JJ went to Hank's office, brought them inside, and closed the door as everyone from the squad looked on. The blonde agent rubbed her hands together nervously, her eyes darting around the room.
"JJ, what is it?" Anna asked.
"It's about your daughter, Jordan. I know where she is." JJ started, her voice trembling. "About 12 years ago, my team and I worked on a case, a case that haunts me to this day. We apprehended a suspect who was involved in a child trafficking ring. Among the children we rescued was a baby girl, around 6 months old. I knew nothing about her then. I didn't know if she had parents or a family. I couldn't bear to leave her in the system, so I took her in, and my husband and I adopted her. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"Jordan is alive?" Hank asked, his voice barely above a whisper. The weight of the revelation seemed to lift a burden from his shoulders. "She's alive?"
"Yes, she is. She's in the 8th grade, funny, smart, and has a smile that could light up the room."
JJ pulled her phone out and showed them Jordan's recent picture. Anna took the phone, her hands trembling slightly, as she and Hank looked at the photo of their daughter. The shock of seeing her after so many years was overwhelming. She was beautiful. Jordan had been in her school uniform. Her long brown hair was pulled back neatly in a braid; she had a bright smile.
"She looks so much like me," Anna choked out, tears streaming down her face. "Hank, she has your eyes."
"She does." Hank let out a small sob of his own.
"After the case, of course, I will talk to my husband, and we'll arrange for you both to meet Jordan. As her parents, you both still have a right to see and get to know her. You both have already missed 12 years, and you shouldn't miss anymore," JJ told them, choking up herself. "I know as a mother I have to do what's in the best interest of Jordan, and if that means letting her go, then that's what I have to do because I know she's going to be in the best hands possible with the both of you."
"Let's discuss all that after the case; we'll have time to figure it out," Hank told her.
"The suspect," Anna said, sniffing and wiping the tears from her eyes. Was it Jacob Desmond?"
JJ's eyes went slightly wide. "How did you know?"
"After I gave birth, I saw him drugging my IV, and I was out when Hank and I split up; I tracked Jacob's movements for years; I went to different states and cities looking for clues or anything to lead me to him or Jordan. I lost him till I found out he was in prison, and there was still no sign of Jordan. I thought to punish me, he killed her. Aaron and I went to see him before flying out here."
"Why didn't you ever tell me, Anna?!" Hank exclaimed. "And punish you for what? What else aren't you telling me?"
"Why did you give her to someone you didn't know?!" She had shot back at him. "And as for Jacob, that's a long and complicated history."
"Long and complicated history? He kidnapped our daughter Anna! For 12 years, we missed everything because of him!"
"No, we missed 12 years because of you! You handed her to him without even thinking twice!"
"Really? You wanna continue to blame me for this? I wasn't the one who hid this information for 12 goddamn years! I didn't hide this. You did. You're just as responsible for not saying anything or telling me about him beforehand. Had I known about him, I could have protected both of you. Jordan would still be with us if you had just said something! You're just as responsible as I am for letting this happen!"
Anna stood frozen in shock by Hank's outburst. She knew they had both been filled with years of anger and resentment toward one another, and now it was all coming to blows. She had opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out.
"Woah, guys, calm down. Let's take a breath and not go at each other. It's nobody's fault here. We're all on the same side," JJ said, getting in the middle.
Before Hank could speak again, Aaron knocked on the door and entered the office. "Sorry to interrupt, I just got a phone call from the prison."
"What happened?" Anna asked, getting her voice back.
"Jacob Desmond escaped."
