First published: May 8, 2014
Author's Note: Huge thanks to BlazingLegend for being my beta of publication. Due to this, no edits have been made.
Something didn't quite feel right as I walked out of the church and into the silence of the night. I started to turn my phone back on; I had seven missed calls from JJ and four from Prentiss. I had no idea what had happened! Quickly, I tapped into my voicemail box and listened to the messages they had both left me. Even through the small speakers on my phone, I could hear they were worried and upset.
"Garcia's been shot. She's in surgery now. For the love of God, Morgan, hurry up and get your ass here."
Although I broke almost every speed limit there was on the way to the hospital, I got there in record time. I flashed my ID at the receptionist behind the desk and told her who I was looking for: Penelope Garcia was on the second floor, and if I made my way to the end of the corridor and turned left, and then went up the flight of stairs to the second floor, I would find the rest of my team. Nodding my thanks, I walked as quickly as I could without running in the direction I had just been sent. When I reached the second floor, I heard silence and couldn't see anyone. Panicked, I almost went back down the stairs, but half a second before my feet began to move, I saw Reid walk out of a side room to the water cooler to fill his small, styrofoam cup up again.
"Reid!" I almost shouted, causing him to whip his head up in search of my voice.
"Reid, what's going on?" I asked hurriedly. He just let out and long sigh and shook his head, getting his water. Holding the door open for him, I waited until he had his water before following him to the rest of the team who were waiting in different resting spots around the small, dark room waiting room – resting against the wall; slumped over in a chair, trying to contain tears; pacing back and forth with a sharp 'clickety-clack' of their shoes.
"Sorry, I was in church" I stated apologetically before anyone could ask me why I hadn't been answering my cell. I needed to explain. "My phone was off".
Everyone nodded their heads slightly. Only, I didn't know for certain whether they believed me or not. But Rossi seemed to just stare at me for a second longer than the others; inspecting me. Almost as though he was trying to ascertain whether I was telling the truth. After all, it was Rossi who I had told about my dislike for religion after what had happened to me as a child, when I had been molested by the one man who was supposed to look out for me. But, it was because of Rossi I had then made my way to church to pray hard, repenting my sins of the last 20 years of my life. And what were the chances of me being in a church, praying for the first time in 20 years, when Garcia got shot? If I'd never had a sign from God before to prove to me that he existed, that was my sign.
The silence in the small waiting area was deafening. Almost as though the universe was holding its breath; waiting in anticipation for news on our co-worker, our friend, our family member. Nobody seemed to be saying much of anything. Hotch would occasionally murmur a few words to Rossi about something none of us could hear, but that was about it. JJ just sat there, with her chin resting on her palm, with tears in her eyes. She had sat like that for about 5 minutes before Prentiss finally sat down beside her and took her hand. It was understandable how lost she was; Garcia was JJ's best friend. But it didn't make seeing the pain and fear in her eyes any easier to cope with.
I don't know how long we had been sat waiting before the surgeon finally came out. It might have only been minutes, but then it could have easily have been hours when the surgeon walked out, saying he was looking for the family of Penelope Garcia as the surgery was now over. Everybody stood up as the surgeon rounded the corner, knowing before he did that they were the group of people he was looking for. They looked at him with wide, bright eyes, eager to know the results of the surgery, but scared in case Garcia hadn't made it off the table. The slight smile on the surgeon's lips gave it away though: it would take some time, but Garcia would be okay eventually. She just needed rest.
Once the surgeon had left us alone again to collect our thoughts, everyone started talking quietly about how to go about finding who had shot Garcia: Hotch made it clear no other cases were to be touched until the answer was resolved. While everyone was babbling, I sat down for a silent moment to my own rambling thoughts. Resting my head in my hands, I sent a silent prayer up to the Lord, thanking Him for watching over my bubbly Baby Girl.
There we go then! It isn't much, but I hope you like it! Don't forget to leave me a review; they give me motivation to write more! :D