Birthday Gift

chapter 8

Bella felt her self waking for the third time that day. her head wasn't hurting as bad as it had before but the dull ache was still there. she could hear her team outside of the room talking amongst themselves. it sounded like Rossi had just finished telling them what had happened.

Bella groaned a bit turning onto her side cursing the doctor for whatever drug that she had been given prior to her falling back asleep. pushing the covers off of her self she stood up and walked over to the door listening to what the others were saying.

"you think Bella might know something that would solve this?" Derek said skeptically.

"I'm saying there is too much that we don't know and everything is pointing to Bella knowing...at least something that may or may not be able to help," Rossi said.

"and I am telling you that you need to back off on this one" Alec snapped sounding annoyed.

*go Alec* Bella thought amused.

"just...don't...alright...not today at least," Alec said.

"if she knows something we need to figure out what it is," Emily said.

"why the hell does it have to be today of all damn days!" Alec snapped causing them to all recoil.

"does your mother know you talk like this" JJ asked.

"I've said much worse in front of her and she to me so don't even start with me. now back to what I was saying." Alec said calmly, however, Bella could tell he was trying hard to keep his cool.

"why does she hate it so much. does she really hate being alive so much that she would resent her own birthday? or is there something more to it?" Rossi asked.

"that is none of your damn business." Alec all but growled.

"it is our business.. she made it our business when she joined this team." Rossi shot back.

"we need to be able to trust her out on the field. we can't do that if we are constantly worried about her trying something that would get her self killed purposely" Hotch said.

"its a risk you all take!" Alec exclaimed getting even angrier the more the conversation went on.

"yes, but we make sure we are cautious about what we do" Reid added his two sense in.

"look...Guys, I don't think Bella is...I don't think we have to worry about her trying to off her self rather than somebody else trying to off her." Derek spoke up. Bella was surprised at his word.

*thanks for the vote of confidence* she thought.

"we all have our secrets Hotch. so she didn't want us knowing when her birthday was. sure it could have saved us a lot of trouble and questions, but that isn't the big picture here. On our way up here I went back to look at some more of those episodes. they have them on YouTube of all places." Derek said.

"and?" Hotch asked sounding tired.

"well, I remembered Bella making a comment about one of the characters. she said and I quote 'he's always trying to turn the people against him' she was talking about the commandant, in the show he was a tyrant who hated anyone who stood up against him. that's what the main character Zorro did all the time" Derek explained.

"so what you are saying is the unsub is after someone who stood up against him," Reid asked.

"Or...trying to turn the people against someone that stood up to him before making his next move," Derek said with a slight nod.

Bella's head shot up looking horrified at what they were saying as memories rushed to the surface. Diego's words rang through her mind. 'you will need her'

Bella backed up away from the door trembling. *, of course,* she thought horrified as the image of the painting came to her. *that night at dinner.* she thought as she was pulled into a flashback.

~Two men and Two females were sitting around the table eating and talking together happily. "Diego my son I am not getting any younger when are you going to start taking over more of your responsibilities" The older man, Don Alejandro, spoke up holding up his glass to take a drink.

"soo father soon the people will no longer be of need for Zorro," Diego replied.

"ha! the people will probably think Zorro disappeared to find a way to kidnap me again" one of the females spoke up. she was sitting next to Diego.

"Bella he would not have to kidnap you," Alejandro said with a laugh.

"no, but it would make a good gossip story father" the second female in the room spoke up with a laugh. she had long raven hair and Blue eyes. she was wearing a red Spanish styled dress. the same as Bella was wearing at that moment making them look semi-identical.

"that it would Martina," Alejandro said with a nod.

Bella looked up at Diego. "if they had ever found out about us that would be even much of a story...oh how would Zorro react knowing that his lover was already married" she said teasingly.

"that's not a story that would be a hilarious nightmare" Diego replied.

"Oh, Bernardo quit that painting already and come eat" Bella called over to Bernardo who was currently painting a portrait of them.

~

Bella stared up at the door an icy cold feeling washed over her. Bella looked over at the window of the room and quickly walked over stumbling a bit as she went. there was a note pad and a pen that Clair had left behind. she quickly scribbled down something on the note pad. she opened the window and looked back at the door. she shook her head a bit before pushing out the screen and climbing out the window knowing it would take them a while to miss her.