Morgan pulled out of the area and drove back to the hotel where they were staying. JJ reached her hand out to the dragon who flinched at first but soon realized that JJ was not going to hurt it. It reached its head out and let JJ pet it. It was curled up in Garcia's lab as they drove.
"What are you going to name her?" JJ asked as she rubbed under the dragon's chin.
"I don't quite know yet but we will find one soon." Garcia said with a smile. She had just been staring down the barrel of a gun but now she was her old self as she smiled on her new friend.
Morgan smiled as he drove. Leave it to Garcia to befriend a dragon and end up taking it home with her. Morgan pulled up to their rooms and parked as close as he could to them. There were staying more at a motel than a hotel. The dragon jumped down to the car floor and waited for Garcia to get out first before it followed. Once they were outside the dragon followed Garcia around like a puppy dog and would not leave her side. Garcia unlocked her room and invited everyone to come in but only Morgan stayed. JJ needed to make sure the press hadn't got a hold of anything and Reid was going to go with her and help her. Garcia thanked them and waved them goodbye.
"Alright you let's give you a bath." Garcia said walking into the bathroom and starting the water.
"You know you are not supposed to get that bandage wet." Morgan informed as he watched the dragon amused. It was exploring the room and found everything interesting.
"I know but she could really use a bath and you can help me rebadged her once we are done with her bath." Garcia said happily as she found some bubbly soap. Morgan chuckled and got up off the couch. The dragon bolted at his sudden movement and hide behind Garcia. Morgan and Garcia looked at each other. This dragon had been abused and by the looks of it for a long time.
"Hey come here." Morgan said kneeling down and holding out his hand to the dragon. She nervously looked at him and slowly walked to him. He gently pet the dragon once she was close enough. "See I am not going to hurt you." He said with a smile. Garcia smiled and turned the water off. There was a good amount of water in the tube now.
"Okay now let's get that bandage off so we can get you clean." Garcia said as she came out of the bathroom. Morgan carefully took the bandage off and chuckled as the dragon turned in a circle looking at it before trotted to the bathroom where Garcia was. He went and sat on the couch. He grabbed the remote and flipped through the channels trying to find something interesting.
Garcia helped the dragon into the tube and laughed when the dragon looked at her in surprise when there was water in the tube. She dipped her head under water and then began playing in it. Garcia got her to stop long enough for her to scrub the dirt and blood off her but she began playing again when the soup created bubbles. As soon as she was done playing, Garcia helped the dragon out and dried it off. The dragon even played with the towel. Garcia shook her head laughing as the dragon walked around with the towel on her head. She picked the towel off the dragon's head and hung it up to dry. The dragon followed Garcia out of the bathroom.
Morgan was laying on the couch with his feet propped up on the table in front of it. "You two done now?" He asked teasingly. The dragon nodded her head up and down while Garcia laughed.
"Yes we are done." Morgan smiled and sat up. He picked up the bandage from the coffee table that he had set it on and held it out for the dragon to see. She walked up and sniffed it before she wrinkled her nose and instead tried to play with Morgan's laces. He usually didn't wear shoes with laces but today was one of the rare times that he did. "Come here you. We need to get this back on you." Morgan said trying to grab the dragon. It just jumped away and ran around the couch.
"Hey you!" Garcia said and immediately the dragon was at her side. Her tongue hung out the side of her mouth and Garcia could have sworn that the dragon was smiling. "You need to have your bandage back on." Garcia said with a laugh as she rubbed under her chin. Morgan held up the bandage again. This time the dragon walked up to him and stood there patiently as he put it back on. He gave her a pat once he was done.
She went over to Garcia and jumped in her lab. She laid with her upper body on Garcia and the other half was on the couch. Garcia and Morgan chuckled at the sight. For an hour they all just sat on the couch and waited. Garcia and Morgan went back and forth between what to name the dragon. "Haley, Penelope, Aura…" Morgan suggested.
Garcia shook her head. "None of those really fit her." This was their discussion when JJ and Reid arrived.
The dragon had heard them at the door and snuggled closer to Garcia.
"How about Nia?" Reid asked. The dragon's ears pricked to that suggestion. Everyone laughed.
"I think we just found a winner." Garcia remarked as Nia got off her lab and nervously sniffed JJ and Reid's shoes. After a minute Nia left them alone and explored the motel room again. JJ sat on the couch with them while Reid stayed standing as he watched Nia in fascination.
"I want to know who won whatever they won." Rossi said as he, Hotch and Emily finally arrived.
"I didn't really win anything." Reid informed them.
Morgan laughed. "We were trying to figure out a name for Garcia's new friend and when he made his suggestion she pricked her ears to it, like she liked that one." Morgan explained.
"Ahh…" Rossi said in understanding. He looked around. "Speaking of your new friend where is she?" Rossi asked.
As if on cue, Nia walked in with a pair of bright pink rolled up socks in her mouth. Everyone laughed even Hotch, at the sight. Nia dropped the 'ball' at Garcia's feet and turned to look at the three new people.
Rossi knelt to the floor. "Hey come her girl." Rossi said patting his knees. Nia hesitated but with Garcia's encouragement, she slowly walked over. She sniffed his pant leg and then let him pet her. Emily was next. As she was petting Nia she laughed.
"So what did you end up calling her?" Emily asked.
"Nia." Reid informed.
"Well hello there Nia." Emily said rubbing behind Nia's ears. Nia walked over and sniffed Hotch's pant leg but he just stood there. He didn't pet her or anything. Nia looked at him and then returned to her new found pink toy. She rolled it away from her and chased it. Everyone chuckled.
"The MOU said that they think this the last we will see of the murder by dragon in this area." Hotch informed the rest of the team. Garcia looked up sharply.
"They are incorrect." She said in a shaky voice.
Morgan turned to her surprised. "What do you mean?" Garcia shook her head. Nia walked up to Garcia with her pink ball and jumped in her lab, trying to comfort her. "The man that threatened me said that I was his first. I was not what he had wanted but he would take what he was given."
"Let's just hope he was lying and just saying that to you." Hotch said looking Garcia in the eye.
"Ok." She replied quietly. Nia opened her mouth wide in a yawn. The tension in the room was melted immediately as they laughed at the sight. "I think you both need some sleep." Morgan said laughing.
"We will see you two tomorrow." Hotch said with a smile. Everyone excused themselves and followed Hotch. Reid gave a glance at Nia before he left and smiled to himself.
"I will take the couch." Morgan said smiling at the sight of Nia and Garcia.
Garcia raised an eyebrow at him. "Really? You think that you get to stay on the couch? When did you decide that you were staying in this room?" Garcia teased.
"Just now." Morgan said tickling Garcia. Nia jumped off the couch and decided that under the small table in front of the couch was comfy and fell asleep. Garcia sighed as they watched Nia sleep.
"Don't worry, you have the whole team to help her and she has the best caretaker, you." Morgan told her, knowing what she was thinking.
"Thanks." Garcia said quietly. She got him a blanket and pillow. Seeing that Nia was out, Garcia left her there and got in bed. Sleep claimed her quickly.
Morgan smiled as he listened to Garcia fall asleep. She was always so light and he hated it when she was put in danger. He turned his head and looked at the sleeping dragon. He still couldn't believe that they were real. Usually he would have an outburst but for some reason it felt like it wasn't that far out there. The proof was sleeping there before his eyes. Now that he could really look at the dragon Morgan noticed how hurt the dragon was. She was really thin, Morgan could count her ribs. There were bruises all over her body not to mention the wound under the bandage. They may never know just how much abuse Nia had suffered but all they could do was hope. Morgan's eyes began to droop and soon he was asleep too.