Seven: Sleepovers With Garcia & Hotch.

11x09 | Internal Affairs.

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         Julia had no idea how to cope with Reid being gone for a month. Of course, she was simply joking — she didn't need a man to validate her, obviously. But still, she liked her eye candy and missed him dearly.

         But had more important things to worry about. Like the fact that Garcia was currently being targeted by hitmen and how she needed to stay at the Bureau until the coast was clear. It all started with Julia's first case officially/unofficially with the team regarding Giuseppe Montolo. And now, Garcia was in danger and time would tell if she'd be able to come out of hiding soon.

        And speaking of which, Julia had a couple of ideas to discuss with Hotch regarding the whole situation. "Hotch, did you talk with that DEA agent already?" Julia wondered as she approached Hotch and Rossi walking together.

"I did, yes. Why?" Hotch asks, looking towards the woman. "Well, the reason I ask is because well... my mother, she could help us find the hitmen if need be. I know the one thing she was always good at was finding people involved with affairs regarding to hitmen. I could see if maybe she'd be willing to come and help." Julia explained.

"Didn't you say your mother still doesn't know you're working with the Bureau?" Rossi questioned with furrowed brows. "Yeah, well, you don't know how far I'm willing to go for Garcia." Julia shrugged sheepishly.

Even in the amount of months she'd known the team for so far, she connected with Garcia. She was willing to take it as far as letting her mother know she now works at the BAU, which she knew she'd get an earful if she ever did tell her. But she was willing to take that risk to help Garcia out of this funk.

"That's helpful, Cortez, but your mother knowing also puts her at-risk and besides the fact, we can't risk her letting the public know. No offense." Julia take's Hotch's words into consideration and nods to herself, slightly glad she didn't already reach out to her. "You're right. I just thought I could help." Julia stated.

"And we appreciate that. Garcia knows we're all trying here." Rossi said, assuring to Julia.

Rossi and Hotch then walk towards one of the open offices Garcia was currently staying in and Hotch, Julia and Rossi both approach the office with the door open.

"Garcia, are you ready?" Hotch asked. "Uh, hold on, please." Garcia speaks and takes a moment to put her glasses on.

Garcia turns around to face the three agents. Wearing a purple cardigan with a purple dress with splashes of blue and topping it off with blue glasses perched on her face. "Yes. See, the blue plays off the sweater. It's complementary, but it's not matchy-matchy." She explains.

"It's a good look on ya." Julia smiles at the girl. Rossi looks in the office and sees Garcia hasn't really moved in quite yet. "You've been here a week. Have you thought about unpacking? It might make things a bit easier." Rossi wonders, looking in.

Garcia nudges her head towards the pan on the stove. "I took my hotplate out 'cause I was sick of the cafeteria food, but I'm not going to be here much longer 'cause of this new case, huh? You guys are going into the belly of the beast. You're gonna find out who's targeting me. Am I right?" Garcia questions, surely getting her hopes up about this.

Julia gives the girl a sympathetic smile, praying that they could help her. "Among other things." Hotch answers.

"The Darknet--that's where all Montolo's cronies live. If anyone can find the answer, sir, it's you guys. I know you can." Garcia tells, getting her files ready and Julia, Hotch, Garcia and Rossi arrive at the conference room to Tara, JJ and Morgan. Julia takes the seat next to JJ as Hotch and Garcia both begin to deliver the case.

"The NSA and the DEA are both involved, so we'll be part of a joint taskforce. Go ahead, Garcia." Hotch encouraged as he takes a seat.
"Okay. Uh, three weeks ago undercover DEA Agent Mark Bowers disappeared. He was based in El Paso, but five days ago his body showed up in Ciudad Juarez, just across the Mexican border." Garcia explained.

"Ciudad Juarez is one of the most dangerous cities in the world." Tara stated.

"Not only was Agent Bowers found strangled, but he also had another human face covering his own face." Garcia dropped the bomb and Julia widened her eyes and looks at the woman in disbelief. "Uh, what?"

"Another human face?" JJ asks. "Yes. I guess skinned or scalped. I don't now what you call it, but I couldn't put the pictures up here. You can see them on your own tablets." Garcia stated.

As JJ opens the flap of the tablet cover open, Julia pushes her tablet away from her, gaining a look for Morgan. "Just had my breakfast this morning. Don't feel like puking it all up just yet." She clarified.

"It is typical for drug cartels to use a corpse to send a message." Morgan commented. "Yeah, body parts sent to family members." Tara nodded. "A face on top of another face could easily mean he's undercover or he's two-faced." JJ listed.

"Which is bad news for the two missing agents. They were both undercover." Hotch told. "Yeah, John Portman vanished a week ago. And then Sarah Miles disappeared yesterday. All of these agents were investigating the Libertad drug cartel." Garcia explained.

"Well, if someone knew that they were undercover, then there has to be a mole on the inside." Julia suggests.
"Well, we have to consider all possibilities. This cartel is in fact unique in a few ways." Hotch said.

Garcia chimes in, "Yeah, it appeared on the Darknet after the Silk Road was shut down. It has an online and an on-the-ground component based in El Paso. It's run by someone named George Washington."

"The president?" Julia cocks a brow.

"An identity that can be assumed by different individuals." Hotch clarifies. "El Paso's just across the Rio Grande from some of the worst drug violence there is. Not a bad place to set up." Rossi told.

"Yeah, you're right about that. I mean, it'd be so easy to fly under the radar when there's bigger fish to fry right down the road." Tara stated.
"All right. You'll all head to El Paso and find out what happened to the missing agents. I will run the cyber part of the investigation from here." Hotch orders to his team.

"Happy hunting." Rossi comments and as everyone gets up and gets ready to head to the jet for Texas, Hotch calls Julia's name.

"Cortez?" Julia looks up at her boss. "Can I speak with you for a second?" She nods at the man and they both leave the room for a moment to chat in private.

Julia's heart is in her hands and she knows her boss is about to request something she can't refuse. She could just tell. She ignores the questioning looks that linger on her as she walks out to talk with Hotch.

"Yeah?" Julia begins as she faces the man.
"I want you to stay behind and consult the case with Garcia. I'm starting to think she's beginning to go a little stir-crazy here and I think she could use the company, if you don't mind." Hotch offers to the woman and Julia shakes her head, not wanting him to continue.

"Say no more," Julia responds. "I'd do anything for her." Hotch nods at the woman and walks away from her, Julia assuming he's going to run the investigation from the DEA.

        Julia gives herself a few moments to recuperate and let the rest of the team know she won't be joining them in El Paso. She also gives Garcia time to set up in her bat cave.

        Afterwards, Julia knocked on the already open door and Garcia turns her head towards the door, confused because she wasn't expecting company. To her surprise, it's Julia standing right there and not on the jet with the rest of the team.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with the team on your way to Texas?" Garcia swivels her chair around to face the woman. "I was..." Julia shrugs. "Until Hotch asked me to stay behind."

Garcia stands, her face flattering at the woman in front of her and shakes her head, "What? No, no, you didn't have to—"

"I wanted to," Julia corrects her friend, giving her a sympathetic look. "I know being cooped up here is probably making you a little stir-crazy. So... this is me asking if you'd be okay with me staying for a couple of nights with you."

Garcia then notes to the suitcase behind Julia. "Like a sleepover?" She asks as her eyes light up at this. "Well, duh." Julia nods.

"Well, what about Einstein and Newton and Sergio?" Garcia had asked Julia if she'd be able to also look after her cat she had at her apartment that she was leaving behind due to the hitmen at the moment. (Julia couldn't imagine herself saying 'no').

"I can leave early in the morning to go and feed them and then come right back." Julia tells.
"You'd really do that for me?" Garcia questions and Julia nods without hesitation. "Of course. Where else would I be?" She questions.

Garcia looks at the woman. "It's not for any other reason?" She tests and Julia shakes her head but Garcia narrows her eyes and Julia gives in — "Well, I lost a spider in my apartment so, uh, that might a contributing reason as to why I'm staying."

"Thank God for that spider then!" Garcia cheers. "This is gonna be so much fun!"

In that moment, Julia was grateful to make her friend happy despite what she'd been handed this month. If she were Garcia, she'd feel the same way and Julia had hoped that someone would stay alongside her the entire time. And Garcia would definitely be the person that would. She'd do it for anyone. And if Julia could make something right, she would.

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"Okay, you still haven't spilt it to me." Garcia started after Julia had made Garcia and herself some hot chocolate to calm the nerves. Julia looked at her friend with a raised brow. "Spilt what?"

"The whole thing with you and Reid for crying out loud!" Garcia stated. "I want all of the dirty details and now! So, spill!" She rested in her chair and Julia sat in the available chair she brought into the lair.

         Julia shakes her head at her friend as she chuckles. "There's nothing to spill!"
"So, you don't like Reid?" Garcia asks.
"I do, I do— wait, not in that way! I—" Julia looks at Garcia as the woman's eyes narrow at her in amusement.

Seeing as how Garcia looks at her, Julia feels she has no choice but to give in. "He's going through a lot! Yes, he's cute and funny and charming and sweet and smart and I'd totally like to get a bite of that but not at a time where his mother is not doing the greatest, thank you very much. And plus, I told myself I wouldn't date. Especially someone like him who could do way better than me." Julia rambles out loud.

"Oh, sweet angel... you totally don't see it." Garcia mumbled and Julia furrows her brows. What did she mean by that? "He thinks you're pretty! He likes you!"

"What? No, he doesn't!" Julia denies. "You haven't seen his occasional glances but I do! He looks at you like you're the only person in the room." Garcia tells as she sips her hot chocolate out of her mug.

Julia shakes her head at her friend in utter disbelief. Surely, this was Garcia hyping Julia and Reid up, like it'd ever happen.

Julia Cortez and Spencer Reid were total opposites as far as Julia was concerned. She was a clumsy sunshine that sometimes shone way too bright for anyone's liking. And most people hated the sunshine. Meanwhile, Spencer Reid was a cozy fall night filled with coffee and night breezes and was a handsome mellowed man. Everyone preferred the cold weather compared to the heat.

"You may not believe it, Jules, but you'll see it. Eventually you will." Garcia tells.

       Suddenly, her phone rings and she twirls around in her chair and answers it quickly. Julia stands up as Morgan's voice is heard on the other side of the phone.

       "Hey, baby girl, I need you to look into something for me."

      "Tell me it's your melted chocolate eyes, because I'm so there." Garcia stated and Julia rolls her eyes at her friend playfully. "Likewise, but first things first, silly girl.  Find out everything you can on an Arvin Cole." Morgan told.

      "What's the dirt on him?" Julia wondered as she crossed her arms. "He's a repeat drug offender from El Paso." Morgan said.

      "Got it. Ooh! I need to tell you something that Jules and I found. There was a serial killer investigation among the drug cartel chaos that started back in 2011." Garcia informed as she pulled the info up on her computer.

      "By whom?" JJ asked.
      "A Detective Morales of Ciudad Juarez police department." Garcia told.
     "What'd he find out?" Morgan asked.

      "Uh, four bodies in the course of six months were found, all with their faces removed, and the conclusion was that it was probably a calling card to a new street gang." Julia told.

     "Okay, and now where is this detective now?" JJ questioned. "He's deceased. He had a brain tumor in Mexico City a year ago." Garcia answered.

     "Well, did anyone follow up on the investigation?" Morgan asked.
      "No. But Detective Morales sent his report to the El Paso PD in case there were any similar victims on the American side of the border." Julia stated.

     "Except there weren't any until John Portman." JJ commented. "All right, thanks, you guys." Morgan tells Julia and Garcia before they can hang up.

     "Okay, I'll hit you back when we have something." Garcia told as she hung up the phone.

       Deciding to keep the gossiping to a minimum, Julia and Garcia put their focus on the case and decided to do investigating of their own.

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       In the end, the team on El Paso solved the case and Hotch had found out who the mole was and had his arrested. One of the hitmen now taken into custody and Libertad was completely shut down.

        This didn't mean that Garcia could go home quite yet but Julia had offered to stay with her for as long as she needed. She was currently unpacking and Julia was helping her do so as Hotch was on the phone with Rossi, informing him of what occurred with the DEA.

"She's disappointed she can't go home, but she's doing okay." Hotch said, Julia turning over to him as she realized he was talking about Garcia. There's a pause and Hotch smiles a bit, "That's a good idea. I'll talk to you soon. Bye."

Hotch hangs up the phone and turns to Garcia. "Am I right? You doing all right?" He asks. "Well, uh, I don't really have a choice, do I?" Garcia asks and Hotch shakes his head, giving her a sympathetic look as he answers, "No."

"Well, then, yes, I am hunky-dory." Julia watches as Garcia plops on a fake smile that's threatening to fade. "I am. I'm, um..." She looks around in the room that she's just unpacked. "I'm gonna put some satin sheets on that, I'm gonna put a splash of color over there. I'm gonna put some tassels on that thing."

Garcia then breaks down and sobs. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Julia frowns as she sees the happiest, bubbliest woman in the world, maybe even more bubbly than her, fall apart in front of her and it crushes her seeing Garcia in a state like this.

"I know. It's all right." Hotch assured to the woman. Julia steps up to Garcia, putting a reassuring hand on her back. "You know, it's not gonna be forever. You'll get through this. We all will." Julia tried to calm the woman down.

"And... you got Cochran." Garcia tells, trying to look on the bright side of things.
Hotch nodded, "True."
"And he lawyered up, but he could talk at some point?" Garcia asks.
"He could." Hotch nods.

"And you won't be alone until he does so because I'm staying here with you until we figure this whole thing out." Julia tells. "You would really do that? Stay here?" Garcia asks, not wanting to be a burden to Julia.

"Of course." Julia nodded. One of the perks of having no life was being there for her friends. And she would take this risk for Garcia. Because of course it meant endless gossiping and sleepovers until they started to hate each other.

Garcia nodded at Julia's words and mumbled an 'okay'. She looks at her boss and Julia as she speaks once more. "Hey, I'm gonna make myself a vegetarian omelet for dinner. Do you guys want one?"

"I could use some food." Julia shrugged and she wonders to herself what on earth a vegetarian omelet tastes like. They both turn to their boss, who's thinking in his head.

"Well, uh... Jack's already in bed, so..." Hotch pauses. "You have jalapeños?"

"Uh... uh... I'm sorry." Garcia takes her glasses off as she wipes the tears under her eyes. "Um, do--do I have ja--?" Garcia chuckles to herself as she pulls out her jalapeños. "I want you to know, I have had a love affair with all things hot and spicy since I was like twelve." She tells, putting a large smile on both Hotch and Julia's faces.

Garcia hands a tray over to Hotch as he sits himself down and begins to cut up the jalapeños. Julia joins in and sits in front of him as Garcia begins to crack the eggs into a bowl.

Julia smiles to herself in this moment that things would eventually be okay. Garcia would eventually see the outside world again without being a target, she'd go back to her apartment and Reid would come back and hopefully, his skillful brain is put to use for this whole mess and Julia's brain is turned to mush again as she looked forward to seeing his face again.

hey lovelies
this was a lil short but oh well
i wrote this chapter to get my mind off the distress that's happening in this country right now and hopefully it got your mind off of it as well :)

my messages are always open if you guys ever need anyone at all to talk to. we will get through this. i know it's difficult to believe. you are all loved and appreciated, truly. 🤍

i know this chapter had no reid in it but i just really wanted to write about garcia and julia haha
i'm excited for the next chapter
because reid will be back and anyone who has watched this season knows what this means hehe

thank you all for reading
i love love love you all <3
-mya