<P> Garcia is unabashedly emotional, which sometimes makes her job with the BAU more difficult . She has broken down, crying several times while listening to and watching terrifying things in her office as she analyzes them for the team . However, according to Agent Hotchner, she "fills her office with figurines and color to remind herself to smile as the horror fills her screens ." Garcia is, on the whole, an optimist . She has managed to remain so, even though the job occasionally requires her to dig into people's secret lives, to "find the god - awful thing that happened to them that made them do the god - awful thing to someone else ." Many team members have commented in various ways, that her optimism is an aid to them, that (as Hotch said) they would never want her to change . He once commented to Reid and JJ, after contacting Garcia during a case, "Remind me to have her drug tested," indicating her optimism could even be too much at times . Garcia was once shot by a man with whom she had just gone on a date, but survived when the bullet missed her heart and ricocheted into her abdomen . The attacker (who turned out to be a type of serial killer known as a' hero homicide') was later killed . After this incident, Morgan insisted she keep a gun; however, it is never shown whether she took this advice . She was romantically involved with fellow FBI Technical Analyst Kevin Lynch (played by Nicholas Brendon). </P> <P> Garcia seems to have been the one most hurt by JJ transferring out of the Behavioral Analysis Unit, and in "Compromising Positions", Garcia opted to replace JJ as their new Media Liaison . </P> <P> She was also emotional in the episode "Lauren" when Prentiss is stabbed by her nemesis, Ian Doyle . JJ joins the team waiting in the hospital lounge for results to inform them that Prentiss "never made it off the table ." We see that Garcia can tell the news is not good by the look on JJ's face . In "Hanley Waters", she is interviewed by Hotch about Prentiss' "apparent death" and says she wants to talk about the times when Prentiss made her happy instead of about her being gone . </P> <P> Garcia is extremely and emotionally excited when she learns that Prentiss is alive and shocked when she returns . She's also quick to forgive her, JJ, and Hotch for the deception . It is also revealed that she has been taking care of Emily's cat, Sergio, and when Emily inquires about him, Garcia promptly demands visitation rights . </P>

What happened to penelope and kevin on criminal minds