Derek Morgan sat at his desk in the Behavioral Analysis Unit, staring at the same case files he had gone over a dozen times. The bustling energy of the bullpen around him felt muted, like he was submerged underwater. His colleagues whispered and exchanged glances when they thought he wasn't looking. He knew what they were saying: "He's not himself." "He's taking it harder than anyone else." "Maybe he needs time off."
They weren't wrong. Emily's death had shattered something inside him, and he couldn't figure out how to piece it back together. Every day since they'd lost her, Derek had thrown himself into his work, hoping it would numb the pain. But it didn't. Instead, it fueled his anger. His relentless pursuit of justice had become obsessive, and his temper had grown dangerously short.
Hotch's voice broke through his thoughts. "Morgan, my office."
Derek's jaw tightened. He knew this was coming. He followed Hotch into the office and closed the door behind him.
Hotch didn't waste time. "You need to take some time off, Derek. You almost endangered a police officer today because you've been so out of focus. I can't have you back in the field with how you've been acting since Emily's funeral. At this point, you're more of a risk than an asset to the team."
"I'm fine," Derek lied.
Hotch's expression was unreadable, but his tone was firm. "No, you're not. And if you keep going like this, you're going to burn out, or worse, put yourself or someone else in greater danger. I'm ordering you to take mandatory leave."
Derek's fists clenched. "Hotch, I don't need a vacation. I need to work. I need to find Doyle."
Hotch's gaze softened just slightly. "We're all working to find him. But right now, you're not in the right headspace. Take some time, Derek. That's an order."
Derek wanted to argue, but the look in Hotch's eyes told him it was pointless. With a reluctant nod, he left the office and packed up his things. But going home to Chicago or staying in DC felt unbearable. He couldn't face the memories, the reminders of Emily everywhere he looked. He needed to get away—far away.
When he got home, he booked the first available flight, not caring where it went. It was Paris. Derek booked a hotel room, threw clothes into a bag, grabbed his passport, and headed straight to the airport.
The flight to Paris was uneventful, but Derek's mind was a whirlwind. The city was a fresh start, a place where he could drown his sorrows in anonymity. Yet as he checked into his hotel and looked out at the Eiffel Tower glowing against the night sky, the ache in his chest didn't lessen. Emily would have loved this view, he thought bitterly.
For two days, he stayed in his hotel room, alternating between pacing the floor and staring blankly at the TV. He couldn't shake the feeling of restlessness, of loneliness. He missed her laugh, her wit, the way she could challenge him like no one else. The thought of her final moments—alone, fighting for her life—made his chest tighten with anger and grief.
By the third night, he'd had enough. Sitting in that room was driving him insane. He needed to get out, to feel something other than this gnawing emptiness. He put on a jacket and wandered the streets until he found a small bar tucked away in an alley. It was dimly lit, with the low hum of conversation and the occasional clink of glasses. It was perfect.
Derek ordered a drink and took a seat at the bar. He let the alcohol burn its way down his throat, hoping it would dull the edges of his pain. As he glanced around the room, his eyes landed on a woman sitting alone at a corner table.
His heart stopped.
She had long, dark hair, and her posture—straight-backed, confident, yet guarded—was achingly familiar. For a moment, he thought his mind was playing tricks on him. It couldn't be her. Emily was dead.
But as she turned her head, their eyes met. Derek's breath caught in his throat. It was her. He didn't know how, but it was.
He stood and walked toward her, his legs feeling like lead. "Emily?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second, but she quickly masked her surprise. "Jeanne," she corrected, her tone steady but guarded.
Derek froze. It all clicked into place. She was in hiding. She had faked her death to protect herself from Doyle. Hotch must have known. Anger flared in him at the thought, but it was quickly overshadowed by relief. She was alive.
"Jeanne," he said, testing the name. He sat down across from her, his gaze never leaving her face. "You're okay. You're alive. You're here."
She hesitated, then nodded. "I am. But you shouldn't be here, Derek. It's not safe."
He ignored her warning. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, his voice breaking slightly.
Emily—Jeanne—looked away. "Because I couldn't. The fewer people who knew, the safer I was. The safer you were."
The raw emotion in her voice silenced him. He wanted to be angry, but seeing her alive, hearing her voice, was enough to quell his fury. For now.
They talked for hours, Derek carefully avoiding calling her Emily. He learned about her life in Paris, how she'd been keeping a low profile and working to ensure Doyle couldn't find her. Despite her calm demeanor, he could see the weight she carried, the fear she tried to hide.
As the hours passed, their conversation grew more personal. Emily told him about the nights she spent alone, haunted by memories of Doyle and the sacrifices she'd made. Derek shared his own struggles, how he'd felt lost without her, consumed by guilt and anger.
"You don't know how much I've missed you," he said, his voice rough. "Losing you, it felt like losing a part of myself."
Emily's eyes softened, and for the first time, she allowed herself to reach out, placing her hand over his. "I missed you too. Every single day."
When the bar closed, Derek insisted on walking her home. She led him to a modest apartment building, and as they stood outside her door, he felt the pull between them grow stronger. Before he could second-guess himself, he kissed her. She didn't pull away. Instead, she melted into him, her arms wrapping around his neck as if she'd been waiting for this moment as long as he had.
The tension that had been building between them for months finally broke. Inside her apartment, they shed the walls they'd built to protect themselves. Their movements were slow and deliberate, as if they were trying to memorize every touch, every kiss. Derek traced the lines of her face with his fingers, committing her to memory in case this was the last time he would ever hold her. Emily clung to him like he was her anchor, grounding her in a world that had felt so unstable for so long.
They talked in whispers between kisses, confessing the feelings they had kept buried. Emily told him about her nightmares, about how she would wake up in a cold sweat, haunted by Doyle's shadow. Derek listened, his hands never leaving hers, assuring her with every touch that she wasn't alone anymore. In return, he shared his guilt—how he had felt like he failed her, how he couldn't forgive himself for not saving her.
"You didn't fail me, Derek," she whispered. "You gave me strength. Even when I was alone, I thought of you. You kept me going. You, the team, I know you've been working relentlessly to find Doyle, to bring me justice, and I thank you for it."
Afterward, they lay tangled together on the small bed. Derek brushed a strand of hair from her face and whispered, "I've missed you so much."
Tears shimmered in Emily's eyes, but she blinked them away. "I've missed you too. More than you know."
The room fell silent except for the sound of their breathing. Neither of them wanted to ruin the fragile peace they'd found, but dawn was approaching, and reality would soon intrude. Derek knew he couldn't stay.
"I'll find Doyle," he promised as he kissed her goodbye. "I promise you that, Em. I will ensure that you'll be back home in no time."
Emily didn't reply, but the look in her eyes told him she believed him.
Four months later, Doyle was captured. The team's victory was bittersweet for Derek. He'd kept his promise, but the memory of Emily haunted him every day. He hadn't contacted her since that night, knowing it was safer for both of them. But when Hotch announced that Emily would be returning to the BAU, Derek's heart raced.
When she walked into the office, time seemed to freeze. She looked different, more at peace, but what caught everyone's attention was the noticeable bump she was sporting. Shock rippled through the team, but none more so than Derek.
Garcia was the first to recover, rushing forward to hug Emily. "Oh my God, you're alive," she said, tears streaming down her face.
"I'm alive," Emily confirmed, her voice thick with emotion. She hugged JJ next, who was smiling uncontrollably. Only she and Hotch knew about Emily's whereabouts at the beginning. She then hugged Reid, who was still in shock, but after a few seconds, hugged her back. He was like a younger brother to her and she knew how much it devastated him when she died.
Rossi clapped her on the shoulder with a proud smile. "Welcome back, kiddo."
Hotch stood back, his expression stoic but his eyes soft. He nodded at her, and she nodded back, a silent exchange of gratitude and understanding.
The only one who didn't move was Derek. He stood frozen, his eyes locked on her. Emily's smile faltered as she met his gaze. Slowly, she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. "It's me, Derek," she whispered. "I'm here."
His arms came up around her, hesitant at first, but then he held her tightly, burying his face in her shoulder. "You're really here," he murmured.
Later that evening, Derek went to her apartment. He needed answers. When she opened the door, she seemed to know why he was there.
"It's yours," she said simply, her voice steady but her eyes filled with emotion.
Derek felt a wave of emotions crash over him: shock, joy, anger, love. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, his voice rough with emotion.
Emily sighed and stepped aside to let him in. "I didn't know how. And I wasn't sure if… if you'd want this."
Derek's eyes softened. "Of course I want this," he said, his voice breaking. He placed a hand on her belly, his touch reverent. "This is… this is us."
Tears spilled down Emily's cheeks as she nodded. "I'm sorry, Derek. I should have told you sooner."
He shook his head and pulled her into his arms. "We're in this together now. You and me. And this little one."
Emily smiled through her tears, and Derek kissed her with everything he had, pouring months of longing and anguish into that single moment.
That night, they didn't hold back. Their love for each other, raw and unspoken for so long, finally found its voice. As they lay together afterward, Derek placed a hand on her growing belly and whispered, "We're going to do this together."
Emily smiled, tears in her eyes. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
Garcia had been pestering Emily for weeks, relentlessly asking who the father of her child was. Emily could tell that her best friend was concerned, but she had no intention of revealing the truth before she was ready. As much as Garcia tried to pry, Emily simply smiled and deflected with playful responses, though inside, the pressure was mounting. The team had noticed how much more withdrawn Emily had become, and the tension didn't go unnoticed.
One afternoon, Emily sat down with Derek in their shared office space at the BAU, her fingers drumming nervously on her desk.
"Garcia's going to explode if I don't tell her soon," Emily confessed, her voice tinged with anxiety. "She's not the only one wondering who the father is. They all are."
Derek leaned back in his chair, watching her with a steady gaze. He had always been able to read her, to understand when she was putting up walls, and when she was truly worried. He gave a small sigh, his hand reaching across the desk to take hers gently.
"Em," Derek said softly, "we don't have to do this right now if you're not ready. But you know we're family, right? The team, they're family. You've seen how they've supported us, how they've always had our backs. You think they're going to turn on us now?"
Emily hesitated, her eyes dropping to their joined hands. She knew Derek was right. They'd all been through so much together over the years, and they had faced countless personal and professional challenges. This, though, felt different. It wasn't just a team secret; it was a personal one that had been growing inside her for months. And as her belly began to show, it was becoming harder to keep it hidden.
"I just... I don't want things to change between us," Emily murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't want them to think less of us or to treat us differently."
Derek squeezed her hand, his expression warm with reassurance. "They won't. I promise you. We're a family. And families stick together, no matter what. When they find out, they'll be happy for us. And for you."
His words gave her a measure of comfort, but the weight of the upcoming revelation still pressed on her chest.
Later that week, when the team wasn't working on a case, Rossi suggested they all get together for a dinner at his estate. Emily and Derek knew that this was the perfect opportunity to tell the team the truth. It was intimate, away from the chaos of their daily cases, and a time when they could all be themselves.
As they gathered in Rossi's large dining room that evening, Emily and Derek shared knowing glances across the table. The air felt thick with unspoken questions, but none of them were ready to voice it just yet.
After the meal, as everyone lingered with dessert and wine, Emily stood up, her hands resting on the back of her chair for support. The chatter in the room faded, and all eyes turned toward her.
"I have something I need to share with all of you," Emily began, her voice steady but laced with a nervous undertone. Derek stood beside her, his hand finding hers again. "We've been keeping something from you… something personal."
The team exchanged curious glances, unsure of what was coming. Garcia's wide eyes were full of anticipation, while Rossi leaned forward slightly, intrigued.
Emily took a deep breath before continuing. "Derek is the father of my child," she said softly, meeting their gazes one by one. "And we're in a relationship."
The room fell silent for a moment. Garcia's eyes went from shocked to delighted in an instant, while JJ's expression softened with understanding. Morgan simply looked at Emily, then at Derek, before breaking into a proud smile.
"Well, I have to say, that was a lot of speculation for a while," Garcia said, standing up and moving over to the couple. "But I'm happy for you both! This is amazing!" She wrapped her arms around Emily, pulling her into a tight hug. "I can't believe you kept this from me! But I get it. I do. You needed your time."
Emily laughed, feeling a sense of relief wash over her as the team's reactions were nothing like the fear she had imagined.
"Congratulations!" JJ added with a warm smile, raising her glass in a toast. "You two are going to be amazing parents."
Hotch, who had remained quiet up until this point, looked at both of them with his usual calm, calculating demeanor. "I just want to make sure that this doesn't affect your work," he said, his voice firm but supportive. "I'm committed to making sure no one in this team feels like they have to leave because of personal decisions."
Derek nodded, his gratitude clear in his eyes. "We appreciate that, Hotch. We're still all in. Nothing changes."
Rossi, who had been watching the exchange with a thoughtful expression, finally spoke. "We're family, Emily. Derek. Always have been, always will be. Don't ever think this is going to change that." He gave them both a knowing smile. "Now, let's celebrate. This calls for a round of drinks!"
As the conversation shifted to lighter topics, Emily and Derek found themselves surrounded by their teammates, their family, who were now fully aware of their relationship and their upcoming addition. The joy and acceptance in the room filled the space, and for the first time in a long time, Emily felt at peace with her decision.
As the evening drew to a close, Hotch pulled Derek and Emily aside. "You two have been through a lot," he said quietly. "I know this wasn't an easy decision. But you're both invaluable members of this team. And I want you to know that we'll do everything we can to make sure you're not forced to choose between us and your personal lives. We're in this together."
Emily smiled, her heart swelling with gratitude. "Thank you, Hotch. We won't let you down."
Derek nodded, his expression sincere. "We won't."
As the team began to leave Rossi's estate that night, Emily and Derek exchanged a quiet, contented glance. It was a new chapter in their lives—one filled with love, support, and a deep sense of belonging. The future, no matter how uncertain, felt full of possibilities. They were ready for whatever came next.
As Emily's pregnancy progressed, Derek was by her side every step of the way, ensuring she had everything she needed. The transition from working woman to expectant mother wasn't always easy, but Derek made it his mission to support her—whether it was late-night cravings, managing her growing fatigue, or just offering a steady presence when things felt overwhelming.
One evening, after a particularly taxing case, Emily sank into the couch in their apartment, rubbing her belly absentmindedly. Her feet ached from standing for hours, and the exhaustion from the case weighed heavily on her. Derek, ever perceptive, sat beside her, massaging her shoulders gently.
"Long day?" he asked, a teasing smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"You could say that," Emily sighed. "My feet are killing me, and I can barely keep my eyes open."
Derek smiled, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Don't worry, I've got you. Rest, baby. I'll handle dinner tonight."
Emily grinned, resting her head against his chest. "Thanks, Derek. I'm really glad you're here."
A few days later, the team at the BAU began to notice how much more fatigued Emily seemed, and they were quick to jump into action. It wasn't just Derek who was looking out for her—it was everyone. Penelope, especially, had taken it upon herself to spoil Emily in any way she could.
One morning, Emily arrived at the office to find her desk covered with baby-themed items—tiny onesies, plush toys, and even a few snacks she loved. Penelope stood behind her, a giant smile on her face.
"I thought you might like a little surprise," Penelope said, bouncing on her heels. "You know, just a few things to start building your baby's wardrobe."
Emily laughed, her heart warming at the sight. "You're unbelievable, Garcia," she said, reaching for the onesies. "I haven't even picked out any baby clothes yet."
Penelope waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, don't worry about that. I've got it all covered." She handed Emily a cute, pink onesie. "This is the first of many, I'm sure. And if you're lucky, I might throw in some glitter for the baby's first outfit."
Emily chuckled, feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Penelope's enthusiasm was infectious, and despite the long hours and challenging cases, she felt loved and cared for by her team.
As the weeks went on, Emily's growing bump became more noticeable, and it wasn't long before JJ started offering her little gifts, too. One day, as Emily sat at her desk, JJ appeared with a bag full of snacks.
"I figured you could use some healthy snacks for the long days ahead," JJ said, setting the bag down on Emily's desk. "Cranberry granola bars, fruit, nuts… and, of course, some chocolate. For those moments when you need a pick-me-up."
Emily grinned, grateful for the thoughtful gesture. "Thanks, JJ. I've definitely been craving chocolate more than I should."
JJ winked. "We're allowed to indulge a little during pregnancy, right?"
The two women shared a laugh, and JJ leaned in. "And if you ever need a break, don't hesitate to ask. I've got you covered with the casework if you need to rest."
Derek, who had been standing nearby, walked over and kissed Emily on the cheek. "I see you're getting spoiled already," he said with a smile.
"I think I'm going to be spoiled for the next six months," Emily said, laughing. "You should see the stash Garcia just dropped on my desk."
"You deserve it," Derek said, taking her hand. "You're doing an amazing job."
As Emily's pregnancy advanced, it became harder for her to keep up with the demands of the job. But Derek made sure to take some of the weight off her shoulders. He often brought her coffee or tea in the mornings, knowing she hadn't slept well the night before. On the days she struggled to keep her energy up, he would encourage her to take breaks, reminding her that it was okay to slow down.
One evening, as Emily and Derek were walking to their car after a long day, Emily stopped for a moment, her hand resting on her belly.
"You know, I never imagined I'd be going through all this," she said quietly. "The pregnancy, the team's reactions… the support is overwhelming."
Derek placed a hand on her back, his touch comforting. "That's because you've got a family that cares about you. And this little one is already so loved. You're not in this alone, Em."
Emily smiled softly at him, her heart full. "I know. I'm lucky to have you—and all of them."
One afternoon, as the team took a break between cases, Penelope insisted on dragging Emily out of her office to take a walk. "You need some fresh air, Miss Prentiss," she said, wrapping her arm around Emily's shoulders as they strolled down the hallway. "And, don't tell me, I bet you're not getting enough of it, considering you're probably chained to your desk half the time."
Emily rolled her eyes playfully. "I'm fine, Garcia. I'm just… tired, I guess."
"I got you covered," Penelope said, pulling a bottle of sparkling water out of her bag. "It's an energy booster! Plus, I know you're not getting enough sleep with this little one kicking all night." She grinned mischievously. "I've got a plan. We're going to keep you pampered so much, you won't even remember the last time you were stressed out."
As the pregnancy progressed, Emily found herself relying more and more on the people around her. Whether it was Penelope showing up with little surprises or JJ offering her words of encouragement, the team's constant support made all the difference. And Derek, ever the rock, remained her constant source of strength, his love and care for her never wavering.
One evening, as the two of them sat on the couch, Emily resting her head on Derek's shoulder, he whispered, "We're going to be amazing parents, Em. I can feel it."
Emily smiled, closing her eyes. "I think we already are. This baby is already so loved. And I've got the best partner in the world."
Derek kissed her forehead softly. "And I'm the lucky one."
As the months passed, the team's support never wavered. They rallied around Emily, making sure she had everything she needed, from baby supplies to encouraging words. Each day brought Emily and Derek closer to the arrival of their little one—and to the next chapter in their lives. Together, they would face whatever challenges lay ahead, knowing that they were surrounded by love, support, and the unwavering strength of their family.
AN: I just tried to write a one-shot. I hope you guys liked it! Don't worry, Ghost will be updated today or tomorrow.
Again, comments, suggestions, and reactions are always welcome. Just be nice and respectful. Thank you!
Should I add a chapter or 2 in this story?