𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞 | 𝐬. 𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐝

THREE

"And you could?"

"What?"

"You said that Haley was upset, and couldn't keep calm in front of Jack. Were you otherwise unresponsive to the news of Agent Hotchner's demise?"

Jane gave her a nasty look, ignoring the pulsing throbs of pain that ebbed through her body. "The thought of losing Aaron was devastating. He's my father. But I kept it together for Haley and Jack because they needed me too. Compartmentalizing is something they teach at the Academy– I'm sure you're familiar with it, Chief Strauss."

The older woman is silent for a moment, the recording tape continuing on between them. She nods, eventually, face still stone-cold. "Continue, please,"

Jane clenched her jaw and rolled her shoulders back against the propped up bed. "We went to the house immediately. When we got there, I– I took Jack into the living room while Haley called– called him back. I was trying to keep Jack entertained, so I started playing chess with him. I've– I've been teaching him since we were first put into protection, because I started learning when I was his age, and–"

She stops, voice beginning to shake again as she leaned back against the stiff pillow on her bed. "Um– I don't know how much time passed between Haley calling him, and his arrival. I just remember him knocking on the door, and I just– I could feel it in my gut. Something was just– wrong."

When the knock sounded, Jane thought for a moment that she would simply vomit, her stomach so wrought with nerves she could hardly force focus onto the chessboard before her. She sent Haley a small nod, and the woman briefly left the room to answer the door.

Jane stood from her seat, turning to look at the doorway, her dissipating nausea coming back in full force when Haley walked back in with an all too familiar figure following after her. She inhaled sharply, making Haley's gaze snap towards her, concern flashing in her eyes.

"Jane? What is it?"

Jane clasped her hand around the back of the chair, knuckles going white. "Haley,"

The man suddenly smiled, the grin spreading across his face like a rapid wildfire. "Little Jane," His voice was exactly the same as she remembered it– cold and detached.

"I remembered his voice. I remembered when– the first time, ten years ago, I was in the hospital at the same time as him. And they put me in a room with him for one day, but I– I had complications in the middle of the night, and there was internal bleeding around some of my wounds, and they had to take me back into surgery. I– he never spoke. If he'd talked, then, in the hospital, I would've known it was him. I never forgot the sound of his voice."

"Mommy?" Jack's tiny voice came and the trio of adults all looked at him, varying emotions displayed towards his presence. "Who is he?"

Foyet smiled that evil smile, and Jane shivered, turning to look at Jack with objective horror. "My name is George. I'm here to help you and your mom, and your friend Jane."

Foyet turned, looking at Haley as he pulled his phone from his pocket. "Mrs. Hotchner, I want you to make a phone call. It's real important,"

He dialed a number, and handed the ringing device to Haley, who took it with shaky hands as he suddenly turned his attention onto Jane.

"Foyet."

Hotch's voice echoed through the speaker and Jane felt her body tremble at the relief that poured through her. "Aaron? You're okay?"

There's a pause before he answers and Jane looks away, her eyes drifting back to Jack as Foyet approached her. "I'm fine."

Jane stayed dutifully silent as he pushed her back down into the chair, pulling a bundle of rope out of his zipped up jacket.