The Road Not Taken

Note- in case there is any confusion, Derek is dreaming of Penelope while he is unconscious.

Morgan and Garcia

Chapter Two

She smiled at him with the dreamiest look on her face as they walked along the National Mall in Washington, DC. It was a beautiful night out. They had been on a few dates and shared many steamy kisses but had not taken it any further yet.

Just being near Penelope always made Derek's heart swell. Whether they were at work or spending time with friends at a bar or going to romantic dinners, plays, or movies he loved having her near.

Derek pulled her into her arms and stared down into her warm brown eyes.

"Handsome, you make my heart sing. How did I get to be so lucky?"

"I'm the lucky one."

"I do love hearing that. But can something this magical really last? One day are you gonna get bored with me like you do all your other friends with benefits?"

"They were never my friends, Penelope, and you, gorgeous Goddess, are so much more than just a friend to me now." He bent and pressed a kiss to her lips.

In the strangest and most intense way his whole body warmed.

When she pulled back, her eyelashes fluttered opened and she whispered "Take me home and ravish me repeatedly."

Taking hold of her face he gave her a hungrier kiss, showing her all his pent up desire for her and that he wanted nothing more than to make love to her that night and every night from then on. He couldn't seem to imagine the rest of his life spent anywhere but by her side now.

Holding hands, both blushing and chuckling, they raced to his SUV. He pushed her against it and kissed her over and over, her lips, her throat, nibbled her ear, massaged her ass and heard her moan into his mouth.

The next thing he knew they were naked in her bed, him over her, and their eyes were locked on each other as he slid inside of her for the first time.

I'm gonna marry this woman, he thought to himself as he slowly was enveloped in her sweet, tight, wet warmth.

Fusing his mouth to hers a beautiful, hot heat took over his body. He saw stars and then a bright white light behind his eyes. It was like being in heaven. My God, he would do anything to win and keep her love.

Anything for his baby girl. Everything. Derek Morgan had fallen in love for the first and only time in his life.

(If you want a boxer

I will step into the ring for you.

And if you want a doctor

I'll examine every inch of you.

-x-x-

If you want a driver

climb inside

or if you want to take me for a ride

you know you can.

I'm your man) (Leonard Cohen)

XXXXXXXXXXX

May 2010

"What? Say that again, Hotch," Reid's voice got a little hysterical and JJ jumped out of her seat at the police station.

"Spence?" JJ asked

Their eyes met. Reid said into the phone. "No, no, I understand...Hotch, I'm fine to drive! I didn't get bashed over the head, did I?...I'm sorry. Yeah, we'll be there soon." He hung up and said to JJ. "Morgan was attacked by the unsub. Come on. We got to get to the hospital."

She hurried after him out of the room. "Spence, hold on, how bad is he?"

"Unconscious still."

JJ gasped. Spencer pulled her into a hug. He wanted to say it would be okay but he wasn't sure it would be.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Penelope wandered in a daze to the tech floor and up to the door of boyfriend's office. The floor was just about empty by this time of night. She knocked on his door but after a moment, when there was no response, she realized Kevin had gone home at his usual quitting time hours before.

Being so worried and upset about Derek had Penelope in a fog.

She leaned against the door and sunk to the ground, her knees tucked to the side since she was in a skirt, held her head and cried loud body racking sobs for the second time that night.

She wished Hotch would call her back.

XXXXXXXXXX

Hotch and Prentiss hurried inside the hospital. There was a citywide blackout. This facility was using generators but it was a complete madhouse inside of there.

Hotch went up to the desk, pulled out his badge and said "SSA Hotchner, FBI. One of my agents was brought in. Derek Morgan. I need an update on his status and to be kept appraised."

"Let me see here," the nurse checked the computer and then said "He's been taken into the OR."

Emily asked "Are you sure? Already? He was just brought in."

"He has a traumatic intra cerebral hemorrhage. The need to find the bleed and stop it. Its gonna be hours before he's out. I'll have you paged when a doctor has information for you. Now, if you'll excuse me, sorry, but this place is running me ragged tonight." She rushed off.

Hotch and Prentiss looked at each other.

He said "I need to call Garcia."

XXXXXXXXX

"Boss man," Penelope snatched her cell phone out of the pocket in her skirt. She had made it to Derek's desk now, not knowing where else to go or what to do. "Please tell me he's going to be okay and this is just another scare."

"He's in surgery. He's in good hands, Garcia, and he's young and strong."

"Right, right, right...okay. I should call his mother."

"I can do that. Just get me the number."

"It should be me. What do I tell her? Did they say...I mean...he's going to make it, isn't he?"

"We won't know anything till the surgery is over. As soon as I know, you will know."

"I should be with him."

"Lets just wait till the doctor's speak to me after his surgery and we see what we're looking at."

"Derek will need me when he wakes up. He'll want to see me."

"Lets just wait."

Her voice shaking she spat the words out in a emotional rant "Because I may be somewhere over the middle of the country when you call to tell me he died? Is that why you want to wait?" Click.

Penelope hugged herself and sobbed some more.