TITLE: Against the Wind
CHAPTER/TITLE: Chapter One/You're Live
RATING: T (language and mature content)
A/N: Sequel to "Against the Wall". This is a CASE-FIC. It's not OC-centered, don't worry. It has WAY less Laurie in it than the first story even. A LOT of MORGAN, REID, JJ & EMILY. Some MORGAN/EMILY. Some great JJ/REID friendship moments. Some JJ/Will time. Some Henry time. Look out for some twists! IS Daniel Griffin back? Or is it someone else? Which BAU member will be attacked at their own home? Who on the team will survive this BAU-focused rampage? And what is Laurie hiding in her past? Dun dun dun (note the possible double meaning of the title? hmmmm. wow i'm lame)
Please READ and REVIEW. Gracias.
"And we're back. Sorry for the technical difficulties we're having here. This storm seems to not want us to stay on the air. Speaking of which, if you're not home yet, you should get there. Reports say that this monster is going to only get worse throughout the night. So, go home, get those flashlights or candles ready and stay safe. But me, well, I'm just crazy enough to stay on and keep talking to all you guys out there. Before we went down, we were discussing everyone's favorite topic, relationships. Linda was telling us about her ex-boyfriend Jeremy. You heard her story, now tell me yours, what do you think?" She paused and glanced down at the small switchboard, pushing in the glowing button. "You're on the air. What's your name and where are you from?"
"This is Cindy from The Towers. I think what this guy, Jeremy, did to this Linda girl is awful. No woman deserves to be treated like that and now he wants her back? Linda, just say no, honey. You deserve better."
"Alright, thank you for calling in. Looks like we have another caller already. Hello, you're on the air. What's your name and where are you from?"
"You know my name." The man spoke in a composed tone and Laurie could tell he was far older than most of her listeners.
"I do, huh?" Laurie replied mischievously. "Well, I don't recognize your voice and I can barely hear you through all that static. You might want to call back when the weather is better."
"I want to call now."
"Okay, then. Did you have any advice for our friend Linda?"
"I have something to say to Jeremy."
"Okay, we don't know for sure that he's actually listening but –"
"If he wants her back, he should take her back."
"Wh –"
"She's being ungrateful. He gave her everything he had and she just walked away."
"More like limped away," Laurie countered defensively. "The guy put her in the hospital for a broken leg and a concussion."
"Maybe she didn't listen to him."
The phrase hung in Laurie's mind as her suppressed memories ripped out of their cages.
"See what happens when you don't listen?"
"You listen to me you little whore."
Laurie closed her eyes for a brief moment and then shook her head to shake loose the demons.
"I'm sorry – your voice – you –"
"How's Connor?"
All at once, all of the air in the room rushed into Laurie's lungs and her pounding heart seemed to stop altogether just for that moment.
"I – I'm sorry?"
"How is our son?"
"Who is this? This isn't funny."
"No, it's not funny. You took my son away from me. You left me. I thought you loved me –"
Laurie hurriedly hung up on the caller and sat back shakily in her chair with a exasperated sigh. She simply sat there motionless for a moment but then suddenly realized the dead air her audience was now tuning into. She hurriedly sat up straight and leaned forward to the microphone. Before she could say a word to her listeners, the phone lit up yet again.
"Looks like we've got another caller." Laurie noted calmly, "Hello, you're live."
"No, I'm dead. Dead inside without –"
Laurie dropped the call again and ran her trembling fingers through her hair, taking in shallow breaths.
"Looks like we got some prank calls tonight guys. Alright, we're going to switch over to some music for you now to wrap up the night. I'm going to get out of here before I land myself in Oz. I'll be here, same time, same place tomorrow night. Here's a little something to lift your spirits through the storm, and not just the wind and the rain. Stay strong in your storms of life, and remember, you're not alone."
Laurie slid her headphones off and shakily stood. For several moments, she simply paced across the small studio, attempting to compose herself. The hollow click of her heels reverberated in the silence. Her last words on air flashed in her head and she wondered in great fear if she truly was not alone. She wasn't sure whether to break down in tears or punch a hole in the wall. Everything was flooding through her brain so quickly that she could barely keep up. As she turned around to cross the studio yet again, the corner of her eye fell on the small flashing red switchboard light. Pausing a beat, Laurie suspiciously stepped towards the board. Her fingertips quivering with trepidation, Laurie slid on the headphones and pushed the button.
"Listen, you stop calling me right now or I will call the cops!"
"Whoa, whoa, hey, it's me –" a familiar voice came from the other end and Laurie let out an extensive comforted sigh.
"Derek, hey, sorry –"
"Is something wrong?"
"No, no, I'm fine. Just prank calls, late at night, just a little on edge."
"Don't let those punks get the best of you; you're stronger and better than them."
"Yeah," Laurie mumbled and trailed off for a moment. "You weren't listening to the show, were you?" Her voice hid her inner anxiety.
"No, not tonight's. But I did catch your fundraiser for the women's shelter last week. That was pretty tight. Live band, guest hosts. Well, you're becoming a radio star if I do say so myself."
"Very funny. My guest hosts were the shelter's founder, not celebrities or how you make it sound. The band was some local college group. Not to mention, I barely have listeners. Radio's dying thanks to iPods and everything else out there that wants to kill my future career. The only callers I get are crazy drunks or FBI agents that saved my life once upon a time. Speaking of which, what are you doing calling me? Don't you have, you know, damsels in distress, creeps to catch, murders to solve, all that sort of stuff?"
"Hey, I told you I would stay in touch and I am doing just that. Besides, I'm still Connor's godfather, aren't I?" He countered playfully. "If you don't like it then –"
"No, no. I'm glad, really. I assumed that when you said you'd stay in touch, it was just something to make me feel better. I figured I'd never talk to you again."
"Well, you figured wrong. There you go again trying to profile people. That's my job, remember? I told you, girl, you'd be a great agent. You know peoples' problems by the time they say where they are from."
"No thanks. Radio is my home and I'd like to keep it that way. I can help people and go home at night not worrying that I'm going to get killed."
"Yeah, yeah." Morgan matched her playful tone but Laurie could still hear the echo of memories on his lips. "So, how's little Connor doing?"
"How's Connor?"
The caller's question rang out in her mind and lingered there as Laurie neglected to respond.
"Laurie?"
"Uh, yeah, sorry. Connor's great. He's with Ray right now."
"You sure you're okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Quit worrying about me already. It's been a year."
"That isn't that long considering what you went through. It's okay to have issues, we all do."
"I'm good, really. I did the three months of horrific nightmares and then the six months of counseling. No more nightmares. No more paranoia. Daniel is locked up for good and I have moved on with my life. I'm twenty years old, going to college for radio, pursuing my dream; even if I am just the night host of our campus station."
"The best damn night host that that campus has ever had. Don't you forget it. One day you're going to be rich and famous on some big-time talk show, passing up Oprah and Dr. Phil."
"Dr. Phil is a doctor, I'm just a college student."
"Well, you're still going for that double major with psychology, right?"
"Reid still sends me studying tips and book lists." There was joy and irritation melted together in that response.
"I bet he does. We all look out for you here. We all got your back."
"Do you do this with everyone you save? If so, do you ever sleep?"
"Only for the ones that we're held at gunpoint and kidnapped with. Oh, and no, I don't think any of us sleep. I think it's a genetic thing you need to be able to be a part of the team."
"See, right there. I can't be an agent. I love my sleep. Speaking of which, I know of a certain child who is getting pretty fussy right about now not having been sung to sleep by his mother."
"Well, give him a hug for me and remind Ray to be good to you or I will be looking for him."
"Okay, okay, wow you're bossy." She paused for a moment as her teasing smile faded. "Derek, uh, thanks for checking up on me, on us, even after all this time. It means a lot."
"Anytime, girl. Be safe."
"Always."
Laurie ended the call and did a last minute check of everything on the board. As she collected her things and pulled her coat over her arms, the red light began flashing once more.
"What does he want now," Laurie chuckled, "to come here and walk me home?"
She grinned as she picked up the line, but the smile soon dissolved.
"Laurie, how could you?"
"How could I what? Who is this?"
"Who's Ray? And Derek? Are they your boyfriends? Are you with other men? How could you do this to me?"
"Leave me alone."
"But you're never alone, remember? We have a son. We are forever bonded in –"
"We have nothing because you're not him. Daniel Griffin is locked up for life. You think this is the first prank call I've gotten about this? Here's a tip. Move out of your mother's basement and get a life, you creep."
Without a moment to spare, Laurie slammed her finger onto the button, dropping the call. She hurriedly turned and exited the studio without taking notice to the again flickering square button.