To Solve

Chapter 38: Penelope

Parker ran down the hospital hallways until they saw JJ and Hotch.

The young agent almost ran past them, but luckily Parker recognized the unit chief before and stopped next to them.

"She's in surgery. There's no word," JJ reported.

"This is crazy," Spencer muttered.

Parker nodded and had to sit down for a moment.

They picked up a water bottle from their bag and took a sip of water while they waited for news.

"What do we know?"

Rossi and Emily also joined the group.

"Police think it was a botched robbery."

"Where's Morgan?"

"He's not answering his cell."

"I'll call him again," said Spencer.

The young genius took a few steps away and tried to reach Derek again.

"What aren't you saying?" Rossi addressed Hotch in a slightly quieter tone.

"I spoke to one of the paramedics who brought her in. It doesn't look good."

"What... she can't... this cannot..."

"Everything will be okay," Hotch tried to reassure Parker.

Spencer sat down next to Parker and took their hand.

"They can't give me an update," JJ said as she came back from speaking to a nurse.

"Morgan's phone just keeps going straight to voicemail," Spencer added after putting his phone back in his pocket.

"Where the hell is he?"

And then they couldn't do anything but wait.

~~

William Shakespeare wrote,

"Love all. Trust a few. Do wrong to none."

Parker wasn't sure how much time had passed when Derek walked down the hallway towards the group.

"She's been in surgery a few hours," JJ reported directly to him.

"I was in church. My phone was off."

"There's nothing you could have been doing here," said Spencer.

"The police got any leads?"

"I spoke to the lead detective. He doesn't think we'll get anything from the scene," Hotch replied.

Derek exhaled in frustration and turned away.

At the same moment a doctor came out of a door and looked at them.

"Penelope Garcia?"

"Yes."

"Yes."

"The bullet went into her chest and ricocheted into her abdomen. She lost a lot of blood. It was touch and go for a while, but we were able to repair the injuries."

"So, what are you saying?" JJ asked.

"One centimeter over and it would have torn right through her heart. Instead, she could actually walk out of here in a couple of days, and I'd say that's a minor miracle," the man delivered the good news.