Disclaimer: We sadly do not own Criminal Minds.


A/N: So we get that it's been FOR-EV-ER but here we are with a new update!! Let's just say we occupied with life, many living the Uni life and so on but here we goes!!


As she sat opposite her best friend in this wonderful little restaurant, Penelope Garcia couldn't help the bubble of nerves in her belly. She knew he was only Morgan and that he was only trying to make her feel better, feel pretty and feel herself again after being ill for the week, and yet something was different. She couldn't put her finger on it but something was definitely different. And as she listened to him chat about the latest of Reid's attempts at jokes she couldn't help but smile as her mind wandered back over the week.

The man had been a saint; a saviour in every sense of the word. From carrying her to and from her bed, making her "Mamma Morgan's Speciality Chicken Soup", keeping her cool when she was burning up and heating her up with her many blankets and even himself when she had still not heated up (gallantly ignoring the fact that he too could get sick: he'd take one for the team, he'd said), to refusing point blank to let her move even a finger – and although it had been as frustrating as hell she wouldn't trade it for a second. Being ill sucked. But being taken care of by Derek Morgan, well that didn't suck quite so much.

They'd had fun despite her being ill. In between the fevers and the naps and the sudden cold spells they'd watched films, talked about work, about life in general, flirted just as much as they usually did and shared a few new things. A few things that maybe tonight she could encourage him to expand upon. I mean the man couldn't very well throw out that he may be finally ready to settle down and not tell her why, where, when and most importantly after all that had happened lately: who.

But she wouldn't hold her breath. Despite him kissing her when she was so raw and hurt about Kevin he hadn't tried anything since, and she knew that if Derek Morgan wanted something he took it. And where women were concerned, he did it fast – he didn't wait around. He always seemed to know exactly what, or who, he wanted. If he had wanted to kiss her again she was sure he would have done it by now, he wasn't lacking in the confidence department that was for sure.

Her mind jumped back to the present when she felt his rough hand touch hers softly. Her head shot up, her eyes meeting his concerned ones.

"Baby Girl." He said softly, "You ok? Where's that gorgeous head at?" He asked with a laugh.

"Wouldn't you like to know Handsome? This brain goes all sorts of places you wouldn't want to go." She teased with a smile, watching as his concern melted away in an instant at her retort.

"Well, someday maybe I'll take you up on that, see all the deep dark corners of your evil dirty mind mamma." He shot back with a grin.

"You couldn't handle it Hot Stuff." She said, her eyes glittering with the familiar defiance and challenge that he was used to. She was definitely feeling much better now. He had hated seeing her so unlike herself, and yet he had enjoyed every minute of running after her, from the making of soup to fetching more blankets to becoming one himself. He knew she had begun to get annoyed with is "mollycoddling" as she had dubbed it, but he had refused to stop, she deserved to be looked after normally, never mind when she was ill and he was going to show her that he would be there through the good and the bad and when it was all over he was taking her gorgeous ass out. And so here they were, and she was most definitely back to her usual vivacious self again.

He smiled widely at her response, his eyes glittering at the prospect of a challenge.

"Is that a challenge Baby Girl? You sure you really wanna go there?" He teased with raised eyebrows.

Her lips pulled into one of the cutest smirks he had ever seen as she replied: "Bring it on, Hot Stuff, I bet you wouldn't last a minute in this head."

"What? You got too many smokin' hot fantasies in there?" He asked with obvious mirth. "Would I just burn up in a second?" He continued, watching her flush a little before she replied, reaching out and placing her hand on top of his.

"Nah, that brain of yours just wouldn't be able to handle all the computer speak, you'd run yourself in circles and have your head spinning in a second." She teased, patting his hand condescendingly.

"Oh really?" He asked, his face disbelieving but his eyes giving away the fact that he was obviously amused with her replies.

"Uh huh handsome, sadly no matter how big that bald head of yours actually is I don't think it could accommodate all this knowledge." She shot back with a laugh at his shocked expression.

"I bring you out and you insult me!" He replied with a laugh. "I take you to this lovely little place and I'm being insulted." He said with disbelief, shaking his head with a smile as she smiled back at him, enjoying their banter as much as he was.

"Don't sulk Handsome, it takes away some of that hotness." She said with a laugh.

"If you say so baby, can't be having myself on anything but my best when out with you. I think you're using me as a trophy, only wanting me there if I look pretty enough." He said with a laugh and a wink.

"Handsome you don't do pretty. Brooding intensity and general hotness: sure. But not pretty. You're far too much muscles to be pretty." She drawled with a smile. "Oh, it looks so good." She said acknowledging the food that the waiter was placing in front of her now.

Then glancing across at Derek's and seeing the steak and homemade chips she suddenly wanted to change her order. That looked good.

Upon seeing her somewhat predatory look he began to dig in with vigour, over exaggerating every mouthful as she watched with a pout.

"Eat up before it gets cold Garcia...and I may be tempted to share a few chips..."He trailed off with a smirk and she wanted to hit it off his gorgeous face. Instead she just smiled over at him before digging into her own, her fork "accidentally" pinching a few chips from his plate; protest to by a few "hey!"s before he gave up. It really didn't do well to tease her about anything - she knew how to get what she wanted.

They continued their usual banter and conversation over the meal and well into desert before a table seller came through the shop, a basket of roses on one arm as they peddled their wares to the diners.

Garcia looked up, about to politely tell the seller that they didn't need one when she heard Morgan speak and her head snapped round to face him.

"I'll have one please, a red one thanks." He said with a smile, handing over some money and carefully pulling out a beautiful red one from the basket. The seller smiled largely at the pair and moved on to the next table. 'Here you go baby girl, just for you.'

With absolute astonished awe she took the red rose and smelt it. 'Derek, thank you but you didn't need to.'

'I'm doing this all right goddess, the proper way.' He said with smile that he kept just for he, she smiled and looked down not really knowing where to look. Derek kept his eyes firmly on her, she really was blind to what he was up to but not for long, that red rose marked the beginning of his ploy to wining her heart.