The Element of Surprise

Penelope - Part 2

By the time I arrive at the hospital, Derek and Spencer just finished questioning Penelope. They left with a sketch artist who, no doubt, came to draw the man she described.

"How is she?" I ask my teammates when our paths cross in the hallway.

"Sensitive," Derek sighs, "Her memory's still hazy, but we managed to score a picture of the guy."

"I'll take a look at the Bureau," I smile tenderly at Spence's tired features. His eyes are droopy and he just yawned twice in the last ten seconds. "You two go get some rest. I'll stay with Penny."

"Thanks, dream girl." Nudging Reid towards the exit, they leave the hospital.

Weighing the bag in my hand, I continue towards Garcia's room and find her lying motionlessly on the bed, just staring up at the roof in complete and utter exhaustion. By now, the morphine should be wearing off, thus putting her through immense pain. Hopefully, the goodies I brought will help cheer her up.

"Look what I got," I announce my presence and march right into the room.

Penelope snaps from her daze and instantly looks at the bag, "Please tell me Prince William's in there. Shirtless, preferably. And for my mental well being, not cut into pieces."

"Close," I grin and haul the bag onto the bed. The moment I open it to reveal the makeup bags, hair kits, and figurines, her eyes are blown wide with wonder and excitement.

"Oh my gosh... my make up, and figurines! Stella, you shouldn't have."

"Oh, pshh, this?" I jokingly wave a finger at the objects, "I was in the neighborhood, thought I'd pop in at your apartment and grab some stuff to cheer you up - which, obviously, worked. Now hold still, let's clean those smudges off your cheeks and make you look funky again."

For the next hour or two, I'm hyper focused on making her - not - look like a gunshot victim through the subtle art of applying foundation, contouring her cheeks, lining her eyes, and curling and blackening her lashes. Somewhere in that time, Derek and Spence show up to check up on Penny. Derek ends up holding up a small hand mirror so she could do her own lipstick while I move on to her hair. No one says a word about the shooting or this James Colby Baylor. There is only peaceful silence and beautification.

Until our fearless, passive-faced leader shows up out of the blue to check up on our Analyst, "Hey. How are you feeling?"

"You know," Penny says weakly, "I've had better dates."

Despite her dry joke, it doesn't slip my notice that Hotch doesn't even blink, "You're not here just for a friendly visit. Something wrong?"

Aaron hardly looks at me as he speaks to Garcia, "We found an encrypted file on your computer. Are you involved in something that I need to know about?"

Even a blind man could see the color drain from her face, "N-no."

"Hotch, what's going on?" Derek asks, just as baffled as Spencer and I am.

He ignores the question and continues his interrogation, "Could this be connected in any way to whoever shot you?"

"I don't think so..."

"I need the password."

Realizing this is putting enough unnecessary stress on her, I try directing the conversation elsewhere, "Hotch, is this necessary?"

"Yes," he replies, "The password."

At last, Penny gives in. Defeated, she says "Gilman Street."

Aaron nods, "Thank you."

"Wait," shaking my head, I cross the room to stand in front of our stoic-faced leader, "They don't honestly thing Penny's a security risk, do they?" I refuse to believe Penelope is anything but sunshine and rainbows. Look at her! She has pink streaks in her hair, she listens to the Spice Girls' Wannabe on repeat, and she spurts heart-shaped syrup on her pancakes for breakfast. The only threat she poses is putting Dolce and Gabbana out of business with her fashion sense.