don't get me wrong () prodigal son SLOW UPDATES

Eleven

JT looked at him, guilt in his eyes. "Was it, um... like— was it weird?"

Theodora snorted, glancing at Malcolm who had a small amused smile on his face when they met eye contact.

"Having a serial killer as a father?" His eyes went wide, a small laugh escaping his lips. "Yeah, it was super weird."

A phone went off, and at first they all looked to Malcolm but he shook his head. Theodora stood up, digging her phone from her pocket. It was hers that was going off, and no number appeared at the top of her screen but the word Unknown.

"Excuse me." She told them, walking out of the room. As soon as the door clicked shut behind her, she clicked answer, bringing the device to her ear.

"Hello?" She asked, and when nobody answered, "Hello, who is this?"

There was a long pause, "They found her. 12."

She didn't know what to do, the person's voice wasn't familiar to her. Who was this and what the hell was going on?

They found her. 12.

Something in her gut told her what that meant.

The line went dead, and she stared at the blank screen. Theodora turned, rushing back into the room. There was a TV on the wall, and the remote sat on the table. Something wasn't sitting right with her, and she ignored Gil's calls of protest and "What the hell are you doing?" While she flipped the TV on and turned it to channel 12.

A reporter was standing in the middle of a forest, officers and other workers filled the area behind her. A picture was on the screen, one of a very familiar face.

Her hair platinum blonde, eyes the brightest blue. A big smile on her face as she stared at the camera, and a little girl wrapped in her arms.

"Mom?" Theodora mumbled.

She turned the volume up—

A local farmer was wandering through these trees, deep within the woods while he searched her his dog. While he found his little furry friend, he found something else as well.

The camera panned out, and in the distance you could see a shallow hole, with a white objects scattered on the surface of the dirt.

The dog, Ollie, had been digging a small hole which produced a rather large bone. The man, who wishes to remain unknown claims he knew right away it was of a human. The victim has already been identified as 38 year old Jay Dora Fletcher, a mother and wife who went missing in 1998. She had disappeared without a trace, now finally being found all those years later—

A towns name was flashing on the screen, and she could hear the others voices in the background despite the ringing in her ears.

"That's a few miles out of town." Gil said, "A campground with trails—"

"Theo." Malcolm was next to her then, "Is that—"

"Yes."

"I've given you all the information you need to start this case." Malcolm grabbed her hand, directing her away from the TV and towards the door. "JT start with the other family members, call me when you get anything."

"Theodora." Gil's voice called out, but she didn't acknowledge him. That picture of her mother was engraved in her mind, the words the reporter said echoing.

"Take me there." Was all she said.

"No."

"Please, Malcolm—"

"No." They stepped in the elevator. The door shut behind them.

"I need to see her—"

"No!" He looked at her then, gripping her hand tightly. "You can't. It will only make it worse. There's nothing to see, Theo. She's only bones now—"

"Don't—"

"I thought you had accepted—"

Theodora shook her head, "I did. But— but, seeing it. Knowing it. Why wasn't I told?"

Malcolm pursed his lips, "I'm sorry."

A part of her had always thought maybe her mother had just skipped town on her and her father. That maybe she was alive and well somewhere else, a new family and a new start. But whenever she was, she was alive. To know, to really know her mother had been killed. Taken and murdered—

"You don't know if it was murder."

She looked up at him, "How—"

The doors opened and they were out, rushing out of the building and then breathing in the fresh air. "I can see it on your face."

"Why is she buried out in the middle of a fucking forest then? Huh, Malcolm. If she wasn't murdered—"

They stopped walking and arms wrapped tightly around her. She sighed, hugging back. "I'm so sorry, Theo."

"You know it was murder, don't you?"

"No."

"Don't lie to me." Her voice was muffled.

"Yes." He finally said, "And I'm sorry for that."

Theodora closed her eyes, the shock still settling in.

They found her. 12.

"I-I'm fine." She told him, stepping away from him. "I'm fine."

He raised an eyebrow at her, but said nothing. Theodora nodded slowly, turning back around and marching right into the precinct.