Serendipity

chapter 8

TW: Alcohol use, and curse words
Still a bit angsty, sorry guys…but things always get worse before they get better.

Penelope was super curious when JJ had called and asked for a ‘no questions asked’ favour. JJ had only told her that Isabella was upset, and she should not be alone, but the catatonic woman JJ led into her office was not what she had expected. She drove Isabella to her apartment, opting not to drive all the way to Isabella’s apartment in DC. The young agent was silent the entire time. She had let Garcia guide her inside, and sit her on the couch. “I’m going to make you some tea, Kitten. Just relax.” Garcia had really no idea what to do, but JJ had sounded desperate, and she could never say no to the blond. She took the cup of tea over to Isabella, who was still staring blankly into the abyss. “Drink some tea. I’m going to get you something to sleep in, you can take a shower if you want.” Garcia rubbed Isabella’s back in slow circles. To her relief, the distraught redhead picked up the cup, and took a sip, shutting her eyes tightly. Garcia moved to go to the bedroom when she heard a faint whisper from over the rim of the cup “Thank you.” Garcia smiled at her.

Isabella had managed to take a shower and put on the sleep shirt Garcia had offered her. She looked better after her shower, and Garcia had made them some pasta. They ate in relative silence, Garcia not wanting to pry. When they were done, Garcia offered more tea. “Do you have anything stronger than tea?” Isabella had countered. Garcia wasn’t exactly sure alcohol was such a good idea, but then again, what would be a good idea in a situation like this, where she had no clue what was going on. “Sure, wine or vodka?” “Vodka.” Garcia pulled a full bottle of the clear spirit from the freezer and poured each of them a glass. Isabella downed it in one gulp, and held the glass out for a refill. Garcia obliged. After the fourth glass, Isabella spoke again in little more than a whisper, getting louder with each word, “She hates me. I’m obviously nothing she had imagined for a daughter. You know, I wasn’t planning for this. I didn’t come here on purpose. I didn’t even know! Maybe I should just go back to London. My dad would understand, I think. I could ask for my old job back, they’d take me back y’know. I was good at my job, I was happy. I wasn’t crying every day.” Garcia was having trouble following the train of thought. “Who hates you? Your mom?” “No, she’s not my mum, mothers love their daughters. My mum is dead. She loved me.” “Okay, but I’m sure she doesn’t hate you, whoever whoever she is. And you can’t go back to London, the BAU needs you. We need you.” Isabella blinked at her, as if trying to ascertain whether she was being serious or not. “You don’t even know me.” she said cautiously, Garcia felt a pang in her heart. “I’m a very good judge of character, most of the time. You are a good person, and from what I hear from Morgan and Spencer, you’re a great profiler. Also, if JJ cares enough to go through all this trouble to make sure you are looked after, she must see something good in you too.” Garcia hoped she got the message across properly, she wasn’t sure if the alcohol clouding Isabella’s brain would allow her to grasp the meaning.

She wiped a tear from Isabella’s cheek, “Don’t cry, Kitten. The people who make you cry aren’t worth your tears, and those who are will never make you cry.” She had read that on some motivational poster somewhere, and while it was a terrible cliche, she figured it couldn’t do any harm. “You’re right!” Isabella exclaimed, suddenly way too loud. Garcia was startled by the sudden outburst, “I won’t let her ruin this for me. If she wants to pretend it never happened, then that’s what we’ll do.” Garcia wasn’t sure if that was a good breakthrough or a bad one, but it seemed to make the agent feel better. The moment of clarity must have taken all the fight out of Isabella, because she sagged back against the couch and yawned. “I’ll get you a pillow and blanket. And a glass of water, you’re going to need that.” Isabella shuffled further down when Garcia got up, she simply lifted her head for the pillow to be placed under her, and she wiggled into the blanket Garcia placed over her. Garcia put the glass of water on the coffee table, and made her way to her room. She heard a sleepy “Thank you.” from the couch, followed by a soft snore.
Garcia picked her phone up off the bedside table, intent on letting JJ know her charge was calm and asleep. JJ had beat her to it, a message flashed on the screen: Hi PG, is everything okay there?. She typed back: Yep, she’s asleep. Had a weird vodka induced conversation that I’m not sure she’ll remember in the morning, but it’s all good. She fell asleep wondering what could have happened to upset the young agent; it obviously had to do with her mother, but she was talking way too fast and way too vaguely for Garcia to be able to piece it together. She decided that she’d ask nicely in the morning.