Crying Lighting (Hotch x Reader)// ✔

24. Even if it's a lie

Summary:

The BAU finally gets a lead - but what happens once Hotch finds you?

Notes:

flashbacks in italics.
and if u see grammar errors - no u didn't. lol

ALSO this is a long one! AND ANGSTY

(also don't hate me lmao)

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Looking at the screen again, at the image of you – blurry and low resolution as you're being pushed around and into the car – Hotch sees red.

It's like his entire skin burns with anger – boiling over and over, getting too close to the brim to where he cannot hold on any longer.

But he reels it in. He has too.

"She's desperate" Morgan says matter-of-factly. "Kidnapping someone out like this, in the open? Not too far from Seattle PD?"

"The Andersons are reckless now." Dave chimes in, hands shoved in his pockets. "They've probably had their eyes set on her since the news of the house being raided spread out. Just circling around the neighborhood, until she'd be alone."

"Why attack her for something she did not do? It's not like she came forward to the police – she didn't know about anything. She didn't even accuse Nathan." Prentiss asks.

Hotch has gotten good at lying too, as well as keeping stuff from them. He knows Lucille is out for revenge over her son's murder, the will, and now this – the collaboration with FBI.

He halts. Turns to Reid and Prentiss.

"Was Lucille Anderson in the building when the raid happened?"

"Yes" Prentiss answers. "We showed the warrant to her. She's still the resident CEO."

Most probably Lucille had seen Hotch enter the building too. It's revenge for having brought an FBI agent at her gatherings, at her office and to Clover.

"She saw you were FBI. She must have figured out quickly that she's been collaborating with us. That and the fact she never approved the relationship with the son." Dave says looking at Hotch.

"Coupled with her being the sole inheritor of Anderson Tech – that must have sent her spiraling."

And she's convinced you killed Nathan.

But Hotch still hopes he's not the reason your life is in danger.

"We know who the kidnapper is" Hotch speaks, voice stern but never rising in volume – still managing to convey the gravity of the situation.

"And it occurred in the open – no regards for surveillance cameras or anything else."

They all know what that means. Rarely do kidnappers with no demands release their victims.

"I have a few registered addresses of Lucille – I can try to triangulate her location too." Garcia chimes in, "I just am not sure how long it will take me"

Hotch pins her with a steady gaze. "We need to find where Lucille Anderson is, and we need to do it now. This-"

He looks at the others, and they're ready, vests and guns holstered, ready to jolt out as soon as Garcia gives the signal.

"-is our priority right now."

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The baby has stopped crying and although Maria has too – her eyes are red and puffy, and it's not safe for her to drive out like this – it still feels like someone's tugging a part of your soul. You register it with pain in your heart, and even though she'd said it wasn't the first time Nathan has done this – you're still calm.