December 2009

Chapter Three

"Mark my words," Derek said, as he hauled shopping bags out of the back of their SUV, "this is the very last year that I go to that hell hole on Christmas Eve."

"Oh, poor Mr. Grumpy pants," Penelope teased her husband. "Having to go to the dreaded mall and shop. Your life is so hard."

They headed up the driveway and toward their house. "Let me ask you something, woman, considering that you are the all knowing and all capable Oracle of cyberspace so why can't you do all your shopping with your magic fingers?"

"You know why. I have to see each item to know ifs its got that perfect something something that makes it the right present. You can't tell that on a screen."

"Hmpf. You better get your shopping done by October next year."

"I can't feel the spirit of the season in October so that ain't likely."

"I'll give you the spirit of the season right on your behind if you ever think of dragging me to that mall on Christmas Eve again."

She chuckled as she unlocked the door and let them inside. Penelope disabled the alarm then petted Clooney while Derek divested himself of the bags, his gloves and coat.

Penelope started to ramble on about all the things she still had to do before the morning. They were having over the BAU team (minus Hotch because he would be spending Christmas with just Jack). They had all been snowed in a couple of days before when a snowstorm whipped down the eastern seaboard. Flights were taking off again but since the team only had off another day it was useless to fly somewhere just to have to fly home the next day. So they threw together a last minute plan to celebrate at the Morgan home.

"Baking can wait," he said.

"Not if I wanna get done before three am. And I need your help with the-"

Derek pulled his wife against his body. "What happened to," he waggled his head at her as his voice turned low and throaty "I'll make it up to you, Hot Stuff, if you're a good boy while I shop."

She smirked. "Oh, you think you earned a reward, do you? With all that complaining?"

"Complaining? Hell, I bit my tongue so much it started to bleed at one point."

She laughed. "Not how I remember it."

"Let me see if I can ring any bells for you," he said, as his head dipped and his mouth caught hers in a kiss.

They kissed slowly and languidly, tongues tangling as they both softly moaned, until Penelope gently pulled back. "Ohhhhhhhh, you sure do know how to ring my bell."

He picked her up quickly, so her legs wrapped around his waist, and said "That must be why you married me."

"I married you so I'd have someone around to do the yard work."

"Hey, hey, hey, you are so not right. Stop that," he teased.

With her lips curved up in a happy smile, her eyes shining, she kissed him and it quickly turned heated. Their sex life was still in the smoking hot phase, after two years of dating and six months of being married. Since Derek was out of town so much they had to make the most of the time that they did have together.

And make the most of it they always did.

Derek had once feared that his life would get boring once he was a married man. It would turn mundane and he'd have no way to burn off his stress from his job. He'd have too many responsibilities and a woman who couldn't understand his work.

But marriage was nothing at all like that. He had found a woman who got him on every level. And being her husband made his life richer and better than he ever had it before. He didn't even like thinking about where his life would be if he hadn't kissed her that night on the sidewalk in front of the diner, as snow fell down on them while they waited to catch a cab.

And he didn't want to think that one day he'd spend a Christmas without his woman. That wasn't the way Derek Morgan's life was meant to go down. No way. He needed his solace, his wife, his love.

Kissing her while they made their way to the bedroom he made every kiss count, showing her how damn hot he was for her still, how needy, how desperate. And he was. He was still a crazy lovesick fool over Garcia- who he had made Penelope Morgan just the summer before.

Now it was set down on paper and avowed in their hearts: till death do us part. He finally had a good reason to try and live a long, long life. Rather than to be okay with the idea of giving his life for his job. He still would take risks in the field but now he had so much more to lose if the risk didn't pay off. He had a lifetime with his wife that he would miss if anything ever went wrong out there.

That was too much to bear to think about so Derek pushed those thoughts away, getting lost in the feel of Penelope's soft lips, her warm skin, her touch, her body under his.

They had this Christmas and God willing they would have many more too.

(All I want is to hold you forever.

All I need is you more every day.

You saved my heart from being broken apart.

You gave your love away

and I'm thankful every day

for the gift.) (The Gift by Jim Brickman)