Home of Penelope Garcia – Morning –

She hadn't slept and judging by the sounds of him tossing and turning on her sofa, Derek hadn't slept either. She felt awful for how she'd treated him the night before banishing him to the sofa and refusing to listen to what he had to say. No matter what had happened with them she knew Derek and she knew that he would never hurt her...not intentionally anyway. She again allowed her fear to dictate her behavior and now she wasn't sure were they stood with each other. The thought of raising their child alone was horrible but living the rest of her life without her best friend was something she didn't want to ever consider.

The sunshine creeping through her bedroom blinds coaxed her from beneath her down comforter. She needed caffeine…facing the day without it was pure suicide. She stopped and watched him as he slept. The pillow and blanket she'd given him were tossed on the floor along with most of his clothes. Penelope couldn't help but smile. She also couldn't deny the fact that she loved him madly.

The smells of breakfast…bacon, eggs and coffee pried his eyes open. His body felt like lead and his back and neck ached. The sound of Penelope making breakfast gave him hope that she still cared enough to feed him before banishing him from her life. He dragged himself from the couch and headed toward her kitchen. She looked gorgeous in his t-shirt; the one from his Chicago PD Academy days…the one she'd sworn she hadn't taken from his place.

So focused on the sizzling bacon on the grill and thoughts of impending parenthood, she didn't hear him come into the room. Cautiously he wrapped his arms around her waist and when she didn't resist, leaning her body against him he closed his eyes relishing the moment.

"Good Morning, Baby Girl."

"Good Morning, Handsome."

Wiggling out of his grip she managed to get her legs to work and move her body across the room to the pantry where she pulled out two mugs. He watched her realizing he had a lot of work ahead.

"Baby…"

"Not now, Derek…"

"Then when, Pen?"

"Can you take the bacon off the grill, please?"

Derek looked at her unbelievingly. Then grabbing the fork next to the grill, he did as she asked, placing the bacon on a nearby platter.

"We can't just pretend that…"

"Cheese or no cheese?"

"What?"

"Do you want cheese in your eggs or not?"

"Penelope, stop! Just stop, okay?"

He closed the distance between them removing the empty mugs from her hands and placing them on the center island. She watched him, wide-eyed and mouth open as if she were about to protest but thought better of it. He then took her by the hand and led her to the small round table in front of the large bay window.

"Derek, I can't talk about this."

"Why, Penelope?"

"I don't want to here how you're going to ride in and save the day...that you're going to be by my side and help raise this baby. Meanwhile, you'll be miserable because you let the love of your life get away! Derek Morgan, I love you; you know I do but it would kill me if I knew you gave up any chance of happiness because of me!"

He stood silent in front of her. Then ever so gentle he wiped the tears, one by one from her face. He watched the fear and the doubt swimming upstream in her eyes. He didn't understand after all these years how he had utterly failed in convincing the woman standing in front of him that he loved her.

"Penelope Marie Garcia, you are the love of my life and if I let you get away then it would kill me."

Her heart stopped for just a moment and she prayed for a rewind button to fall from the sky…she couldn't believe what she was hearing…what she thought she was hearing.

"Derek…"

"Please, let me finish."

"Sorry…"

"I have a confession. You've always called me a hero and I've always cringed at the reference."

"Why?"

"Because what I really am is a coward. I've loved you from the moment I met you but I was too stupid to realize it. When you got shot, I felt that bullet…right here, in my heart. The thought of you dying before I had a chance…we had a chance was unacceptable."

"But why didn't you tell me?"

"I did."

"What? When?"

"The night I brought you home. I told you I loved you and you said you loved me."

Penelope remembered that night. She'd dreamt of that moment every night since, wishing that it had meant that he loved her beyond friendship but she knew that it wasn't what he meant. She knew the women he dated, she was so not like any of them. She was not lacking in confidence but most men were shallow, so it took a minute for them to see what she already knew about herself.

"Then when we were all standing around in the bullpen after Baylor had been killed, JJ started singing that little kids song…"

"What song?"

"About you and Kevin up in a tree kissing…K-I-S-S-I-N-G…something like that…damn I hate that song. I swear if I ever have any kids that song will not be allowed to be sung in my house…"

"Baby Boy…focus, focus…"

"I'm sorry."

They both smiled and again he wiped a stray tear that had fallen from her eye.

"When I heard JJ sing that song and I glanced over at you and Kevin Lynch I felt like someone had stabbed me through the heart. It was all I could do to get out of there."

"Derek, I am so sorry…"

"I know you don't believe me. You have every right not to. I swore up and down that I loved Savannah…"

"Derek you don't have to explain…"

"Yes I do, Baby Girl. I had to prove that I could make a relationship work. You know me better than anyone, you know how screwed up I am. Hell, even you ran to the hills, straight to Lynch!"

"Derek…"

"I couldn't lose you, so I kept my mouth shut and pretended I was happy for you. If all I could be was your friend then I'd have to be happy with…"

She couldn't listen any more. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her crashing her lips against his. She could feel him go ridged then slowly relax as she deepened the kiss. She hadn't planned on doing it, quite the contrary she was determined not to let things get out of control between them again. Then she saw the love and desperation in his eyes. It took a lot for him to put his feelings for her out there for her to hear knowing full well that he may lose her in the process.

"What the hell…?"

He pulled away needing air to breathe…and think…and process what had just happened between them.

"I love you Derek Morgan. I love you and I'm mad at you! In fact, I've never been so mad in my life!"

"But…but…I…what did I do now?"

She socked him on his shoulder and then slapped him on his chest…and again and then he caught her hand in mid air as she readied to let him have it again. This time it was him who kissed her…hard and demanding. He pulled her tight against his body. She relented and surrendered all control to him as they stood there kissing and panting while their lungs screamed again for air.

"Derek I've loved you since Gomez. I didn't want to love you because I'd heard about your reputation and I saw with my own eyes who you had going in and out of the revolving door to your bedroom."

"Now Baby Girl…you know that I've never brought anyone to my home…"

"Shut up, Derek! It's my turn to talk."

"Yes ma'am." He smirked.

"That's better. I love you. I'm in love with you. Why do you think I turned Kevin down when he asked me to marry him?"

"Because you didn't want to go away and raise sheep on a farm far, far away?"

"No silly, it's because I can't imagine living the rest of my life with anyone but you."

"But what about Sam?"

"I got scared and instead of going after what I wanted, I settled. Now I've hurt a wonderful man who didn't deserve to get pulled into this mess."

"I'm sorry. I did the same thing with Savannah and now she's hurt and I know she'll never forgive me for what I've done."

"What do we do now?"

"We ride this out together. We promise to not let our fear stop us from loving each other again. I love you Penelope Garcia."

"I love you too, Derek Morgan."

Morgan tightened his hold around her waist and they stood in silence for several minutes until his phone rang. Reluctantly, he released her and pulled the phone from his belt. He didn't recognize the number and looked at Penelope as he took the call.

"Hello?"

"Is this Derek Morgan?"

"Yes it is."

"My name is Toni Cruz I'm a doctor at Potomac General."

"How can I help you?"

"A, Savannah Hayes was brought in about forty minutes ago and you are listed as her emergency contact."

"What? What happened, is she okay?"

"She was a victim of what looks to be a mugging. She was beaten up pretty bad. I thought you might want to know."

"No of course…yes thank you. I'm on my way."

Derek ended the call. Penelope saw his face and she knew without him saying a word that it wasn't good news.

"Baby, what's wrong? Who was that?"

"It was the hospital. Savannah was attacked…"

"Oh my goodness! Go…"

"Penelope…"

"No it's okay, you need to be with her right now."

"But…"

She released her grip around his waist and stepped away.

"Penelope this doesn't change anything, do you hear me? I see those wheels turning inside your head, woman."

"I know, Derek. Now go, I'll be fine. I 'll be here when you get back. Just call me when you find out anything."

"Okay…"

He kissed her on the lips and headed toward the door then turned back to face her.

"Penelope?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Potomac General Hospital –

Derek ran through the emergency room doors and rushed to the main desk.

"How can I help you?"

"Savannah Barnes, where is she?"

"Are you family?"

"No, I'm her… I'm a friend…someone called me and told me she was…"

"Derek Morgan?"

He turned toward the voice. Her nametag read, 'Antonia Cruz, M.D.'

"Yes…Dr., Savannah…can I see her?"

"She's in exam room one. She suffered quite a beating but I think she'll be fine in a few weeks. She didn't want me to call you but I thought she could use some support right now."

"Thank you so much. I'm glad you called. Can I see her?"

"Sure, follow me this way."

Derek followed the woman down the hallway to the first exam room.

"Don't be alarmed she looks worse than it really is."

"Thank you doctor."

Dr. Cruz nodded and headed back down the hall toward the nurses station. Derek slowly opened the door and met the teary-eyes of his now former girlfriend. He was shocked at how she looked. Her face was black and blue on one side and she had the beginnings of a nasty black eye on the other. He rushed to her side as she began crying.

"Savannah, baby what happened?"

Carefully he pulled her into his arms and she responded by wrapping her arms around him holding onto him for dear life. Her body shook against his as she sniffled.

"I didn't want them to call you."

"No, I'm glad they called me."

"I'm so sorry…what happened."

Savannah continued to cry for a few short minutes before finally calming down enough to speak. She continued to hold on to him with her head rested against his chest.

"Savannah, talk to me. Who did this? Tell me who did this to you."

He could feel her inhale against him.

"You did."

He pulled away from her slightly confused by her answer.

"What?"

She looked into his face and without blinking repeated her answer.

"You did."

"What? What are you talking about? I didn't…I would never…"

"You did this to me, Derek! And if you ever think about leaving me again, that's exactly what I'll tell the police."

He released her and stepped away from her bed. He saw the ice cold resolve in her face. No longer did he recognize the woman he'd shared the last almost two years of his life with.

"Are you serious?"

"I'm very serious, my love. I told you, I'd do anything to be with you and unlike you I honor my word. Now, go back to your little chubby geek and tell her you won't be seeing her again."

Morgan stood motionless in shock at the woman before him.

"Oh, you didn't think I knew about the two of you? Really Derek? Well, baby or no baby, I'll be damn if I let anyone steal my man, especially the likes of Penelope Garcia!"

"You leave her out of this!"

"How can I? She's trying to break up my happy home and I won't have it!"

"Savannah, don't threaten me! We're done, over and there's nothing you can do to change that!"

"That's where you're wrong, Derek. I'm sure the bureau doesn't look kindly on their agents beating up their fiancés. Let alone assault is a crime punishable by lots and lots of time behind bars."

"Fiancé? Savannah, don't do this!"

"Don't do what?"

"This! You know I didn't touch you!"

"I know that and you know that but I will do whatever it takes to keep you with me."

Derek turned his back and began running his hands across his face and head.

"You're insane…"

"Crazy in love, Handsome." She smirked. Now, go make that phone call to your, Baby Girl, and come back. I don't want to be alone tonight."