Chapter 2
The next day in the hospital, Reid called Elle after Hotch had suspended Garcia. Elle answered her phone at home.
"Reid," said Elle. "How's Garcia doing?"
"She's doing much better, Elle," smiled Reid. "She's out of the ICU and breathing on her own. She should be able to go home in a little while. JJ and Prentiss brought in some of her clothes and personal effects..."
"But?" asked Elle.
"Internal Affairs has put Garcia under investigation," said Reid. "Hotch had to suspend her."
"What?!" asked Elle. "Why?"
"Randall Garner," answered Reid. "Because of the time Garner hacked the BAU computers through a video game on Garcia's laptop to get all of our personal information. And then, you got arrested in Jamaica and then shot at home. Garcia blamed herself for those things. While you were recovering in the hospital, Garcia had password protected the BAU computers. But, until today, Hotch didn't know about it. Garcia didn't want anyone else to hack her again and then use the information to hurt one of us again."
"That sounds like Garcia," said Elle. "How's Morgan taking it?"
"He's being peaceful around Garcia, but he wants to punch down a wall whenever he's away from her," answered Reid. "We're trying to get her released from the hospital to take her home today."
"That's good news," said Elle. "Reid, I've thought up a theory last night about why Garcia was shot. This is a long shot, I know. But, you said that the shooter's sketching didn't pop any hits in the criminal database?"
"That's right," said Reid. "There were no hits in VICAP. And, nobody at the coffee shop or the restaurant knew who he was either."
"Well, maybe that's because he's a criminal who hasn't been caught yet," said Elle. "A guy who's gotten away with whatever crimes he's committed until now. Think about it. Because Garcia always gives the team online evidence to help catch the unsubs, maybe she's collected some online evidence about this guy that she doesn't know she has. And somehow, the shooter found out about it."
"That sounds like a good reason for the shooter to want Garcia dead," said Reid. "He's trying to keep himself from getting caught. But, like you said, it is a long shot. We can try asking Garcia about any unsolved cases that she's been looking into online. Thank you, Elle. I'm proud of you. You've calmed down enough to think up this online evidence theory to help Garcia."
"Thank you, Reid," smiled Elle.
"If Garcia gets to go home tonight," continued Reid. "Morgan wants to do guard duty at her apartment just in case the shooter tries coming back."
"And knowing Morgan, he'll stay there indefinitely until you guys catch him," said Elle. "Is there anything else that I can do for Garcia, Reid?"
"I want you to come to DC now to visit her, Elle," said Reid. "You know better about what she needs to do to heal from getting shot than any one of us do. Also, I've talked to the doctor. He said that during the surgery, Garcia...flatlined in the operating room for a few minutes. And, Garcia said that she was seeing bright lights while she was in the ambulance. Maybe we should both...teach her our mantra?"
"Say no more, little brother," smiled Elle. "I need to call my boss first. But, I'm on my way."
Reid smiled. Morgan was walking over to Reid.
"Hey, Reid," said Morgan.
"It's Morgan," said Reid. "I have to go now."
"I love you," smiled Elle.
"Love you, too," said Reid.
Reid hung up.
"Garcia's been cleared to go home," said Morgan.
"Good," smiled Reid. "Let's go tell her."
"'Love you, too?'" smirked Morgan. "Girlfriend?"
"Family," answered Reid as he started walking back to Garcia's hospital room.
"Kid," said Morgan. "Now isn't the time to be calling your mother."
After Elle hung up, she called her boss to let him know that she had a family emergency and she was going out of town for a few days. She already had her go-bag packed and she paid for some round-trip tickets to DC. When Elle arrived at the airport around 8 pm, Reid called her again while stepping outside of his apartment building.
"Reid," smiled Elle. "I just paid the cab driver and I'm about to enter the airport..."
"Elle," said Reid. "The shooter returned to Garcia's apartment trying to shoot her again."
Elle gasped, "What?! What happened?"
Reid explained, "Morgan said that he woke up to the sound of two gunshots and he tucked Garcia safely into a corner and he stopped the shooter from coming upstairs to shoot her again. Morgan ran downstairs and chased him outside, but he got away through the traffic."
"Well, why the hell didn't you guys have a police guard parked out front to help Morgan?!" angrily asked Elle.
"We did, Elle," said Reid. "An Officer Mike Fleming. He was the one who the shooter shot twice which woke Morgan up. Officer Fleming's dead."
"Oh," said Elle. "I'm sorry, Reid."
"It's okay, Elle," said Reid. "It's okay. Morgan called the whole team and we're all heading over to Garcia's apartment to help him calm her down. Oh, here's Emily and JJ now coming to pick me up. I'll let you know if anything else happens."
"Okay, Reid," said Elle. "Thanks for telling me."
Around 10 pm, Elle's plane landed in DC safely. She called Reid to let him know. JJ had just shot Deputy Jason Clark Battle dead in the bullpen and Reid, Morgan, Prentiss and Garcia had just arrived. Reid observed Garcia and JJ hugging each other and then both ladies noticing Kevin Lynch watching Garcia when Reid got the call. Reid answered the phone.
"Elle?" smiled Reid.
"Reid," said Elle. "The plane just landed in DC safely and I'll let you know when you can come to pick me up. How's Garcia doing?"
"Good news, Elle," smiled Reid. "Garcia's shooter came to the BAU and Garcia identified him through her computer screen in her apartment. We called Hotch and JJ. And, JJ just shot him dead. Garcia is saved."
Elle breathed a huge sigh of relief.
"That's wonderful news," tearfully smiled Elle. "Thank you for telling me, Reid."
Kevin and Morgan took Garcia back to the hospital. Reid talked to JJ about his first kill trying to help cheer her up about her first kill. JJ hugged Reid for his kindness and honesty. Elle texted Reid to say that she was ready to be picked up.
"JJ," said Reid. "Are you done talking to Internal Affairs about the shooting?"
"Yes," answered JJ.
"Then, I need a favor," said Reid. "Can you drive me to the airport? I have a visitor from out of town who I promised to pick up at the airport."
"Let's get out of here," smiled JJ.
"Thank you, JJ," smiled Reid.
JJ and Reid drove over to the airport in her car and when they arrived at the passenger pick up area, Reid saw Elle standing at the curb waiting for him.
"There she is," said Reid. "JJ, please pull up over here."
JJ pulled the car over and Reid got out and he and Elle quickly hugged each other.
"Oh," tearfully smiled Elle. "It's so good to see you."
"Hello, Elle," smiled Reid. "I've missed you."
Reid let Elle ride in the front seat while he put himself and Elle's go-bag in the back seat. JJ drove away from the passenger pick up area.
"Hi, JJ," smiled Elle.
"Elle, hi," smiled JJ. "What brings you back to DC?"
"Reid told me about Garcia getting shot," answered Elle. "I'm here to visit her."
"Remember when you asked me was I talking to Morgan while we were waiting for Garcia's surgery results, JJ?" asked Reid.
"Yeah," answered JJ. "You said you were calling...another family member. You were telling Elle about Garcia, Spence?"
"Actually," said Elle. "Reid was talking to my answering machine. I was in a deep sleep that night after working a double-shift at the bar. Reid was constantly calling me until I finally answered his call the following morning."
"I didn't want Elle finding out about Garcia on the news like she did about my abduction last year, JJ," said Reid.
"Spence, that was so sweet," smiled JJ.
"Reid asked if Garcia had left me any messages about her going out with her shooter," said Elle. "She left me one saying his name was James Colby Baylor asking her out to lunch after she fixed his computer."
"She wanted to tell me and Emily, too," said JJ. "But, we were both too busy getting ready to go to Florida."
"Reid knew I would lose my temper when I heard that the guy shot Garcia at her own home," said Elle. "He wanted me to calm down first before coming here to see her. So, I promised him I would wait four days until I came over here. Reid had faith that the team would catch the shooter before I arrived. And, according to Reid, you did catch him, JJ."
"Yeah," blushed JJ. "This...was my very first kill, Elle."
"I see," said Elle.
"I didn't even flinch," admitted JJ. "Spence said that I did what I had to do to stop a bad man. And, that many other good people were safer now that he's dead. But, what really cheered me up was Spence saying that he was proud of me."
"I know the feeling," smiled Elle. "And, he's not the only one, JJ. I'm proud of you, too."
"Thanks," smiled JJ.
"So, guys," said Elle. "Why was that son of a bitch after Garcia?"
"Garcia was flagging 7 or 8 unsolved cases online without telling Hotch about it," answered JJ.
"And, we found out that the same deputy was the first responder in 3 close range drive-by shooting cases using a revolver," added Reid. "A Deputy Jason Clark Battle."
"Jason Clark Battle," said Elle. "Aka James Colby Baylor, Garcia's date. He was an angel of death?"
"Yes," answered Reid.
"I thought an angel of death was a fireman who would start the fires himself so he could put them out trying to make himself look like a hero," said JJ.
"That's one form of an angel of death, JJ," said Elle. "Another form is a cop who creates his own crime scenes and then becomes the first responder trying to save the victim's lives so he can make himself look like a hero."
"It's called hero homicide complex," said Reid. "But, if he couldn't save his victim's lives, he made it look like a random murder scene."
"And, that's why when he shot Garcia, he tried to make it look like a robbery," said JJ.
"Battle was honored as a hero twice but they never promoted him," said Reid. "And, because Garcia flagged his 3 cases online..."
"...he thought that she was onto his scheme, but she wasn't," said JJ.
"And, he tried to kill her before she could tell anybody about him," said Elle. "Anybody who could have gotten him arrested for murder and fired with her online evidence. But, why did he go to the BAU?"
"According to Kevin Lynch, the technical analyst filling in for Garcia, Battle came to the BAU trying to get his 3 case files deleted from the FBI database. Internal Affairs approved his request."
"The jerk tried to prove that he could outsmart the entire FBI," said Elle.
Reid continued, "Agent Lynch pretended to delete the online evidence while he was really linking the BAU cameras to Garcia's laptop computer in her apartment so we could see that Battle was in the bullpen. Morgan called Hotch to tell him and he told Rossi."
"And, then Morgan called me to tell me to get behind him," said JJ. "He knew that Hotch was onto him, so he took Agent Fuchs at gunpoint. Every agent had their guns pointed at him. When I came up behind him, I heard him tell Hotch, 'The best minds in the FBI, and you can't even stop me.' He looked behind, and I...fired through the glass and...got him in his forehead."
A tear streamed down JJ's cheek. She pulled her car over at a stop light. Elle and Reid took JJ's shaky right hand into their hands to comfort her.
"Do you want me to drive the rest of the way to the hospital, JJ?" asked Reid.
"Yeah," cried JJ. "Elle, I...need a moment."
Reid got into the driver's seat while Elle and JJ got into the back seat so JJ could cry on Elle's shoulder.
"It's okay, JJ," whispered Elle. "Let it all out. It's okay."
"I've really missed you, Elle," cried JJ.
"I've missed you, too," smiled Elle.
Reid drove them the rest of the way to the hospital. Reid and JJ walked into Garcia's hospital room to see Morgan and Kevin standing by her bed. Garcia noticed them.
"Guys," smiled Garcia. "I'm okay now. I love the attention, but you don't have to keep on protecting me anymore."
"We're not," smiled JJ. "Spence has brought a surprise for you, Penelope."
"You brought me some Jello knowing that Morgan would eat it all up himself, didn't you, Reid?" asked Garcia.
Elle was hiding next to the doorway to Garcia's hospital room smiling at what Garcia just said.
"I would not," said Morgan.
"Yes, you would," said Reid, JJ and Garcia.
Hearing the others teasing Morgan, Elle suppressed a big laugh.
"Wow," said Kevin.
"You're outvoted, Derek," smirked JJ.
"Actually," said Reid. "I brought somebody here who wants to see you, Garcia. Come on in."
Elle walked into the hospital room.
"Elle!" cheered Garcia.
"Surprise!" smiled Reid and JJ.
Elle smiled, "Hi, Penelope!"
Elle was about to hug Garcia when Morgan stepped in between them.
"Derek," said Garcia and Elle.
"Whoa, Elle," said Morgan. "In case you don't know, she's been shot."
"I know, Morgan," said Elle. "Reid called me and told me. And, I've been shot, too, remember? I know that I need to be gentle."
Elle gently hugged Garcia.
"I've missed you, Elle," smiled Garcia.
"Oh, it's so good to see you, Garcia," tearfully smiled Elle.
"What's she doing here, Reid?" asked Morgan.
"Spence called Elle asking her to come to DC for a surprise family visit," smiled JJ.
"I thought you were talking to your mother on the phone," said Morgan.
"I said I was talking to family, Morgan," said Reid. "My mom isn't my only family."
Elle said, "Damn right she isn't."
Elle hugged Reid with her right arm and she hugged JJ with her left arm.
"Reid is my little brother," proudly smiled Elle.
"I didn't want Elle hearing about Garcia getting shot on the news like she did about my kidnapping last year," explained Reid.
"So, while Spence was trying to call you to tell you about Garcia getting shot that night, Morgan," added JJ. "He was also trying to call Elle to tell her."
"Reid told me the following morning after I woke up," said Elle. "He didn't want me coming here raising hell like I did last year."
"Reid, that was so sweet," smiled Garcia. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," said Reid.
Garcia and Reid hugged each other.
"How are you feeling, Garcia?" asked Elle.
"Much safer now that JJ shot my shooter," smiled Garcia. "And, much happier now that you're here, Elle."
"So, getting shot hasn't changed anything, Penelope?" asked Elle. "You're still the same sweet, colorful, sassy Penelope Garcia we all know and love?"
"I...think so," answered Garcia.
"I know so," smiled Reid. "Garcia, tell them what you told me and Morgan about the song, 'Heroes.'"
Garcia replied, "When I was in the ambulance, I could hear the song, 'Heroes' playing in my head. I kept flashing in and out of consciousness. Everything was really bright. And, I remember thinking, 'Wait...Is David Bowie really God?'"
Elle, JJ and Kevin laughed along with Morgan and Reid. JJ happily kissed the top of Garcia's head.
"Garcia told us that shortly after she woke up from getting shot," smiled Reid. "Even while she was disoriented from the morphine drip, she still found something to say that would make us laugh."
"You're right, Reid," smiled Elle. "She's still the same sweet, colorful, sassy Penelope Garcia we all know and love."
"No doubt," smiled Morgan.
"So, guys," said Elle. "Could you leave me and Reid alone with Garcia?" We really need to talk to her."
"Oh, okay," said Morgan. "I'll just go to the cafeteria and get you some Jello."
"Oh, no you don't," smirked JJ. "Kevin, we'd better watch him. If we leave him alone to get some Jello, the whole hospital will have to send out for some more Jello!"
"That's funny," smiled Kevin.
"What is this?" asked Morgan. "'Everybody Pick On Derek Morgan Day?'"
"Morgan," smirked Elle. "I saw your red Jello tongue when you visited me in the hospital two years ago. And, I saw your lime-green Jello tongue when we checked Reid out of the hospital last year."
"He probably wants an orange Jello tongue now, guys," smirked Garcia.
"Agent Morgan," said Kevin. "The hospital Jello bandit!"
Elle, JJ and Garcia laughed.
"That sounds like a book title," said Reid.
"Or, a song title," added Elle.
"Really?" said Morgan.
"Hey, you're great at protecting Garcia," said JJ. "But, the Jello needs some protecting from you! I, too saw your green Jello tongue last year."
JJ, Morgan and Kevin walked out of the hospital room.
"Well," smiled Garcia. "What did you two want to talk to me about?"
"You said that you saw...a bright light while you were riding in the ambulance?" asked Elle.
"Yeah," answered Garcia. "So?"
"Have you had any visions of yourself growing up since you were shot, Garcia?" asked Reid.
Garcia surprisedly looked at Reid.
"...Yeah," answered Garcia. "I saw myself playing in the back yard with my parents and my brothers as a little girl in San Fransisco. Then, I saw myself attending both of my parents' funeral as a teenager. Then, I saw myself driving away from the nest in Esther at 18. Then, I saw myself flirting with Morgan over the phone in the Batcave. I...thought I just fell asleep with my Super-8 film projector running until I saw the last vision of Baylor shooting me at my doorstep. My home movies don't have me in the Batcave or Baylor shooting me. I thought I was either dreaming or going crazy. But, how did you know that I was having visions?"
Elle took Garcia's hand.
Reid answered, "Because last year when I was Hankel's prisoner, I, too, have had some visions of myself growing up."
Garcia gasped.
Reid continued, "It might have been because Tobias injected me with drugs. But, I saw my father leaving me and my mom when I was 8 years old. I saw myself taking care of mom after dad left. And, I saw myself putting mom into the Bennington sanitarium after I turned 18. It was the hardest choice of my entire life."
"Penelope," said Elle. "The doctor told Reid that you...flatlined in surgery for a few minutes. And, because of Hankel's videos last year, we all know that Reid was dead for a few minutes, too. And, I never told anybody besides Reid that...I, too flatlined for a few minutes after I was shot."
"W...what?" asked Garcia.
"Anderson told me that when he visited me in the hospital," explained Elle. "While I was dead, I found myself sitting aboard the BAU jet and I got to talk to my father. He was killed in the line of duty when I was 8 years old. While I was talking to dad, I saw a bright light all around the jet. Just like you saw a bright light in the ambulance. I had a choice either to stay with him or to come back to you guys. And, I chose to come back. It was the hardest choice I've ever made. I woke up to a surgeon telling me I was going to be fine. I didn't tell anybody else because they might have thought that I was crazy. But, after Reid was killed and revived with CPR last year, I told him."
"And, you don't think that she's crazy, Reid?" asked Garcia.
"No, I don't," answered Reid. "I don't think either of you are crazy. After Charles killed me, I saw a bright light, too."
Garcia gasped. Elle held Reid's hand.
Reid added, "A bright light and shadowy figures. And, I felt warm all over. I couldn't explain it. I still can't. And, the next thing I knew, I was waking up to Tobias reviving me with CPR. Elle was the only person I've told about this, Garcia."
"I felt warm all over, too, Garcia," said Elle. "The whole time I was talking to my dad aboard the jet. Tell us, did you feel warm all over?"
"...Yeah," answered Garcia. "I felt warm all over the whole time I saw those visions of myself growing up. I couldn't explain it, either. The vision of Baylor shooting me woke me up in the hospital bed."
"Garcia," tearfully smiled Elle. "We both think that all three of us have had an out of body experience because all three of us were briefly dead."
"But, what does that mean?" tearfully asked Garcia.
"We might never completely understand what that means," said Reid.
"Maybe we aren't supposed to understand what that means," said Elle.
"I want to believe it means that all three of them tried to kill all three of us," smiled Reid. "But, we've all proven that the unsubs don't always win."
"Yeah," smiled Elle. "All three of us are still alive while all three of them are dead now."
"I like to believe that all things happen for a good reason," smiled Garcia.
Elle kissed Garcia's cheek.
"And, another reason why I'm here, Penelope," said Elle. "Reid taught me a mantra to help me deal with my PTSD and my nightmares that I've had since I was shot. And, last year after the Hankel case, I reminded Reid about that mantra to return the favor.
"We want to teach you that mantra now," said Reid. "Because even Morgan can't protect you from the nightmares that your shooter will cause you to have."
"I'm already having nightmares," said Garcia. "Please teach it to me."
Elle took Garcia's right hand into her left hand. Reid took Garcia's left hand into his right hand.
Elle said, "Now, just repeat after us: I'm the lucky one..."
"Oh, I don't believe in luck, guys," said Garcia.
"I don't either," said Elle. "But, the whole mantra does help you feel better. I'm the lucky one..."
"I'm the lucky one..." repeated Garcia.
"My monster is dead..." said Reid.
"My monster is dead..." repeated Garcia.
"And, no one is ever going to hurt me like that again," said Elle.
"And, no one is ever going to hurt me like that again," repeated Garcia.
"Good," smiled Elle. "Now, repeat that last part with more confidence: No one is ever going to hurt me like that again."
"No one is ever going to hurt me like that again," repeated Garcia.
"No one is ever going to hurt me like that again," repeated Garcia and Reid.
"No one is ever going to hurt me like that again," smiled Garcia, Elle and Reid.
JJ, Morgan and Kevin returned with some orange Jello. They watched the three of them repeating the mantra. JJ smiled warmly at them.
Epilogue
Six months later in Brooklyn, Elle walked into the bar to start her shift.
"Elle," said a coworker. "How's your friend, Reid?"
"He's really excited about the wedding next weekend, Judy," smiled Elle. "He can't wait to marry JJ."
"Hey, Hotch," said another coworker.
"Hotch?" thought Elle to herself.
"I need a refill," said the coworker. "Hotch!"
"I told you not to call me that, Lucy," said a man's voice.
"No. Way!" thought Elle to herself.
Elle looked behind the bar and she saw Sean Hotchner working as a bartender.
"Sean Hotchner?" thought Elle to herself.
"Well, just give me the refill, Hotch," said Lucy.
"Hey, Lucy," angrily said Elle. "Don't call him Hotch! His name is Sean. I used to work for his brother. And, trust me, there's only one Hotch! If you call him Hotch again, I'll start calling you Loose!"
"Okay, okay," said Lucy. "I'm sorry...Sean."
Sean gave Lucy her refill order and she returned to her customer.
"Thanks," smiled Sean. "So, you once worked for Aaron?"
"Yeah," smiled Elle. "I'm Elle Greenaway. I saw you come into the BAU over three years ago. Then after you saw Hotch, you...seemed to have had a brotherly argument?"
"Yeah," said Sean. "Aaron wanted me to go to Georgetown Law School to become a lawyer like our dad was. But, I wanted to go to New York to become a cook. Aaron wasn't pleased when I told him I changed my mind about Georgetown. That's what our...brotherly argument was about."
"So, you've been in New York cooking for the last three years?" asked Elle.
"For the first year, yeah," answered Sean. "Then, that restaurant closed down and I changed careers from a cook to a bartender. And, here I am. You?"
"I got shot in my own home," answered Elle. "After I recovered, I tried to continue being an agent. But, I crossed a line and Hotch fired me. So, I returned to Brooklyn to start over again. And, after two years of healing, here I am!"
Sean laughed, "Well, it's nice to officially meet you, Elle."
Elle turned to leave. But, she remembered what she told Reid about going for it with JJ, the girl of his dreams. Sean was the man of Elle's dreams.
"Sean," said Elle. "I know that we've just officially met. But, next weekend in DC, my little brother is marrying his girlfriend. And, I don't have a date for the wedding. How would you like to be my date?"
"Me?" asked Sean.
"Yeah," said Elle. "Both your brother and nephew will be at the wedding. You want to see Jack, don't you?"
"Yeah," smiled Sean. "I want to see Jack. Okay, Elle. You've got yourself a date."
"Great," smiled Elle. "Thank you, Sean."
Elle walked away while grinning.
"Maybe Garcia was right," thought Elle to herself. "Maybe all things do happen for a good reason."