Note- This is a storyline I would love to see at the end of a season and then picked up at the start of the next season.

The Journal

Morgan and Garcia

Part One

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Derek Morgan said, rushing to block the way of the armed men who were leading Penelope Garcia through the bullpen.

The frightened look on her face was all it took for him to know that whatever reason they were there, it wasn't good.

Holding his hand up, to stop them from passing by him, he asked "What is this all about?"

Quietly, as if she was about to break into tears, Penelope whispered "I have to go with them."

Derek glared at the men, just as one of them pulled out a badge and told him "Step aside, agent. This is a matter of national security and doesn't concern you."

"The hell it don't!" Derek cried, reaching out for Penelope. Taking her by the arm he looked deep into her eyes before adding "We're gonna figure this all out, okay? Don't worry. I'm not letting anyone keep you away from us..." Looking at one of the other agents he said "What's this all about?"

"That's confidential," the man replied. "Now, move aside. I have my orders." The man put his hand on his weapon, as if to emphasis his point, while the other one took out his phone and told Derek "This is over your pay grade. You can move aside or I can get security here to move you."

Knowing there was no way he could stop them, he said, gruffly "Give me one minute."

Looking back at Penelope he could see how upset she was. He hated to see her this way and know he couldn't instantly fix it for her. Wrapping her in a hug, he murmured against her hair "I'm gonna get to the bottom of all this and get you back where you belong. That is a promise, baby girl."

Tightly she hugged him back before stepping away and telling him "Don't stress, my love. I am stronger than you think."

She allowed the men to lead her out of the bullpen and onto the elevator, with Derek staring after them the whole time. "HOTCH!"

Hotch came out of his office.

Derek asked "Did you know about this?"

"About what?"

"Homeland Security just took away Garcia. What the hell is up? This ain't right!"

Reid, who was at his desk and had been watching everything, asked "Is she in trouble?"

Derek and Hotch shared a worried look before Hotch said "I'll see what I can find out," and went back into his office, leaving Derek standing there feeling bereft: his best friend had been hauled away by government agents and no one would tell him why.

All he knew was he needed her back. Panic raced through him at the thought that for some reason or another this might be the last time he ever saw her again.

XXXXXXXX

Four months later

Derek Morgan had never looked so bad in all his life. He had slight dark circles under his eyes, scruff on his cheeks because he didn't shave as often anymore, and his trademark smile no longer graced his pretty lips.

There wasn't anything to smile about, as far as he was concerned, as long as his best friend was away from home.

Hotch had learned that Garcia had been taken to a secret location to work with other hackers to try to track down the identity of the group named Anonymous, who had been wrecking havoc on the internet and also hacking the government.

She had not been allowed to contact anyone and there was no word on when she might come back to them again.

When she was first taken away Derek had feared she was being arrested for hacking but thank the Lord that Garcia hadn't been caught breaking any laws this time. He couldn't imagine what he would do if she was convicted- probably quit his job and go on the run with her just so he could have more time with her before they both got arrested and tossed in a cell for the rest of their lives.

She was like a limb to him, after all these years of working together and being such close friends. There was a time, long ago, when he would have laughed it off if anyone said he couldn't get by without Garcia but now it was no joke. Everyone knew that Derek needed her as much as he needed air, water, and food.

Maybe he needed her more than any of that, actually.

Being without her for months had put him in quite the funk. He was scared about how long it would be until she was able to return to the BAU. Often he would find himself staring at the glass doors leading to the bullpen, just praying she would come walking through in her bright clothes, funky glasses and silly barrettes pinning up her hair.

But everyday came and went without his woman coming back home. Nothing scared him more than the idea that Homeland Security could keep her for years if they wanted to- they were beyond the reach of any court, any man, any other agency. There was nothing Derek could do to change this. He feared Penelope was lonely for all of them.

It was cruel to make her live without any contact with the team for month after month.

The emptiness in him deepened with every passing moment when he couldn't text her, see her on his computer screen, flirt with her on the phone, visit her office, take her to lunch or a movie...she had become such a part of his everyday life, the best part of his world.

"Conference room in five," Hotch announced, as he walked past Derek's office door.

Sliding the leather bound notebook into his go bag, Derek sighed heavily before leaving his office to join the other team members in hearing the details of their latest assignment.

Another case. Drudging through it as usual. Nothing seemed to matter to him as long as Garcia was away. There were no more bright moments to lighten his day. He missed the sound of her voice the worse. If he could just hear her voice again it wouldn't be half as hard to wait out her return.

And, make no mistake, he was waiting for her. He always had been and always would be- even if she had stopped waiting on him years before.

XXXXXXXX

"He doesn't know, does he?" Rossi asked Hotch

Derek had just snapped at a local cop and then stormed out of the briefing.

Hotch watched Derek exit the police station, while speaking to Rossi, "I thought he could use the surprise right about now."

"We could all use some good news. It's been a rough summer."

Hotch nodded, before focusing again on the case, ordering Rossi to join Derek in walking the crime scene. Whenever Derek was in a mood they sent him off to do something physical because otherwise he drove them nuts with all his pent up aggression.

"Drew the short straw again," Rossi muttered, ruefully, before walking off to find Derek.

XXXXXXXXXX

Penelope Garcia was getting settled into her office. She hated the way things had been moved around. The changes were very slight but she could tell someone had been in here: touching her pens, taking down her photos and putting them back on her board in the wrong places, moving around her troll dolls.

She tended to be very obsessive/compulsive about her space and wouldn't be able to relax till things were perfectly in order again.

A few adjustments and she let out a happy sigh. It was good to be back home. Over the summer she had spent way too many hours alone wondering if she would ever return to the BAU, her friends (really more like family) and her boyfriend, Kevin. With each hacker she was able to catch Homeland Security only became more and more impressed with her skills and would want her to catch another and then another.

Sometimes it felt as if she would have to rid the whole world of hackers before she could come home again.

Out of the blue, just as suddenly as they had commissioned her for the job, her handler had walked into her office and told her to gather her things; she was done. Relief had stole through her. There had been times when she had wondered if it would be years and years before she could get back to her regular life.

Now she was home. She could hardly wait to see everyone again. A smile graced her lips as she waited for her phone to ring.

Finally it did and she snatched it up. Breathlessly, she answered it "Derek..."

"Hello."

"Oh, sir," she said to Hotch. "It's only you."

"Only me, yes."

"Sorry! You know what I mean...I'm glad to speak to you, of course. I just hoped...thought this might be my man... How has he been?"

"Difficult to be around would be putting it mildly. You've been sorely missed."

Her cheeks heated. "Well that makes a lady feel good. The sentiments are returned tenfold. So Derek knows I'm home then?"

She had hoped he would call her as soon as he found out. He had been the person she had missed the most intensely and the deepest, right down to her soul...with all of her lying, cheating heart.

Hotch responded "I thought you might want to break that to him yourself, in person."

"OH!" She grinned widely. So Derek didn't know about her return yet. That changed everything. It would have been disappointing if he didn't want to talk to her right away and would have made her wonder if he didn't miss her that much...maybe he had been busy with a new girlfriend. Maybe he was in love now. Distractedly, she said to Hotch, "Yes, yes, that sounds like a plan."

"We'll be back by nine thirty."

"Garci has never looked forward to anything more in all her lives."

"Lives?"

"My parents were hippies. They were big on reincarnation. "

"I see...I'm glad you're back with us again. Welcome home."

"Thank you, sir."

"Bye."

She hung up the phone with a sweet smile on her face. Derek would be home within just a few hours. She could hardly wait to see him again.