"Derek!" Garcia screamed, dropping the gun and rushing to his aid. With the gentleness of any mother, she lifted his head to lay it on her lap. Tears rolled down her cheeks in steady streams as she noticed the crimson liquid pooling under his shirt. "Someone call 911!" she yelled, her voice cracking as she added, "he's been shot!" Darla grabbed the phone off its cradle, her hands shaking as she dialed.
XOX
The sky was dark and the snow was still falling, when Garcia sat in the cushioned chair next to Morgan's hospital bed. It was seven thirty now, and he had just returned from surgery. The bullet had gone into his stomach, but it had not hit any major organs, thankfully. The rest of the team would be here soon, she knew, but she was hoping that he would wake up before then, if only for a minute, so she could steal a few words.
The tears began to flow steadily down her cheeks again. It was not fair! Her dream had been so close to coming true. So very close…and just as quickly it had slipped between her fingers. An angel's song lost in the eye of a storm.
"Damn him!" she whispered harshly under her breath. "Damn that bastard to hell for hurting him." She closed her eyes, trying to forget the world around her, trying to concentrate on happier things. It did not work as images of murders, rapes, and other crimes filled her memory. Her precious computers filled her head with unforgiving nightmares and horrid tragedies that played over and over in her head, like a horror film set on repeat.
Everyday she would paint a smile on her face, trying to lighten the mood for not only herself but for her co-workers, the people who had become her family, the people she would go to the ends of the earth for. It was hard enough after losing Elle, but now this? Morgan was the only one who brought a real smile to her face (besides the simple times the shy Spencer Reid would do something to make her laugh). Morgan was the only one who gave her wings to fly above it all, and the only one who made her heart beat slowly and quickly at the same time.
What was she going to do? The world around her was starting to become harsher, and crumble beneath her feet as the days progressed. Elle getting shot and leaving the BAU, Reid tearing himself apart during the attempted suicide of a young boy, and discovering the dark secret that Morgan had been keeping from her, from all of them. Garcia loved these people, and she knew they did not deserve this.
Rubbing her temples, she tried to breath, tried to swallow and close up the memories that tore at her soul. She started to wonder how much more of this she could take, this was the second time in less than a year that she had almost lost Derek, she would die if it happened again.
Garcia thought about how Morgan had kept what Carl had did to him a secret, and know that she thought about it, she was not exactly an open book. She remembered the anti-depressants tucked securely in her hand bag. They would never know…
"Hiya sunshine..." the voice was low and raspy, but she was positive she heard it.
"Derek!" Garcia cried happily, opening her eyes and throwing her arms around him, taking precaution not to hurt him. Laying her forehead on his she whispered, "I was so worried. I thought I was going to lose you."
"You can't get rid of me that easily, Pen," he told her gently.
"I-" Garcia began but was interrupted by a knock of the door. Reluctantly she removed her head from his, cursing how these things happened at the worst times. The large wooden door opened, ever so slowly, and she was surprised when the Carr family entered. She had been expecting someone else, not that she mined the lovely family being there.
"Is this a bad time?" Monica asked, wanting to receive an okay before they intruded any further.
"No," it was Moran who spoke. "Come on in." The twins entered first, plopping down in the chairs on the opposite side of his bed, their parents following. Shawn leaned against a wall, and Monica handed Garcia a tin container filled with cookies.
Andrew crossed his arms and laid them on Morgan's bed, settling his head on top. He looked sadly at the man's pain filled eyes, trying to grasp what he must be feeling. "I'm…so sorry mister," he managed to choke out. "I didn't mean for you to get hurt."
"That's okay, Buddy," Morgan smiled and ruffled the boy's hair. "I'm just glad that you are okay." Jason watched silently from his chair, not knowing what he should be feeling. Morgan directed his attention to him. "Hey there kiddo, how are ya?" The brunette looked at the man's handsome face, it was so open, so welcoming. He stood from his chair and grabbed the agent in a hug.
The tears falling slowly from his face he whispered, "Thank-you for saving my brother. I don't know what I'd do without him." Morgan returned the embrace, filled again with the Christmas spirit. He had not planned on gaining life-long friends that day. Then again, things do not always go as planned…
"That man you took down," Shawn said, "was the father of Jerald Walters."
"Jerald Walters, you mean that young man who murdered four high school girls?" (1) Garcia asked. She remembered the case…perhaps too well. Her cousin was one of the girls murdered.
"One and the same. I was the lawyer who had him sent away. Jerald's father, Bill, was not too pleased to say the least. His son was killed in prison by another convict doing time for murdering a store clerk. The man attacked Jerald because he had hurt those children." Shawn paused, looking at his sons with loving eyes. "He blamed me, and I figured the disaster at the diner was revenge against me…aimed at my own kin."
Suddenly it all seemed to fall into place. The man had attacked the diner to get to Shawn, the money was just a bonus, and he was most likely after one of the twins. Morgan looked fondly at the two little boys, their eyes meeting his gaze with faces filled with gratitude and admiration.
"You are a saint," Monica whispered. She knew how little credit the agents received. Turning to her sons she said, "Do you want to give him his gift now?"
"Gift?" he asked, more than a little surprised. He was not used to receiving any sort of presents from the victims he had saved. Jason and Andrew shared a smile, and handed him a smaller sized, beautifully wrapped box. Curiously he ripped the paper off, and pulled out a silver ornament. The front of the ornament was of two children playing in the snow, an angel watching over them, and on the back, in dark purple lettering it read:
When God sends an angel,
And you have the chance to see,
You never will forget them,
And with you forever they will be.
Thank-you for being an angel in our time of need.
To special agent Derek Morgan,
With love always,
Shawn, Monica, Andy and Jason Carr.
Merry Christmas.
"This is wonderful," he said, meaning the words he had just spoken. Morgan grabbed both twins in a giant hug, feeling for the first time as though he was whole. He remembered Gideon, and his table filled with pictures of people he had saved, a beautiful family…
XOX
It was almost ten when the nurse arrived saying that visiting hours were over, and only one person would be able to stay with Morgan. The team had arrived shortly after he had opened his gift, and the Carr family had left just half an hour earlier. Morgan decided that he was going to keep in touch with them.
"I'll stay with Derek!" Garcia said immediately, unable to bear the thought of leaving his side. Hotch looked at her a moment, before nodding. It would not matter how much they argued about it, she was definitely the one that would be staying.
"Finally," Morgan said playfully as soon as the door was closed. "I was scared I'd never be able to talk to you alone." Garcia smiled at him, grabbing his hand in her own. She glanced at the sparkling tree set up in his room. The team had apologized for not making it sooner, and had set up a small pine tree, lights, tinsel, ornaments, and a star on top. The whole works. The silver ornament seemed to glow from its perch, making Morgan smile.
"Hey, Pen. Can you hand me my jacket?" She said nothing, but grabbed it from the near-by dresser. She watched as he rooted through the pocket, and pulled out a tiny blue box. Handing it to her, he said, "I'm hoping this will show just how much you mean to me…"
With shaky hands Garcia opened the box, gasping with delight as she pulled out a long golden chain, a diamond embedded heart hanging off the end. "'To my darling Pen, all the gold in the world can not compare to you. Love forever and always, Derek,'" she read, the tears filling her eyes again. These tears were different though, these tears were meant only to represent her joy. "I love it," she whispered.
Morgan motioned for Garcia to turn around, and as he fastened the chain around her neck, he said, "This is a promise locket."
"Promise locket?"
"I want you to promise me that we will be together next year…"
"I can wait longer than that if I have to," she whispered, leaning her head against his. Slowly they leaned in, their lips coming closer and closer together. Then, as their lips touched, bells began to chime and fireworks went off in their bodies. The love between them flowing like an endless river.
You are the only thing I want for Christmas…
A/N: I hope you liked it xD Thanks for reading! Could you possibly review for a simple writer like me?
Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, I hope it is filled with love, laughter, and great memories.
Love always,
B.C.A
(1) This murder is not based on any actual events. It was a random thought. It may have happened, I'm not entirely sure, but it was not meant to be based off anything.
See ya'll in the new year! Drive safely! Happy holidays!