her fathers daughter - criminal minds

Chapter 22: a crappy car

Trigger warning: ⚠️

Mentions of domestic abuse, details of violence and injuries! Please don't read if you might be uncomfortable!!

"I was 18." Those first words were the hardest to say; she had never told anyone the whole story; this was new territory to Jess. "I was in my last week of training in the academy and...still living in my car," she looked down when she said that. She hated talking about the years she spent living in her car; she was kind of ashamed of it, honestly.

*six years ago*

"Crap!" Jess huffed, kicking her tire in frustration. She knew a little bit about cars, but not enough this time, apparently. Annoyed, she stepped away and pulled out her phone to make a call.

"Car trouble?" She looked up to see a guy with a charming smile.

"Uh... yeah. It's alright, it's a crappy car anyway. I'm just more concerned that I'm going to be late."

"Mind if I take a look? I'm not exactly a mechanic, but I might be able to help," she glanced at the tall stranger up and down, then carefully nodded.

"Go ahead," the man walked over and tried a few different things, trying to help.

"Yeah, I can see the problem. If I were you, I'd say scrap this car, get a new one. I don't think even a mechanic will be able to fix it."

"Come on, there has to be something I can do or someone who knows how to fix it! Something, anything at all!" She said in frustration as she started to get more stressed.

"Well, if they can, it will probably cost more than you paid for the car. What's the big problem? Can you not afford it?" He closed the hood.

"No," she muttered under her breath, realising she shouldn't be mad at him; he was only a kind stranger trying to help.

Then he glanced in the window and saw everything in the back of her car. "Wait- Are you living in there?" She looked down in shame. "Is there no place else you can stay?"

"If there was, I'd be there, wouldn't I?" She mumbled, still looking down.

"Hey, look, let me help you; everything is going to be alright." He placed a reassuring hand on her arm, which gave her some comfort at least. She kept thinking about how weird it was that this stranger was being so kind to her. He didn't know her; he didn't owe her anything, and yet he was being so generous. You said you were late, right?" She nodded. "Okay, let me give you a ride to wherever you need to go—then I will take your car to someone who might be able to fix it."

"But I thought you said no one-"

"I still don't think they can, but I have a friend who's good with cars. If he can't fix it, no one  can." She fixated on his face for a minute; she didn't know if she should trust him or not. She knew she shouldn't go off with strangers, let alone get in their cars. However, she also knew that right now he was her only option. He read her face and knew what she was thinking. "And I promise that I'm not going to like kill or kidnap you or anything," he joked, making her crack a small smile.

"Umm, okay, but we have to be quick. I'm so late, my superior is going to kill me," she said as they made their way to his car, which was a much nicer, newer, cleaner, and just overall better car.

"Superior? What for?"

"I'm training for... something," although she was literally trusting him with her entire life, she felt the need to keep at least something private.