A/N: I'll try to make this pretty brief! essentially I...was not a fan of what went down in last night's/tonight's episode! I don't really understand where they're going with the Kevin/Garcia relationship this season and I felt really awkward watching that episode. What happened at the end made me so sad for her! ): so I have decided to right some wrongs in a way! I started writing last night immediately after the episode concluded (it airs in Canada a day earlier) and I finished this up tonight. I have another update for Reverie coming asap but I just had to let out my frustrations somehow! this was the result!

Remember: The following contains pretty significant spoilers for the episode "The Wheels on the Bus" episode 8x08.

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.

Hands to Hold

Bringing his calloused fingers up to his collar of his dress shirt he casually loosened the tight hold of the silk tie around his neck. Holding the phone to his ear with his other hand he furrowed his brow at the continuing ringing sounds in his left ear. David Rossi needed the younger agent to pick up his phone, and he needed him to pick it up now. Leaning on the granite countertop he sighed deeply, his free hand beginning to make its way up to massage his temple. It had been a long day…a long day but now it was turning out to be an even longer night.

The hectic case had turned out well for them at least. They had raced against the clock to bring most of the kids home to their parents and at the same time get another scumbag-or should he say bags off the street. There had been a tragic loss, but in all the years he had been doing this he made the grim realization losing some of them was a very real and very frequent occurrence. It had been such a hectic case that they had required the assistance of another tech in the pool: a certain Kevin Lynch. Shaking his head slowly he closed his eyes before hanging up his phone in anger at the taunting ringing. He immediately called the man again: God damn it Morgan. Pick up.

Dave had definitely heard all about what had happened between their precious tech kitten and her moron of an ex-boyfriend. Continuing to listen to the consistent sounds of the ringing he pressed his lips together, feeling a tendon in his neck beginning to tighten in anger. When he had met her in the elevator leaving the BAU Garcia had said she didn't drink scotch. But when he invited her to join him for some Tony Bennet and only the best of his personal collection…did he find out that boy did she drink scotch. The devastated blonde had downed quite a bit and that was when he had excused himself to his large kitchen to call the other man. He didn't want to know how much was left in the bottle when he sauntered back in for some himself later. Her appearance was dishevelled. Carefully applied makeup was messily smudged under her eyes and her usually radiant personality was stifled in between her choking sobs. It killed Rossi to see a member of his family in pieces and it hurt him even more he hadn't been able to say a single thing to comfort the shattered woman who sat on his lavish couch.

She had told him that while she and the oaf had been working together to try and track the unsubs he had helped her come to some sort of clarity in the code. That she had been so excited she threw herself at him and kissed the idiot. Through the shaking sobs she told him that she thought something was going change for them, that maybe they could go back to what they had had before the whole proposal disaster months back. She told him she wanted the sweet, innocent nature that their relationship had been for 4 good years.

And Garcia told him that she put her heart out there in asking him for a wind down drink when they had gotten back to the BAU. She told David that the other tech had uncomfortably told her he had other plans with a reservation. He had awkwardly stared at her as the elevator doors had closed and in an instant he had disappeared. She told him about how much of an idiot she felt she was; how she could have forgotten for a split second he was still technically seeing the other woman. Dave couldn't remember her name…Tina, Gina, Tracy…? He couldn't remember. All he cared about was his broken friend.

That is what brought him to the conclusion he had to call the one person he knew could help him with picking up some of the pieces.

Breathing a silent sigh of relief the drawling ringing concluded and a gruff, tired sounding voice answered him. "Morgan."

"Well doesn't someone sound cheery tonight? Did I interrupt something?" he smirked and raised a teasing brow. He always loved egging him on, what could he say? He was Italian. It was in his nature.

There was a grunt on the other end of the line "Yea. My rest. You know, the thing we don't get near enough of?" he accused and Rossi rolled his eyes.

"Well, if you're not too busy-" he said haughtily and walked a few paces to his kitchen entrance to look at Penelope's form. Her head was slumped and her arms hugged her knees in an attempt to console herself. Clutching the wall he blinked sadly before turning back into the kitchen. Speaking in a solemn tone he sighed deeply. "I need your help." He stated and waited for Morgan to reply. When all he heard was the other man's heavy breathing he narrowed his eyes slightly before retreating further so that his raised voice could not be heard by the upset woman in the other room.

"It's Penelope." He said sadly into the small device.

Morgan's eyebrows shot up and he immediately shook all sleep from his gaze as he immediately began throwing the heavy comforter off of his legs. Balancing his phone on his shoulder he rushed around to find his discarded jeans. "What's wrong?!" he barked slightly before pulling one of the legs over his sweaty thigh. He fumbled his other leg into the pants causing his phone to fall from its perch on his shoulder. Frantically grabbing for it he waited for the other man's answer "where is she?!" he demanded again. "Rossi! Come on man, don't do this! What is wrong with Garcia?" he said desperately before he heard a heavy sigh on the other end of the line.

"Lynch."

The name was simple and it radiated in Morgan's tired mind. He let it process for a second before he felt his jaw clench slightly in anger. That name had been the source of too much devastation in the past few months for his baby girl, so much sadness that even hearing it caused his blood pressure to rise. Narrowing his dark eyes he finally finished buttoning his jeans and began to slip on a faded t-shirt.

"What about Lynch." He said lowly.

David gulped. He recognized that tone and Morgan's voice only got that low when he was thinking about taking down an unsub, or when it came to his protective stance over their colourful technical analyst. Clearing his throat slightly he began to explain the long story of what had occurred between Garcia and her ex. He wondered if he was treading into dangerous waters (mostly for Lynch) as he knew Morgan hadn't even been realizing what had been transpiring between the two this case had held so much of their immediate attention. When he…carefully finished with the fact Lynch had ditched her and she was currently sobbing on his couch, he silenced himself.

Morgan's stark silence was all Rossi needed to know he was seething and thinking deeply. He didn't want to ponder what the younger profiler had crossing his mind, but he would have been lying if a couple of those thoughts had not graced his own mind earlier that evening. Rossi blinked slowly before a heavy sigh escaped his lips. "Morgan…I've tried to comfort her but it's not working. Hell I've given her some of the best scotch in my possession!" he exclaimed "She needs you now son." He said softly and the line suddenly went from silence to the harsh pang of dial tone.

He pressed the screen effectively ending the call and leaned on the kitchen counter before walking back towards the living room where his friend still sat in her hunched stance on the couch. He quietly approached her and reached out a sympathetic hand, placing it on her shoulder delicately he leaned down in front of her.

"Hey Kitten." He said softly and began to lightly stroke her blonde curls. "How are you holding up?" he asked and she looked up at him, eyes puffy and her bottom lip still quivering. Rossi sighed, her face answered his question: not well.

Sniffling slightly she wiped her eye with a wrinkled Kleenex. "Bet-ter." She choked out "I think." she said before looking down at the tissue. Rossi blinked slightly…even in her dishevelled state the woman had beautiful passion sparkling in her kind eyes. Smiling internally he shook his head only slightly. He had realized in another life or maybe in another time he would have pursued the kind hearted soul, but in this one he knew he had to be here for her as nothing more than a comforting friend.

"You sure?" if she was better maybe he could call Morgan and tell him they were alright-his thought was interrupted when he saw her bottom lip start to quiver again before she broke down into choking sobs all over again. Frowning he put his hand on her knee comfortingly and rubbed it slightly as the woman sobbed into her hands.

A few minutes of silence passed through the large house where the only sound that could be heard was Penelope's cries. Rossi was silent as he just listened…hopefully Morgan would be here soon. It wasn't too long after the thought crossed his mind that there was a loud banging on the door. Rossi glared as he looked at the woman sitting across from him.

"You stay here alright? I'll be right back Pen." He said softly and she nodded.

David briskly walked toward his massive front door and glared as he heard the repetitive banging continue. He sprinted the last few steps and yanked open the door and narrowed his eyes at the younger man. "Hey Hey Hey!" he barked "take it easy on the glass! I just had this put in last summer." He stated and he gladly moved aside for Morgan to step in. As soon as he stepped into the entrance he was looking around, hastily trying to locate the object of his frantic mood. When he spotted her on the large couch in the living room he took a few hasty steps forward only to be caught on the arm by Rossi.

Raising a brow he narrowed his eyes slightly "What gives?" he hissed and David moved in front of his muscular form, holding his shoulders firmly he stared him directly in the eye.

"Settle down Morgan." He warned and assessed the dark skinned man's aggressive stance. "I did not call you here to go all cave man-" he mocked Morgan's angry facial expression and continued "-and rescue the damsel in distress, so to speak." He said simply "I called you here because she needs you." He stated and Morgan was silent for a few seconds before his angry eyes softened into a look of understanding at the older man's request. Nodding slightly that he understood Dave also nodded "Good. She's through here." He led him into the kitchen and kept their forms hidden from any possible view.

"Now. I'm not sure how she's going to react-" Morgan cut him off by holding up his large hand. When Rossi's lips opened in protest Morgan raised a brow.

"Let's get something straight Rossi. You don't know her like I do. Thanks, but I'll take care of her now." he said softly before his eyes darkened slightly. Rossi thought for a second before nodding slightly. He knew the two shared something special: none of the team could really even understand the tight knit relationship between them. For years there were speculations, theories, and ideas tossed around the round table when the two were not present but they had all silently accepted the realization they may never know until the two decided to figure it out themselves. Morgan left him in the large kitchen and he proceeded to grab a bottle of whisky from the lavish cabinet and poured himself a small glass of the amber liquid. He carefully watched from the kitchen as Morgan silently walked over to the still crying woman.

Morgan walked over to her hunched form and carefully sat down beside her on the large piece of furniture. Her face was still buried in her hands and she sniffled a little before wiping her eyes again "By the way my Italian Stallion…I really appreciate all this…the scotch, listening to me, it's all very…" she blew her nose "nice of you!"

Morgan smirked and brought his strong arm around her shoulders "Hey Baby Girl um, I ain't the Italian Stallion. I'm the Chocolate Adonis remember?" he smiled widely before Penelope's eyes widened and looked towards him. She blinked quickly before her bottom lip began to quiver again and she threw herself into his chest, the sobs starting all over again. Morgan encircled her in his secure embrace and brought his head ontop of hers all the while rubbing her back and shushing her gently "it's alright baby girl…" he whispered "let it all out…"

And so she did. Rossi watched the younger agent holding the frazzled woman tightly, gently running his hand over her back in an attempt to comfort her. Her colourfully painted nails clutched the back of his faded shirt as she cried. Rossi had gone back for a third glass of scotch by the time Penelope's crying was beginning to subside into small sounds in Morgan's chest. Before long Morgan's kind demeanor and embrace silenced her cries completely. Morgan's hand gave her shoulder one last rub before he drew her back from his chest; reaching for another Kleenex he began to gingerly dry the tears below her eyes.

"Now Penelope…what happened?" his eyebrows furrowed in concern and she looked down at her lap before she muttered something lowly. Derek leaned in and blinked "what was that? I can't hear-"

"I Kissed him!" she squeaked before burying her face in her hands. "I kissed him and he's still seeing someone else!" she choked before shaking her head in disbelief "I am-I'm so stupid Derek. Why –Why did I do that!?" she said angrily, tears beginning to sting at the sides of her brown eyes again. Morgan's eyes softened and he brought his hand to cup her hot cheek.

"Stop that." He instructed and his thumb cleared a single tear away tenderly. He looked into her eyes and shook his head as he began to smooth down her curls "No more tears sweetheart." He smiled weakly and she frowned.

"But-"

"No buts, baby girl. He's not worth it." He stated and placed a strong hand on her shoulder. Taking a deep breath in he smiled reassuringly "You're not stupid. I don't want to ever hear you say that again in my presence. Hear me? It happened and even if you wish you could take it back: you can't. Lynch has his reasons for his reaction-or lack of reaction, but you've gotta move forward Pen." He reasoned and she was silent for a few moments before nodding only slightly to say she understood. Derek was about to take his hand back before she stood up in a huff before turning away from him, looking out the massive window on Rossi's backyard. The moon was high and there were stars dotting the darkened sky. Taking a deep breath in she shook slightly as she fought back some unshed tears.

"I…I don't want to be alone Derek." She choked before Morgan got up and walked over to her, putting a firm hand on her shoulder in support. Her fingers reached up to caress his and he gently spun her around to face him. His dark brown eyes focused on hers and he shook his head as he spoke.

"You're never-ever alone baby girl. Ever." He emphasized his last word and brought her in close to his chest. "You have Reid, JJ, Rossi, Hotch, hell…even Blake." He smiled humorously and that brought a smile to her lips. "We're family. And that ain't ever going to change. Alright?" he smiled widely and she gazed up at him in adoration before he nodded slightly, the back of his hand stroking the back of her head. "Alright."

She looked down and whispered her next sentence quietly "What about you?" she whispered and he raised a brow before his lips curved into a smile that could only be described as the Derek Morgan smile.

He brought his arms fully around the woman in his arms and gently kissed her head. "I'll always be there my silly girl. Always."

Looking back down at her she smiled brightly before hugging him back tightly, sniffling slightly. "What did I do to have such an amazing best friend like you Hot Stuff?" she smiled and murmured into his pectoral muscles. Wrapping his arms around her tighter he shook his head slightly…friend. There was that word again. Shaking it off he tapped her nose with his index finger.

"By being you." Was all he said before he grew silent smiling as he embraced her, his grip from his strong arms growing ever tighter before he closed his eyes.

David Rossi watched his two teammates holding each other in silence and cleared his throat quietly of the lump that had formed in it while watching the emotional display. He didn't feel at all right in interrupting the tender moment so he flicked off the lights in the large kitchen before turning to ascend the large staircase to his master bedroom. He looked back at Morgan and Garcia one last time before shaking his head. He wasn't sure why those two could not see what the rest of the team could see, it baffled him. He smiled slightly: he had definitely made the right choice in calling Morgan. It warmed him to see how two people that no matter how broken they were they always seemed to be able to pick up the pieces of each other and put them back together again.

Everyone needs hands to hold in times of distress. As Penelope Garcia stood wrapped in the arms of her hero, it occurred to her that she would always have a wonderful family to help her pick up the pieces. She was never alone.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed! :) I'd love to hear what you think!