A/N: please read the fic I posted called "who i was" before you continue reading this fic
JJ sat awkwardly on the bed as the team filed into the room. She was still pretty out of it, the only way she got through telling Hotch everything was by detaching herself from reality and hoping for the best. She could fell herself slipping and used one of her hands to feel her pulse on the other wrist something she had done to try to keep herself present since she was 10-years-old.
Based on what JJ told him Hotch knew JJ wasn't fit to work this case, but he still needed her there. The team all stood around Hotch's looking very confused.
"Ok I think I speak for all of us when I ask. What the hell is going on" Morgan was the first to speak, everyone nodding in agreement. Hotch sighed and looked over at JJ who looked like she was gently counting under her breath, he didn't want to repeat all of what JJ said to him, or any of it, but he had to.
He told the team everything JJ had told him even the grewsome details. As he finished the team all had mixed facial expressions ranging from anger to pure sadness.
Reid for once had no statistics to spew out. Hotch was trying to figure out how to solve the case with the whole town working against them. Rossi was more concerned with the fact she had waited so long to tell anyone. Morgan was ready to kill someone. Prentiss felt an intense need to protect JJ from anything and everything. JJ meanwhile was completely dissociated on the bed, as a form of protecting herself.
Hotch started talking again breaking everyone out of their thoughts "Alright I know none of us want to do this, but we need to shut this place down. We are obviously at a major disadvantage since we will likely have no help from local police, which means we need officers and swat here when it's time to go in"
"Is JJ going to go with us when its time?" Emily asked looking over at JJ she was still sitting motionless on the bed. "Because we can't leave her alone"
"I agree, it wouldn't be safe to leave her" spencer said
"OK I think we are getting ahead of ourselves, first we need to know more about this 'the downstairs' place" Rossi said, "Not to mention the fact we have to arrest everyone involved in it"
"And that is more than likely everyone working at the police station, church, and parent of every child there" Emily ran a hand through her hair sighing.
A sudden gasp from the bed startled them all. JJ had found her way back to reality and was hit with the fact she might get justice, everyone would. "Can someone go get Luke please" her voice was small but not scared. Luke needed to be there, but she didn't trust herself to be able to get up from her spot on Hotch's bed since her hands and feet were both completely numb, probably because of the panic settling in her throat.
"I can go get him" Morgan offered and left to get Luke.
Hotch was about to start giving instructions to everyone when there was a shout from outside of the room. "Guys you need to get in here!" Morgan shouted from his spot in Luke's room. JJ jumped up ignoring the fact she couldn't feel her feet and ran as fast as she could to, Luke's room, she could tell from Morgan's voice something bad had happened.
JJ froze as she ran into the room. There was blood on the bed, and right in the center was a piece of paper reading "Leviticus 18:22" JJ knew that verse by heart. She had been forced to read it over and over again till she was practically saying it in her sleep.
The rest of the team came in behind JJ, equally shocked at the sight before them. "They took him" JJ whispered more to herself then anyone else. Emily placed a hand on JJs back in silent comfort and support. Without warning JJ turned and marched out of the room straight down to the front desk where there was no longer anyone behind it.
"I know what happened" JJ looked over at the team who had followed her out and were standing in the main room. "I knew the lady whose been sitting here didn't normally work here. The same family has owned this place since it was opened, and that lady was not apart of that family. When we were called in on this case I was confused because why would a town would call us for their own crimes. This was never about the murders of the kids" she paused to take a deep breath "it was about me. In case you hadn't noticed I'm not the most liked person around here, and there are many reasons for that. they needed me back here to get to me, and Luke was just a bonus. They left a worker here to keep an eye on us and I guess they got suspicious."
The team was shocked at JJs theory, but believed her, it did make sense. Hotch decided JJ clearly knew better then him what to do and knew he should let her take the lead. "Ok JJ, what's the next step" he asked
"First get CSI down here for Luke's room, I know who took him and we can't help him yet. We can't work from here but I know I safe place we can go, so pack up your stuff and load of the SUVs and change into causal clothes, and meet back in here and then I will show y'all where we are going. And no one here can know about this." JJ instructed. everyone nodded, and went to pack their things.
JJ and Emily went up to their room and before Emily could say anything JJ stopped her "Emily, I need you not to say anything. If I start talking about it, I will have to think about it and I need to finish this case. I will still talk to you when we get back." Emily knew JJ was right but she was still worried.
JJ and Emily packed their bags and changed; JJ told Emily to make sure to bring everything because she really didn't want to have to come back again. Less than 15 minutes later everyone's stuff was loaded up, and they were ready to go. Before they left JJ pulled aside hotch to reassure him she knew what she was doing.
JJ Hotch and spencer rode in one SUV with JJ driving; Emily Rossi and Morgan rode in the other with Morgan driving and following JJ. Although JJ had been to their destination so many times before she had never drove there. But she knew she could find her way. During the ride They discussed the case, and JJ explained exactly what she thought happened to Luke.
Over half an hour later They arrived at a long driveway leading through a field to a large parking lot. Off in the distance was the place JJ had been to only the night before. The parking lot was packed and there were bright signs all over. JJ kept driving and parked behind the building where she would normally come in. Everyone got out of the SUVs but JJ told them to stay outside until she came and got them.
JJ walked in the back door into the busy diner and bar hoping It was still early enough Aunt Mae and Becca would still be awake. Luckily, she spotted Aunt Mae working in the kitchen and went to go talk to her. She tapped the older lady on the shoulder as she was cutting potatoes causing her to jump and turn around "Gerbil gosh you scared me. You and sunny just coming to help tonight, if you are you can really just work wherever where is sunny anyway" Aunt Mae said
"I'll explain in a second I need a favor, and I have bad news. As you know I'm back because I've been working a case, well my team needs somewhere to work away from the town and I was hoping we could work upstairs. I would never ask if it wasn't absolutely necessary." JJ pleaded although she knew the answer would be yes.
"JJ honey you know you can. You can use whatever you need for however long you need, even if it means taking over where I live in the middle of the night"
"Thank you so much, I feel bad asking since you've already done so much for me and Luke"
"JJ, I love you and Luke like my own kids. I will do anything to help you. Now I'm willing to bet your team is standing out in the parking lot right now, so bring them inside and into the loft. I'll tell Becca and we'll bring you some food and drinks if you'd like. But I still need to know where Sunny is."
"Thank you. when you and Aunt Becca come up, I'll explain everything." JJ said and gave Aunt Mae a light hug before going back out into the parking lot to get the team.
"Alright before we go in let me explain a few things. First this is what is know as 'The Hut' it is a bar as well as a diner run by a couple; Mabel and Rebecca Thompson. This is where kids in 'The Downstairs'' run away to at night, so don't be worried if you see a bunch of kids working. We will be working up in the loft where the owners live. And I haven't told them about Luke yet, so don't mention that yet." JJ finished
The team followed JJ inside and up the stairs into the open loft. Each person had a bag with the files and everything they would to work from here. They set up in various spots across the room for doing different things. JJ reassured the team that it was fine they were there and that they were using the space.
They heard people coming up the stairs and of course it was Aunt Mae and Becca coming up with food and drinks, they were also followed by a kid carrying a tray with baskets of fries, but they left as soon as they set the tray down on the coffee table.
JJ figured now would be a good time to introduce Aunt Mae and Becca to the team. Before telling them about Luke. "Aunt Becca, Mae. This is my team. That's Hotch, Rossi, Reid, Morgan, and Prentiss. And Garcia is set up on skype right there" she said pointing out each member of the team. "Everyone, this is my Aunt Becca and Mae, like I said they own the place"
JJ knew what was coming. It was time to tell her aunts about Luke and she knew that wouldn't go well. She told them to sit down and ripped off the band aid. "Luke is missing" she said plainly. As expected, it did not go well Aunt Becca completely shut down, eyes blank, Aunt Mae jumped up and started pacing and ranting in what JJ figured was Italian. Based on Rossi and Emily's faces she guessed whatever she was saying wasn't good.
JJ had to calm both of them before she could explain everything that happened and when she did, while it didn't really help it at least got both of them calm enough to be able to back down to work. JJ assured them that they would do everything they could and hugged them both tightly, they reluctantly went back downstairs but made JJ promise to tell them if they got any more information.
"Ok folks. Lets get started" she said and started giving instructions.
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A/N: please let me know what you thought of this chapter, also I meant to post this chapter last night but fell asleep before I had the chance to so…
Anyway don't forget to read "who I was" so the rest of the fic make sense.
Stay hydrated. And if your In the area about to get hit with Ida please stay safe.
Reviews are appreciated but not required;)