A House Is Not Always A Home: A Criminal Minds Fanfic

Chapter 8 - Threads of Focus

The tension in the room crackled like static electricity, the team's focus sharpening as they settled in around the conference table. Donna, still spinning in the chair, seemed to find comfort in the rhythmic motion, her eyes wide as she took in the unfamiliar environment.

"Okay, everyone, let's regroup," Emily said, her voice commanding attention. "We need to create a profile for whoever did this to Donna and the other children. She's our best lead."

"Right," Spencer said, pulling out his notebook and flipping to a fresh page. "First, we need to gather any information about her home life—foster families, schools, anything that might give us insight into her situation."

"Brian, have you managed to get those background checks running?" Rossi asked, leaning forward.

"Just started," Brian replied, his fingers tapping rapidly on his laptop. "I'll prioritize anyone listed as a caretaker or associated with her foster homes."

JJ watched Donna, her heart aching at the sight of the little girl trying to find solace in her spinning. "We should also consider that Donna might have insights about her abductor," she suggested. "Even if she doesn't remember everything, or can't verbalize them, she might have seen or heard something that could help us."

"Exactly," Spencer chimed in, looking back at JJ with a spark of admiration. "It's important that she feels comfortable sharing any details, no matter how small they may seem. Even a color or a voice can be crucial."

"Let's approach it carefully," Emily cautioned. "We don't want to overwhelm her. We need to build trust first, so Spencer and JJ I wan-."

Just then, Tara entered the room, a stack of files in her arms. "I pulled together everything from the missing persons reports we have on similar cases. We should look for patterns."

"Great work, Tara," Emily said. "Set them on the table, and let's take a look. We need to identify if there's a common thread."

As Tara laid the files out, Spencer's mind raced with possibilities. "What if the abductor has a specific type or profile they look for in children? They'll target kids who exhibit certain vulnerabilities—like being in the foster care system."

JJ turned back to Donna, who had finally stopped spinning and was now watching them with curious eyes. "Hey, Donna," she said gently, kneeling beside the girl's chair. "Can we ask you some questions? We want to help you."

Donna's brow furrowed, and she glanced around the room, her fingers still fidgeting with the fabric of her shirt. "Safe me?" she whispered.

"Absolutely," JJ replied, her voice warm and reassuring. "That's what we're here for. We want to make sure you're safe and that no one can hurt you again."

Spencer knelt down next to them, maintaining a calm demeanor. "Can you tell us about the people you lived with, Donna? Maybe some of your friends?"

The girl's gaze dropped to her lap, and for a moment, JJ feared they had pushed too hard. But then Donna spoke softly. "Mattie, Ma-see-e, Sasha, i no now. Scary."

"Who was scary?" JJ pressed gently, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Bi-, tu men," Donna said, her voice trembling. "Loud, I bad."

"No, Donna, you're not bad," Spencer interjected softly. "You were just being a kid. Sometimes adults don't understand that."

The girl looked up, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Say bro-in."

"Who said that?" JJ asked, feeling a surge of anger at the thought of anyone labeling such a precious child in that way.

"Meanies," Donna said, her voice barely a whisper. "Ye-yow hair; bro hair men."

Spencer's heart sank. He shared a glance with JJ, who was visibly struggling to contain her emotions. "You are more than enough, Donna," Spencer said, his voice firm and kind. "You have a lot of strength. You're brave for being here with us right now."

"Do you remember anything about the people who took you?" JJ asked, trying to keep the focus on the crucial details.

Donna chewed on her fingers, her brow furrowing in concentration. "Floor sleep, bi- cur, bye, me run you, box." She lifts up her shirt to them where the tape was literally duct taped to her; JJ gently puts her shirt down, to protect her privacy, though Donna clearly did not understand or acknowledge the social rule broken.

"Good, that's really good, Donna," JJ praised, feeling a surge of hope.

"You're helping us a lot." Spencer gave the girl a small, warm smile.

As they spoke to Donna, on the other end of that meeting room, Rossi and Tara had been reviewing the case files. "There's a consistent pattern of missing children from foster homes, especially those with behavioral issues," Rossi noted. "This matches the profile we're building."

"And it seems like many of them were reported as runaways or misfits by the system," Tara added. "If the system doesn't treat these children with care, they become easy targets for predators."

Emily nodded, a determined look in her eyes. "This is more than just a case; it's a systemic issue. This is way to similar to other cartels, sex trafficking-," Emily gave a heavy sigh, "we need to expose this and find a way to protect these kids."

Spencer turned back to Donna, whose small frame seemed so fragile yet resilient. "You're helping us piece this together, Donna. We won't let anyone hurt you again, I promise."

"I promise" she repeated, looking in his direction with wide, vulnerable eyes.

"Promise," Spencer affirmed, the weight of his vow settling heavily on his heart.

As they continued to talk and gather information, a renewed sense of purpose filled the room. They were going to catch the sons of bitches, like they always did.