AN: Oh, boy!...This story is a little different than my usual Criminal Minds stories... It's crazy, but I promise-I put as much of my usual love for the CM characters into this thing...I ended up loving it and I hope you do, too...Please give my little experiment a chance and enjoy!

Chapter 1

"Oh my God! That was the best movie ever!" Penelope gushed. They had just stepped out of the movie house on Fairmont and Third that they loved to go to. Whenever Derek didn't have a case on a Friday night, they went to see the latest movie—sometimes a double date with others, sometimes a double feature.

"Yeah, it was pretty damned funny," Derek said as he chuckled. He wrapped one arm around her and reached for his cell with the other, turning it off of silent mode. He slid it back into his pocket.

"I can't believe Catrina Engle was that funny," Penelope said, leaning farther into Derek's warm and comfy side. "I mean, she is usually in roles like Cleopatra and Queen Elizabeth and all that kind of lacking humor sort of stuff, but this was—"

The loud chiming from Derek's phone interrupted her. He stopped walking—like a typical man, he couldn't multitask—and reached for the phone again.

Reading the display, he began to frown. "Baby, I'd better get this." He hit dial and a moment later said, "Yeah, Momma. What's wrong?"

Considering Derek didn't call any other woman momma in a flirtatious manner, this was probably his actual mother he'd called. She waited patiently as he talked, getting one side of the conversation.

"Pipe burst...Cousin Janine? When did she move—" Derek released her and began to pace. "Yeah, Momma, I understand. Yeah, I'll be there in a minute." He hung up the phone and rubbed the back of his neck. "P, I gotta go. My cousin moved into town, and she is having some major plumbing issues. She called some plumbers, but they are charging highway robbery, and they are ankle deep in water already."

"Ohhhh," she said sadly, the compassion she felt resounding clearly in her voice. "Go. Go, my love. Fly to be by her side, oh steadfast hero of mine."

"Uh uh," he said, shaking his head and putting his arm around her. "I will walk you to your car first. Then I'll go."

She shook her head. "Don't be silly. I'm parked under the lights, it's a nice night, and there are lots of people around. Go."

He hesitated. "Baby—"

"I will be fine," she said, giving him a playful shove. "Go!"

He cupped the side of her face in his large hand and smiled appreciatively at her. "You're the best, sweetness."

She sighed dramatically. "I know..."

Listening to his chuckle fade as he walked away, she smiled and started walking across the sidewalk toward the lot her car was parked in. As she walked, her bravado she had given Morgan began to fade. There was a lot of scary things in that not-so-savory area of Quantico. There were some drunks sleeping outside the bar on the corner, some rough looking people on motorcycles...

Oh, she was so stereotypical! She needed to get to her car, and everything would be fine.

After what felt like forever, she reached Esther and unlocked her door. She climbed into the big orange caddy and fired her up. A moment later, she was driving down the road, singing loudly to the radio.

"I'm on the edge...the edge...the edge...the edge! I'm on the edge...of gloryyyyy!"

Ten minutes later, she was pulling into the underground parking garage for her building. It was always nice, toasty warm, and she had a numbered spot with her name—literally P. Garcia—on it.

"Frack!" she cried as she reached her assigned spot. Mr. Pommelroy, her neighbor, had backed his Hummer into the spot and crossed over the line. Morgan's motorcycle would not fit in the space he'd left, much less her sizable Esther.

Growling, she turned around and headed out of the garage. There was a lot of good street parking around her building, and it didn't look like it was going to rain anytime soon. She checked the front near her courtyard and saw that it was full. There must've been some sort of party going on, which wasn't uncommon, considering it was a Friday night. She'd have to find another spot.

Pulling along the side of her building, she found a spot near the alley. There was light from the streetlamp and lots of traffic. Esther would be visible, so that spot would work. She parallel parked alongside her complex and shut her car off.

She reached for her purse and then turned around to reach for her tote bag. She noticed she had a few clothing items from the gym that needed to go in, as well as a book she had wanted to finish recently. As she packed those things, she noticed a few more computer magazines she had purchased.

Might as well bring it all, she thought with a sigh, grabbing the plastic bag from the magazine stand, too.

Stepping out of Esther, she locked the door and then picked up all the bags in an unsteady jumble. Suddenly, she wished she wasn't wearing such high heels. She started the slow trek to the front of her building and changed her mind and turned toward the alley behind. After all, she lived in one of the safest areas in town, and she knew there was nothing to be afraid—

It came out of nowhere and knocked her to the ground. The air had been knocked completely out of her; she tried to gasp and scream, but there was no use.

A man was kneeling astride her waist. His eyes seemed to glow; the evil intent and malice he had for her was blatant in his expression. That couldn't be right... She didn't recognize him at all. His contempt must've been for humankind in general.

She sucked a needed breath in and tried to scream, but he clamped his hands around her neck and began to squeeze.

She kicked her legs and tried to struggle, but he was a big man, far bigger than Morgan or Hotch. She punched at him with her arms, trying to grip at his wrists and disengage him from her windpipe, but it was useless. He was so very strong.

As a deep, almost calming darkness started to come over her, Penelope felt her lids begin to close. She hadn't thought that being choked to death would have a peaceful element...

The thought made her open her eyes again.

This can't be it. This cannot be how I am going to die, she thought, but the shadows from lack of air overwhelmed her.

Just as she began to plummet rapidly toward eternal slumber, she felt a sharp bite on her neck...