Rosa Gomez is hired as the BAU's medical examiner specialist. Working there, Rosa realises that two things are inevitable: firstly, she's falling in love with Spencer Reid; and secondly, there's no escaping the ghosts of her past.
[Criminal Minds |...
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prologue. hugs fix everything!
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SUMMER 1990.
At seven, Rosa adored her older sister. There was only a year between them, so the two were as close as sisters can be. They did everything together, from wearing matching clothes to being in the same year at school (Rosa had been moved to the grade above).
Right now, the moon was rising as Rosa and Lillian played together, risking their parent's anger as they stayed up past bedtime. Their teddies were sick with the two using their doctor's playset to help them.
"I think the patient has a broken heart," Lillian said, pretending to listen to the bear's heartbeat with her toy stethoscope.
"You can't have a broken heart!" Rosa giggled.
"You can!" Lillian insisted, holding up the bear for Rosa. "Teddy just needs a hug to fix it! Your hugs fix everything, Rosa!"
Rosa smiled at that, taking the bear as she clutched it close to her chest. Then, Lillian listened to the bear's heart again with a satisfied nod of her head. "See," said Lillian. "He's all fixed now!"
Their father heard Lillian. "Mija, are you not in bed?"
The two sisters shared a wide-eyed look, scrambling back to Rosa's bed as they buried themselves under the covers with their teddies grasped tightly in their small hands. Their bedroom door opened, which followed with a sigh as the ceiling light flickered out again.
"Go to sleep," their father told them. "Otherwise we won't be going to the beach tomorrow."
Rosa's hand found Lillian's, the two trying to settle down as they were rather excited for the beach the following day. They had plans of building sandcastles and playing in the sea, as well as adding to their seashell collection. However, they were both oblivious to the night changing everything for the two sisters.
"Go to sleep, Rosa," Lillian giggled. "I love you."
Rosa wrapped her arms around her sister. "I love you, Lills."
When Rosa had woken that night, she was delirious, confused as her hands reached to find her sister to find the bed empty. It was rare for Rosa to be alone in the bed, but Rosa couldn't see in the dark.
"Lills?" Rosa mumbled.
Rosa's eyes fell on a tall figure, seeing her sister drooped over his shoulders as if she was still asleep. For someone who fidgeted frequently in her sleep, Lillian was rather still — a sight Rosa did not like.
The man crept towards Rosa like a shadow, placing a finger to his lips as Rosa stared at him in fear.
"Don't scream," said the man, voice quiet yet booming too. "If you tell anyone about me, then I will hurt your sister. And if I hurt your sister, then that'll mean I'll have to come back for you. Understand?"
