Change My Mind ~ Criminal Minds (Aaron Hotchner x OC)

67.0: Butterflies & Races

Hotch nodded as he grabbed one, "He's using it as a metaphor and for his own twisted fantasy."

"I'm not looking at butterflies for a very long time. Butterflies should be looked at with wonder and beauty not with twisted thoughts, they show growth and change." Crystal stated as she grabbed another apple slice, she wasn't sure where Hotch got them but she was hungry.

Hotch looked over at her, they were currently in his office and he looked at her munch on her apple slice as she played with her necklace. The necklace he bought her and he smiled while looking down at his file, Crystal turned to see him smiling. "What's got you smiling so much?"

"You." Hotch answered honestly and Crystal laughed, "Why, because I'm trying to not think of butterflies that way?"

"Because you try to see beauty and kindness in everything even if people try to ruin it." Hotch answered softly, "Why do you think I had a protea engraved on the back? You're very courageous, who else jumps into lakes?"

Crystal smiled and booped his nose before grabbing another apple slice, "You're never going to let me live that down, but other than that your speech was very sweet. Thank you, I love this necklace."

Crystal stood up and brushed off her hands and walked to his door, "We need to get out the profile and they seem to be ready, let's head down." Hotch watched her leave and he smiled down at the last apple slice she left him, he ate it and got up to follow her.

TRIGGER WARNING*

Crystal went to stand next to JJ as Hotch stood in front of the room, he looked at the unit and officers. "7 years ago we believed our unsub to be a preferential child molester and now we think that his preference evolved into an erotomaniac obsession with Hope Kingston."

JJ nodded, "So much so that in her absence, his attentions are now focused on her mother." Emily looked at the officers, "At the time Hope went missing, there was another potential victim, who was the same age and had the same physical features characteristics as Hope, and she was even more accessible."

An officer frowned, "Then why didn't he take her too?"

"Because she wasn't his target," Crystal answered, "In his mind, Hope was the only one for him because she was his idealized type and target." The officer nodded and turned his attention back to the front when Rossi started to talk, "Despite the high-risk, he abducted Monica in public which shows she's pivotal to his fantasy."

Reid walked over to the board and pointed at the map, "We believe the unsub has Monica captive within a 20-mile radius of this abduction site." JJ cleared her throat, "There's a strong possibility that until recently Hope was kept alive, this explains why he didn't hunt again all these years."

"And we believe that it was Hope's death that triggered the change in our unsub's M.O." Hotch stated and Anderson cleared his throat, "If the same guy took her, how long is she really going to last?"

TRIGGER WARNING END*

The team shared an awkward look and Crystal caught Hotch's eyes, they held eye-contact as he tried to think of something to say.

"I know her."

The team and the office turned to look at Garcia, Garcia stood up and looked at them. "I know Monica and she's my friend who's a fighter, she's not going to give up so neither should we because she's waiting for us to go save her."

Crystal smiled over at Garcia and Hotch turned to look at the officers and unit, "We all need to focus and keep Monica's best interest in mind, until we're given proof, we're assuming she's alive. Thank you."