Title: Foolish Man

Author: A.M. Glass

Copyright Dates: December 5th – December 16th, 2007

Ratings: (US) T (UK) 15 (AUS) MA-15

Spoilers: For "Lucky" and "Penelope."

Pairing: Morgan/Garcia? JJ/Garcia friendship, JJ/Reid slight mention.

Summary: Morgan finally listens to a few messages. Slightly AU – as I deviate from what happened on the show during "Penelope" – not too much, but enough.

Spoilers: "Lucky" and "Penelope."

Show Disclaimer: The characters from "Criminal Minds" were created by Jeff Davis. The following companies produce the show: Touchstone/CBS Paramount Network Television, The Mark Gordon Company, ABC Studios and Paramount Network Television. The Executive – Co–Executive producers are: Gigi Coello-Bannon, Deborah Spero, Edward Allen Bernero, Debra J. Fisher, Mark Gordon and Jeff Davis.

Author's Disclaimer: Let's face it, I don't own "Criminal Minds" or any of the characters, back story, etc. I'm not making a cent from it – if I did, I'd buy a new computer and some other things. The story; along with any original characters are mine though… I think; pesky copyright laws.

Author's Notes: This should have been posted before "Type of Man," but I've been looking for a beta reader and not having much luck, so hopefully there aren't too many mistakes to be found, that being said, if anyone could point me in the right direction; regarding a beta reader, it would be most appreciated.

"Derek."

Morgan opened his eyes; he thought he'd heard his name being called which was interesting considering he was alone. He sat up and listened, all was quiet, he didn't feel apprehensive – no need for him to get his gun and check things out.

He must have imagined it or so he thought.

He sighed deeply and ran his hand over his head. He had been so exhausted coming back from Florida, from Ferell, he turned off his cell phone and proceeded to take a very hot shower when he got home. After his shower, he grabbed some sweatpants and crawled into bed.

Just thinking about what Ferell did to his victims made his stomach churn.

He knew he'd never look at chili the same way again.

He lay back down, draping his arm over his eyes, blinking furiously as he kept thinking of Garcia. He was too tired to call her, he wasn't in the mood and the last thing he needed to do was to speak to her while still trying to find himself.

Not only was the case a difficult one; starting with Rossi telling him to speak with the reverend, even after saying he'd rather not, he'd messed up big time with Garcia.

And for him, that was more important.

He knew he had to speak with her first thing in the morning – straightening things out... apologize.

He couldn't afford to let this drop.

They'd been friends for far too long to let this misunderstanding fester until there was no way back.

He had thought about his actions, his words after Emily had given him her take on the situation, and he found himself lacking.

He - Derek Morgan, lacking.

To say it was a blow to his ego was about as redundant as saying the sun rose in the East. He thought about the conversation – how he reacted from the beginning when she'd told him about this "Smoking Hot Guy" she'd met at the coffee shop.

He was worried and it showed.

He only hoped Garcia wouldn't figure out "why" he was worried.

Someone else had found his Baby Girl desirable.

Someone else, if he played his cards right would find himself in the wonderful world that is Penelope Garcia. He'd experience her wit, her charm, her warmth; which had on many occasions made his life bearable.

This guy; Derek frowned, would, given time, experience the softness; and they could only be soft, of Garcia's lips. He stopped right there, he couldn't, wouldn't dare think beyond that moment. He shook his head this wasn't helping him get any sleep. In fact, it made him feel worse, if that was remotely possible.

He kicked off his blanket and sat on the edge of his bed, his hands going behind his neck, trying to rub the kink that had formed. He glanced at his alarm clock, it was four a.m.

He groaned, and fell back on his mattress.

"Derek."

He was up in an instant. He carefully reached for his gun and took the safety off. He thought he'd heard his name earlier, now he was sure he had. Taking a calming breath, he got out of bed and quietly walked to the bathroom, slowly pushing the door open.

No one.

The gun at his side he opened his bedroom door, poking his head out briefly, he listened intently.

There was nothing; with the exception of his racing heartbeat.

He went through his apartment, checking every nook, every cranny. He was alone.

"Get a grip man," he told himself as he sat down on his couch. He placed his gun on the coffee table after putting the safety back on. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the message indicator was blinking on his answering machine.

He hadn't noticed when he got home.

Pushing himself up, he walked to the phone. Jabbing at the play button, he dragged his hands down his face.

"You have five messages..." the automated voice said.

As he began to listen to the first message, he realized it was left right before he got home.

"Morgan are you home? Derek, please pick-up. Please, it's important...I tried your cell it's going to voice mail. Just... call me when you get this..."

He had to physically stop himself from reaching out for the telephone receiver, JJ's voice chilled him.

Something was wrong.

The next message played.

"Hey Morgan... it's me, Spencer..."

Derek couldn't help but smile briefly, only Reid would feel the need to identify himself over the phone as if he couldn't recognize his voice.

"We've been trying to reach you and we're getting worried..."

"Morgan... Derek, damn I hate leaving message..." Emily stated as her message played. "Something's happened and you really have to call us back, I – I can't say much else. Call okay?"

"Derek, you're probably worried with all the calls that something has happened with your family, they're fine, but I need you to contact me as soon as you get this or I'm coming over. You've got half an hour."

He picked up the receiver and dialed Aaron's number. He frowns as he listens to the phone ring; one by one they had all called, everyone one, except for one glaring omission – Garcia.

Penelope hadn't.

Had he messed up so badly she didn't want to talk to him?

"Derek..."

"Yeah Hotch, what's going on?"

"Where are you? Never mind," Hotch said gruffly, "You're obviously calling from home. We've been trying to contact you..."

"I... I turned on my phone, sorry."

"We'll discuss that later, right now I need you to get to Mercy Hospital."

"Is someone hurt?" As soon as those words slipped out of his mouth a feeling of dread settled over him, 'Don't say it man, please don't say it,' Derek silently begged.

"It's Garcia..."

No... no.

"She's been shot," Aaron said softly.

Derek pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it. He couldn't believe what he'd heard. It wasn't possible – it wasn't. Not Garcia, not Penelope.

"Derek!!"

"What kind of sick joke is this Hotch?"

"I'm sorry."

Sorry? Wait, why is he sorry? You're only sorry when...

"Hotch – Aaron, please I'm begging you here, please don't tell me it's too late, don't... I can't lose her..."

"She's still in surgery, but she lost a lot of blood."

"I'm on my way," he said as he hung-up the phone and got dressed in record time. He rushed out of his apartment and got into his car.

The drive to the hospital was a blur all he could think of was that Garcia – Penelope was in surgery.

Someone had shot his Baby Girl.

Someone was going to pay dearly if it took the rest of his life to find the guy. God forbid anything happen to her – for every drop of blood Penelope lost, every gasp of breath, Derek would demand ten-fold in return.

Before he knew it he arrived at the hospital.

He parked his car and rushed inside.

"Derek!" Reid called out as Morgan stormed in. They had decided the most prudent thing was for one of them to wait for his arrival.

The hospital staff didn't need to deal with an upset Derek Morgan.

"Reid, where is she?" Derek demanded as he jogged over to where Spencer was waiting.

"She's still in surgery."

"Still? How long has she been in?"

Reid glanced at his watch before looking up, "Almost three hours."

Derek fell in upon himself. "Three hours?" he whispered.

"We tried to get you," Reid said.

"What happened?"

Reid looked behind him to the elevators. "Why don't we meet the others?"

"Yeah."

Spencer Reid couldn't recall ever seeing Derek as lost as he seemed right now and that made him respect Morgan even more.

He looked to Derek for cues – mannerisms he might incorporate as his own. To make him fit in better – so he wouldn't be looked upon as a lesser member of the team when they went out on a case.

He'd seen the looks; more than he'd like to admit to himself, the ones that said, "You've got to be kidding me. He's in the FBI?" No one ever looked at Derek that way, he had a aura about him, a "You don't want to mess with me," sense about him that Spencer knew he'd never have, but one day he hoped to see respect.

Spencer sighed inwardly.

He had some sense of what Derek might be feeling right now – it had hit home when he'd heard the news. If this had happened to JJ, he wasn't sure how he'd manage to survive.

He continued to walk to the elevators – Morgan following. "I'm sure she'll be okay..." he said quietly as they entered the elevator and he pressed the button for the second floor.

"Thanks Spence."

It didn't take long for the elevator doors to slide open.

They both stepped out.

Morgan never liked hospitals – never like what they represented: sickness and death. It didn't matter how clean the place was, there always seemed to be a certain "smell" that permeated not only the air, but his nostrils as well for days later.

He didn't want Penelope here. She should be at home sleeping peacefully or in front of her babies – working magic with her fingers. He should be able to pick-up the phone and hear her voice in his ear.

She was his connection to the good still left in the world. She was one of the reasons he still got out of bed each morning – always looking forward to seeing her face...

Her smile – which warmed his tired heart.

He saw everyone as Spencer directed him to the waiting room. He let JJ embrace him as he ducked his head into her shoulder.

"She's going to be fine – I know she is," JJ told him, her voice thick with emotion.

He felt Hotch's hand on his shoulder, "Why don't we sit down."

JJ led him to one of those uncomfortable chairs and he sat down automatically. JJ kept her hand in his – both give and drawing strength from Morgan.

He wasn't the only one hurting – he wasn't the only one who cared for his "Baby Girl."

He looked up and faced Hotch, "What happened?"

Aaron breathed deeply, "We don't have much to go on except Garcia, Penelope was found outside in the court yard of her apartment complex. One of the neighbors stated she'd heard a shot and when she looked outside she saw Penelope down. She called 911 and went downstairs to help. The police are still investigating and they think it's a robbery gone wrong."

"Robbery? Come on Man, there's got to be more to it," Derek said.

"We don't have jurisdiction – but, we won't be taking any other cases until the Unsub has been caught," he said staring intently at both Morgan and JJ.

"Penelope Garcia..."

Everyone turned to see a doctor walking into the waiting room.

"Are you waiting for news on Penelope Garcia?" he asked.

"Yes, yes we are," Hotch answered.

"How is she?" Derek demanded, his heart pounding in his chest. 'That can't be Penelope's blood, that can't be,' he thought as he noticed the dark stains on the doctors' scrubs.

"Well, we had a rough time of it. We'd lost her on the table..."

"Lost her."

Derek couldn't have heard that correctly – he heard JJ gasp beside him.

Lost her?

Lost Penelope?

Derek was surprised to see he was still standing – how could he be? He could feel his legs solidly supporting him but he wondered why.

Shouldn't he be collapsing?

Shouldn't his legs have given out?

Surely that was the normal reaction wasn't it?

He'd have to ask Reid.

Why was Reid smiling?

JJ was crying – he expected that, but Reid, why the Hell was he smiling.

"Derek – she's okay – she's in recovery."

Derek slowly entered Penelope's room – he took in all the equipment she was hooked to. Reid explained the extent of her injuries. She'd been shot in the chest; the bullet barely missing her heart, ricocheting off her ribs and perforated her abdominal cavity.

And yes, Penelope had died on the table – she had flat lined, but the surgeons had performed a miracle as far as Derek was concerned.

They had brought her back to life.

The steady beep of the heart monitor let him Penelope was still with them. He hadn't lost his chance to make amends – he hadn't lost his chance to tell her how he felt.

Hoping and yes, praying she'd accept him after all that'd happened. He grabbed a chair and brought it closer to her bed. The doctor explained that she would need plenty of rest, she wouldn't be allowed to return to work for a few weeks and she would need to take it easy.

Everyone had spent a few minutes with her privately, he was the last.

"We're going to grab something to eat," Hotch told him when he left Penelope's room. "We'll bring you something back."

"Thanks Hotch," he replied as he stepped into the room.

He sat down.

He took Penelope's hand in his. He stared at them.

These hands had worked miracles – how fragile they seemed now. He bent down and kissed the back of her hand.

"Don't leave me Baby Girl," he whispered as tears began to form in his eyes. "I can't do this without you."

Taking a deep breath, Derek Morgan closed his eyes.

"I know we haven't spoken for a long time and I haven't believed in you – feeling you weren't there for me when I needed you most. I'm not sure if you'll listen to me now, but all I ask – all I beg of you is that you spare her. Don't take her from me. I was blind to my feelings – I know I cared for her – I just didn't know how much. I'm not sure – I don't know what I'll do if something happens to her now. I'll change – I can be someone she could be proud of, someone she'd want to be with for a lifetime. She's the only one I want to take to my mother – she's my future – let her be okay, let her open her heart to mine – allow her to forgive a foolish man for not seeing what was right in front of him. I guess that's it for now. Thanks for listening – amen."

Derek wasn't sure if his impromptu prayer was going to fall on deaf ears, but he had to try.

He had to for Penelope.

"Don't take her from me."

It was his silent mantra he kept repeating in his mind as the hours ticked away. Hotch had brought him breakfast, which he promptly refused to eat. If it wasn't for JJ he wouldn't have eaten at all, not until Penelope woke up.

"Garcia would want you to eat something Derek – if you don't she'll kick your ass."

He couldn't help but laugh out loud. "You hear that Sweetness – JJ tells me you'll kick my ass if I don't eat," he told her. "And you know what, she's probably right."

JJ promised to keep an eye on her while he ate and stretched his legs. The police hadn't come up with anything and were waiting for Penelope to regain consciousness so they could take her statement.

"Derek, I thought you might like to know, the EMT's told me later she called out a name, yours. One of the OR nurses told me the same thing."

He gasped.

The implication of JJ's simple statement floored him.

She had called out for him twice.

The same amount of times he'd heard his name being said at his apartment.

He had some thinking to do.

"Thank you," he blinked as his sight was blurred by tears. "You're a good friend," he told her softly as kissed her cheek, leaving a stunned JJ behind.

JJ watched as Derek left the room, his hand rubbing at his eyes. She turned back to face Penelope. "I'm not sure if you can hear me, but you've got to come back. That man loves you – is in love with you."

Derek paused outside the door and looked down momentarily at JJ's words. "Damn good friend."

JJ and Derek stayed behind as the rest of the team headed back to the office. Hotch was being told to stay out of the investigation – it was a police matter, end of story.

"My ass," he said after hanging up. "Reid, Emily, David, you're with me. We may not be acting in an official capacity, but I'll be damned if I'm going to sit on my hands and do nothing," he said forcefully.

He looked at JJ he knew she would want to stay behind. She and Garcia were good friends. Derek, it was a given that he'd stay as well.

"JJ, I want you and Derek to stay behind, get as much information as you can when Garcia wakes up."

She nodded.

"Thanks Hotch," Derek said.

"Don't thank me yet."

"JJ, why don't you get some sleep..."

JJ sat up, "Hmm, I wasn't asleep..."

"Yeah, you were. I can see drool from here."

JJ's hand flew to her cheek when it dawned on her – it wasn't Derek's voice she'd heard.

"Penelope? Oh my God... I've got to find Morgan," she said rushing out.

"Hey... wait," Garcia called out before grimacing. She was in a world of pain, and she wasn't sure if seeing Derek was a good thing to do right now.

"Garcia... Penelope?"

"That's my name," she quipped.

Derek entered the room and slowly approached the bed, 'Thank you God,' he said silently. He sat down in the chair recently occupied by JJ. He couldn't get over it, she was awake. He laid his head in her lap and began to cry.

"Hey Hot Stuff, it's going to be okay," she said, her heart going out to him as he shook.

"Mama, you can't do this to me again..."

Garcia was going to make a joke but decided not too. This was too important, too "real" to fool around with. "I'll do my best," she answered softly as she caressed his head.

The medicine the doctors had her on began to take effect, she was feeling drowsy – she wanted to stay up, but she could tell it was a losing battle.

"Get some sleep Goddess," Morgan told her when he looked up and saw her struggling to stay awake.

"Okay," she muttered as she started drifting off. "Foolish man my ass," she managed to say before falling asleep.

Derek gasped.

Had she heard?

"Thank you," he said quietly.

JJ wiped the tears from her cheeks – she would have to call Hotch and let him know Penelope had woken up briefly. Perhaps now, they could go after the son-of-a-bitch that had done this.

Perhaps now, Derek and Penelope could move forward, together.

The End.