𝗕𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘆 || 𝗗𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗸 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻

"𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿"
-𝗿.𝗵. 𝗦𝗶𝗻

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𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻 - 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗺

Valentina cried and cried after reading the goodbye letter, even after James had notified Micheal and Sarah as they came to say goodbye to their son, she just sat there. Holding Noah's cold hand in hers while staring off into space.

"I-I can't breath" Valentina whispered as she felt her chest tighten, it was almost like she was choking. Not even paying a second thought to what Micheal was saying, the Agent ran as quickly as she could to the nearest exit of the hospital.

"Val? Val, you out here?" James asked into the night air when he saw a person, only a few feet away from him, with their head between their knees as their back moved up and down shakily. Moving closer to the person who was crying, he then realised it was Valentina. Jogging over to her before he sat down next to her. It was clear to him that she was having a panic attack.

"Hey Val, it's just me James okay?" The marine said, not wanting to startle her as he started to softly rub her back "You're gonna be all right, I'm right here with you. Valentina, can you look at me?"

She took a shaky breath as she turned her head to the side to look at him and he smiled "There she is. Now, I want you to close your eyes and take a few breaths with me, that sound good?" Val nodded slowly "Okay, here hold my hands and then copy what I do okay?" Her shaky hands entwined with his warm ones that brought her the safety she so desperately needed.

"Breathe in for four, hold for four, and then release for four, come on Val, you can do it" James murmured softly and after a few more breaths she felt her chest un-tighten and her throat start to finally open up.

"You're doing really good, Val. Just keeping breathing and I know it's hard, I know but you're doing really well. Remember, in for four, hold for four and out for four" Valentina nodded as she kept listening to his voice until she had fully calmed down.

She sighed, leaning into James's warm body as he wrapped his arms loosely around her "I-I can't talk about it, Charlie" Val hiccuped, referring to what had caused the panic attack and he nodded even though he already knew what had happened.

"What am I gonna do without him?" She mumbled into his chest while playing with the promise ring on her dog tags "Why. . .why him?!" She sobbed into his chest and James just held her until she had no more tears left to cry. After Valentina had fully calmed down, the two had gone back into the hospital where the rest of the team were waiting.

"Val, hey" Ophelia said, bringing her best friend into a hug "Micheal said you and James went outside to get some air"

Val nodded, wiping away any remaining tears left on her face "Yeah, I just needed five minutes but I'm doing better now. What about you guys?" Everyone could see through her facade but they didn't say anything as she moved to hug Matthew and Owen.

During this time, James had gone to ring Valentina's team to inform them on what's happening, knowing she'd want some support off the people she now sees as family because apart from them, the BAU are the only 'family' she has left since her mother's passing and her father still being MIA.