Wrath of Luirlan

Decisions

For the first time since they arrived, all of the BAU members were in the same room. The atmosphere was not what they had expected it to be when they started. Each member of the team felt as if they had misjudged the Dawsons on some level; that their personal biases had gotten in the way of their professional judgment. It was not often that they were both successful and felt like they had somehow failed at the same time.

They were all gathered around the map and the timeline of the Dawson's missions/hunts in the police station conference. All of the information they had gathered was now squished on two boards with sticky notes overlapping and hanging precariously off every side so that they all fit.

"I hate to say it... but I think these guys might be heroes..." Morgan starts, breaking the silence that had reigned over the room thus far.

"But that's crazy..." Garcia says, not sure what to believe anymore.

"I think he might be right... There's no other rational explanation; especially after what happened yesterday," Reid adds, having been briefed like the others about what had happened to Rossi, Morgan, and the Dawsons the previous day.

"I'm still trying to process yesterday," Rossi says, raising a hand as if it could protect him from what he had witnessed.

"I hate to pressure you, but there's no time for you to process. Ultimately, we will have the final say in what happens to the Dawsons, and the higher-ups want this case closed now," Hotch puts in, unhappy with the constraints of their job.

"...but if their case goes to trial, they'll be crucified by the media, again," J.J. counters. She had reviewed the previous news coverage on the pair, as well as witnessed firsthand how the media clamored for the Dawsons' blood.

"If the director, or the public for that matter, had had their way from the very beginning, the Dawson would be dead," Morgan states sympathetically.

Silence falls again as they consider this.

"Where does that leave us, exactly?" Reid asks.

"Well, if we're all in agreement that they are saving lives... then you all must realize that we can't allow them to be punished for it," Hotch muses.

"They don't deserve any more tragedy in their lives," Garcia says.

She gestures towards the board and stack of books on the table in front of it, making her point without having to say any more. She may not fully know what to make of them, but Garcia can tell that the Dawson siblings have suffered far more than the average person. No one deserves what Gabriel and Bailey have gone through. That, everyone agrees on.

"But Gabriel is still incredibly unstable," Derek, very validly, points out. "And regardless of anything else, he still killed those men. We can't just let him go; regardless of the good that he and Bailey are doing otherwise," He sighs, frustrated with the position they have found themselves in.

"You're right. That would be irresponsible on our part, and potentially harmful both to the public at large, and to Gabriel's personal mental health," Hotch concurs.

"He needs our help," J.J. says with kind conviction.

A foreboding silence settles upon them.

"Then we help him," Rossi intones.