When the team arrived at the airport, JJ rented cars for all of them, and she, Emily, and Penelope got one to themselves, an event that didn't happen often at all. And although they all knew the streets of New York well by now, Penelope drove them to P.S. 188 because she knew exactly where it was. She also walked them to the front office where they were greeted by a slightly distressed Asian woman dressed professionally, but looking like she was having a very long day. When she saw Penelope, she hurried over to her.
"Penelope!"
The woman in question had never really known a stranger and remembered this woman from when Estefani had introduced them during Penelope's last visit.
"Constance, hello!" Penelope gave her friend a quick hug. "We all came the second we heard about Polina, and the rest of the my team is all spread out, investigating. My colleagues and I here drove directly to P.S.188 from the airport just now."
Constance breathed a sigh of relief, as well as a professional manner as she extended a hand to JJ. "I'm Constance Chong, the principal here. Are you Agent Jareau?"
"Yes, and we spoke on the phone earlier." she replied and then proceeded to indicate Emily as she spoke next. "You clearly know Penelope, but this is my partner SSA Emily Prentiss, and she will be working with me while Penelope goes over the security footage."
"Do you some place quiet we can all go, and maybe talk to Polina's teacher?" Emily asked as she shook hands with their host.
Having noticed the expectant conditions of all three agents, it was a relief when Constance answered, "Yes, we do. Polina's teacher is actually in the conference room in the next hallway, and right next to that is the room where we keep all of the monitors and security hardware. Please follow me."
They did, and all that could heard for a minute or so was the sounds of four different pairs of shoes on the tiled floor, as well as the wheels on Penelope's pink roller bag where she kept her laptop and all its external hardware when she travelled.
They came to a stop in front of a huge pair of oak doors. They were closed, but this was clearly their destination.
Constance turned to her company, addressing them. "Polina is already one of our best and brightest third graders, but her sister is too uncomfortable staying at home without some kind of proper law enforcement, so we told her that she could stay here for awhile. Do you know the story about this family?"
JJ nodded. "We do. Is the baby with Sasha, too?"
"Yes, Luna is here, too, as is Polina's teacher, Estefani Garcia." she turned to Penelope. "I remember that she's your stepsister, but she's up here instead of her classroom because she saw the actual abduction happen, and it's also recess right now. She told me that she wanted to wait here with Sasha until you all came."
The trio of agents nodded in understanding, but especially Penelope, and they followed Constance in through the door and into a rather large conference room. One end of the room looked completely how a conference room should look, while the rest of the room had furniture, bookshelves, and plants that suggested a more casual area.
Against one of the walls by the Windows was a couch and Sasha could be seen on it, stretched out and looking exhausted from all of the crying she'd been doing recently. JJ immediately thought back to when she and Emily had first seen DeLilah at Foxworth Hall in Alabama. Perched upon Sasha's legs because she wanted to be close to her and babbling away about a board book in her hands, was Luna. JJ put her at just over a year old because Sasha didn't seem to be protesting about having the weight of a child on her legs, and while it was clear that Luna knew something was happening, she wasn't old enough to be aware of what it was. Next to them both and looking worse for wear was Estefani.
The young Hispanic woman was also dressed for work, but looking like she'd rather be back in bed. When she saw her favorite sister enter the room, she allowed herself some relief and ran to her, hugging her.
"Oh, Penelope, I'm so relieved to see you; when Constance told me that you and your people would be coming from D.C., I almost lost it right then and there!"
"Stef," Penelope held her sister's face in her hands and carresed her cheeks with her thumbs. "I need you to focus, okay?"
Estefani nodded and lowered her sister's hands. "I can do that."
"Good girl. Is there anyone available to take over your class today?"
"My teaching assistant, Amy Locke. Do you think I need to stay up here?"
"Possibly, but I would like you to have a quick chat with my colleagues first, okay?"
Penelope beckoned to her friends, and as they drew closer to her, she introduced them to her.
"Stef, these are two members of my team, Jennifer Jareau and Emily Prentiss. They're going to ask you a few questions before they talk to Sasha, and I'm going to be next door, looking over the security footage with Constance, alright?"
"Okay."
Penelope gave her sister's hand a comforting squeeze before turning and leaving the room with Constance.
When the door had shut behind them, JJ took the reigns. "Estefani, Constance told us that you're Polina's teacher; how well do you know her?"
"Extremely well. I've actually know her since she was five."
JJ already had her travel notepad and pen out at the ready, so she could take notes. "Care to elaborate on that?"
"I'm twenty-five now, and I started teaching here when I was twenty-two. Polly was the new kid, and one day, she got separated from her class during a trip to the library and wandered into my classroom during one my prepping periods. I showed her where the library was, and we bonded immediately because she's just so full of joy and curiosity that you definitely want to know her and see what makes her tick. We've been like buddies ever since, and she likes to joke that we were the new kids together. I also taught her last year because I teach a combination of second and third grade."
"That's all really good to know." JJ told her honestly as she jotted the last note.
Nodding in agreement, Emily tacked on, "We know you've already talked to the authorities because you saw the abduction go down, but is there anything that you can remember at the moment?"
"Only that Polly was begging for me and for her family. I'm so ashamed that I couldn't do anything to stop it."
At that, Emily comforted Estefani and proceeded to ask her if she knew what a cognitive interview was.
Deciding that she had everything well in hand, JJ left them and headed over to Sasha.
"Are you Sasha?"
At the mention of her name, Sasha started and straightened up; JJ's inquiry had need in perfect Russian.
In kind, she asked, "You speak my language?"
"Dah." JJ confirmed as she sat with the couch occupants, although she immediately switched over to speaking English again. "I'm Supervisory Special Agent Jennifer Jareau, and over there with Polina's teacher is my partner, SSA Emily Prentiss."
Sasha had relaxed visibily when JJ confirmed that she spoke her native language, or as much as she could, given the circumstances, but JJ took it as a sign that she was comfortable with her, so she waited for Sasha to ask the first question.
"You're here about my sister?"
Despite that Sasha had been in the United States for a number of years now, she still had a very heavy Russian accent, but its heaviness was no different from the heaviness of how her father's had been.
"We are." JJ said gently. "When was the last time you saw her?"
"When I put her on the bus yesterday morning. My sister is a very happy child, in spite of everything that's happened to us because of our mother and father. Do you know that story?"
JJ gave another nod and added in sympathy and understanding, "I know how it feels to tragically lose people that you love. My dad and my sister are both gone."
Hearing that made Sasha trust JJ even more. "Polly is a very sociable person and loves to help the younger children, from what I hear, but she still knows better than to talk to strangers or get into a stranger's car."
"You taught her well." JJ said kindly. "Have you seen the abduction footage yet?"
"No, and I don't think I'd be able to handle it. Estefani also told me I don't need to see it, and I trust her."
"Are you two close?"
"Yes, and I do have friends, but Estefani is my best friend."
"Did you meet because of Polina?"
"We did, and it's okay to call her Polly." Sasha told JJ before her bottom lip wobbled in a dangerous manner and tears formed in her eyes. "The night before she was taken was an extremely happy night, Agent Jareau."
"Will you tell me?"
Sasha was taken aback because she hadn't expected that question at all. "Will it help you with looking for Polly?"
"Yes, it will. We like to find out as much as we can about the person in question, especially when they're a child."
"My boyfriend, Sloan Fitzgerald, he proposed to me and I said yes." (Sasha showed JJ her new engagement ring) "Sloan and I have known each other since middle school and I was the new kid from Russia who didn't speak much English. He would be here with me right now, but he had to work."
"Is he Luna's father?"
"No." Sasha sighed and looked at Luna as she sat in her lap, giving her a kiss on her crown before sitting her down on the floor, whereupon she immediately made a beeline for her toys, a few feet away. "I was assaulted, but that's another story. The most comforting thing is that even after all of that and how the guy made me feel as though I was garbage, Sloan stayed with me and helped me heal. He even loves Luna like his own, and she's never known any different. Sloan has been my heart since we were twelve, but without him, I would have lost my mind a long time ago and still think now that nobody wanted me anymore."
JJ immediately saw the parallels between her story and Sasha's, and in that moment, felt proud of herself that she'd survived her hell, proud of Sasha that she'd survived her own, and proud that she'd recovered enough somewhat to say the next part, especially.
"A similar thing happened to me, amd I would not have made it if not for the love of someone very close to me."
Sasha arched an eyebrow. "Something really happened to you, didn't it?"
"Yes, and," JJ pointed to her belly. "These little ones are proof that love comes in all shapes and sizes, and even when you least expect it."
At the sight of JJ's baby bump, Sasha lit up, although it was just for a second and she leaned back on the couch. Fingers trembling slightly, she framed her middle and JJ saw a medium-sized baby bump that she hadn't noticed before but only because the shirt that Sasha was wearing was a bit baggy.
"We told the girls that they are getting a new family member in four months, and the last thing Polly did before getting on the bus was give kisses to Luna and the baby, telling them that she loved them and that she'd talk to them later."
"So Polly is excited about the baby?"
"I believe the phrase is 'over the moon.' She talked so much after we told them the news that she was on the verge of losing her voice. It might even be gone by now."
The thought of her sister afraid and voiceless in a strange place brought a fresh round of tears to her eyes. That was also the precise moment when her phone rang.
Sasha wiped her tears as she examined the Caller ID, and when she saw who it was, she turned to JJ.
"Sloan is calling, probably to check on me. Will you keep an eye on Luna, please? I'll only be a minute in the hallway."
"Of course." JJ told her. "Go ahead."
When Sasha stepped out into the hallway, Luna abandoned her toys in favor of JJ, standing up and toddling over to her.
"Hi, sweet pea." JJ greeted her. "How are you doing?"
All in a few seconds, Luna giggled cutely, blew JJ a kiss, yawned hugely, and reached for her.
"Up!"
"Okay, sure."
JJ pulled Luna into her lap and gave her a cuddle.
"How's that?"
Luna's only response was to snuggle close and close her eyes—she was out like a light.
As JJ sat with Luna and cuddled her more, the little one shifted slightly—she'd felt JJ's babies move against her, curious about who was getting cozy with them. Luna adjusted herself so that they were all comfortable before sinking into a deeper sleep. JJ's heart melted.
It also made her think about how Sasha had said her fiancé loved Luna, despite the circumstances of her conception, and that it was clear to see how, over a year later, Luna was as happy, loved, and as normal as any other kid. And JJ knew that Emily loved the twins unconditionally, but meeting Sasha and Luna confirmed that with enough time, she'd be able to heal completely. Valentine's Day was just the first milestone to complete recovery.
She couldn't wait for the day when she'd be able to put it all behind her and live as normal a life as possible with Emily and all three of their children.
"Someone likes you."
Sasha had retuned and was actually smiling at the sight before her because it was temporarily lifting the sorrow from her sad heart.
"Luna is just like Polly—very happy and affectionate." Sasha sat back on the couch. "Sloan was checking on me, just like I thought; he's an elevated train driver, but he's at the garage for a few more hours yet, doing housekeeping and things before he goes out on the late shift."
Sasha suddenly realized that she was rambling and turned red as she apologized.
"I'm sorry, Agent Jareau—you must have other things to do besides talk to me. I work in a grocery store and my boss gave me the rest of the week off with paid leave."
Today was Monday.
"Actually, Agent Prentiss and I have been specifically assigned to you so we can get to know as much about your family and Polly as possible." JJ told her. "There is actually one other thing that you could help us with, but not here."
"What is it?"
"Since you haven't gotten anything like a ransom call, would it be possible for Agent Prentiss and I to go to your home to see Polly's room? It would really help us get inside her head."
Sasha hesitated: she knew her neighbors would close ranks on her even more than they already had because she'd gone to outsiders for help, but she also knew that even before Sloan had proposed, they'd already been making plans to get out of the neighborhood for good so the kids could have good lives, away from all of the Old Country traditions.
Her hesitation only lasted for a second, though.
"Sure." she answered. "When do we start?"