Saving Talia

My hope is blood on broken glass

TRIGGER WARNING: Psychological torture, mentions of childhood trauma and abandonment.
-
A shattered hole, a scattered past
And I can't wake up, 'cause the darkness won't let go
And I can't wake up, 'cause the darkness is taking hold
Everything is lost
And this nightmare is closing in.
Everything is lost - Maggie Eckford

-

"PLEASE! I need to use the bathroom," Talia screams out, using her fists to bang on the metal door. It suddenly swings up, the light hitting her in the eyes as she stumbles backwards.

"I gave you a plastic bin, didn't I?," The man says while he uses a finger to point at the corner of the room. "NO!" Talia shakes her head as he laughs "What.. the rich girl has never been camping before?" He asks.

She takes a deep breath, a hand on her belly to calm herself "I need to use the bathroom," her voice breaks when she repeats herself "Please,"

The man thinks for a moment before closing the door in her face. "NO PLEASE!-" Talia begins again before the door opens back up, the man holding what looks like a human leash "Around your neck," he instructs her.

When they're walking down the hallway, Talia is memorizing everything from top to bottom. There's a leash around her neck while he holds one end of it, closely following her from behind "Turn right,"

It looks like they're inside an abandoned warehouse, but not quite abandoned for the lights to still be able to work. "Where are we?" Talia asks shakily, turning her head to get a good look at her captor. He's taller than her, he has brown hair and blue eyes, nicely dressed for her to assume that he has a good job. "Stop asking questions and make it quick," He tells her, pointing at the bathroom "Don't close the door,"

-

Just in time, Rossi and JJ rush into Garcia's office. JJ is wearing the same thing she had on from last morning, her hair messy and frizzled as she breathes heavily. Rossi on the other hand seems almost totally recovered from their day-drinking, wearing his usual blazer and thousand-dollar leather shoes.

"I am so sorry," JJ apologizes, putting her blonde hair in a messy bun "I was so gone, so was Will... I came as fast as I could," She begins to explain herself as Garcia uses her hand to shush her friend "What? What is it?"

Rossi squeezes himself in between Tara and JJ, wanting to see what was so shocking "Oh," he says.

It's a familiar blonde man with blue eyes. They all recognize him, they all know him.

"We need to call Emily and Aaron," Rossi says, his eyes refusing to blink.

"Yeah, that's what I said." Tara sighs.

-

"Thank you for letting me use the bathroom," Talia says, returning to her place on the mattress as her captor begins to walk away. "You said... I'll find out why I'm here eventually," She begins as he stops by the door. "Can I know why I'm here?"

"I'm doing an experiment," He replies.

Her heart begins to race faster, her eyes moistening with tears "An experiment?" Talia repeats, her voice so small it almost sounds like a child.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to touch you." He tells her, his voice echoing in the hallway as he shuts the door leaving Talia to wonder about exactly he meant by that.

-

It's around 5:30 AM when Emily stirs awake, her body recognizing that Aaron is no longer nearby. It's dark outside and it's cold. Her heart breaks for Talia, not needing to imagine how afraid and alone she must be. There's light coming from the kitchen, she decides to follow it.