Title: The Text Message Killer
By: Christa Morgan
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Pairing: Morgan/Garcia & JJ/Reid
Rating: PG-13
Series: 1) Baby Girl, 2) Wedding
Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of the characters that I have listed in my fanfiction below, and I shall never claim to.
Summary: An unsub in Maine is warning people of their murders before he actually murders them. Set after 'Wedding'.

***

"No, Margie, I can't talk right now, I'm driving," the slim, brown-eyed blonde muttered, swivering in and out of the lines on the narrow road she was on. She looked into her rearview mirror, seeing a highway patrolman following her. "Damn. Look, Margie, I really have to go," she said. She closed the phone and looked down. A text message. "U die 2night." Unknown. "Stupid kids..." she muttered, figuring it was just a prank. She rolled down her window as the highway patrolman approached her car. "I'm so sorry officer," she said innocently, looking up. "Oh, Eddie, hi."

"Hi Jessie," smiled the officer whom she had addressed as Eddie. "Is something wrong?"

"Hm. Not really, I just got a creepy message. I'm sure it was just a prank, though."

"Yes, I'm sure," he smiled as he set his hand on his gun.

"So, I guess I better go, I have to get home to Margie," she said, looking down to her cell phone again

"How is she?"

"She and the baby are fine. I really have to go, now," she answered, not looking up.

"No. Wait, please?"

She looked back, a gun pointed to her head. "Eddie, what're you doing?"

"You die tonight," he repeated, pulling the trigger.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Baby girl, Hotch wants to see us," he called.

"One minute sweet cheeks," called Penelope, as she sighed. "Eddie, I have to go, now. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Sure thing, Pen. Love you."

"Love you too."

Penelope hung up the phone and walked to Hotch's office. "Derek told me to come, what's the problem?"

"We have another unsub." he said, looking up at the four images of girls before and after the unsub had gotten his hands on them. The girls were all around the age of 28, with bleach blonde hair and brown eyes. There were images of text messages the girls had recieved before they were murdered, saying "U die 2night". "The people around town have been calling him the text message killer," said Hotch, looking over at Garcia's and JJ's faces. The girls had similar features to them. Sometimes, it seemed JJ and Garcia hated their jobs. They hated seeing the things they saw, and doing the things they did. Or being in situations they were in. But they had no choice and it was so hard on them.

"Did anyone ever try to track the calls?" asked Garcia, breaking the long silence that had overtaken the room.

"It seems they were piggiebacked," said Hotch. "Each call was from a different cell phone number. One from the mayor, one from a highway patrolman in the town, one from a young teenage girl and another from the police comissioner."

Derek sighed, "Seems we're going to Maine then." he said.

Pen looked at Derek pleadingly, "Can I come this time?" she asked.

"Baby girl, it's too dangerous and we need you here," said Derek. "And anyways, who would watch Jennifer?"

Hotch shrugged, "She can come if you find someone for Jennifer. I'm sure you could get your laptop connected to your computers at the BAU."

Garcia nodded, "I can find someone," she smiled. "Your mom's in town, she can watch her." She suggested to Derek.

Derek moaned, "Fine, but you better stay safe."

"I'm always safe."

***

Pen sat next to Derek on the BAU's private jet.

"Why'd you want to go so badly?" he asked, stroking her hand which was intertwined with his.

"Its exciting," she smiled.

"You aren't a thrill seeker," he said, teasingly.

"Who says?"

"I am your husband," he smiled and kissed her softly.

Pen laughed, "Okay. Well. Maybe I just didn't want you to leave me again?"

"But you left your daughter with my mother. Wheres the logic in that?"

Pen rolled her eyes, "I don't know. I just wanted to go. Its work. I have my laptop. I'd be away from Jen, anyway. Even if I was at work. And I'll talk to her on the web cam everynight." she grinned. "I taught your mom how to use it."

Derek poked her in the side, "You are way to brilliant for me, goddess," he teased.

Emily rolled her eyes, "Are you trying to make me sick?" she asked in a joking tone.

Rossi smiled, "There is nothing wrong with two people in love," he said, looking up from the chess game he was playing with Spencer. "And they do their jobs, so theres nothing wrong with it."

Emily sighed, "Fine," she muttered and leaned back in her chair, glancing out the window.

They were still about an hour from their destination in Ellsworth, Maine.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Lacey Trap stepped out of her car, another flat tire. Wasn't that just wonderful? She was pulled over to the side of the road. It was getting dark and this was definitely not the time she wanted her car to have a flat tire, if ever. The brown-eyed blonde 27 year old opened the trunk of her car to get a spare tire out when her phone buzzed, taking it out, she glanced down at the text message. 'U die 2night'. By an unknown person, none the less. She was just driving by, not living in the town or even the state, and hadn't heard of any of the murders. The police thought that they wouldn't worry people and therefore decided not to tell anybody who didn't know about the murders. She wasn't exactly threatened or scared by the message because she often got messages from her fifteen year old brother concerning things like this. He often messed with her mind and didn't care if he scared her at all. Lacey watched as a highway patrolman pulled up behind her, "Officer?" asked Lacey as she stepped infront of his motercycle. "Could you help me please?"

"Sure thing, miss," he smiled and stepped off of the cycle, removing his helmit to reveal a handsome brown hair man in his mid-30's.

Lacey glanced at the nametag on his brown coat that read 'Eddie'. "My car has a flat tire, could you help me put another on?"

"Sure thing, miss," he repeated, setting his hand on his gun as she turned to walk back to her car.

"Miss?" he asked, holding his gun to her head.

"Yes?" she asked and turned around.

"You die tonight." he said calmly, and pulled the trigger.

***

Detective Cooper sighed as he looked at the dead girl on the road, his cops crossing off the scene with yellow Caution tape as the BAU's car pulled up.

Hotch stepped out of the car, "He doesn't waste anytime, does he?"

"It doesn't seem that way."

Hotch looked at the dead girl's body before the coroner covered her with a white sheet.

Derek sighed. All the girls bared resemblance to his baby girl, and JJ. He didn't exactly know if he wanted them on this case. Too many risks. "It seems that he has an obsession with bleach blonde hair women in their late 20's, with brown eyes," he said. "The man we're looking for is someone with authority. He wouldn't stand out in a crowd, though. It would most likely be somebody that people would trust, like a cop."

Garcia sighed, as she waited inside the car and turned on her laptop. She had been listening to what her sweet cheeks had been saying, and decided to get a list of all cops and highway patrolmen in the town of Ellsworth. She logged into the BAU computer's back at home and went through the search. Her eye's widdened as she looked at the highway patrolman on duty during the times of all the murders. "Derek!"

Derek looked back at the car, and walked back. "Whats wrong baby girl?" he asked and slid into the car, sitting next to her.

She shook her head. This couldn't be. How could he be the person who was killing these girls. But then again. It made perfect sense. He was attacking girls with blonde hair and brown eyes in their late 20's. That described her nearly perfectly. "I think I know who the murderer is..."

"That's great baby girl," Derek said with a smile. "Might be the easiest case yet, then?"

"Not really," she sighed, looking down at her screen, moving it so that Derek could see the screen. "Eddie...Garcia?"

Garcia nodded, tearfully. "How could my brother be the murderer?" she asked.

"Baby girl," he said softly and stroked her hair. "I know this is hard, but...you just have to let us do our jobs."

"I just talked to Eddie yesterday. He didn't even tell me he had moved," she said, looking down at the screen.

Hotch and JJ walked over, Emily and Reid following. "Whats going on?"

"Pen ran a check on all the cops and highway patrolmen in Ellsworth," said Derek simply.

"And?" asked Emily.

"There was only one highway patrolman on duty on the nights of all five murders," said Garcia in almost a mumble.

"Whats his name?" asked Hotch. "We should bring him in right away."

"Eddie Garcia," whispered Penelope.

JJ's eyes widdened. "Eddie Garcia? As in your brother Eddie Garcia?" she asked, shaking her head. At Pen's and Derek's wedding, she had flirted with him. But when he asked her out on a date, she had refused, saying that she and Reid were together. He was pretty angry. Maybe the reason this was all happening was because of that. Was it all her fault?

***

Pen sat in the hotel room suite, going over it over and over again in her head. She shook her head. "Eddie cannot be the killer. He wouldn't hurt a fly," she said in a mutter to herself. This just didn't seem right. Her brother was her hero, next to Derek. She loved him so much. Why would he want to kill anybody that looked like her?

JJ sighed and knocked on the hotel room door, startling Pen slightly. Pen walked to the door and opened it, smiling at the sight of her best friend. "Why aren't you with everybody else?" she asked.

JJ sighed, "They don't want me on the case," she said, "I don't think its fair. I mean. I wouldn't be driving alone, anyways. He only attacks girls who are alone."

"Wait, they think that he'll shoot you?" she asked.

"Yea. Because I told them that if it is Eddie, its all my fault that he is doing this," JJ answered as she sat down on the sofa in the suite.

"Thats crazy, JJ," said Pen and shook her head, sitting next to her friend with her right leg beneath her and her left against her chest.

"Not really. If you think about it logically, who is the one who refused to go on a date with him? Who is the one who flirted with him? And then told him she was in love with somebody else?"

"Okay, okay, I get it," said Pen softly. "But...we don't even know if it's Eddie yet, do we?"

"No. But..." she muttered.

"Exactly. You don't have to worry about it, JJ," replied Pen.

JJ looked up, "Do you think, if it is Eddie, that he would kill me if we were alone?"

Pen sighed, "I...I don't really know anymore," she said, "I thought I knew my brother. But then he moved and said nothing about it. He got a new job and said nothing about it."

"Its not your fault he isn't telling you anything, Pen," she said in almost a whisper.

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Derek sighed, as he walked up to the Sheriff's office. "Detective Cooper?" he asked, Emily and Hotch following him, Reid tagging along farther behind.

"Agents Morgan, Hotcher, and Prentiss," he smiled politely, "And Dr. Reid. What can I do for you?"

"Can you tell us anything about Eddie Garcia?" asked Derek, saying the name in an almost forced voice.

"He's the best highway patrolman I've ever known," said Cooper proudly.

"Are you absolutely sure he's the best?" asked Emily.

"Never got one complaint about him," said Cooper, incoherantly.

"Maybe thats because they've all died on his watch," said Hotch.

"Your thinking that Eddie is the killer?" asked Cooper defensively.

"He has been on duty each time that one of the girls was killed and he never reported anything, is that true?" asked Emily.

"It is true." said Cooper, going through it in his head.

"Then, where is Officer Garcia today?" asked Emily.

"Off duty." said Cooper. "He asked to have a day off."

"The day we come into town?" asked Hotch.

Derek nodded, "I think thats far too much of a coincidence," he replied.

"What're you talking about?" asked Cooper, interested by now.

"He is the sister of one of our agents, and wanted to be involved with another one of them," said Derek. "They both have blonde hair and brown eyes and are in their late 20's."

"Oh," was all Cooper could manage to get out of his mouth.

***

Morgan shook his head, "Call us, please, if you hear anything from him," he said and walked from the Sheriff's office. "What if he tries to find Pen or JJ?"

Hotch shook his head, "He won't," he said, "We'll go back to the hotel, they'll be there. He isn't going to hurt either of them, we won't let him."

Derek sighed and nodded, climbing into the passenger's seat of the BAU SUV. Emily and Reid got in the back and Hotch in the driver's seat. "Have you talked to Rossi at all?" asked Derek.

"He said that he would go check out Eddie's house," said Hotch unsurely.

"Why would he go alone?" asked Emily, peeking from the back seat.

"I told him to take you, Em, but he refused, then he just left," said Hotch.

Derek shook his head, "That man likes to put himself in the line of fire, doesn't he? Does he not realize this guy is killing people execution style?"

"I don't think he cares, Derek," said Hotch as he pulled up at the hotel.

Derek sighed and stepped out of the car, going up to his and Pen's room, finding JJ with her. "Whats going on?"

"I'm just nervous," said JJ softly. "What if I put this all into motion?"

Derek smiled lightly, "It is not your fault anymore than its mine," he said and sat next to her on the couch.

"You didn't dump him," she said in a mutter.

Pen sighed, "You didn't exactly dump him, you know that right?"

"Basically." she said.

Pen looked up at Derek for some help, then back to her friend. "Come on, can't you just perk up a little for me?"

JJ smiled, "I'll definitely try."

Pen looked over at the coffee table as JJ's cell phone started vibrating.

As JJ picked it up, she looked up at Pen nervously. Opening, she glanced down at the screen. "U die 2night." Unknown. Tears struck her eyes, as she glanced up at Derek. Derek took her cell phone and wrapped his arms around his friend, handing Pen the cell phone. "Track the number." he mouthed.

Pen nodded, and opened up her laptop. Another different cell number. Lacey Trap? Why was he picking the people's cell phone number's he'd already killed?

JJ wiped her tears and pulled away from Derek. "I...I'm sorry," she said softly.

"No problem," he said, smiling at her. "I won't let this guy put his hands on you."

***

David Rossi's car pulled up to Eddie Garcia's house. A quaint little cottage that looked slightly run down. The wood was fading and some bark was coming off. Rossi sighed, his hand on his gun as he stepped out of the car. He needed to do this alone. Rossi had seen Eddie as a nice person, not a murderer. One that kept to himself, but when he was spoken to or spoke to somebody, he seemed like he was pleasant. He never said one mean or derragatory((sp?)) word to anybody. Rossi shook his head and approached the door of the house. He didn't know why he had gone alone. All of a sudden, it didn't seem like the wise thing to do. But then again, it didn't seem like anybody was home. There was no car in the driveway beside his, and there were no lights on in the house. It was quiet, maybe too quite.

In the bushes lurked Eddie Garcia. His hand on his gun as well, knowing that if Rossi were to see him, things wouldn't end well. Things wouldn't end well, anyway, most likely.

Rossi's eye caught the moving bush. There was no wind. The air was still. "Eddie Garcia..." he said in a soft voice as he held up his gun. "I know your there. Its David."

Eddie stepped out. "Hello. Why are you here?"

"Why do you think?"

"You think I'm the murderer, do you not?"

"It seems that way, doesn't it?"

"Well, your wrong Rossi."

"I don't think I am. Why else would you be hiding in the bushes, ready to shoot me just because I wanted to take you in for questioning?"

Eddie couldn't think of an answer, he just starred at Rossi. Although, it was more like a hateful glare.

"Come on, your coming with me." said Rossi and stepped forward.

Once at the Sheriff's Department, Rossi took him into Interrogation 1 and questioned Eddie.

"How's my sister?" he asked, as he was thrown into the chair by Rossi.

"Hateful towards you," he answered angrilly.

"But I didn't do anything."

"Lies. Hand it over," he made a motion with his hands, wanting the cell phone and watched as Eddie grabbed it from his pocket.

"I didn't do it."

"Yes, you did." He glanced down at the messages sent and recieved. None. But then again, he could've easily deleted the messages.

A press conference was called, telling the town of Ellsworth, who had known now that a killer was on the loose, that they had a suspect who had no allibi in custody and they believed him to be the killer.

Hours later, Hotch was down at the Sheriff's Department with Rossi. "Detective Cooper?" called a female police officer. "I have a package for you."

Cooper took the padded yellow envelope from the woman, and beginning to open it. "Agents Hotchner and Rossi, you might want to take a look at this." He hadn't put his hands on the paper, from the blood he had seen that covered the inside of the envelope.

Slipping on a pair of plastic gloves, Hotch took the letter. "Let him go," Hotch read aloud. "He isn't the killer, I am." Hotch studied the letter and the blood splattered across it.

Cooper picked up the phone that had begun to ring, and as he hung up, his fingers ran through his hair. "Another girl..." he told Hotch and Rossi.

***

Hotch sighed, "Do you really think this guy is admitting to the murders?" he asked. "Telling the truth that he killed all those girls?"

"Or is he a copy cat?" asked Rossi, announcing what Hotch was saying.

"Will you come with us, Agents Hotchner and Rossi?" asked Cooper, interupting their conversation.

Rossi nodded, "Of course."

Hotch glanced back through the window where he could see Eddie, grinning mischieviously. "Do we have to let him go?"

"We have no evidence," said Cooper, with a sigh. "But we can keep him for 72 hours without evidence."

Hotch shrugged. "Its your decision."

They hadn't let him out before they went to the crime scene. Derek and Reid had agreed to stay with JJ and Pen while Rossi, Hotch, and Emily went to the crime scene with Cooper.

Hotch looked at the crime scene. "He's definitely a copy cat," he sighed. "The girl looks only to be 17. Plus, she doesn't have bleach blonde hair like the original killer has been targetting."

"We haven't released anything to the public about the killer, so all this guy knew was that they were killed execution style from people around town telling him," shrugged Cooper.

"Anything on her cell phone?" asked Rossi, curiously as he watched an Agent walk to them.

"Nothing's on the messages of the cell phone," he replied.

Hotch sighed, "I still think that Pen's brother is the killer," he told Rossi in a soft voice.

Rossi nodded, "All the evidence seems to be pointing to him. And that message was sent to JJ minutes before I got to Eddie's house."

Hotch shook his head, "But we have no evidence beside the fact he was on duty."

Hotch and Rossi returned to the hotel. Hotch and Emily headed up to Pen's room, and as Derek answered the door, he sighed. "Any news?"

"The guy was a copy cat," he said, "The girl was a dirty blonde and only looked 17."

"So your thinking it is Eddie?"

JJ sighed as she talked with Pen. "Do you really think its a good idea, Pen?"

"He's my brother. He wouldn't hurt me," she said.

"But I don't want you to go out there, alone, and get shot," replied JJ.

Pen sighed, "Look, I'm the best decoy you've got right now. I'm not afraid of Eddie."

"But what if Eddie's telling the truth? What if he really isn't the killer and this guy finds you and kills you? Do you think any of us could deal with loosing you?"

Pen grinned, "I love you, but you have to trust me. I know how to avoid getting shot."

"Mhm," she smirked. "Thats why you made us worry so much after finding out Baylor'd shot you?"

"Oh come on, that was a one time only deal."

Derek walked over, "Whats going on here, ladies?" he asked and sat down, after Hotch and Emily had left.

"I want to be a decoy to draw Eddie out," said Pen softly, knowing Derek wouldn't agree.

"No way!" he nearly shouted. "I cannot let you do that. If it isn't Eddie, the guy'd kill you. Not a chance!"

"Come on, hot stuff, don't you trust me?" she asked.

"I can't deal with you getting shot again," he replied.

"Look, I got the same lecture from my girl over here, I don't need it from my husband. I want to do this!" Pen told him loudly. "Please Derek?" she pouted.

"Don't gimme that, please?" He couldn't resist that, but this was just too risky. "Fiine, but only if Rossi and Hotch agree."

***

Hotch sighed, "Pen, if you do this and anything happens, you do understand none of us could get by with out you, don't you?"

Pen grinned. "Your goddess is going to be fine."

Hotch shook his head, "I'll only agree if Derek agrees to go with you."

"But then he won't stop me," disagreed Pen.

"If Derek hides, he will." said JJ.

"But do you really think your brother would text you and tell you he is going to kill you?" asked Derek.

Pen shrugged, "I don't know, but don't you think its worth a try?" she asked. "I want to catch this guy..."

"We do too, Pen," said Hotch, "but I don't know if I want to risk your life in the process."

Penelope rolled her eyes. "Look, you all know how stubborn I am! I'm not going to give up and if you don't let me do this with your permission, I'll go ahead and do it without your permission."

Derek shook his head with a smile. "It seems the goddess has spoken."

Emily laughed lightly, "I guess so."

About two hours later, when it was dark, Penelope got dressed and ready to go. "Don't worry 'bout me, 'kay, JJ?"

JJ nodded and wrapped her arms tightly around her friend. "Don't get hurt, okay?"

"I have no intention," she smiled happily.

Pen and Derek went to her car, where Derek got in the back. Hotch followed them, and as Pen got in the driver's seat, Hotch stopped her. "I want you to speed so that he will stop you," he said. "Put this on your bumper, too, and take this phone. It isn't yours, so he won't recognize the number when he texts you." He handed her a bumper sticker that had a phone number on it, along with a name that said something along the lines of a Hair Salon.

Derek sighed, "Do you really think he is going to fall for this, Hotch?" he asked.

"I think he will. Pen's blonde, you can see that when the hood is down, which it is, but you can't see her face. Dont' worry, we have this under control."

Pen nodded, "I'll be safe," she said, putting her real cell phone in her pocket. She put a cover over the back seat where Derek crouched on the floor so that nobody could see him, and drove off after Hotch put the bumper sticker on the car.

As she pulled onto the empty highway, she began to speed up, and watched as the highway patrolman watched her fly by.

Pen's heart sped up as her cell phone buzzed and the message came onto the screen. "U die 2night." Unknown. Typical.

Pen listened as he sped up and she pulled to the side of the road, closing her eyes for a moment before looking back.

The man pulled to the side of the road and put the kick stand down on his motorcycle, then walked to the side of Pen's car. Pen didn't look up until his helmet was off.

Eddie's eyes widdened, "Penelope?" the man asked in a stunned voice.

"Hello Eddie," she said, disappointedly.

"Um. You...you didn't tell me you were in town." he said and looked down at the gun which he was holding.

"You didn't tell me you moved, yet, here you are. I recieved the message."

"You...did?" he asked, suddenly backing slightly away from the car.

Derek removed the cover, and stood up in the back of the convertable, pointing his gun at Eddie. "Drop the gun, Eddie Garcia, your under arrest for the text message killer murders."

Eddie defensively held his gun toward Pen. "Drop your gun and let me go, or I shoot."

Pen shut her eyes tight, and as she heard a loud gunshot.

***

Pen's eyes opened to see Eddie pointing his gun at her, and to see Derek sprawled against the back seat, blood leaking from his left shoulder. The wound appeared to have hit right above his heart. Pen's heart stopped for a moment, tears streaking her face as she grabbed Derek's gun. "I hate you." she said to Eddie. "You were supposed to love me! You are the last person in my life that could ever remind me of what we had before ma and dad were killed! Why are you doing this!?"

Eddie didn't answer. Just starred. At his sister. The girl he once loved, until she married Derek. Eddie believed Derek wasn't the right person for her, for various reasons. One, he was a player. Two, he wasn't the right color skin. Yes. Racist. It didn't make sense. Why would Penelope, his little sister, love someone like Derek Morgan?

Pen couldn't take it. Her husband lay there, dying, while she stood there, starring at the brother who shot her husband. "I'm sorry," she said in a whisper as she pulled the trigger, her eyes shutting tight, and she heard a thud on the ground. Opening her eyes, Pen looked down to see her brother dead. She had good aim, hitting him direct in the heart. Dropping the gun in the seat next to her, she climbed into the back seat to her Derek. "Oh hot stuff," she whispered, carressing the unconcious man's cheek as tears streaked down her cheek. She picked up her cell phone. "This is 911. Whats your emergency?"

Pen tried to stay calm, but tears were streaking her cheeks and she felt like she could barely breathe. "The text message killer shot...my husband. He's still...alive, but barely."

"An ambulance is on the way. Where are you?"

"On the highway. It won't be hard to find us, we're the only ones here."

A half hour later, Pen and Derek arrived at the hospital and Derek was taken into surgery.

Pen sighed as she picked up her cell phone. Her hands were shaking, and she could barely get a grip on reality at the moment.

"Aaron Hotchner," said Hotch.

"Sir, it's Pen," she said in a whisper.

"Pen, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I am." she said softly.

"Then whats wrong?"

"Eddie's dead, and he shot Derek."

***

Half an hour after getting off of the phone with a worried Aaron Hotchner, Pen nervously sat down in the ER waiting room. She tapped her foot on the ground impatiently, and rested her head in her hands. She couldn't loose her sweetness, her chocolate god, her hot stuff. The man she'd loved forever, the man who made her feel alive, the man she couldn't help but love because he wasn't only patient and loving, but brave and brilliant.

Pen glanced up and watched Emily, Reid, JJ, and Hotch stalk into the waiting room. "Have you heard anything?" asked Hotch as he sat next to Pen.

Pen shook her head, trying to hold her tears back.

Hotch placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm going to tell you the same thing I told him when you got shot. He's going to be fine, Pen. He wouldn't leave you because he knows how much you love him, how much we all do."

Pen collapsed into Hotch's arms. "I hope your right," she said softly, but pulled away. "I...I'm sorry, sir." She knew he wasn't the most caring and sensitive person.

A smile appeared on Hotch's face as he gathered her back in his arms. "Don't worry, I don't mind." He decided that since Pen was the only one who could make any of them smile on a hard day, he would let himself unravel for a moment and be the caring and sensitive man that was never seen.

Emily smiled, "Come on, who is the strongest person we know?"

"Derek," said JJ and Reid in unison.

"Who is the best profiler we have?" asked Emily.

"Derek," repeated JJ and Reid.

"And who would never leave Pen's side even if she wanted him to?" Emily smirked slightly.

"Derek."

"Okay, okay, I get it," said Pen with a smile. "Thanks for cheering me up."

"No problem," said JJ and sat next to Pen.

"Derek Morgan?" asked a doctor who was dressed in scrubs, who was glancing around the room for a family member of some sort.

Pen looked up and calmed herself. "I'm his wife," she said softly, and stood up, walking over to where the doctor stood and JJ, Emily, Reid, and Hotch following.

The doctor sighed, "He's alive," he said. "But barely, we lost him on the table."

Lost him? No. That means...he died? In the hands of doctors? Weren't they supposed to save people? And not let them die? Tears sprung to Pen's eyes as she listened.

"The bullet hit an artery and he lost a lot of blood. Hes a lucky man that the bullet missed his heart." the doctor continued, "We'll have to monitor him. He'll need more blood transfusions, because of all the blood he lost. I think he'll be here for at least five days, however I can get him transferred to a hospital in Quantico if it is too difficult to be here."

Pen nodded, "Whatever's best," she said weakly. "Can I see him?"

"Sure thing," said the doctor and led Pen and the other's to his hospital room.

Hotch squeezed Pen's hand slightly, as Pen looked through the door to see her husband laying unconcious, unmoving on the bed. "I'll be okay," said Pen in a whisper, as she glanced up at Hotch. He nudged her and smiled, "Of course you will. Your Penelope Garcia-Morgan."

Pen silently walked into the room and sat in a chair near the bed, taking his cold hand into hers. "I just have to tell you this," she said, "If I lost you, I don't think I'd be able to go any longer. Your what keeps me going everyday. Your the light I see at the end of every case, after seeing all those terrible things. And though I doubt you can hear me, I want you to know I love you more than anything. Don't make me tell Jenni that her daddy isn't coming home. I don't want to have to tell her stories about you when she gets older, because you left. I want you to tell her those stories."

No response. Pen looked up at the monitor. The only thing that showed her husband was alive. She looked back down, "Okay, even if you can't hear me, I'm going to say it anyway," she said, "The BAU would go to hell without you. Your the best profiler we have. We can't lose you!" Pen was trying her best not to cry right now. She looked up again at the beeping monitors, and her heart stopped as she watched the line that showed her husband was alive flatline.

***

It was all a blur for Penelope as she was shuffled out of Derek's hospital room by the various nurses and doctors trying to save Derek's life.

Hotch took Pen into his arm, "He isn't going to die," he promised her, trying to make himself sound as confident as he did all the time.

Pen watched for a moment, while the doctor's tried to bring her husband back to life. A smile appeared on her face as she saw the line go from flat to squiggly again and the doctor's and nurses left the room.

One doctor stopped infront of Pen and the BAU agents. "We got him back, but we aren't sure how much more his body can take."

"What does that mean?" asked JJ, tears in her eyes.

"It means we don't know if he can take anymore stress on his body. I can't gauruntee he is going to live."

Pen looked at the doctor angrilly as she pulled out of Hotch's embrace. "That's all you can tell me?" she asked. "Your doctors! Your supposed to save peoples' lives! Not let them die!"

Hotch pulled her back slightly away from the doctor. "Pen, this isn't helping," he said softly.

"Don't tell me how to act or not to act, sir." she said fiercly. "My husband's dying and you all just expect me to be calm about it? The hell I will." She furiously walked back into Derek's room and sat at his bed side.

"We're sorry," said Emily to the doctor. "She doesn't normally act like that."

"I don't mind. I get it a lot," said the doctor simply as he walked away from the agents.

Reid wrapped his arms around the now crying JJ. "It isn't fair. Derek is the best agent I've ever known. He doesn't deserve to die," she mumbled as she buried her face in his shirt. Reid just stood near, rocking her slightly, as he glanced in at his friends.

Pen sighed as she looked at Derek. "Do you really want to leave me?" she asked, tears running down her face. "Did you not understand anything I said earlier. I can't live without you. And then you leave me? Derek, this isn't fair to any of us! There are so many people who love you. I love you!" Something popped into her head. What if she flirted with him? Like they flirted when they first met? Maybe he would come back for that. "Come on my Scruptious God of Chocolate. I need you to come back to your goddess and show what you can do to me with all those godly powers of yours."

Derek's hand twitched slightly and his heart sped up, but his eyes didn't open.

One more try. I know he'll wake if I do it right, thought Pen as she grasped his hand. "Derek. Hot stuff, gorgeous, remember our morning greeting. When you tell me Good Morning, and every day I tell you that 'I'll show you a good morning'. Remember that? Well, you have to wake up, so I can show you a real good morning."

The same response, Derek didn't open his eyes.

"Good evening sweetness." Pen whispered and buried her head in the bed, hoping he would respond.

"I'll show you a good evening," said Derek weakly and stroked her hand softly.

Pen looked up and smiled. "If you ever scare me like that again, I swear I'll kill you myself." She wrapped her arms around him.

"Woah, woah," he said with a wince. "I just got shot. You can't do anything just yet, baby girl."

Pen watched as their friends at the BAU came in.

"So you wanted to scare us, did you?" asked Hotch with a smirk.

"I see it worked," said Derek jokingly.

JJ slapped him playfully on the arm, "Your a jerk, Derek Morgan."

Reid laughed, "Yea. JJ was crying."

"So..." muttered JJ and sat on the edge of Derek's bed. "How you feeling?"

"The best I could, with being shot and all." he chuckled lightly.

Emily smiled, "So did your wife tell you what success she's had?"

"With what?" asked Derek and glanced up at Pen.

"I...shot Eddie." said Pen in the most innocent tone.

Derek laughed. "Good job, baby girl."

"Your praising me for killing somebody?" she asked, confused.

"Well. That's what I wanted to do to Baylor when he shot you," he said. "Although I didn't get the chance, JJ had to take all the glory."

JJ rolled her eyes and shook her head. "It wasn't like I enjoyed killing him!"

"Riiiiight," said the whole room in unison, and laughed.

***