A/N: Most'd already guessed where he'll take he. I leave it up to you to decide whether I'm - and my stories for that matter - just that predicatble or just so transparent. Don't answer that, please :) So without much ado...
It took a moment for Penelope to find her words again. Was Derek Morgan seriously flying her somewhere for their first date? She had to admit she was thinking he would probably lay it thick on her, but that? She certainly had not expected anything like that.
"I … I don't understand," she finally said. Okay maybe there were smarter words out there, but at the moment her mind was still fogged with tiredness and confusion.
"Well, Baby Girl, you have given me one date. And as you said it so perfectly, one day. So that's what I'm taking. One day to take you away from this all and show you a really good time," he answered, smirking.
"Trust me, Stud Muffin, you have always shown me a good time so far." She smiled at him, before being pulled towards one of the check-in computers. She still didn't know where they were flying to, even when making it through security, but it couldn't be too far away, when Morgan had only planned one day.
When they made it to their gate the boarding had already started, and Penelope somehow got the feeling as if Morgan had planned this all a little too careful, as if trying to avoid her to finding out for as long as possible where their little journey would take them. So far rather successful.
When they were seated in the aircraft and a few moments later the first announcement was made by the flight attendants, welcoming all passengers on this early morning flight, she finally found out where they were going. Chicago. Chicago?
"Did … did she just say Chicago?" Penelope asked Morgan rather taken back.
Morgan just nodded at her, having the cutest smile on his lips she'd ever seen.
They would be flying to Morgan's hometown. Where his family lived. Just for a day. Just like that. Not trying to read too much into this situation Penelope tried to relax, leaned back and pushed herself into her seat, wondering again what had gotten her to agree to this date. Oh yeah, right, Morgan telling her to either give him a date or never have sex with him again. She hated it if a guy knew her weaknesses. And Derek Morgan himself sure as hell was a weakness of hers.
The flight itself was only a little less than two hours and rather uneventful. Penelope wasn't the most confidant flyer and usually had one or two issues going on during the flight, but strangely with Morgan by her side it all was good and the two hours went by like nothing.
The touchdown in Chicago was smooth and they were greeted by plenty of sunshine. It looked like it would be a wonderful day. They took the train into the city, which didn't bother her at all, as a matter of fact she liked it way more than if he had hailed for a cab. It was simpler and also better. She couldn't explain it, but the simplicity added appeal to this.
They started off their day with a good breakfast in one of the many cafes in the city, sitting outside, sipping on coffee and eating eggs and toast, bagels and bacon, enjoying the sun. After breakfast they went to explore the city a bit more, with Morgan playing tour guide and telling her he would show her corners tourists would never see. Since she had never been in Chicago before she could only take his word and follow him into dark corners and alleys, down long avenues and the rest of the city.
For lunch Morgan seemed to have specific ideas since they were wandering around for quite bit until he finally found what he was looking for. Either that or he simply had high expectations. A moment later Penelope knew it weren't his expectations that had them wander around for a good while, but the fact that they were not eating alone.
They entered the restaurant and strangely enough a small group of people got up and seemed to wait for them, a group of people that seemed rather familiar to her. Getting closer she also knew why: They were having lunch with Derek's mom and his two sisters.
Penelope stopped dead in her tracks for a few seconds, not sure whether she liked that idea. You don't just bring anyone to have lunch with your family in a city two hours by plane away from them. But that was what Derek apparently did. She had heard enough stories to be able to know their names and to tell Desiree apart from Sarah.
Fran Morgan was the first she reached and the other woman literally beamed at her from the moment she saw her. Penelope wanted to shake her hand – okay, given, rather stiff but what was she supposed to do? – when she was being pulled into a tight hug by Derek's mother.
"It's so good to meet you, Penelope. Derek has been talking about you for years now and I started to actually wonder whether you really existed," Fran laughed softly, her eyes lighting up with every word she said and Penelope wondered what Derek had told his mother exactly. Clearly not what they had been doing over the last couple of months, right?
Fran's hug was followed by a lighter version from Desiree and Sarah. Both women also said that they were happy to finally meet her and Penelope had a feeling this was a little hard to navigate herself out from again. These three women seemed like the mother she had lost when 18 and the two sisters she never had, but always wished for when growing up. All three of them were really open, asking her tons of questions and didn't stop smiling at her. She expected the moment Derek would leave her alone for a moment they could start grilling her with questions they didn't want to ask in front of Morgan, but nada. The whole lunch went surprisingly well.
"I'm glad my baby has someone so caring back in Washington D.C., someone who looks out for him and makes sure he doesn't get himself in too much trouble. That certainly is a relief for me, that when I can't look out for him, at least you keep track of the stuff he gets himself into," Fran admitted at the end of their lunch and Penelope had to smile about that.
"Oh, trust me, Mrs. Morgan, he still gets himself in enough trouble. I wish he wouldn't, but I guess that's just the way he is. And every time he does get into trouble again he knows I will read him the riot act. I just … can't have him as my best friend and keep doing all these insane and dangerous things all the time."
Fran nodded at Penelope's answer, knowing what the other woman was talking about.
"That's how he always had been. When he was just eight years old he managed to already get himself in so much trouble, " Sarah laughed. "But no one could ever stay long enough mad him for any punishment. He had these big, adorable puppy eyes that melt your heart right away."
Penelope sure as hell knew about these eyes as well, they were after all the reason she as well gave into him again when he once more managed to cause another heart attack.
Penelope had to admit she had a great time during lunch with Derek's family and when they left the restaurant again, she felt like she left a little bit of her heart at that table with his family. They were great people and God knew what Morgan had told them in regards of dating or not dating, whether they had any expectations – if so, they surely managed to hide them rather well – in regards of her and Derek.
Penelope managed to get into one or two stores before they finished their day or date at Navy Pier, taking in some sunshine and strolling along the crowded pier. There were huge crowds everywhere and it was more of a fight than anything else to get anywhere at all, yet Penelope had a great time, walking as slow as a snail down the pier, with Morgan having his arm around her shoulders tightly. Penelope had to wonder when she felt the last time so content and secure as well as happy and just free of everything.
Despite her fear of heights she let Derek talk her in taking a ride on the ferries wheel from which you had wonderful views over the skyline of Chicago and with the weather so beautiful they should have a fantastic time during the seven minutes a ride lasted. She had no idea what got her to agree, since Derek just asked. He didn't push or just purchased the tickets. All he did was suggesting it and she agreed right away.
Jumping on she already felt how she felt slightly queasy. Flying wasn't usually a problem as long as she didn't really look outside or not for too long at least, but with a gondola that had unfiltered views on all four sides it was a little hard to not look outside, unless of course you closed your eyes.
"What's wrong, Baby?" Morgan asked, sounding concerned.
She should have known that he would notice within minutes. Strangely enough over all the years she never mentioned her fear of heights. Not one single time.
"I … umm …. I'm okay," she tried to lie, with a smile at the end, but knew from his expression she didn't succeed.
"Yeah, of course and that's why you look like you're throwing up any minute and are as white as fresh fallen snow. What is going on?"
"I … I am kind of scared of … heights," she admitted, knowing that lying to a profiler wouldn't get her anywhere.
It didn't even take a minute for Morgan to switch positions, and instead of sitting opposite of her he was now sitting next to her, wrapping an arm around her tightly and pulling her against him.
"When you are scared of heights why did you agree on the ride then, Baby?" he asked with a small smile displaying on his lips slowly.
Penelope just shrugged her shoulders, not being able to explain it either and smiled at him.
"How much longer is the ride?" she asked, knowing it probably wasn't the best thing you could ask but then again the sooner she had solid floor under her feet again the better for her.
Derek looked at his watch, smiling to himself and then answered "About another 5 minutes. You think you gonna be okay?"
Penelope just nodded, seeing how the sun slowly set down behind the skyline and had to admit the view for a moment. It was a nice distraction, but not one that would last for five more minutes.
"You know there's only really one thing that helps against this kind of things and that's distraction," Morgan announced, making her laugh for a second.
"And how will you possibly distract me in like 150 feet above the air?"
Morgan just grinned at that and a moment later, his lips connected with hers. It was a soft touch that pulled her in right away. It felt more like probing, testing, feeling than anything else and given they had done this probably a hundred times during the last few months this somehow felt different, new and exciting. When she felt his tongue probing forwards, exploring further and his hands drawing soft circles on her lower back she forgot about the whole height issue and just relaxed into his arms, letting him take care of everything and have whatever he wanted. Occasionally their gondola shifted a bit, swung a bit back or forth, not that she noticed much of it, she had other things to focus on for that moment.
Just when she thought they go on like this forever Morgan withdrew, smiling down on her, touching her nose with his finger again and said "Just like that, works every single time."
Penelope hadn't even noticed that their seven minute round was finished and it was time to leave the gondola again. With Morgan gone first, she noticed the hand he reach out for her in help to get off the ride, but she somehow missed a step and fell right into his arms. They stood there for a moment, just looking at each other before she broke the moment, and untangled her out of his arms, starting to walk down the small way that lead away from the ride with Morgan just a few feet behind.
After that they left the Pier, making their way back to their airport but not before stopping by in a few shops so Penelope could get a few more, much needed pieces of clothing. After all they still had plenty of time before their flight back to Washington departed. The flight that would officially end this date, and probably meant a lot more than either of them would be willing to admit at this moment.