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God Makes a Way

Morgan and Garcia

Chapter Seven

May 2010

The team was given their normal two week vacations at the end of May. Penelope never got the same time off so she was forced to work. Derek went out to Vegas with Reid but they both promised to be home by Memorial Day weekend because JJ always had a cook out.

Penelope decided to surprise him by making JJ's party into Derek's birthday party, a week early. She even got his family to fly in.

The smile on his face when he showed up and everyone yelled "Surprise! Happy Birthday!" was well worth the efforts she put in to make the day happen.

He hugged his family and then made his way to Penelope. "Baby girl, my Ma says you orchestrated all this. You are the best ever, ever, ever."

"I know." She grinned at him and they shared a hug.

In his arms was always the best place to be for her. She didn't want to ever let go. Sucking in a deep breath she inhaled his scent and squeezed him tight. "Happy birthday, handsome. A little early but it wouldn't be too big of surprise next weekend."

He kissed her forehead. "I didn't see this coming. Especially my Ma, sisters and nephews being here. You are a miracle worker."

"I had my elves to help me."

"Oh, really? I don't believe Miss Penelope Garcia ever needs help to make magic."

"So true!" She smiled brightly and he laughed.

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As the cook out went on Penelope enjoyed getting to know Derek's family. She felt comfortable with them, even if his mother was a little nosy and wanted all the dirt on if Penelope and Derek were dating, or had ever dated.

Penelope blushed at that. Stammering she said "No, ma'am, never but we are the best of friends. Just friends. No benefits." That was a phrase Derek said to her plenty of times before but she was embarrassed that she used that term in front of his mom.

Still it was a great visit. Later, in the kitchen, Desiree came in to get some dessert for Derek's nephews. She asked Penelope "So, girl, when are you gonna hook up with my brother already?" Des smiled widely and bumped her hip against Penelope. "He's so nuts over you that its crazy."

"Oh, sweetie, I know it looks that way but really its not. He only sees me as a friend and that's cool with me."

"No way I believe that. Derek is way, way, way in love with you. I've never seen him so in love with any woman. Give him a shot."

Penelope's eyes grew soft.

Des added "You two would be so good together. Scratch that. There is no 'would be' about it. You're already good together! He can barely take his eyes off you. You gotta see how he's all about you. Mark my words, my brother is in love."

"He loves me as a friend."

"Bull." Des smiled at her. "Its not my business but I'm a Morgan and I've never let that stop me before so I'm just gonna butt in and say go for it, girl! That last boyfriend of yours did you wrong, I get that, so your next boyfriend needs to be a man who would rather cut off his left arm than hurt you. Now who does that sound like?"

Just then Will came into the room and so the women stopped talking about Derek. But Penelope did take in Desiree's words. She wasn't sure the younger woman was completely right but it did leave Penelope feeling warm inside to think that maybe Des saw a truth Penelope had been too scared to see herself.

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June 2010

During that next week, while Derek was away on a case, Penelope spoke to him on the phone. "Angel fish, mama wants to treat you to a homemade dinner for your birthday. That is if you don't have any plans for Sunday night. What do you say? Are you all mine?"

"Depends. What's for dessert?"

"Chocolate sauce."

"Just sauce?"

"The rest of the treat is where that sauce will be placed on my body."

"In that case, count me in for one dinner and two portions of dessert."

She laughed. "It's a date, my love."

When she hung up there was a sweet smile on her lips as she thought more about taking Desiree's advice and putting a move on Derek. On one hand, the thought made Penelope's heart race so fast she was sure he could hear it two states away. On the other hand, it left her warm and gooey in all the right places inside as she imagined him responding back to her kiss.

Des kept sending her private messages on Facebook encouraging Penelope to go for it. And as the week ticked by Penelope got caught up in the excitement of the idea of doing just that.

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Derek laughed at the way Penelope had decorated the table at her apartment for their dinner. It was done in a Chicago Cubs theme. The table cloth had the team's logo. There was a turned upside baseball helmet with flowers in it. The plates and glasses also had the team logo on them.

She said "Manly decorations for my manly, hunky birthday boy."

"Very nicely done. You went all out, sweetheart." He pressed a kiss to her head and held her close to his side for a long moment.

She looked up and into his eyes. The moment seemed to smolder as their gazes held. Penelope pressed a kiss to his jaw and then moved away. "I hope you brought your appetite," she said.

He patted his stomach. "You know I did, Garcia."

"And your Viagra?"

"What?" he asked, in a surprised tone.

She just busted out laughing and went into the kitchen, calling out to him, "I guess we'll have to make due with just ten rounds then!"

Derek laughed. "You're a crazy woman!"

They sat down and shared a dinner of Caesar salad, grilled vegetables and salmon. All healthy stuff because Derek was very health conscious. Though he would chow down on Philly cheese steaks when the team went to Philadelphia for a case and God help anyone who tried to come between him and his Chicago style pizza.

Over dinner they chatted about everything from how Penelope had taken Jack and Henry to the children's museum recently to how Derek was just about finished with one of his houses. He had been pouring man hours into fixing it up ever since Penelope ended their weekly Saturday night dates.

She teased him "So there's no friend with benefits in the picture right now for you?"

"I haven't met anyone lately who I want to share what little free time I have with. After the job we barely have any time for ourselves so if I'm gonna spend my time with someone, more than just a night or two, its gotta be someone worth it."

"Makes sense. You're so picky though when it comes to keeping anything going with any woman. They never measure up to some ideal you have in your head."

"What can I say? I know what I want and won't settle for less."

"I just want to make sure you find happiness one day. There are a lot of fish in the sea but there won't be any left for you if you throw them all back."

"I ain't worried about it. New fish graduate college every Spring."

Penelope chuckled. "You are such a man!"

Derek laughed. "Truthfully a woman that young doesn't have a thing to offer me. I like my women a little more interesting. I've lived and if she hasn't what would we talk about?"

"Who says you gotta talk?"

"Hush, you vixen!"

Penelope grinned. "Your Mom so wants grandbabies. Your babies would be so cute. Maybe your son could grow an Afro like you used to have...a baby fro."

"Don't go there. Do not bring my Afro up," he teased. "I can't believe my Mom brought that picture with her."

"You were adorable. Such chubby cheeks. Both sets!"

"I've come a long way since then...a long way! That does not represent me today."

Penelope laughed, catching his drift about the naked picture his mother had shown her. "Well I'm the oracle. I don't believe heresy. I need proof."

Derek crooked an eyebrow. The tension in the room grew. Penelope shifted in her seat. After a moment they both chuckled.

"Silly girl."

She smiled, got up and started to clear the table. Derek helped. They decided to take a walk and get ice cream cones for dessert. Holding hands they headed three blocks over and bought their ice cream. After a walk by the river they headed back to her apartment, stopping at his SUV.

"I better get on home," Derek said. "Another case starts in the morning."

Penelope raised her arms and hugged Derek but when he went to pull back she gave him a quick, short kiss on the lips. "Good night, my love," she murmured, moving away.

She didn't make it far. As if a fuse had been lit in him his arms shot out and pulled her back against his body with a thud, and then his lips descended on hers in a hot, eager, opened mouth kiss. His fingers fisted in the back of her hair, titling her head back more, and allowing him to deepen the kiss.

Pressed tight to Derek, his kiss hot enough to scald her and leave her completely breathless, Penelope gripped tight to his shirt, clawing at him, trying to keep her knees from buckling, feeling lucky that his strong arm was wrapped around her back or surely she would crumble from the intensity of this wickedly good, so long waited for and so long craved, kiss.