By the time the BAU team makes it to the scene, the Police is already there along with paramedics.
"-HELL! Not under my watch! How should I know you're a real cop! I'm staying with that kid until the parents are right here and the kid says it's them. Until then – go to hell! I'm not leaving this kid under anyone else's fucking supervision!" Then she turns right around, pats the kid on the head and makes sure its tiny hands are still secure around his ears, before standing in between the kid and the police officer. The kid is staring at them but obviously feels very secure under the woman's protection, swinging his legs on the paramedic's bed he's on.
Morgan's barely suppressing a grin and elbows Reid gently.
"Told you she's a firecracker," he whispers as Hotch steps forward and the Police Officer's gaze falls on him, looking relieved when he recognises the BAU team which had been at their station for several days now.
"Thank god," he says loudly. "They're your problem now," he declares and takes a step back with his partner.
Hotch maintains his stoic gaze despite the disapproval he feels for the unprofessional conduct.
"Thank you. If you could please escort the child's parents here, that would be helpful."
The moment the call had come through, Garcia had forwarded the address and owner information and the only resident living in the household had been arrested according to Police radio and was on his way to the station. Remaining here longer while waiting for the parents would not open either of them up for further victimisation, so if that was the more comfortable alternative to either of them then Hotch had no objections and would do his best to facilitate.
The woman tilted her head at him.
"You do realise that I have no problem going with you to the Police station, right?" She questions, looking at them with a raised eyebrow. "As long as the kid and me are in the same car, I'll happily come with you."
Hotch blinks, turns at the receding police car and sighs quietly. Sometimes, he thinks, every police station should undergo intensive training with JJ just to learn some better communication than 'I am an authority figure, do as I say'. He knows it's a generalisation and Hotch has worked both in the BAU and in his legal career with some amazing Police officers – not to mention it's where Morgan's from, but sometimes he really feels like the training courses lately must be omitting a vital part of the career.
"Certainly. Would you be comfortable in a car with two of my female agents and Dr. Reid?" That leaves three of them to investigate the crime scene – too many, technically, but they'd driven here in only two cars, so there wasn't much else to do at this point.
The woman quickly turns back, checks the kid is still covering his ears, returning her smile and getting another hair ruffle for his good behaviour, before turning back to him.
"Look, the guy who 'napped me 'n the kid, he didn't do anything sexual. I have no problem with either women or men being in the car with me," she asserts, looking at him curiously like he is doing something odd just for taking her needs into consideration. Hotch wants to roll his eyes heavenward and wonder just how badly the cop managed to communicate when the woman is this intuitive, insightful and accommodating. He's rather glad her temper dissipated as fast is appeared now that the target of her ire was out of view.
Hotch nods.
"Morgan, Prentiss, Reid, you are taking the car back. Rossi and I will handle the crime scene. JJ, the press if you please. And thank you Miss-"
"Potter-Black," she states, realising he's asking for her name. "Harriet Potter-Black. Nice to meet you too – and sorry for not introducing myself sooner."
British manners, Hotch presumes – why else would a person who has not only just been kidnapped but also been forced to rescue themselves apologise for letting her manners slide in the face of something like that?
"The pleasure's all mine. Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner," he introduces himself. "And as I said, thank you for your patience and accommodating us. Tommy's parents should be waiting for him at the precinct already."
She nods calmly as if that's normal and lifts the kid onto her hip, carrying him to the black car Morgan is holding open for her. Reid looks hesitant but slides in on the other side so the kid is in the middle.
"Drive carefully," Hotch tells Morgan, with a nod to the backseat. "We haven't got a child seat." The man blinks in surprise but nods and Harriet is already carefully adjusting the seatbelt and putting her own arm in front of the child.
"Can I let go of my ears now, Harry?" The kid questions and Harriet nods with a soft smile. Hotch steps back but still hears the "are you done telling off the mean man?" over the car starting up and it elicits a smile as he joins Rossi at the front of the house. Mean man, indeed.
"YOU COWARD!" She shouts and it's only Morgan's quick reflexes which stop her from reaching their unsub and, undoubtedly, assaulting him. "You fucking murdering little coward! You knew you could never kidnap me if you came up in front of me so you got me when my back was turned! You sniveling little rat! And going after a child? The height of cowardice! Do you even have a spine?" Then her tone changed from incandescent fury to a more quiet, silent fury. "But you had to, didn't you? Because if you had come at me, face to face, you knew I would have beat you, didn't you?"
"I AM NOT A COWARD!" The man shouts back, spittle flying as he reaches forward, handcuffs clanking loudly, before he's easily yanked back in place by the two officers behind him. Harriet has a quiet calm about her, taunting grin on her face and he can see that it's riling up the unsub. Morgan's amusement in the face of the little woman's ferocity he fades as he exchanges a quick glance with Emily. The interview tactic for the unsub just became rather clear.
"Come on," Prentiss goads, following the man into the interview room, "I bet you can't even get it up unless-" the sound cuts out as the door closes behind her and Harriet relaxes.
Morgan lets go of her and apologises for holding onto her which she dismisses with a shake of her head.
"Nah, good think you did. Don't know what I would've done to that pig," she announces calmly, temper still bubbly just underneath her calm façade judging by the tenseness in her shoulders.
Morgan thinks it's lucky the kid's parents were just outside the police station – they'll need to interview the kid as well, later, but for now he at least missed out on the cursewords, shouting match and seeing the unsub face-to-face.
"So," she asks, sitting down in the chair he leads her to, "what happens now?"
"I will be interviewing you," states Reid behind him and Morgan hands her off with a nod, hating that they left Prentiss even for a moment without supervision alone with the unsub.
"Thanks again, Agent Morgan," she tells him as he leaves and he gives her a quick smile before leaving. Despite no sexual assault occurring, according to her, he doesn't quite feel comfortable flirting with her and so keeps to a short "you're welcome", before leaving them alone.
"What can you tell me about before the abduction took place?" Reid asks, looking at her intently.
Brows furrowed and scratching her cheek slightly, Harriet shakes her head.
"Not sure. Got hit over the head – when I first woke up I didn't even remember the last half a year. It's kind of back. I remember flying to the US. And I think I'm in… Maryland? I was headed for the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and then onto Ocean City. But it's all a bit foggy, still."
Reid stared for a moment, taking in an all-over glance at her before asking, "the medics haven't looked at you yet, have they?"
"I-" Harriet blinks then admits, "no. But it's no big deal."
Reid's jaw tightens and he clenches his teeth, exhaling forcibly calmly as he resists the urge to yell at both the paramedics who were at the scene and the police officers, before pushing back his chair.
"If you'll follow me, I'll take you to the hospital."
When it looks like she'll protest, he adds, "we may need evidence of the injuries to aid in prosecuting the unsub." At that, she subsides as expected – abuse and low self-esteem have a strong correlation but Reid doesn't like being right. Not in this, but it does get her to comply and Reid is strongly suspecting a concussion at this point with the way her eyes unfocus at times.
Morgan peeks out when he sees them walk past, lifting an eyebrow in an unasked question so Reid presses out, that they are headed for the hospital, the anger in his voice and posture alone would have made it clear to his fellow profiler already but the implication of her needing the hospital made it clear that she had not been seen by the paramedic. They exchange a dark glance and a nod.
"Do you need backup?"
Reid knows Morgan would pull Prentiss from interrogation but just shakes his head. Morgan hesitates for a moment but nods.
"I'll tell JJ to meet you there."
Reid agrees with relief to that suggestion – JJ is much better at diplomacy and with the potential of Harriet being a public figure having a media liaison on hand at the hospital would be a much better alternative. Morgan starts texting immediately while Reid guides Harriet to the passenger side of the car before sliding into the driver's side himself.
"What?" He asks when he sees her smile as he pulls out of the parking lot.
"Nothing. Just still not used to everyone drivin' on the other side," she says quietly, with only a slight slur to her words. Reid doesn't know her well enough to know if it's side effects from the concussion or the adrenaline crash.
Luckily, he's got the best route to the hospital mapped out in his head since they arrived at the police precinct as he's been working on the map for a geographic profile, so there is no need to set the GPS and the drive is fairly quick. JJ is already waiting for him at the Emergency department intake, a Doctor on standby beside her, clearly waiting. Reid wonders whether it's a quiet night or if Harriet is getting privileged treatment due to the circumstances (the bodies left behind by the unsub had rocked the rather quiet local community) or due to her title, but is glad either way as the woman had gotten progressively worse on the ride over.
This will still be a short story, but I'm still not sure who to pair with, so I wrote a quick intro to the team to see what you guys think. We will likely end this after about 2 more chapters. So: Reid, Hotch or Morgan?