When Two Become One
Chapter Thirteen
A/N - Thank you again for the lovely reviews, your continued support is much appreciated! Well here it is, the long-awaited wedding day, time for everyone to get ready!
Friday 8.03am - The Wedding Day of Derek Morgan and Penelope Garcia
It was to the sound of pounding that Penelope Garcia awoke the following morning. Groggy and sore from the excessive amount of walking she had endured the previous day, she lifted her sleep mask from her eyes and stretched her arm out to the side to feel for her glasses on her bedside table. Regaining her sight always made her feel slightly more awake and it was as she stared up at her bedroom ceiling that she realised that she wouldn't be living here anymore. It wasn't anything fancy but it had been her home for many years and she didn't like change, she knew she would have to move gradually, Derek would understand, he always did.
More pounding.
'What could be so urgent?' she thought angrily wrapping her dressing gown around her and stomping towards the front door.
She threw it open to see J.J. standing there with her hands on her hips frowning slightly, "do you not own an alarm clock?"
"Who needs an alarm when one could have your beautiful face waking them up?" she smiled shutting the door behind her.
J.J. soon made herself busy in the kitchen, making coffee and toast, "do you know how much we've got to do and the short amount of time to do it in?!" Garcia groaned in response as she sat down on the couch, "Emily will be here in half an hour, then the beauticians are coming at ten, I dropped Henry at Hotch's because he wanted to get ready with Jack as well as making sure everything is where it should be at the venue" she handed her friend a coffee cup, "drink" she ordered.
Penelope took it obediently and blew over the brown liquid to cool it down, "Jayje, you are so good to me, you're my best friend you know that? Even though we'll both be married as of today I don't want anything to change that. I miss the times when you didn't go on every case and we used to hang around my office, I get so lonely sometimes, I know I work better alone but I get sad that you are all off fighting the bad guys together and I'm just left on my own"
J.J. sat beside her and took her friend's hand squeezing it tightly, "you are my best friend too Garcie, I barely trusted anyone after my sister killed herself, I didn't want to get close in case they'd leave me. I didn't have a lot of friends growing up and clattering around the house with just me and my Mom was bad enough. You have been securely there for me for eight years, that's the longest I've been friends with anyone, that's why I trusted you to be Henry's Godmother, I know that if anything happens to me that you will do everything for him and know exactly what I'd do" she paused as Garcia gave a short sob, she nodded fiercely as tears streamed down her face, "I wish I could have spent more time with you but it seemed that every case needed help media wise and now I'm a profiler there's no chance. My favourite moments were when we were messing around in your office, especially when we had to cater for the CIA and you tried to get Prince William's number"
Her friend laughed as she recalled the memory, "missed the boat with that one"
"Yeah" she laughed, "but if you ever feel sad or lonely just call or text or webcam me or Morgan, we'll be happy to talk, I don't want you to be sad today of all days"
Penelope shook her head and smiled although tears still welled in her eyes, "I'm not"
J.J. leant over to her bag and pulled out a small pale blue woollen square and placed it in her friend's lap, "here, this is something fairly old, it is borrowed from me and it's blue, I figured you've already got a lot of new stuff so I could help you with the rest" she looked down at it fondly, "it was the first thing I ever knitted, do you remember? When I was pregnant you taught me how, I was never as good as you but you helped me create it"
"Oh thank you! I can't believe you kept it! You wanted to make a little cardigan but that was too complicated so we decided to make a square so we could create a quilt for him together. You did really well for your first time too, while you were making that I was knitting those ridiculous mittens for Kevin..." she trailed off.
J.J. put her hand over Garcia's, "is he coming today?"
She nodded slowly keeping her eyes fixated on the woollen square, "I told him about me and Derek as soon as we returned to work, I couldn't keep it from him after all we'd been through... he didn't even seem surprised, he's moved on and so have I and I'm glad"
"It's for the best, I think you two will actually be better staying as friends, not many couples can do that" J.J. agreed sipping her own coffee.
Penelope smiled at her, "I really love you Jayje"
There was a knock at the door, J.J. returned her grin as she stood up to answer it, "and I love you, now eat your breakfast, we need you to have all your strength"
"Wow" said Emily from the doorway, "is this the wedding party or have I just walked into a wake?" she cried noticing Garcia's tear-stricken face.
"We're just getting a bit emotional" J.J. explained.
"Well, there'll be plenty of time for that later, right now we've got a wedding to get ready for!"
When Morgan awoke he could hear movement downstairs, immediately he leapt out of bed, pulled on the nearest pair of pants and grabbed his gun. Preceding with caution, he crept down the stairs and pushed open the door into the kitchen slowly. Hearing noise he whipped around suddenly and was met by the laughs of his co-workers.
"Expecting someone else?" Rossi laughed taking a bite out of the toast he'd helped himself to.
Derek frowned as he lowered his gun, "what are you doing in my house?"
"You told us to stay here, last night you said there was no need to go home, we could get ready here and help you organise everything" Reid replied.
"Your house was closest, seeing as we didn't get back here until almost 2am I wasn't about to argue" Rossi added, "we went home this morning to get our suits and Reid needed his speech but we used the spare key so not to disturb you, we were about to get your ass out of bed when we got somewhat interrupted" he said looking down at the gun in Morgan's hand.
"Where's Hotch?"
"He's getting Jack and Henry ready and then he's taking them round to Garcia's and travelling with her"
Morgan nodded and was just about to help himself to some of the freshly made toast when there was a knock at the door.
"Are you expecting anyone Morgan?" Reid asked.
He shook his head in response and went to answer the door.
"Surprise!" a loud cheer came from the doorway, followed by a very familiar voice who cried "Derek Morgan! Is that a gun in your hand?! Put it down immediately before you hug your Momma"
A beam spread across his face as he placed his gun onto the side table "yes ma'am" he replied hugging his mother tightly before doing the same to both his sisters.
"I wasn't expecting to see you this early" he said "I've only just got up"
"We figured" Sarah stated eyeing up her half naked brother with her arms folded.
"I'm not staying long, I don't think it's right that you are marrying a woman that I have never met before. So you are going to give me her address so I can get to know her while your sisters help to organise you"
Morgan sighed, "Momma, Penelope's going to be stressed enough as it is without you going to judge her"
"I am not going to judge her! I simply want to get to know her so tell me where I'm going please Derek"
"I'll give you a ride Mrs Morgan" said Rossi coming through to the hall, followed closely behind by Reid.
"Agent Rossi, Agent Reid, wonderful to see you again" she smiled shaking their hands warmly, "please call me Fran and yes, a ride would be much appreciated"
Rossi smiled before getting his coat and car keys, as he went to open the door he noted Morgan's frown "they'll be fine, they'll just be talking!"
He snorted, "yeah, that's what I'm worried about!"