Thank you for reading this story, I hope you enjoy - please let me know
Just a warning Hints a Domestic Violence through out this chapter and the next couple.
"I don't want to talk about this now" Penelope Garcia snapped.
"Penelope, seriously what is going on with you?" Derek Morgan asked her.
He was concerned about her, she had been drifting away from him lately and it was killing him. He was losing his best friend, and he couldn't figure out why.
"Nothing Derek, just drop it ok" she said angrily.
"I don't want to drop it baby girl, I want you to talk to me" he said.
"Don't, just don't, it's not your business Derek, so stay out of it" she replied sharply.
"Fine" he said throwing his hands up in the air "but for the record, best friends aren't supposed to keep secrets."
"Get over yourself Derek seriously, not everything is about you" she regretted the words as soon as they left her lips, but she turned on her heels and walked away. She was done with the conversation.
Morgan watched her leave, torn, should he go after her or give her space. He wasn't sure anymore, he used to know what she wanted, how to keep her happy, but now they hardly spent any time together outside work. Their conversations at work were short and to the point, their playfulness was all but gone. Morgan wasn't the only to notice, everyone had come to him separately asking if Garcia was ok, but the truth was he didn't know. Something was wrong and for the life of him, he couldn't get her to say it.
Lost in thought he didn't notice JJ come up behind him, she touched his shoulder gently.
"It's bad, huh?" She said more a statement then a question. She had seen them arguing, an all too familiar sight these days.
"Yeah" Morgan nodded
"What can we do?" JJ asked
"Nothing, JJ, until Penelope is ready to tell us there's nothing we can do" he said feeling defeated.
JJ sighed
"I miss her" she said
Morgan gave JJ a hug.
"Me too" he agreed
The next week was hell for Morgan, he watched as Garcia pulled herself further and further away from the team. She was avoiding all of them; she did her job and went home. The team had noticed, and it was having an effect on all them. She was there ray of sunshine and now she had lost her spark and, so it seemed, had everyone else.
Morgan sat by Reid's desk going over details of a case they were consulting on. Hearing a door slam, he looked around to find the source of the noise. He saw Garcia storm across the landing and down the stairs, not stopping to acknowledge that Reid or himself were there. Morgan looked back up the landing and saw Hotch standing in his doorway. Hotch gestured for Morgan to come and see him. Excusing himself from Reid he went up.
"Close the door" Hotch said before taking a seat behind his desk.
"What was all that about?" Morgan asked noting the strain on Hotch's face.
"I was going to ask you the same thing, take a seat" he said pointing at the empty chair.
"I don't need to tell you that Garcia's behavior has been concerning over the past few months, no doubt everyone has noticed. Do you know what's going on with?" Hotch asked.
Morgan shook his head, swallowing a lump in his throat.
"No, she won't open up to me" he said "Hotch I've tried to get her to talk but she is being stubborn"
Hotch nodded
"Yes, and I wouldn't normally pry but it's clearly effecting her work, it's not up to her usual standards and its alarming" Hotch said
"I know" Morgan agreed "I'm guessing that's what your conversation was about?"
"Yes, as much as it pains me, she's on notice, I stuck my neck out for her to get her into this team, and while i appreciate that people want to keep their personal lives that way, I can't watch it, let it affect their work and say nothing." He finished.
"I understand Hotch, and you don't owe me or anyone else on the team an explanation, but Garcia sure does, I just don't know what else I can do" he said.
"Morgan, I know this might not be my place to ask, but does she have a new person in her life? A boyfriend maybe?" He asked.
Morgan shrugged.
"Honestly I wouldn't know, we don't exactly talk anymore. Why?"
"Just a gut feeling, and my gut is telling me he's not treating her right, if you get what I'm saying?"
Morgan jaw tightened and he clenched his fist. Hotch was saying someone was hurting Garcia and she wasn't asking for help.
"Yeah, I get it" Morgan said
"Maybe you should go around to her place and check up on her?" Hotch suggested.
"Yeah maybe I will" Morgan said, still so angry.
Morgan stood to leave.
"Thanks Hotch" he said.
Hotch smiled and watched him leave. A few minutes later JJ was at his door.
"Is everything alright?" She asked.
"Not really JJ" he said.
"Garcia?" She asked.
Hotch nodded.
"The sooner Morgan realizes he's in love with her better, I just hope it's not too late for Garcia" he said matter of fact
"Let's hope" she said.
2 hours later
Morgan headed up towards Garcia's apartment; he had the biggest bunch of bright colorful flowers in his hands. He figured if this wouldn't cheer her up nothing would. He reached the door and knocked gently, waiting patiently for her to answer. He stood there for five minutes, already having knocked twice, but still she didn't open the door. He sighed, he hadn't wanted to use the key, knowing she would be angry, but he wasn't leaving without seeing her. He turned the key in the lock and opened the door, the sight the met him disturbed him. Garcia's once tidy apartment was in shambles. Clothes strewn carelessly over furniture books scattered around the room, used plates and cups left on coffee tables. He was gob smacked; Garcia was by no means a messy person. He looked around for her hearing noises in the kitchen, he walked in quietly, sneaking up behind her he put his arm around her middle and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. She jumped, startled to feel him there.
"Jesus Christ Morgan, you scared the crap out of me" she said angrily.
"Sorry baby girl, didn't you hear me knocking" he asked.
"Yes I choose to ignore it, you can't be here right now" she said.
"But I bought you flowers" he said holding them up giving her a goofy smile.
She looked at them and then back at him. She felt so guilty pushing him away like this.
"Please just go" she said quietly.
Morgan noticed her glassy eyes. Trying to divert her thoughts he looked around the kitchen, seeing dinner chopped up ready to be cooked.
"Since when did you become all Martha Stewart?" He said teasing.
"Since none of your business"' she snapped "can you please leave!"
She pushed him out of the kitchen.
Morgan dug in his heels. Turning around to face her, he crossed his arms.
"No" he said.
"Morgan, just leave" she said, he could hear anxiousness in her voice.
"Why?" he probed.
"Drop it" she said.
"Penelope, why are you acting like this?" He asked starting to get angry.
"Derek, stop it, just leave, you can't be here" she said on the verge of tears.
"I can't be or you don't want me here, come on baby girl let me help you" he pleaded with her.
"What difference does it make, just leave" she was almost begging.
"But I miss you" he said "I miss my best friend"
That was the final blow for Garcia, her heart squeezed in her chest and her stomach tightened. She felt the hot sting of tears in her eyes. She couldn't tell him, he would never understand and he would never forgive her for not saying something. Morgan saw the tears fall, he stepped closer to her, he wiped them away, his heart breaking for her, she was not the Garcia he loved and he couldn't understand what had happened. He pulled her in tight, breathing in her scent; he realized just how much he had missed her. Garcia moaned in pain as he hugged her, she tried to fight of the tears. She felt so safe in his arms but he couldn't stay and she couldn't let herself be caught by her feelings. Feeling her flinch Morgan let go, he looked down at her, and for the first time noticing that her arms were covered in bruises. He looked into her eyes pleading her to open up him.
"Baby" he said.
She turned away from him and walked to the door and opened it up.
"He's going to be home soon, you need to go" she said still not meeting his glance.
Morgan didn't want to go, but he wasn't winning either, he wanted to scoop her up, tell her she was safe, but he couldn't help her if she wouldn't let him. He walked the door pausing in the front of her, placing a soft kiss on her cheek.
"You need to end this Penelope, you don't deserve to be treated badly, I hope you realize that before this gets out of hand. And when you do, call me alright princess, I want you to know, no matter what you think or how you feel, I'm here for you" he placed another kiss on her cheek.
"I love you, you know that" he said
Garcia didn't meet his gaze, so Morgan turned and left, throwing one last glance over his shoulder, and watching as she closed the door.
Garcia closed the door, she brushed away her tears quickly, she wanted him to stay, but she wouldn't have told him that. She hated herself right now, she had gotten herself into this awful mess and she didn't see a way out.
She went back into the kitchen; she had forgotten to throw away the flowers Morgan had left on the coffee table. She went back to making dinner.
A short time later she heard the sound of the door unlocking, she held her breath, hoping he was in a good mood.
"Hey" she said quietly as he entered the kitchen, she looked over at him, his face was glaring.
"He was here wasn't he?" He asked aggressively.
"Scott, don't" Garcia said quietly.
"So that's a yes?" He barked as he pushed her hard against the bench, the edge digging into her back. She tried to fight of tears, it only made he's reaction worse.
"I didn't ask him here, and I made him leave" she said.
"I don't believe you" he growled at her, he squeezed her arms tightly so she couldn't move, she winced in pain, she had bruises on top of bruisers.
"Please" she begged "he won't come back, i told him to stay away"
"Your pathetic Penny" he said pushing her to the side causing her to hit the cupboards on the way down.
She waited for him to leave the kitchen before heading to the bathroom and locking herself in. She sunk into the floor and pulled her knees up to her chest. Why had she let it get out of control? She thought about calling Morgan, but if Scott saw it on her phone she would be sorry. She hated herself, how had she let herself become the victim, she used to wonder how it happened to all those girls, and now she was one of them, feeling like she had no way out. She let her tears fall as she pressed her head into her knees. She wanted to be safe, she needed Morgan, but he never loved her the way she loved him, and she knew nothing could ever compare to him. So she had settled on Scott, at first he was sweet and attentive and she fell for him. And after the first time he hit her, he swore he was sorry, said he would never do it again. But it didn't end, every time he would apologies, and buy her gifts, tell her he loved her. God, she was so stupid she thought to herself. And now if she ever said she would leave he would threaten to find her and hurt bad. Her house was in disarray, she was too tired to clean up. She sat on the bathroom floor for what seemed like hours. She finally got up, hearing the television was still on, climbed into bed.
A few hours later Scott came in, Garcia was awake but pretended to be asleep, as he hoped in to bed and pulled her close.
"I'm sorry Penny" he said into her ear, "I love you"
She let a tear fall from her eye, this was not love and she knew it.