*Okay as always I own nothing of Criminal Minds or Rizzoli & Isles just enjoying using the characters.
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Maura had drifted back to sleep after Emily had left and was awaken by a gentle knock on the door. "Mom it's Declan can we talk?" She looked over at the clock which said 5:47 am. "Come in Declan." She said as she propped herself up on her pillows. The boy came and sat in Emily's normal spot. "What has you looking so troubled this morning?" She asked while reaching out and caressing his cheek.
He looked up at her, "I didn't want to tell you and nonna P said that she would take care of it." He paused as he rethought telling her, as Maura got concerned watching him struggling to tell her what was on his mind.
"Declan... what is nonna P taking care of?"
"Chessie..." He said looking up at her, "She's been having nightmares again, every since madre put her hand through the wall over there."
"Dear lord..." Maura said to herself, "...does Emily know?" She asked looking back from the repaired wall.
"Sort of I think... she has been spending more time with Chessie after school. I think she more senses it than knows it for sure since Chessie's mom died this time last year."
"Oh my God... " Maura closed her eyes kicking herself internally for not realizing what time of year it was.
"Mom are you okay?"
"Yes Declan... sometimes life just gets too busy and we forget important things."
"Like someone dying the year before?"
"Yes... exactly like someone dying the year before. Now what is Elizabeth taking care of?" She asked not wanting him to lose his train of thought because she really needed this information.
"Well...Chessie has been coming to my room when she has nightmares and nonna P saw her a couple of nights ago and asked me about it. I told her and tonight I had to go and get her because Chessie screamed in her sleep and went and sat in a corner and wouldn't talk at all until nonna came and got her. Nonna told me not to bother you because you were dealing with a lot with madre and the up coming wedding and all that she would handle taking care of Chessie."
"Declan there is a lot going on, but Emily and I are here for you both. We want to know about everything in your lives good and bad. Nothing takes priority over you... do you understand that?" She asked with intensity wanting him to understand that they were first above everything else in her and Emily's lives.
"I know and that's why I'm here telling you about it." He paused a moment and Maura gave him some time sensing he wanted to tell her more. "I know..." He started and stopped looking at his hands. She gave him a moment then prompted him, "You know what?"
"I know that she was rapped last year and that her wife was killed. I know that is how we got Bella. How could anyone want to hurt her? I want to kill them!" He said with clenched teeth. Maura reached out and pulled him into her arms as they both had moments of flooding emotions of anger and sadness.
"They are already dead son." She said trying to reel her own emotions back while calming his down also.
"My dad hurt her too... you know..." He said pulling away from her, "...she never admitted it but I saw the bruises and heard the slaps but she took it and never said a word. Why?" He asked with an innocent confused look on his face not understanding.
Maura took a deep breath and blew it out not totally prepared to answer his question. "Some of this you will need to get answers from her on love but the best answer I can give you at the moment is... she took it to protect people she loved."
"Like me?"
"She wants you to have the best life you can." She said trying to deflect away from the content a bit. She didn't want him to think Emily's endured pain because of him.
"Do you think I'll be like him and hurt people?" he asked with a concerned face.
"No... I believe you will be like her..." Maura said smiling at the young man and wiping a tear off his cheek, "...because you see what joy love can bring about by her love for you. She has taught you to respect others and how to communicate with them so you will be a honorable man Declan Prentiss... like your madre." She said smiling at him.
He smiled back and gave her a hug, "I love you mom."
"I love you too. Now go get ready for school... I need to check on your sister."
"Nonna P is going to be upset at me for telling you but I did what I had too." He said standing and settling his thought within himself.
"Yes you did and Elizabeth is a honorable woman... she will see that it was the right thing to do. It will be okay you'll see." She said kissing his cheek and sending him off to get ready for school. She turned and headed to the shower to think and then to go and deal with her mother-n-law.
XXXXX
The team landed in Memphis a little after eight am. They all went to the precinct to meet the locals then headed out on there specific assignments. The drive to West Memphis was only 15 minuets.
"Do you mind driving?" Emily asked Jane as they went to the SUV.
"Sure... if you program the gps thingy... I hate those things."
"Team work... it's always good." She said and smiled as she got in the passengers seat.
Jane noticed that the woman had her gun on the left side since her right hand was still in a cast. "I know you can shoot with your left hand but do you have trouble pulling your weapon from the left side holster?"
"I practice from both sides. I have covers that I am left handed in. I mostly use it in the British ones because it is easier to focus left since they drive from the opposite side. I just change everything when I'm there."
"So... I'm guessing since you just came from there you are in shape for the left hand." She said just trying to keep the conversation going.
"Yes... I'm up to speed and will have your back. I'm just as accurate left handed as right." Emily said smiling at the woman.
Jane looked at the road and thought, "I have no doubt you are just as deadly from the left side as the right as well." Then another thought passed through her mind as she glanced at the woman in the passenger seat, "she will have my back," as silly as that sounded in her head and with all that had happened between them... she knew Emily Prentiss wouldn't let anyone hurt her. She smiled to herself as a warm feeling flooded her heart. "Yep... you are a full fledged alien now Jane. Just accept it and they will leave you alone." She laughed inside at herself.
"What's got you all smiley?" Emily asked seeing Jane lighting up a bit.
"I was just in my head is all. I have to do that sometimes when cases suck."
"Yeah... I totally get that and child abductions really suck." Emily agreed as they pulled up to the West Memphis precinct.
"How are we going to do this?" Jane asked wanting to make sure they were on the same page.
"We will go in and introduce ourselves and see if there is anymore information at this time. They are expecting us to be here but making sure that we are including them in the investigation is important since they know the area a whole lot better than we do and it's in their backyard."
"I'll leave that up to you. I think it's best if I just follow your lead for awhile if that's okay?"
Emily caught Jane by the arm as she came around the SUV, "That's fine Jane... but do not hold back things, if you have a thought or opinion voice it. You are a great cop with very good instincts."
"Thank you." Jane said and breathed out a breath that she had been holding in since they landed if she was honest with herself.
They walked in and met the lead detective giving him her card and Hotch's. They were brought up to speed on the case which lasted only a few moments since there was nothing new. While they were there Jessica parents came in to see if there was any news. Jane and Emily interviewed them and assured them that their daughter was priority at the moment and they were doing everything possible for her safe return.
"The family interviews are the worst part of this type of investigation." Emily said as she walked out to the SUV. Jane shook her head in agreement as she was trying to swallow the lump in her own throat from hearing the pain the two parents were in. She hated abductions in general but when parents went to blaming the other for not watching the child closer made it just that more brutal.
XXXXX
Maura walked into the kitchen, "Good morning Bettie."
"Good morning Ms. Maura. You are down here early."
"Yeah... I was hoping to catch Elizabeth when she came down for breakfast."
"Hmmm... that sounds like the Ambassador has stuck her foot in where it doesn't belong again." The woman said looking at Maura like "what has she done this time?"
"Not really Betty but we do need to have a discussion."
"Well... she rang for her breakfast to be brought to her this morning and I know that Ms. Chessie has already been taken to school so I'll just make this tray for two." She said as a way of letting Maura know that she was all hers.
"That's a splendid idea. I know why Emily adores you." She said coming and patting the woman's arm.
"Years with those two has been like living in a soap opera but I love them hard head women like they were my family." She said smiling and handing the tray to Maura.
"Thank you Betty for all you do for us and for putting up with them." She said as she headed up the stairs with the tray.
She sat it on a table near the door and knocked. "It's open Betty come on in."
Maura opened the door and brought in the tray, "Elizabeth... it's Maura. We need to talk."
XXXXX
Jane and Emily went by Franklin Park just to get a feel of the scene since any evidence had long since been lost with the rain the night before. They then headed to Jackson Elementary School where Jessica Tanner attended. They met the principal Mary Hemmer who informed them that the parents of the school were aware of the situation and had signed waivers for law enforcement to talk with the children.
"Thank you Mrs. Hemmer." Emily was saying as a class was heading into the cafeteria to get lunch.
"Amanda... Amanda Jackson... I swear it's like you do not know your name sometimes." They heard a teacher saying to one of the six year olds.
"That is Jessica's class." The sad woman informed Emily and Jane. "Would you like to talk with them now?" Jane started to say yes but Emily said, "No... not right now but we may be back. Thank you again Mrs. Hemmer, here is my card, if you think of anything else please do not hesitate to call me at any time day or night."
"I will." The woman said as she went back into her office.
"Emily... why didn't you want to talk to the kids right now? That would be the next step if this was a BPD case." Jane asked wondering what the woman was thinking.
"Yeah... it would have been for us too normally but something is off. With children the first interview is the most important and the most truthful. I do not want to interview them until I have more information and we need to get back to the team and see what they have turned up." She said walking out of the building with Jane behind her shaking her head a bit but she wasn't going to push the woman just yet.
"Jane..." Emily said in a low voice as she was getting into the SUV.
"Yeah..."
"Do you feel eyes on us?" She said putting on her sunglasses.
Jane put the key in the door unlocking it and glanced around generally looking without giving away that she was looking for something specific. "Blue pick up across the street in the park." She said getting into the SUV.
"Yep..." She said as she got into the SUV and they started out of the school parking lot turning away from the park and heading down the street to turn and go into the back entrance of the park. The truck was gone when they made it to the spot. It was like it vanished into air. "Damn..." Emily said getting out looking all around trying to see the truck. She hit the hood of the SUV with her cast in frustration.
"Easy there slugger. If you damage that hand again, Maura is going to have both of our asses." Jane said reminding Emily she was hurt and not to reinjure herself.
"I know but we were close to a lead on that girl... I know it."
Jane smiled realizing her and Emily on a case could almost be interchangeable at the moment, "He probably saw us and left when we turned... but we will get him." Jane said trying to ease the tension in Emily.
"Did you get a look at him?" She asked looking back at her.
"Just a ball cap and sun glasses with binoculars... you?"
"Same but his truck was a late eights Ford pick up with a dent in the right side bumper. It might even have a head light issue." She said as she pulled her phone out, "Garcia..."
"Damn... She is good." Jane thought because she didn't see the dent.
I know a cliff hanger but that is my M.O.
Promise an update by tomorrow.