A Second Chance || Criminal Minds Story

Chapter 25

2 months later

Kai has continued to have the same nightmare every night. Kai was terrified and it broke Emily's heart. Emily goes into Kai's room to talk.

"Hey Kai, how you feeling?" Emily asks.
"I'm ok, you?" Kai asks back.
"I'm good. What are you watching?"
"Grey's Anatomy."
"That's a good show."
"I know."
"Well I am gonna go take a shower and get freshened up. I'll come back and check on you later."

"Can you stay in here and watch tv with me?" Kai asks and gives Emily a convincing look.
"How could I say no?" Emily smiles.

She lays against Kai's bed's headboard. Kai snuggles up against her chest. They watch tv for the rest of the night.

12:56 a.m.

Emily wakes up to her name being called. She sits up and looks at Kai. Kai was screaming for Emily in her dream.

"Kai, wake up." Emily shakes Kai.
Kai suddenly wakes up and just starts sobbing. Emily pulls her into her arms.

"Shhh. It's ok. It's gonna be ok. I'm here Kai." Emily whispers as she strokes Kai's hair.

Kai started to calm down. Kai pulled away from Emily.
"Was it the same dream?" Emily asks.
Kai just nods.
"Ok let's go back to sleep." Emily helps Kai lay back down.

Kai latches on to Emily and falls back asleep.

The next morning

Emily wakes up and sees Kai sleeping in her arms. Kai sudden wakes up.
"Good morning Kai." Emily smiles.
"Good morning Em." Kai smiles back.
"So, I am gonna look at a new house today. Would you like to come or go hangout with JJ and Henry?" Emily asks.
"Can I hangout with JJ?" Kai asks.
"Sure." Emily smiles.

Kai excitedly gets out of bed and goes to her closet looking for clothes. Emily smiles at her before leaving to get dressed.

Once they both finish getting ready, they eat breakfast then leave the house. Emily drives to JJ's house first.

Once they get to JJ's, they see Henry and JJ playing soccer together. Emily and Kai both get out of the car and walk over to them.

"Hey, JJ, thanks again for letting Kai come hangout." Emily smiles.
"Your welcome." JJ smiles.
Henry walks over to Kai.
"Hey Kai!" Henry smiles.
"Hey Henry!" Kai smiles back.
"Wanna play soccer with me?" Henry asks.
"Sure." Kai and Henry go over to play while JJ and Emily talk.

"So, what's your plans today?" JJ asks Emily.
"I'm looking at a new house today with Derek." Emily smiles.
"Oh that's nice, I hope you find the right place."
"Me too, what else are you doing today?"
"Well since Will's at work I'm just hanging out here with the kids."
"Ok, well, I think I should get going."
"Bye Emily."
"Bye JJ."

"I'm leaving Kai." Emily shouts.
"One second Henry." Kai says before running over to Emily and giving her a hug.
"Bye Em." Kai smiles.
"Bye sweetheart, behave, and have fun." Emily smiles.
"I will." Kai smiles back before Emily goes back to her car.

Kai goes back over to Henry to play. JJ also joins in.

Emily gets to the property and sees Derek. They go take a look inside together.

20 minutes later

Emily and Derek walk out of the property.
"I don't know." Emily mutters.
"Emily, what's not to know? It's a beautiful place."
"There are cracks in the foundation."
"Cracks can be fixed."
"No, they can only be hidden. They're still there."
"What? Are you afraid the place is gonna fall down?"
"I'm afraid it's never gonna be as strong as it was."

"Ok, somebody's heart isn't into it. What's going on?"
"I don't know. When I first came here, I felt like I was home. And now. It's just an uphill battle. People kill for opportunities like this. Am I crazy to walk away?"

"All you gotta do is what's good for you. Follow your gut. It's trying to tell you." Derek tells Emily.

Will's POV

My colleague and I are driving when our walkie talkie goes off. The lady on the walkie talkie reports a robbery at Colonial National Bank. I tell her we would be right there.

We get to the bank and I exit the car with my gun in my hand. My colleague walks out of her car and a man in a mask walking out of the bank shoots her in the head.

I walk around towards her while shooting the man back. I open the door and talk into the walkie talkie.
"213, officer down, shots fired, repeat, shots fired." I explain.

10 minutes later/3rd person POV

The bank was soon surrounded by police, FBI, and helicopters. The BAU arrives on scene.

JJ gets there and runs over to Will.
"Are you ok?" JJ ask.
Will nods.

"The media is calling them the face cards. Seven robbery's in seven months. 1 killed at each robbery." Hotch explains.
"M.O.?" Rossi asks.
"Single gun shoot wound." Hotch explains.

"Serial killers with a 30 day cooling off period and we're just hearing about this now?" Emily asks.
"We'll headquarters have always characterized them as robbers first, killers second." Hotch explains.
"No one kills seven people without serious psychopathic tendencies." Reid states.
"I disagree with the original assessment when it was overruled." Hotch says.
"So why are we here now?" Rossi asks.

"Cause crisis negotiation is overseas." Hotch explains.
"What more do we know about them?" JJ asks.
"They're organized, their officiant, strike less than about two minutes." Hotch explains.
"They must be scouting the banks in advance. Why haven't we been able to ID them off of surveillance footage?" Derek asks.

"They hacked the security feed and turned off the cameras both during the initial canvas and during the robbery. Until the masks come back on and we're aloud to watch." Hotch explains.