Don't leave me this way - part 21
Title: Don’t leave me this way - part 21
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Pairing: Morgan/Garcia
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Neither the show nor the characters belong to me, they belong to CBS. Nonetheless, I love to borrow them from time to time.
Summary: Well, basically fluff.
warnings: none
AN:Sorry it took me forever to get this chapter right. Originally, I didn't plan on writing about their wedding. I didn't want to write about it. But since so many people told me they're looking forward to reading about it... Well, here you go. Hope you like it. :)
Nonetheless, it looks like I'm getting better with the updates, doesn't it? Well, I might have a lot of time in the near future. Remember the job I told you about? The day I went to the school to sign the contract they told me they weren't needing my help anymore... I seriously don't have words for this (hence the mood). The other offers I had and turned down because of them are all gone by now, of course, and it's next to impossible to find something in the middle of a school year...
Anyway, I'm not going to rant about that - again. ;) I'll just wait and see where God (or destiny, if you like that better) are going to take me.
Now I hope you enjoy the chapter
“Relax,” Reid told him for the thousandth time or so, knowing it was useless. “Hotch is with her. Your mother is with her. Nothing can possibly go wrong.”
“I know,” Derek grumbled and then sighed. “I know. What are the odds that something like that happens again?”
When Reid didn’t say anything in return, Derek turned toward him and said, “I mean it. What are the odds?”
Frowning a little, Reid replied, “Well, in this climate, the chances of getting infected with hemorrhagic fever at all aren’t more than two percent. She didn’t have any contact with anyone who might be infected. Besides, considering that she’s been through this once already… The chances are damn close to zero.”
Derek took a deep breath. “Thank you,” he mumbled.
“You know, I really don’t think all this happened because you deserved it,” Reid told him. “Or because you’re not meant to be. I believe it was just…bad luck.”
“Yeah,” he replied quietly. “Bad luck.”
Reid sighed. He could understand why Derek was so anxious, but it didn’t help Reid’s ability to comfort him.
“Have you ever prayed?” Derek suddenly asked. “I mean, really prayed for something?”
Reid smiled at that. “You know, as a scientist, I should probably argue that there’s no proof God even exists and therefore, praying seems pretty futile. But as a matter of fact, I’ve been praying a lot during the time Garcia was in the hospital.”
Derek turned to him, raising his eyebrow in disbelief.
Shrugging, Reid added, “Maybe it was futile, but it didn’t hurt, either, did it? Considering how things turned out, I’d say praying can’t make things worse, but maybe it can make things better.”
Derek couldn’t help but smile at that. And he definitely couldn’t argue with that, either. Futile or not, praying couldn’t make things worse. So he prayed everything would go well this time.
The music started and Derek straightened. This was it. They were going to get married - hopefully.
She appeared in the doorway, flanked by Hotch, who had agreed on escorting her down the aisle, and Derek’s mother.
Derek let out the breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding and relaxed. There she was. There was nothing that could go wrong this time.
Smiling, Penelope walked down the aisle toward her soon-to-be husband. She still couldn’t believe this was finally happening. She tried her best not to blush when Hotch kissed her cheek before sitting down in the first row.
Penelope and Derek considered their team as much as their family as you could consider a co-worker. So they had agreed on having them seated in the first row as well.
Derek didn’t even really hear the words of the priest. He was so focused on Penelope in her beautiful white dress. She was going to be his wife. They were going to be a family. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so happy - or so anxious.
He even almost missed it when the priest asked, “Do you, Derek Morgan, take Penelope Garcia to be your lawful and wedded wife? Do you promise to love, to cherish, to honor, to protect, forsaking all others, in sickness as well as in health, in adversity as well as in prosperity, for better or for worse, and to cleave only to her so long as you both shall live?”
“I do,” he croaked rather than said, his eyes glued to Penelope’s.
She smiled.
“And do you, Penelope Garcia, take Derek Morgan to be your lawful and wedded husband? Do you promise to love, to cherish, to honor, to obey, forsaking all others, in sickness as well as in health, in adversity as well as in prosperity, for better or for worse, and to cleave only to him so long as you both shall live?”
“I most definitely do,” Penelope replied, making everyone chuckle.
Reid waited for the priest to nod before handing Derek the ring.
“Derek, you will place this ring on Penelope’s finger and repeat after me…” the priest told him.
Automatically, he repeated the words of the priest. Then he listened as Penelope did the same. Finally, they exchanged the rings, Derek’s hands shaking so vigorously that he almost dropped it.
Smiling, Penelope took his hands in hers, squeezing them gently.
And finally, the priest said the words Derek had been waiting to hear way too long. “As a minister of the gospel, and by the authority vested in me by the State of Virginia, I pronounce you husband and wife. Whom therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.” The pastor smiled at Derek and announced, “You may now kiss the bride.”
Grinning from ear to ear, Derek leaned down to capture Penelope’s lips with his. That was it. They’d done it. They were married now.
A whole bunch of loads were taken off Derek’s mind when they finally left the church as husband and wife.
Luckily, the weather was nice and they could enjoy the ride back to their place.
Penelope was amazed how neatly the girls had decorated the house. Neither she nor Derek had been allowed to see it before the wedding.
“I must say, you really surpassed yourself,” Penelope said with a smile as she examined the flower decorations JJ had put up.
“This was Fran’s idea,” JJ told her with a grin. “She’s amazing.”
Smiling at the older woman, Penelope mumbled, “Yeah, I know.”
“This is…” Derek started, looking flabbergasted at the large buffet in their living room. “How did you manage to organize that in only one day?”
“We were just lucky,” Fran told him with a shrug.
Turning, he frowned at his mother. “You mean, ready to pay double the price?”
She smiled warmly. “Don’t worry about it, Derek. The catering is not going to ruin me - or anyone else.”
He didn’t get a chance to answer since JJ announced the first dance the newlywed couple was supposed to perform.
Smirking, Derek walked over to his wife and caught her in his arms.
Luckily, his mother had insisted on teaching him how to dance “properly,” as she had called it. And Penelope was the best partner he’d ever had.
Smiling, he leaned closer and whispered into her ear, “You know, I can’t believe how lucky I am. Not only is the most beautiful girl in the room dancing with me, I’m also allowed to call her my wife now.”
“I told you everything was going to be just fine,” she replied, contentedly leaning her head against his shoulder.
“Yeah, you were right,” he affirmed. “Nothing went wrong. It’s not even raining.”
“I know,” she whispered. “Everything’s just perfect. Except for one thing, maybe.”
Pushing her away a little, Derek frowned at her. “Yeah, and what’s that?”
“Well, that we certainly can’t sneak away to…celebrate a little,” she replied with a mischievous grin.
Derek growled lowly. “You have no idea how much I’d love to do that.”
Giggling, she leaned her head back against his shoulder. “Maybe we can sneak out when everyone’s eating. They certainly won’t notice then.”
He chuckled. “You’re a naughty girl.”
“I thought that was what you loved about me,” she joked.
Kissing the top of her head, he whispered, “I love everything about you, Baby Girl.”
“Okay, now you’re trying to soften me up,” she replied, giggling again. “I wonder why. It’s not like you need to try to get into my pants.”
He chuckled once more. “Maybe I’m just telling the truth,” he mumbled.
Penelope didn’t say anything in return because for probably the first time in her life, she really didn’t know what to answer to that.
They didn’t notice the improvised dance floor filling with more couples. They didn’t even notice the funny scene when Emily tried to teach Reid how to dance. They were completely lost in their own little world.
“Take it easy, turtle doves,” JJ whispered with a giggle as she and Will passed them while dancing. “You’re scandalizing the guests.”
Penelope blushed slightly, but Derek just shrugged.
“Jealous?” he asked with a grin.
“No need to be,” JJ assured him with a grin. “I just wanted to tell you that you shouldn’t get too carried away. You’re expected to cut the first piece of the wedding cake in a minute.”
“Can’t wait,” Derek said, faking a smile. So much for sneaking out while the others were eating.
“Don’t worry, Hot Stuff,” Penelope whispered. “We’ll have the whole night all to ourselves.”
He growled lowly. “And I’m very much looking forward to it.”