Wheels Down in 30

~ serial killer ~

Stop.

Just stop.

"Dani," Michaels worried voice rings through the house. I had hid in the bathroom, terrified. He never acted this way before. Ever. He had never raised a hand to me or yelled never even got mad honestly. I was so confused.

Michael knocks on the door again, "What is wrong Dani?" he asks, trying the door knob.

I cough, shutting my computer, "Rossi I am perfectly fine." I firmly state.

He leans back in his chair, fiddling with what looks to be a key chain when I finally look up at him, "You know," he starts, "You've only called me Rossi twice since I've known you,"

I lay my hands on top of my laptop, "Really,"

He nods, barely glancing at me, "Yes, really. You want to know when?" he rhetorically asks.

I sarcastically shrug, "Sure."

Unfolding his legs, he tucks the chain back in his pocket, he leans forward slightly, making eye contact with me, "Today, only today. I think it's because you are being uncharacteristically defensive. Y-"

"Do not start profiling me."

"We're not the enemy,"

"Funny, I should be saying that. You all seem hell bent on profiling me like I'm an unsub,"

"Dani we are profilers," he soothes, "As much as we want to turn it off, when we can tell some ones hurting, the easiest way to fix it is by knowing the problem. And if you won't tell us it, " he shrugs, "Then we have to figure it out some way,"

I go to respond but am cut off by my phone. I hold a finger up, silencing Dave, and pick it up, "Francesca Valentino, Communications Liaison for FBI's Behavioral Analysts Unit," I answer, leaning back in my chair.

Dave copy's my body language, eyeing me carefully, 'That's a mouthful isn't it Faye?' I tense, physically feeling the caller draining from my naturally tan face.

"Chief," I start, hoping this was a business call, "What can I do for you," I ask, my voice less confident than usual, that not going unnoticed by David.

A throaty chuckle sounds through the phone, 'Oh baby, you can do a lot for me,' Dave tenses in front of me, making me aware he can hear Michael.

"Chief if this isn't a business call.." I trail off, swallowing thickly.

Michael chuckles again, 'Always the professional, god I miss you baby. Why did you leave? Actually better question, why did you leave without my permission?' he questions, his voice growing hard at the end.

David glances up, already putting two and two together, earning a sigh from me, "Business," I firmly  state.

'Business is when you and your team of hotshots get your asses down here I'm going to wrap my hands around that frail little throat of yours until you can feel the blood rushing to your head and silently beg me with your pretty little eyes to let oxygen meet that tiny pathetic brain of yours.'

I don't respond at first, honestly shocked that he was still that pissed at me. Dave was oddly calm for a man who heard all of that but I knew it was all show. He was right, he was good at his job.

I ground my teeth, "If my team of hotshots gets on the jet down to New York so you can complete your threat I'm going to need to give them a fucking reason," I calmly say, earning a look from Dave. I don't acknowledge it though, because my only focus is my job.

Michael sighs, 'We think we have a serial killer,'

"Ya well I'm going to need a bit more than we think if I'm going to willingly get my neck rang out," I snap, rubbing my forehead with my fingers, the stress of having to see this asshole finally dawning on me.

'Do not use that tone on me little missy. I am not afraid to hurt you, I love leaving marks.' he pauses, sighing, 'It's bad. Some assholes killings kids h-'

"Send me a case file," I mumble, hanging up.

And back to the silence.

"So do you know the chief in New York?"

"If you want to ask me a question ask me a question Rossi, you know how much I despise beating around the bush," I mumble, opening my computer back up.

"Were you ever in a relationship with him?"

"Yes."

"Was it abusive?"

Silence. "Yes."

"How long?"

"Too long."

"Is that why you moved here?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to go into any more detail.." David trails off.

I let out a deep breath of annoyance, glancing up at him, "David, it is 5:30 am on a Thursday, and from glancing at this case file, we will be working well into the weekend, if you want we to tell you what happened fine, but ask me, don't try to trick me into folding my cards,"

He holds intense eye contact with me. I think he was a bit shocked by how straight forward I was being. I think it was at this moment he probably realized how little he really knows about me.

Nodding slightly to himself, Dave leans back in his chair, "What happened between you two?" he questions, folding one leg over the other.

I roll my shoulders- my nervous tick- and follow his lead, leaning back into my seat, "Do you remember when we first met?" I ask.

He nods.

"I woke that morning to a call from my boss, urging me to work. He wanted me to go to a families home to interview them on the recent death of their mother. I refused. I was reporter ya, but even I have my hard no's and that was one of them. Those people just lost a mom and a wife and I wasn't about to go twist everything they said into some juicy Romeo and Juliet story or some shit for my boss.

"The chief," I motion towards the phone, "His name is Michael, he got me out of a relationship with this guy named Mason but turned around and ended being just like the sick bastard, and my boss knew that. He also knew how to use that against me. So that being said, I didn't show up to that house because I wanted to." I pause for a second shaking my head.

"I guess Maxwell called Mike because he showed up and dragged me from Sam, my camera man, to the side of Mr. Petersons house, he uh-" I pause licking my lips, "He got violent. Choked me against the house. He yelled at me about leaving and shit. Stupid crap like that. I'm not stupid Dave," I tiredly say, shaking my head, "I knew from the beginning what I was getting into. I'd always been at reading people but when you are so used to being treated like shit.." I trail off, my eyes stinging with warm tears.

"My camera man had just left to go set up for a news update when Aaron found me. He thought I was trying to get some information on the Petersons and Derek ended up arresting me. I think I was still pretty shaken up, I'm sure you remember. You had reach forward to take off my restraints but I had flinched back from your touch so hard that my chair almost fell over. Derek froze in the doorway utterly confused.

"I almost gave it away too. I think you and Derek caught on at one point-"

"Ya, you had said something about your boss being an ass then instinctively reached up to touch your neck. You cringed." Dave states cuts me off.

I nod, "I left that night, I didn't want to but I knew if I stayed I'd never leave."