"Letting go does not mean you stop caring. It means you stop trying to force others to"
-Mandy Hale-
When we last left the team, Emily had run into a bank just before it exploded. Will and the two bank robbers were in the basement, possibly sheltered from the effects of the blast and Maya was still inside the bank when it exploded. Will either of them survive?
"Where's Maya? Did she get out?" Derek asks as him and JJ rise to their feet. "Where's Will?" JJ asks, excusing Maya's existence. The team then runs into the building to check if anyone survives.
"Will!" JJ shouts, shining her flashlight around in the bank.
"Maya! Emily!" Derek shouts as he raises his gun just in case one of the robbers are still inside.
Inside the bank Emily is revealed to be fine - she's discovered the elderly couple of hostages, who hid inside the bank rather than trying to escape when the place was unguarded. "Help" Someone groans in the distance making Derek turn his head with worry.
"Did you hear that?" Derek asks as he and Emily look around as the scream for help gets louder.
"Ugh!" Maya groans as she tries to remove the large roofing that lays on top of her. "Maya? Maya!" Derek shouts as he leaves Emily with the elderly couple and starts to look for Maya, knowing that's her voice. JJ looks to Emily who shakes her head, since she hasn't seen Will the whole time she's been in the bank.
JJ kicks the wall before she follows Derek to search for Maya. "I'm- I'm over- here!" Maya groans as her arms drop, causing the large piece of roofing to fall onto her chest yet again. "Maya" Derek breathes out as he rushes over and places his arms underneath hers and slowly drags her out of from underneath the roofing that had fallen in the explosion.
Maya lets out a harsh cough as dust fills the air but soon stops as she turns around, looking Derek in the eyes. He notices the cut on her cheek and places his hand on it and slowly wipes the blood away.
"Maybe you should've came to the bank with me" Maya says softly as she groans while Derek helps her stand to her feet and ends up falling limp in his arms as she feels sudden pain in one of her legs.
"What's wrong?" Derek asks before JJ shows up, shining his flashlight at the two of them. JJ looks Maya up and down and sees the blood dripping down from her leg, pointing her flashlight at it to give everyone more visual. "It's just a little cut" Maya declares as she wraps her arm around Derek while inspecting her leg.
"Are you alright?" JJ asks as she swallows a large lump down her throat nervously. "For the most part" Maya answers, letting out a sigh after. "Do you know where Will went?" JJ asks, tears starting to cloud her vision.
"We tried to help him when he was shot but he wanted to turn the robbers against each other and led the man to the basement so we all could get out" Maya answers, gripping onto Derek as she tries to find her balance.
"We should get Maya and the others to an ambula-". "We don't have time for that. How bad was he shot?" JJ interrupts, looking to Maya for answers. Maya narrows her eyes at JJ, seeing the determination and demanding look in them.
"Uh, one is like in his shoulder and the other is in his chest, but I think it was still hurting him even with his vest" Maya answers as she winced from the pain in her leg.
"I'm going down there with or without you" JJ says as she walks past Maya and Derek and proceeds down the basement to look for Will but find instead the hole in the wall that the Face Cards gang escaped through.
_____
After talking with nonsense press, the team breaks up to work on different parts of the case. Kevin and Garcia look over tape, Hotch briefs the cops who will be interviewing the hostages, then Reid looks over the underground maps and figures out the various locations the gang could have escaped from. Hotch's theory is that Queen has stuck around to watch the chaos because she's aroused by it.
"Here" Derek mumbles as he sets Maya in the ambulance. "I'm fine. We should find the robbers" Maya declares, wanting to help the team. "I don't think so, I see that leg" Rossi says as he walks up, looking down at Maya's leg.
"I'm fine" Maya sighs as the EMT starts to check her blood pressure and another one inspects Maya's leg.
"No real damage. Just a cut so should be easy to patch up" The EMT answers, heading back into the ambulance to grab a stitch kit to help Maya's leg. "How do you manage to get yourself in these situations?" Rossi asks while shaking his head.
"I ask myself that all the time" Maya mumbles, rubbing her forehead stressfully.
Rossi then leaves to continue working on the case while Derek stays by the ambulance while the EMT stitches up Maya's leg. "Why were you trying to get yourself killed?" Derek asks and Maya clears her throat awkwardly as she looks around. "I was just trying to get the attention off of Will" Maya answers, scratching the back of her neck nervously, "I knew he wouldn't shoot me" Maya says as she looks down at the ground, not wanting to meet Derek's slightly judging eyes.
"No, you knew if you got him angry enough, he would shoot you right then and there. Why did you do that?" Derek asks, taking a step towards her. "Because I am the only one who has nothing to lose" Maya says, lifting her head, locking eyes with Derek who notices the tears clouding her vision, wanting to leave her eyes desperately.
"Why- Why do you think that? I was about to run into that building for you when I saw you trying to get yourself killed on the security footage. Strauss was about to send in multiple armed swat teams, but Hotch stopped them because you were in there. Emily ran into the building right when it blew up" Derek rants, trying to show Maya that people do care about her even if they don't show it every day.
"And JJ? I see the way she was looking at me. She blames me for Will getting shot" Maya declares as she winces from the pain of the EMT finishing up her stitches on the side of her leg.
"Do you blame her? Because you should" Derek says, feeling upset that JJ thinks this is all Maya's fault. "I don't actually because this is what I do. I get people killed or I do the killing. I'm like the angel of death and I don't understand why you stick around" Maya says, letting out a disappointed sigh afterwards.
"I stick around because believe or not, I care about you" Derek confesses, leaving Maya speechless, not sure what to say. She wanted to say she cared about him too, but the words wouldn't come out. She didn't want to keep her guard up with him, but it was like an instinct.
Maya didn't let anyone in ever and Derek was the only person who's ever gotten to know her so well and Maya didn't know how to take it.
She enjoyed his company, but she felt it was just a matter of time before she hurt him like she's hurt other in the past. Maya's way of caring is ending the situation before it got bad no matter how much she truly cared about the person.
She felt being out of their life was enough satisfaction but with Derek... she couldn't do that because there was no where she could run or hide. She felt he would always find her like... fate. They were two people who were just meant to be together.
"I don't know why" Maya sighs as she stands to her feet and locks eyes with Derek. "Why do you not see yourself the way I do?" Derek asks, his breath catching Maya's as they were so close.
"Because I think you're oblivious. I've done bad things, and you still want to be around me" Maya states and Derek shakes his head. "Being around you has taught me that people make bad mistakes but that doesn't mean they're a bad person" Derek says before silence was left between the two.
"We should find the rest of the team" Maya says softly before she walks away from Derek, limping slightly. She and Derek find themselves now in the trailer where Garcia has set up. She walks in and see Reid, Hotch, Rossi and Emily. "Oh my god, hi" Emily breathes out before walk towards Maya and pulling her into a hug.
"I'm glad you're not dead" Reid says awkwardly making Maya laugh before walking over to Garcia who smiles in excitement and worry. "Me too" Garcia agrees, referring to Reid's statement.
"Nice to see you Agent Regan" Hotch greets, pulling Maya into a hug which is something she never expected but she wasn't mad about it and hugged him back before sending Rossi a friendly smile since she already seen him earlier.
A few moments later, Garcia has found footage of their escape vehicle and shows the license plate which has government tags on it, indicating it belongs to the police. Kevin sarcastically suggests that a government SUV with sirens will 'really stand out' during the emergency.
JJ enters the trailer holding a wallet that belongs to Will. "It benefits them to keep Will alive" Hotch reassures. "They must have some safe houses set up" Derek declares. "Whoever their outside man is, that's where they're heading now" Emily states while Maya relives her moments in the bank, trying to figure out if there was something she didn't catch and can remember now.
"It was clear they wanted to create panic" Maya adds, remembering her moments in the bank. The team then decides that the only way they're ever going to find the killers is via profiling. If they can figure out the meaning behind the series of robberies that led them to D.C., then the identity of the mystery woman because she could be the answer to all of this. Emily says she'll go call Sebastien to see if he's got more information now that a bombing is involved.
"Are you alright?" JJ asks Maya with little hesitation in her voice. "Do you really want to know, or you just want to blame me for Will getting shot because it's clear you've been holding back since the moment you saw me" Maya rants, crossing her arms over her chest as she looks to JJ who scoffs and shakes her head.
The team confabs their data and comes up with very few leads. The only interesting one is that the style of bomb used in the explosion (which only went off less than an hour ago - that's how quickly they found pieces in the wreckage) was designed in the same way as some bombs from Chad. The very same place she said she wanted to escape.
Just how risk-obsessed is this woman? If she never planned on escaping in a plane, why would she give the FBI a clue to her identity?
______
The team continues to watch over the security footage. "Maya, I know it might be hard but there has to be something you remember from being inside the bank" Hotch says and Maya sighs. "Okay, when Will got shot, I ran over but so did some other guy. He was a hostage, but he wasn't scared like everyone else was" Maya says as she watches the security footage back.
"Well, he is ex-military, but you'd think his fight or flight skills would kick in" Kevin says as he continues to rewind the clips from the footage before the blast. They look into the ex-military hostage, Matthew Downs, and discover that he was dishonorably discharged from the diplomatic security arm of the marines back in '04. They continue to look through the footage and see that Matthew had looked at the women robber during the time the male robber was shooting hostages.
She had another partner, and he was in there the whole time.
"What? I thought he was a hostage" Maya says as she furrows her eyebrows in confusion. "He even defended this woman and her baby" Maya says as she shakes her head in disbelief. "It's not your fault. Anyone would've thought he was a hostage" Derek reassures, rubbing Maya's shoulder gently.
"Yeah, anybody would. You said he was one of the hostages that helped Will out when he was shot. He gained his trust and yours and told him when to go for the doors" Emily says over the phone to JJ and Rossi and in person to Maya and the rest of the team.
______
Derek, Reid, and Emily go back into the bank and search the scene when suddenly Maya walks in, adjusting her gun holster around her waist. "What're you doing in here?" Derek wonders as Maya steps over a large piece of wood, wincing at the pain from her leg and lets out a sigh. "I'm helping. I can't not help" Maya says, looking over to Derek who slowly nods his head, knowing he can't convince Maya to stay outside.
"Why didn't they just take all the money?" Reid wonders as he walks over to the receptionist desk, inspecting it as much as he can besides the damage to it. "They we're down a man and the other robber wanted to help him so bad. They were on a time limit. The women kept checking her watch and telling them how long they have until they have to get out" Maya informs.
"But that didn't work out considering they were met with Will and his partner out the side door, which the women and the fourth unsub probably planned" Emily says as she walks around the damaged bank, giving her opinions.
Reid then has an epiphany-the major events in the killers' lives happened in '04, '08, and now '12 - could they be working on something cyclical? Could this be an anniversary of sorts? They then discover that the fourth unsub, Matthew Downs, was a pilot in Chad during the civil unrest, and they extrapolate that the two must have met there.
Emily asks if there were any significant deaths in Chad exactly 4 years earlier, and Garcia comes up with a train explosion that killed a bunch of people. They must be trying to recreate that, using Will's access to the secure area.
_____
Hotch and the team, including Maya and Derek go to intercept the train station where they think Matthew is because they know he'll want to stay close enough to the bank so he can watch.
Rossi and JJ plan to rescue Henry but things aren't looking for Will, though, seeing as he's been strapped into a bomb vest with a super-visible digital timer. Emily says that the bomb will cause the whole place to blow.
Looking through the crowd of people in the train station, Maya looks around but finds no sign of Matthew, the fourth unsub. "Do you see him?" Maya asks as she walks up to Derek and looks to his right, seeing the unsub.
"He's right there! Hey!" Maya shouts as she begins running in his direction, despite the excruciating pain in her leg that was recently stitched up. "Maya!" Derek shouts, quickly running after her.
Derek and Maya are now chasing Matthew down on foot, Maya a little bit ahead of Derek and almost catching Matthew, while Emily tries to disarm the bomb that's attached to Will back at the train station.
"Ah!" Maya groans as she slides over the hood of a car to get closer and closer to Matthew. She continues to ignore the pain in her leg and the fact the Derek is behind her. Her one goal is to get Matthew and him only. As for the bomb, Emily manages to figure out the disarm code for cell phone bomb by asking Will what the women's real name which is Izzy.
But turning off that bomb just opens up a secondary detonator with the classic three-wire setup. Which one should she cut?
Maya follows Matthew into an alley and watches him try to climb the fence to get out but Maya grabs onto his leg and drags him down using all of her strength. She reaches for her gun and pulls it out but Matthew kicks underneath Maya's leg, causing her to hit the ground roughly and drop her gun in the process.
"I tried to warn you and get you out of the bank, but you just insisted on helping" Matthew mumbles as he climbs on top of Maya and puts his hands around her neck, cutting off her breathing circulation.
BANG!
"Ugh" Maya groans out as she catches her breath, feeling his hands get from around her neck. Maya looks up and sees a gunshot wound right through Matthew's heart. "Ah" Matthew says softly before he falls limp to Maya's side, blooding dripping out of his mouth as the life left his body.
Derek reached his hand down and Maya took it, allowing him to lift her up to her feet. When she was standing up straight, her leg still hurting, she pulled Derek into a hug. Something she'd never thought she'd do but for some reason she felt it was the right time.
Derek was hesitant and shocked, but he wrapped his arms around Maya and dug his face into her neck, wanting to hold her forever.
They pulled apart and he stared at her, knowing with certain that he was falling in love. He pulled her close and just stared, unsure of what to do. "Are you two alright?" Hotch asks, as he comes up on the two, seeing the dead body behind them and noticing how close they were.
"Yeah, yeah" Maya answers, slowly pulling away from Derek, letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "We're good" Derek says before he calls for an ambulance at his location.
Meanwhile, Emily talks the wire problem through. The wires are Red, Blue, and Yellow, the colors of Chad's flag. Since yellow is the only color that doesn't also appear on the American flag, that must be the one to cut... and it was. Emily cut the right wire and saved her, Will and everyone else's life. Case Closed.
_____
Over at Quantico Emily announces that she's definitely not buying that house she looked at. "And why aren't you buying the house?" Maya asks, looking to Emily. "There is a horizontal crack in the foundation" Emily answers before Strauss walks in.
"Agent Regan. Glad to see you're doing well" she says, and Maya clears her throat, sending her a friendly smile before Strauss reveals the women unsub, Izzy Rodgers and she's going to spend the rest of her life in jail.
______
The next night everyone swings by Rossi's house for drinks. Maya arrives at the house in a dashing red dress, shocking the team after they see her so dressed up, but she figured if she was going to be at a luxury house she might as well dress luxury. That same night, Emily finally admits that she's planning to go back to Interpol because she doesn't feel right working at the FBI post-near-death-experience.
"Well, it'll be sad to see you go but this is a big opportunity, and you should take it" Maya says, congratulating Emily.
JJ, Will and their son, Henry arrives at the party. Turns out, it wasn't a party. It was a weeding. A surprise one at that.
Hilariously, JJ didn't know that it's a surprise wedding until her mother shows up. "I was wondering why there was a whole gazebo with a carpet of flowers set up" Maya says as she grabs a glass of wine from a tray in the kitchen and walks out onto the balcony, watching as JJ walks down the aisle with her mother by her side.
Maya tilts her head and can't help but imagine if her mother was here. She would adore a wedding and practically beg Maya to get married and have a bunch of children but just as long as she's happy and that's what Maya loved about her mother. She wanted everyone to be happy even if she wasn't, especially in her marriage with Maya's father... it seemed that she was never happy and Maya noticed since she was six years old. The first time he ever laid hands on her mother, well, it probably wasn't the first but it was the first time Maya ever saw it.
"You look amazing, by the way" Derek compliments as the wedding music plays in the distance and the couple, JJ and Will stand across from each other as the priest behind them spoke.
"Thank you. You look good as well" Maya says before she clings her and Derek's glasses of wine together before she takes a sip of hers.
JJ and Will put the rings on each other's hand while everyone watches around them and smiles at the love they have for each other before they lean in and kiss each other in front of everyone, there marriage finally being official.
The team and the other guest get out on the dance floor and dance with anyone, just for fun because that's what this night was about, fun. Maya stood up against a table and watched as everyone danced until she noticed Derek walking towards her.
"What are you doing?" Maya asks as she stands up straight, narrowing her eyes at Derek who puts his hand out, waiting for Maya to take it.
"I don't dance" Maya declares before Derek takes her hand anyway and brings her out on the dance floor. "Oh my gosh. This is embarrassing" Maya says as Derek holds her close, placing his hand on his lower waist and interlocking their hands together.
"It's only embarrassing if you make it so" Derek says as he sways Maya side to side causing her to let out a chuckle as the music played throughout their ears. Soon, Maya got into the rhythm of the music and didn't want to leave the dance floor, but it was more like she didn't want to leave Derek's presence...
_____
That night, that late night, Derek took Maya home, so she didn't have taken a cab like she originally was planning to. Derek walks Maya to her porch and watches as she opens up her door, using her key that was hiding in the mulch out front. She opens the door but before she could enter, Derek gently grabs ahold of her hand, causing her to turn around and look to him with concern.
"Maya..." Derek trials off, his hand still touching hers. "There's something about you that has attracted me since the very first moment I saw you sitting in Emily's seat" Derek starts off and Maya adjusts the way she stands as she feels a rant coming from Derek. "The way you look at the world. You always seem to be having deep thoughts about life, death, existence and these things" Derek adds, stepping closer to Maya, making her breathe uneven and her heart skip a beat.
"Like now, I am looking at you and you are definitely the most intense and mysterious woman I have ever met" Derek concludes as he stares into Maya's eyes which have tears clouding them because she's never heard something so genuine and romantic, ever. "You don't have to say anything-".
"Good, because I don't want to talk" Maya says before she leans in, pressing her lips onto Derek's without warning, without permission. Without even deciding to do it, but simply because she couldn't have done anything else. She needed that breath he was holding. It belonged to her, and she wanted it back.
Maya and Derek step in unison as they walk into Maya's home, Maya using her shoe to slam the door shut. Derek lifts Maya up, her legs wrapping around his waist and her shoes falling to the floor as Derek gently pushed her back up against the wooden door that was now closed.
Derek continued to hold up Maya until they made to the couch. He laid her down and trailed kisses down her neck as she helped him unbutton his jacket and proceeded to do so with his dress shirt that was underneath. They have both wanted this moment forever and nothing or no one was going to come in between it.
Maya sat up and Derek helped her start to unzip the back of her dress, sliding his finger down her spine causing goosebumps to go throughout her body, yearning for his touch even though it was already there. She was absolutely stunning in that long red dress. Her beautiful lips smiling painted with that dark red lipstick, always looking like she knew what is going to happen next.
Derek couldn't keep my eyes away as she leaned her head back in pleasure right in front of him. It was like she just owned the whole world and his heart...
"I fell in love with a world through her eyes"
-Unknown-
THE END OF ACT TWO