Summary: Garcia is accused of murder, and it doesn't help her case that she confessed to the crime. Now Morgan and the others have to work to get to the truth and hopefully save Garcia.
Categories: General Characters: All, Derek Morgan, Penelope Garcia
Genres: Angst, Drama
Warnings: None
Challenges: None
Series: None
Chapters: 4
Completed: Yes
Word count: 9533
Read: 11421
Published: Oct 23, 2010
Updated: Oct 23, 2010
Story Notes:
This is a story that just popped in my head last night. I know I probably shouldn't have started a new fic while I still have 'Constant Cravings' out there, but I couldn't help it. I actually might finish this one before Constant Cravings since I've pretty much worked it all out in my head already and written most of it down.
1. Chapter 1 by Pari
2. Chapter 2 by Pari
3. Chapter 3 by Pari
4. Chapter 4 by Pari
She was cold and sat shivering even though the Virginia night air was very humid and heavy. Her body felt numb; she felt no pain from the bruises that covered her body, or from the headache that pounded behind her eyes, from all the crying she had been doing. She had curled herself up into a small recess of her mind so the outside world couldn’t touch her. That’s how they had found her; shivering, numb, and unresponsive on the front stoop of her apartment building, first the EMTs, and then the firemen and Police, and finally FBI agent Derek Morgan.
“Babygirl,” He had been calling to her and gently shaking her, trying to gain her attention, since he had arrived on the scene. He had gotten the call at around 11:30 from Garcia’s neighbor, Mrs. Reilly, whom Morgan had asked to look out for Garcia after she had been shot, and to call him if there was ever any kind of disturbance at Garcia’s apartment. So there he sat nearly an hour and a half later trying to get her to talk to him and she just looked through him as if he weren’t there.
“One of the neighbor’s identified her, she lives in the apartment.” Morgan overheard one of the policemen say as the policeman and another officer approached. “Ms. Garcia, my name is Det. Jameson and this is my partner Det. Reynolds, and we need to ask you a few questions about what happened here tonight.” The words fell on deaf ears as Garcia continued to stare off into nothingness.
“Detective, my name is Special Agent Derek Morgan and I’m with the FBI,” Morgan introduced himself as he instinctually flashed his badge.
“Who the hell called in the FBI?” Reynolds called out to the other officers that were canvassing the scene, but only got shrugs in reply.
“I’m not here on official FBI business, Ms. Garcia is a co-worker and a very close friend of mine. She’s apparently in severe shock and she really needs to get to a hospital.”
“We need to ask her a few questions first.” Jameson said as he licked his fingers and leafed through the pages of his small notebook he held, seeking out a clean page.
“Look at her,” Morgan pointed down at the despondent woman seated before them. “Does she look like she can answer any questions?”
“Well she’s gonna have to tell us something if she doesn’t want to be taken into custody.” Jameson added.
“Taken into custody for what?” Morgan asked in a demanding tone as he stepped in between the two detectives and Garcia as if readying to fend them off if they tried to take her away.
“Murder, Agent Morgan.” Reynolds stated as he handed Morgan the Polaroid picture he had taken earlier. Morgan took the picture and instantly recognized the body.
“Damn,” Morgan murmured out and then threw a sorrowful look down at Garcia.
“You know him?” Reynolds asked having gauged Morgan’s reaction.
“Yeah,” Morgan answered as he handed the picture back. “His name is Kevin Lynch. He works with us at Quantico and he’s Gar…Ms. Garcia’s boyfriend.”
“Well that could explain the scene,” Reynolds spoke directly to his partner, but the words made Morgan scowl. “Maybe they had a lovers spat, things got outta hand and she whacked him.”
“Whoa, whoa what the hell are you talking about, my Babygirl didn’t kill anybody.” Morgan stated matter-of-factly, and Jameson’s brow rose high at Morgan’s words.
“There were only two people in that apartment, there was no signs of forced entry, no signs of any kind of struggle. In fact it was quite a romantic scene, you know except for all the blood and brain matter all over the wall…oh and all over Ms. Garcia.” Jameson’s words made Morgan really take a look at Garcia. He had been so focused on seeing her and making sure that she was ok, he hadn’t noticed that she wore only a nightie and the red splatters on it was blood and not some design or pattern. “Add to that the fact that we have a recording of a woman who called 911 from this exact location stating that she had killed her boyfriend.” Jameson said. “Now I don’t know how you ‘FBI’ boys do things but to us ‘lowly’ local boys this would be a text book case for a crime of passion.”
“We ‘FBI’ boys,” Morgan popped back with attitude. “Investigate and collect evidence and then leave it to the courts to decide who’s innocent or guilty.”
“Fine, we’ll investigate and we’ll start by taking Ms. Garcia into custody.” Jameson declared as he waved over one of the female officers.
“She needs to see a doctor.” Morgan protested again.
“And she will, I’ll have officer…” Jameson paused to read the female officers nametag. “Officer Williamson here escort Ms. Garcia to the hospital and guard her until the doctor’s give her a clean bill of health, and then we can take her downtown, to our station for an interrogation.”
“Can I ride along with her?” Morgan asked even though he knew he was overstepping the bounds, and that it was against procedure.
“Come on agent I think you know the answer to that.” Det. Reynolds said and Morgan could only close his eyes and sigh out his frustration before opening his eyes again and nodding at the detective. “If you want to go to the hospital that’s fine but you know you won’t be allowed to go anyway near her until we’ve had a chance to talk with her, considering right now she’s our only witness and possible suspect.” Morgan had to swallow down his angry words at hearing Garcia referred to as a suspect in Lynch’s murder. He stood silently and watched as two paramedics placed Garcia on a gurney and strapped her down. He moved up beside her and grasped her lax hand in his grip.
“I’ll meet you at the hospital Princess don’t worry we’ll get this all straightened out, I promise.” He then lifted her hand to his lips and placed a chase kiss to the back on her hand. He felt both Reynolds and Jameson watching him closely but he didn’t care. After a few more second of stroking Garcia’s hand Morgan finally released her and allowed the paramedics and officer Williamson to take her away.
“Guess we’ll see you at the hospital then,” Jameson said as he and Reynolds passed heading to their car intent on following the ambulance straight to the hospital. “And don’t worry we’ll take good care of your Babygirl, or do your prefer Princess?” He tossed out the pet names he had heard Morgan refer to Garcia by. Morgan just placed his hands on hip as he glared at the detectives. After watching the two detectives drive off Morgan pulled out his cell phone and dialed out as he walked to his truck.
“Hey Hotch, It’s Morgan I’m sorry for calling you so late but I need your help man. It’s Garcia I think she’s in trouble.”
By the time Morgan had arrived at the hospital Hotchner was already there waiting for him, along with Prentiss and Reid.
“Thanks for coming guys,” Morgan greeted with a weary smile.
“Of course, Garcia is one of our own and you know we always take care of our own. Rossi is still at that convention in NYC and JJ in on assignment in California, but I’ve contacted both of them and they say they’ll be here as soon as they can.” Hotchner stated.
“Is Garcia ok?” Prentiss asked worry evident in her voice.
“I honestly don’t know,” Morgan answered with his brows arched as he shook his head. “She seemed so out of it, she wouldn’t talk to me, hell it was like she didn’t even know I was there.”
“Sounds like catatonia,” Reid finally spoke and the others threw him a confused gaze. “It’s a syndrome of psychological and motorological disturbances first described by German psychiatrist Karl Ludwig kahlbaum. Catatonic patients will sometimes hold rigid poses for hours and will completely ignore any external stimuli.”
“But why would Garcia be like that, you know how bostrious and bubbly she usually is.” Prentiss asked.
“Well given what Morgan said happened tonight I’d say Garcia witnessed or even experienced something so traumatic that her mind can’t handle it, and so it’s shut itself off from reality.” They all turned to look through the open door of the hospital room that housed Garcia, who was being assessed by a couple of doctors and several nurses. “Somewhere in her mind Garcia’s awake and most likely reliving a happy memories.”
“What makes you so sure, are you a doctor?” Jameson asked as he and Reynolds, who had been standing nearby waiting for the doctors to speak with them, moved closer to the BAU group.
“Yes.” Reid replied simply.
“I’m Special agent Aaron Hotchner,” Hotchner spoke as he extended his hand, which Jameson and Reynolds shook, respectively.
“I’m Det. Jameson and this is my partner Det. Reynolds.” Jameson said and Hotchner nodded and then began introducting the others.
“This is Special agent and Dr. Spencer Ried and Special agent Emily Prentiss.” Hands were shaken along with the introductions. “We’re all co-workers and friends of Ms. Garcia. Please know that we are not here on FBI business but I am going to be representing Ms. Garcia.” Hotchner added and the two detectives threw him confused looks. “I’m also an attorney.” He explained.
“Great, so what the FBI will only take you if you have some sort of alias or secret identity, so what are yours, Wonder Woman and The Green Lantern?” Reynolds asked Prentiss and Morgan with a chuckle.
“No,” Prentiss replied as she looked at the man with distain. “What’s yours, being an asshole?” The smile quickly faded from Reynolds face.
“I don’t want you speaking to my client before I’ve had a chance to speak with her first.” Hotchner interjected.
“Normally I’d be cool with that Agent Hotchner, except I’m pretty sure Ms. Garcia didn’t call you here to represent her.” Jameson said with a satisfied grin on his face.
“Well I certainly hope that your department doesn’t make a practice of interrogating a dispondent suspect without legal representation present Det. Jameson.” Hotchner’s usual scowl seemed to deepen a bit. “As for consent I do have a power of attorney that Ms. Garcia applied for a couple of years ago, in the event that something were to incapacitate her, I was to step in and make decisions on her behave, being that she’s an only child and both her parents are dead. She has no other living relatives. Please know that I have no intentions of hindering your investigation in any way, but I do plan to represent my client to the best of my abilities. So until she’s able to speak with me I must ask that you and your other officers have absolutely no interaction with her.”
“Fine, but I don’t want any of your crew here interacting with her either until we’ve had the chance to speak with her.” Jameson stated.
“Understood,” Hotchner agreed.
“What? Come on Hotch…” Morgan protested in an uproar.
“Morgan you know that while an investigation is ongoing that a suspect cannot have interaction with others until the investigator have had their initial interrogation.”
“That’s only after the suspect has been charged.” Morgan threw out.
“Oh she’s been charged,” Reynolds held up the warrant that they had called in and gotten brought over to the hospital for them. “The only reason we haven’t read Ms. Garcia her rights yet is because it doesn’t look like she would understand them. The D.A. insisted that we wait until she was more lucid, that way the case can’t get thrown out on a technicality.”
“You know what I’m sick of you guys, you’ve already tried and convicted her.” Morgan said, his hands itching to punch both of the detectives in their faces.
“No Sir, we just investigated and collected some pretty incriminating evidence against Ms. Garcia, which we’ve handed over to the D.A. Now we’ll just leave it to the courts to decide if she’s guilty or not.” Reynolds repeated Morgan’s earlier words, but in a taunting manner. “You just make sure you don’t go into that room until we’ve spoken with her and given the ok. We’ll have a guard posted at that door 24/7 and they have orders to arrest anyone, other than the hospital staff and her lawyer, who try to enter that room.” With that said Reynolds and Jameson left out.
“Dumb motherfuckers…” Morgan mumbled out as he stared at their retreating backs.
“Morgan they’re only doing their jobs.” Hotchner said calmly.
“No Hotch they’re on a fucking witch hunt here.”
“You really think so? Put yourself in their shoes Morgan, with the information you know, evidence you’ve seen so far who would be the initial suspect in this situation?” Morgan stared at his boss in disbelief, as Prentiss and Reid remained silent. Both knew in their hearts that Garcia couldn’t have killed Lynch but they couldn’t argue with the evidence, and it was their jobs to follow the evidence.
“Come on Hotch this is Garcia here, you know she didn’t do this.” Morgan continued his defense.
“Yes I do know that, because I know Garcia. However Det. Jameson and Reynolds don’t know her and they’re just doing their jobs.” Morgan blew out hot air through his nose as he placed his hands on his hip and threw his head back a bit, and stared up at the ceiling for a moment to calm his anger. “I want you to respect their investigation, you can’t go in with Garcia until they’ve approved it.” Morgan threw Hotchner a heated glare. “I’m sorry but that’s an order.” Hotchner then walked off and entered Garcia’s room to speak with her doctors.
Several Hours Later
He had spent the past 13 hours at the hospital. He had been forbidden from stepping foot into Garcia’s room so instead he took up residence up against the wall directly across from Garcia’s door, which the nurses kept open for him, per his request. There was always a police officer seated just outside her door, four different ones since they took up guard. They always ignored Morgan, and his attempts at idle conversation but watched him intensely to make sure he didn’t get near the entrance to the room. So Morgan sat on the floor his back resting against the wall, his earplug in and his ipod touch on full blast, so loud that he hadn’t heard the commotion going on. He hadn’t heard Garcia’s scream, hadn’t seen the nurses rushing into the room. It had only been the Nurse who had nearly tripped over his outstretched legs, who had made him open his eyes to offer an apology that brought his attention to what was going on in Garcia’s room. Morgan bolted to his feet, yanking out the earplugs as he rushed to the door only to be stopped by burly black police officer, who looked to be in his mid-40s and was about 3 inches taller than Morgan and Morgan guessed had 100 lbs more muscle that he did.
“Oh God!!” Garcia cried out and the distress she appeared to be in made Morgan try to side step the guard who was blocking his way. “Oh God Kevin, Oh God, Oh God…I killed him. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” She moaned out as she hugged herself and rocked in the bed while the three nurses that had rushed in after hearing her screams, tried to comfort her and calm her down.
“Don’t talk Babygirl,” Morgan called out to her and she shot her eyes up and instantly locked on to his.
“Morgan,” She called out for him as fresh tears, but tears of relief, fell from her eyes.
“Don’t talk until Hotch gets here, I’m gonna call him now. You hear me? Don’t say another word, ok?” She nodded her head and clamped her mouth shut as she looked at him with confused and pained eyes, her mind unable to understand why Morgan wasn’t already at her side, why she wasn’t already wrapped up in the safety of his arms. “It’s gonna be ok baby, I promise…get the hell off of me man,” Morgan pushed back against the officer who released him and Morgan stepped back as he reached for his cell to call Hotchner.
“She didn’t tell you anything about what happened?” Prentiss asked Hotchner as she, Hotchner, Reid, and Morgan all stood just outside Garcia’s hospital room, watching Detectives Jameson and Reynolds talk to Garcia.
“No, she said she didn’t want to talk about it.” Hotchner spoke about the earlier conversation her had tried to have with Garcia. Now it was the police’s turn and they had been in her room for well over an hour but they were have even worse luck than Hotchner because she wouldn’t say a word to them. After another moment a seemingly frustrated Jameson stalked from the room with Reynolds behind him.
“Your friend in there isn’t helping her case any by not talking to us.” Jameson said directly to Hotchner, and Hotchner could only nod his head because he had to agree. “Did she say anything to you?” Hotchner threw out an, ‘are you serious?’ look at the detective for asking him to breach his client’s confidentially. “Yeah, yeah I know dumb question. Look you better get something from her to help her because right now we have her confession on tape and now we also have at least 6 witnesses in this hospital who will testify that they heard her confess to killing Mr. Lynch.”
“Look she’s just confused, let me talk to her.” Morgan offered.
“What so you can coach her about what to say, Uhm…no.” Reynolds said.
“Look you pompous son-of-a-bitch,” Morgan cursed as he took a step towards Reynolds who in turn stepped up to Morgan not liking the name calling. Hotchner and Jameson stepped in and held their man back. “You want her to talk, tell what happen than let me talk to her she’ll tell me.”
“He’s right,” Hotchner added. “Agent Morgan and Ms. Garcia have a close relationship…”
“Oh we’ve noticed,” Jameson cut Hotchner off. “Exactly how close is what I’d like to know?”
“None of your damn business, that’s how close,” Morgan answered. “If you want answers let me talk to her.” Jameson and Reynolds both regarded Morgan silently. “Look I’ll wear a wire if you want, hell get a stenographer in there with me who can transcribe everything we say.” Jameson continued thinking on it. “She’s not going to talk to anyone else but me, I promise you that.”
“All right, a stenographer is a good idea actually let me make a few calls and see if we can get on from the courthouse to come in.”
She had been resting on her side staring out the window at the rain that shimmered down the window when he entered the room with the stenographer. He stood near the entrance watching her for a moment while the stenographer set up, before he made his presence known.
“Hey beautiful.” He said and the stenographer quickly began typing, as Garcia snapped her eyes to where she heard Morgan’s voice. A bright smile instantly spread across her face as he moved closer to the bed, and by the time he reached her that smile had morphed into a frown and a new wave of tears, sobs, and moans fell from her mouth. “Shhh, hey now we’re not having any of that.” Morgan spoke softly as he sat on the side of the bed and pulled her into a secure embrace and kissed the top of her head. “Come on baby don’t cry you know how it tears me up to me to see you crying.” She did know and she made an attempted to sniff them back, and she did somewhat. The tears stopped but some hiccupping, sniffles remained. “That’s my girl,” Morgan declared with a slight smile as he pulled back a bit and brushed his fingers across her red nose. “Ok Princess you know that we’re in some trouble here. The police think that you killed Lynch…”
“I did.” Garcia replied in a hushed tone, but the stenographer typed on, and if she didn’t hear Garcia’s words she didn’t act to the contrary. “It’s all my fault.”
“What’s your fault baby?” Morgan asked a fear building within him over whether Garcia had committed a crime that could result in her being locked away for life.
“He was trying to be so romantic and I was being a bitch to him. I don’t know why I treated him that way, he’s always been so wonderful to me, but I…I didn’t feel for him.” She paused and looked at Morgan to see if she understood what she meant. “Morgan I didn’t love him, I wanted to, I tried to I swear to God I did but I couldn’t, and I had been meaning to talk to him about it, but you know my work load has doubled since JJ left.” Morgan nodded his head but remain silent not wanting to interrupt her now that she was talking. “So there wasn’t ever a right time, not that there is a ‘right’ time to dump someone. Then I got home last night and he was there, I think Mrs. Reilly had given him the spare key I gave to her in case I accidentally locked myself out. She had seen Kevin at my place a lot and I had introduced him as my boyfriend so I guess she thought it was ok to give him my key. So I walked in and there were lit candles all over the apartment and rose petals.” She snapped her eyes shut trying to will away the memory. She then took a deep breath and opened her eyes again. “Morgan he asked me to marry him, two carat ring diamond in hand, down on bended knee. And I…I freaked out, I just blurted out that I couldn’t because I didn’t love him. I keep seeing his face,” Once again she closed her eyes in remembrance. “He was so hurt and than he kind of flipped out, he didn’t seem angry…he spoke to me in a gentle tone, like he always did telling me he loved me and that we belonged together, but…he was…he hurt me, grabbed my arms.” Morgan’s Jaws clenched and twitched in rage at hearing those words, but he still remained quiet. “He grabbed me and wrestled me to the floor.” Her eyes fell to the white blanket that covered the bed, unable to meet Morgan’s eyes any longer. “He said that I loved him he knew I did and he was going to prove it to me, make me remember…make me feel it.” She clamped her eyes shut and fresh tears spilled out and Morgan felt his own warm tears slip out and down his cheek as he listened to Garcia’s devastating tale. “He ra…raped…raped me.” She sobbed out and Morgan’s eyes clamps shut and he swallowed down the roar that threatened to escape his mouth. “Afterwards I felt so disgusting and dirty and I was so angry and I told him that I was going to tell you what he did and that you were going to kill him.” Morgan couldn’t help thinking that no truer words have ever been spoken. “He laughed and rummaged threw the bag he toted around. He pulled out the gun that he always carried around for protection and he said that you wouldn’t kill him, and I was terrified, so scared that he intended to go after you and shoot you.” Her voice rose continuously as she retold the story. “But instead he put the gun against his temple and told me that you wouldn’t kill him because I already had and then he…he pulled the trigger. Oh God, it’s all my fault!” She wailed out and Morgan quickly pulled her into his arms and she clung to him in desperation as she cried. He held her just a desperately and continued to hold her until the cries turned to hiccups and her heart rate slowed down enough to let him know that she had fallen asleep. He settled her against the pillow and he and the stenographer crept from the room to rejoin the others who had been listening outside.
“So did you hear that?” Morgan asked Jameson directly. “She was only confessing her guilt over something that wasn’t her fault. He punk raped her and then shot himself because he couldn’t take her rejection. It was a suicide, not murder.”
“What I heard was a damn good story, the same story I have heard many times before from murderous women who are trying to cover their asses and trying to beat a murder charge.” Jameson said causing Morgan to sneer at him. “We’ll have the autopsy and ballistic report of the evidence gathered off of Ms. Garcia sometime tomorrow, you had better pray that the evidence supports her claims. There better not be a milligram of GSR found on Ms. Garcia.”
“Oh come on she was covered in his blood, most likely she went to him to tried to help him, you know GSR can transfer by simply touching someone that has it on them.” Morgan stated.
“Yeah well unless she shook his hand ‘after’ he had shot himself, she shouldn’t have any on her hands.” Jameson said and then turned to Hotchner. “I’ll send you copies of the reports as soon as they come in.”
“Thank you,” Hotchner said with a handshake and watched Jameson walk off and then focused onto Morgan. “He’s right, if there’s any GSR on her hands it’s going to blow that account she just gave to hell.”
“Are you asleep?” She whispered as she snuggled closer against his side with her head resting on his chest. They had spent most of the evening and all of the night in her hospital bed, playing cards, or snuggled up talking and watching movies. Some of the nurses found them to be so cute while some questioned what a guy like Morgan saw in a girl like Garcia. Both Morgan and Garcia noticed the dirty looks from some of the nurses and while Garcia avoided their snooty gazing Morgan stared them down and asked them if they had a problem, causing them to scurry from the room. Morgan has pretty much moved into the room with her, and intended on staying the full four days that Garcia would be there. Even though she had no obvious ‘physical’ trauma the doctors had said they wanted to keep her for a few days for observation, at least that’s what they had told Garcia, but the others knew that it was actually a suicide watch, given her earlier erratic behavior after coming out of her catatonic state. Under normal circumstances Morgan would have been outraged and demanding her release, but given that the alternative would be a county jail cell he remained silent and prayed that the, reports that he was sure would exonerate Garcia, would arrive before her release from the hospital.
“Yeah,” Morgan replied in a normal tone that seemed to resonate in the darkness that engulfed the room. It was around 3 am and there was no moonlight shining through the window, and the room door was closed shutting out the activities going on in the busy hospital.
“I didn’t wake you did I?” She continued to speak in a very hushed tone as she absentmindedly traced patterns over his tee shirt clad chest.
“No Princess,” He spoke around a smile but his closed eyes remained shut. “And why are you whispering?”
“Because it’s dark in here.” She replied in more whisperings as if it was the most rational reasoning. Morgan’s body shook a bit as he chuckled at her words.
“What’s the matter baby, you can’t sleep?” He asked now speaking in a hushed tone for her. She shook her head against his chest.
“Nightmares.” Morgan opened his eyes and tightened his arm, which her body was resting on, around her waist. “I keep seeing Kevin, he’s alive but…half of his head is missing and he’s covered in so much blood…”
“Hush now,” Morgan silenced her. He could feel the rigidity in her body and her heart rate shoot up, and he didn’t want her getting overly excited and having another episode that might leave her catatonic again. “It was just a dream. You’re feeling guilty over something that wasn’t your fault. He hurt you baby, not the other way around, and you can’t keep blaming yourself. Lynch was a pathetic piece of shit…”
“Don’t say that.”
“It needs to be said because it’s the truth. Babygirl he raped you. That son-of-a-bitch hurt you in the worse way any man can hurt a woman, and I swear to God if I could have gotten my hands on him before…I would have killed him myself. What he did to you…it had absolutely nothing to do with love. You know that that’s not what it’s about, right?” He asked but she didn’t answer and he knew then that she had bought into Lynch’s bullshit. “Sweetness, rape is about control. He probably already felt vulnerable with his proposal plans and then felt weak and insignificant when you turned down his proposal. He just couldn’t take you rejecting him, and so he decided to prove how big a man was by bullying someone weaker than he was, that just happened to be you. But honestly if he had just left your place that night I still believe he would have just gone out and hurt someone else; raped and possibly even killed some unsuspecting person.” Garcia clamped her eyes and mind shut to that thought, at the possibility that someone could have fallen victim to Kevin all because she had rejected him. “He just always seems so normal to me, granted I never really got to know the guy. There had to be more going on underneath, something that set him off. I understand that getting dumped by a Goddess such as yourself would be devastating for any man,” He tried to lighten the mood and get a laugh out of her but she couldn’t appease him this time. “But for him to blow his brains out like that it just seems extreme under the circumstances.”
“It was you,” Garcia mumbled as fresh tears sprang to her eyes. Morgan’s brow burrowed at her words.
“What?”
“He thought that I was leaving him for you. He was always so jealous of you.” Morgan closed his eyes and silently cursed upon realizing that he had been the stressor that had set Kevin off, he had been the reason Kevin has punished Garcia; first by raping her and than placing the guilt over his death onto her. “The only times that we ever argued was when your name was mentioned. He always referred to you as the black James Bond.” Garcia couldn’t stop the smile that played at her lips and giggle that shook her body slightly.
“James Bond, I think I’m more of a Jason Bourne or Jack Bauer.” Morgan teased hoping to invoke more giggles.
“Totally,” Garcia agreed as she smiled and then sighed. “Kevin couldn’t understand the dynamics of our relationship, and I couldn’t explain it to him because…”
“There’s no explaining it, it is what it is and it will always be.” Morgan finished her statement. Perfectly articulating their relationship as she saw it.
“Yeah,” Her smiled widened a bit. “No matter how many times I told him that we were just friends, really close friends who sexually harassed each other, but never got sexual he just couldn’t get it.”
“That’s on him baby, that had nothing to do with you or our relationship. Please don’t give him this power over you.”
“He’s dead Morgan he can’t hold any power over me.”
“No? You had a nervous break down…”
“Which I think is completely normal given what happened to me, what I went through, what I saw.” Garcia defended feeling like Morgan was attacking her. He felt her tension and knew he was causing it and so he backed off and took another route.
“You’re right I’m sorry Penelope,” He used her first name which he rarely did and only did when he was being serious or sincere. “I’m sorry that you had to endure that, and I wish I could have been there…”
“No, please don’t start blaming yourself Derek, I can’t bear that on my conscience too.”
“Ok I’ll stop blaming myself if you stop blaming yourself. Baby even now Lynch has got you feeling guilty about the things that ‘he’ did. This is all on him and no one else. He was the weak one you’re the strong one. You have all the power, so don’t give him any, Ok?”
“Ok,” she said with a nod.
“Good now try and get some sleep,” Morgan commanded as he leaned down and kissed the top of her head. He heard her sigh and then felt her snuggle a bit closer to him, and after several minutes he heard her breathing even out and knew that she had fallen asleep and soon joined her.
Day three
The doctors had come in thirty minutes before and given Garcia her release forms to sign. Morgan had told her under no uncertain terms that she would be staying with him until further notice, and they had been gathering her thing and putting them in the overnight bag he had gotten for her two days prior when Morgan notice Hotchner standing near the door with a look that was hard to read. His eyes were then drawn to the folder that Hotchner held.
“Hey sweetness, you finish this up and I’ll be right back.” He said as he leaned into Garcia who stood at his side, and kissed her temple. She had been focused on folding her clothing that she hadn’t noticed Hotchner and simply gave Morgan a nod in reply as she continued her task. Morgan exited the room closing the door behind him, not wanting Garcia to overhear them. “Hotch,” He greeted his boss kindly even though his face held a look of distrust. “What’s up?”
“Morgan, I just got the ballistics report,” Hotchner began but then noticed Det. Jameson and Det. Reynolds getting off the elevators with a female officer, all heading towards Garcia’s room. “Morgan whatever happens you cannot interfere.”
“What are you…” At that moment Morgan noticed the officers as they opened Garcia’s room door and entered her room. “What’s going on Hotch?” He asked as he rushed to the room. Hotchner stepped right behind him and gripped his arm, to hold him back. As they got to the door they witnessed the female officer cuffing a very frightened Garcia while Jameson read her, her rights. “What the hell is going on?” Morgan demanded as he struggled against Hotchner who held a firm grip on him.
“Morgan if you interfere it will just make matters worse.” Hotchner tried to reason.
“Morgan?” Garcia cried out for him and in a burst of energy he broke free of Hotchner’s restraints and rushed to Garcia, bustling pass the three officers in the room. He placed his hands on either sides of her face and clutched her head, pressing her forehead to his. She stared at him with large scared eyes, and both were so in tuned and focused on each other that the others in the room with them were drowned out completely.
“It’s ok Babygirl, I’m gonna get you out. I’m not gonna let anything happen to you, I promise.” He could feel Jameson and Reynolds both tugging at him trying to pull him away. Morgan pulled back only slightly, just enough to kiss Garcia’s forehead and then her cheek and finally her lips, where he lingered brushing his tongue inside her gaping mouth. He had felt an overwhelming need to taste her; as if it were the last memory he would ever have of her. After a few more seconds he released her mouth and once again stared into her eye, which still held fright but now also wonderment. Jameson and Reynolds with the help of Hotchner were finally able to free Garcia from Morgan grasp, allowing the female officer to escort her out. “We’re gonna get you out baby, I promise you. We’re right behind you.” Morgan continued speaking directly to her, his voice cracking under his emotions and he eyes wet and red with his tears, anger, and fear. Garcia kept her eyes on Morgan until she was taken completely from the room and out of eyeshot. “Alright get the hell off of me!” Morgan’s voice boomed.
“Not until you calm down,” Reynolds replied as he and Jameson continued their hold, while Hotchner stepped away as Morgan commanded.
“I am calm,” Morgan hissed out through clenched teeth though his rigid body and the veins bugling from his neck told of his agitation.
“He’s ok you can let him go now.” Hotchner stated and Jameson and Reynolds complied reluctantly. Once he was free Morgan quickly stalked from the room intent on following Garcia to the police station.
“Agent Morgan I would advise you to calm down before you go downtown.” Jameson said as he, Reynolds and Hotchner, who simply remained silent, followed Morgan onto the elevator. Morgan ignored them and as he stabbed at the elevator button. “I know how you must feel…” Morgan snapped around and stepped to the detective, and Hotchner step closer to Morgan to intervene if necessary.
“You don’t know how the fuck I feel, man,” Morgan spat out as he stared Jameson down with hard eyes.
“Look guy you’re acting like we’re getting some pleasure out of all this.” Jameson continued. And Morgan threw him a look that said, that that was exactly what he thought. “Yeah ok so it feels good when you know you caught the bad guy, you’re telling me you don’t feel the exact same way when you guys catch the bad guy.”
“Garcia isn’t the bad guy, and I would ‘advise’ you not to call her that again in my presence, if you like having teeth.” Morgan spoke coolly.
“Are you threatening me?” Jameson asked and Morgan continued to stare him down, as he shook his head ‘no’. Jameson swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and took a step back, which wasn’t far in the confined space. “Look it’s like you said, we gather the evidence and then leave it to the courts to decide. And all the evidence says that your girl is the b…” Jameson caught himself before he used the term ‘bad guy’ again, he really didn’t want to test how sincere Morgan’s threat was. “…best suspect we have.”
“No Lynch is the best suspect you have.” Morgan threw out.
“Ok fine then you explain to us exactly how gunshot residue from the gun that killed Mr. Lynch got onto Ms. Garcia’s left hand…she’s a leftie isn’t she?” Reynolds interjected just as the elevator stopped at the ground level. His words stunned Morgan who cast his eyes onto Hotchner who only gave a curt nod as a response. “Yeah that’s what I thought.” Reynolds and Jameson exited the elevator and head to their car, leaving Morgan and Hotchner to stand near the elevators.
“It’s bad isn’t it?” Morgan asked.
“Yes, it’s bad unless Garcia can give a good reason as to why…how GSR got on her hand and an even better reason as to why she didn’t mention it before. I need to get to the police station, take this, have Reid, Prentiss, and Rossi help you go over everything. Try to find something that might have been over looked or possibly contaminated.”
“Hotch, I am not going back to Quantico while Garcia is locked up in some jail cell.” Hotchner really hadn’t expected him to.
“Fine drop those reports at home base so the team can work it there and then meet me down at the precinct.” Morgan gave a nod and then started to rush off. “And Morgan,” Morgan stalled and stared back at his boss and friend. “You cannot react like you did back there it will not help Garcia’s case, in fact it could hurt it more. I’m beginning to think that Jameson has taken an interest in you, and your relationship with Garcia. I got word from Prentiss that he met with Strauss and she allowed him to question our co-workers, and he asked them about the nature of your relationship with Garcia. He might see you as an accomplice.”
“Ok fine, let him think it, hell I’ll confess to it if they’ll let her go.”
“They won’t the evidence against her is too strong, worse case scenario is they lock you up too and then we’d we two men down. So keep your head, I know it’s difficult for you to see Penelope go through this, but she needs you out here fighting for her.” With a deep sigh Morgan looked to the garage floor and nodded his understanding and then walked off. Hotchner watched him go and held trepidation about how Morgan would react to seeing Garcia locked in some jail cell.
Author's Notes:
I hope you enjoyed the read.
Author’s Note: So here we are again. Thank you all so much for the awesome reviews, and I really hoped you enjoyed the story.
******
By the time Morgan has arrived at the station Garcia was already in interrogation with Hotchner, he had been permitted to go into the observation room and listen in. After listening for a couple of minutes he had wanted to rush into the interrogation room and beat Jameson and Reynolds both, to death for the way they were treating Garcia.
“Come on Ms. Garcia tell us the truth. You help us and we’ll try to help you.” Reynolds spoke from his stances right up against the two-way mirror while Jameson hovered over Garcia.
“But I have told you the truth,” Garcia spoke with conviction as she stared between the two detectives and then over at Hotchner who stood near the only window in the room. Hotchner simply held his usual scowl but remained silent, which only served to piss Morgan off more.
“The whole truth and nothing but the truth is that right?” Jameson asked and then slammed the folder he had been holding down atop the table in front of Garcia, causing her to jump in a fright. “Then explain how you got GSR on your hand!” He raised his voice at her and the tears instantly pour down her face and her lips began to tremble.
“I will not allow you to bully my client Det. Jameson, another stun like that and this interview is over.” Hotchner warned and Jameson threw his hands up and backed away.
“Fine, my apologies Ms. Garcia, but please do enlighten us how did you get GSR on your hand?”
“I don’t know…I don’t even know what that is?” She replied in a shaky voice.
“Is she for real?” The tall leggy blonde who stood in the observation room along with Morgan and the Precinct’s chief, spoke out and Morgan shot her a glare and locked onto her badge which titled her as A.D.A Natalie Whitaker.
“So I take it you don’t believe her.” The Chief said through a chuckle.
“That she’s been working for the FBI for how long, and doesn’t know what GSR is…uh no I’m not buying it and a jury’s not gonna buy it either. So far this looks like a slam dunk case.” Her words angered and worried Morgan but still he stood quietly.
“You work for the FBI but you don’t know what GSR is?” Reynolds asked his voice showing his disbelief.
“Ms. Garcia is only a Technical Analyst not a forensic tech.” Hotchner gave as an answer.
“Damn,” A.D.A. Whitaker cursed and Morgan inwardly smile at the blow the prosecution was just given.
“Garcia,” Hotchner focused onto her and she locked her gaze onto his steely one. “GSR stands for gunshot residue. It’s a substances that’s found on people who have handled or fired and gun. They found some on your hands can you explain how it got there, did you pick up the gun?” She shook her head vehemently.
“No, no I don’t believe in guns. I’m terrified of guns especially after being shot a couple of years ago. I hated that Kevin carried it around all the time, but he insisted. He told me once that he had been attacked, robbed, and severely beaten. He was left in a coma for 6 weeks, after that he got the gun for protection. But I never touched it I swear to God I never did.”
“She was shot?” Whitaker asked the Chief but it was Morgan who answered.
“Yeah, she was doing some side work at the Bureau, on her off time she counsels families of murder victims, and she goes over their cases and keeps them bumped up and open in the FBI’s cold cases database. Well one of the perps whose case she had come across and bumped up to be reviewed again found out what she was doing. So he persued her, pretended to like her, wined her and dined her and then shot her and left her for dead. The guy was in law enforcement, his name was Deputy Jack Clark Battle.” Whitaker groaned at hearing that familiar name, she was very familiar with his case and knew that this information could be another blow in their case against Garcia. This news and the evidence that Lynch had raped her before his death might make Garcia be seen with sympathetic eyes by a jury, and even create a good defense for ‘crime of passion’.
“I remember that case,” The Chief said. “That guy was a real whack job.”
“Garcia I need you to think really hard,” Hotchner spoke out again on the other side of the glass. “Are you sure you didn’t touch the gun or Mr. Lynch.”
“Well I did touch Kevin.” She announced and all ears inside the interrogation room and inside the observation room honed in on her every word then. “He had shot himself but he could have still been alive right? S…so…I went to him to check for a pulse. I know the neck…the jugular is the best place to look but there was so much blood…I couldn’t…so I grabbed his hand…his right hand…”
“Wasn’t the gun in his right hand?” Jameson asked and she shook her head no.
“No it had fallen from his grasp when he shot it, I think it had hit the floor before his did. I don’t know where it landed, but I never touched. I just check him for a pulse but there was none and then I called 911.”
“I’ve heard enough,” A.D.A Whitaker said. “It’s over, tell them that Ms. Garcia’s is free to go. The district attorney’s office will not be filing criminal charges against her.”
“Wait I thought you just said this was a slam dunk case.” The chief protested a bit as Morgan stood staring in disbelief and relief.
“It was until she gave a very plausible explanation as to how she got the residue on her hands, add to that the ‘evidence’ that Mr. Lynch viciously attacked and raped her…AND…she was viciously attacked and shot prior to this. All her lawyer has to say is that Ms. Garcia had flash back of her previous assault, which caused her to have a mental break after Mr. Lynch attacked her, thus leading to his death. After everything she’s already been through the jury is going to look at her and see her as the victim, hell ‘I’ think she’s the victim, so there’s no way in hell I’m gonna convince a jury otherwise. Not with the evidence you’ve given me. So unless you have something else we don’t have a case, so let her go.” With that said she flipped her perfectly styled blonde tresses over her shoulder and stalked from the room. Morgan rushed out after her and made his way to the interrogation room. He threw the door open, startling everyone inside.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing Agent Morgan?” Jameson said in an outrage.
“She’s been released.” Morgan announced with a huge smile.
“What?” The others in the room said in unison.
“The District Attorney’s office tossed it out, the A.D.A. said that there was no case here, Garcia was simply a victim.” Morgan couldn’t stop the gloating ‘I told you so’ tone that crept over his voice.
“You have got to be kidding me.” Reynolds said as he pushed himself from the wall as the Chief entered behind Morgan.
“According to A.D.A. Whitaker this, at the worst, would be deemed as a crime of passion and a case she couldn’t win, because the jury would be too sympathetic given Ms. Garcia’s history.” The Chief declared.
“I don’t understand…what does that mean?” Garcia asked, as she remained seated in her spot. Morgan moved to her and squatted down beside her, he reached up and stroked her cheek and she gazed into his eyes. “It means beautiful that I get to take you home and spoil you rotten for a couple of days, that is if our boss will give us some time off.” Hotchner, who had moved back to the table to gather his paperwork, placing them back in the briefcase he hadn’t used in over 15 years, threw them a smile.
“Take the rest of the week off and I’ll see you both back in the office on Monday.” He closed his briefcase and then exited the room.
“Come on Sweetness, you heard the man and you can expect nothing but pampering by yours truly.” Morgan said as he stood and grasped her cuffed hands and pulled her to her feet. “Get these things off of her.” He barked out and Reynolds first looked to Jameson who nodded, and then pulled out his keys and unlocked the cuffs. Garcia sighed in relief as she rubbed at her sore and slightly raw wrists. Morgan grasped them in his larger hands and began to rub. “Can we get her things out of holding so we can go, please?”
“Yeah we have to take her over to booking, so she can sign some paperwork.” Jameson said begrudgingly. “You can wait here. This way Ms. Garcia.” Just as Morgan was about to ask why he couldn’t join her in booking his cell rang out.
“Go ahead babygirl, I’ll be right here waiting for you.” She nodded and then followed the two detectives out. Morgan opened his phone.
“Yeah Morgan,”
“Morgan its Reid, I just wanted to let you know we’ve gone over everything evidence wise and it all looks solid. There was nothing out of the ordinary, except I did find one bit strange…Although I’m not surprised the forensics office missed it, it was so minute only a trained…”
“Whoa, slow your roll Reid,” Morgan cut into what he was sure would have been a long uninteresting educational reference that Reid loved to make, which Morgan believed Reid only did just to show off the knowledge inside of that big brain of his. “Look man, Garcia’s been release and there’s not gonna be any charges filed, the case has been closed.”
“That’s great…Guys Morgan said the charges against Garcia has been dropped and she’s coming home.” Reid relayed the message to the others and Morgan could hear them cheering in the background. “Uh…Prentiss wants to know if you’re bring her straight here, she wants us all to go out and celebrate.”
“Naw not tonight, I’m taking my girl home with me. Hotch has given us the rest of the week off.”
“What?” Reid spoke out and Morgan could almost see the childish pout that he was sure was on the younger man’s face, he even pictured Reid stomping his feet and he had to chuckled.
“That’s right, five days and four night I get to spend with my babygirl, but tell Prentiss that if Garcia feels up to a night out we’ll call you guys. And please emphasize the ‘we’ll call you’, meaning we’ll call you don’t call us, understand.” Morgan said as he continued chuckling his mood higher than it had been in days.
“Yeah, yeah,” Reid grumbled out.
“By the way Reid, you were saying that you found something odd, what was it?” Morgan asked his curiosity getting the better of him.
“Hmmm, oh yes it was the amount of GSR found on both Garcia and Lynch, it seemed backwards.” Reid furnished.
“What do you mean?” Morgan asked needing clarification as he gazed across the busy precinct until his eyes landed on Garcia who stood in the booking area talking with Jameson and signing some paperwork.
“Well, there wasn’t much GSR found on Lynch’s hand at least not the usual amounts one would expect to find on a person with a self inflicted gunshot wound, whereas Garcia had quite a lot on her hands, particularly the left one, which isn’t really consistent with someone who simply got some transfer of GSR on them. So I suspect that the forensics office that ran these test screwed up got things backwards. So I’m gonna contact them have them run it aga…”
“No!” Morgan barked out harsher than he had intended. “No, it’s over besides it’s not even our case, not even a case period so just lock the reports in my desk for me and I’ll see you on Monday alright.”
“Ok,” Reid replied as he shrugged and then hung up the phone. Morgan pulled the phone from his ear and closed it; all the while he stared at Garcia, his babygirl, and wondered if she had been telling the truth about what happened to Lynch. Had she shot Lynch, was she capable of that? The profiler in him truly wanted to solve the mystery and learn the truth but the man that he was only wanted to protect her by any means necessary. So he concluded that if she had really shot Lynch it was no less than he had deserved, no less than what he himself would have done after learning what he did to Garcia. So on Monday he intended to shred the reports, confident that there was no one on the police force with the knowledge and IQ of Dr. Spencer Reid, who could discover the same anomaly. He knew that the case would remain closed and Garcia would be safe. The intense look he had been holding on his face melted the instant he saw her looking back at him, she waved him over and with a smile on his lips and no more worries on his mind he made his way to her.
THE END!!!!
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