Next Day
Penelope walked into the BAU at half mass. She can't believe the fight they had. She'd never seem him so angry. She didn't even try to call him because she knew he needed to cool off. Sometimes the light of a new day put things into perspective or so she hoped
She saw JJ's office light on and she need to decompress. She headed up to her office to chat.
"Hey JJ…. Oh Hi Jordan Welcome to the team!" she waved from the door.
"Sorry to interrupt, can you give me a buzz when you have a moment."
"Sure, Garcia."
As she walks back to her office, she sees Morgan.
"Morning Handsome!" she said a bit too enthusiastically.
"Garcia" he replied with out breaking his stride.
She hoped he would have cooled off but judging by that greeting, he didn't. When she arrived to her office, there were several bouquets of flowers waiting for her. One of them had a note and a MP3 player attached. The note read:
Sweet P,
I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up
God know's we're worth it
Remember when we went to that Jason Mraz Concert in San Jose, and we were the only non-dirty hippies there. I still buy his music because it reminds me of you. Here is a song that makes me think of you.
I love you
Jackson
Lunch with JJ and Emily at Katie's Café
They are sitting at this cute outdoor café a few blocks from the office. It has a mom and pop feel.
"This is your good bye lunch, and I don't want to ruin it with the soap opera that has become my life." She says as she puts her head on the table.
"Ruin it" JJ said
"Argh, I also don't want to cry," Penelope says as she raises her head dramatically.
"Derek and I got into a fight last night and he walked out on me, last night." She said as tears started to form. "So much happened and it is all my fault. I miscalculated so many things" she sighed heavy trying to keep the tears in her eyes.
"I never told him I was engaged, I never told him about Jackson—well I did tell him about him, but in an ambiguous way -according to Derek, then Jackson kissed me. And flowers"
"He what?" Emily said.
"Yes, and then I never told Jackson about Derek because I was trying to let him down easy – I work best when I have a plan, and I didn't have a plan. Then I came up with a plan, you know, like –
- we are broken up and we aren't getting back together—check
- I am dating a great guy and I love him – check
- We are moving in together and I want us all to be friends – check
But my intentions were good—I just screwed up the execution."
"Do you love Jackson?" JJ asked
"Of' course, but as friends, we have known each other since college. I never imagined my life without him —like, he would be the maid of honor at my wedding. We are closer than my brothers, he is my family."
"Well, why didn't you tell Derek about him? JJ asked curtly
"Because when I met Derek, I was trying to erase Jackson from my life. He hurt me by not coming to DC, we called off our wedding, and I was giving him the mental silent treatment. When Derek brought it up he said we could discuss when I was ready and I said there wasn't anything to discuss because the past is the past."
"I understand why he's upset. How can someone so important to you be a person he doesn't know or ever heard of till they show up on your doorstep. The profiler in him can't rationalize that inconsistency and neither can I—honestly" Emily said.
JJ interjected "it is like a sibling relationship. If I'm mad at my sister I can ignore her, not speak to her for a year, and never speak of her as well, but once it blows over and you see them – it is like what fight, we are family – I get it Garcia."
"Well I don't have siblings so I don't understand that dynamic, but I do know, Morgan is all about trust and when it is gone it is gone." Emily said regretfully "Just give him time and maybe he will come around."
"I am going to try my hardest but I just can't figure out how – how to reach him. But I will figure it out. He has to still love me a little but -don't you think? You can be in love on Monday and done on Tuesday.. can you" she trailed off 'Thank you for your honesty though, much appreciated, mi amigas"
Later that day
A case came in. She sat in her normal seat but Morgan sat in Reid's seat, which was the first thing a room full of profilers noticed.
"Team this is, Jordan Todd, she will be filling in for JJ while she is on maternity leave."
She shakes each team member's hand and takes the seat next to Hotch.
Hotch continued "This looks like the Reaper guys so wheels up in 15. And Garcia we are going to need you to be on call."
"Sure, Hotch."
As the team clears the room. She calls Derek
"Garcia." He said turning to face her – his face was tight and in a stoic disposition.
"Do you want me to watch Clooney?" she asked.
"No, he'll be at the kennel," he said matter of factly
"You sure, I don't mind at all and this could be a long—"
He cut her off in mid-sentence "I'm sure."
She caught his hand, as he started to walk out of the conference room "Can I call you tonight?" she asked.
"Sure." he said looking at her hand and letting it go, "I have to head out."
Jordan enters the elevator with the team (Reid, Hotch, Rossi, Emily, and Morgan).
"Garcia should open her own floral shop." Todd said trying to make small talk with the new team.
"Why?" Reid asks
"Have you seen her office? Someone must love her or it's her birthday—her office is full of flowers. Like, every kind you can imagine. I mean whoever he –"
Hotch cuts her off and says "When we land in Boston, Morgan and Rossi go to the crime scene, Reid and Todd check in at the Police Department, and Prentiss and I will head to former captains house."
Penelope's Lair
"Yes, Jackson -I got the flowers."
"Thank you they are beautiful but we really need to talk – I can't tonight - I have class. How about tomorrow night at 930ish?"
Later that day
The second change in her normal BAU routine is Derek no longer called her – it was always Emily or Reid. That was inevitable, she thought, since he wouldn't take her calls. Maybe, she was babying Jax, he was a big boy and she had to set him straight, in order to get through to Derek. She promised herself that tonight was going to be drama free—she's going to dance class and then a nice bath with a large glass of wine.
Hotch called her
"Garcia we need the contact information for Foyet, Reaper's only living survivor."
"Ok, he has had 7 aliases—I sent them, his current number, address to your phones."
"Hey, you can call it a night we are—be in bright and early tomorrow.
"Sure thing boss man."
Hotel
The team was checking into their hotel and everyone notice Derek's dark and stormy mood. As they were heading up to their rooms, Emily did what she knew need to be done. She was going to talk to the pissed-off Derek Morgan, everyone else was too afraid to. That thought made her chuckle to herself.
"Hey Derek, do you want to grab a beer?"
"I'm beat – I'm just going to—"
"Well, can you protect me from the creeps at the bar?" she smiled
He sighed "Sure, Prentiss." – he knew where this was going.
"Can I have a Stella?" she said to the bartender.
They waited in silence until he returned with the beer.
She took a sip and said "You have to talk to her."
"What?" he said surprised by her bluntness, but then again this was Emily Prentiss.
"You have to talk to Garcia, she is so worried about you and I know you're upset. I would be too, but what you have is special -you can work it out. What is that saying—you don't throw out the baby with the bath water."
"Prentiss, it isn't that simple," he replied
" Actually, it is. You guys have something really magical." She said
"Yes it is." He ran his fingers over his head and continued "Come on Prentiss, we are profilers. What does it mean when someone hides something or someone that's important? When you ask them about it they repeat the question? When you realize that you don't know the person you're in love with you have to ask—what was it in the first place."
"Maybe you shouldn't profile her?"
"How can I not, Prentiss? She lied by omission and I did ask her about it. Now there is a kiss and god knows what else, a room full of flowers, ex-fiancé, and a past I know nothing about. How can I trust her when there is so much I don't know about her."
"You know she loves you, Derek"
His phone rings.
He looks on his phone and sees her picture.
"You should take that"—she says and leaves the bar.
His finger hovers over the answer icon on his phone. He sends the call to VM and orders a beer.
Dance Studio
She hustled over to her salsa class. She missed the last few classes because of work and she was looking forward to catching up with her non-work friends. She entered the studio, hung up her bag, and put on her red dancing shoes.
As she enters the studio, she feels calm and relaxed. This is just what the doctor ordered.
"Can I be your partner?"
She turns around and sees Jackson standing there. Argh what the heck-
"So you've taken up stalking since I left—You're really starting to creep me out." She said annoyed.
"There are only 3 dance studios in this area" he smiled and added "soooo, not stalking you"
"I already have a dance partner, Jax – so enjoy the class."
This month's lesson was the Samba. With Jackson being there and all of her missed classes- She couldn't focus and was stepping all over Miguel's poor feet -like it was her first day. She made a note to herself to stop by DSW tomorrow and get him a gift card since she was ruining his shoes.
"Can I cut in? he asked Miguel towards the end of class.
"Sure," he said.
She glared at Jax.
"Come on, Sweet P you have to give me your last dance." Jackson said with a smile.
"I can't and you shouldn't be here" she walked away, change shoes, and exited the class.
"Sweet P, wait" he called
"Let's grab dinner and talk – you gotta be hungry and there is a cute place around the corner."
"No, I have food at home."
"Was that an invitation?" he asked teasing her.
"No."
"Then come with me and keep me company – 20 minutes tops you know I'm a faster eater and I won't talk about us, California, or your boyfriend upstairs…. And did I tell you …I have pictures of Caroline's baby" he said trying to tempt her.
He stood there with that smile that she could never say no to.
"20 minutes" she relented
This time dinner was different he told her about their friends and showed her pictures of their families. Then he showed her his kids - He has a tradition of taking pictures of his classes every semester—this was Fall Semester 2012.
When the exited the dinner he looked at her with love in his eyes and said
"See, that wasn't so bad and now was it."
She smiled and said "Well it didn't suck" and they laughed like old times.
As they arrived to her car she began looking for her keys.
"This was nice Jackson." She said with a smile.
"Even if I don't get the job, I am coming here Penelope. I wasn't the man I needed to be when you needed me, but I am going to spend the rest of my life making it right."
"Jackson, I've forgiven you already, and I don't want to you to come here. We can rebuild our friendship anywhere. I don't need you here to babysit me"
"Jackson, I don't want to ruin this nice night we had and I am so tired of crying – I want you to just accept that this is over."
"That is the one thing I can't do… I am sorry, Sweet P."
He kissed her on the lips and she stepped back to break away. But in reality backed herself into her car. He caressed her hips as he deepened the kiss. She surprised herself and kissed him back. He put his leg between her and pulled her closer a moan escaped her lips as her breast tingled with excitement. He nibbled on her bottom lip and then went to her neck. His stubble against her neck heightened her arousal—but he always knew that.
"No Jackson, No." she said pushing him away and getting into her car.
She drove with her head in the clouds, she passed her exit and wound up at Morgan's house. She called him and she could tell he sent her to voice mail.
"Derek, I'm thinking about you and I miss you. I just want you to hold me and tell me everything will be fine –I miss you, please call me.