heart like yours (jennifer jareau)

4. four

AN: hi guys! happy monday! sorry it's late i've been shopping today with my mum but i'm here!

so this is the cult case with benjamin cyrus so i'm sure you all know a rough idea of what to expect in this chapter

either way, TWs:
religious trauma
cults
mentions of sexual abuse
violence

i hope you guys enjoy! <333

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"almost dead yesterday, maybe dead tomorrow, but alive, gloriously alive, today." - robert jordan

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Delilah sat at Emily's empty desk in the BAU bullpen, flicking through a few files on someone she'd picked up for one of the cases Evie was delegating this week. She'd detoured from Strauss' office to come and say hi to everyone, though Emily and Spencer weren't here.

They had gone to the sepatarian sect of a cult on a ranch in Colorado under child sexual abuse claims to do interviews with the children. Truthfully, Delilah didn't know why that had been a BAU case and not a CAC case.

Though, maybe Delilah's face was a big part of why she wasn't chosen to do something like that. The religious fanatics may call it the mark of the devil, or she'd scare the kids.

She didn't want that.

So, she sat at Emily's empty desk, flicking through the files Evie had her pick up. JJ and Morgan were in the bullpen with her, Morgan sat at his desk opposite Emily's with his eyes on the TV, and JJ stood by the printer.

"What cases are they?" Morgan asked.

"They're not cases," Delilah said. "Missing kids and their files. Evie wanted them for cases she's handing out to the others this week."

"Are you working on any cases, right now?" Morgan asked curiously. "How often do you even travel with the CAC?"

"Rarely," Delilah said. "And, yeah, just a few of them. It's mostly in the gathering intel phases. We're not close to an arrest for any of them."

"Do you like it better? Being home more?" he asked.

"I like having a normal routine," Delilah said.

"Guys," JJ said, hurrying over to grab the remote to change the channel to the news.

"What is reportedly being called a routine questions and answers meeting by Colorado Child Services had turned into a violent and deadly standoff between Colorado authorities and a fringe religious group known as the sepatarian sect," the news reporter said.

"JJ, that's not the ranch where Prentiss and Reid-" Morgan started.

"They're still inside," JJ said, eyes finding Delilah's.

Delilah's stomach plummeted.

"Hotch!" Morgan yelled, Hotch and Dave both hurrying from their offices.

"-Tactical warrant service team into a forced retreat after losing a thirty minute gun battle-" the reporter droned on.

"Prentiss and Reid," Morgan said, pointing at the screen.

"No one knows for sure how many people are inside. It is believed at least three of the child service members are still trapped within the compound."

The phones on the desk lit up with phone calls, Delilah's stomach filling with dread.