Classified light- a criminal minds fan fiction

War of emotions (2)

"Wait, they don't seriously think that Hotch could be behind this, do they?" Morgan said in shock as Emily and Rossi came back into the station from a video call with Erin Strauss about the revelation in the case they had found an hour ago in Hotch's room- Hotch still nowhere to be found.

"Well they say since the heads were found in his locked hotel room and he was the only one with a keycard and he's missing that they can't rule him out" Rossi shook his head with frustration before looking over at Cameron who was sat in the corner of the room, her eyes wide and staring into nothingness like they had since she walked into the hotel room.

"There's something else..." Rossi sighed, "they made Garcia track into Hotch's phone to try and trace it and the tracker was taken out but they searched the device and it turns out there was a bug in there that was recording audio and picked up on Cameron's and his conversation from last night- the one where you told him about the medieval torture tactics."

She didn't respond or acknowledge him but he could tell she was listening.

"Cameron, I'm really sorry but they want us to detain you" Rossi spoke quietly.

"What?!" Morgan jumped to his feet in shock, "why?!"

"Although the ME says the heads have been on the spikes for days and the unsub is clearly following these tactics of his own messed up accord, they say that if Hotch is involved then those audio recordings could point to you being an accomplice of sorts and you aren't being allowed to work this case" Rossi explained, Cameron tilted her head at him.

"T-they think that I would help with that?"

"I'm sorry kid."

She swallowed her tears and stood up, holding out her wrists, "arrest me then."

"What?"

"If they- no, if you think something so ridiculous that agent Hotchner would have anything to do with this then it is just as likely that I would. He is a cold man, but he would never do this, never" she stepped closer to Rossi with a limp, "so arrest me, question me- but if you do that then you will be admitting that even a small part of you thinks that he could do this. I know that there is not even the smallest part of me that thinks that."

Rossi paused and sighed, "we don't have a choice kid, if we don't at least question you then we don't get Erin's support on the case."

"We don't need it" Reid stood up, defending Cameron, "she's not here, the FBI can't offer any more help than we can, Strauss doesn't know the case or the profile. We have the support of the officers and detectives here, we don't need her if it means Cameron has to be detained and Hotch is seen as a suspect."

Cameron let out a small smile at him before nodding, "agent Hotchner is missing, I want to help find him. So arrest me if you like, but do not think for a second that will stop me doing everything I can to find him and make sure he is safe. I know that I'm not much help and will probably get in the way but please, please let me help in whatever way I can."

Rossi let a small smile appear in the corner of his lips from her determination and how she said she needed to make sure Hotch was okay.

He looked over at Emily, "Strauss will kill us if we do this... what do you say we do SSA?"

Emily smiled with a cheeky grin, "I've never have much liked Strauss."

Rossi chuckled and nodded, "okay, so I guess we're going rogue."

"Let's hope Garcia is on board with this, I don't think we have any hope of finding Hotch without her."