For a couple months, things are normal. For a couple months, Derek can breathe. Knowing his family is safe. Knowing his team is safe. Knowing they have nothing to worry about except day to day things. Emily is still on the team, but he knows it wont be long now. After JJ and Will's wedding she'd said she had some loose ends to tie up. Personally, Derek's hoping they take a little longer than they should. He can't imagine this place without Emily.
Well, he can, but that's exactly the problem. He knows how it is to come to work and not see her there. He knows how that hole in their team feels, just how deep it is. He's experienced it five times he can think of. First with Gideon, then Elle, then JJ, then Emily the first time, and finally with Seaver. True, Seaver hadn't been there from day one, but she had left a hole nonetheless. He doesn't want to experience Emily's absence again, even though he knows it's what's best for her.
Really, he should have figured something was coming. The phone call, when it came, shouldn't have been shocking. Derek shouldn't have assumed that he was immune to this. After all, Hotch's family had been targeted, and just weeks ago, so had JJ's. So why should Derek assume that his own family was resistant to this kind of thing.
But they came, one after the other.
"Derek, it's Cindi…"
Breathe in.
"Derek, it's Anthony…"
Breathe out.
"Derek, it's Sarah…"
Breathe in.
"Derek, it's Desiree…"
Breathe out.
"Derek, it's Mama…"
Breathe…
Each one identifying themselves. Each one - even Sarah - sounding scared. Each of them saying the same thing, word-for-word. He hears the rest of the messages in a chorus. "I've been taken. Somebody's coming for you, too. Do what they say and I won't be hurt. You're the only one who can save me. Don't involve the FBI or they'll kill me. They'll kill all of us."
Derek knows without knowing that if Aunt Yvonne hadn't died suddenly a few weeks back, she would have been taken, too.
They're between cases now. Derek has a day off. He knows whoever did this is based in Chicago, so he's taking it to them, making it easier. Before he leaves, though, he makes one phone call, sure it's his last chance.
"James," he greets smiling, though it's killing him to do it. He has to do something. He has to let someone know how bad things are. He can't involve the team, so he does the next best thing, with his family gone. He calls James Barfield, a kid he's kept in touch with all these years. James is hardly a kid anymore. Nineteen, if Derek's math is right.
"Derek. What's up?" James returns, sounding happy to hear from him.
"Not much. Listen," he says, keeping his tone light. "You heard from Carl lately?" Derek asks.
"What?"
Derek knows that by mentioning the name of the man who molested both himself and James as teenagers, will cause him to suspect something's not right. Carl Buford's in jail. He isn't a threat anymore. But something else is. And James is a bright kid. Derek's hoping like hell he'll figure it out.
"Listen, I gotta go," Derek says in a rush, hanging up and boarding the plane.