Escape || Criminal Minds Story

Bradley and the Parents

Emily's POV

I go down into the basement first. I look around as the rest of the team follows. I spot something in the back corner. I go and investigate. It looked like Bradley. I bend down and check her pulse.

There wasn't one.

"Hotch. I found her. There's no pulse." I stutter.
"We can't let Lorelei see this." Hotch says strictly.
"I can go and warn JJ." I offer.
"Do that." Hotch nods.

Lorelei's POV

I look around and I don't see Bradley or the team. I look back towards JJ.
"Jennifer." I mutter.
"Yes?" JJ asks.
"Where did your team go?"
"They're looking for Bradley."
"I don't like it here." I place my head in the crook of her neck.
"I know." JJ rubs my back.

I turn back around and see Emily.
"Hey, Lorelei, is it ok if I talk to JJ alone real quick?" Emily asks.
"I guess." I mutter.

JJ opens the van's door and placed me inside. She goes around to Emily. I watch Emily and JJ talk. They finish up, and JJ gets in the car next to me, Emily goes back towards the barn.

I lean on JJ's shoulder.
"Where's Bradley?" I ask.
"The team is looking for her." JJ rubs my back.
I continue to watch out the window.

I see the medics bring a stretcher towards the barn. They place Bradley's limp body on it. They bring it towards the ambulance. I watch a doctor put his fingers on her neck. I read his lips.

"She's gone." He mouths.

JJ's POV

"She's dead." I hear Lorelei mutter.
"What?" JJ asks.
"She's dead!" Lorelei cries out before holding onto me for dear life.

I don't say anything, I just squeeze Lorelei back, rub her back, and let her cry. She's been through so much and she's only twelve. I start to feel really bad.

Emily suddenly opens the van door. She hears Lorelei crying.
"What happened?" Emily asks.
"She somehow found out Bradley died." I whisper.

Flashback

The man pulls Bradley down the basement stairs.
"You... let... her... escape!" He yells in between each punch.

He pulls out his pocket knife and sliced Bradley's throat. He goes back to his room and cleans up. He then gets in his car and drives away from his house.

End Flashback/3rd Person POV

"Oh my god, that girl has been through so much." Emily tears up.
"I know." JJ starts crying too.
Lorelei starts to stop crying.

She moves her head back to look at JJ.
"I want to leave this place." Lorelei says as tears continue to fall.
"I know, sweetheart, we are soon." JJ pushes a hair behind Lorelei's ear.
Lorelei puts her head back down and continues to cry.

~~~

Shortly after, Lorelei was fast asleep in JJ's arms. The team gets in to the three different vans. Lorelei sleeps the whole way to the police station.

The team meets up at the police department. They go back to the drawing board. Lorelei shifts awake in JJ's arms.

"Where are we?" Lorelei mutters to JJ.
"The police department." JJ mutters back.
"I want to see my mom again." Lorelei whines.

JJ looks to her team. They stare back, not knowing what to do because they knew the truth. Hotch decides to break the news because he knew they couldn't keep it a secret anymore. Lorelei looks towards Hotch.

"Once you came into the police station, the receptionist tried to contact your parents. Once they didn't answer, the receptionist looked up your parents in the system. She discovered that your parents were killed 3 years after you were taken." Hotch explains.

Lorelei automatically breaks down into JJ's arms. JJ rubs her back.
"They're really dead." Lorelei mutters to herself.
JJ couldn't help but feel bad for the little girl.

Lorelei sobs silently while the team continues to try and find the unsub. JJ rocks back and forth with Lorelei in her arms.

A police officer comes running in the door.
"Sharon, the lady from the gas station that brought Lorelei in was just killed in her store."
Hotch nods and looks to the team.
"Morgan and Prentiss, would you go to the scene?" Hotch says.
"Yes sir." Emily and Derek leave.

Lorelei looks at JJ.
"Why is everyone I knew dying?" Lorelei asks.
"I don't know sweetheart." JJ shakes her head.
"I don't want you to die." Lorelei starts sobbing again.
"I'm not going anywhere, Lor." JJ rubs the crying child's back.
Lorelei calms down and moves to whisper to JJ.

"Am I going to die?"