Hello my dear readers! I hope you are all doing incredibly well!
Here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it! We're nearing the end and the unsub is getting closer. As promised, there is a lot revealed about the unsub this time around.
As always, thank you ALL for your reviews!
Special thanks to the amazingly, incredible AnnKa, jhplug and criss128 – you are all too marvelous!
Don't forget to leave your comments or ideas below. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy!
Revelation
"I realized. Being a parent wasn't just about bearing a child. It was about bearing witness to its life."
-Jodi Picoult, Handle With Care-
On that chilly Thursday morning, Derek and Emily successfully got the excited children to school without any major issues. Luckily, Carter and Maggie were too focused on the upcoming parties their classes were having later that day to be overly difficult.
The temporary parents brought the cupcakes to the teachers for the party when they dropped of the older two children at their classrooms. On their way out, they passed the school's office. A group of laborers were hard at work on the door that led to the director's offices. The old door was resting against the wall and had a shattered glass window.
"Is everything alright?" Derek asked the director as she stood near the on-going project.
"Mr. and Mrs. Phillips!" the older woman exclaimed brightly. "Oh yes. Unfortunately, last night during our annual Christmas program, this door was broken."
"Did you call the police?" Emily asked with concern, mind instantly in FBI agent mode.
"No, no. It doesn't seem anything was taken or tampered with. The door was just broken – it's always locked and only the maintenance staff, security guard and myself have a key. It seems they attempted to use a computer but only those who know the password can get in. We assume it was some of the preschoolers' older siblings who became bored during the pageant. It isn't the first time something like this has happened."
The woman excused herself before Derek or Emily could comment further as a teacher came up to ask for her assistance with a matter.
"They used the computer?" Derek said to Emily as they strapped Ben into his car seat.
"There is no way that was done by kids. It has to have been the unsub."
"I'd like to believe that too but why?"
"Think about it. They broke in during the pageant – to the computer system. Where else would our personal information as the Fosters' new parents be stored? Like our new home address perhaps? And only hours later the unsub attempts to break into the house?" Emily reasoned.
"That's how they found us," Morgan spoke in realization.
"Exactly," Emily nodded in agreement and they both became in engrossed in possible scenarios to discover the unsub's identity.
After leaving the school, they went to buy more Christmas presents for the children before taking baby Ben along with them to meet with Garcia and Reid for lunch. They couldn't meet with the whole team but it was nice to see some of their friends in person rather than through the computer for a change.
Tight and overly enthusiastic hugs lasted only until Garcia got her hands on the baby and threatened the stand-in parents that she might never let him go. Even Reid got an excited turn with the always-happy baby.
The agents ordered their food before they quietly filled the team members in on the latest development. Garcia promised she would run even deeper checks on current preschool employees or people they were close to.
"So tell me you two, what is it like being married with three kids? Is it wonderful? Is it everything you imagined it would be or is it horrible? Is it complete and utter madness constantly? Is the spark gone in your relationship?" Garcia prodded with joking questions, pretending to keep the undercover charade going.
"Oh Garcia," Emily said with a slightly amused sigh, feeling rather uncomfortable about the whole situation.
"Babygirl I love kids. You know that. But living with three kids truly 24/7 terrified me. I'll tell you though; Maggie, Carter and Ben are absolutely perfect. And Emily, well, let's just say, I love her even more now than the day I married her," he finished with a wink in Emily's direction, unable to help himself but to play along with the tech's questioning.
"Reid, the kids absolutely love the fairytale book you got for them. It's all they insist on reading before naps or bedtime," Emily said as she tried to steer the conversation to a topic less likely to make her blush.
The topic of conversations finally moved to less sensitive subjects and the friends all caught up with each other. Ben however soon spoiled the fun with a dirty diaper that Emily went to change. But it was the perfect opportunity for Penelope to give Derek the package he had asked her to bring.
"What is it lovebug?" the tech asked him after he had dashed to the car to hide it.
"It's Emily's Christmas present. I didn't realize I would be undercover when I ordered it online and couldn't be there to pick it up. Thanks for bringing it babygirl."
He was about to tell her that it was a copy of Emily's favorite book that had been accidentally given away when JJ and Garcia had helped clean out her apartment. She had never had the heart to tell them but Derek knew. So after months of looking, he had found the same book that was not only in perfect condition, but was a signed first edition. Derek couldn't tell his friends the truth before Emily returned to the table with the baby.
The meal continued as it always did: full of laughter, jokes and fun between the friends. Emily was laughing along with the rest of the group when her phone began buzzing where it rested on the top of the table. It was a number she did not recognize but reached to answer it.
"Hello?"
"Emily? It's Adrienne Grey."
"Hi Adrienne. Is everything okay?" she asked as her eyes captured Derek's now interested face.
"Carter isn't feeling well. He's pretty tired and is complaining of a headache. He has a higher temperature than normal but nothing too high. I'm sure he's fine. If anything, it's probably a small virus or typical cold. But I think he's also really just missing his parents. He was pretty upset. He's with me now and much better but I wanted you to know. It's school policy to inform the parents if their child visits the nurse."
"I understand. Thank you so much. I'm so glad you are there for him. Derek and I will come pick him and Maggie up now so he can nap in his own bed."
"That sounds great. We'll be waiting for you."
"Okay, bye!"
"What's wrong?" Derek asked with sudden worry and a delicate hand on Emily's back, a gesture Garcia didn't miss.
"Everything is fine," Emily assured him before she began explaining further. "That was Adrienne. She said Carter came to her office with a headache and a high temperature. It's probably just a virus or a cold. She also said he's really missing his parents. I told her we would come get them so maybe a nap at home will help."
"Good idea. I'm glad she's there at least. All the kids are so comfortable with she and David. Well let's go get the little munchkins then."
Derek and Emily said their goodbyes to Reid and Garcia who hugged them tightly before they were off to pick up the kids.
Morgan went to get Maggie while Emily went to the nurse's office to pick up Carter.
The little boy was sitting happily on the nurse's lap looking at a book. Emily hugged him and began talking thankfully to Adrienne who took a turn holding Ben after she updated Emily on how Carter was.
"Thank you so much again," Emily smiled.
"Oh of course. I love all the kids here but Maggie, Carter and Ben feel practically like my own. I'm just so glad I was at this location today."
"You work somewhere else as well?"
"Yes. It isn't feasible to hire a school nurse for one preschool full-time. So I split my time between here and two or three other close elementary and middle schools based on when they need me. I used to work at David's practice but this way I can help the school kids who, at the less fortunate schools, don't get some of the attention they need. It's a nice way to give back. I'm just glad the job opened up after such a difficult struggle."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, the nurse who held this position before me had some problems. She got pregnant and her baby died during childbirth. After that, naturally it was hard for her to work with children on such a demanding schedule and they had to let her go. This job was just too much for her. It was sad but they kind of had to force her out."
"That is sad," Emily said sympathetically.
"Yes, it was. Last I heard she had transferred to part-time at a fertility clinic or something so her recovery would be a bit easier. Claire told me about the position and how desperate they were for a new hire so David and I both agreed the schools needed me more than his practice. Hopefully when we have kids… well, adopt them that is, I can cut my schedule back again to spend more time with them. That's all I've ever really wanted."
"I really hope that works out. I know these kids adore you. All we hear about it Uncle David and Aunt Adrienne," Emily smiled. "I'm sure you'll be incredible parents."
"Thank you," she responded sincerely. Suddenly, Carter coughed bringing the two adults back to the reason of the visit. "So, if he gets worse or any of the others get the symptoms, David is their pediatrician. He's in the office during the day and will always make time for these little ones if you need to bring them in. Even if it's the middle of the night, just give us a call. Claire and Thomas had to a few times with him or Maggie when they were little and with Ben when they first got him," Adrienne smiled as she danced the baby on her hips.
"Got him?" Emily asked with confusion.
"The process took so long," the woman continued without hearing the question. "We were worried at one point that the paperwork would never go through. But we were all so thrilled when it all finally went through." Emily still looked at Adrienne with complete confusion before the nurse addressed her startled face. "You didn't know?"
"Know what?"
"Ben is adopted." Adrienne spoke as Emily's eyes widened with shock at the revelation.
"Adopted?" Emily asked in complete bewilderment. How could the team have missed this?
"Is that okay?" the woman asked with worry.
"Of course it is! We just weren't told. But how could we mind if Ben is adopted. Are Maggie and Carter as well?"
"Oh no. They adopted Ben after having Maggie and Carter. But since Claire and Thomas were both orphans, it was important to them."
"I'm sure," Emily responded with understanding.
"I just can't believe they didn't tell you," Adrienne quickly said before explaining. "Well, I suppose it makes sense. You see it was a closed adoption. Ben's birth certificate has Claire and Thomas's names on it. It's a pretty involved process but it keeps any messy legalities out of the way."
"That's very smart."
"Yes. Claire heard about it from a woman she had worked with. I'm not sure who she was but she and her husband along with another couple did the same thing around the same time they did. David and I have been considering it lately too but with Claire and Thomas's…. well, it just hasn't been a priority lately," the woman said as she choked back tears.
"I understand," Emily spoke as her mind was filled with ideas. "Well, I should probably get this little guy home. I need to go find Derek and Maggie."
"Good idea. It's getting chilly out there. They're calling for a pretty big snowfall later tonight. Just let me know if there is anything you need," the woman responded with a friendly smile.
"Actually, there is one thing," Emily said with a sneaky grin.
The family drove together to the in-store pharmacy before returning home. Emily walked inside with Maggie while Derek stayed with a sleeping Ben and an almost sleeping Carter in the car.
Prentiss held the little girl's hand as they roamed the Target store. She quickly found the children's flu medicine but had a few more stops to make before checking out.
"Which one do you like Mags?" the woman asked as she bent down to face the small child. In her hand, she held two very pretty, but very different decorative frames. However, they both had one thing in common. Across the bottom, the letters F-A-M-I-L-Y were spelled out.
"That one!" Maggie instantly exclaimed as she pointed a finger at the larger one. "But what is it for?"
"Can you keep a secret?"
"Yes."
"Promise?" Emily asked as she held out her pinky.
"Yes!" the little girl giggled as she wrapped her tiny pinky around Emily's and shook it.
"Good. Come on," Emily winked before standing leading the little girl to another section of the store.
She picked Maggie up and placed her on a stool in front of a kiosk. "Remember when we took this?" Emily asked as she showed the little girl a picture on her cell phone that she had Adrienne send her just a bit ago. Maggie nodded with a smile at the screen.
Adrienne Grey had taken the photo of Derek, Emily and the kids on the previous night. She and her husband had insisted they take a proper family photo to commemorate their first holiday together as a family. Morgan and Prentiss were filled with guilt at the thought but the laughing children quickly put the thought in the back of their minds. The photo showed how perfectly happy they all were. They weren't simply smiling for the camera but Maggie and Carter had made Ben giggle and therefore, they were all laughing in the picture. That memory was something that Emily would cherish forever.
"Do you think Derek will like this for his Christmas present?" she asked the little girl who instantly exclaimed a loud, "Yes!"
Emily had the picture printed and with Maggie's help, placed it in the frame. She would place it with the tickets for his alma mater's playoff game she had ordered for Derek many weeks ago that he had been longing to go to. Prentiss hadn't known much about football before Derek showed her the basics. Luckily, her mother knew the dean and was able to get some of the best box seats available.
The foster mother and daughter checked out and travelled back to the car where Derek was playing peek-a-boo with a giggling Ben. Once they all got home, the agents gave Carter his medicine and all the children went down for a much-needed nap.
Prentiss stayed with Carter long enough for Derek to slip into the home office to wrap her Christmas present and place it under the tree. Emily came down the stairs just in time for him to have everything back to normal and not arouse suspicion.
"Carter is finally asleep," she said as she sat beside him on the couch.
"Good. Hopefully his medicine will help. I remember being sick one Christmas, it was the worst."
"Derek, I have something to tell you."
"What is it?" he asked with worry.
"I think I know why our unsub is after these kids… after Ben. I was talking to Adrienne earlier and she told me something. Ben is adopted."
"What? How did we miss that?"
"That's exactly what I wondered. But she explained that it was a closed adoption. The Fosters are legally his parents on his birth certificate. She also said that the Greys weren't the only family to adopt this way."
"We've got to tell the team."
The agents informed the BAU of the developments in the case. The team was as stunned as they had been but realized this was finally the break in the case that they needed. Garcia started running tests and almost instantly discovered the other murdered parents had adopted babies as well.
"So that is what our unsub is after," Hotch deduced.
"But now we have to figure out why," Rossi added.
"And why they keep going after adopted children. Why wasn't the first baby enough?" Derek asked.
"But what are they doing with the babies then?" JJ questioned.
"I shall continue looking my fearless knights of honor and truth," Garcia said with a British accent and a smirk from her lair. "I'll keep you updated. Penelope out," she added before signing off to investigate more.
"Morgan and Prentiss we will keep you informed. We'll begin building a profile. Just let us know if you learn anything else," Hotch stated before the team said their goodbyes.
Emily and Morgan made soup for dinner before the family cuddled on the couch while watching a Christmas movie. Carter snuggled into Derek's side on the couch and quickly fell asleep after his second dose of the medicine.
Eventually all the children were asleep and Morgan and Prentiss got them ready for bed. Derek put Ben to sleep and Emily took the opportunity to quickly wrap his Christmas present and sneak it downstairs to place under the tree. She was in such a rush, she didn't notice Derek's gift for her before she tiptoed back upstairs and slipped into bed. But Morgan was already there.
"Everything okay?" he asked.
"Oh yeah," she told him. "I just got some water and turned up the heat. That threat of snow makes it chilly in here."
"I know. Well, with any luck the unsub won't think to attack before Garcia can find us some more information."
He was about to start discussing the profile further when Ben's cries interrupted him and he pushed himself up off of the bed. "I've got him. He's just so full of energy tonight. Maybe it's the snow," he winked at Emily before going to calm the baby.
Later that night, Derek crawled back into the bed with a sigh before he started speaking. "Ben's finally asleep again."
"Good," Emily whispered even though her mind was deep in thought. They lay there in silence for a while before she spoke. "What's going to happen to them?" Emily asked as she stared up into the dark from where she lay beside Derek in the bed.
"I wish I knew," Derek said, still unconvinced himself.
"They've been through so much already. We can't let them be separated."
"And we won't."
"You can't be sure of that," Emily countered as she rolled over to face him.
"We can. After we catch the unsub we'll make sure Maggie, Carter and Ben get a good home with a family who loves them. Together."
"Promise?"
"Promise," he answered with a wink. "Goodnight Princess," he whispered as he turned back over.
"Goodnight Derek," she smiled and closed her eyes.
Only hours after Morgan had gone to pacify a fussy baby Ben, the agents were awakened by his cries once again.
"I'll get him," Derek moaned groggily as he raised his head, looking at the clock to see it was well past two in the morning.
"No, no," Emily said softly beside him as she reached to put a hand on his shoulder. "You got him last time. I've got it. Get some sleep." And with that, she wiped her tired eyes and moved from the bed, making her way to the nursery as Derek fell back into his pillow.
Though he was exhausted, he only drifted in and out of sleep. He would feel better when Emily was back in the bed with him and he knew she and the children were all okay. It shocked him just how well he was not only fitting into the new role of husband and father, even if it was for his job, but how much he was enjoying it.
Derek rolled over in the bed, glancing at the clock on the other nightstand. Emily had now been gone for almost half an hour and he could still hear Ben's cries now and then. He pushed back the covers and tiptoed toward the nursery in the limited light of the night.
He moved to the door of the nursery and stopped, looking on at a sight he knew he never wanted to forget. There she was, rocking softly with the baby curled up, head resting on her shoulder as her own head leaned protectively against him. She hummed soft melodies to the baby, hoping to finally win him over to sleep.
"Em? Em is everything okay?" he whispered sleepily as he walked towards her.
"He won't calm down," she said with a sigh of frustration, but mostly exhaustion as she rocked the baby back and forth in the chair by the crib. "He's asleep now but the moment I try to put him down he starts crying again." She moved to stand and delicately made her way in front of the crib, swaying back and forth so not to disturb the baby.
Derek moved to stand closer beside her and looked down at the small child in her arms. "Keep your fingers crossed," She whispered as she attempted to place little Ben down in his crib for what felt like the thousandth time.
Derek held his breath as he moved over to stand beside her at the child's bed. The baby was laying down now, Emily arranged his blanket tenderly around him before placing her hand on his back, moving it in little circular motions to assure him she was still there.
"It's like he knows," she whispered.
"Knows what?" he asked confusedly.
"Why we're here," Emily answered sadly. It was only then that Derek looked down and in the glimmer of moonlight streaming through the nursery windows did he see the tears welling in her eyes. "Knows that his parents were murdered by the very same person who is now after him."
"Hey," he whispered soothingly. Being careful not to let his movements wake the finally sleeping baby, he reached his arms out and pulled Emily close to him. She didn't hesitate as she fell against his chest and wrapped her arms around him, physical and emotional exhaustion finally catching up with her in front of the one person she could always be open with. He was the one running circles in her own back when he began to speak, "That may be true but you know what else he knows? That we're here. That's why we're here. We won't let anything happen to him; to any of them remember? And I promise, I won't let anything happen to you either. Always."
She merely looked up at him with a grateful smile, showing him that as usual, he could make her feel better by simply being there and understanding her like no one else could. With just the simple use of that one word that summed up their entire relationship. She told herself it was just a bond all partners shared but she still couldn't explain the growing feelings within her heart. Though for now she ignored them, just happy that she finally felt the assurance of their relationship she had longed for since she'd been back.
"Em," he whispered suddenly. "Look!" He pulled back just enough so they could look toward the window but she was still in his arms.
"It's finally snowing," Emily said with a smile as she saw the large, white flurries fluttering down through the air against the black background of the night.
"It's beautiful," Derek said, but as Emily turned back to face him, she realized, he wasn't looking out the window anymore, but at her. "Come on," he spoke again as Emily tried to ignore her blushing face. He pulled her gently from the crib's edge and they made their way back to their bed… together. And they fell asleep side-by-side peacefully for the last time before the terror they had prepared for would finally threaten them all.
Hope you enjoyed it! :)