Disclaimer: I wish I owned CM, but sadly I'm not that lucky. I only own my imagination.

Things That Go Bump In The Night

"Um...I...well..." She stuttered, finding a simple decision to be hazardously difficult.

Reid came to her rescue, and she internally thanked him for it.

"How about you decide along the way. Okay?" He asked tenderly, his eyes still swimming with guilt about the triggering grab of her hand. She wished she could assure him it was okay, but now wasn't the time.

She simply nodded, trying to hold back the seemingly never ending tears.

"I'll drive you over, eh?" Morgan suggested, stepping to put an arm on the small of her back. It was nothing unusual; in fact, it was a regular occurrence. But that didn't stop her from flinching at the contact.

Everyone was standing still, waiting for a response. For whatever reason, Garcia just couldn't.

"I...uh...actually, I'd rather Reid drive me." She uttered, watching regretfully as Morgan's eyes stung with rejection.

"You sure?" Spencer asked her, although his eyes were fixed with Derek's, communicating silently, making her wish she could read their minds.

"Please." She all but begged, needing to leave the newly harsh area.

"Alright."

...

The heavy decision plagued her mind, consuming her. Truth be told, she was thankful for it, as it distracted her from the memories nipping at the back of her head. Every time her thoughts wandered to the dangerous events, she snapped back to the choice she needed to make.

And what a choice it was.

Who did she want to stay with her tonight?

Certainly Spencer. She couldn't even figure out why herself, despite trying very hard to. There was just something about him that she'd never noticed until now that brought her immense comfort.

Okay, so one down. But who else? She worried about hurting feelings. Well, mostly Morgan's feelings. But having her chocolate god around her now would destroy her, and him as well. She'd need to build up a facade that she was far too damaged to keep.

And what about the girls? She wanted female presence tonight, and she knew it. Reid wasn't the typical guy, but he certainly wasn't a girl. But Emily was awkward since the whole incident with Doyle, and even though Garcia was happy they'd been reunited, it wasn't the same. Oh and then JJ...she brought her so much comfort, but then she had Henry she needed to be with...Penelope couldn't take her away from him.

And Hotch had Jack! She could never take the father away from the adorable boy. And Hotch may have been an authority figure, but not the kind she needed right now. And then there was Rossi. Sweet as he may be, even though they'd bonded recently, they'd never been very close.

What on earth was she going to do?

"Garcia?" Spencer's voice came, snapping her out of her trance. She looked out the window and realized they were parked in front of her complex.

"Penelope?" He asked quietly. She finally turned to look at the awkward genius she suddenly felt differently to.

"Sorry. I, uh, spaced a little there." She whispered, shifting position only to feel the scrapes along her back sting.

The cuts triggered things she desperately tried not to think about.

"You have nothing to apologize for." Reid said, turning off the SUV and unbuckling his seatbelt.

But Penelope wasn't paying attention anymore. Her hands had begun to shake. Her eyelids were trembling, blinking away tears that had started to overwhelm her. Suddenly everything reminded her of the man. The way Reid was breathing, the pulse of the wind on the car windows, the cold that was starting to seep into the vehicle. Everything, even the way her breath had just hitched in a choked sob, reminded her of...of him. Him.

XXX

Reid looked at Garcia, shock hitting him when he came to the conclusion that Penelope was on the edge of a panic attack.

"Garcia? Hey, listen to me. It's okay. You aren't with him, you're with me. Just me. It's Reid and we're in the car, not the alleyway." He assured her, stuttering.

He knew it wouldn't help with her PTSD but he grabbed her wrists, trying anything at that point. She jumped, but her choked breathing didn't halt.

"Penelope, please. It's just me. It's Spencer. Fact spilling, awkward, clumsy Reid. I'm not gonna hurt you. I'd never hurt you Garcia, just please calm down. Deep breaths. It's just me." Reid coached, knowing how to stop such terrible attacks.

He saw as her eyes began to focus, breaths evening out and hands steadying slightly.

"It's okay." He repeated one last time.

"How...how did you-" She stuttered, flustered and looking around to confirm her surroundings.

Reid smiled to himself a little. "I'm somewhat of an expert on panic attacks, with my past and all."

"Oh. Right." She responded, still a little distant.

"Let's go, eh?" He said, and she nodded, maybe a few too many times, before fumbling with the door handle.

...

This surprisingly was the first time Reid had been in Penelope's apartment, but it didn't surprise him that it was an absolute reflection of the bubbly person she was. Bead curtains hung in every doorway, fuzzy cushions on every couch. A collection of rainbow rubber duckies sat on one of her many crowded shelves, and not one item in the space lacked color.

"Uh...make yourself at home, I guess." Garcia said in a whisper.

The whole team was now in her apartment, but nobody wanted bring up the touchy subject of who was to stay, and who was to leave. Thankfully, Garcia did it for them.

"Um, I don't wanna hold any of you up. None of you really have to stay. I...I'll be okay." Penelope assured them, but no one bought it.

"Don't even try and argue. At least one of us is staying. More than that, hopefully." Hotch ordered.

"Well...uh..." Penelope began, and Reid felt a pang of guilt.

"We won't be offended, I promise. Whatever makes you feel comfortable." Reid stated purposefully, and Garcia sat on the edge of her armchair, biting her nails.

"Um...Reid...could you stay please?" She mumbled, averting eyes contact, hair falling unceremoniously onto her face.

"Of course."

"And...um, Emily? Would you mind?" Garcia asked timidly.

"Not at all." Emily answered, wrapping her arms around herself, obviously unsure of what else she could do.

"Uh...I would say JJ, but you need to be with Henry." Penelope muttered, trying to push her blonde hair behind her ears, despite the fact that it wouldn't stay there long.

"But I want to help you." JJ pleaded, and Spencer bit his lip, feeling for her.

"You can help me by keeping my adorable godson safe. Please...I just need Reid and Em right now. That's all." Penelope stuttered, blinking rapidly.

"I...okay." JJ surrendered.

"Baby Girl..." Morgan said, hurt in his voice. Spencer cringed internally. "What about me?"

Reid watched Garcia battle internally, her eyes flashing and her lip quivering. He wanted to save her, but wasn't aware of how he could.

"Sweet Cheeks... I love you. You know that. You're my best friend, and you're the sunshine in my day. But...right now...you can't be here. I can't have you with me right now. I'm sorry but I can't." Penelope's voice shook as she turned her back, obviously scared to face him.

"But...Penelope. You..." Morgan fumbled over his words, stepping forward to put a hand on her back. She startled, but thankfully didn't react like last time.

"No. I'm sorry but you can't be here right now." She argued weakly.

"Derek, just leave it-" Hotch started but was cut off by said person.

"I can't leave you now, Garcia...come on Honey."

That got a reaction. Everyone in the room saw her jump, freeze and stop breathing. A strangled gasp escaped her, and she spun around, eyes red and scared.

"Derek. Go! NOW!" She shouted, harsher than Reid had ever seen her previously.

It scared him.

...

Reid waved a quick goodbye to Hotch and Rossi, as they descended the stairs in an orderly, sombre fashion.

JJ hugged him, tears in her eyes. "She'll be okay...right?"

"JJ, relax a little. If we need you, we'll call." He assured her, glancing back into the apartment to see Emily sitting with Penelope, both with their heads down.

"Even if you think I'm asleep." She pointed out, and made her way regretfully down the stairs.

Finally, Reid turned to Derek Morgan, more distraught then he'd ever seen him.

"I don't understand. You know she always latches onto me...why not now?" Derek worried aloud, his eyes red.

"You need to stop worrying about it. She loves you." Reid urged.

"Come on, you're a Genius. Help me out before I break down." He basically begged, his voice cracking desperately.

"Derek... she loves you so much. She loves you to the point where she cares more about how you're doing, than how she's doing. If you're around, she'll have to keep up an act that she's too exhausted to even create. And don't try and tell me you didn't notice when you said 'Honey'. I'm almost ninety nine percent sure the unsub used that." Reid explained, watching as Derek looked at the ground, a tear falling with a small noise.

"I didn't mean to." He choked.

"Neither did I, back at the scene...it's...it's out of our control." Reid admitted, and put an arm on Morgan's shoulder.

For whatever reason it was, whether the circumstances, emotions or both, the walls between them had fell.

Reid quickly pulled Morgan into a fierce hug, just as he himself gave in to his oncoming tears. The two didn't move for a few seconds, the moment simple.

When Derek did pull away, he rubbed his eyes. "That's the first time you've hugged me in seven, eight years."

"There's a first for everything, I guess." Reid said, meaning the phrase to be appropriate, but realizing too late that it connected back to the recent events too closely.

"Yeah. I guess."

XXX

Penelope swallowed the water Emily had set in front of her carefully, her eyes not focused on anything I in particular.

"Funnily enough, I imagined your place looking just like this. Although, to be honest, I saw it as pink, rather than purple." Emily tried, and Garcia didn't have to look up to know the brunette was desperately hoping she would come out of her trance.

"Purple's my favourite. Reminds me of lavender. It was my mom's perfume." Garcia spilled, her hands twitching at the memory.

And yet, all memory was tainted with the dark, terrible knowledge that she wasn't the same anymore. She was no longer the bright girl this home belonged to. Instead she was wrong...violated and strange. Damaged.

Suddenly, she felt the all consuming need to have a shower...to get the terrible man off her. Off her skin, out of her hair, out of her soul.

"I need to shower. I need...I have to get him off me." She whispered, feeling her skin crawl.

"I'll run one for you and look out some fresh towels." Reid offered, smiling towards her. She knew it wasn't a real smile, but it did help.

"No, no, I can-"

"Please let me." Reid all but begged, his eyes shifting from the bathroom and back to her.

"Okay." She gave in, taking another sip of the stale tasting tap water.

Hopefully, the hot water would help her start doing whatever it was she was supposed to do. Recover, maybe. If she could.

She hoped so.

Alllllrighty! There's the next part. I know it's somewhat uneventful, and I'm sorry for that. I've decided this will probably be more of a five-shot! I hope you stick around!

Review, they help me a lot!

xo