Twenty-six. Say Goodnight
Jessica and Sam followed Dean down the dark tunnel, the only light coming from the two flashlights they carried between them. Dean's determination was growing by the second. He didn't know for sure until he saw her again, but now he knew – he would do anything to get back in her life. If taking down a changeling was what it took, he was happy to oblige. He almost let himself get lost in his head when his light hit a shiny object on the ground a few feet ahead.
"I got something." He signaled in front of him. Upon reaching his target, he picked up a small gold chain. "Do you recognize this?" he asked Jessica, handing over the trinket.
"No. It's small enough for a kid Matilda's age, but she only has cheap costume jewelry. My mom gave her an expensive bracelet last Christmas, but Ken put it away after she lost it in the car." She responded. She ran her fingers down the length of the chain when something wet startled her. Upon looking at her hand, she gasped at the crimson color running down her palm. "Oh god… Dean… there's blood on this."
"If it's still wearing her face, she's still alive. These things don't hold on to dead suits." Dean responded, offering her hope. Jessica nodded in acknowledgement and the three continued their trek, stopping only when they came to a crawl space – seemingly leading further into the sewers.
"She has got to be so scared." Jessica sniffed. She knew that if she were terrified herself, Matilda must be in a state of panic. There was no way she would show her true feelings though, she had to appear strong. She felt Sam's hand squeeze hers and she returned the gesture. As much as she hated to admit it, she was glad they were here.
"I'll go down first." Dean announced. "Jess, follow me. Sam, you're in back." He commanded before leaning down to crawl through the tightened space. Jessica and Sam followed suit and emerged on the other side.
After returning upright, Dean shined his flashlight around until it hit another shiny object. He moved closer and discovered a large padlock on a steel door. "What the hell?" he asked. "How far does this sewer go?"
"No, this is good!" Jessica exclaimed. "I've read about these. Prisoners used to escape through the sewer system. All of the doors – which are rare in systems now – would lead to a surfacing tunnel. We have to get in that door! She must be there!" her speech became more erratic as she moved between Dean and the door. "Matilda!" she shouted, pounding on the door. "Matilda, are you in there?"
"Jess, no!" Dean pulled her back. "We don't know she's in there for sure. This could all be a trap. We don't want to draw more attention to ourselves than we already have."
"I want it to find us!" she argued. "What the hell is it waiting for?" she yelled.
"Now now… what's with all the fuss?" a female voice cooed in the shadow. "I suggest you quiet down as to not disturb the children."
Dean pulled out his gun and thrust himself in front of Jessica. "Get back." He demanded. "Sam?"
"Ready." Sam answered, pulling out his flamethrower. He shot out a threatening stream of fire only to be answered by laughter from the phantom voice.
"Do you really think you frighten me?" the voice chuckled.
"Yeah, well you sure are brave hiding down here in the sewers. Why don't you show yourself?" Dean mocked.
"Oh, very well then." The voice rang out. A tall, almost Amazonian woman stepped out from the shadows – her long brown hair was swept over one shoulder and Dean swallowed hard when he saw the shine from brass knuckles she wore on both hands.
"Where are the kids?" he demanded, low. The woman laughed once again, this time with more heart. "Look lady, I'm not messing around. You're going to return the kids and maybe we don't torch your ass." his voice elevating in a crescendo.
"And just who do you think you are, making demands of me?" the woman got serious. "The Winchesters? That name may strike fear in some, but not me." She boasted.
"Sam, do it now!" Jessica cried out. Sam pushed passed Dean and once again fired in the woman's direction when she seemingly vanished. Her laugh echoed again throughout the tunnel and the three of them looked around in confusion.
When the laughter stopped, Sam felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to meet the woman's brass knuckles under his chin, sending him backwards – the flamethrower knocked from his hands. "Who's next?" the woman teased.
Jessica pulled out her gun and said a silent thank you to Morgan for inspiring her to get one with a built-in flashlight. "Bullets won't kill me, little girl. Surely you know that." The woman mocked her when the light hit her face.
"Big mistake calling me a little girl." Jessica snarled. She pulled the trigger three times, landing her target each time. One bullet hit her throat, one her shoulder and the last her jaw. The woman reeled backwards giving Dean an opportunity to pummel her to the ground. She backhanded him off of her and once back on her feet, made a lunge for Jessica. Her screams were enough to send the strongest sense of dread Jessica had ever experienced. She was truly afraid.
At that moment, Sam appeared in front of her – still bloody from the hit – and doused the woman in flames. Her shrieks only grew more intense before they completely died out. In the silence, Jessica realized that her breathing had labored to match her shaking hands.
"Jess, are you ok?" she heard Sam ask. He took the gun from her hand and leaned down to make eye contact with her. She could smell the copper of his blood covering his face and after a few moments, snapped out of her panic.
"Yeah – yes." She responded, shaking off her previous state. "Jesus, Sam – I should be asking you that question." She pressed a hand to his face and smeared the blood across his cheek. "Dean." It was like a switch flipped and she remembered he also took a hit. She heard him groan in the distance and she and Sam went to his aid.
"Dean, are you ok?" Sam asked, worried for his brother all while trying to mask the intense pain he was feeling.
"Brass knuckles?" Dean whined. "What the hell kind of monster uses brass knuckles?" he asked. Jessica huffed in slight laughter at the question. Dean let out another growl as he stood up, the blood rushing to his head and subsequently – he felt – out the gash under his jaw.
"She's got to be behind that door." Jessica diverted the conversation, getting back to the mission at hand. "Help me break that lock."
"Hey, be quiet." Sam demanded. Jessica and Dean looked over at him in confusion as he stood alarmingly upright. "Do you hear that?" he asked. "It sounds like crying."
"I don't hear anything other than my ears pounding." Dean complained.
"I hear it!" Jessica exclaimed. "It's got to be Matilda!" She made her way to the door and turned back to the brothers. "Please tell me you have your lock-pick kit."
"Never leave home without it." Dean pulled it out of his pocket and walked to meet her at the door. "I'll need a light." He stated. Sam flipped on the light from Jessica's gun that he still had in his possession. Dean soon picked the lock with expert skill and pulled the heavy door open – the crying getting louder as the door opened.
Sam moved the light into the small tunnel and the three of them watched a little girl try to scurry further down the tunnel to escape the light.
"I'll be good! I'll be good!" the girl whimpered.
"Tillie?" Jessica asked, softly. The girl stopped and turned to face them. When she saw Jessica, she began to cry again and frantically crawled to get to her. Jessica held out her arms and when the little girl got to the edge of the tunnel, she leapt into them. "Shhh… Tillie, I've got you. I've got you, sweetheart." She soothed, her voice shaking with emotion. "Let's get you home." She reached out her hand to meet Sam's and gave it a squeeze before returning both arms to carry her niece out of that god-forsaken sewer system.
The scene at the hospital was enough to warm the coldest of hearts. Hotch, Morgan and Reid looked on, all smiles, at the family reunion taking place in front of them. Watching James present his sister with her stuffed dog and then hugging her like he would never let go was enough to make any of the grown men cry.
Hotch thought about pulling Jessica aside and lecturing her that she wasn't supposed to go anywhere without one of them, but watching her celebrate her family being put back together, he knew he couldn't. He would have done the same thing and he knew it. The focus would now turn to finding the bastard that took her in the first place.
As if she knew his thoughts had moved to her, Jessica walked over to the three agents, her eyes still glistening with the tears she had shed. "I don't even know what to say." She began. "That you three would give up your personal time to help my family…" she trailed off. "I just can't thank you enough." Without wasting a second thought, she threw her arms around Hotch. Despite his initial shock at the embrace, he put his arms around her as well and held her tight.
"You will always be our family." He spoke softly to her, letting her go. Jessica took a step back and sniffed, wiping away more tears from her eyes. She shared a look with Morgan and Reid and smiled again.
"You guys are welcome to stay as long as you'd like." She offered.
"We need to find the man that took her." Morgan reminded her. The realization hit her that she wouldn't be able to explain this away this time. She nodded, keeping the smile on her face so that they wouldn't sense her nervousness.
"Right." She nodded. "With all the excitement… I just didn't think."
"Go be with them." Hotch motioned toward her family. "Take her home. We will see you in the morning." She nodded in compliance and turned to find her way back to her brother as they gathered their things to make their way home.
Dean watched from down the hall as tears of joy made their way down Jessica's face. It killed him to not be with her – to not be able to celebrate this moment with her. It was driving him insane to have to stay at a distance when all he wanted to do was put his arms around her. But alas, this was his life – doomed to be kept separate from the ones he loved. "Wait." He thought. "Do I love her for real?" Sam had joked with him about it and sure, he had told her as much before, but he never really thought it was how he truly felt. "Of course you do, you dumbass. You've loved her from the minute she walked into that interrogation room." He finally admitted to himself.
It would all come down to her. And Dean had never been so terrified in his life.