Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.

'I met a guy.' Garcia told Derek sheepishly.

'Why do sound so uncertain?'

'It seems to be happening a little too fast.'

'Well what does your gut tell you?'

'To say slow down.'

'Well the trust your gut, gorgeous.' Derek says as he walks back to the bullpen.

She wanders back into her office, completely lost in thought until she gets an incoming call, thinking it's the B.A.U she answers it normally.

'Oracle of all things known, how may I help you mere mortal?'

'Oh...hi, it Colby from the cafe this morning.'

'Oh God, hi' She says thanking that cannot see her blush. 'What can I do for you?'

'I was wondering if I could repay you with dinner tonight.'

Hearing Derek's words in her head she declines. 'I'm sorry but I've got to work.'

'Okay, how about tomorrow?'

'Erm...uh...I'm out with the team.'

'Is there any night you free this week?'

'I don't think so. Sorry.' It wasn't a complete lie; work was fully loaded at the moment.

'Well, maybe I can surprise you somehow.' He said a smile growing. 'Sorry, I got to go, I'll call you later.'

'Oh, erm yeah, nice.' She passed. 'Bye.'

She sat a little confused at what had just happened, she'd blown him off twice, well 5 days if you class the rest of week. Then her phone rang again.

'Garcia, how may I help you?

'Baby girl, is that the way you answer the phone to your Adonis? You sound distracted, everything okay?' Derek asked concerned.

'Uh, yeah sorry handsome.' She hesitated. ' Ah, that guy from the coffee shop asked me out, and I took your advice and I blew him off.'

'Well good on you, fancy dinner at mine tonight?'

'I'd love it.' She said as she became aware of what had just happened.

'Okay, sweetness. 7 o'clock at mine. Don't be late.'

She smiled as he hung up. One step at a time Garcia, she told herself. Before she knew it, it was time to leave and get ready. She felt giddy, but why it was only Derek after all.

Seeing her pull up he made his way to the door. Seeing her looking beautiful as ever he invited her in and took her jacket.

'You look gorgeous.' He watched her blush. 'Go on through, dinner won't be long. There's a glass of wine sitting on the side for you.

She smiled as she walked through to see the table set, the sweet smell of food and a bottle and two glasses of her favourite wine. 'How did you remember?'

'I remember everything you tell me, baby girl.' He smiled and walked into the kitchen.

She took a sip and walked over to the window. Looking out she didn't feel him come back in. 'Starters?'

They ate, making small talk and laughing at what the other had to say. It was like any other time they spent time together. Perfect. When dinner was finished, she helped him wash up even though he strongly objected due to her being invited. Once finished, he asked her if she wanted to watch a film.

'I would but I'm really tired and we have work first thing handsome. So I think I'll just head off home.' She stood on tiptoes and kissed his cheek, he walked her to the door where he hugged her. 'Thank you for an amazing evening. I really enjoyed myself.'

'Good night baby girl.' He smiled, seeing that she was happy.

She got home just a little after 11:30 and decided it was best to have a bath and go straight to bed. She couldn't shift the thoughts of both Derek and Colby. Once asleep, she dreamt in a restless sleep, she woke up to the alarm clock and felt completely shattered.

The next couple of days went in a haze, Colby called her once or twice and every time she declined, something didn't fit, he was too smooth with his words. She could tell his patience was wearing thin but she felt she had to be ready, she didn't know him well enough. She could of course hack into his file. She knew how to do that without leaving a trace that she was there but then that meant she was just doing it to gain herself. Yeah that sounded hypocritical as her job meant she hacked for a living but that was for a positive group gain not her own. She jumped when a knock came on the door.

'Come on in.' She said turning around to see JJ.

'Hey, Hotch wants you at the round table now.'

'Okay, let me grab my laptop and I'll be down.

Sitting in the conference room, both Hotch and JJ were going through the new case, Garcia pulled out bits of information for them. Then they heard a commotion coming from the bullpen and Garcia could have sworn someone yelled her name. Standing she looked to see Colby standing there. She moved to the door slowly and he saw her.

'Ah, there you are. You lied to me about why I couldn't repay you. You ruined what I had planned. See I had a plan for you.' His eyes looked deranged and menacing. What was his plan? 'Come here Garcia.' He waved her over. She stood still. 'Come on, I won't hurt you.' He moved towards her making sure his back was against a wall so he didn't have to worry about covering his back. He kept looking around.

She edged out of the room terrified. The rest of the team were gathered at the door. The men all had their hands on their guns. Ready to protect her.

'Wh... What are you doing here? What do you want?' She stammered out. Scared for what was going to happen.

'This.' He snatched his gun out and shot her once, right in the chest, another bullet sounded and he started to drop. Colby took the opportunity to fire a couple of more rounds off, knowing he was dying; he wanted to take the one thing that stood in the way of everyone knowing what he was.

She hit the wall next to her and slid down slowly, slumping she felt the blood gushing from her chest and the tears running down her face. 'What had just happened?' She felt weird and she felt someone lifting her, she then saw Derek. The fear in his eyes, made her confused. 'I'm fine, it's nothing.' She felt someone push down hard on her chest and stomach. Looking to her left side she saw Hotch and Rossi.

'Wh...What's happening?'

'Pen, you're going to fine. Hang on baby girl.' Derek felt for her pulse, it was getting weaker. 'Come on, gorgeous show me those eyes of yours.' It was too late she was plunged into darkness.

Reid, Emily and JJ stood shocked as they saw Morgan, Hotch and Rossi jump into action and help Garcia as she slumped to the ground in a heap. In all their years as a team, they had never seen so much fresh blood.

The ambulance arrived and ran in. Pushing away the three men. They worked for what felt like ages before they felt she was stable to move. Every so often her eyes would flutter open and she would stare or look around before they shut. Her skin went from rosy to pale and was now going completely white.

They rushed after the EMTs as they took her away. Jumping in the SUV's they hastily followed. Getting to the hospital, however, they lost her.

Retrieving his badge from his pocket Hotch made his way to the reception. 'My name is SSA Aaron Hotchner, one of my team was just brought in with a gunshot wound to the chest. Her name is Penelope Garcia.'

'Are you family?'

'Well kind of, but I am also her boss and our team is the closest things she has to a family.' He paused seeing the understanding on his face and the blood on his hands. 'Please, can you tell me where she is.'

'Miss Garcia has been red lined to surgery. I can get a nurse to take you to the waiting room in that area.' He nodded and went back to the team.

'She's gone to theatre. Their going ot take us to a waiting room. Do we know why this man did this?' He looked to each of them, his gaze finishing at Morgan.

'She helped him in a coffee shop, she wasn't certain whether or not going out for dinner with him to repay her was a good idea, so she kept declining. That must have been him, from what he was saying and her reaction.' He ran a hand over his head. 'Why? Why her, of all people?' He looked for the answer in their faces but he didn't get it.

A nurse approached the team. 'Garcia. Penelope Garcia?'

'That's us.'

'If you would like to follow me, when we are up there I will give you an update.' They followed her to an open area by a nurse's station. 'When Miss Garcia was brought in she was tachycardia; this meant that she was unable to breathe on her own, we had to intubate her and allow a machine to help her breathe. She lost a lot of blood on the way in. As soon as she was in we rushed her to theatre to treat the wounds. At the moment, it is touch and go. I'm afraid that is all I know. I will come back with regular updates.' She gave a sad smile and left.

They sat in silent, Rossi and Hotch washed as much of the blood of their hands as possible but it seemed to stain. An hour passed and another, the nurse hadn't come back. They went to desk in two's but got nothing.

Derek didn't move from his seat. He sat the whole time with his head down, replaying her slumping to the ground and seeing the blood. He never got up to ask about an update, scared to hear the news that something terrible had happened. JJ stared for a while, not focusing on anything but simply staring, Emily sat next to her and held her hand.

Just after the 3 hour mark the nurse came back. 'I do not have a full update, but it seems that the bullet hit her chest and ricocheted into her abdomen. That is all I know. Sorry.' And like before she was gone.

They sat again. Not really knowing what to do. Again the silence fell.