"Derek…" Hotch repeated after not receiving a response,

"I heard you Hotch. Tell me she's okay." His voice shook a little begging for Hotch to tell him what he needed to hear.

"She's still in surgery Derek. From what they tell me she'll be in there a few hours so take your time. You know she'll kill you if hurt yourself trying to get here. There's nothing you could be doing here anyway."

"But she's going to be okay?"

"Derek, this is Penelope Garcia we're talking about, with the exception of you, she is the most stubborn person in the world. I would bet my life she's fighting whatever odds that may come her way in true Penelope fashion." Derek had to smile knowing he was right.

"I'm packed and ready to go. Mom's booking me an earlier flight home as we speak. If I'm not there before they bring her down you tell her she better be opening her eyes when I get there."

"I will do."

Penelope, Emily and JJ had spent the weekend at Emily's doing girly things like facials, manicures and pedicures on each other, while watching old movies, all the while consuming a whole lot of junk they wouldn't normally consume on a regular day. But it had been a tough few weeks. Their last case had taken three weeks to break and the one before that just as long. By some miracle Strauss had been generous and granted them a few days off. Penelope and Derek had spent the first couple of days working on one of his new project houses before he left to spend the weekend at his Mom's. As always the invitation was extended to Penelope who declined in favour of a Girls Weekend with her best girlfriends. On her drive home on Sunday afternoon a truck had swerved into her lane, sending Esther off the road so violently that the impact turned her over. The truck driver was reckless and had been trying to cut into her lane judging incorrectly, and the tail end of his trailer sent her car flying.

"Is he okay?" Emily asked as Hotch hung up. She had rushed over to the hospital as soon as he told her, laws be dammed she drove with her phone to her ear. She had driven straight to JJ's house to pick her up, to tell her the news in person before driving to the hospital.

"This is Penelope we're talking about," he answered as if that explained it all, and it really did.

"What time does his flight get in, I'll grab him."

"Are you sure? I can go and get him while you and Jayje wait here in case she wakes up." Emily shook her head,

"She'll want me to go get him." Hotch nodded knowing she was right. Though they were a close knit team, Derek and Emily had formed a bond, that outside Penelope, she was next in line. Penelope relied on that while they were on the field that Derek and Emily would take care of each other, and cover one another at all times.

"Fran is going to call when she's booked his ticket."

Derek fidgeted the whole flight home. His Mom had managed to get him on the next flight out which was within an hour giving him enough time to get to the airport and literally fly through to check in. He looked up to see Emily standing there waiting for him.

"She okay?" he asked in a panic,

"She's still in surgery and Hotch hasn't called for an update, so no news is good news."

"Em, I can't lose her." He said in a desperate whisper. Emily drew him into her arms and hugged him tightly,

"You listen to me Derek Morgan. My friend Penelope Garcia is the strongest, most stubborn person I know. If anyone can get through this, she can. You hear me? So don't you go eulogising her in your head. She's going to be fine."

JJ jumped to her feet when Morgan walked through the door. She flew straight into his arms and sobbed. Morgan drew her close and hugged her tightly, knowing that clinging to him was as close as she was going to get to holding on to her friend who was fighting for her life in surgery.

"She's going to be fine Jayje." He said trying to reassure her.

"Any word?" Derek asked looking up at Hotch.

"Not yet, the nurse said the doctor will be out as soon as he's done with surgery." Just as Hotch finished his sentence the doctor came out.

"Penelope Garcia,"
"Yes," they all replied in unison.

"Ms Garcia pulled through surgery, with the injuries she's sustained, it's a miracle. There has been some internal bleeding, damage to her spine that we've had to repair, and we're hoping with physical therapy she will eventually get back to normal. She had a broken ankle, and she's covered in bruises. We almost lost her on the table, but your friend's a fighter, she fought like hell in there."

"That's our Penelope." Rossi stated somewhat proudly.

"In saying that, the next 24-48 hours are critical."

"Can we see her?" The doctor hesitated but knew it would be futile, they looked like a stubborn bunch who camp out regardless what he said.

"Sure, its not standard practice and normally against hospital policy, but I seriously doubt any of you would listen to me anyway. I'll have the nurse get you once she's been transferred to her own room in the ICU, you can all stay there with her, but be prepared to be thrown out when we need to move around in there."

"Thank you Doc." Hotch replied gratefully.

As their eyes fell on their friend outside her ICU room, they inwardly gasped. With her leg propped up broken, tubes down her throat and numerous tubes connected to her, the impact of the seriousness of her accident hit home. Derek was at her side immediately covering her hand with his. He dropped his lips to her temple and whispered in her ear, telling her he was there. The rest of them gathered and laid a hand where they could, making their own presence known. Sensing the Derek needed some alone time with Penelope, Hotch had gathered the troops to grab some dinner knowing they would all be sitting in Penelope's room in a vigil till she woke up and out of the woods.

"P, I know you can hear me so you fight this okay. You open those pretty eyes of yours Baby Girl so I can see them. You can't leave P, you're my best friend. You're the only one in this world who makes my world make sense when nothing does. I need you P. Please come back to us, we love you."