Retaining Happiness
Chapter 8

A/N - Thank you again for the reviews, favourites and follows! Yes this chapter is mainly Lynch-focused but don't worry it's not too long, I just think it's important for the story to get the perspective of both sides. Hope you enjoy it nevertheless and Happy Easter!


Kevin was unsure how long he had driven for when he heard the sounds of the little boy awakening behind him in the early hours of the morning. He was pretty sure he was out of state but in which direction he did not know. In his desperate attempt to leave Virginia he had stolen a car a few towns away, traded license plates and disappeared into the night, he wasn't proud of what he was doing but he hoped he would be able to return to Sweden without being detected. He just wanted to be with his son.

"Mr Lynch?" Danny called sleepily from the backseat, "where are we? Are we seeing Mommy and Daddy now?"

He pushed his glasses up his nose and sighed at his innocence, he was clueless to this insane kidnapping attempt, it almost made him want to turn around and take him back to Penelope but knowing that he would be there made his blood curl. He would not have his son growing up with that arrogant, girlfriend stealing ken doll. No, he wouldn't turn back now, he couldn't. His future, his happiness depended on this new life he was constantly creating and perfecting in his mind.

It was the life he was envisioning which was worlds away from the one he was leading currently which allowed him to carry out the illegal, ridiculous actions he had undertaken. It would be the life he had always wanted, the life he wanted when he first escaped to the seemingly idealistic rural, Swedish countryside but now he would be sharing that life with his son. It took all his will to snap out of his perfect illusion and focus on reality for the time being. to achieve that end goal Kevin needed to first escape the grasps of the BAU. Thankfully he had a friend who could get him excellent fake passports as being a technical analyst had its perks and soon they would be away from there, and away from him.

"Uh no not yet Danny, did I not tell you? We're going on a little trip so Mommy and" he paused and took winced as he snarled "Daddy" out of hate and disgust of the connotations of that word as it should be himself who held that title, "can have a little bit of time alone before the baby comes"

Danny's face crumpled, he looked as if he was going to cry, "oh" he replied quietly sitting back and looking at his lap, "I don't have my things, I don't have Barry Bear"

Kevin looked at his son's lip quivering in the rear view mirror and his heart broke for him. He pulled the car over to a stop as soon as he was able, "come into the front seat a minute Danny" he said softly. Obediently the little boy looked up before clambering over the seats into the front of the unfamiliar car. Kevin stroked his thick blond hair, "I want you to tell me about yourself, what do you like doing? What are you favourite toys? Food? Colour?"

He looked up at the older man, his brown eyes sparkling beneath his fringe, his frown suddenly changing from that of sadness to that of concentration, "I like cheeseburgers and blue and my friend Billy from school and drawing and going to Mommy's lair and games on Mommy's play phone and playing catch the bad guys with Daddy, I'm gonna be a profiler when I grow up!" he listed, his brow furrowing deeper as he thought harder, "I like playing with Henry and Jack and Anna and Uncle Spencer and Auntie J.J. and Uncle Dave and Uncle Aaron and Auntie Alex and-"

"-Uh huh" Kevin replied unenthusiastically, he did not want to hear about their happy family life with the BAU team and the connections his son had made with the people who had betrayed him, "so you playing on apps huh?" he asked smiling down at him. Danny nodded excitedly forgetting about his prior sadness, "do you want to play on mine, you can draw or play music or watch a movie, take a look" he smiled handing him his phone.

Wide eyed he beamed at the electrical device in his hand as if all his Christmas' had come at once as he had been presented with a newfound freedom, "thank you" he replied politely, remembering the manners his parents had hammered into him.

Kevin nodded, "you're very welcome" he said as he began to navigate the little boy to what he desired, he was thankful that Danny had inherited an interest in technology that both himself and his mother shared, at least then he had some common ground and he could keep him entertained for the time being.

Upon finding an app which allowed him to draw on a blank screen Danny began to carefully drag his finger across the glass so a single colourful line formed, he smiled proudly at what he had achieved and continued to create his masterpiece. It wasn't long before he was eager to show off his drawing to 'Mr Lynch', as he held the phone at arm's length Kevin squinted at the colourful screen confused, the mind and imagination of a four year old was still foreign to him, "that's great Danny, what's that a drawing of?"

"The baby of course!" he cried with a big grin on his face, "can I draw again Mr Lynch?"

He looked up, "yes Danny, you can do whatever you want", as his son began to concentrate again Kevin's heart sank a little, he had hoped that he would have drawn a picture of him but even he wasn't deluded enough to believe that he could establish a relationship within 24 hours. Thankfully, if everything went according to plan he would have a lot longer to become closer to his son.

As they sat in the car in the early hours of the morning he continued to watch the joy spread across his son's face. Although the future was uncertain he knew this was something he could treasure, he was spending time with his son, and no one could take these moments away from him.