The Gift Is You

Morgan and Garcia

December 2008

Chapter Two

"I do not believe that my brother had any part in the making of that cake," Sarah joked as the family hung around Fran's house on Christmas night.

Sarah was in the kitchen with Penelope. They were getting dessert ready to take into the living room.

"He helped," Penelope said, with a smile. Though Derek hadn't known anything about making a yule log he actually had pitched in and helped her make it and the other desserts they had made the night before. He was a pretty good cook but his sisters still loved to razz him that he wasn't trustworthy in the kitchen because he had started a fire as a kid. "Though his talents certainly lay best in the bedroom not the kitchen."

"Ew!" Sarah cried. "Too much information. Its bad enough watching you two go at it with all the kissy face you do and the baby cakes this and sugar lips that. Don't put images in my head."

Penelope chuckled. "Oh, you have no idea how much we go at it when no one is looking."

"Woman," Derek admonished from the doorway, laughter in his tone, "my sister don't wanna hear that."

"I have to brag about you to whoever will listen."

"That is enough out of you, motor mouth. Now where are the sweets? Derek Morgan was promised dessert."

"I'll give you your real dessert just as soon as we get back home," Penelope flirted with him, feeling very sexually frustrated because they were staying with his Mom and couldn't have sex during this trip. "But for now you will have to settle for this." She passed him the cake.

"Mmmm, looks good but not as good as my sweetie."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Newly in love people make me sick."

"This ain't new," Derek corrected.

At the same time Penelope said "Oh, I have been in love with this handsome hunk for a while now."

Sarah took out plate of Christmas cookies, leaving Derek and Penelope alone. Penelope moved close to his chest, looking up and into his eyes. Whispering she said, as she ran her finger down his muscled chest, "Don't get me wrong, I love your family-"

"Our family."

"Our family, Hot Stuff, but I really, really, really will turn on the waterworks next year if you so much as think of fighting me on us getting a hotel when we come to visit again."

"I hear you, Garcia," he said, his tone growing thicker with a lust that they couldn't act on.

They had been engaged since three weeks after they started dating but Penelope insisted on a long engagement so there was no wedding date set yet. They had moved in together at the end of summer, after Derek got rather testy about the whole "Lets not rush too fast," thing Penelope would say when she got nervous over them.

Ever since they had gotten together she never had to wonder if he loved her or wanted a future with her. He was the first to say "I love you,"the first to initiate intimacy, the first to ask for a commitment. Derek was slow to love or trust anyone but when he did give his love he loved a person with all he had and that is how he loved Penelope.

She was sure she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. She just wanted to take things slow because her fears and insecurities sometimes made her think crazy thoughts that he would tire or bore of her, that he wouldn't like being married, that something would go wrong somewhere. She didn't think that a woman should get married till she could do so without thinking insane, irrational thoughts borne from fear.

So they were waiting for that right moment when Penelope would feel the stars were all aligned for them. Sometimes she felt such guilt over making Derek wait (even though he kept her waiting for years as he had played the field) but she had to do what felt right in her heart.

The ring she wore on her finger was her most prized possession though. Her princess cut diamond antique ring with rubies and emeralds in the band was her constant proof of Derek's devotion to her. When he was far away from her she would look at that ring and know he was fighting to get back home to her as soon as he could. That she was his love of his life. That he overcame his fear and doubts to be with her.

And one day she would do the same and then marry him. For now they were happily dating and could barely keep their hands off each other still. Being together constantly for the last five days but not being able to make love had Penelope feeling like she was about to implode.

At Derek's mother's home there was always some relative around and the apartment was so small that there was no chance for privacy. They made the most of their kisses, really savoring every moment, but it was not hardly enough.

He bent just then and gave her another slow, sensual, need filled kiss before slowly pulling back. "Mmmm, you taste like frosting."

She let out a laugh. "I might have taken a little swipe of the yule log. Just for taste testing purposes."

Derek chuckled and followed her out of the kitchen. They spent the next few hours sitting around the roaring fireplace chatting with his relatives. Derek kept his arm around Penelope the whole time, and his other hand stroking her leg, while also whispering in her ear every now and then.

She knew how much it meant to him that she was sharing this Christmas with him and his family. It meant just as much to her.

This is where she had wanted to be every Christmas for years and now she was finally right where she had always belonged.

So when Fran asked"When are you two finally gonna set a date for the big day?" and Derek tensed up, Penelope knew just the answer she wanted to give her fiancee's mother.

With an easy smile on her face she looked into Derek's eyes and asked "How about Memorial day?" The last weekend in May.

"Whatever you want, baby girl." His eyes shined with happiness.

Fran's cries of happiness and prattling on about planning the ceremony drowned out Derek's chance to say anything else but Penelope could tell that she had made his day. And, finally, deep inside she knew that it was the right time to move forward for them.

(Sitting by the fire we made,

you're the answer when I prayed

I would find somebody

and, baby, I found you) (The Gift by Jim Brickman)