Note- This story takes place during and the following the episode titled "Penelope". There are four days when Garcia is in the hospital before Derek takes her home. That night he tells her he loves her and Battle shows up. At the end of the episode he says to her "Can we please get you back to the hospital now?" (paraphrased).

This fic will be in two sections. Before refers to prior to when Derek confesses his love and After is following when he has done so. Assume all that happened in the episode of Penelope happens during this fic.

This is five parts.

Before, part one

"Please forgive me, baby girl," he whispered when he thought she was still sleeping.

From how hoarse his voice was she wouldn't be surprised if he had been talking to her for hours while she was knocked out on pain medication. She fought to open her eyes. They felt heavy, just like they felt when she first woke up after the surgery the day before.

He went on "You should have been with me that night. I should have done something to stop you from ever going near him. I'll never forgive myself for this but I need you to give me your forgiveness- which I know is selfish to ask of you- but I can't carry this weight...knowing you blame me for this...and you should, baby girl, you should. Its all my fault."

She felt his lips brush her hand and then his cheek lay on her hand. Her eyes finally cooperated and opened. Everything was blurry without her glasses but she didn't care about that right now.

All she cared about was making him understand this was not his fault. "Morgan..."

His head snapped up and he jumped to his feet. "Hey, there, Garcia. Welcome back. You were out for a while."

There was a tenderness to all his words now. A gentleness that she felt would linger for a quite a while till he realized she was strong and healthy again, alive and well and then maybe he could see her as just his best buddy and not the injured woman.

Still Garcia appreciated the kindness. She always appreciated him. At first she saw just a hunk and he saw just a hot blonde- at least he said he saw that and she desperately wanted to believe him- but it wasn't long before Garcia learned that Morgan was also funny, smart, brave, witty, noble and wounded. She saw all his shades and layers. She felt like they connected in a way that she had never connected with anyone else before.

Sometimes she wished they could have more between them but he liked to date a different type of woman than her. And he wasn't ready to settle down anyway. So they were just friends and she was resolute in her determination to find a boyfriend. She had a life plan and it didn't include being alone every Saturday night till she died sitting in front of a computer screen.

As much as she loved her babies she wanted a real, live baby to raise one day.

Derek went on, asking her,"How are you feeling?"

"Dry. Can you get me some water?"

"Sure! Hold on." He went and got it and came back. There was a straw. He helped her sit up, by adjusting the bed, and then he helped her to get a drink.

There was a time when Penelope would feel like she would die of embarrassment if Derek saw her looking like she did now. No make-up. Hair a mess. Pale and woozy. But that time had passed when a bullet ripped into her. Now she just wanted him nearby because someone was trying to kill her and no one on earth could make her feel safer than Derek Morgan did.

"Thank you," she whispered, after drinking the water. "My glasses?"

"Here they are," he said, as he set the water down and got the glasses off a nearby table. It rolled and was used to place meals on.

He helped her slide the glasses on.

She smiled gratefully at him. "Thanks."

Their eyes held for a long moment. He finally said "Reid will be by soon, if you're up for visitors. We're taking shifts."

"How long have you been here?"

"Not long."

"How long?"

"Maybe five or six hours."

"You don't have to-"

"Shhh. Hush with that."

After another long moment she reached for his hand. He figured out what she wanted and took her hand. Penelope said "Listen to me, what happened to me, is not your fault."

Each word was spoken deliberately.

His eyes dropped. "Baby girl, now isn't the time to worry about that. Hotch is tracking down leads-"

"Hear me!"

His eyes snapped up.

She repeated "Its not your fault. I went with him because I wanted to believe he liked me and that's the only reason."

"Okay, baby girl," he said, unconvinced.

"It had nothing to do with you."

"You were mad at me. And you had every right to be. I've been a jack ass for a long time and that's why you got in that bad spot." He squeezed her hand. "No more, okay? I'll do better."

"Morgan, you're perfect."

His voice broke and his eyes begged her to give him relief from his burden. "Forgive me?"

"There's nothing-"

"Please," he pleaded.

"Fine. I forgive you. I will always forgive you, if you forgive me right back?"

He kissed her forehead. "Deal."