Series 11 One-shots: Hostage

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the ideas.

Another interesting and disturbing episode, found the whole idea soooo creepy. The girls/actresses did an amazing job.

I think after the last chapter being a bit of a curve ball this one may be a little more obvious.

Author's note: The end quote I have used is the rest of the quote from Samuel Johnson that the show used and I have used as a prompt.

. . .

Prompt:

Hotch: "Revenge is an act of passion; vengeance of justice." Samuel Johnson

. . .

He knew before she arrived, he could read her tells as clearly as he could read the storybooks Henry loved so much. It would start with the call, if it weren't too late. There would be no pleasantries, just a sharp request to speak to Henry, and Michael now of course. It was like her life depended on her hearing them. He got that, he knew what impact his job had on his sanity at times, and he could see the effect it had on his wife. He still wondered most days how she managed to juggle being a mother, a wife and a FBI agent.

If the phone call was the first tell then the lack of text messages when he knew she was travelling home was the next. Mostly they would playfully banter when she was on the flight, teasing each other as only they knew how. But he knew not to try and engage in such playfulness once he had received the call. So tonight he had done all he usually did, sent the usual message to reassure her:

Waiting for you, you know I'm here for yo x

He knew she didn't need to hear the words, he knew she would come to him when she was ready – she always did. Will excepted there was a process to her dealing with whatever had sparked off the fall out. He guessed it involved children, it usually did. Find him the cop, agent or such like that didn't struggle on a case involving children and he would openly call them a liar, or demand a full psych evaluation because there was obviously something seriously wrong with them.

Quickly he silenced the TV, the sound of her key in the lock breaking him from his train of thought. And so it began . . .

. . .

JJ slipped quietly through the door, shutting it behind her she removed her boots and hung up her coat, having dropped her bags as soon as she was safely inside. Tiptoeing down the hallway she paused by the open lounge door, looking in on Will. He was pretending to read a book, she couldn't see the title, and she knew he was pretending as she had heard the now silent TV when she had opened the door. Yet dutifully he hid the fact that he was worried about her, even though she knew he was.

"Hey," she murmured.

Instantly he looked up, his face etched with concern, "Hey."

"I'm just going to check on the boys and then . . ."

"Sure," Will replied, a reassuring smile let her know he knew that she would come and talk as soon as she was ready.

Leaving Will be she made her way up to Henry's room first. Silently entering she instantly adjusted his bedclothes; which were so tightly wrapped around him that she could barely find him. Once she had burrowed through the mass of superhero covers and blankets JJ ruffled the mass of blonde hair that popped out. Now she could hear his soft breathing as he slept deeply. The boy could take an age to actually drop off to sleep, he always had struggled to settle, but once he was asleep nothing woke him. JJ was grateful as it meant she was able to sit with him on nights like this knowing that he would sleep through her need for his company.

Seating herself on the floor by his bed JJ could feel her own stress levels drop with each hitch of his breath. He was the best therapy she could ever imagine, and now she was lucky enough to have a double dose.

After several minutes, though it seemed like barely moments, JJ pulled herself up and left her eldest son in peace. Kissing him softly before she went, a smile tugging at her mouth.

Making her way to the room that was now Michael's nursery she slipped inside. The soft snoring confirmed that he was fast asleep, fingers crossed he would be for several hours yet, but JJ knew it might not be the case. Michael's an early riser, up with the larks as her Mum would say, too bloody early was JJ's response. She busied herself checking his temperature before pulling over an extra blanket. He was a natural born wriggler, if that boy didn't sit, crawl and walk early it would be a shock. The babe was never still, even in his sleep his little fingers flexed and grasped at nothing. Carefully JJ laid her own finger across the tiny palm, relishing in the feeling of his fingers wrapping around hers. Leaning across the crib bars she watched his delicate features as he dreamed his way through the 101 things he had seen and experienced throughout the day. JJ sighed deeply, having found comfort in her sons. Slowly she extracted her finger from his gentle grasp and like she had with Henry placed a parting kiss on the infant.

Leaving the nursery JJ made her way back towards the lounge and Will. The door was still open and Will was still 'reading'.

. . .

"Hey," Will heard her before he saw her.

"Hey, again!" he replied as he placed the book down on the floor by the couch, "Want a drink? Tea? Something stronger?"

JJ shook her head, he blonde hair flicking and tumbling back across her shoulders as she did so. Sitting down beside him, she was quick to slump into his side.

Instinctively Will wrapped his arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer. He didn't speak instead he waited, ready to listen. He knew she would talk, eventually. So he played the waiting game, enjoying having her by his side once again.

"I don't know what I would do if anything happened to the boys."

The words were just blurted out. Will didn't respond directly, but he stroked her hair, soothing her.

"I couldn't bear to lose them."

Will felt her turn her head, aware that her eyes were in him. He looked down to meet her gaze.

"I'm with you on that one Baby, you know that. Those two tiny terrors are my world. I adore them, but they are safe, you and I are both ultra vigilant. Henry is really clued up and has his head screwed on." It was obvious his words hadn't done the job. A solitary tear rolled down her cheek until he caught it and wiped it away.

"Jay, Baby, I would kill for those boys, even if I ended up doing time. I would protect them with my life, and I know you would too. We are doing the best we can with both of them to keep them safe. We know more than most parents the importance of all that we teach them and we are in the best position to teach them well. What happened? What shook you up so bad? I know from what you told me on the flight out that there were two girls who had turned up having been abducted several years ago."

"The girls were bad enough. We found a third, she was totally brainwashed by him," she sobbed, "It was heart breaking; she didn't want to accept her family when we brought them in to see her. She had forgotten them. . . but . . ."

"But . . ." Will prompted.

"One of the girls died. Her Mom shot the UnSub."

"Good on her." Will blurted out instinctively.

Instantly he could feel JJ's eyes examining him. "Are you going to tell me you wouldn't do the same if it had been Henry or Michael?"

"That's the problem . . . I don't know. I want to say no. That I believe in justice . . . but . . ."

He nodded encouraging her to talk it through.

"Given the chance I might take revenge."

"I sure would, sorry Honey, but I can't deny it. If the Son of a Bitch had caused my kids death and if he had held one of them captive throughout their childhood I would take any chance I was given to get him. If he had done what you said then . . ."

JJ looked down, "We had to arrest her. She placed the gun down and stood there waiting for us to take her away. It was obvious that she had nothing left to lose, that he had taken everything that had ever mattered to her and now it was over and her questions answered, she was finished."

Will pulled her close once more. He didn't want to debate the rights and wrongs of what the mother had down. He sure hoped she had a good lawyer who would push for temporary insanity as a plea - that and an understanding jury, who were mainly parents and more likely to support her actions. None of that was important right now.

The bigger picture was that JJ was concerned about her own morality. She was questioning what she would do in the same situation. One that he prayed they would never face. So instead of trying to discuss the matter he accepted the silence that had fallen over them and held her close, letting her know that, no matter what, he was there.

. . .

Injuries are revenged; crimes are avenged.

Samuel Johnson, Author