A/N I do not own Criminal Minds. Thank you everyone who is supporting this story!
Please, enjoy!
Lunar Cocoon
Chapter VII:
"Hello my fine furry friends, this oracle of all knowing is busy at the moment, but leave me something worth my while and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks, bye!"
The bubbly voice of her friend floated over the phone and every time it went to voicemail, JJ's nerves twisted into concerned coils – it was not often the tech savvy Goddess missed a phone call, or didn't show up to work one day; and come late the next.
Hitting three on the speed dial; calling the familiar number once more, she sneakily peeked through the closed blinds to stare at Derek. The purple bruising underneath his eye and the vicious gash across his cheek was an unpleasant sight, but it was his swollen knuckles that had her nibbling on her lip to avoid gnawing off her nails.
It didn't help that Hotch had demanded he go home when Morgan had first arrived only for him to wave the clearance slip around; effectively shutting the stoic man up, who then went to stand in the corner with an equally agitated Rossi – or that Emily was in fact biting her nails as she watched him with narrowed eyes from her own desk as Reid puttered around behind her; fixing his clothes and his hair every few seconds.
Knowing he hadn't injured himself on the last case and since they had the last few days off that meant there had been a scuffle of sorts, and there was only one person in the world who could make Derek lose his temper – defending her with all his might, and that was his Baby Girl.
"Hello my fine furry friends, this oracle of all know-…"
Ending the call with a frustrated sigh, glaring as the man rested his head in the palm of his uninjured hand – the rush of guilt for jumping to conclusions, made her snap the blinds closed. Call it female intuition or having worked many years on a team full of profilers, but she was almost certain that whatever hurt Derek was the same thing that was keeping her friend away.
The naughty discovery of what had transpired between Morgan and Garcia, inside that cabin in the middle-of-nowhere-Alaska was obviously the romantic tryst of the century…or at least for the Agents of the BAU. It had started when Penelope's strangled scream woke JJ and Emily; who both felt helpless as their friend was wracked with sobs with her second nightmare of the night.
There had been a short lull in their talking, and they were just settling back into bed when that sound; a guttural groan that could only be sexual, rattled the silence of the girls room. JJ froze; clamping her eyes shut, though her ears betrayed her and heard it all. Blushing with guilt; giggling like school girls as the feral grunts and blissful moans had the headboard smacking into the thin wall of their room – only to feel like trespassers when whispered declarations; promises between lovers, were muffled next door but loud enough to feel the weight of every word.
It had brought tears to JJ's eyes, and if she squinted through the azure haze of their room she could have sworn she saw Emily quickly wipe her face and even sniffle a few times – JJ and Garcie always knew that raven haired beauty was a softie at heart.
JJ plopped down in her chair; face heated from that memory, feeling her heart clench with the possibility of those two finally being together, but as Emily and her had discussed in the wee hours of the morning while eating cold tomato soup and dried up biscuits – Penelope still had Kevin.
What had been a beautiful thing, was tainted with the fact that she had cheated; on a boyfriend she had been dating for a few years – though if you were to ask anyone on the team, no one would really care if their friend dropped the 180 pounds of mismatched clinginess.
She was just about to call Penelope one more time, since the round table meeting was about to start, when Reid entered her office; wide eyed and oddly, quiet.
"Spence?" fixing a few of the endless stacks of files on her desk.
"Did you happen to get ahold of Garcia?"
She shook her head, and offered what she thought was a hopeful smile. "I'm sure she's fine. I was just about to call her again."
"He hasn't said anything," sitting in the extra chair; crossing his ankles only to uncross them. "I mean, I'm sure she's fine, it's just…she's over an hour late. Her track record would indicate that-…"
"Reid!" cutting him off before he could confuse them both, and make her worry even more.
Before she could even reach for her phone, Hotch entered the cluttered office; letting them know the meeting was about to start.
Seeming to sense his team's concerns he trailed behind to talk to JJ as Reid caught up with Emily; both of them trying to keep a stealth eye on Derek.
"We can call her after the meeting?" his dark eyes easing her tension. "If not, we'll drive on over and check."
She nodded her head, gathering a few more files as she prepared to announce yet another grisly case. Flipping through the images; barely registering anything around her as the team discussed the details – doing their best to patchwork a profile with limited information.
As time slinked by like molasses, she was grateful when Hotch reached for the conference phone – several rings, and once again…
"Hello my fine furry friends, this oracle of all knowing is busy at the moment, but leave me something worth my while and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks, bye!"
Arching a brow when Rossi muttered under his breath and one didn't have to be fluent in Italian to know that he was upset.
Looking towards the glass doors, willing the vibrant woman to waltz right in; fumbling with her purse and endless gadgets only to spot an intern scurry pass to get more coffee.
Hotch was about to dial again when the phone shrilled to life, causing JJ to jump in her seat.
"Hotchner!" he barked, crossing his arms; glaring at the phone.
"Oh sir!" rustling of fabric and glasses clinking together could be heard. "I-I…I'm sorry, I'm on my way I didn't hear my alarm go off and overslept, and then I- oh ow…mother fuc-ugh!" she gritted out, shocking the team with her expletive – it was rare to hear the usually happy-go-lucky Penelope curse.
"Garcia?" JJ asked, scooting towards the edge of her seat. "Is everything alright?"
The only response she got in return was some rather uniquely foul words that brought an amused smirk to her face – though her blue eyes were bristling with worry, especially since Derek hadn't moved an inch.
"I…um," a sharp hiss and a few mumbled ow's later, she seemed to have finally calmed down enough. "I'll be right in, sir. Give me like twenty minutes."
"Oh, is that Garcia?" a honey voice with a faint southern twang, interrupted from the doorway; revealing a chirpy older women with a feathered clip that pinned back her thick chestnut curls. JJ recognized her as one of the tech personnel, who often shared those delicious snickerdoodle cookies that Garcia kept in the flashy tree tin for the holidays.
JJ couldn't help but smile. The woman's presence was motherly and she seemed to share Penelope's fashion sense, though the yellow cardigan and purple striped skirt were considerably tame compared to their tech kittens.
"Holly?" came Garcia's childlike voice.
"Hey, sweet pea!" stepping further into the room, shifting the box of equipment on her hip. "I have your hard drives and wireless adapters. They finally came today!"
"Oh," clearing her throat. "Perfect, thank you! I um…just leave them locked in the storage bin, and I'll get them in a bit."
"Oh silly girl, that's nonsense!" Holly chuckled, the sparkling chain on her glasses jingling. "I made this trip just so I can congratulate you!"
The team members looked at each other, trying to digest this new information.
"Did we miss her birthday?" Emily mouthed.
"No that's August 15th. She was born 23 minutes after three AM. The zodiac sign is a Leo, which have the strengths of-…" leave it to Reid, always so matter of fact.
"My birthday?" Garcia cut him off, clearly confused. "It passed a few months ago."
"Oh no…no, not that," Holly smiled gratefully at Rossi; always the gentlemen, who helpfully took the heavy box from her. "I meant about your engagement," clapping her hands. "Gosh you have the whole tech pool betting if you're going to have a spring or winter wedding."
The poor woman startled; obviously not expecting the explosive reaction, as the room erupted with shocked exclamations.
JJ felt Derek stiffen next to her; tension rolling off him in waves - his amber eyes narrowed into glittering obsidian, but it was the glistening hurt that was simmering behind anger that had her heart plummet to the floor at his obvious pain.
Garcia was engaged to Lynch? No…no, that…did not make sense. It was not supposed to be this way for the Baby Girl and Hot Stuff of the BAU.
JJ was going to kick that little weasel Lynch ass and just as her mind started going through the methods of how to discreetly dispose of his body somewhere deep in the Appalachian Mountains, Penelope's strangled cry ripped through the commotion of the conference room.
"Garcia?" Hotch was leaning over the table, fingers digging into the wood.
The choked sobs and hiccuping pants muffled over the speakerphone, meant one thing.
She was having a panic attack.
To be continued…
