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Baby Girl

Morgan and Garcia

Chapter Fourteen

July 2010

Eight years after Derek moved to Virginia he was finally able to make it back to The Taste of Chicago for the first time since he met Penelope there. That day he had taken a train downtown after work.

Today he drove an SUV filled with his family, paid to park in a garage, and had to check and double check they had everything in Penelope's bag before they left the parking garage to head across the street to Grant Park. Kids required a lot of extra stuff and he didn't feel like coming back to the SUV cause they had forgotten anything.

His oldest daughter, Jasmine, was wearing big funky sunglasses that looked like hearts. She had a sunglass addiction and had fifty pairs of them, plus lots of fake jewelry. Derek always teased her about being a diva in training.

His son was four years old. He had on all Cubs baseball attire from his hat down to his socks. Derek's mom had bought him the outfit and given it to him just the other night. Josh could be a very rambunctious boy. Derek had already given him a lecture on the way here today and all the rules he needed to follow at the fest. Like always hold his mother's hand. But already Josh was acting a little hyper and prancing in excited circles.

Derek gave him a look that said to calm down. Then he hid his smirk as he opened up the back of the SUV and pulled out a stroller for their youngest daughter. Jenni was just thirteen months old. Penelope and Derek had decided two kids were enough for them. Their careers kept them busy. Their long time sitter, Cathy, got married and moved away. Since Josh was in pre-school and Jasmine in grade school Derek and Penelope didn't want to get another full time nanny. Instead Penelope cut her hours back at work. Now she left each day five thirty, and no later even if a case was going on. Their calls would go to the tech pool once Penelope had to leave for the day. The kids stayed in a daycare program from the time school ended till Penelope could pick them up.

That had been working good till she came up pregnant again. It was one of those situations where she got so stressed out because everyone in the house had the flu at the same time that she skipped a pill or two.

Deciding that this was their last pregnancy, probably, Penelope took a leave of absence from the BAU once Jenni was born. She wanted to cherish every little moment with her last baby. When Jenni is ready for pre-school then Penelope will go back to work. She hates not being the tech kitten Derek calls for information on unsubs but she's always on standby if the team really need her bad.

And being home is a nice change for their family. Sometimes life can be so stressful. Having a break from work and all the juggling was good for Penelope. She got into making jewelry and taking Jenni to all the museums in town, plus the zoo and other places that the family might only get to once a year.

Penelope was able to start a book club, finally take cooking lessons so she actually upped her game in the kitchen, and even fit in working out sometimes, to give her a stress relief and endorphin rush. Derek felt like he got a re-energized wife. It did take a few months after the birth for Penelope's hormones to even out and her to start pulling herself together though.

Those months were hard. But they got through it as a family.

This Christmas would be his eighth anniversary of marriage with his baby girl. It had been a wonderful eight years so far. Even though they had their hard times he loved having a family with Penelope.

And he loved bringing that family to the Taste of Chicago.

"Hot Stuff, don't forget the sunscreen."

"I have it, baby girl."

"Don't forget Jen's pacifer."

"Got it."

"Don't forget Marvin." The giraffe Derek bought Jasmine the day he learned he was a father for the first time. Now it belonged to Jenni. It was well worn, ragged and hard loved but a part of the family.

"I have Marvin. And, please God, don't let us lose him today."

Jennie wailed at the thought.

Derek startled. Penelope comforted the little girl. Derek and Penelope shared a look before he reached out, eyes never leaving hers, and grabbed Josh's shoulder, to keep him from running around. Then Derek gave his wife a quick kiss. "Ready, baby girl?"

She smiled at him. "Just be careful by the curbs." It was an inside joke. They met when she nearly busted her ankle falling off one ten years before.

"You can count on me, mama."

Jasmine started to go on and on about what she wanted to eat and do and see at the Fest. She was a little motor mouth like her mother. They all made their way out of the parking garage and onto the sidewalk- the same spot where Derek and Penelope met.

In the bright sunshine they smiled at each other, reflecting for a moment, before they had to focus back on their brood and get them safely across the street.

Derek was glad he had made it back to the Taste finally. And he was very thankful he was not a bachelor who was here remembering the hot blond that got away.

Instead he had that hot blond in his bed almost every night- unless he was working or she was sleeping with one of their sick kids. There was a time when Penelope could only offer Derek one day at a time.

Now she had promised him forever and he planned to collect on that promise. And love every minute of his forever with his baby girl.

THE END