Truth and Lies

Chapter 4

** JJ's POV **

The case got to me. Staring at all of the women on the board, all victims of homosexual hate crimes, just made me feel sick. I could feel Emily's eyes constantly on me and looked away from her. She knows something's up but I can't tell anyone about this. I've kept it hidden for so long.

"JJ, can you talk to the latest victim's sister, Maria? She's just arrived." Hotch told me so I headed to the private interview room.

"Hi, Maria, I'm Jennifer Jareau with the FBI. I'm sorry that we have to meet under these circumstances." I shook her hand, which was already trembling, and led her to a sofa.

"I'm s-sorry, it's just, I never thought I'd lose my sister."

"Ma'am, I understand it's hard."

She just stared. "Do you? Do you really understand?"

I didn't respond straight away, but I didn't have to.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly. "How old was she when...?"

"Seventeen. I was eleven."

We shared a moment of silence before there was a knock on the door and Hotch walked in.

"JJ, can I borrow you for a second?"

I excused myself and went to talk to him outside. "Sir, what's going on?"

"We think we've cornered the unsub in a subway station. I need you to talk to her."

"What, why me?" I began to protest.

"I think you'll connect with her best. All you have to do is talk to her, and we'll be right there. She's got another woman with her."

Nervously, I agreed and we drove to the station. Suddenly, my mouth went dry and I was lost for words. The rest of the team as well as the precinct were scattered around, ready to make a move. It was all up to me.

"Um, hi. It's Ellie, isn't it? My name is Jennifer Jareau, with the FBI's Behavioural Analysis Unit. I just want to talk, if that's alright. I've seen what you've been doing over the past few weeks, and I don't understand. I can't accept what you've done, killing all of these women."

Ellie's knuckles were white as she gripped the gun tightly in her hand, pointing it at the woman's chest.

"They deserved it. They were sinful." She yelled.

"It's okay, Ellie. I'm not going to do anything. Like I said, I just want to talk."

"Who are you?"

"I told you, my name is Jennifer Jareau. Why don't you tell me about these women. Why them?"

"They needed to be taught a lesson. They went against God, and if he wasn't going to take action, someone has to."

"God taught us to be loving to each other. To look out for each other. Is this really what he wanted? To kill others?" I asked her.

"What would you know?"

"I know that God is loving. God is forgiving. God wouldn't want you to kill that woman. She has a family, parents that love her, a brother that adores her. God wouldn't want you to punish her family. It's not fair."

"And what about me?" She cried. "What about me?"

"I know what your father did to you as a child. I know about the year you spent away. I know what happened there. It wasn't fair, and it wasn't right. Nobody should have to go through what you did, but this? This isn't going to make the pain going away. It isn't going to reverse what your father did. It won't bring you closure."

She looked at the woman who was sobbing, praying for her life. She pushed her out of the way, and she ran over to Hotch and Morgan. Ellie had the gun pointed at her own chest.

"No, please, Ellie, don't. You don't want to do that. I thought about doing the very same thing after my parents rejected who I was. Who I am. But you know what, it's made me stronger. It's made me realize that yes, everyone is different, and yes, there will be people who won't accept and understand you, but you can take their opinions and their judgments, and you can use them positively. You can become a better version of yourself. In the Bible, God is loving and compassionate. God loves everyone, no matter who they are, what they are. Please don't be defined by the label that people give you. Define yourself. Is this really how you want it to end?"

I could tell that everyone was staring, but I just ignored them. Ellie had dropped the gun and I ran forward, catching her as she fell to her knees, sobbing hard.

"Hey, it's okay. I have to put these on you, but it's going to be alright." I gripped her tightly, biting my lip to stop my own tears from falling. "Shh, it's going to be okay."

I led her out of the station, walking past my team without a word. I couldn't face them after that.