"The worse thing you can do in a fight is stop moving. When someone attacks, they create force, movement, momentum, but you'll be okay as long as you can see and feel the direction of that force and travel with it." ― Victoria Schwab
The Technical Analyst
"I'll call Spencer." I said, whirling on my heel and hurrying for my office in my heels.
"No Penelope wait!" Melanie called. "I don't want to take him away from his mum, he needs to spend time with her." She insisted and I spun, looking to Hotch for instructions.
"Melanie he could help us." He said matter-of-factly.
"Dad please." She pleaded, turning to look at Hotch with wide eyes. He sent me a look that told me to contact him as soon as Melanie was busy, but for the time being, we had to figure out what had happened.
"JJ could you get some dry clothes or a blanket please?" Hotch asked as we all made our way into the conference room with Mel.
"Sure, I have my go-bag right here." She said, pointing to her desk.
"Okay, Mel, tell us what happened first." Hotch said calmly, sitting her down at the table as she began shivering.
I hurried to the coffee table and poured her a cup of steaming coffee, adding a couple of sugars and some milk, forgetting how many sugars she actually took. I thrust it into her hand as she gathered herself.
Morgan wrapped his jacket around her shoulders as she stared into her coffee, beginning to speak.
"Caitlyn was supposed to be bringing Daisy and Ben over this afternoon to cheer me up," She explained quietly; everybody hanging on her every word.
"But she didn't show up at the time we'd arranged. I knew something was wrong; Caitlyn's never ever late she thrives in punctuality," She explained emphatically.
"So I called her a few times and left messages but it just kept going straight to voicemail. She was forty minutes late when she showed up at the flat saying they were gone. She was hysterical and said everyone was out looking for them."
"Had she called the police?" Morgan asked.
"No," Melanie shook her head. "She just came straight to me."
Hotch straightened from his crouch in front of Melanie and nodded at me.
Time to call Spencer.
The Blonde Bomb
"Where're you going?!" Melanie demanded, rising to her feet as Hotch hurriedly left the room.
"C'mon Mel," I said, stepping forward around Morgan. "Let's get you into some dry clothes before you catch a cold."
"No," She yanked her hand out of my arm and ran after Hotch. "Dad stop a minute!" She called as Hotch hurried out the doors of the unit.
"Melanie, we have to get on top of this," Rossi said in a calm voice, hurrying after Hotch.
"The sooner we act, the better." Morgan nodded.
"You know the statistics, Mel." Prentiss said softly.
"That doesn't make me feel better Em, thanks." Melanie snapped defensively before sighing and pinching the bridge of her nose.
"We need to get them back." She said matter-of-factly.
"We will." I nodded, rubbing her back soothingly.
"No, you don't understand. They're like family to me. We need to get them back."
We all shared similar expressions before my phone began ringing. Sighing, I glanced at the ID and realised it was Will.
"Hey hon, listen something come up so-"
"Jayje stop listen to me, Henry is gone," He said in a panicked voice, my heart falling into my stomach.
Mel froze too, hearing these words and turned to me with a dreaded expression.
"He was playing in the front room and the phone rang in the hall. When I came back he was just gone."
"What d'you mean? Have you searched the house?" I demanded in a quiet voice.
"He's not here, Jayje, I've looked in the whole goddamn neighbourhood."
"Call the police, call my mom... call... call... I'm on my way!" I hung up and ran from the conference room as fast as I could.
The Daughter
I hurried after JJ to find my dad re-entering the bullpen with Caitlyn and Kieran, both of them rain-soaked and pale.
"Dad!" I yelled as JJ propelled herself against the elevator button. "Henry's missing too!" I shouted just as Morgan and Garcia made their way along the corridor to us. My dad looked at us all individually, frantically.
"Morgan go with JJ to the house. Search the neighbourhood, profile the scene then bring Will and JJ back here. Go. Now." He demanded and Morgan nodded, pushing inside the elevator with JJ. Rossi suddenly appeared in the doorway of the bullpen and blurted,
"My grandson, David's been taken from across town too. Joy's on her way here." We all looked at each other and I shook my head in complete awe while my dad pushed back inside the bullpen, he and Rossi making their way into the conference room with the others.
"What the hell is going on?" I muttered to Garcia as she approached me slowly in shock.
"I don't know, but all I can say is that I am so glad you're here and not out there." She said, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and squeezing.
The Leader
We all gathered in the conference room minus JJ and Morgan, Spencer on his way home and Melanie sitting with Caitlyn and Kieran on the sofa.
"Listen I know this is tough," She was saying calmly. "But you need to be calm and think carefully, okay? We need your help in finding the kids, okay?" She said with a small smile.
She may have been sitting in damp clothes with smudged makeup and frizzy hair, but at that moment she wasn't distressed and traumatised Mel, she was kicking into action to be the FBI agent she'd trained so hard to be.
"How can you say that? How can you be so calm at a time like this?!" Kieran demanded angrily. "It's alright for you, you haven't been around these past few years!" He blurted hysterically.
"Listen," Melanie said in a patient tone. "I appreciate you're upset right now and I get that you feel useless but you shouldn't take your anger out on others. I love those kids like they were my own siblings and I've known them since they were babies. Please don't tell me I haven't been around because you don't understand what happened, okay? I'm just as worried as you, so don't take it out on me, I'm only here to help." I cringed at her angry words, but I appreciated why she'd said them.
An awkward silence overtook the room then and Mel sighed, pinching her nose before gathering herself and squeezing Caitlyn's hand in her own.
"This type of stress isn't good for you just now. Why don't you take a walk and you can go over everything that happened with Emily?"
"Why can't I do it with you?" She whispered, turning to Melanie with tearful eyes just as my cell rang.
"Because..." Melanie turned to me as I realised it was Beth, my stomach flipping in fear. "I'm too close to you, Caity." Mel finished just as I answered with,
"Beth what's wrong?"
"Aaron, Aaron I don't know what's happened but-"
"Jack? Where's Jack, where is he, Beth?!" I demanded, not listening to whatever else she had to say.
"Jack? He's right here with me, I have him right here." Her voice was detached and confused.
"Dad, someone's been in our house." He said down the phone and my breathing calmed.
"Is it Jack, what's happened is he okay?!" Melanie demanded, leaping to her feet.
I breathed a sigh of relief and nodded my head.
"Oh thank god you're safe buddy, you just stick to Beth okay? Put her back on please."
"Aaron, what's going on?" Beth demanded.
"I need you to get here as soon as possible with Jack. I need you to get out of the house, leave everything, don't touch anything. I need you here with us right now."
"But Melanie-"
"She's here too. Daisy and Ben have been taken, along with other kids relating to the team."
"What? Aaron, what's going on?"
"I don't know. But I can't protect you if you're not here."
"Alright, we're on our way."
We exchanged 'I love you's and ended the call, the team eagerly awaiting.
"Beth said someone has broken into the house," I explained and Melanie gasped. "Jack is fine. Obviously, because they were out of routine at Jessica's, Jack wasn't taken... They're on their way now." I explained.
"I can head over there," Emily said, rising to her feet. "Canvas the scene. Fresh eyes." She said and I nodded. Rossi was already at Joy's, figuring out what had happened there.
"What the bloody hell is happening?" Melanie grumbled, running her hands over her face.
"This makes no sense." Morgan agreed.
"Why us?" Garcia whimpered before her cell rang. She immediately pressed the button on her earpiece and answered with,
"Chocolate thunder please tell me you have Henry," Her expression fell and she looked at me worriedly. "Derek calm down, calm down I can't hear what you're saying..." Garcia gasped, her mouth parting in shock as she heard the words on the other line.
"Oh no, this isn't happening," She said defiantly. "Derek calm down, stop cursing," She shook her head and looked me dead-in-the-eye. "Anthony's been taken too." She said angrily and a look of sheer rage shot through me.
Anthony was Derek's nephew who lived in Chicago with his sister.
"How're we going to get to Chicago and canvas the rest of the city for Daisy, Anthony, Ben and Henry?" Melanie demanded in a blind panic.
"I'll call Cooper." I said before spinning on my heel and shoving inside out of the conference room.
The Daughter
A while later after Caitlyn and Kieran had been through cognitive interviews, we were all sat around in the conference room awaiting Morgan and JJ's return.
Emily had been on route to my dad's when she had a phone call from local PD explaining that Declan had also been abducted. Declan was the son of Emily's former lover, and over the years, she'd grown pretty fond of him, and often kept in touch. The pair weren't extremely close, but this wasn't the first time he'd been abducted because of Emily.
"Mel, what's going to happen? How can you work all of this at once?" Caitlyn asked in a sad but quiet voice next to me.
"We'll figure it out," I said in a weak voice, squeezing her hand. "Spencer's coming back to help. He'll be able to see things with fresh eyes and tell us what we can't see."
"Spencer's coming back?" Caitlyn said hopefully and I nodded my head.
"Okay," My dad cleared his throat and pushed off of the round table he was leaning against.
"We're all under a lot of pressure right now... We all have someone close to us who is missing. We need to stick together and keep a level head. The last thing we need is to turn against each other. Whoever has done this wants that, and I want to get that out there before it happens."
We all looked at each other, nodding. I was calm and collected on the surface as well as underneath, my body not fully adapting to the adrenaline coursing through my veins.
"Is Cooper helping in Chicago?" JJ asked in a small voice.
"Yes," My dad nodded his head. "He and his team should be there by the end of the hour. They're going to work with us on this one until we have whoever's done this."
"Do you think there's two of them?" I asked. "One in Chicago, one here, working together?"
"I doubt it... This feels personal... There are not many people we've angered." My dad said
"A family of someone you've put away?" Will suggested, his hands balled into fists. My dad sighed and shook his head, shrugging.
"I don't know... Maybe... That is what we have to figure out."
The Mom
"Alright Jack, c'mon let's go."
"Where're we going?" He asked me innocently, looking up at me with those big brown eyes.
"How would you like to go see Melanie and your dad at work?" He gasped and looked at me incredulously.
"And Spencer too?" He gasped and I nodded my head enthusiastically. "Wow," He grinned. "Spencer was right... I can be a Super Superhero now!" He grinned, cheering before running for the door.
"Jack wait up," I lunged frantically, taking his hand tightly in mine again as I locked the front door behind us. "You need to take my hand at all times okay? Just until we get to your dad and Melanie."
"Okay." he nodded, leaping into the back seat of the car.
I locked the doors once I got inside and pushed the speed limit all the way back to Jessica's. We'd promised to go back once Aaron had gotten home, but there was no way this was happening now and I didn't want to risk calling her.
I waited outside in the car, laying on the horn until she came outside. I explained the situation and she panicked, agreeing that heading to the BAU was the safest thing. I told her to be safe before flooring it all the way to Quantico.
"Does dad know we're coming or is it a surprise?" Jack asked excitedly as we pulled into the parking lot.
"No, everyone knows we're coming sweetheart."
"Aw," He frowned, reaching for my hand as we met at the bumper of the car. "I wanted it to be a big surprise."
"Spencer won't know you're here, he's on a trip right now."
"Aw," His frown deepened. "So I won't get to see him?"
"He's on his way back, he was seeing his mom."
"Oh," Jack smiled. "Okay then. Will he be a long time?"
"I don't think so." I shook my head, trying to keep my patience with Jack's eager questioning. I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach that whatever was going on, wasn't good.
"Good afternoon ma'am, how may I help you?" The agent at the front desk asked.
"I'm Beth Clemmons and this is Jack Hotchner, we're-"
"Oh there's no need to explain ma'am, we've been expecting you," I stopped mid-sentence and smiled thankfully, relieved that I didn't have to blurt a long-winded spiel about everything that had happened.
She slid two passes across the desk and informed me to take the lift to the sixth floor.
"Here you go, big guy." I smiled, leaning down as we waited for the elevator.
"What's this for?" He asked as I clipped the badge onto the bottom of his jumper.
"It's so everybody knows we're here to see your dad." I explained, clipping my own onto my blouse and re-taking Jack's hand tightly in mine.
"Oh, I understand." He nodded as the elevator doors opened. We allowed everyone to pile out before heading inside.
"Can I push the button?" He asked sweetly and I nodded my head.
"Sure." I watched as he leaned forward and pushed the button on the pad, the simple things pleasing him as always.
I could still remember the days when I'd have to lift him into my arms for him to reach elevator buttons. I couldn't believe how much he was growing, it was hard to believe he was almost eleven. I was surprised he was still happy enough to hold my hand.
The doors opened on the sixth floor and we stepped outside.
"Dad!" Jack grinned, letting go of my hand and hurrying forward.
I frantically leapt for him in blind panic but looked up to see Aaron standing outside the bullpen and sighed a breath of relief as Aaron caught Jack in his arms, squeezing his eyes tight shut in obvious relief.
"Beth!" Melanie sighed, hurrying to me and wrapping her arms around me. "Are you okay? Is there anything I can get you?" She asked, pulling back and checking me over.
"A double vodka would be great," I joked before shaking my head. "Is Spencer back yet? Jack's been asking after him." I explained, almost forgetting about everything that had happened before today as Mel's calm and collected attitude took over.
"No, he's on his way. Garcia should know more, she spoke to him a short while ago." She explained and I nodded my head, looking her over as we approached Aaron and Jack.
"Let's get you both into the conference room." Aaron announced, leading the way inside the unit with Jack's hand firmly laced in his own.
We took the back corridor to the conference room where Derek, Dave, Penelope, JJ, Will, Emily, and two other people I didn't recognise were sat around the circular table and the sofas.
There was an evidence board in the corner and that's where Dave and Derek were standing. Emily and JJ looked pretty distraught and Penelope was clearly trying to better the situation.
"Beth, Jack, there's someone I'd like you to meet," Melanie said, leading us over to the sofa where the two unfamiliar people were sat staring blankly into space. "Jack, this is my good friend Caitlyn and her boyfriend Kieran." Caitlyn blinked to Jack's face and smiled.
"Hey little guy," She said, reaching forward to rub Jack's shoulder. "I've heard a lot about you." She said.
"Hi." Jack said awkwardly and Caitlyn grinned, looking up at Melanie.
"He's a lot like you both." She said, nodding at Melanie and then casting her eyes to Aaron by the evidence board.
"D'you think so?" She asked and Caitlyn nodded.
"Most definitely. It's all in the eyes and the cheekbones." Melanie smiled and rested a comforting hand on Caitlyn's shoulder.
"Caitlyn, this is Beth," She said, turning to me with a broad smile. "My soon-to-be step-mum." I grinned and stepped forward, extending my hand.
"It's great to finally meet you. Melanie's told me so much about you." I admitted.
"Likewise, Mel's spoke highly of you."
"Spoken," A voice gushed. "Melanie's spoken highly of you." Melanie looked up at the voice and we all turned toward the door to see.
"Spencer!" She gushed in relief, running to the back entrance to the conference room. Spencer's chest was rising and falling rapidly, and in any other situation, I would've joked that he'd ran all the way from Vegas, but I thought it best not to.
Melanie threw her arms around Spencer and he buried his head in her shoulder, his arms wrapping around her securely.
"I got here as quick as I could." He admitted breathlessly. "Are you alright?" He asked and she nodded her head.
"Better now you're here." She mumbled and he smiled, pulling back before hugging her in his arms again.
The Daughter
I squeezed my eyes shut and hugged Spencer's shoulders tightly, so relieved to see him.
"I'm so sorry I wasn't here." He apologised quietly; everyone returning to their conversations as Beth and my dad secured Jack away from us for a moment.
"Don't apologise." I shook my head and he held me tighter.
"No, I-I should've been here," He said emotionally. "After everything you've been through you needed me here and I wasn't here I was-"
"Spencer," I pulled back and held his face tightly in my small hands, forcing him to look at me. "You're here now," I said. "That's all that matters." He gave a small smile and hugged me again, kissing my cheek and rubbing my back.
It was insane the amount of relief and comfort I felt, all worry and fear draining from my body as I let myself mould in his arms.
I didn't know one person could make me feel so safe and protected.
The Mom
I'd always loved watching Melanie and Spencer together; the way she relaxed and smiled around him, the way his eyes sparkled and his smile widened. They were beautiful. And they were perfect. Together, they were impeccable. And it was a truly wonderful thing to see.
I'd known Spencer before I'd known Melanie, and before he'd met her he was like a lost soul, always talking but never really engaging. Nobody seemed to get him.
But Melanie... No matter what Spencer's talking about, Melanie is always listening. She always has time for Spencer's rambling.
From what Aaron had told me, even after Melanie's attack she'd listened as Spencer had rambled on about Chicago and the ER statistics. He never stopped giving information, and when it came to Spencer, Melanie would never get bored of receiving it.
The pair pulled out of their intense embrace and sighed almost in-sync.
"Spencer." Jack said in a small voice before hurrying over and squeezing in front of Melanie. She smiled and placed a hand on his mop of hair before turning to glance at me.
I smiled encouragingly at her; so proud and elated to see her standing before me looking as radiant as ever after watching her wither and fade for fourteen days in the close solitary confinements of her bedroom.
"Hey buddy," Spencer smiled, hugging Jack properly. "How ya doing?" He asked.
"I've missed you, where you been?" He asked with a petted lip, pulling back from Spencer's hug.
"I've been seeing my mom," He explained with a small smile. "Hey, check you out in the big guy's office,"
He grinned, sweeping his eyes around the room for emphasis. I smiled and folded my arms, tilting my head to the side in joy as I watched the pair interact.
Is this what Jack had been talking about earlier with the whole 'Super Superhero' palaver?
"I told you going to school would pay off. Maybe, if you keep going you'll be able to come here more often..." The end of his sentence trailed off into barely a whisper and Jack gasped in awe, nodding his head emphatically.
"Yes, Spencer I promise!" He grinned, making Mel and I chuckle.
"D'you want a coffee, love?" Melanie asked, a hand on Spencer's shoulder.
"Please." He nodded and she smiled, heading over to the coffee table as I approached Jack, running my fingers through his hair.
"C'mon sweetie, Spencer has to help Mel and dad work now."
"But why are we here?" Jack frowned and I sighed, that was a good question to explain to a kid.
"Jack," Aaron approached at that and I sighed in relief; I wasn't going to have to explain for much longer. "Could you do me a massive favour buddy?" Aaron asked, as Melanie came back with a cup of coffee and Spencer turned to receive it.
Dave and Derek were now with JJ, Penelope and Emily by the evidence board in deep discussion while Will talked on his cell at the table, his hand covering half of his face. Caitlyn and Kieran were lost in space, a foot between them on the sofa.
"D'you think you can do that for me big guy?" Aaron asked Jack and I turned back to the four people in front of me just as Spencer reached down and brushed his lips with Melanie's. I smiled and acted as though I hadn't seen a thing while Jack nodded his head enthusiastically.
"That's perfect buddy." Aaron reached forward and ruffled Jack's hair with a small smile.
"What's going on?" I asked; Spencer and Melanie ending their mumbled conversation to catch what Aaron was explaining,
"I'm going to ask all the relatives to gather in my office. We've established that Morgan's nephew Anthony was the first to be abducted four hours ago from Chicago. We weren't notified and neither was Morgan because local PD was already on the case. Cooper and his team are struggling to find out what's happened...
"In the meantime, I'd like you and Jack to wait with the others in my office. I don't want any of you seeing or hearing any of what we might be discussing in here."
"But what about everyone with lost kids?" Melanie whispered and I nodded, that was going to be my question.
"If they think they can't handle it, I'll ask them to join the relatives in my office." He answered matter-of-factly and I nodded, looping my arm through Jack's and guided him to the door.
The Daughter
"Here you go." I approached my family again and Spencer turned to me hurriedly.
His hair looked great; all ruffled and distressed. He hadn't shaved and was rocking the six-o'clock-shadow on his perfectly lined jaw. His shadows were getting darker beneath his eyes and his lips looked even redder as he licked them wet again.
"Thanks princess." He answered almost accidentally as he took the mug from my hands.
"Princess?" I questioned with a smile hinting at the corners of my lips, blinking up at him.
"Uh..." His cheeks blushed and he avoided my eyes, clearly cursing himself for letting that slip. "Uhm..." He cleared his throat and slurped his coffee, smirking as I laughed quietly. "You look good." He blurted reaching up to brush my hair over my shoulder.
"I looked a lot better before the rain drowned me." I admitted bashfully.
"Nonsense," He said, holding my eyes intently. "I think you look perfect."
I shook my head, reaching up to fix his shirt collar out of his woollen vest.
"I've missed you." I admitted in a quiet voice.
"I've missed you more." He whispered and I smiled up at him, wanting to do nothing else but slip from the room and go home with him.
He leaned forward and briefly swept our lips together in the slightest of kisses like a feather brush or a kiss of the breeze.
It wasn't much, but it left me feeling all warm and strong inside.
*
"I understand that this is a lot to ask from you all," My dad said as soon as the relatives had left the room and gone to his office. "But please bear in mind that each of us is involved in this," He said boldly. "We've each been targeted today and that isn't something you're allowed to forget."
"I don't see how you've been targeted, Hotch." Morgan snapped irritatedly.
"My home was broken into and my son was almost taken, I consider that to be a target," My dad answered angrily without missing so much as a beat. "And a target on my daughter is a target on me as far as I'm concerned." He added just as angrily.
"Oh and I suppose a target on Melanie is a target on you too Reid, right?" Morgan said and Spencer nodded his head emphatically from by my side, our hands subconsciously squeezing tighter together.
"Just because I have no kids to be abducted, doesn't mean I'm not hurt by the fact that Daisy and Ben have been taken and Jack was another one of the targets." Spencer answered speedily, irritation drenched in his tone.
"All I know is that we have six missing kids with not a clue of how to find them." Rossi said in a defeated tone.
"We're too personally involved in this," My dad explained. "We each have someone close to us involved in this which is making it difficult to concentrate. But I'm begging you; each and every one of you to push aside your worries and fears and focus on the Unsub and the profile. If we treat this like any other case we can get these kids back safe and sound."
"You're asking me to forget about the fact that my son is out there right now, abducted by some pervert, just so I can work this case?" JJ demanded.
"If you can't handle it, I suggest you leave." My dad replied bluntly. The pair stared at each other for a long moment before JJ pushed out from the table and stormed off.
"Anyone else who feels the same way as JJ, please feel free to leave right now so we can get on with this investigation." My dad said strictly.
His words hung heavy in the air and we all looked at each other. So no, no one else was leaving.
The Doctor
It had been a frantic and chaotic race to the airport to get on the next flight to Virginia after Garcia had called to explain the situation.
I was an hour into my four-hour flight when Garcia texted to tell me that Henry had been abducted along with Morgan's nephew Anthony, Rossi's grandson David and Prentiss' kind-of-adopted-son Declan while a suspected attempt at an abduction on Jack had happened at the Hotchner house.
My stomach somersaulted for the rest of the flight, relief overwhelming me as Garcia told me Melanie was keeping everything calm and under control with Beth and Jack at the BAU. As long as they didn't take Jack.
As I sat there I realised several things.
There had been three attacks on Melanie.
Daisy. Ben. Jack.
Okay, so Jack hadn't been abducted, and Ben and Daisy weren't Melanie's blood relatives, but neither was Declan to Emily.
Three attacks on Melanie.
No attacks on me.
One failed attempt on Aaron.
And the rest of the team with one attack each.
All this compiled, told me that whoever was doing this had a bone to pick with Melanie for whatever reason; and the complete opposite with me.
Nobody that I could think of loved me but hated Melanie.
And then I looked at the photos of the scenes.
Nothing out of place, nothing out of the ordinary, everything calm and orderly, everything clean and precise.
Everything except the Hotchner household. That was a mess.
The back window and the back door was smashed; the dishes on the drying rack were demolished; the photo-frames on the walls were smashed on the floor; the dining-table chairs were overturned.
In comparison, all of the other children were abducted with nothing out of the ordinary.
Again, severe rage and hatred were being directed at Melanie.
That said, for there to be such order and lack of distress, struggle, fear or abuse, there was a certain femininity about it that was driving me crazy.
What type of Unsub would be able to lure children away from their comfort zones without attracting attention?
A woman.
I realised this as I was entered the BAU and knew that as soon as I'd made sure Melanie was okay and been briefed by the team, I was going to share this information and we were going to catch this son-or possibly daughter-of-a-bitch.
However, all thoughts went tumbling out of my mind as soon as Melanie was in my arms.
"I got here as quick as I could." I mumbled into her shoulder, completely breathless and overwhelmed with relief. "Are you alright?" I breathed in the familiarity of her smell, the coffee scent to her hair, the minty essence to her skin.
"Better now you're here." She told me, stretching up a little higher to hug me tighter.
As she poured me coffee from the table I could see the way the shirt she was wearing stretched over her back muscles, the tanned skin so soft and smooth and delicately strong.
She turned from the table and approached with my coffee, her tongue peeking out from between her lips as she concentrated on not spilling the hot liquid. Her face was even more beautiful than usual, her hair pulled back in it's familiar way, emphasising her royal features.
And that was it, Melanie was a Princess.
Garcia had touched on it so many times before, but I'd never properly appreciated it. Melanie was a Princess. My, Princess?
"Thanks Princess." The words slipped out before I could even register them and I immediately cursed myself for thinking of Princesses and Melanie right before I had to talk to her.
Her face lit up even more beautifully with a blush at my words and I begged for this moment to be over and yet to never end.
The Daughter
"So we're all agreed to work this case with no distractions from the elephant in the room?" My dad confirmed, looking at each of us individually.
"I'm not happy with it but okay." Morgan shrugged moodily.
"And you think for one moment that I am?" My dad posed and the pair stared each other out for a long moment.
"Look we're wasting time here," I snapped, drawing them from their argument. "The fact of the matter is that there are kids out there, missing, and right now we're not doing a damn thing to find them. So can we just forget our problems for a minute and maybe try to help them?!"
Everyone blinked at me in surprise of my outburst and my dad cleared his throat, inclining his head in a nod of agreement while Spencer leaned forward, licking his lips in order to conceal the smirk playing at the edges of his mouth.
"So on the plane here I came up with a theory," He began, completely diverting the attention from me; for which I was grateful. "We're all agreed that no matter which way you look at it," He began, getting to his feet and hurrying over to the evidence board where we had pictures of the kids, the scenes and the people connected to them.
"There have been three attempts to attack Melanie."
"Reid-" Morgan groaned, tipping his head back.
"He has a point." Emily said, interrupting him by throwing her hand out in his direction absentmindedly.
"Even though Ben and Daisy aren't Melanie's blood relatives, she's the connection they have to this team. Their abduction site was calm and orderly with no damage or trace of evidence whatsoever," Spencer stated, indicating the evidence photos.
"Whereas at the scene of Melanie's blood relative, there was chaos and disaster. Not just because the Unsub couldn't get to Jack, but because Jack was the only blood connection to Melanie and the last connection to the last member of this team."
"We've already established this is an attack on the team." Morgan shrugged irritatedly.
"Not just an attack on this team," Rossi said slowly, turning to look at me. "But an attack on Melanie." I shrunk back absentmindedly in my chair, swallowing roughly as all eyes in the room turned on me.
"I-I-I was also thinking," Spencer said in a stuttering voice, clearly wishing to draw attention from me back to the case before anyone could get pissed at me for 'causing' this.
"That there's been no attacks on me. So like I said before, an attack on Melanie is an attack on me, but there's been no direct attack on me. I know there are no kids to get to me with, but absolutely no attack has been made on me, which has led me to believe that our Unsub is someone who... really... uh..."
"Hate's Melanie but loves you?" Morgan asked rhetorically and Spencer nodded his head, clearing his throat and avoiding my pressing gaze.
"An ex." Emily said matter-of-factly, nodding her head with the decision.
Spencer scoffed and shook his head.
"I find that a little hard to believe," He said in a high-pitched tone. "There haven't really been any uh... any exes."
"Besides I don't think this has been done by a woman." Rossi said, shaking his head.
"How so?" Spencer asked, folding his arms and tilting his head to the side, daring Rossi to challenge him.
"Well whoever this guy is he's getting off on the pleasure of watching us all suffer. He's tormenting us. He's clearly a sadist."
"I disagree Dave," My dad said, shaking his head and crossing the room to the evidence board, his hands in his pockets.
"Spencer's right. This Unsub evidently dislikes Melanie and is someone who favours Reid... She's delicate enough to conduct smooth abductions of the kids without alarming them, skilled enough to abduct two at once in the case of Ben and Daisy.
"They trusted her enough to not raise an alarm and she's obviously someone close enough to the team to know all of our children and associations."
We all nodded along, Rossi and Morgan clearly not entirely sold.
"I find it hard to believe that our Unsub is an avenging partner of Reid's." Morgan said skeptically.
"I'm not suggesting that she is." My dad said, turning from the board to look down at Morgan.
"Melanie I need you to write up a list of any women you may have angered. Any women in the Bureau that is."
"W-what?" I stuttered. "I-I didn't really know people enough to piss them off this badly." I explained self-consciously as everyone turned to me.
"Think, there must be someone you didn't get along with." Rossi said.
"Well there were a few, but none of them could ever pull something like this off." We all sighed emphatically and fell silent in thought before Spencer's phone went off.
He frowned in confusion as he checked the caller ID.
"Hello this is Doctor Spencer Reid," He answered, rapidly blinking at the floor. "What?!" He demanded. "M-mom that makes no sense." He stuttered, his eyes wide in panic.
I leapt to my feet. What was happening with Diana?
"Put her on, I want to talk to her now," He demanded before covering the mouthpiece and mumbling, "Our Unsub is Kate Callaghan."
The Doctor
"Hello this is Doctor Spencer Reid."
"Spencer it's your mom. I'm with Kate Callaghan."
"What?!" I blurted, completely shocked to hear those words from my mother's voice. No way could she know who Kate Callaghan was.
"She's your guy, Spencer, she has the children."
"Mom that makes no sense," I said, shaking my head. "Put her on, I want to talk to her now." I demanded.
"She won't talk to you Spencer, she wants to see you here, now, in person."
"I can't do that mom, I'm at the BAU in Virginia. Just let me talk to her."
"Spencer, what's going on?" Aaron demanded by my side as Melanie rushed to me, concern and worry written all over her face.
There was rustling on the other end of the phone and my heart beat faster in my chest.
"My mom says Kate Callaghan is our Unsub and that she has the children." I mumbled in complete awe, staring into Melanie's eyes without really seeing them.
Suddenly the line went dead and I looked at my phone, at the blank screen and I cracked.
The Daughter
"SON OF A BITCH!" Spencer yelled, throwing his phone across the room with such force it smashed off the TV screen, cracking both it and the phone, it falling to the floor in pieces.
"Spencer!" I gasped in shock but he was already gone, fleeing from the room in a red rage.