Unshed Blood | Criminal Minds

chapter thirty-six - goodbyes

- CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX -

GOODBYES

SOREN FELT her eyes beginning to drop as she tried to remain conscious, her father had continued to hit, punch and stab her so many times she had begun too lose count but she refused to let him win. Soren wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of allowing him to beat her, to kill her.

The room was slightly light, so she was able to make out more features off the room, she hung her head low. Arlo had left the room moments ago and still hadn't returned which Soren was grateful for. She closed her eyes, exhaling as she heard footsteps walking back into the room. Soren scoffed, "Back for some more?"

However, this time, Arlo didn't reply with made her look up as she felt her heart stop pounding in her chest, as she stared into the familiar brown eyes of her mother. Summer Hale stood in front of her daughter, bringing her hand out as she moved Soren's matted hair out of her face, smiling softly.

"Oh, honey." Summer whispered, tears forming in her eyes as she stared down at her. "Che cosa ha fatto anche voi?"

Soren let the tears fall as she sobbed into her mother's arms, her lips quivering as she sighed. "L'ho tradito."

"You could never." Summer whispered, holding onto her hand. "They are coming for you."

"Who is?" Soren asked, feeling slightly disoriented with the situation. Seeing her mother in front of her, the same mother she had mourned for, cried and been angry towards was kneeling in front of her, holding her like she used to do what she was younger.

"You know who, Soren." Summer smiled, tilting her head slightly, she stayed silent for a moment, trying to figure out a way to keep her daughter alive. "Do you remember when you were younger and you had that nightmare?"

"Yeah?" Soren whispered, chuckling to herself as she remembered the memory.

Summer grinned too, remembering memories from her daughters childhood. "You were so scared, I thought you were never going to stop crying, but then Sybil came into the room and I had never seen your face light up as much as it did in that moment. Despite you and Sybil arguing a lot, you would always protect her."

"I remember, Ma." Soren exhaled, feeling herself growing weaker and weaker.

Summer tapped the palm of her hand against Soren's face, trying to keep her awake but Soren was pale and tired. "Dai, resta sveglio per me."

Soren shook her head, before she whispered. "I know."

"What? You know what, Soren?" Summer whispered, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"I know you're not really here." Soren announced, smiling just as she closed her eyes.

Moments passed by, and soon enough Soren's heavy eyes opened again just as she heard footsteps entering the room, this time the steps were heavier so she knew it was Arlo returning from where ever he had been the entire time.

"Oh, you're awake again." Arlo chuckled, the corner creases of his eyes causing wrinkles, shaking his head. "I thought I heard you talking a while ago, was I just hearing things?"

Soren sucked in a deep breath, her worst fear coming true as she knew that the look on Arlo's face meant only one thing. He was going to kill her. She had seen it so many times before but she never thought that she would be the one at the end of it. "Hearing things, old man."

"You have one hell of an attitude on you, Ludovica." Arlo spat at her, dragging a metal chair along until he sat down opposite her, resting forward. "Didn't your mother ever teach you some manners?"

"She taught me more than you ever could, cagna." She rolled her eyes weakly. "My team...they are going to kill you."

"You mean your boyfriend, Derek Morgan? His team?" Arlo laughed loudly. "They won't even get close."

"Won't we?" The familiar voice of Derek Morgan caused both Arlo and Soren to turn their heads around as they came face to face with Derek, Rossi, Reid, JJ, Emily and Hotch all standing at the entrance with the guns aimed directly at Arlo.

"Oh, speak of the devil." Arlo chuckled, gesturing with his hand for them to enter the room. "You are interrupting our daddy-daughter day."

Soren's heart raced as she looked over at JJ, who nodded firmly at her, trying to reassure her from the other end of the room. Tears welled in her eyes as she bit down on her bottom lip, blood drawing from it. She glanced at Derek, the love filling her eyes as she tried her best to smile at him. She had no idea how long she had even been there for but she knew it had been longer than a day, Derek looked like he had gotten no sleep in that time.

The expression Derek had on his face was a mix of relief and anger, Soren had seen Derek angry numerous times, but she had never seen that look of anger on his face before as he held the gun up, directly aiming it at Arlo.

"Arlo Hale, stand up and put your hands on your head." Hotch demanded, his voice coming out angrier and sterner than ever before.

"No can do." Arlo tutted, glancing back at Soren.

"Just stand up, and put your hands on your head!" Emily shouted, "Or we will shoot you."

"You shoot me and your little golden egg over here won't live to see another day." Arlo glared at them, angry that his plan wasn't going to plan.

Spencer looked at Soren, noticing how pale she was becoming as he knew they had a limited amount of time until she passed out, especially considering the amount of blood she had lost that was splattered against her clothing and the floor. "Why are you doing this, Arlo? Soren is innocent."

"Innocent?!" Arlo repeated, finally standing up as he circled around to where Soren was sitting, resting his hands onto her shoulder. "This little bitch betrayed not only me but her entire family! She deserves everything, she is the reason all of this is happening. And let me tell you...my daughter, is far from innocent. She deserves this more than anyone else."

Soren felt his hand grab onto the back of her hair, pulling her head back as she whimpered, "Please."

"Please what?" Arlo mocked her, chuckling harshly too himself as the team walked further into the room. "Go on, beg for it."

Soren glanced over at the end of the room, making eye contact with Derek as she spoke. "Do you remember one of the first things you taught me?" Arlo paused, trying to think back to the moment but before he could react, Soren had tipped the chair back, falling to the ground as she groaned, just as she heard the team rushing over to her, as Arlo fell back too.

During the time that Arlo was talking to her team and ranting on she had remembered the moment he had taught her how to undo a rope or chains if she ever found herself in that situation, so as she made sure Arlo was distracted she got to work with undoing them and once she was free, she tipped the chair back.

Standing with a slight imbalance, she limbed over until she was standing above him before Arlo opened his eyes, swinging his legs under as she toppled over to the ground, the team tried to find an angle to shoot him at but they couldn't find it and as Derek and Hotch tried to get them off one another nothing was working.

All Soren was able to hear as she fought with her father was everyone elses screams, pleading Arlo to let her go as she finally managed to get on top of him, sending punches across his face as Arlo continued to laugh at her.

The criminal reached into his back pocket, putting out a large knife and before Soren had a chance to react to what had happened, he had impaled the knife into her chest, causing him to push her off, as she laid on the cold, hard ground.

Derek rushed over, just as JJ finally got an aim on Arlo, taking the shot as he fell down beside her, just as JJ shot him again, directly into the forehead. The others then rushed over to Soren, as Derek held onto her hand, whispering words of encouragement to her.

Spencer kneeled on the other side, tears forming in his eyes as they called for an ambulance.

"Come on, baby, keep your eyes open for me." Derek pleaded, gripping onto her hand as Soren held onto it, gasping for breath. When he saw that her eyes were beginning to flutter closed her screamed. "No! No! Soren, no! Keep your eyes open, please."