Criminal Minds Series Rewrite: Season Two

Profiler, Profiled: Final Part

You leave their side and head back to Derek who is stewing alright. He really wants to get out, so when he sees you, he thinks that you're here to tell him he's free to go and you caught the killer. If Hotch came in here, it would only be to grill him for more information. They are kind of the same people in certain ways, so they weren't getting anywhere with them yelling at each other.

"Tell me I can get out of here," Derek groans.

"I need you to tell me about Carl Buford."

That name sends Derek frozen, and you can see the gears in his head turning. He needs to choose his next words carefully, but he knows it's pointless because it's you who's asking.

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"He's responsible for getting your records expunged."

"I told you to stay the hell out of my business!" Derek yells at you.

"You said you visit the youth center every time you come here," you push.

"So what?"

"Carl says he hasn't spoken to you in years. If you visit all the time, you would have seen him. Is there something I should know about him, Derek?"

"Damn you, Y/N! It's none of your fucking business!"

"Carl was the one who told the detectives that you were with Damien."

"I am warning you, Y/N. Back off."

You look down at the table in front of you, but when you look at Derek, there are tears in your eyes.

"Did Carl hurt you, Derek? Like how I was hurt?"

Derek slams his fists against the table, but he doesn't confirm or deny your suspicions. However, his body language confirms it for you.

"Something like that doesn't go away, no matter how much you push them down. We're in the same boat, Derek. I want to help you. Just answer my question, and Carl goes away for life. He killed the ones who said no, didn't he?"

You know without a doubt that Carl Buford is a molesting pedophile. For those who don't deny him, he keeps around and helps them in life. Those who stand up against him... get killed. Derek's silence is enough for you.

"You don't know what you're getting into," Derek finally speaks.

"Yeah, I think I do," you whisper.

You turn and leave the room, not locking the door behind you. You head out to the rest of your team, just as Emily and Wally come back from the youth center.

"I'm not saying it's Mr. Buford. There's a huge amount of investigation left to be done," Gideon argues with Gordinski.

"For fifteen years, he hasn't been the slightest bit suspicious."

"Hotch, can I talk to you?" you ask and clear your throat. Your body language tells everyone that you want to talk to him alone. "I think Carl is responsible for all of this."

"Did Derek say anything?"

"It's what he didn't say. Carl is a sexual predator to children, and Derek was one of them. I can guarantee that Damien was too. The only difference between them is Damien stood up to Carl, and Derek didn't."

"That's a big accusation."

"I told you, Carl made me feel as I did thirteen years ago. I know what I'm saying."

"What, did we turn him loose?" Wally announces, interrupting everyone.

You and the rest of your team rush to the room where Derek was, only to realize that he escaped from it...