Before Its Too Late
Morgan and Garcia
Chapter 7
August 2010
After making love they lay on their sides, facing each other, legs tangled together and each having one arm slung over the other one.
"Penelope," Derek stroked his knuckles gently down her cheek "I don't ever wanna use condoms. I don't want that barrier between us. But I want you to feel comfortable too and safe."
"I know I'm safe with you and you're safe with me."
"We're gonna have such a beautiful family," he murmured as he brushed his lips against hers.
"You gorgeous hunk, I'll share your attention one day but right now," she reached down and started to stroke him to full hardness again before leading him inside of her "you are all mine...ohhhhh. Does that feel meant to be or what?"
"Completely meant to be, baby girl."
They slowly found a rhythm and made love while kissing desperately the whole time.
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December 2010
She heaved into the toilet in a very cramped bathroom on a plane flying from Washington DC to Chicago. By the time Penelope made it back to sit down next to Derek, with him standing and guiding her into her seat, she was looking pale and woozy.
"Baby girl, I knew you had the flu but you were too hard headed to listen."
"Not the time to say I told you so." She leaned back with her eyes closed.
Derek ordered her some Sprite from the stewardess. "Here. Sip this, sweetheart."
She took a small sip. "I can't believe I'm going to meet your mother for the first time looking like something the cat hacked up."
"Hey now," he held her chin "you are a gorgeous Goddess no matter what you're wearing or if you're a little green around the gills. Don't make me spank you for talking smack about the woman I love."
Derek had already promised her that she would be going home with an engagement ring resting on her finger. He just had to get it from his mother- it was a family heirloom passed down for the last one hundred and twenty three years in the Morgan family.
They hit turbulence. When the plane smoothed out again Derek asked Penelope "Are you okay, mama?"
She nodded, still looking on the verge of throwing up. "I just feel so yucky right now."
"We should have waited a few more days before heading out to see my family. I'm sorry."
"I felt good when we left. This damn flu bug just comes and goes."
His eyebrows furrowed. "When we get back home, if you're not better, you're seeing a doctor and no arguements, got it?"
"I'll be better. It's just the flu. I just don't want to be sick the whole time we're with your family."
Derek pulled her against his side. "Close your eyes and rest, baby girl. I got you."
She reached for his free hand and intertwined their fingers, the let her eyes drift close for a while as she tried to fight off a bout of dizziness.
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Fran Morgan welcomed Penelope with open arms. But their first meeting didn't go the way Penelope had dreamt it would at all.
In the middle of a hug, standing in Fran's living room, Penelope said "It's a pleasure to...excuse me, I really need a bathroom right away." Her hand went over her mouth.
Derek rushed her to the bathroom. While she was in there he went back to his Mom's side. "Sorry. She's been fighting the flu."
"Oh, that's terrible. How long has she been ill?"
"A couple of weeks back she was out of work for a few days. And then she thought she had it beat and now its back again with a vengeance. She really didn't get completely better in between though. With our job there's not enough time to rest up or eat right. This break away from work should be good for getting her back on her feet again. I know she hates that she's sick when we're here to visit y'all."
Penelope came back out of the bathroom. "So sorry about that. I hope I can kick this flu's butt and be back to my normal tech kitten self in no time. I'm terribly sorry for bringing germs with me when I come to visit your home for the first time."
"Nonsense," Fran said "I'm thrilled to have you and my baby boy here. Now lets get you settled in your room so you can lay down for a bit before dinner."
"Thank you. Maybe a nap would help."
Soon Penelope was out of all her clothes but her slip and panties. She lay on the bed and Derek lay with her. "You should go catch up with you Mom."
"Hush. I'll go after you fall asleep." He stroked her hair gently.
His worried eyes held hers. "Don't worry. Its just the flu."
"I'm gonna worry because I love you, hard head."
"I just wanna get better so I can enjoy this trip. I'm not making a good impression on your mom so far."
"She's a nurse. She's seen it all before. This is no big deal to her. You just stop worrying, close those beautiful eyes, and relax."
Penelope rolled over and Derek spooned her. She intertwined her fingers and lay them against her stomach. "I wanted to come up here for years now. I'm finally here and its already turning into a mess. I just hope your mother likes me. I don't know what I'll do if she doesn't like me." Tears clogged her throat.
"Shhh," Derek gently rocked her. "You are the most loving woman in the world. You are so easy to love, baby girl. My Ma will feel just like everyone else who knows you feel. They can't help but love you from your sexy firecracker red hair down to your pretty pink toenails."
"What if she doesn't want me to have that ring? Its important in your family and she doesn't even know me."
"You're going to have my great grandmother's ring because you are the woman I'm going to marry. Now hush with all the worrying. Its almost Christmas and you and me are gonna have the best holiday of our lives. For the last three years I have wished I could have you with me on Christmas. I wanted it so much it hurt to go without you on that day. And before that I always called you because it would hit me, somewhere in the middle of celebrating here with my family, that I needed to talk to my baby girl. You and me are meant to spend all our Christmases together and now we finally are getting it right, girl. So just try and enjoy it. You're gonna feel better soon, baby. And until you do you have nothing to apologize to anyone about. You're surrounded by family here. No one will judge you. You're with your family and they will all love you because I love you. No one is gonna dare tell my baby girl that she is anything less than perfect."
Derek's soothing words lulled Penelope to sleep.
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Later that evening Penelope felt well again. She was able to meet Sarah and Des and enjoy a home cooked meal of Fran's short ribs and baked macaroni and cheese. During the meal there was much laughing and joking between Derek and his siblings. Penelope started to feel less like an outsider who had something to prove and more like family, as she teased Derek just as mercilessly as his sisters but then stuck up for him when they teased him.
After dinner Fran took out a photo album to show Penelope pictures of Derek as a kid, and told stories that went along with each photo. There was one of him naked as a baby in a bathtub. He had wild black curly hair. Fran gave that one to Penelope. "You keep this. Put it on your fridge."
"Ma!" Derek cried, chuckling.
Fran went on "And when you see it think about the grandbabies that I'm begging you to have for me."
"Ma, please, don't start this again. In due time," Derek said.
Penelope took the photo. "I think you're adorable, Hot Stuff."
His sisters snickered, just like they did every time Penelope called Derek a nickname. They had started to tease him with ridiculous nicknames of their own like Fancy Pants, Hottie Mc Thinks He's So Hot, Super Fly FBI Guy, and others that were meant to torment him.
"Well thank you, baby girl. You're still prettier though." He gave her a quick kiss.
Des made a gagging sound and then giggled. "He's so sprung!"
Fran said "Leave your brother alone. I think its nice he finally brought a woman home here. I was starting to wonder about his preferences."
Derek nearly choked at hearing that. "Geez, Ma, come on now! Derek Morgan is a well known ladies man."
"Former ladies man, Hot Stuff."
"I'm a one woman man now. But its definitely women I prefer. And definitely one woman who is going to be by my side for the rest of my life." He waggled his head at Penelope.
Just then she felt a bout of nausea come on and ran for the bathroom.
Sarah chuckled. "Hearing that sugary sweet line made her sick, bro."
Derek shook his head at his always teasing sisters and went to check on Penelope again.