Title: Learning the Hard Way.
Pairings: Primarily team centric, but will eventually be Morgan/Garcia
Summary: Morgan is forced to trust that his team will be the ones to rescue him this time, not the other way around, when he is unexpectedly kidnapped out of the blue. Will the team find him before too much damage is done?
A/N: I just want to give everyone that's stuck with this story from the beginning a huge thank you. Sadly we are at the last chapter.
However the good news is that I have decided to do a sequel. At the moment it is tentatively titled: There's Still Plenty to Learn. I already have few ideas but I still need to plan it out more before I'll be ready to start posting it.
Hopefully though it will be ready for me to begin posting sometime this coming week. With that in mind I hope you enjoy this and if you have any suggestions for the sequel let me know.
Chapter 20: Back in Action
It took them a little over a week to solve the case and let's just put it this way Emily had added hiking in Utah to her list of things she'd never do. Or least that's what she told Morgan the night after they'd gotten back. It had been JJ's birthday but because of Morgan they'd all ended up celebrating at Morgan's apartment rather than going out like they had last year.
The following week Des took Morgan to his one month follow up appointment. During that appointment the doctor began showing him some light stretches he needed to begin doing; as well as some light resistance given how good of shape the shoulder was in before the injury. He was warned that if he felt any sharp pain that he needed to stop whatever stretch or exercise that had caused the pain.
Morgan did just that and spent the next two months working on those exercises both at home and with a physical therapist. At the three month mark he went back into the doctor and got the okay to do some more intense conditioning, but he was warned not to not lift his arm over his head and not to do any heavy lifting.
As well as he was progressing physically during that time both his sister and Garcia were concerned about the fact that that the nightmares had yet to go away or even let up any at all. Therefore after talking it over with Hotch; Hotch took control of the situation and basically ordered Morgan to start seeing a therapist. Morgan had to admit his reasoning had been simple and affective because Hotch had told him the sooner you deal with it the sooner you'll be back to work. So with that Morgan began seeing Dr. James twice a week and it would be a lie if he said it didn't help. Their third session was the breakthrough one according Dr. James and Morgan was pretty sure that that had something to do with the startling revelation he finally had the courage to say out loud. The fact that during his kidnapping he'd actually enjoyed and looked forward to the beatings because it allowed him to concentrate on the pain and forget that he was back in that damn cabin.
During all of this both relationships began to grow as well. Garcia had all but moved into Morgan's apartment considering she was always there and hardly ever at home. Des didn't seem to mind because it allowed her to spend plenty of time with her prince when the team wasn't busy with a case.
Two months later, nearly 6 months since his kidnapping, Morgan got the news he had been waiting for. His shoulder was good to go and he could return to work at last.
BAU Conference room…
Coffee and donuts were on the table as JJ and the rest of the team awaited the arrival of Morgan and Garcia. It had been nearly six months since the kidnapping and they were all than ready to have him back.
Even Reid was smiling despite the fact that Des had returned to Chicago about a week ago.
Meanwhile…
"So are you ready," Garcia asked the man she loved as the elevator doors closed.
"I was born ready," Morgan quipped in response with his trademark cocky grin.
"I don't doubt that for a minute hot stuff," Was Garcia's reply as she noticed the antsy tone to his voice.
He'd been that way for over a week now ever since he'd gotten the okay to return to work. If he'd had his way he would've gone straight to work from the doctor's office but Hotch had squashed that idea by telling to wait until Monday.
"So do I get a kiss good luck," Morgan asked teasingly as the elevator opened.
"I guess if you really need one," Garcia replied as they stepped out of the elevator.
Unaware the team could see them Morgan pulled her closer to him and whispered, "I always need your kisses baby girl," Before kissing her.
And with that they pulled apart and walked into the conference room together.
"Welcome back Mighty Morgan," Emily greeted as she handed them each a cup of coffee.
"It's about time isn't," was his reply as he took the coffee and gave her a hug. This time unlike so many times in the past six months though it was with both arms instead of just one.
"Yes it is," JJ answered as she came up and hugged him next.
Next came handshakes and welcome backs form Hotch and Rossi, followed by a brotherly hug with Reid to whom he whispered, "Oh by the way I'm supposed to inform you that if you aren't in Chicago next month for my sister's birthday she's killing us both."
Reid nodded remembering she'd told him something similar last night on the phone.
What followed was the usual morning chatter among the team until a few minutes later Morgan cleared his throat and said, "I um… I wanted to say something to all of you."
Everyone looked at him and Garcia gave his hand an encouraging squeeze before he continued.
"First off I never really thanked you all as a whole for saving my ass and getting me out of there. Second off it may have been a hard way to learn it, but being back in that cabin did teach me something."
Morgan paused briefly and looked directly at his supervisor as he finished, "What I learned was that not only is everyone in this room worthy of my trust, but all of you deserve it as well. That's why I want to make clear that despite how hard it is for me to trust; that I do trust everyone in this room with my life."
And with that in mind the team got back to work with smiles on their faces, this time with Morgan.