It had now been half an hour since the BAU team arrived at Dale's precinct after a hectic flight. There had been delays both at the airport and on the road due to a nasty storm. All the members of the BAU team wanted to do was catch some sleep but they couldn't do that because they were already behind schedule.
Rather than accepting a cup of coffee Daisy grabbed the case file right out of Dale's hand and walked over to the whiteboard. She grimaced at the photos of the victims tacked up with push pins.
It was at that point that the BAU team and Dale decided to keep an eye on her with their steaming cups of coffee in hand. They watched with critical eyes as Daisy flipped through the case file and read over the reports. It wasn't until she growled in frustration and tossed the file on the table beside her that the team got worried.
"Are you okay?" Morgan said as he looked at her knowingly.
"I'm fine." Daisy said tersely not even bothering to make eye contact with him.
"Daisy, can I speak to you in private for a minute?" Dale interjected as he stood up from his chair.
"Dale we're in the middle of a case briefing." Daisy said dismissively.
"Would you like me to tell your team what's really going on here?" Dale said as he glared at his younger sister.
"What's he talking about?" Rossi interjected his eyes darting back and forth between the two siblings.
"Nothing!" Daisy snapped levelling an icy glare at her brother as she pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I don't think it's nothing by the look of anger written on Hotch and Reid's faces or your stiff and angry body language." Rossi replied.
"Enough Dave, Daisy, just talk to him." Hotch said shooting a disapproving glance in Rossi's direction.
Daisy let out an aggravated sigh before following Dale across the bullpen to his office. She closed the door behind her, took a seat in Dale's leather desk chair, and folded her arms across her chest. Dale sighed in annoyance at Daisy's childish behavior as he leaned against the door frame to take a minute to compose himself.
Daisy knew that her brother was far too intuitive and lying to him would only make him angrier. She knew that in Dale's case being gay contributed significantly to his ability to interpret body language. Growing up in an intolerant community where gays sometimes got beaten or even murdered forced Dale to learn the ski to survive.
Daisy knew when Dale decided to become a cop he refined his skills and became able to interpret body language almost as well as she could. However, in her case he was always able to pick apart her mood and analyze it to the point where he knew if something was off. Daisy smirked to herself wondering if Dale could be classified as a profiler at times.
"So what's so important it couldn't wait?" Daisy inquired.
"I think you know very well what." Dale said his voice betraying a slight edge of anger.
"I just want to catch this guy that's it." Daisy said. Her voice firm as she caught on to what Dale was referring to.
"I know that but I wonder if you can stay objective." Dale said.
"Dale you've been in-objective on cases." Daisy replied tersely.
"I know that but I don't let in-objectivity get in the way of what needs to get done. What you are doing is not the same thing; you are throwing yourself in to this case hoping it will somehow erase the pain of what you have been through. Daisy that isn't healthy and I'm worried about you." Dale said his eyes darkening as the anger he felt became clear in his voice.
"You have me figured out oh wise Dale." Daisy growled bitterly.
"Don't be a smart ass as it's not an attractive trait on you. Besides, eventually you are going to have to face your past and come to terms with it. What I need to know is if you're mentally able to handle this case because if not you need to tell me now." Dale said folding his own arms across his chest.
"I'm handling it the best I can!" Daisy snapped as she levelled and icy glare at Dale and pulled herself out of the chair.
"So that's why you're still taking maximum strength sleeping and anti-anxiety pills." Dale retorted sarcastically.
"You went through my medical history! Not only is that a huge invasion of privacy it's illegal." Daisy snapped.
"I didn't have to go through your medical file to know that you're still taking pills because I was your legal guardian for 10 years. In that amount of time you didn't think I would figure out that you are still taking prescription pills?" I've known for years but I never said anything because I thought they would help but clearly they're not." Dale said bitterly.
"I'm not a child anymore so it's none of your business what medications I take. In case you forgot, I have a bad heart and I take sleeping pills and anti-anxiety pills to keep my stress level down. Even if that wasn't the case it's still none of your business." Daisy said caustically.
"Yes it is my business because you're my sister and it's my job to keep you safe." Dale replied as he fought back tears.
"I don't understand why you insist on being so protective Dale. I am a 30-year-old woman capable of taking care of myself. I love you and it's killing me inside to see you tearing yourself apart worrying about every decision I make." Daisy said. Her eyes filled with concern for her brother.
"Just forget it! This is getting us nowhere." Dale snapped as he walked out of the office.
"Dale come back here we're not done!" Daisy yelled running after him.
Daisy chased her brother through the bullpen ignoring the concerned stares of her teammates. She grabbed on to the sleeve of Dale's black leather jacket and forced him to stop. She watched as he visibly tensed and sighed before turning around to face her. She looked in to his crystal blue eyes and could see the conflicting emotions swirling within their depths. She could feel tears biting into her skin as he shook his head and yanked his sleeve away. His eyes turned icy and dark with anger.
"Daisy you know sometimes you are such a selfish, childish, brat. You never appreciate the sacrifices others make for you so if you don't care why should I?" Dale said as tears leaked from his eyes.
"Why are you being such an asshole?" Daisy said as she grabbed his wrist firmly.
"It's because unlike you I'm not in denial about the fact that this case is eating away at you. If you want to live in denial go ahead but I cannot sit here and watch you fall apart." Dale said through gritted teeth as he pried Daisy's fingers off his wrist.
"You have no idea what it's like to live with what I went through." Daisy yelled as angry tears spilled from her eyes.
"How can I when you won't talk to me?" Dale said the hurt he felt clear in his voice.
"I'm sorry; I never meant to make you feel unappreciated. I thought I was protecting you because I know hard it was on you." Daisy said brokenly.
"I think we both need some time away from each other right now. When things have calmed down then we'll talk." Dale said as he rubbed as his temples trying to suppress an oncoming headache.
Daisy nodded her head in agreement and wiped the tears from her eyes as Dale turned around and silently walked out of the precinct. Daisy stood there and despite her efforts to stop the tears more came. It wasn't until she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked in to the eyes of her boss that she realized she had stood in the same spot for the last five minutes. She didn't resist when Hotch wrapped an arm around her shoulder and guided her back to the table where the team gathered. As she took a seat in the surprisingly comfortable chair, she saw seven pairs of concerned eyes focused on her.
"Daisy, are you okay?" Morgan said his eyes wide as he was trying to recover from the shock of their fight.
"I don't think I am." Daisy said. Her voice flat and devoid of emotion.
"What Dale said to you was out of line and I will not stand for it. If you need a few minutes to process it we'll brief you later." Hotch said softening his voice to offer some comfort.
"W-what just happened?" Garcia said trying to process the fight.
"They had a fight Garcia." Reid said as he tapped his fingers on the table nervously.
"I know that but why?" Garcia said utterly confused as she fought back tears.
"It's a long and very painful story that I don't think is appropriate to share right now." Daisy said sounding detached.
"Daisy if you need someone to talk to I'm here." Garcia said noticing the distant and haunted look to her darkened eyes.
"Thanks, I really do appreciate that but I think I'm going to go for a walk." Daisy said as she let some warmth into her voice and gave Garcia a half-hearted smile.
"Daisy I'm sorry about my earlier behavior it was none of my business, I was just trying to help." Rossi interjected his brown eyes full of remorse and concern.
"It's okay I know you were just trying to help." Daisy said flatly, as she pulled herself out of the chair.
"Reid, go with her because I don't want her to be alone." Hotch said as he watched Daisy grab her coat and put it on.
"I'll keep my phone on just call me if you need me." Reid threw over his shoulder as he ran to catch up with Daisy who was almost out of the building.