her fathers daughter - criminal minds

Chapter 33: four letter L word

Jessica went back to Spencer's office and started working on finding the children's father when there was a knock st the door "come in!"

The door opened and hotch walked in "how's it going?"

"Nothing yet. Paige had kept her dad's watch though so I'm hoping something will come of it. Do you need something?" Hitch closed the door and sat down in a chair near her.

"I just came to see how you are"

"What do you mean? I'm fine"

"I know this foster thing is personal to you." Listening to him she finally put her pen down and focused on him.

"No it's not" she smiled awkwardly at him.

"Yes it is. You see yourself in those kids and I understand why you want to do this so bad"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just trying to help solve the case"

"No. Jessica, you are doing this for those kids because deep down you wish someone did this for you" she looked down, avoiding his gaze.

"I just... I didn't have the best time in the system. So if I can stop these two kids from going through what I went through? Then I can rest easy"

"What happened to you?" She shrugged her shoulders quietly, not knowing what to say. "Did you really never like any of the homes you were put in?"

"There was one.."

"you were moved between thirteen different placements during your time in the foster system and you were only ever happy in one of them?" She just looked at him "is the system really that bad?"

"Worse. But nothing changes because no one listens to the kids because they don't expect us to anything of ourselves" hotch furrowed his brows at her.

"Look around. You're only 24 and you are already one of the best agents the BAU has ever seen. I'd say that's pretty successful, wouldn't you?"

"I guess..."

"so, what happened to the family? The one you liked?"

She took a deep breath, "I was 6, it wasn't long after I was first put in the system. This young couple really wanted kids but was told they couldn't have any so they were looking to adopt. They chose me" she half smiled.

"You got adopted?" She nodded.

"Yeah, they were nice. I really did like them. I was with them for about 8 months... but then."she paused for a moment to collect herself. "Then the impossible happened"

"They got pregnant" hotchs heart cracked a little.

"It was twins and they couldn't afford three kids... so they sent me back"

"I'm sorry"

"Don't be, I Hardly remember it I was so young. Then that, I was tossed between alcoholics, overcrowded homes and people who only were only taking me in for the cheque." She explained to him in a very calm way like it was nothing.

"You know none of that's your fault right? You didn't deserve that or anything else that happened to you while you were in the system"