Gentle Epiphany // Criminal Minds

Chapter Twenty One - Cinnamon Girl

♜ Spencer ♜

No one gives Daphne enough credit for her strength, in all honesty she is the strongest person I know. Everything she's gone through and she is still the kindest, most incredible girl in the world. Watching her struggle to get through this case, the heavy emotions she's feeling. I want to help her, want to know the magic answers that is going to take her pain away but I don't know how to, except just be here for her in the way that she needs. She doesn't respond well to sympathy, sticking to easy topics that don't make her think past the surface is safe with her. Even just sitting in a car letting her sort through her own thoughts is enough to help. It just doesn't feel like I'm doing everything I could. Especially the way she dropped everything to come with me to Nevada to take Mom home.

I watch her carefully from my spot on the desk, her teeth mindlessly chewing on her bottom lip with nerves. My gaze remains on her and not on Katie and Gideon bringing in Rawlings. I had decided the moment we walked into the CACD noticing her body tensing and rising with panic that I would prioritize her. Prioritize her feelings, prioritize her needs, prioritize her.

Morgan grabs the seat next to me moving it next to her at the table. I hold my breath for a moment watching the way her body tenses waiting for him to sit. "Mr. Rawlings, have a seat." He orders. Morgan coming to stand right by her, not leaving her side. Protective as always.

She moves the laptop across the table with a feminine grace, "Your laptop." She states, but there was nothing graceful in her stare. The burning hate that lingered in her eyes was overwhelming. She presses the enter button without looking at the screen, playing the videos he has stored. He looks away like he's mortified. Morgan's phone begins ringing, he quickly answers it walking out of the room to talk with Garcia.

"It's, uh, research. I'm writing a book."

Lies.

"Sit down." Daphne orders, her voice dripping with malice. The sweet, kind girl that I'm lucky enough to know, replaced with the girl who can make terrible, vile, evil men confess within minutes. I'm not sure I will ever not be in awe of her. Especially watching her pick a lock with ease earlier.

He does what she says, taking a seat in the chair next to her watching his screen for a moment. "I swear to you this is all just research." His voice rising. My need to want to protect Daphne heightens with his growing agitation. I know he won't hurt her though, it's the only thing keeping me sitting on this desk.

Daphne pins him with her glare making him squirm in his seat. "It's not research. It's 100 years in a federal penitentiary. One I will personally take great satisfaction hand delivering you to once we are through here."

He looks up to Gideon, "I'd like to make a deal."

Daphne shakes her head in disgust. "No deals." Gideon tells him. "All you have is a very, very small amount of goodwill."

"Tell me about Peter." Katie orders him, standing behind me as he turns to look at her.

"I was contacted by the man who was holding him. I didn't search out this boy. I didn't go looking for this." He answers looking at everyone in the room, his gaze landing on Daphne who fixes him with sharp eyes.

"Give me a name." Katie demands walking closer to him.

He looks up at her, "Well, I only know the screen name. It's manchild."

"Did you bid on Peter?" Gideon questions.

His silence was answer enough. I see Daphne flexing her hands in her lap, trying to rein in her rage.

"How much?" Katie asks next.

"$8,000. But it was only in order to save him." He answers. Daphne's jaw clenching as she looks away.