to slow down.
He could see Thomas' mouth moving, but he couldn't hear a word. He saw the confusion on both Rachel and Faye faces – he knew he'd never forget seeing Faye drop to her knees and Rachel rushing past him to the bed.
Everything else was a blur as his tears finally fell.
"Faye – Faye sends her regrets for not being here. It's been very difficult on all of us, but, it's... best if she didn't have to go through this right now," Thomas said as he had been asked earlier about the whereabouts of his youngest sister.
Losing both of their parents so quickly – none of them had had a chance to recover – and it seemed to them Faye was taking it hardest. Although she may have been named after their grandmother, she took after their mother – the blonde hair, sunny disposition, her smarts – she even had her own "Babies," as their mother had called her computers.
No matter how hard they tried, she wouldn't come. She kept shaking her head, and wrapping herself in their mother's favorite comforter. They didn't leave her alone; her Godfather Spencer was with her, while JJ sat in the front pew with family members.
Faye had asked him to keep her company and tell her the exploits of their parents – she wanted to hear how they flirted with each other – how they were there for each other – she wanted to know everything.
And Spencer, being the kindest soul anyone had ever met, agreed.
"Thank you all for coming and showing us how much our parents were respected and loved. We'll be leaving for the cemetery in a few minutes. Thank you again," Rachel concluded as she and her brothers stepped away from the podium.
"Baby Girl, don't cry," Derek said as he wiped the tears from Penelope's cheek.
"But..."
"They're strong – you'll see."
"What about Faye?"
Derek sighed, it was true he loved his children, but Faye, she held a special part, being named after his Mother, he couldn't help it. "It might take her a little longer, but she'll be fine."
"Okay, I trust you."
Derek brought his wife closer to him and kissed her gently.
He hadn't wanted her to come over so soon, he wanted her to live – he would wait for her no matter how long it took. But it seemed she had other ideas, which made him smile.
"So, Mr. Morgan..." Penelope said as she breathed in deeply the scent that was purely Derek – how she'd missed it after he left her.
"Yes, Mrs. Morgan," he answered, smiling again as he uttered those words. He pulled away from her slightly and began to laugh. "Oh Baby Girl – I don't think you're supposed to think like that up here," he said as he gazed into her youthful expression.
Gone were the wrinkles, pure white hair.
They both looked like they did when they both started working at the BAU.
Penelope had a look on confusion on her face when she started smiling. "You mean?"
He nodded.
She thought of something and laughed as Derek closed his eyes and groaned. "Oh Sweet cheeks, what are we waiting for?"
The End.