Title: Unexpected Feelings
By: greenleo
Pairing: Elle/Morgan
Rating: PG-13
Warning: WiP
Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds. All the characters are not mine, either. I'm simply writing fictional stories about my favorite show. I do not make any profit from them. The stories are only for those who also love this show and want to read different material. All rights of the show belong to CBS and the production company. Thank you and enjoy this story.
Author's Notes: As you can probably tell, I'm a huge fan of the show. I love all the characters/actors in the show. The storylines are amazing. I'm an English major and a writer in the making. I also happen to be a huge shipper of Elle/Derek Morgan. I think they have a great chemistry. They had some sparks in the episode, The Broken Mirror and other episodes as well. This is a romantic story that gives the readers a glimpse to who Elle really is and what happened to her in the past. I hope all of you guys enjoy my story.
Summary: This story deals with Elle's mysterious past. The man that Elle hated the most in the world comes back and tries to finish the job that he started years ago.

***

The alarm clock woke her up from a pleasant dream. Elle Greenaway opened her eyes, and the dream was gone. She got out of bed and began getting ready for work. Her life revolved around the BAU. It left no time for a personal life. She didn't mind at all because she felt that what she was doing made her a better person and gave her a sense of importance. She was putting bad guys behind bars and saving the lives of innocent people.

As she was walking through the agency, she was trying to remember her dream. The only thing she recalled was that in her dream she was happy. Her partner, Agent Derek Morgan, interrupted her thoughts.

Derek Morgan: Good morning, Elle.

Elle: Morning, Derek. You look more tired than usual. Late night again, huh? (She smiled)

Derek Morgan: Now, why does everyone assume that I have a lot of late nights with the ladies. Last night, I actually stayed at home and watched some television. I hadn't noticed that when the movie was over, it was 3 a.m. That's why I'm exhausted.

Elle: Sure, of course. Come on, I know you. You don't watch television, period. So who was the girl, this time? A bartender, a model, or wait, a striper? (She smiled again. She loved teasing him.)

Derek Morgan: Actually, she was a model, thank you very much. And her name was…

Elle: Take your time.

Derek Morgan: Patricia. Or wait Kelly, that's it. It was Kelly.

Elle had always wondered why Morgan did not want to have a serious relationship with anyone. He had always dated a number of girls at the same time. Most of their names he forgot quickly. She has always thought that Derek was very handsome and intelligent. He has always been a true friend to her. Anytime she needed something, he was always there for her. She appreciated him. She also trusted him with her life. It's a good thing, too, considering that in lots of their cases, her life was in his hands.

Agent Aaron Hotchner joined them.

Agent Hotchner: Looks like I'm not the only one who is exhausted this morning. Late night again, Morgan?

Derek Morgan: What is it with you people today? I'm already getting attacked left and right, and it's not even afternoon yet.

Elle smiled at his effort to defend himself. Derek was one of the few people who always made her smile. She loved his company.

Elle: The baby keeping you up, Hotch?

Agent Hotchner: Yeah. You think it'll get easier. But trust me it doesn't.

Dr. Spencer Reid joined in on their discussion.

Dr. Reid: It's being diagnosed that the sleepless nights for the new parents will only last 2-3 years after the baby is born.

Morgan: So you're saying that he has another 2 years to go before he actually gets some sleep. The kid is got talent for making people feel a whole lot better, I'll say.

Elle: Oh come on. Hotch, I'm sure it will get better. You just have to give it time. Look at the bright sight, you're the only one on the team who is married and is a parent. So you've already accomplished more than any one of us. That's something to be proud of.

Morgan: That's a great pep talk for him, Elle. But it sure isn't making any of us other unmarried and childless folks over here feel a lot better. You're even better at this than Reid.

Elle: Oh please, Morgan. I can't imagine you getting married any time soon. For you to do that, first you need a real relationship. In which, you can actually remember the girl's name.

Hotch: Ouch.

Morgan: You know, Elle. I haven't seen you in a serious relationship, either.

Hotch: Wow, you two are starting early today.

Agent Gideon walks towards them with a trouble look on his face.

Agent Gideon: I need to call a meeting in my office right now, guys. We've got a serial rapist/murderer on our hands. And time is running out for one of his new victims.

***

Later at his office, Gideon is describing to his team what's going on.

Agent Gideon: The perpetrator is a male believed to be in his late thirties to early forties. He's thought to be Caucasian. He has been doing this for the past twenty years, and the FBI has yet to catch him. He's really good at hiding his trail. In recent years, his crimes have more than tripled. We need to find him as soon as possible. Here is a photo of a 17-year-old high school student, Natalie Coleman. She was kidnapped from her house yesterday at 11 pm. There was a note left in her room. It said that the kidnapper would call the family tomorrow at 11 pm sharp. Natalie lives in Canada, and so we'll be flying there in an hour. Time is of essence. I'll give you more details once we're on the plane.

Later that day, on the plane, Gideon continues talking about the rapist.

Agent Gideon: Once we get there, we need to set up a phone-trace system right away.

Morgan: But you mentioned that this guy had no trouble getting caught for twenty years. So we can be sure that he'll expect the police to be at the house and tracing his number.

Agent Gideon: I realize that, Morgan. But we still need to take precautions. Elle, this is your specialty. What's your take on all of this?

Elle: Natalie is still very much alive. If he planned on raping her and then murdering her, then he wouldn't have bothered with the note. The note proves that he wants control. He wants to be the boss in this situation. He'll call and possibly make his demands.

Hotch: What kind of demands, though? Natalie's father is not rich. So I doubt that he'd ask for ransom. Also he's a rapist, and that has absolutely nothing to do with money.

Morgan: But it has everything to do with power. Elle's right. He'll ask for something.

Reid: The question still remains as to what he'll ask for. I've never even heard of rapists leaving notes and asking for demands. Have there been previous cases where he had left notes?

JJ: As far as the press and the FBI knows, he has never done anything similar to this. He has never left a note for the parents. Nor did he ever ask for anything. He just raped the young girls and then killed them. Lots of times, he strangled them. Then there were times, when he even drowned them.

Morgan: So for some reason, now it's different. Why would a serial rapist change his behavior? It does not make any sense.

Elle: I have a feeling that there is a lot more to the story. We need to wait for his phone call. This girl can still be saved if we do things properly. We have to be very careful about what we say to him. He needs to feel like he's in charge. He has to be the authority.

The next day at the Colemans' house, the agents finished setting up the tracing system. Everything was all set. Tensions were running high. There was a sense of uncertainty and fear in the air. The girl's parents were a mess and could barely talk. The mother spent hours trying to calm herself. She kept crying and saying that she wants her baby girl back. Meanwhile, the father tried putting on a strong face but failed miserably. He could not hide the fear for his daughter in his eyes. Finally, the phone rang. For a brief second, no one was able to move. Then Gideon motioned for Mr. Coleman to pick up the phone.

Mr. Coleman: Hello, this is Mr. Coleman.

Mysterious stranger: Well, howdy, sir. This is your daughter's new best friend.

Mr. Coleman: Is my daughter okay? I need to speak to her.

Mysterious stranger: Listen, you don't give me orders. That's my job. You've got that?

Gideon motioned for Mr. Coleman to let the rapist do the talking.

Mysterious stranger: Now that we've got that settled. Is the beautiful Elle there?

Everyone was shocked. It took a few minutes for Elle to realize what was happening. Then it hit her. She knows this man's voice. Her heart began beating faster. She felt like she was going to faint. This was the voice of the man that destroyed her life. This was the man that literally shattered her world and made her who she is now. He was the reason why she became a specialist in sexual crimes.

***

Reid hit the mute button on the phone.

Morgan: What the heck is going on? Why does he want to speak to Elle? Do you know him?

Elle just looked at Morgan. She couldn't find the words to speak.

Gideon: I think it will be wise to let Elle speak to him. It appears she is the reason he is calling in the first place. When perpetrators want something in particular, they usually never beat around the bush.

Elle: No, I can't do it. I'm sorry. I can't talk to him.

She quickly leaves the room and rushes outside. Morgan goes after her. Meanwhile, Reid turns the phone back up, and Gideon tries his best to stall him.

Gideon: Elle is on her way here right now. She'll be here any moment. Let us speak to Natalie. We need to hear her voice before we can allow you to talk to Elle.

Mysterious stranger: Why of course, you can speak to the lovely blond over here. Here you go, honey. Make it short and sweet.

Natalie: Daddy? Mom?

Mr. Coleman: Oh baby, are you all right? Did he hurt you?

Natalie: I'm okay, Dad. He hasn't touched me. But I'm scared. I'm really scared.

Mrs. Coleman: Oh sweetie. Everything will be okay. You just have to hang on. Be strong. We love you so much, baby.

Natalie: I love you both so much, too.

Mysterious stranger: Well now that you know she's alive, where is Elle? You're running out of time. If she does not speak to me in the next five minutes, I'm hanging up the phone. And once I do that, I'll rape poor little Natalie very slowly. Oh and then I'll probably give her a nice warm bath. Her last one.

Mr. Coleman: You son of a bitch! I will kill you! Don't you lay a hand on my daughter!

Gideon calms the father down.

Rapist: Oh my, we don't have the best temper, do we? Just focus on getting Elle here. And the girl won't be harmed.

Outside, Elle was walking back and forth trying to maintain her composure. Morgan joined her at the patio. He noticed that she had a tear running down her left cheek. He leaned down and wiped her tear away gently.

Morgan: Hey, you all right?

Elle: No, no I'm not. I can't go back there, Derek. I just can't.

Morgan: Who is that man? How do you even know him? Elle, what's going on?

Elle: I can't talk about it. I can't tell you anything about that man.

Morgan: Listen, I wish there was another way. I hate seeing you so scared. And believe me, I don't want you talking to that psycho anymore than you do. But we have no choice. That little girl is going to die unless you talk to him. Please, just talk to him. Nothing is going to happen to you. I promise you. I'm going to be right next to you. If at any point, you feel threatened, you'll hang up.

Elle thought of the little girl and how terrified she must be. She then thought of the parents, and how worried they were. She told herself that she had to do this. She could not let an innocent girl die. She had to talk to that bastard even if it literally tore her apart. Morgan was right. She really had no choice.

Elle: All right. But I'm worried I'm going to loose it in there, Derek. He really knows what buttons to push.

Morgan: Don't worry. We're all here for you.

They walked back into the room. After a few moments of dead silence, Elle finally found the courage to speak to the man that she hated the most in the whole world.

Elle: What do you want from me?

Mysterious stranger: Elle, my dear. I've really missed you. It's been years and years since the last time we saw each other. But I saw you on the news a week ago. You look just as sexy as ever. Well, okay, I'm lying. You look even sexier.

It made her sick just listening to him speak. Morgan also felt a naught in his stomach. At this very moment, he wanted to punch the lights out of this psycho. But he held in his anger.

Elle: Let Natalie go. You don't want her. She is just a kid.

Mysterious stranger: Actually, she is the same age as you were when we first met. Remember? Those were the good old days, weren't they, baby? You were so young and so full of life. You just had this light around you.

Gideon, Hotch, Reid, JJ, and Morgan were wondering what the hell was going on. They were profilers. They were the best in the world, actually. But yet, they could not wrap their fingers as to what was happening. They were at loss of words. What was the connection between this son of a bitch and Elle?

Elle: Please, just let her go. You don't need her. You usually go for brunettes, anyway. Just set her free somewhere and then let her parents pick her up. Don't hurt her.

Mysterious stranger: Oh, enough about the girl already, Elle! I'm not here to talk about her. She is just a pun. You're the real reason for me having to kidnap that poor misguided soul. And weren't we just catching up? Now, let's see. So, how is the sex life treating you? Are you still the sex goddess?

Elle was really loosing it. Her tears came flowing in freely. She just wanted to get out of this house. She wanted to run to her car and drive far away. She wanted for his voice to disappear. She just wanted for all of this to be a nightmare. She wanted to wake up from this awful reality. Morgan saw the pain in her eyes, and it was killing him. It took everything he had for him not to walk towards that damn phone and then hang up on the bastard. He held her hand to remind her that he was there for her. She felt the touch of his hand on hers, and it actually calmed her down a bit. She felt safer.

Elle: Just tell me what you really want?

Mysterious stranger: Now that you mention it. How about a simple exchange? I'll give Natalie back to her parents in exchange for you, Elle. How about it, sweetheart? It'll be a romantic reunion for the both of us.

***

Elle froze at the sound of his demand. It's as though she was living through the same nightmare she lived through when she was 17 years old. All the horrific memories of that time came back to her. Morgan could no longer stand this insanity. It broke him into pieces seeing Elle so defenseless while that psycho was enjoying every second.

Morgan: You listen to me, you son of a bitch. There is no way in hell we'll be handing Elle to you on a silver platter. You want money? We'll give you lots of money. But Elle is not even an option, you understand me?

Mysterious stranger: Oh my! Such an outburst. And who the hell are you? Her lover?

Morgan: Who I am does not concern you. You just have to get it through your thick skull that Elle is not yours and will never be yours.

Mysterious stranger: Oh well. Then I guess we really have nothing to discuss. I'll just go back to Natalie and give her a first time she'll never forget. Oh, and I guess, you can say it will be her last time, too. I better make it memorable enough, don't you think?

Hotch and Reid were restraining Morgan who lost all control of himself. He forgot that he was an FBI agent, and that his first priority was supposed to be the victim. Morgan no longer listened to logic, but instead, he listened to his heart.

Gideon: Wait a minute. Don't hang up. You'll get your exchange. Just give us 48 hours.

Morgan: What? Are you insane, Gideon? What the hell is wrong with you?

Mysterious stranger: Very well then. We should call it a night.

Gideon: There are conditions, however. One being that you do not touch Natalie. If even so much as a hair is missing from her head, there will be no exchange of any kind. Am I being clear?

Mysterious stranger: Very well. That's a deal. Sleep tight, Elle. Soon you'll be in my arms again.

Then the phone went dead. No one spoke a word. Then finally, Gideon found his voice again.

Gideon: All right. We have 48 hours to find Natalie. He won't harm her. I'm sure of it. He really wants this exchange to happen. We just have to move quickly.

Morgan: How could you do it, huh? This is Elle we're talking about. Over my dead body will she be used for a phony exchange!

Gideon: Start thinking with your head, Morgan. We're not going to do an actual exchange. I simply bought us two days to find Natalie. If we had said no, he would have killed that girl in a second. We need to play into his twisted game. It's the only way we can get Natalie back alive.

Elle was quiet during this time. After all, it was only her life everyone was discussing.

Hotch turned to her.

Hotch: We need to know everything. You have to tell us who he is. How do you know him? We need every little detail, Elle.

Elle: It doesn't matter what happened in the past. It was over 16 years ago. I will not talk about that time. I'm sorry. You have to find another way to find this girl.

Mr. Coleman: How can you be so selfish? Our daughter's life is in jeopardy, and all you can think about is yourself.

Morgan: Now wait a minute. You don't talk to her like that. We're all here because we want to save your daughter. Attacking one of us is not going to help us in any way.

Elle storms out of the house. Morgan follows her.

Morgan: Wait a second. Where are you going?

Elle: I'm going to the hotel. I can't be involved in this case. It's too personal. I can't focus. I just cannot be of any use to anyone. I'm really sorry, Derek.

Morgan: Hey, you don't need to apologize to me or to anyone else. But please just tell me the truth. What really happened all those years ago, Elle? Why won't you tell us?

Elle: Because it hurts, Derek. It really hurts for me to talk about it. I just can't. I want to, but I can't.

Morgan: I'll drive you to the hotel. You're in no condition to drive.

Elle: You don't have to do that. I can take care of myself.

Morgan: I know you can. But I'm still driving you to the hotel.

***

The whole way to the hotel, Elle and Morgan were quiet. No one knew what to say. He walked her to the door of her room.

Morgan: Listen, I'm here for you whenever you need me. You do know that, right?

Elle: Thank you for standing up for me today back at the house.

Morgan: Well, no one has the right to talk to you like that, especially not while I'm around. Try to get some rest, Elle. You've been through the fire today. If you want, I can stay with you tonight. You know, just sleep on the couch in your room. Just keep an eye on you.

Elle: I'm okay, really. I just need to be alone for a little bit. Besides, your room is right next to mine. I just need to lie down. Goodnight, Derek.

She began opening the door, but then on an impulse, she turned around and hugged Morgan. She needed to feel safe. And he was the only person in the world who was able to make her feel safe. He held her in his arms tightly. He wanted to comfort her as much as possible. After a long embrace, Elle went into her room. She checked to make sure she locked her door about a hundred times. She walked towards her bed. Flashes from her past overwhelmed her. She felt dizzy and lied down on the bed. She closed her eyes, but the images kept coming back. She started crying. She hasn't cried so much in one day in 16 years. Soon, she fell asleep. Exhaustion conquered her fear. Meanwhile, Morgan could not sleep. He called Garcia and asked her to do a more extensive background check on Elle.

Garcia: How is she doing?

Morgan: Not good at all. I'm really worried about her, Garcia. I've never seen her like this.

Garcia: I'll do my magic as quickly as possible.

Morgan: Thanks. You're the best.

Garcia: Oh and Morgan, you're going to have to tell her eventually how you feel about her.

Morgan: What?

Garcia: Oh, come on. Everyone knows that the two of you have the hots for each other.

Morgan: Look, now is not exactly the time to talk about that.

Garcia: You're right. I'm sorry. I just think that the both of you can have something truly special. That's all. I'll get back to you with all the information.

In just a few moments, Morgan was overwhelmed with all the information Garcia found about Elle. He couldn't believe what he was told. Elle was raped when she was only 17 years old. The rapist would have killed her, but her parents came home earlier than usual. He didn't get the chance to finish his job. He ran out the back door. Elle attempted suicide twice after the incident. Her parents even sent her to the psych ward. She got better and was finally released. She later studied sexual crimes in college and earned her degree. Morgan felt even angrier now that he knew that she had to speak to her rapist and had to listen to him mentally rape her yet again. He wanted to kill that bastard with his own bare hands. He just felt sick in his stomach. He was going to protect Elle from the psycho with everything he had. It suddenly struck him that maybe the rapist wanted to finish what he started. Elle was the main target, not Natalie. Elle's life was at stake here. And Morgan was going to make sure that she was safe. That bastard would not get near her.

A few hours later, Morgan heard screams from Elle's room. He picked up his gun and ran into her room. He knocked her door down. Elle was having a nightmare about the rapist coming back and raping her over and over again. She was yelling in her sleep for him to stop it.

Elle: Stop it, please! Don't hurt me anymore!

Morgan ran to her and tried to snap her out of it.

Morgan: Elle, wake up! It's me. It's Morgan. Can you hear me? You are safe. No one is going to hurt you. Just open your eyes. Elle, I'm right here.

Elle: Morgan?

Morgan: Yeah, I'm here. You were just having a nightmare. Everything is okay.

Elle: I can't get his voice out of my head. I'm scared, Derek. I'm really scared.

He hugged her.

Morgan: He won't hurt you. I promise you. I won't let him. You just have to get some sleep. I am going to be right here with you.

She lay on her bed. He covered her with the blanket and then lay beside her and held her tightly through the entire night. She finally fell asleep in his arms. She felt safe. She knew that she was in good hands.

***

Just a few hours later, Elle was having another nightmare. In this nightmare, Morgan and the rapist were struggling for the gun. Suddenly, the gun went off. The sound of the gun startled Elle, and she began shouting Morgan's name in her sleep. Morgan, who was sleeping right next to her, woke up at the sound of her screams.

Elle: Morgan! Oh my god, Morgan!

Morgan: Elle, wake up! I'm right here!

Elle: Morgan!

Morgan: It's okay, Elle. Wake up!

He softly shook her out of her nightmare. Finally, she opened her eyes and looked at him.

Elle: Morgan?

Morgan: Yeah, it's me, Elle.

Elle: Oh, thank god! You're okay.

She hugged him tightly once she saw that he was all right.

Morgan: Of course, I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be? What were you just dreaming?

Elle was fully awake now. She then realized that Morgan was lying in bed with her. She got up quickly.

Morgan: Hey, you ok?

Elle: What are you doing in my bed, Derek?

Morgan: You don't remember?

Elle: No, not really. Everything is a little fuzzy right now.

Morgan: You were having a nightmare last night. You were screaming in your sleep. I thought something was wrong. And so I broke down the door and then calmed you down. I didn't want to leave you alone. So I stayed with you to comfort you. I was planning on leaving when you fell asleep, but then I fell asleep too, I guess.

Elle slowly remembered what happened. Suddenly she felt embarrassed.

Elle: Oh, my god. Look at me. I'm a total mess. You must think that I'm really weak. You watched me crying here all night and yelling in my sleep. I'm not acting like an FBI agent at all.

Morgan: First of all, I don't think you're weak. Actually, I think you're one of the strongest people I know. And you're entitled to be a mess, especially after what you had to go through just seven hours ago.

Elle: Thanks for trying to make me feel better, Morgan. But I'm still an agent. I'm supposed to be able to control my emotions. Instead, I'm totally loosing it.

Morgan: Just because we're agents, it does not mean we don't feel things. Elle, we're just like anyone else. We're only human. And it just kills me that you had to be that bastard's victim again last night.

Elle: What did you just say?

Morgan: Listen, Elle. I don't know how to tell you this, but...

Elle: I can't believe you, Morgan! You did a more thorough background check on me, didn't you? How could you do that?

Morgan: I was worried about you! You weren't acting like yourself. I just wanted to help you!
Elle: I trusted you! You had no right researching my past! That's personal!

Morgan: That bastard is trying to finish what he started 16 years ago, Elle! You and I both know that you're in danger! Your life is at steak here!

Elle: So who else knows about this, huh? I bet everyone is now discussing how unfortunate I am and how poor Elle had to live through this nightmare again! All of you are feeling sorry for me!

Morgan: You've got this all wrong. No one else knows. Except Garcia, and that's only because I had to ask her to do the research.

Elle: Oh that's even better. Now she's going around the office telling everyone about my miserable past.

Morgan: She won't tell anyone. And you're wrong. I don't feel sorry for you.

Elle: I don't believe you. You're not even looking at me the same way you used to. Now, I see pity in your eyes.

Morgan: That's not true. You're still the same Elle you've always been. I may look at you differently now, but that's only because I understand you a whole lot better. Not because I pity you. It's because I feel like I really know you.

Elle: Nice try, Morgan.

Morgan: I'm being serious, Elle. You have this way of closing yourself off from the world. You won't let anyone in. It's as though you are afraid to actually show us who you really are. You never talk about your past or even your family. You just try to keep everyone at a distance.

Elle: Great, so now, you're profiling me, is that it? I don't need you to tell me how I feel.

Morgan: All I'm trying to do is help you. Why can't you see that?

Elle: So you call going behind my back helping me. I told you that I was not ready to talk about that time.

Morgan: When will you be ready, huh? The longer you put it off, the more difficult it will get. You have to deal with this now, Elle. You have to put your past behind you and move on with your life. Stop pushing the people that care about you away. Let me in. Don't shut me out.

Elle: I don't want to talk about this anymore. I want you to leave, Morgan.

Morgan: You don't mean that.

Elle: I do. I want you to go, Special Agent Derek Morgan.

Morgan: Don't do that, Elle!

Elle: Don't do what?

Morgan: Don't use formalities with me. You're the only one on our team that occasionally calls me by my first name. And now you're calling me by my title. Is that some way of isolating yourself from me?

Elle: That's just great, Agent Morgan. Now you're profiling me again.

Morgan: I'm not going anywhere. You can argue with me all you want. You can hate me and even call me names. Nothing is going to make me leave you.

Elle: Just go.

Morgan: Elle, come on. You need to talk about this. You need to get it off your chest. It's for your own good.

Elle: Let me be the judge of what's best for me. Now, I'm asking you nicely to please go.

Morgan: I already told you, I'm not leaving.

Elle: Don't make me say something that I might regret later, Morgan! Get out!

Morgan saw the pain in her eyes. He saw her tears running down both her cheeks, and decided it was best to give her some space. He didn't want to upset her even more.

Morgan: All right! Fine, I'll leave. But I'll be back. You can't kick me out of your life. I care about you too damn much for you to do that.

She opened the door for him. He gave her one last look and then left. Once she closed the door behind him, Elle started sobbing. She let everything out. It actually made her feel better to get everything off her chest. All the things she's been holding inside all these years have finally come out. After a few moments of crying freely, she told herself to hold it together. She finally stopped crying. She promised herself that those were the last tears that she would ever shed over that rapist.

***

Next part of Unexpected Feelings.