Home for The Holidays

Morgan and Garcia

Chapter Two

December 2007

After arriving in Chicago, they took a cab to a car rental agency and rented an SUV, loaded their luggage inside and set out towards his mother's home. Penelope worked on her make up in the mirror on the visor above her seat.

"Woman, you look like a Goddess. Will you relax?"

"Easy for you to say. I've got a couple uncles out in California that I'm gonna take you out to meet and we'll just see how relaxed you are then, Morgan."

"Point taken."

She gave him a smile. His eyes softened with tenderness and he added "You have nothing to worry about. I've told my family all about you and they're dying to meet you. After how much I've mentioned you over the years I think they were getting pretty curious anyway."

"You mentioned me to them before I was shot?"

"Of course, silly girl."

"Really?" she asked, her voice soft and in awe. "What did you say?"

He chuckled. "Wouldn't you like to know."

"Oh, I will know when I ask your sisters."

"Woman, don't you dare."

"Gonna happen and I'm gonna take notes when they answer me."

He gave her a deep grin. "Like you need to hear it from them to figure out what I think about you. Don't you know by now?"

She cooed at him "You love me. You're my best friend and the best super stone cold fox a woman could ever be lucky enough to have come into her life. Does that just about cover it?"

"That's just about getting started with it," he flirted with her.

He had her nice and relaxed, as they joked and flirted back and forth, until he told her that they were passing his high school. Knowing they were so close to his mother's place she tensed up. Derek pulled in the high school lot and parked.

Sitting there he told her some stories about when he was in school.

She said "I bet the girls were all over you."

"Ha. Not at first. I didn't have a growth spurt till sophomore year." He titled his head to the side, chuckling as he remembered himself as a pip squeak. "The way I looked my freshman year, even you, sexy mama, would have laughed at me and not given me the time of day."

"Never, mon cher. Perish the thought."

"Oh yeah? Wanna bet? I was five feet three, no muscles and not even a hundred and thirty pounds soaking wet."

"Well you sure grew into so much more than your humble beginnings," she purred at him.

He smirked and lay his hand on top of hers. "So what about you? When did you turn into the fine, fine, so fine Goddess that is before me today?"

"Oh," she let out a laugh "that was long after high school. First came the Goth phase."

"Excuse me?"

"Goth. All black clothes. Wearing a skull necklace. Reading books on vampires and witchcraft. Spooky, spooky stuff."

Derek shook his head at that. "We so would not have hooked up if we had met in high school."

She pouted. "Your loss."

He lifted his hand and raised her chin. "On second thought it would have been a pretty good challenge to talk you outta your Goth phase and outta those all black clothes."

She looked at him under hooded lashes. "You wouldn't of had to talk long."

He chuckled.

XXXXXXXXXXX

They pulled up to the curb in front of the apartment building where his mother lived. Penelope asked Derek "Did you live here when you were a kid?"

"Nah, we had a little house but after Des went off to college Ma moved in here. She didn't need as much room and to worry about the hassle of upkeep."

Penelope let out a shaky breath.

Derek took her hand and looked deep in her eyes before he said "Relax," dragging the word out.

"I'm trying, baby, but I want so much for your family to like me."

With his other hand he cupped her face and leaned close to her, until his forehead was against hers. "You know you're my family too, don't you?"

"Mmm-hmmm."

Pulling back he looked in her eyes "Thank you very much for coming here with me. I promise you that Derek Morgan is gonna show you a good time."

She smiled slightly as her eyes flashes with heat. "Ohhhh, exactly how good of a time?"

He flirted back "So good you're gonna forget your own name."

She giggled. "Believe me that would be mutual."

He chuckled. "I don't doubt it, Garcia."

Derek got out of the SUV, walked around, opened the door for her and then helped her out. Pausing for a moment, he took a calming breath and then said "If they start to interrogate you..."

"Does that run in your family?"

"About us just-"

"We should get our story straight first."

"Tell them to mind their own business."

"I can't tell your family that!"

Derek smiled at her. "Come on, baby girl, its cold out here. No more stalling." His hand on her back he led her to the door and then pressed the button for the intercom.

Through the speaker they heard "Yeah?"

"Hey, little sister, let me in before I kick down this door and you know I can," he teased Des.

"Mama would kick your ass," Des said back before buzzing them in.

Derek opened the door. They made their way up a staircase and came to a door. Standing behind Penelope he put his hands on her shoulders and then pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Christmas with my angel. Does it get any better than that?"

She turned her head and now their faces were within inches of each other. Their eyes held. The door opened and Penelope startled.

A woman in her mid- twenties stood there, dressed casually in jeans and a red sweater, and immediately smirked a very familiar smile at them- just like Derek's- before teasing "Don't be making eyes at your girl where Mama's neighbors can see."

"Hush up, little girl, and move aside. I'm here to see Ma. Not hear your lip," he teased back.

She stuck out her tongue at him before looking at Penelope. "Hi! I feel like I know you already from how much Derek has gone on and on and on and on and on and-"

"Des!" Derek barked. "Enough. She gets it."

Penelope said "I feel like I know you too. Derek always says how much he misses his family."

"Really? Whenever he's here he says how much he misses you."

Penelope's eyes went wide with surprise. She gave Derek a tender look. "Aw, Hot Stuff, that makes my heart melt."

Des laughed at the nickname. Derek told her "Don't start!" in a teasing way.

Des hugged Penelope. Derek and Penelope came inside and took off their coats. Derek called "Ma! Your baby boy is home!"

Des said "She's at the store."

"Why didn't you go for her?"

"She wanted to go."

Derek gave his sister a stern look before Penelope distracted him by cooing, as she looked at some pictures that were hung on the walls, "Ohhhh, I wanna see the kiddie version of my chocolate God of thunder!" before she headed towards the pictures.

Des smirked. "Now I see why you like her. She's half blind."

"Shut it. She just knows hotness when she sees it."

"She's exaggerating. Big time. Guess you fall for it every time though, huh?"

"I love you too, sis."

Des smiled and hugged Derek. He walked over to Penelope and explained when each picture was taken to her. A few minutes later his mother came through the door, carrying groceries.

Derek hurried over to kiss her cheek and take the bags. "Hi, Ma. I got this."

Penelope nervously faced Fran. "Hello, Mrs. Morgan. I'm Penelope Garcia. I work with your son...oh, you probably know that already. Of course you do. Anyway, I am very honored to be here to share Christmas with your family. I told Derek that I shouldn't intrude but, of course, he was feeling overprotective of me at the time and insisted that I come with him so thank you so much for your hospitality. I really appre-"

"Motor mouth," Derek said "take a breath."

Penelope took a breath. Fran slipped off her coat and came over to Penelope. Fran said "We're very happy that Derek could talk you into joining us this year. I could use someone here to give me the low down on his life back in Virginia."

"Yes, ma'am. Whatever you wanna know."

Derek groaned. "Baby girl, what did I tell you? You can't cave to their interrogation tactics."

His mother told him "Go put away those groceries while we chat."

Derek dutifully went to do that. Meanwhile Penelope and Fran sat on the couch. Fran said "Its wonderful to see you looking so healthy. Derek was very worried about you."

"Yes, ma'am. I got very lucky."

"I'm so happy to see you have recovered. I don't know what my son would do without you in his life. I never hear him more emotional than over you- in every way. Derek doesn't laugh as hard, get as frustrated, worried or sad over any other woman. Every time he calls me he mentions you."

"That's so sweet of him."

"I sure hope you take good care of my baby boy when you're down in Virginia. I wish he would transfer back to Chicago though so I could help to look after him. I know there is a FBI field office here."

Derek called out "My unit works out of Quantico only! You know that."

Penelope smiled. "He's very vital to our team. We wouldn't be the same if we lost him."

Fran touched her arm. "You know you could always transfer too. Wouldn't want to break up a good thing, you know?"

Derek came walking back into the room. "Ma, enough. No one is transferring no where. Lets just enjoy our visit here and not talk about the same stuff we talk about every time I'm home."

"Hush, boy, I know you ain't telling me what to talk about in my own home, right?"

"Okay, ma, but the answer is always gonna be the same."

Fran looked at Penelope. "I'm sure you could sway my son to move closer to the bosom of his loving family."

"Uh...um...ma'am...our boss would be at a lost without Derek. I just don't think I could do that to the team."

Derek took a seat and beamed at Penelope. "You tell her, baby girl."

Fran smiled lovingly at her son, over the tender way he was looking at Penelope.