Note: I'm so very sorry for the formatting. I hope it's fixed now. This was co-authored with the amazingly awesome terriblycontrite!

Aftermath

A Criminal Minds Fanfic

Chapter 1

Meet Amelia Porter

Hotch had been working in his field a long time; certainly, long enough to know that second guessing himself was rarely productive and generally only led to diffidence and drowning his sorrows in expensive scotch. However, with the events of the day replaying in a relentless loop in his head, he could not help but try to unravel where exactly he had gone wrong. The facts were that nothing had gone as anticipated and as a result one of his agents was fighting for their life down a long hall in an unfamiliar city's top trauma center, while the rest of the team was still out in the field trying to clean up the mess. The profile that he approved as unit chief had let them down. He had been so sure of himself that now he was left to wonder if a higher power just could not resist the chance to put him in his place.

The profile had failed them and that was never supposed to happen…

Hotch liked to feel in control, right now he didn't, and it was making him uneasy. Their unsub was out there, with a child hostage, leaving a trail of bodies on his flight to a destination that they had yet to identify. While investigating the burned and abandoned car, they had found a probable path leading into a mass of intersecting trails where an experienced hiker could realistically hide for days. Feeling dejected and at a dead end, Hotch asked the sheriff what was down there if they were to follow the tracks. The sheriff replied, "A mess more trails for the most part". The unsub had to be heading to a specific location, otherwise there was no reason to leave the car and continue on foot. It had to be part of his plan, nothing else made sense.

He heard Rossi ask the sheriff if the trails would take you to any homes, as he ran his eyes over the tree line trying to put himself in the unsub's shoes. The sheriff replied that there was a small collection of modest farms and houses in a valley some miles further on and Hotch knew that had to be it. Farland had to be meeting someone at one of those properties, someone who he knew would help, or someone that he planned to kill to get what he needed. Either way they had to hurry, and Garcia was their best hope of narrowing down their search.

Hotch was used to thinking fast and analyzing situations to make quick, but sound decisions on the fly. Using the available facts, Hotch concluded that Natasha Banks was almost certainly the woman they were looking for, the former Amelia Porter. She had come from Canada, the timeline was perfect, and if that's where Farland was headed then that's where he wanted to be. Of course, he could not negate the fact that Jane Appleby was a possibility, so he needed to split the team which was never his first choice. In this case it was necessary though, so thinking fast, he motioned to Rossi.

"Alright, Dave, you, Kate and Reid go to Jane Appleby's house" he ordered "the rest of us will take Natasha Banks."

He didn't wait for an answer, he knew Rossi would already be rounding up his half of the team. What he didn't know, is why he had nagging feelings of doubt as he headed for his SUV. He should feel confident, they had a plan, odds were his team would be confronting the unsub, and he trusted Rossi to handle the other team come what may. Doing his best to push his reservations to the back of his mind, Hotch climbed into the driver seat and turned the ignition, as the rear passenger door closed, he turned on the emergency lights and sped off.

Rossi and his team were on the road within minutes of Hotch's decision, speeding toward their location, when Reid voiced a concern from the backseat.

"If Benton always intended to meet Amelia after his release, why did he go home first?" He asked, though it seemed more to himself than the two in the front seat.

"Good question" Rossi said, wondering why they hadn't considered that sooner. "It wasn't just to take revenge on Dad, or he wouldn't have stayed for dinner."

"It wasn't until after he was on the run that he went to Amelia's old house. It feels improvised." Callahan put in.

Rossi glances in the rear-view mirror to see Spencer looking thoughtful. "Do you have a theory Reid?" he asked, turning his eyes back to the road. They would be at their location very soon and Rossi was feeling uncomfortable with this level of uncertainty.

"I think I do" he said slowly, drawing out his words, seeming to mull it over even as he spoke. "What if… he went home with the hope his father had forgiven him, and had every intention of staying? Then when that went wrong, he had to think fast to come up with another plan, and that plan was Amelia. Going to her old house was probably his way of finding her, and I think the reason she was his last resort is that he is afraid of her."

"Why would he be afraid? He's bigger, stronger and we profiled him as the dominant" Callahan said, confused and trying to grasp what Reid was getting at.

"I believe we were wrong. I think Amelia is very much the dominant, if I'm right she was the driving force in killing Miriam, and she will be every bit as dangerous as Benton Farland, likely more so." Spencer concluded.

Rossi had to admit it made a lot of sense, but it didn't change the end game. They still needed to hit both locations and diffuse a bad situation that was probably getting worse by the minute. He sighed and said, "I think you just might be right kid. Call Hotch and give him the heads up"

Dave Rossi didn't get nervous anymore, or not that he would admit to anyway. He had stormed more locations than he was able to count in his head, and he had always been good at thinking on his feet. That said, pulling up to the location armed with the new information revealed on the drive, he resolved to be on high alert. They would approach the house quietly and listen first, before smashing their way in.

The house had a long winding drive and was surrounded by multiple storage containers, randomly placed behind and to either side of the main dwelling. The yard immediately surrounding the house was relatively barren except for a tractor rusting beside a lop-sided shed. The place was in passable condition, though it seemed to be lacking in care.

The three agents approached at separate angles, all converging carefully on the front door, trying to make no more noise than the wind, intent on maintaining the element of surprise. Leaning in toward the door, Rossi could hear voices inside, what sounded like someone crying, and scuffling sounds that indicated more than one person was moving around in the room directly on the other side of the door. By this time, his gut was telling him that, for better or worse, they were in the right place.

Callahan caught Rossi's eye and jerked her head to the side, silently asking for his permission to head around back. He nodded but Reid shook his head, gesturing for her to stay put. Rossi studied Reid for quick second, trying to understand his objection but he agreed with Callahan; they needed to at least be aware of any other entrances, so he motioned for her to go.

Rossi counted to 10 in his head, giving Callahan a moment to get around back, the pointed to the door and held up 3 fingers to indicate Reid should be ready on his count. Then he took a step back, squared off in front of the door, finished the silent count before kicking said door with all his strength. It burst inwards instantly, swinging open with force, slamming into the wall behind. From just behind him he hears Reid shout "FBI!"

With a practiced eye Rossi raised his gun and shouted, "Drop your weapon!", taking only a split second to survey the scene in front of him, knowing Reid was doing the same. A young male darted away from the older woman he had been standing next to, grabbing the younger female in the room, holding her in front of him, gun to her head, as he backed up into the corner of the small dining area. The older woman was quick to throw herself off to the side as Callahan entered from behind her, quickly dropping the knife she was holding as if it had suddenly burned her. Rossi swiftly swept it away with his foot, still assessing the changing situation as it unfolded.

The male was most definitely Benton Farland and he was holding a terrified Rebecca Farland, hands bound, in front of him as a shield. This was who Rossi leveled his gun at. His eyes were darting from Rossi to the woman now standing beside him, a woman Rossi had no doubt was Amelia Porter. Rebecca was sobbing behind the duct tape covering her mouth, Benton seemed confused and scared in his own right, while Amelia Porter seemed oddly calm to Rossi. He glanced at Reid who was beside him, only a scant few feet away, and directly behind the now unarmed Amelia.

"You're not taking me with you!" Benton screams, brandishing the weapon at them, before pressing it back against Rebecca's temple.

The formerly calm Amelia is suddenly crying and shouting "He's crazy! Can't you see that? He broke into my house, he was going to force me to hurt her, just like his sister" she wailed, gesturing toward the girl.

"Then why did you run?" Callahan questions Amelia, who turns on her with a vicious glare that doesn't escape Rossi's notice.

"He's a madman! But who would have believed me over a seventeen-year-old boy?!" she cried, venom dripping from every word.

"And you're a fugitive from the law!" Reid emphasizes from behind Amelia, reminding her of his presence. She instantly redirects her glare over her shoulder.

Rossi makes eye contact with Benton and pleads "Put the gun down. Amelia is the one we want."

"She's the one we want, and you led us to her" Reid jumps in using a soothing tone, hoping to garner some trust from Benton.

Benton turned to Reid with an almost hopeful look, that disappears as his eyes dart to Amelia. "Andy told us everything Benton. He's ok. He's in the hospital and he knows you never meant for any of it to happen." Reid continues. Benton's eyes dart around the room, maybe looking for an escape, considering his options.

"Just let her go, Benton! None of this is her fault!" Callahan shouts suddenly. Benton draws his breath in sharply, yanking Rebecca back against him.

"You don't know anything!" he screams, directing the words at Callahan before turning his head to look at Reid. His expression is wary, and Rossi can tell he has no plan of escape. He is cornered and desperate, they don't have much time to diffuse the scene.

Rossi catches Amelia making eye contact with Benton, then suddenly she turns and bolts for the door. Rossi only has the time to register Reid attempting to holster his weapon so he can grab her, before Benton shoves the girl at Rossi. Rossi just barely manages to get his gun out of the way before she slams into him hard enough to knock him off balance. Benton throws himself toward Callahan, with the supposed of hope of escaping out the door behind her. He is lightening quick and knocks a surprised Callahan's weapon off to the side, and she just manages to get her foot out to trip him as he darts past. By now Rossi has steadied the girl, pushing her behind him, and he is on Benton before he can regain his feet, struggling to secure him, slamming his wrist into the ground to disarm him. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Reid losing his grip on Amelia. Gun still in one hand, he has a hold of her by the arm, but she is not making it easy. With a twist and a quick backward kick that hits Reid hard in the knee, she frees herself and is out the door. Reid winces but is right on her tail, gun raised as he follows her out the door.

Steadily gaining control of Benton, Rossi registers the danger of having Reid bolt off alone, and the urgency of getting Amelia, a woman who has a proven ability to remain hidden, back before she escapes for good. He shouts at Callahan "Go help Reid! Hurry! NOW!"