Title: That's What I Want For Christmas
By: bahjcb
Pairing: Morgan/Garcia
Rating: PG
Note: So, a couple of days ago I heard That's What I Want For Christmas sung by Nancy Wilson on the radio. I then came up with two story ideas. I couldn't decide which I liked better, so I'm sharing them both. I hope you enjoy.
Summary: Shopping for a friend you are interested in can be tough. Sometimes just asking what they want can be the best thing to do.

***

Morgan's POV

"You have reached the goddess of all things knowable and unknowable. Ask and I shall give you an answer."

Derek laughed as he heard Penelope's typical way to answer the phone.

"Hey, baby girl."

"Sweetness, what can I do for you?"

Penelope instantly sounded happier upon hearing Derek's voice—if that could really be possible.

"I'm just calling to tell you that we caught the unsub, saved the victim, and are headed home."

"Just a regular day in the life of the Green Lantern Corps., huh?"

"Absolutely, my goddess."

"You know, I could have easily figured all that out by the paperwork coming back through here. I am a genius, you know."

"I know, sweet cheeks. I just wanted to tell you myself."

Penelope leaned back in her chair and grinned.

"Couldn't get enough of me, huh?"

"Never," Derek swore.

Penelope could hear the smile in his voice and hers only widened.

"Well, it's a good thing you called me, sweetness. I have a question for you."

"Yes," he firmly replied.

Penelope started to laugh. "Don't you want to hear wait and hear what I want to ask first?"

"Goddess, I'm sure the answer is yes."

"It's not a yes or no question, sugar."

"Lay it on me, baby girl."

"What do you want for Christmas?"

Derek's silence surprised Penelope until she decided he was actually taking her request seriously. That was until he answered.

"Love me."

"Excuse me?"

"Love me, baby girl. Say you love me."

"I love you, sugar. You know that. Now, what can I buy you?" she teased.

"No, mama. You're missing the point."

"Oh?"

"I'm not talking friendly love here, Penelope." Derek's serious tone brook no teasing.

"Derek," Penelope replied with equal seriousness. "We both know you're not interested in me that way and that's fine…"

Derek's grunt of frustration cut off the rest of her sentence.

"Baby girl, I don't just love you. I'm in love with you. As in I don't want to date anyone else but you. I don't want to flirt with anyone else but you. I don't want to hold or kiss anyone else but you. Mama, it's you that I want for Christmas."

A smile slowly spread across Penelope's face as she took in what Derek had just said. She wished the plane ride was over and that she could answer him face to face, but Penelope would take the moment they had.

"Sweetness, you've had me for a long time. I'm in love with you, too."

"Good," was all Derek said, but Penelope could hear the longing to be near in his voice, as well.

"So, does this mean I get a date for Christmas, handsome?"

"I definitely think that's doable."

Hearing Derek's voice over the phone and behind her at the same time, Penelope flipped around in her chair, startled. Leaning against her door-frame was Derek Morgan. And on his face was the smile he gave her alone.

Shutting his phone, Derek slipped it into his pocket, and strode into the room.

"In fact, I think several dates are in order," Derek added as he pulled Penelope out of her chair and into his arms.

Grinning, Penelope wrapped her arms around his neck. "I can't wait for Christmas."

Lowering his lips to hers, Derek murmured, "Why wait till Christmas?"

Penelope firmly agreed, but as her lips were otherwise pleasantly occupied, she never did get around to voicing that particular thought.

Garcia's POV

"What do you want for Christmas, my goddess?"

While there was some teasing in his voice, Penelope knew Derek was being serious. He had no idea what to get her.

Well, she decided, if he was going to flat out ask, she was going to flat out tell him.

"Just say you love me, Derek. No teasing. Not as friends. Just say you are in love with me, Derek. That's all I want for Christmas."

For his part, Derek was speechless. While he might have expected some flirty remark, he never thought Penelope would say that, let alone mean it.

Luckily for Derek, he never had to answer. Another call came in for his all-knowing goddess and she quickly said good-bye, leaving Derek alone with the buzz of the dial tone.

Hanging up the phone, Derek decided that Penelope's gift deserved some careful consideration.

Emily was seriously weirded out. For the first time since she'd met him, Morgan let her—almost had her—drive the car. What really bothered her was how quiet he was. Not an upset quiet, more of a contemplative quiet, but still. It was unsettling.

Deciding that she had to break the ice somehow, Emily asked, "So, Morgan, have you finished your Christmas shopping yet?"

At first, she didn't think he was going to answer, but eventually he was roused enough from his thoughts to say, "Um…everyone except Garcia."

"Oh," was all Emily thought to say. She really wasn't sure she wanted to know what Morgan and Garcia thought were appropriate gifts to exchange with one another.

Morgan, however, seemed to think she was just the one to talk to because he straightened up and turned in his seat to better look at her.

"Actually, I have Garcia's gift, I'm just not sure how to give it to her."

Confused, but deciding to surge ahead, Emily offered, "Wrap it and put it under her tree."

Morgan gave her a funny grin and dryly replied, "Won't fit."

"Expensive, huh?"

Now she was curious. What had Morgan gotten Garcia?

"No," Morgan answered seriously. "Not expensive, just big."

Since the Prentiss family never gave anything that wasn't expensive—and the bigger it was the usually more expensive it was, Emily had no idea what Morgan could have possibly gotten their technical analysis. Deciding that it didn't look like Morgan was going to confide in her, Emily let go of her curiosity and gave him one more idea.

"Well, a couple of years ago, my father bought my mother a new car. He wrapped up a model of the car to put under the tree, since the real one wouldn't fit."

"A representation of the gift I'm giving," Morgan said slowly and thoughtfully.

"Yeah," Emily agreed.

A smile slowly spread across Morgan's face. Leaning back against his seat, he said, "Thanks, Prentiss. I know just what I'm going to do."

Still confused, but glad to have been some help, Emily just smiled and said, "You're welcome."

Since their conversation, Derek had been avoiding her, she was sure. Now Penelope wished she had never told him what she really wanted for Christmas. She should have made something up, she told herself. Like warm socks. It was winter, socks would be appropriate.

Even Penelope knew that sounded slightly hysterical, but she didn't want to lose her friend. She may have wanted more, but she certainly didn't want less.

So, it was with some surprise that Penelope opened her door on Christmas to find Derek Morgan waiting for her on the other side.

"Hey, baby girl," he said with a grin, before giving her a quick peck on the cheek, and striding past her into her apartment. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you, too, hot stuff."

Though Penelope was flirting back, it was slightly on autopilot.

As soon as she shut the door, Derek pulled a red box out of his pocket and handed it over. Curious, Penelope took the package and quickly opened it up. Sitting on a cushion of silk was a diamond journey necklace. Princess cut diamonds sitting in white gold, her numb mind seemed to automatically calculate.

Seeing that his gift had caused as much shock and confusion as he anticipated, Derek grinned.

"According to the jeweler, this necklace represents the journey in life two people take together. As the necklace goes along, the diamonds get bigger. Or, as Todd told me, the journey gets better and our love grows deeper and more meaningful."

At this, Penelope's eyes shot up to his. Seeing the question she couldn't ask in her eyes, Derek caressed her cheek and said, "Baby girl, I love you. All I want for Christmas is you."

Derek was somewhat surprised when Penelope shoved the box back into his hands. As her next actions were to turn around and lift her hair, Derek felt his heart start to slow back down.

"Put it on me," she requested.

Penelope felt delicious shivers run through her body as Derek's fingers clasped the necklace around her neck. The kisses that followed the length of the chain, however, were agonizing in the fact that it just made her want to feel his lips against hers all the more.

Flipping around, Penelope framed Derek's face with her hands before giving into the need to kiss him herself.

Long moments later, when they both finally came up for air, Penelope snuggled against Derek's chest as he held her as close to him as possible.

"You know, this really makes the pair of pants I bought you seem kind of inappropriate."

"Oh, baby girl, I got everything I want right here."

Derek then punctuated his statement with another mind-blowing kiss.

***