"You know, Princess," Derek said with a laugh as he parked his car and they got out. "You're so much nicer when you're high off your ass."
Emily blinked hard once before rolling her eyes and shaking her head in annoyance but she was smiling. "I'm nice all the time;" she protested, "just not to you."
Morgan clutched his hands to his chest and winced dramatically. "Damn girl; it's like that, huh?"
"Someone has to keep your ego in check." She pointed out happily before frowning slightly and gesturing toward the front of the restaurant as they approached. "Were we supposed to meet JJ and Garcia?"
Morgan grinned and shrugged casually. "Nah, but let's go see if they wanna eat with us. Work for you?" He bumped her lightly with his shoulder. "Any excuse to hang out with your girlfriend, right?"
Emily looked over at him with wide, apologetic eyes. "I know you're into Garcia so I'm really sorry, but our love is real, Morgan." She teased in a theatrical tone.
Morgan laughed loudly, drawing the two blonde's attention towards them and Garcia waved them over excitedly.
"Well if it isn't two of my favourite crime fighters!" Garcia greeted them enthusiastically. "How's your head, Princess?"
"Feels like I got hit with a shovel." Emily said sarcastically. "What are you guys doing here?"
"Arguing." JJ responded while putting her hands on her hips. "I feel like Pen is the one who suggested we go to Meaza but now that we're here, she doesn't want to go."
"I didn't!" Garcia protested. "I objected that you've lived in the area for how long and you've never had Ethiopian food? I was following you."
"Waitaminute," Emily said holding up one hand. "JJ you've never had Ethiopian food?"
"That's the same face Garcia made." JJ laughed.
"I just don't feel like dealing with spicy today." Garcia interjected.
"How about this," Morgan spoke up. "You two," he swept his hand toward JJ and Emily. "Go and introduce JJ to the marvel that is Meaza and me and Baby Girl will go find something more agreeable to her stomach."
JJ raised an eyebrow at Emily and tilted her head to the side: they're making this too easy.
Emily snickered and shrugged a shoulder slightly: better send them off on their date.
"Okay," Emily said after JJ nodded, looping her arm through JJ's. "We'll see you guys tomorrow then. We still on for wine and movies Friday?"
Garcia and Morgan nodded in tandem and Garcia answered, "Yes of course babycakes! And remember that we have my party on Saturday night!"
JJ waved over her shoulder as Emily led her into the restaurant with promises that they'd not forget about Garcia's end of the month party.
"They're making this too easy." Morgan said once they were out of earshot.
"Entirely." Garcia agreed with a pleased nod of her head. "So I'll see you tomorrow then?"
"Tomorrow?" Morgan fumbled, wanting to point out that he was serious about going to dinner with her.
"Yeah hot stuff." Garcia laughed. "Work? Plotting how to make Friday work to our advantage over lunch? Come on."
"Right, right, tomorrow then." He responded with a sheepish chuckle and watching her walk to her car. "Damn." He muttered when Garcia was out of earshot. This was getting ridiculous lately; maybe it was time to do something.
Sighing, Morgan shook his head and got back into his car, pulling out his cellphone when it started ringing. He smiled when he saw who it was and engaged the call: "Big sis! What's up?"
"Hey little brother." Sarah's smooth voice said over the connection. "How's things?"
"You know, same ol same ol." Derek replied, pulling out of his parking spot.
"How's my sister-in-law?"
"Your what now?"
Sarah laughed. "You know, Penelope. Stop playing like that's not my sister-in-law."
"I'm not playing like anything Sarah."
"Bullshit. You know and I know and everyone else knows that that's your baby girl."
"It's just a nickname."
"And De Nile is just a river in Egypt. When are you going to stop playing games, Derek?"
Morgan sighed. "I don't know, Sarah. I don't know how she really feels."
"You and I both know that's a load of bull, little brother. Stop playing with this woman and get to it."
"You'd like that wouldn't you?"
"Me and everyone else."
"Yeah well no one asked you."
"No one needs to; I know."
"I can't talk to you, I'm driving."
"You could talk to me just fine a minute ago."
"Well now my attention's divided and I can't."
Sarah laughed. "Okay well I'll let you go then. Think about what I said."
"Yeah yeah."
"Don't you yeah yeah me you little hellion."
"Okay, okay, I'll think about it."
"That's better. Love you brother."
"Love you too sis."
Derek hung up the call and shook his head. Maybe Sarah was right. Maybe it was time to stop playing games. He drove in silence for a few minutes before slapping the steering wheel lightly and muttering "fuck it" to his empty car, pulling out his phone again and dialing a number he knew by heart: "Hey, Baby Girl, it's me are you home yet? …Yeah? Mind if I stop by? …Okay, see you soon."
Derek shuffled nervously in front of Penelope's door, trying to work the nerves out of his system before she opened the door. He heard her moving around on the other side, her muffled voice alerting him to the fact that she was close by and had heard his knocking.
"Uh-huh." Garcia was saying as she pulled open the door, motioning for Derek to come in with one hand while her other held her phone pressed to her ear. "Is that right? …No not surprised really just…yeah, exactly." She gestured toward the couch and Morgan took a seat. "Well he's here now so I'm gonna go. Okay…okay I will. Love you too. Bye."
"Who was that?" Derek asked, only mildly hating the tiny spark of jealousy that flared up in him.
Garcia laughed and shook her head. "It was Sarah."
"My sister Sarah?"
"Naturally."
"What did she have to say?"
"Nothing I didn't already know; can I get you something to drink?"
Morgan's nerves returned and he nodded, getting up from the couch to follow Garcia into her kitchen. "Just water or something would be great."
Garcia hummed that she heard him and puttered around the kitchen getting glasses and rifling through her fridge for bottled water. "So what did you wanna come over for or did you just miss my radiant presence?"
Morgan rubbed the back of his head briefly and shook his head. Did he even know what he was doing? "You know I can't be away from you too long, mama." When in doubt, fall back on the easy banter. He took the glass of water Garcia handed him and took a measured drink trying to buy himself some time.
Garcia must have noticed he was practically vibrating with nervous, unsure energy because her face creased into a frown and she set down her own glass without drinking any of its contents.
"Okay, what's wrong?"
"Why would anything be wrong?"
Garcia shrugged in a 'duh' gesture. "You're acting like you got called to the principals office and they're calling your mom. What's going on Derek? You can tell me, I can help."
Derek sniffed a small laugh and looked at Penelope who was gazing at him expectantly. Could he do this? What had changed in the last hour that made him want to? Something Sarah said. She had just been joking, calling Garcia her sister-in-law but that had struck something in Derek. Had reminded him that he saw a future with Garcia. Maybe that was the wrong turn of phrase; when he looked at his future all he saw was Penelope. Everything came crashing into him at once. It had always been Garcia and it always would be. He was more committed to her than he had been with anyone and they weren't even dating. The most important romantic relationship Derek ever had was with Penelope Garcia and they'd never even kissed. He could fix that. He could start here.
Derek felt like he was moving in slow motion while leaning forward. The look on Garcia's face had morphed from concern to brief shock and then the desire on her face matched what he felt on his own expression and she met him halfway in a languid kiss. They stood making out like teenagers in Garcia's kitchen for several minutes, Derek's hands tangled in blonde hair and Penelope's hands at his back before they both pulled away, breathing slightly heavy and both looking dazed.
"Oh wow." Garcia murmured, her eyes still half closed. "What was that for?"
Derek realized in that instant that she was giving him an out. A chance to say it was a one time thing, that it didn't mean what she wanted it to mean and he felt about to burst with love for her and the compassion and saint like patience she showed towards him. If he wanted to he could play this off and they could go back to how things always were between them but as he stood on that edge, Derek realized that he didn't want to go backwards; he wanted to go forwards. Towards the future. Towards Penelope. Garcia had been waiting for him but she couldn't wait forever and the thought of losing his chances with her was more terrifying than taking that step off the edge and trusting she would be there to catch him; that he would let himself be caught.
"I shoulda done that a long time ago." Derek admitted, hands resting at her waist. He kissed her forehead. "A long time ago. I'm sorry."
"Sorry? Sorry for what?" she shook her head. "You were scared, Derek. You're terrible at hiding your feelings but I didn't want to spook you, you know?"
"I know. You've always known me so well, Baby Girl and I've taken advantage of that but no more, you hear me? If you'll let me, I want to make it up to you. I want to be serious."
Garcia raised her eyebrows. "Are you sure? I'm not asking for anything, I just—"
"That's the thing," Derek interrupted firmly. "You've never asked me for anything, you've never demanded anything from me but what I give you freely and that means more to me than I can say but it's time for me to stop playing around. You haven't asked me for anything but maybe that's exactly why I want to give you everything." He leaned down and kissed her again, heat rising in his chest at the fact that he could. What had he been so afraid of? He couldn't remember now. "I love you Penelope Garcia, you are my God-given solace and I would be honoured if you allowed me to try and prove that to you for as long as I can."
Garcia's breath hitched and she grinned dopily at him, patting his cheek gently with one hand. "Derek you are fine but you're simple. I've loved you for ages, angelfish. You don't have to prove anything to me. As far as my hearts concerned, I've been yours from the word go, I've just been biding my time while waiting for you to realize it."
Derek grinned and accepted a chaste kiss Garcia planted on his lips. "Not that I don't want to shout it from the rooftops, but do you think we can keep this to ourselves for a little while." He quickly continued when Garcia's face fell slightly. "It's just I want it to be just us for a bit. You know, before Emily starts organizing the parade."
Garcia laughed. "Emily? She'll have to fight JJ for that honour…speaking of which, how are we going to get those two idiots together? It seems like we're almost there but almost doesn't cut it and I'm worried JJ is freaked out and is backing off."
Morgan hummed and rested his chin on the top of Garcia's head when she pressed her cheek to his chest. "I have an idea, actually."
Penelope pulled back and gazed up at him with a mischievous glint in her eye. "I'm listening."
AN: I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update. Things have been hectic to put it mildly in my personal life. I'm going to leave the temporary hiatus status up but I anticipate that updates should be coming more regularly. There'll probably be two or three more chapters after this before we're done. Thank you so much for the follows and reviews to everyone (and if you're ever in the DC Metro Area, for real, eat at Meaza)