“Morgan, I need to speak to you in private,” Hotch said and then turned and left back out heading to his office. Morgan frowned up a bit and glanced around the table at his colleagues as he stood up to follow Hotch. When he exited the conference room he was allowed a clear view into Hotch’s office through the opened blinds. When Morgan saw his sisters, Desirée and Sarah Morgan seated inside, he instantly became concerned and rushed to the door.
“What’s going on?” Morgan demanded as he ‘blew’ through the door. “Desirée, Sarah…what are you doing here?” He asked and his racing heart sped up when he took in the devastated looks on their faces, as they both stood and looked at him.
“Derek it’s mom,” Desirée was the first to speak. Morgan began shaking his head, already denying the words he knew were coming next. “She had a stroke.” He clamped his eyes shut and tears instantly fell.
“Dr. Jones says she passed away peacefully in her sleep last night, and we caught the first flight out to get here to you. Neither one of us wanted to tell you over the phone.” Sarah said as she moved to her baby brother and pulled him into her arms, and he went freely and clung to her as he fought to keep down the rage and despair that clawed at his throat.
“Take all the time you need,” Hotch spoke as he stood just behind his desk. “I am so sorry for your loss.”
Hotch re-entered the conference room and took his seat at the head of the table. Everyone else quickly took note of the fact that Morgan had not rejoined them, one pair of eyes that were framed with hot pink frames gazed at the open door with worry.
“Morgan will not be joining us on this case he will be taking some personal time,” Hotch announced, and when he saw Garcia, Reid, and Prentiss all open their mouths readying their questions, he held up a hand to still them as he continued to speak. “I wish I could divulge more but as I said it’s personal and if and when Morgan wants you to know he will be the one to tell you. I did request that this case be passed to another team however, Section Chief Strauss denied the request, but she did approve my request for another Technical Analyst to help us on this case,” Hotch announced as he looked directly at Garcia who gave him a baffled and slightly hurt look. “Morgan won’t openly say that he needs someone, it’s not in his nature and he would probably turn most people away if they tried to offer him ‘support’. But you’re not most people and I don’t believe he would ever turn you away. He really needs someone right now.” Garcia stared at Hotch with wide frightful eyes and then swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, gave a nod, and then stood and hurried from the room. She had just gotten to Hotch’s office as Desirée and Sarah were walking out.
“Hey guys,” Garcia greeted and she could see from their eyes that they had been crying. “Hot stuff didn't tell me you two were coming to visit.”
“Hey Penelope,” Sarah greeted in reply as she pulled Garcia into a welcomed embrace, followed swiftly by Desirée. “We kind of surprised him it’s not really a social call. Mom passed last night.” The words shocked Garcia who had just seen Fran nearly a month before when she had accompanied Morgan home for Thanksgiving.
“Oh no,” Garcia gasped out as her eyes began to water and she clutched a hand to her chest and the other over her mouth. After a split second to calm herself, she offered her condolences. “I am so, so sorry.”
“Thank you,” Desirée said with a smile. “It was sudden but mom, that woman had already taken care of everything. She was always saying to us that she didn’t want to be a burden on anyone, guess that’s why she made her own funeral arrangements. So there’s really nothing for us to do except show up.” Desirée said with a sad smile. “He’s devastated,” She said suddenly as she turned to look at Hotchner’s closed office door, where Morgan still sat on the other side. “I think he needs his babygirl right now.” Garcia wiped away the tears that had slid from her eyes and nodded her head and then she took a cleansing breath. “He’s putting on a good front right now but I know my baby brother, when it hits him it’s gonna hit hard and he’s gonna need someone there to hold him up, and he’s not gonna turn to either one of us for that kind of support, especially now that he sees himself as the ‘man of the house’ with both mom and dad gone. He loves you the death and he trusts you, you’re family now, so please take care of him.”
“It goes both ways and don’t worry I’ll always look out for Derek,” Garcia stated with conviction. “So are you two staying at Morgan’s?”
“No it’s only an hour's flight down here, so we didn’t even bring anything with us, we’re heading back to the airport right now our flight home leaves in about an hour and a half. Morgan said he had to get some things settled and he’d fly home tomorrow, the funeral isn’t until Saturday, and we would like you to come to if you can. Mom adored you.” Sarah said as she reached out and grasped Garcia’s hand and gave it a squeeze and then released it. “Always spoke so highly of you, even more so than Morgan, and believe me when I tell you that’s saying a lot.”
“Fran was a wonderful woman she was so kind to me whenever we spoke on the phone or when I flew down to visit with Morgan. She always made me feel at home, she reminded me a lot of my own mom.” Garcia stated. “My boss just gave me some time off, so I will come to the funeral, thank you.”
“Thank you,” Desirée said as she and Sarah pulled Garcia into another quick hug before they left out.
Garcia stood just outside the door for a moment trying to collect her thoughts and emotions and then she turned the knob of the door and slowly entered. She found Morgan standing and leaning forward with both of his hands resting against the back of one of the chairs in front of Hotch’s desk.
“Hey,” Her meek voice filled the room as she entered and moved to stand just behind him and he turned to look at her and she could see the unshed tears that were housed in his eyes. “I’m so sorry baby.” She offered and she reached out and placed and gentle hand upon his back. He closed his eyes a bit at feeling her touch and then closed the small gap between them and enveloped her in his arms.
“She’s gone Penelope,” His voice cracked a little with a tiny sob as he bent down and buried his face into the nook of her neck. They got deathly silent for several long moments as they stood there, holding on to each other. They were so focused on each other that they hadn’t noticed when Hotch had come to the door to tell them that the team was leaving out. Upon seeing them Hotch quietly shut the office door to give them some privacy.
“What do you need me to do?” She asked in a hushed tone, her hot breath bathing the side of his face. Morgan sniffed back any tears that threatened to fall as he pulled back a bit and settled back against the arm of the chair he had been leaning on.
“There’s nothing to do. Mom already took care of everything. Desirée said mom planned out everything right down to the flowers and even paid for it all.”
“I meant, what do ‘you’ need me to do…for ‘you’.” She asked as she grasped his hand and their fingers interlocked.
“Will you go with me?”
“Of course, Hotch has pretty much given me his blessing but I’ll put in the paperwork before I leave today. I’ll even take care of booking the flight to Chicago. And if you need me to I’ll crash at your place tonight and help you pack and take Clooney to the kennel…” She was babbling and even though he was heartbroken over the loss of his mother he couldn’t help but smile at the woman standing before him, and it stuck him that if she weren’t there for him his grief would probably have him heading off to parts unknown to do something very stupid.
“Just keep doing what you’re doing right now.” He said and she quickly ended her babbling and gave him a perplexed look.
“I’m not doing anything.”
“You’re with me, keeping me sane that’s a lot ‘cause right now I really want to flip out. Just one touch from you and…remember I told you, you’re my God-given solace…so you just keep doing exactly what you’re doing, ok?” She could only nod in reply. They sat in Hotchner’s office a few minutes more before they headed out.
TBC….