Disclaimer: We sadly do not own Criminal Minds.

Morgan was clock watching: Five past twelve; Quarter past; Twenty past. Twenty three minutes past. Time was dragging for him at that moment as he waited for his lunch break to come around, ready for his 'date' with Garcia. Twenty five minutes past. He wasn't sure he could chalk the time dragging down to nerves, but he knew that he was excited at the prospect of his plan working. Twenty eight minutes past. His mind wandering had given him a little bit of respite from the slowly moving clock. Twenty nine minutes past. Screw it, he was going now. What was one minute after all?

---

Garcia was in mid search when her eye caught the time: 12:25. Morgan would be down shortly. She couldn't help but smile at that fact. Her best friend had been so great to her since Lynch. Well even before then, but he had been particularly amazing since then. She didn't know how he did it, but the wondrous superhero that he was could soothe her worries and pick her mood up in no time.

And so when she heard his familiar knock she quickly sent on the search results and shut down her babies. Grabbing her bag she met him at the door with a smile.

"You ready for that chocolate cake, mamma?" He asked with a smile.

"I most certainly am, Hot Stuff." She replied with just as large a smile, feeling much better for having some company now, and not just any company, his company.

---

"You sure you don't want another slice Garcia?" Morgan asked with a smile as she put her fork down on the plate and a satisfied smile graced her face.

"That was just what I needed." She said with a grin. "Perfect, rich, smooth, chocolate-y and oh so delicious." She added with a wink and he couldn't help but chuckle slightly. If she kept saying things like that he might think that his plan was beginning to work, they hadn't properly flirted like their usual since her and Lynch had been starting out really. He had stepped back on that respect after realising it was hardly fair on Lynch, or Garcia seeing as she really had seemed to like him. No matter how much he disagreed that he was good enough for her.

"Well I'm glad I could provide Baby Girl." He replied with a grin before repeating: "You sure you don't want another one? For the road? Keep it for later?"

"I'm fine handsome-"

"Oh, I know you are." He batted back at her, and she smiled at their usual banter flowing again.

"Well I got nothing on you Hot Stuff, but I do my bit." She shot back with another disarming wink.

"You keep saying things like that Baby Girl and I'll have to prove you wrong. You are way more beautiful than you give yourself credit for." He said seriously and with the smile that made her believe it.

She smiled somewhat at him, although her eyes still told him she didn't quite believe him. By the time I get to the end of my plan you will believe every syllable of that. He thought to himself as went up to the cash register to pay before he took her hand and led her from the diner.

Getting out to the car he cursed slightly.

"What's up handsome?" She asked, concerned.

"Nothing, I just left my wallet in there. I'll be right back sweetness, you go on in." He said, tossing her the car keys as he turned on a jog.

She did as she was told and two minutes later Morgan was dropping his jacket in the back seat before starting the car and they were off, heading back to work. She smiled over at him as he began tapping his fingers on the steering wheel in time to the music and soon her humming along joined him.

"I'll get you singing one day handsome." She teased across with a smile.

"Not a chance, not even for you Angel." He said with a laugh and she just raised an eyebrow at him. She always found a way to get what she wanted. Except the very man who was sitting not half a metre away from her. She shook her head of those thoughts, not wanting to add any more heartache to the one Lynch had caused.

"I'll just have to get you really drunk and take advantage of that then my chocolate god."

"I could think of many other ways that you could take advantage of me that don't involve singing." He shot back without a second thought, a teasing smile on his face as he said it.

She gulped at his words before replying with a smirk of her own. "Well know I know why you keep trying to get me to 'loosen up' at team drinks."

"Trust me if I wanted to take advantage of you, you'd know it was happening, I would not be getting you drunk." He replied and she could hear the serious undercurrent to his voice. Her brows furrowed slightly, wondering just what it meant. Had she hit a nerve? She hoped not, they'd had such a great lunch.

Entering the parking garage and parking the SUV, Morgan quickly got out, his jacket forgotten, and ran to the other side to open Garcia's door for her.

"M'lady." He said with another mock bow and she hopped down before playfully slapping his arm.

"You keep doing that and I'll want the Princess treatment all of the time." She joked with a smile, glad that she hadn't in fact hit a nerve a moment before.

"Well you deserve a little of the 'Princess Treatment', woman, you are a Goddess after all." He replied with a smile, holding his arm out for her to loop hers in. She took it with a laugh.

"Are you escorting me into the big bad FBI building my Knight?"

"I'm nobody's Knight, Garcia." He said softly. "But yes, I am. Somebody's gotta protect you." He replied with a wink and she laughed at his words. The man was just as ridiculous as her sometimes. It was part of his charm.