Chapter Text
~~~~ Quantico, Virginia - 4:30 PM
JJ and Morgan were the last 2 to enter the roundtable room, their conversation dropping off when they saw the grim look on the usually cheerful tech analyst’s face. Penelope Garcia was not a profiler but she was still somewhat able to stomach the crime scene photo, when they saw her face they all knew this case wouldn't by any means be easy.
“Alright crime fighters! Our next unfortunately bloody case is in Decatur, Georgia. This is the Jones family, they had 2 girls that were 10 & 13 and a dog, Kathy Jones worked in a pharmacy, and Hank Jones was an accountant. All were found dead in the family room, the parents stabbed to death and the kids were asphyxiated. The next victims are the Williams, they had a 13 year old son, James Williams was a school teacher and Addison Williams was a therapist, all were found once again in the family room and killed in the same ways too.” Garcia had tried to give her usual cheer but everyone knew that with this case happy feelings were hard to come by.
The team was no strangers to tough cases but everyone knew when kids were involved that the days got heavier. It takes time to get used to crime scene photos, the gore gets to you in the beginning, the one thing you never get used to is seeing children in those photos.
It didn’t take long for Hotch to announce the team would be wheels up in 30, and as everyone filtered out JJ could tell that this case was going to be different.
~~~~ On The Jet - 5:00 PM
“Considering this unsubs targets so far he seems like a family annihilator,” Morgan said, his brows already furrowed in anticipation for what nightmares this case will bring. “You’re right, and look at the way he's killing them. With the parents it's drawn out and painful, it's full of rage, but the children die pretty quickly in comparison” Emily couldn’t help but picture these families' fear and she wondered if the unsub got off on it, if that's what drives him. JJ quickly mentioned after “What if the rage in the parents murders is because he's substituting them for someone else? Someone who hurt him.”
They all split into their own areas of the jet soon after, all studying the file in their own ways, some made theories, Reid created a geo profile, and Hotch and Rossi eliminated other potential factors to identify him.
~~~~ Decatur, Georgia - Atlanta Police Station - 10:30 PM
3 hours ago when the team landed Rossi and Prentiss set off to the first crime scene, Hotch and Morgan took the second, and JJ and Reid stayed behind to see if the families ever interacted or where they may have met the unsub.
JJ stood with a sigh “Ok so if this unsub was able to take control of a whole family then he must have something to make them cooperate.” “We already know he picked the locks on the back door and probably surprised them, what if he threatens the family with the life of someone?” Reid spoke out, “Rossi said he kills the kids first, is that to establish dominance? or is it to spare them from seeing what he’s about to do?” “JJ maybe it's both, I mean think about it, the way he kills the children is like he doesn’t want them to suffer nearly as much as the parents, what if he sees them as his own parents, like he's protecting the kids.” “Like he’s protecting himself,” they both say at the same time.
“We should call Hotch and see what he thinks,” but just as JJ reaches for the phone it begins ringing, “It's Hotch,” she says to Spencer.
“Hotch hey we think we have a theory for why the unsubs doing this,”
“JJ there's another scene, I need you and Reid to meet us there, you can tell everyone your theory when we're all there.”
“Ok yeah, we’re on our way now.”
~~~~ Outside The New Scene - 10:37 PM
The 2 arrive at the small house less than 10 minutes later to find the streets crawling with cop cars, the local corners, detectives, and an ambulance. Hotch stood outside with Prentiss presumably waiting for the 2, “John and Ellen Y/l/n died at approximately 9:03 PM, leaving behind a daughter this time,” Hotch said. “Wait, there's a survivor?” Reid asked, confused. “He’s either unravelling or he did it on purpose, either way he's getting more dangerous,” Prentiss added.
“She locked herself in the washroom and no one has been able to get her out or talk, the only reason we know she's still in there is because one of the uniforms saw her before she blocked the window. JJ I was hoping you could try and talk her out?” Hotch’s voice was stoic as always but now with a tint of concern. “Yeah of course, What's her name?” JJ asked, “Her name is Y/n, and she’s 15 years old.”
When JJ arrived everyone left the door frame at her request, leaving her to finally knock on the door. “Hello? Y/n? My name JJ, I’m with the FBI, I’m not here to hurt you. Do you think you could open the door?” - No Response - with a sigh she sat down on the floor in front of the door and knocked again, “I promise that the man who was here is gone, he left and even if he came back I wouldn’t let him or anyone hurt you, I just need you to open the door sweetheart.” For a moment JJ was once again met with silence, she held her breath, until she heard a small voice “are they dead?” “I’m so sorry honey but yes, they are.”
The last thing JJ expected was for you to open the door, “they’re really gone?” Now without the door to muffle your voice JJ heard what she expected to be grief was instead relief, she was confused but still answered, “The time of death was just after 9 PM.” You made no move to stand so neither did JJ, the both of you sat on opposite sides of the door frame in silence. After a few minutes she asked “Did he hurt you?” after seeing the bruises on your face and arms she was sure you’d say yes, “No.” You said just as quietly as before, but now more tired.
“Are you sure?” she couldn’t help but pry, you looked confused for a moment before looking down at your arms in realization, “these aren’t from him” after that sentence you didn’t meet her eyes, you didn’t speak, not even a yes or no just the occasional nod. She had gotten you outside to the EMTs but when they decided to take you to the hospital they refused to allow her to ride with you stating she could meet you at the hospital. The look you had when they said that made JJ think you were going to speak again but just before you could, you stopped yourself and laid your head back down to the stretcher, your gaze once again far from JJ’s.
Rossi had insisted on driving her there so during the drive JJ called Hotch and told him about the short conversation you had and also the small relief she thought she heard in your voice, he answered by saying he’d have Garcia follow up on it but they both knew the only way to get these answers was from you.
When they got to your room you were sitting on the bed playing with your nails but your eyes never met theirs and you didn’t make a single sound. “Do you want some water or something to eat?” JJ tried but was only met by a shake of the head, “Can we ask you some questions about what happened tonight?” This time Rossi tried, your hands stopped fidgeting, you raised your eyes to JJ’s and shook your head no, but this time JJ could see the fear in your eyes.
After a few more questions went unanswered they both decided to call it a night and return in the morning as it got closer to midnight. “There’s gonna be a cop right outside your door so you’ll be safe, and we’ll come back in the morning to talk when you’re feeling a bit better.” and with a smile to you she left, she left you in the quiet room surrounded only by your thoughts.
~~~~ The Hospital - 9:00 AM
Hotch decided to send JJ again seeing as she was the only person you had spoken to. This time she was with Derek since Rossi and Reid went to the M.E’s office and Hotch went with Prentiss who had a theory she wanted to explore at the newest scene.
JJ and Morgan were both sat outside the hospital on the phone with Garcia and Hotch, “John Y/l/n has been arrested numerous times for public intoxication, multiple DUIs, assault, and the list goes on. Ellen Y/l/n has been arrested for drug possession, giving drugs to a minor, trafficking illegal drugs, and once again many more. They have also had CPS called on them a bunch of times by some of Y/n’s teachers, neighbors, even the school principal, they all said they saw cuts and bruises on her but somehow no one ever did anything else.”
“Ok so these victims are different, the other families were clean, the model family, but here we have presumably an alcoholic father, a drug addict mother, and an abused child who survived.” Hotch said with a sigh, “Alright lets find out the full story. Be careful with your wording, children of abuse are often less likely to speak much since speaking up would get them hurt.”
When the 2 agents entered your room you stiffened seeing someone new, JJ seemed to notice how much more you shrunk into yourself because she moved to the side of your bed and quickly introduced him, “Y/n this is Derek Morgan, he’s a friend of mine, I know he looks kinda scary but inside he’s pretty soft.” She whispered the last part. Morgan also stepped back a bit, hoping to seem less threatening. “I’m not here to hurt you, I just wanna help find who did this. Do you think we could ask you some questions?” You turned to JJ in silent questioning, and she just nodded at you with a caring smile.
“Ok,” you whispered, the questions started easy, yes or no. “Did you see the man who did it?” “Yes.” “Did he touch you?” “No.” “Did he say anything to you?” “Yes.” “What did he say?” You hesitated for a moment, “He said everything would be ok now, he said he was saving me,” “Do you know what he meant?” That's when the doctor walked in, “Alright everything seems ok, you’ve got some nasty bruises but they’ll fade, and the cuts didn’t need any stitches so you are good to go.”
Once you were fully discharged they brought you to the police station and JJ led you into the kids room. As you both sat down she asked again, “Do you know what he meant by “saving you”?” “He was saving me from them.” “Sweetheart whose “them”?” JJ already knew and she hated it, she needed to hear it from you though. The warmth in her voice made you want to trust her, it made you want to tell her everything. “They’d hit me, when he drank he got mad, and when she took the drugs she’d encourage him, sometimes she’d help him. When it started he used to apologize after, but then he stopped apologizing and he started doing it more often, and he started drinking more so he lost his job, that one made him really mad, I didn’t go to school for the rest of the week.”
JJ’s heart broke for you, for who you became, for who you could have been, and for the child who just needed to be loved.
You saw their team gathering in the bullpen from the window and looked at JJ “Don’t you need to go help them?” “I’m sure they can handle this one without me” she said with a smile. She stayed with you the whole time, when other agents came in with questions, when you had to identify the unsub from a few pictures, even while the team keeps working the profile, she doesn’t leave. When the team tracks down his address she declines one of the cops offers to stay with you instead. She gets a phone call about half an hour after everyone had left and when she comes back you can see the disappointment on her face, “They didn’t find him?” you asked, “Not yet, but they will soon.”
Soon the team had to call it a night because it was once again getting too late, which left you to sleep in the small kids room at the station. Your social worker Mary had stopped by earlier when you were with JJ and she explained that since the team still needed your information you had to stay at the station because afterwards you’d be going into foster care. You still remember the look on JJ’s face when it was mentioned that you’d be going into foster care, at the moment you had pushed it aside but now you couldn't help but obsess over it, over what it meant.
The couch was far from comfortable but that wasn’t why you had trouble sleeping. You were used to sleeping wherever was safe enough, but here wasn’t safe, not because of the man who’d killed your family but because the second the FBI agents left you went back to being just another kid who’d make problems. You felt the urge to run, to run and never turn back, it's not like anyone would be there to notice, but something in Agent JJ’s voice made you want to stay. You aren't sure why but some part of you feels safer with her in the room, maybe it was because she promised not to let anyone hurt you, or maybe it's because you wanted her to be your safe.
You spent the whole night staring at the door, waiting for someone to come in and hurt you, waiting for someone to prove you’d never be safe. No one ever came. Instead walked in JJ, once again with a warm smile that made you want to believe in promises again.
~~~~ Atlanta Police Department - 8:07 AM
“Did she sleep in there?” Morgan referred to you as you sat in the kids room wearing the same clothes you’d been wearing since the hospital. “Yeah, her social worker said they’re still trying to find a home to place her in but until we finish this case she stays here” JJ answered with an almost lost look in her eyes. “I’m just going to go and sit with her, let me know if you need me.”
“Hey,” she was quiet but you could still hear the hint of concern as you continued to stare at the wall, “Hi.” There wasn’t much to say, you told them everything you knew and now they just had to track the unsub down, there was nothing more for you. “Are you okay?” JJ mentally scolded herself for the question, anyone in law enforcement knew better than to ask a question like that after a person loses someone. She was surprised to see you actually think about it rather than giving an automatic “I’m Fine.” You did think about the question, your abusers were dead, you were alive, you were going into foster care, “Yes.” Not because the pros would outway the cons but because you were free from them.
JJ seemed to accept your answer, maybe she heard the truth in your voice or maybe she just wanted to believe you were truly ok. When the silence got too much you broke it, “Do you have any family?” It might be a strange question to ask considering what happened to you but you didn’t care, “Yeah I do, I’m married and have a son, his name is Henry.” “Are you close with your parents?” You weren’t even sure why you had asked but part of you was curious, “Not so much,” She didn’t want you to pry and so you left it there.
“How did you know you wanted to be a profiler?” Maybe you were filling the silence or maybe you wanted to know a bit about her compared to what she knew of you. “Well before I was a profiler I was the media liaison, so I picked what cases we’d work and deal with the media around the case and I loved the job but eventually I started feeling like maybe I could do more if I was a profiler, like I could be more.” You liked the answer, it wasn’t a work around like so many adults would go for but the truth, in that moment you decided you like her honesty.
Soon after she was called out by one of her team mates leaving you to refocus on the guitar in the room, probably for some of the older kids, you didn’t pick it up but let your fingers brush the strings occasionally plucking a few. When JJ had been gone a while you looked for her from the small window that looked into the bullpen and saw her talking to Mary, she didn’t seem angry towards something you’d done, but more tense as she played with her necklace.
This wasn’t the first time you’d seen them speak without you, they’d done it yesterday too just before the social worker left but then JJ seemed less tense, instead just anxious, ‘I guess I'm becoming a bit of a profiler too now, FBI here I come,’ you couldn’t help but joke to yourself.
~~~~ 10:32 AM
“I’ve got him! His face was scanned on a traffic camera downtown! The location is being sent to your GPS now so go get him!” Garcia’s relief was clear to everyone in the room and with a few words from Hotch everyone was off. Reid had checked in with JJ but she once again opted for staying with you, that confused you, you weren’t used to people choosing you once let alone over and over again.
When JJ got the call that they’d gotten the unsub and that he was in police custody she was overjoyed, when she came to tell you the good news you felt your stomach tighten, sure you were happy someone dangerous was no longer a threat but now they were going to leave. You hated yourself for getting attached to her, for caring, for letting yourself get hurt again. It was always meant to end like this, they would go home to their happier lives and you would go to whatever home would take you, everyone always leaves.
When the team returned you expected Mary to come and take you away but she never came, instead you sat on the horrible couch and lost yourself in your mind again. An hour later Mary came in with JJ behind her, ‘Probably to say goodbye, at least she cared enough for that’ your brain supplied. “You’re a pretty lucky kid y’know” Mary says with a sigh, almost like she's annoyed, and you definitely don't miss the look on JJ’s - No. - Agent Jareau’s face when she said lucky. “How exactly am I “Lucky”?” you sure didn’t feel lucky.
“Agent Jareau here had an idea,-” Mary started before JJ cut her off, “I want to bring you home with me to D.C, I want to adopt you.” Silence. You weren’t sure what the right words were, “Now this is technically your choice, it’ll start with you going to D.C with Agent Jareau, and you’ll be transferred to a local caseworker who will check in on your living conditions, weekly check ins, and by the end of a month you will decide if you want to stay longer, after 4 months of this placement Agent Jareau and her husband will have the choice to adopt you. If you don’t go to D.C you’ll be put in a group home, we don’t have the resources yet to find you another placement and considering your age you're more likely to age out of the system at 18.” You once again looked at the both of them waiting for someone to start laughing and prove that this was just a sick joke. “I’ll leave you both to talk for a few minutes.”
The second she left you just stared at JJ in confusion. “So, what do you think of coming to live with me in D.C?” “Why? Why me?” Even though you were blunt, JJ didn't seem too surprised by it, “Because I care about you and I want you to have a chance to live the life you deserve. D.C would be a fresh start in a home with people who care about you, it’s all up to you sweetheart.” It was her honesty again.
Your mind was racing with scenarios that all ended with you being sent away. “This is a bad idea.” You didn’t elaborate, just looked down at the floor. “Why do you think that?” She asked as she sat next to you, “You’ll get tired of me, I’m exhausting.” You whispered, but you might as well have screamed because JJ felt her heart break. “No you’re not, you’ll never be exhausting, and I won’t get tired of you because I truly do care about you.” JJ was all but begging you to believe her, “It’ll Pass.” and at that you turned your head away from her. You hoped she'd leave it at that. She didn't.
“Please just give me a chance, if you hate it we’ll figure something out but I have a feeling Henry is gonna love you.” She did seem better than a group home, plus getting out of this town would be even more freedom. That's how the next day you found yourself on a private jet with 6 FBI agents on the way to D.C.
All you could do was hope that JJ was right, you liked her honesty so hopefully she kept it, but even as you hoped the voices still broke through to you occasionally and they screamed the words “It’ll Pass.”