Chapter 26

All he could do was stand outside the door and peer through the small window as he watched the doctors and nurses rushing around trying to save his girl. Derek slammed his fist against the wall next to the door out of frustration and sheer terror. Spencer walked over to him and placed his hand on his shoulder to give Derek some comfort. "Calm down, Morgan."

Derek shifted his head to glare at him and snapped at Spencer, "Don't tell me what to be?"

Spencer looked surprised but understood how upset Derek was, "Garcia is going to be fine. You'll see."

Derek continued to glare at him and shouted out, "Damnit, you don't know that! Even the doctor wasn't sure." Derek clenched his fist again and punched the wall a second time leaving a slight depression in the plaster. He was still filled with such anger, hate, and guilt. "I knew I shouldn't have left her. This is all my fault. If Baby Girl dies, it's all on me. I did this!"

Dave walked over to his stepson, spun him around, and placed his hands on both of Derek's shoulders. He looked directly into his eyes. "Oh no, don't you dare do that! In no way is this your fault. Your mother needed help and you did the only you could do. This is all on that bitch, Savannah! She did this, not you. And Penelope would kick your ass right now if she heard you spewing this crap. She doesn't blame you, that I'm sure of! So, stop thinking like that. Kitten loves you and right this second she is fighting with everything she has to come back to you."

Derek practically collapsed into Dave's arms out of pure exhaustion with everything that had happened. Derek couldn't stop the tears from spilling down his face. Dave continued to embrace his stepson as his heart was breaking for both him and Penelope.

After a few minutes, Derek straightened himself up and leaned out of Dave's comforting arms. He tried to wipe away most of his tears. He looked around at his family and tried to put on a brave face.

With an ashamed look in his eyes, he scrutinized Spencer before taking a couple steps over to him. Derek then enveloped Spencer. "I'm sorry, Pretty Boy! I didn't mean to take this out on you. You were just trying to help. I know you love her too."

Spencer returned Derek's embrace and muttered. "I know, Morgan. You're just scared. We are too. She is not going to give up. Garcia has too much to live for, especially since you guys are finally together and she is completely in love with you."

Derek clapped him on the back before he pulled away. "She is my world, bro! Nothing and nobody will ever change that."

Derek then glanced around at everyone else. "Thanks, guys, for getting here when you did. I really thought that Penelope was dead when I got here. I found that bitch suffocating her with a pillow when I ran in. She was so still, and it looked like she wasn't breathing. All I could think about was I had to kill her for hurting my Goddess. I wasn't rational at all."

JJ chuckled as she replied sarcastically, "No kidding, bro!"

Derek reached for her and brought her in for a comforting hug. "Don't worry, Derek, we've got your back! Garcie is going to be just fine. She would never leave her Hot Stuff!"

Derek weakly smiled. "Thanks, JJ"

Hotch looked around and asked, "Where the hell is Miller, anyway? He should have been right here."

Derek frowned as he ran his hand over the back of his neck. "That's what I want to know, too? He wasn't here when I ran by."

Hotch glanced at everyone before he spoke. "Alright, JJ, Reid let's fan out and search every room and closet on this floor. Text everyone if and when you find him." They both nodded and took off on the quest to find the missing agent.

Dave announced that he was going to call Fran and fill her in on everything that had happened. He also would find out what was going on with her and the girls while he was at it. Hotch and Derek both nodded their assent before Rossi walked off to find a quiet corner to make his phone call. Hotch went to help with the search for Brad as well. Derek turned around to continue his vigil and prayed while he kept a watchful eye through that little window in Penelope's hospital room door.

As the search continued for their missing colleague, all their phones went off signaling an incoming text. JJ had found him in a closet after becoming suspicious of the pile of blankets on the floor. Before heading to the linen closet, Hotch had gotten the attention of a nurse and asked that she follow him. When they arrived the nurse immediately ran over and checked Brad's pulse and found that he didn't have one. She screamed at Spencer to go get help and notify them that they had a Code Blue. Spencer instantly took off to find help.

A few minutes later Spencer ran back in followed by a doctor and the Code Blue team. While they were setting up the defibrillator another nurse jumped in to help the first nurse who had been doing CPR on the agent.

The doctor checked for a pulse again before delivering the first shock. There was no change. They continued to work on him for quite a while administering medications and a few more shocks. After twenty minutes had gone by, they noted there was still no change and no return of a heartbeat, at which time the doctor stopped all efforts and pronounced him dead. The team sans Derek hung their heads upset their colleague was dead. After Hotch made sure to tell the doctor that he needed an immediate autopsy, they all filed out the room to head back to Derek.

After returning to Penelope's room where Derek was still staring through the little window, they got his attention. They then proceeded to fill Derek in about Brad's death and where he'd been found. Hotch also notified him that there would be an autopsy completed very soon.

Derek had announced that he still hadn't heard anything from the doctors regarding Penelope's status or condition. He was becoming more and more desperate for any word on the love of his life. It was killing him not knowing what was going on inside of her room.

Dave then informed the group that he had indeed spoken with Fran and that she and the girls would be there soon. It seems that Fran decided to hire a town car and went to the airport to pick up the girls. Derek was grateful that his mother and the girls were safe and would be there soon. He really needed his Momma.

About fifteen minutes later all three of them came running up the hallway. Fran instantly noticed Derek was sitting on the floor next to the door with his head in his hands trembling with fear. First, she ran over to Dave and gave him a quick hug. She then made her way over to her son and sat down beside him. Fran quickly pulled Derek into her arms and embraced him. He cried into her arms as he stated they still had no word on Penelope's condition and that this was all his fault.

Fran was able to coax Derek to his feet as they followed the rest of the family down the hall to a room not too far from Penelope's. They all sat down together and Hotch brought everyone up to speed with everything they knew so far, including the death of the agent that was supposed to be guarding Penelope. The girls and Fran gasped out in horror as they listened to Hotch and Derek's explanations.

Fran made it a point to admonish Derek, told him that he was wrong and that it wasn't his fault. They all knew that it fell upon deaf ears. Derek felt guilty and would for a very long time, especially, if Penelope did not survive.

They were all still trying to console Derek when Dr. Moore walked in with a very earnest look on his face. The whole group jumped up in anticipation of his news and held their breaths collectively.

He looked around at the very somber group, cleared his throat and began to speak. "I'm very sorry that I ha—"

Derek instantaneously howled out as he dropped to knees, "Nooooooo!"

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