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Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds or any of their characters. Unfortunately.

 

Derek knew the moment he hung up the phone that he'd been overly harsh. Hotch had already looked at him reprovingly once after he'd snapped at Garcia, and Derek knew it wasn't her fault that she wasn't finding any information on the creep. Still, Derek was fighting every instinct he had to not blame her or the team, when in reality, he knew it was his fault that Spicer was dead and his young daughter was in the hands of a mad man.

Garcia had taken it in stride, as if she'd known he wasn't truly mad at her. Out of anyone, she would understand that he was just incredibly frustrated-and yes, pissed off-about the situation with the UNSUB and Spicer. His heart hurt for the little girl they were now trying to find. It always did when a child was involved. To have to sit there and watch a good man be murdered and then watch as the sicko pulled that man's daughter out of the room, though... That made it ten times worse.

Hours later, Derek had known time was running out for finding the little girl safe and alive, and that was when Garcia had worked her magic and found the information they'd needed. When she'd called to speak to the team, just hearing her voice again had given Derek a sense of peace and a feeling that everything would be okay. He'd suddenly had the overwhelming need to make things right with his red-headed goddess.

Just as Penelope was set to hang up from the call, Derek said, "Garcia, wait a minute."

He grabbed the cell from the table, clicked it off speakerphone, and moved a few feet away to what little privacy could be afforded him before speaking directly into the phone.

"Hey."

"Hey back," Penelope answered. He could hear the concern in her voice, and it humbled him.

"Baby Girl, I'm sorry for taking your head off."

He could almost picture the slight smile on her face when she replied, "Oh, darling, our love is a rock. No bad day can come between us."

"Word," Derek responded with an amused grin.

She chuckled once. "Come home safe. I'll leave a light on."

She clicked off the connection, but Derek stood there for a moment, listening to the silence, and felt the weight of her words down to his soul. His shoulders relaxed, and he released a quiet breath, letting her words bring peace and calm to his very being.

His sweet girl had no idea how much she truly was his light. Knowing she would be waiting at home for them-for him-gave him a surge of desperately needed energy and hope.

One thing was certain. Penelope Garcia would learn very soon how much she meant to him and how he truly would be unable to do this very dark job without her to bring in the light.

 

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