her fathers daughter - criminal minds

Chapter 29: normal

Ethan was very ready for the date however he was running a couple minutes late since he stopped off to get her the perfect bouquet of flowers, roses because they were her favourites. He had spent a long time planning the perfect date so when he pulled up outside Jessica's house he had a little spring in his step and a smiled on his face.

It wasn't until he went to knock that he noticed the front door was left slightly open. He stared through the gap for a moment but it was silent and there were no signs of movement. "Jessica? Are you okay?" He didn't get a response. "Jess." His voice more firm this time. He gently kicked the door open with his foot, revealing a seemingly empty house. It was obvious there had been a struggle, The side table had been pushed over and there was some glass on the floor. Ethan's heart sank.

He went in cautiously in calling out for Jessica, he looked in the kitchen which seemed mostly untouched as he got closer to the living room he saw her hand lying limp in the door way. Ethan dropped the flowers and rushed to her aid. The room was a mess, the coffee table was completely broken like someone had been pushed into it, there were books all over the floor and the shelves were beyond repair but none of that mattered he heard Jessica groan in pain as she tried to sit up. "Woah woah slow down Jessica, your hurt, stop." He helped prop her up against the wall as he inspected her injuries even though Jess kept pushing him off.

"Ethan stop I'm fine go after him!"

"Who? Who did this to you?" His voice filled with rage. "Are they in the house?"

"It's Elliot! He ran out back when he heard you pull up. go go go!" He looked at her with a hint of guilt for leaving her before running out to him.

Jess just looked around at the room, it was a mess. For a few minutes She listened out for Ethan until she could hear him coming back inside, announcing himself "Jess it's me"

Jessica slowly stood her self up and looked around Ethan but he was alone "he's gone? Again?" He slowly shook his head.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't find him but I notified the police and they put out an APB for his arrest." As he reassured her Ethan noticed the tears starting to fall from her cheeks and hugged her. "Hey your okay, your safe alright? I've got you." She couldn't stop herself from crying on his shoulder, burying her face into the crook of his neck, feeling her hold body shaking. After a few minutes He pulled back to look her in her face "let's go get you checked out"

"No Ethan I-"

"Don't you dare say you're fine, you're not. Come on let's go" he kept on arm around her, helping her to the car and drove to the hospital it was packed in the ER but after what felt like an eternity they were eventually seen.

Jessica was given an examination room and the doctor had to give her a few stitches and cleaned her up  as much as possible. He had left to go get the X-ray results. "Okay so I could only find a vending machine and the only thing left in it was a snickers bar." Ethan came back in handing the chocolate over to her.

"Snickers bar it is" she chuckled at him as she unwrapped the bar with her teeth and took a bite.

"Is that ice pack doing anything?" He gestured to the one she held firmly to her left eye.

"I not really. For an ice pack it's not very cold" he laughed a little.

"May I?" He asked to see what hid beneath it. She paused before slowly pulling it away. Showing her face more.

"Oh... my... god..." his voice said slowly as his jaw dropped. Immediately alarming Jessica.

"What! What's wrong does it look bad?"

"No. You look beautiful even with a black eye" his face lit up and she playfully hit him.

"Hey don't do that, it's not funny"she shook her head disapprovingly even with a smile.