Mama Matchmaker

Morgan and Garcia

Part Two

June 2010

Derek was never so happy as to hear his mother say "I think I'll make it an early night, kids," as he was this particular evening.

She was in Virginia for a visit and it seemed that the number one thing on her agenda was not catching up with her son, sightseeing or going to the ocean. No, she wanted to hook Derek and Penelope up and go back to Chicago assured they would start working on making her grandbabies.

Derek first realized this when he picked his Mom up at the airport. After a long hug and her telling him he was just as handsome as ever and still her little chipmunk, she said "I sure do hope Penelope cleared her schedule for my visit."

He had given her a raised eyebrow look. She had come to see him, right? Not Penelope, right? Wrong.

Seems his Mom was on a mission. She had come to Quantico to sit Penelope down and not so gently nudge her right into being Derek's wife. And if nudging didn't work she would push her son and his best friend right down the aisle with all her might. Fran was not about to take no for an answer. She had her mind made up- they were perfect for each other (something Derek couldn't even try to deny being true)- and since they wouldn't admit it on their own she was using her first trip to Virginia in seven years to make them fess up to the truth as she saw it. The love between them was very real and very obvious, according to Fran, and they should just run off, get hitched and start a great big family right away.

He must have said over a hundred times by now that Fran should drop this subject, especially around Penelope, but his Mom was twice as hard headed as him and she didn't easily let things she wanted go.

Much to Derek's ever growing embarrassment.

He had let his Mom talk him into inviting Penelope to dinner with them tonight at an Italian restaurant. At first Derek thought it might be okay. He stood when Penelope walked up to the table, a big grin on his lips, kissed her cheek and introduced her to his Mom. His hand just naturally went to her back and then he motioned for her to sit next to him in the booth.

There must have been something about the way Derek and Penelope interacted in that two minute greeting because by the time Derek was seated and facing his mother she had a gleam in her eyes that said: I was so right!

And from then on she was off to the races. Fran still made some attempts at polite conversation but constantly steered it back to the subject of how much Derek and Penelope had in common and how she could plainly see the love between them, how they were destined to get married and have a bunch of beautiful latte colored kids. She even went as far as to ask Penelope what religion she was because she wanted to make sure the kids were raised Christian!

Derek spent most of dinner wanting to dig a hole and crawl into it. He was a grown ass man and his Mommy was trying to finagle him into an arranged marriage! All because he hadn't taken one of a million chances he had before that night to tell Penelope all she meant to him.

Maybe if he had she would be wearing his ring on her finger when his Mom came down for this trip and none of his Mom's meddling would be going on.

Derek agreed wholeheartedly with his Mom's theory about him and Penelope. He just didn't like Fran's methods. But it was hard to get across to her why she should shut up when he couldn't say "No, I don't love her like that and I never will."

He couldn't lie to his Ma. So all he could do was beg her to stop bringing up how right Penelope was for Derek. But Fran said he had six years to do it his way. Now it was time to do it hers.

Derek couldn't argue the fact that he had wasted six years worth of opportunities but what he shared with Penelope grew everyday, so no day was really wasted at all. Over the years things between then slowly grew from a wild, hot, kinky crush to a deep friendship and then a deep love that only had more room to grow if she wanted to take it further with him like he wanted to do with her. Now that she was single again Derek did have every intention of having a big talk with her about their future.

But instead his Mommy did it for him. So embarrassing!

He could hardly stop blushing or even look at Penelope as the evening went on. Fran had cajoled Penelope into coming back to Derek's house for some dessert. The homemade peach cobbler had been delicious. But it got stuck in Derek's throat when his mother asked Penelope "So when did you first know you were in love with my son?"

He coughed so hard he had to get a drink.

Lucky for him Penelope was being a good sport about this and her awesome sense of humor saved them many times with her answers. She told Fran she had loved Derek since the first time he turned around and she saw his cute butt...then she blushed and said "I mean eyes."

His baby girl was a good sport about the whole thing but Derek didn't know how much more he could take of this. It was a relief when his mother went to bed.

Even if she left the kitchen after giving them a knowing look and a big wink and saying "I'll get out of you kid's hair cause I'm sure you have a lot to talk about."

Once his mother was out of the room there was a long, uncomfortable silence as Penelope and Derek looked at each other. The moments stretched to a minute, their eyes said things their lips weren't, and then they both busted out laughing.

Penelope's face went scarlet and she waved her hand in front of it. Derek wagged his hand and his shoulders shook from the force of his laughs.

They kept laughing for a few minutes until they finally calmed down. Penelope wiped tears out of her eyes- happy ones from laughing so hard.

Derek let out a contented sigh. He had been so worried about what to say to Penelope after this debacle of a night but she, of course, made it all better in her own special way without him having to do a thing.

He was just about to thank you for being so sweet about all this when she said, with a sly smile, "I have an idea."

"What's that, honey bunches?" He walked right next to her and leaned on the counter, looking down at her.

"Lets just tell your Mom we both decided she's right. That it worked. She convinced us."

"Baby girl, I can't lie to my Mom. She might look small but she can smack pretty hard. Besides she's my Mom and I'm a good son."

"It wouldn't be a lie, exactly." She smiled tenderly. "I already think you'd be the prefect man to marry and I'm sure you must think," she fluttered her eyelashes at him dramatically "I'm the perfect woman to make your wife."

He chuckled a little at her silliness. "And you think that will be the end of it, huh? Just tell her we finally came to our senses tonight?"

"It will make her happy and she can enjoy the rest of her trip without waging anymore of her Marry My Handsome Baby Boy campaign. If she thinks we're convinced she can relax for the rest of the time she is here."

"You don't know my mom. If she thinks we wanna be together she'll have a preacher here tomorrow afternoon before we can change our minds."

Penelope laughed. "Tomorrow afternoon we are going to the museum."

"Woman, you know what I mean," he said, with a big grin on his lips.

Penelope smiled back at him. "Well if a preacher does show up I guess I'll just have to marry you."

Her eyes were alight with softness, grace, tenderness, beauty and Derek's heart swelled at the sight. He fingered one of her curls. "Thank you so very much for being a good sport about my Mom's intense and insane meddling. She just loves me and wants the best for me and she's not blind. She can see the hottest Hot Thing to ever come into my life is you and she can tell how much you mean to me and how very grateful I am to have you in my life."

"Why, Derek Morgan, it sounds as if you're smitten with me. Fair warning, I may faint from happiness if you should try to ravage me right now."

He chuckled. "Shhh, hush, girl! My Mom could hear you and within a minute she'd be lighting candles and turning on Marvin Gaye."

Penelope sang to Derek, sexily, "Lets get in on..ohh."

Blushing and chuckling Derek put his forehead on Penelope's shoulder's for a moment. "You're crazy, woman, but I do love you." He lifted and turned his head and suddenly the moment grew thick with sexual tension.

She sucked in a hitched breath. He caressed her cheek and she held the wrist of that hand. Derek moved in, lost in a haze of need and heart swelling emotion, and gave her a very soft kiss. It turned more intense and Derek pulled Penelope fully into his arms, letting out a deep growl, as he plunged his tongue into the warm haven of her mouth. Time stopped and he couldn't say how long went by.

They heard a very loud gasp.

Derek and Penelope jumped apart. There was Fran standing there. She said "I wanted a glass of water but don't let me interrupt. You kids just go right ahead. I see you're finally getting this train on the right track. Good! Now lets keep it going. No backsliding! No one around here is getting any younger. Isn't that, right, Derek?"

"Uh...um...yeah, Ma." He hurried and got her some water. While Penelope turned away and blushed deeply.

Fran was all smiles. "This reminds me of when Derek had his first kiss. I caught him playing doctor with this fast little thing that lived upstairs from us. She was eight. He was six. He was so cute when I walked in on them. He looked just as embarrassed as he does right now. Baby boy, don't you know you can't hide anything from you Mom? A mother always knows what her kids are up to, even when they think they are so good at hiding it." She accepted the glass of water. "Thank you. I'll just pop back upstairs now and I won't be back down again, I promise. I'm going to put on my ipod and read. I'll be in another world so you two feel free to do whatever you want. See you tomorrow, dear."

"Good night, ma'am...Fran!"

Once Fran was gone Penelope spun around. "Oh my God, I could die right now!"

Derek hurried over to her and placed his hands on her arms. "Baby-"

"Don't baby me! You kissed me with your Mom here!"

"Baby-"

She slapped his chest gently. "You keep those lips in nuetral, Mister!"

Derek clamped his mouth closed dramatically.

Penelope calmed down and giggled. Derek chuckled and then he asked "Tell me something, sweetness."

"What would you like to know, sweetness?" she said, using the same nickname in the cutest way.

"Would you let me be your last boyfriend?"

"Oh, Derek," Penelope murmured and then she kissed him and it became clear that the answer was yes. And his mother's match making had more than paid off big time for all of them.

Fran got her grandbabies two summers later. A set of twins. And Derek and Penelope got their wedding in September. It was outside under the warm sun with her looking like a princess and him her prince.

All their friends were at their beach wedding and even Clooney got in on the action as the ring bearer. At the reception they all watched as Fran Morgan decided she knew the perfect girl for Reid. She made them dance together and everyone gasped when they kissed.

It seemed Fran had a knack for these kind of things.

THE END

Inspired by A Moment Like This. Song by Kelly Clarkson. Mvid by TheRealCarenAshley.