And back to Hotch and Juliet. More insight, more drama, and more reveals. Has anyone guessed why Hotch has been included in all of this yet? Well, you learn in this chapter. Two chapters more to go and this arc of my little world is complete. I actually have 5 sequels in mind, so there is more to come, just not written yet.
To Victoria, I cannot respond to you directly if you don't have an account here on fanfiction and don't leave me an email. I'm glad you are enjoying this and hope that the rest is just as pleasurable. I have this whole thing written, so don't worry about being left in a void, but you need to wait for updates like everyone else, sorry. We'll be finished up by the new year. Thanks for reviewing!
And thanks to everyone who reads and reviews. They mean a lot to me. I now finally have more reviews than chapters uploaded which makes me happier than I care to think about.
It was hard for Hotch to hear Juliet crying and the father in him wanted to hold her through the tears. At first, he thought that she had completely forgotten his presence as she cried hiccup-y sobs like a person did when they thought they were completely alone. But after long moments, Hotch heard words coming though the heavy breaths and sniffs.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?" he questioned.
Juliet sat up and rubbed at her face which was red, puffy, and moist.
"I tried playing along, I tried, but then he just—and I couldn't take it anymore and I snapped. I'm sorry, I should have done better."
"Juliet." Hotch waited for the young girl to meet his eyes before continuing. "You are doing an amazing job right now with everything in consideration. This isn't easy for anyone and you still did it. And sometimes, we have to antagonize someone to learn more information. So even losing your temper is helping. You have nothing to be sorry for. Okay?"
"Yeah. Okay. What now?"
"Now we wait for him to come back."
Hotch left her alone to further compose herself as he tried to refine the profile. That Clark Graham had been stalking Juliet was now a given and a possessive stalker at that. In addition, he was a delusional stalker, though Hotch still didn't know how deep that delusion was. His first victim was chosen to get rid of a threat to his perceived relation with Juliet which brought the delusion to the fore. Once the delusion was in place and affirmed, he had run with it and took out victims that weren't plausible except in the context of that delusion.
Other than that, Hotch's Tolkien was a little rusty as he couldn't see where he fit into the delusion and couldn't guess where Graham saw himself. He did remember that the part Juliet played in Graham's fantasy was in danger as it was highly unlikely for Graham to identify with one of the "good" characters.
He looked out the single window and saw the light beginning to fade.
"Can you look out the window and recognize where we are?" he asked. Though the question had been on his mind for hours, he hadn't seen the urgency in the answer when there was no way to get the information to his team. Now with another plan forming, it was time to ask.
Juliet brought her feet onto the bed and stood as tall as she could while still tied to the bed post.
"I know we're not anywhere on Rosa land," Juliet answered after awhile. "Beyond that though, I'm not sure. But if we're anywhere within ten miles, I'll be able to figure it out."
"You know your way around that well?" Hotch asked somewhat skeptically, though he should have realized by now to not underestimate this young woman.
She simply nodded. "Yes."
"Then we need to play into his game to get you free so you can escape."
Juliet sat down and faced him straight on. "What about you? And how can I get free?"
"I'm bound more heavily than you, that has to be on purpose. He wants to be able to let you quickly for when you fully submit to his fantasy, which he will still think he can do. When that happens, I'll distract him so you can run."
He saw the wheels turning in her mind as she processed the new plan.
"So, I play along again, convince him that it's safe to cut me loose and abandon you."
She did not sound pleased with the plan of action.
"It's our best shot right now. When you get back to my team, you'll be able to lead them back here."
"Yeah, after he's already killed you," she pointed out.
"He hasn't yet."
She had no response to that, and Hotch was glad, because he was running out of arguments. He was suddenly grateful he and Haley had a boy, or maybe it was just this particular young woman who could continue to argue with him.
After a while, she spoke again.
"I think I know who he thinks he is."
"Can you work with it?"
"Oh, yeah. If I'm right, I can work it."
By the steadiness of her eyes, Hotch had to believe she was capable of following through. He could only guess right now how to play the unsub. Juliet was the one who could outmaneuver him.
Juliet was losing her battle with her declining body temperature when the trapdoor in the floor creaked open again. About to put on the performance of a lifetime, her nerves weren't helping the shivering either. But that would now work in her favor.
Eowyn had been one of Juliet's favorite characters in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. There was a lot to relate to, which Juliet was now realizing in startling clarity. But mostly what Juliet loved was that Eowyn had defied convention and tradition and still managed to be a woman at the same time.
But that was not the Eowyn that she needed to play at that moment. If her guess was right about Clark, she had to play the vulnerable woman first.
Clark climbed awkwardly up the ladder and placed a bundle on the room's floor before climbing the rest of the way. Juliet watched him carefully, noting that Agent Hotchner was doing the same, not faking unconsciousness this time around.
Clark wouldn't meet her eyes at first, and still completely ignored Agent Hotchner's presence. He carried the bundle over to her and unwrapped it enough to retrieve a bottle of water.
"I thought you might be thirsty," Clark said quietly, still avoiding eye contact.
"Thank you," Juliet said just as quietly, letting her body droop just a little and let the shivering take control.
Clark looked pleased that she hadn't refused or yelled again. He held out the bottle with a small smile on his face, watching as she untwisted the cap off and took a small sip. She sipped again, stalling for time as she thought of what to say.
"You've been crying," Clark pointed out with a hint of caution in his voice.
"I cried when I realized I had upset you," Juliet explained, glad for the opening.
He finally looked up and faced her. "Really?"
She nodded and forced a small smile. "I hadn't wanted to upset you." Well, that was the honest truth, if for a completely different reason. "You've been trying to help me, help us, and I let my emotions get the better of me and I'm sorry."
With wonder in his eyes, Clark reached out again and ran his hand over her cheek. Juliet's shudder was masked by the shivering.
"You're cold!" Clark suddenly realized.
"A little," Juliet admitted, really wishing that he had a solution before she caught pneumonia.
"I brought this," he said shyly, holding out the rest of the bundle. He let it unfold, revealing a long white dress. Juliet almost rolled her eyes at the cliche, but stopped just in time.
"It's beautiful," she said instead. "May I?" It would at least cover her up.
It was extremely awkward and difficult to put the dress on, and in the end, the rope ended up tangled in the corresponding sleeve, but it was warm.
"You're so beautiful," Clark breathed, ghosting a hand over the bare skin of her shoulder. Juliet couldn't stop the shudder this time.
"Sorry, still cold," she said when his eyes narrowed.
He seemed to accept that and brightened again. "So, you understand now? Why I had to kill those people?"
"Yes," she lied. "You're right. Peter wanted me to leave and Uncle Roy and John agreed with him. They don't understand me like you do." She paused, but then steeled herself to continue. "They don't love me like you do."
"So you know what we have to do now?"
At this, Juliet allowed her confusion to show through. "No, I don't. What do we need to do? Why is he here?"
It was the one thing Juliet couldn't figure out in her head. All the others involved in the case had a parallel, except for Agent Hotchner.
"You don't recognize him?" Clark asked. "You don't see who he is?"
"No, please, Clark, help me to understand."
"He's come to interfere and confuse you. I know you think he might love you, but look at the ring on his finger, just like-"
"Aragorn," Juliet finished, finally seeing the connection. And it was rather scary how close that resemblance was as well: dark haired, noble in a quiet, stern way, an outsider to their community and lives. Maybe Clark had seen her talking to him at the police station and thought she had a crush which would have been confirmed in his eyes when Agent Hotchner had driven her home to clean up.
And, ironically, instead of a jeweled necklace from his lover, Agent Hotchner had his wedding ring from his wife.
"Once he's gone, we can leave together and live the rest of our lives without anyone else getting in the way," Clark assured her, both hands grasping her shoulders.
Juliet fought the urge to throw up.
"It's okay, it'll be quick and then we can get out of here."
"Wait," she choked out. Both Agent Hotchner and Clark stared at her, the agent in warning and the delusional killer in frustration bordering on anger. She spoke quickly, knowing she only had seconds before she lost her chance. "Let me do it."
Now Clark was staring at her in wonder and Agent Hotchner in shock. Juliet gave her full attention to Clark as she spun her plan further.
"You've already done so much for me, for us. Let me do this to prove to you that we're in this together."
Clark looked to be considering her words while Agent Hotchner looked ready to chew her out for the next five years just to start. But even as Juliet promised herself that she would apologize a hundred times over if—when—this was over, she could still see that Clark was hesitant. Had he come to enjoy killing so much he didn't want to share it, or was he still seeing her as Eowyn the pure who should not bloody her hands? She needed to up the stakes and there was only one way she could do that.
"I love you just as much as you love me. Let me prove it."
She brought her hands up to his face, feeling the cold, damp skin of his cheeks, and bought his head down to her level. Before she could change her mind, Juliet kissed him.
When Clark pulled away, he was smiling brightly and brought his hands over Juliet's as they remained on his face. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
"Okay. Okay."
She hoped that he thought she sighed for relief that he had listened to her, and not because she had been afraid he either refuse her or keep touching her. The smile on her face was genuine as Clark pulled out a large switchblade and quickly cut through the rope tying her to the bed. He kept an arm around her, pulling her close to his side as he walked them both over to the restrained FBI agent.
Eyes never leaving the irate agent's face, Juliet accepted the blade from Clark and gripped it tightly.
"See right there? Aim right there and you'll get the heart."
Juliet nodded and gathered herself to move.
A/N: Next chapter will be uploaded Wednesday evening.