Counseling

"So. What's it like in the States?" Ethan asked, leaning back in his chair.

"It's fascinating," Victoria replied flatly.

Ethan smirked. "Of course, you want to talk about me. How I'm feeling, how much I trust my team, etcetera, etcetera. It's not gonna be that easy, love. Don't get me wrong, your pretty face makes me want to trust you." He winked.

Victoria raised her eyebrows, unamused. "Right… Well, the fact that you don't want to talk tells me that you're hurting more than you're letting on."

Ethan grinned. "What did you do with the FBI again?"

"Exactly what I'm doing now," said Victoria. "I had to counsel the BAU team after an agent of theirs died."

"Prentiss," said Ethan. Victoria nodded. "But she wasn't dead."

"Right."

"So how'd that work out?" Ethan queried.

"Well, I had to help the team cope with her return. There was some mistrust." Victoria answered carefully.

"Didn't you stay there for three years?" Ethan asked.

"Yes," said Victoria, "for a long list of reasons that I don't want to go through right now. The point is, I know everyone's feeling it but no one wants to talk about it. I've seen this before. Who is your silence helping? Certainly not you or your team."

Ethan poked his cheek with his tongue. "You're smart," he decided. "Wise. You don't come across young women with a lot of wisdom. Especially not pretty ones."

"So you're still not going to talk about Florence?" Victoria sighed.

"Why should I? There's nothing to talk about. There are a lot of things I'd rather talk about with you than Florence." Ethan eyed Victoria up and down.

Victoria blinked, unfazed. "You cover things up with a lot of bravado, Ethan. You're happy to let people think you don't care and that you're a player. But you do care. You care a lot. And if you had a long term relationship, you wouldn't cheat. I think you more than cared about Florence. You're trying to flirt her out of your mind because she screwed you over, didn't she? You loved her."

Ethan pursed his lips, staring at Victoria's heels. He nodded slowly. "Well, that definitely was a boner killer, love," he muttered. He raised his striking eyes to Victoria's. "You're right. I loved her. And your counseling isn't going to do anything about that and the fact that I can't trust anyone now."

Victoria watched Ethan stand. She inhaled. "My fiancée abused me." she blurted.

Ethan stopped in front of the door. He turned and looked at her. "Come again?"

"My fiancée was abusive," Victoria said. "He would tell me I was fat, ugly and stupid. And I believed him. I let him chew me up and then spit me back out. But I found that I could trust again. I wasn't broken. And neither are you."

Ethan smirked humorlessly. "Did your fiancée put a gun to your head? Tell you he never loved you? Because mine did."

Victoria laughed. "My fiancée kidnapped me, held me in my own barn and tortured me for two days. Then he shot me in the stomach. Claimed he loved me, too. So yeah, I have an idea of what you're going through. You just have to be willing to give this –me –a shot."

"He shot you?" Ethan asked, creeping back to his seat.

"Mhm. Shot me up with dilaudid, too. Attempted to rape me. Twice." Victoria replied.

"Wow," said Ethan. "All right. I'll bite. How do I fix this?"

"You're already starting," said Victoria. "Talk to me. Talk to your team. They're hurting, too."

"Easier said than done." muttered Ethan.

"It always is." Victoria agreed.

…

Victoria waited for Anita to show up for her session. Reyes, Rhonda and Sarah were all busy that day, so Victoria only had to interview Ethan and Anita. Based on Anita's attitude, Victoria wouldn't be surprised if the woman didn't show up. But, the petite exotic woman entered the room and plopped down in the chair across from Victoria, who waited patiently for Anita to speak.

"You can sit there and stare at me all you like, I'm not saying a word. I don't trust you. I don't even like you." Anita said at last.

Victoria smiled. "You're already talking to me, Anita."

Anita snorted. "And what are you getting out of this, Special Agent Parker?"

"You've got a lot of rage pent up. You and Florence were close, weren't you?" Victoria replied.

"Of course we were close! She and I were partners in the field!" Anita snapped.

"So her betrayal hit you pretty hard, huh?" Victoria prompted. Anita didn't answer. Victoria shrugged. "You made the arrest, correct?" she continued. Again, Anita held her tongue. Victoria scribbled down a note. She opened up Anita's file. "You don't mind if I read this, do you?" Victoria asked. Anita remained silent, but her eyes rounded. "Anita Darzi, daughter of Julia Saunters-Darzi and Kunyaal Darzi. Julia and Kunyaal divorced in 2003, after multiple accounts of domestic violence. Looks like you were a victim, too."

"Stop," snapped Anita. Victoria closed the file and looked at Anita expectantly. "You think that digging into my personal life will make me want to talk to you? It only pisses me off!"

Victoria pursed her lips. "Anita, I've already read your file. It's part of my job. Especially since you're not making this easy."

"Why would I? I don't know you. You can't just come in and pretend to know me or pry into my personal life." Anita snarled.

Victoria held up her hands. "I get it. Look, it makes sense that you're angry and mistrustful. I would be, too. In fact, I used to be. Talking helps. So does time. I'm living proof."

"What the hell are you on about?" Anita snapped.

"I know your pain." Victoria murmured.

"What would you know of my pain, Parker?" Anita scoffed.

Victoria's smile was sad. "More than I'd like."

"See? Even you don't want to open to me, a stranger." said Anita.

"Fine. I will. My father was abusive, but different than yours. You see, mine was sexually abusive. So don't be an asshole and act like you're the only one who's been hurt in this life." Victoria snapped.

Anita crossed her arms. "How'd you even get a job? Most counselors don't insult their patients."

"I'm not most counselors." replied Victoria.

Anita lowered her gaze. "Have you ever had a friend betray you?"

"Not like yours betrayed you."

"Then you can't understand my pain," snapped Anita, getting to her feet. "Your time's up."

…

I am so sorry for the late update and short chapter! I've been feeling really discouraged about writing lately, this semester at school is murdering me and a loved one just died of cancer… So I've got a lot of crap on my plate. Thanks for the reviews I've gotten thus far, please continue to do so. I'll try to post again as soon as possible, I'm just trying to get out of this funk I'm in.