Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds or the characters. Some "guest stars" are based on people in my life while others are totally made up, as are some places and random actions.

This story is written as third-person omniscient. Some scenes will be written from one character's perspective. Some will be written from another's. Some will be the same scene written from multiple perspectives. I will do my best to keep it simple so let me know if it gets confusing.


Chapter 2

Garcia smiled triumphantly as she reapplied lipstick. The wedding was lovely. Kevin looked happy, Amber was stunning, and the hall where the reception was held was very fancy. Even the loo was decked out with nearly every essential for emergency touch-ups.

The text tone and vibration buzz caught her attention. She fished her phone out of her purse and saw the text was from Morgan.

* Meet me at the car *

Garcia frowned. She really hoped it wasn't a case. After the emotional roller coaster of the day and the talk she was planning to have with Morgan later, the very last thing she wanted was another killer and victims to pick apart.

She caught Kevin's eye as she left the loo. She smiled and waved at him as she walked down the atrium. The couple was still greeting guests but there was only five or six left. She really was glad her ex had found someone who gave him what she couldn't.

The sun was pretty intense and Garcia had to squint to see as she walked to the car. She looked around as she walked up to the driver's side, annoyed that Morgan wasn't there.

She unlocked her phone to text back and heard a shuffling noise behind her. Before she could turn around a cloth bag was jammed over her head! She squeaked- she couldn't scream- and dropped her purse and phone. She felt someone pull her backward and she fell into the van parked next to Morgan's SUV. She screamed again but the scream was cut off as someone struck her throat, leaving her coughing and gasping for air

"Did you get her stuff? a gravelly voice near her ear asked.

"Yeah," a slightly higher voice replied. "I got her purse and her phone's behind the tire."

"Good," the closer voice said. Garcia screamed again, louder. She grunted as something hit the back of her head. The last thing she saw was bright colors amid constellations of stars.

"Derek..." she whispered as the stars burst and the colors faded into darkness.


"I sent the text," Grant said. He looked at the laptop again. "She's leaving the bathroom."

Alfie got out of the van while Grant moved the computers. Alfie walked around to the driver's side and hunched down, pretending to check the back tire. He heard the click-click-click of heels and donned the ski mask. He slowly snuck around to the back of the van and pounced as Grant sprung out of the van and threw the bag over her head. Grant pulled the blonde into the van while Alfie grabbed her purse and phone. Alfie tossed the purse inside and stuck the phone behind the back tire. He heard a slight scream following by gasping and coughing.

"Did you get her stuff?" Grant asked.

"Yeah. I got her purse and her phone's by the tire."

"Good," Grant replied as the blonde screamed again.

"Shut her up, will ya?" Alfie snapped as Grant picked up a Maglite and brought it down on her head. The blonde mumbled incoherently and went limp. Grant flung her away and jumped into the driver's seat. He backed the van up until he heard a crunch and impatiently tapped the steering wheel.

"Did you get it?" he asked when Alfie jumped in the back and slammed the door.

"Of course." Alfie waved the hard drive around.

"And the GPS?"

"It's with the rest of her phone. Let's get out of here!" Alfie hissed. He grunted as Grant backed out of the space and blended into traffic.

"Here." Grant tossed a duffle bag behind him. Alfie removed the bag from the blonde's head. He saw some blood on the bag and checked her breathing.

"Is she OK?" Grant asked.

"Yeah, just knocked out," Alfie replied. "It'll make my job easier." He removed the blonde's shoes and and tied her ankles together with a zip tie. Her turned her over and used another zip tie to tie her hands together behind her back. He pulled out two bandanas and tied one around her eyes and one over her mouth. He then turned her back later over on her back. Satisfied with his work, he opened a laptop and checked the security cameras.

"All the agents are still at their table; they don't even know she's gone!" he crowed.

"We did it!" Grant yelled.


Morgan scanned the room as the waiters arrived with the main course. Garcia had excused herself shortly before the appetizers were served. He glanced at his watch. She'd been gone for thirty minutes already. A bad feeling crept into his gut but he shrugged it off.

David Rossi, sitting on Morgan's left, immediately picked up on Morgan's subtle change in expression. "What's up?" he asked.

"It's nothing," the younger man answered. Rossi frowned slightly but left it alone.

As much as he liked his job, Morgan never liked being profiled by his teammates. It was an involuntary reflex, as natural as breathing, and he knew he was just as guilty of doing it as much as the others, even with their rule of not profiling each other. They knew each others' tics and they didn't have many secrets, which is why they worked so well together.

Halfway through the main course Morgan again stole another glance at Garcia's empty seat. Her food was getting cold. He rose and excused himself from the table. Five pairs of eyes met his.

"You OK, Morgan?" Aaron Hotchner asked.

"Fine, just going to find Garcia before her food becomes inedible."

Jennifer Jareau looked around. "Do you want me to go with?"

"Naw. Enjoy your food, JJ," he fake-smiled. JJ looked concerned but he ignored her.

As soon as he left the dining room he texted Garcia:

* You OK? Where are you? *

Five minutes later there was still no answer. He sent another text:

* Don't make me come in there *

Morgan found the ladies' room easily enough. He leaned casually against the wall across the atrium and called Garcia. The call went straight to voicemail. He watched as two women emerged from the restroom, chattering away. They got quiet as they saw Morgan and not-too-subtlety checked him out. He smiled and politely nodded.

The pair floated back into the dining room. "No ring," the taller of the two whispered. No chance, he thought. He considered himself taken by a beautiful blonde goddess. He had missed her so much over the past couple of months and he didn't want to waste a minute of their time off apart.

"Garcia?" he called softly into the ladies' room. Abandoning all modesty after receiving no answer, he entered. He quickly determined the room to be vacant. Garcia was not there. He exited the room; mercifully the atrium was empty.

He searched the entire building, both floors, before returning to the dining room. A quick scan of the room and their table showed Garcia wasn't there, either.

Maybe she went to get some fresh air, he thought to himself. The air was a bit chilly as he stepped outside. The building's canopy provided a nice shade from the early evening sun. Morgan was momentarily blinded as he stepped out of the shade. He silently cursed as he remembered his sunglasses were still in the car in the parking lot halfway down the block.

The glasses were exactly where he remembered he left them, and they were badly smudged. As he sat on the driver's seat and as he wiped the glasses clean, he noticed a glare on the ground. Donning his sunglasses, he stepped out of the SUV and knelt down. His heart sank; the glare was a smashed-up remains of a phone. A very pink and blingy phone. Garcia's phone.

Morgan whipped out his own phone and sent a mass text to Hotch, Rossi, Reid, JJ, and Kate.

* Meet at my car ASAP *

Reid would show them where to go, he knew. Barely three minutes passed and the team arrived with Reid leading them.

"What's going on, Morgan?" Hotch demanded in his calm, authoritative voice.

"Garcia... she's gone," Morgan strangled out.

"Are you sure?" Hotch barged.

"Yes, that's her phone," he gestured to the destroyed cell. Reid and JJ were kneeling down, studying it.

"Morgan, when did you last see Penelope?" Rossi asked.

"About forty-five minutes ago. She went to the ladies' room just before the appetizers. I've been looking for her since I left the table."

"JJ, you and Kate search the building. Rossi, don't let anyone leave the premises." Hotch ordered. "Reid, bag that phone."

"Hotch..." Morgan began.

"Morgan, you and I need to speak to Kevin. He'll be our best chance at finding him." The two shared an understanding look as the team split up.


A/N; Thank you for the reviews and follows. Not sure when chapter 3 will be posted as life is going to get chaotic starting this week with no end in sight.