𝓶𝓪𝓻𝓪 𝓳𝓪𝓷𝓮 ➢ 𝓼. 𝓻𝓮𝓲𝓭

𝓉𝓌𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓎-𝑜𝓃𝑒

When Reid and Mara arrived back at the hospital, JJ and Emily were sitting in the waiting room. "Where'd you two go?"

"Needed something to eat." Mara spoke quietly.

JJ and Emily shared a look before nodding at Mara. Reid took the seat next to Mara, opening his mouth to say something until the doctor walked in. "She's up."

Everyone stood but Mara. Everyone else were all friends with Penelope before Mara was, she felt like they should see her first. Morgan and JJ were the first to go see her.

Mara sat in the waiting room, bouncing her leg like she did when her anxiety got the best of her. Reid noticed this too.

Reid extended his hand to Mara, hoping she'd take it for her own comfort. She smiled but it dropped so quickly he almost missed it. She reached out and intertwined her fingers with his, accepting his comfort.

"What happened to being a Germaphobic?"

"You're an exception."

"You don't think about all the germs on my hands from touching door handles?" Mara teased. "Phones?"

Reid suddenly pulled his hands from hers and wiped it down his pant leg, making Mara laugh loudly. He'd forgotten how beautiful it sounded. When Mara relaxed, she became a whole new person, which she only did when she had a few drinks in her system.

She scooted closer to the young doctor, her shoulder pressing against his. Morgan and JJ came out, letting Reid and Mara go in. As soon as Mara laid eyes on Garcia, not dressed up in her usual colorful attire and unique hairstyle, her eyes filled with tears.

Mara sat down beside her bed and gripped her hand tightly. "Are you okay?"

"I will be," Penelope smiled brightly. "I gave JJ and Morgan everything I knew. His sketch, his car, his name."

"You know his name?" Mara asked.

"James Colby Taylor," she answered. "It's the guy from the coffee shop."

Mara felt dizzy. She convinced her to go on the date. With the man that shot her. This wasn't some robbery gone wrong, she was shot by a guy Mara fucking convinced her to go out with.

Reid noticed, standing beside her and setting a hand on her shoulder, calming her. This brought Mara's focus back to Penelope. Penelope smiled at the sight of Reid's hand on Mara's, she always thought they would end up together.

They talked for a while until Reid stepped outside to answer the phone. Mara followed after Garcia fell asleep for a while. "That was Morgan, he's at the crime scene. He staged it to look like a robbery."

"Which means if he's smart enough to use forensic countermeasures, odd are the name he gave Garcia is bogus."

"What did she say?" Reid asked, watching Mara's mouth open and close as if she couldn't say something.