~ how beautiful is it to stay silent when someone expects you to be enraged ~
2 months later
Look at me Mackenzie, right here, look at me alright!" I scream, my gun trained on Terri Combran.
He abducted 4 families who were on vacation and the Hawls were about to be his 5th.
We were standing in the middle of a cornfield, Terri Combran was holding a gun to Mackenzie's head, but also kept moving it, training it on her family who were tied to a tractor, sobbing.
We couldn't get a clean shot on him because of how close he had her to himself.
"Eyes over here Mackenzie, look at me! Focus on me!" I yell, the sounds of tractor engines and helicopters being the reason I had to raise my voice.
Rossi was trying to talk down the unsub, saying things like, 'You don't have to do this,' and 'Let the girl go,'.
"She's just a kid, look at her, LOOK AT HER," Morgan shouts.
Combran starts shaking his head, "Shut up, SHUT UP, shut up!" he shouts, waving his gun around everywhere.
"She did nothing Combran, let her go, you don't have to die today," Hotch says calmly, his voice only raised to Terri could hear him.
"Mackenzie! Look at me, eyes over here!" I yell, catching her bright blue eyes with my brown ones.
"Let the girl go!" Rossi shouts.
Combran lifts the gun from her head and points it at him, "I told you to shut up! Shut up,"
He turns the gun again, pointing it to the helicopter in the sky, shooting at it, "Mackenzie down, drop!" I shout, causing her to slam hard against him and fall out of his left arm onto the muddy ground.
Shots rang out, 3, and hit Combran in the chest, causing him to fall back as Mackenzie runs to her family.
*
Everyone was chipper on the jet ride back, all in a better mood because everyone in the family made it and we caught an unsub who had been at it for 4 years.
I sat silently on the jets floor, my face void of any emotion as I thought of court.
It had been a month and a half since I joined the BAU, and a month since I filed a report against my mother.
So far, the process has been easy, it went a lot faster then I thought it would, but I was happy that it was coming to an end.
All I have to do is give my witness statement and I should be able to have guardianship over my siblings.
My mother didn't really help her case when the initial report was issued and questioning happened.
My lawyer showed me the tape and I honestly couldn't keep myself from laughing.
One of the detectives asked her the questions, she didn't want a lawyer, and she answered way to honestly.
One of the questions was the basis of this whole thing, he asked her if she left us to fend for ourselves at the house with no adult supervision for a long period of time.
Her literal answer was, yes, but only for 2 years.
The whole interview was like that, so no matter what her lawyer tries pull in court, they have the video evidence to prove my claims were right.
I stand up from the floor and walk over to Hotchner, sitting in front of him.
He sighs, but doesn't look up from the files he was reading through, "Yes Cortes?" he questions.
"Tate," I correct, "And I was wondering if it was fine that I take off tomorrow?"
He looks up from his paperwork and studies me slightly, "Why?" he asks.
I keep my face casual, "Just some family stuff I need to take care of,"
He keeps his fierce eye contact with me for a few more seconds before nodding, "Ya, I'll call Cruz and make sure, but I'm sure that's fine," he says, looking back at his files as if to dismiss me.
I nod and stand up, walking back over to the chair I was sitting in front of, before plopping back down on the ground.
*
"Okay, I'm trying to understand this, you want to take your two siblings into guardianship well your only 18 and have a full time job?" the defense attorney asks me, before turning to the jury.
"Yes, and your wanting to send my two siblings back into a unstable home were my little brother doesn't even trust his own mom, and were a suspected gang member lives?" I question calmly, raising an eyebrow at him.
He ignores my question and continues, "So where would the kids stay well your at work, what would happen to them if you die in duty?" he asks, faking concern.
I give him a sarcastic smile, "The same thing I've been doing since I was 16, my friend is a nanny after all, and as for the other question, I don't plan and dying anytime soon, but if I do, I already have a plan, one that since it doesn't matter at this very second, you don't need to know," I say confidently, staring him down.
He scoffs, "See you have no plan if you were going to die, those kids need stability-"
"Objection-"
"Overruled,"
"Which they have with me, not someone they barely know," I snap, this guy is really pissing me off.
"Your a 18 year old, those kids need a more stable family, and sure Ms. Delvin left for a bit, but she's here now, she's ready to mother," he proclaims, pointing to my mom.
I let out a small chuckle, "Was there a question in there or," I trail off making him turn red.
"See, look at that, your just an arrogant teena-"
"Objection, irrelevant,"
The judge slams her gavel down, "Ask a question or rest your case Mr. Lambent," he instructs.
The lawyer looks back at me, to which I raise my eyebrows causing him to straighten out his suit jacket and walk over to my mother, "I rest my case," he mutters defeatedly.
"Alright, both the prosecution and the defense have now rested there cases. The attorneys will now present their final arguments. Please remember what the attorneys say is NOT evidence. However, listen closely, what they say is intended to aid you in understanding the case." the judge says once I'm in my seat, "Prosecution, you may begin,"
"Thank you, your honor, ladies and ge,"
I really blanked out as they spoke, focused on nothing in particular but this being over.
"Members of the jury, you have heard all of the testimony concerning this case. It is now up to you to determine the facts. You and you alone, are judges of the fact. Once you decide what facts the evidence proves, you must apply the laws I give you to the facts as you find them,"
"Reckless Disregard and Child Abuse and Neglect,"
After the judge spoke the Bailiff takes over, "All rise," he says, before grabbing the verdict paper from the judge, leading the jury to the deliberation room.
Once the jury came back and sat down the judge looks at them, "Have you reached a verdict?" he questions.
The jury foreperson stood up, "We have your honor,"
"What say you?" the judge recites.
The foreperson stood up taller and spoke carefully, "We the jury, in the case of The State of Virginia versus Melanie Linn Delvin, find the defendant guilty of all charges including Reckless Disregard and Child Abuse and Neglect, and approve the guardianship of the minors involved to Tatum Sophia Cortes."
"Thank you jury for your service today, Court is adjourned," the judge proclaims, slamming his gavel down.