Unspoken Legacy

Unspoken Legacy 1

Tonya wakes up early, moving through her morning routine with precision. After making breakfast, she heads to her 4-year-old daughter Lily's room. "Lily, it's time to get up. I have to go to work," she says gently, nudging her awake.

As Lily stretches sleepily, her stepfather, Steve, strolls into the kitchen. "Your daughter was being loud last night, playing with her dolls," he complains, sipping his coffee.

Tonya ignores his tone and helps Lily get dressed, brushing her daughter's hair and tying it into neat pigtails. They sit down to eat breakfast together, sharing smiles over pancakes. Afterward, Tonya heads to her room to put on her police uniform.

When she returns, she notices Lily rubbing her arm, and a shadow crosses her face. "Lily, go grab a doll to take with you. She'll be your friend today," Tonya says softly before turning to Steve, her expression sharp. "Did you just hurt my daughter? If you did, remember I'm a cop—and my brother is an FBI agent. Don't think for a second I won't handle this."

Steve mutters something under his breath and retreats, leaving Tonya to scoop Lily into her arms. She buckles Lily into her car seat and slides into the driver's seat, glancing at her daughter in the rearview mirror. "How would you like to see your Uncle Aaron and your godfather, Rossi, today?"

Lily's bright blue eyes widen in excitement. "Really? I get to see them?"

Tonya smiles, her heart warming at her daughter's joy. "Yes, and there's someone else you're going to meet."

"Who?" Lily asks curiously, clutching her doll close.

Tonya takes a deep breath, gripping the steering wheel tightly. "Your dad, Lily. His name is Jason Gideon. But please, baby, remember what I said—be kind, okay? This is a big day for everyone."

Lily nods eagerly, her mind swirling with thoughts of meeting the father she had always wondered about. Tonya pulls into the parking lot of the BAU, parking her car in her usual spot. She steps out, adjusts her police uniform, and opens the back door to unbuckle Lily. Scooping her up, she smiles as Lily, with her doll clutched tightly in her hand, points to the building.

"BAU," Lily reads aloud, her small voice filled with curiosity. "Uncle Aaron and Rossi are in there!"

Tonya kisses Lily's cheek, proud of how quickly her daughter was learning to read. "That's right, baby. Let's go see them."

As they walk through the doors, Tonya immediately spots Emily Prentiss at the coffee machine. Emily glances over and her face lights up. "Tonya! And look at you, Lily—you're getting so big!"

"Hi, Emily," Lily says shyly, tucking her face into Tonya's shoulder but peeking out with a small smile.

Tonya chuckles, setting Lily down. "She's been growing like a weed. Emily, is Gideon here?"

Emily nods, her expression shifting to something more serious. "Yeah, he's in his office."

Tonya takes a deep breath, glancing down at Lily. "Can you watch her for a minute? I need to talk to him."

"Of course," Emily says with a warm smile, crouching down to Lily's level. "Hey, kiddo, want to come help me with something while your mom talks to someone?"

Lily nods and takes Emily's hand. Tonya watches for a moment, reassured by the way Lily seems comfortable, before turning and heading toward Jason Gideon's office.

Her footsteps are measured, her mind racing. She hadn't seen her ex-husband in years. As she reaches the door, she pauses briefly before knocking and stepping inside.

Jason looks up from his desk, his expression unreadable at first. Then recognition dawns, followed by a flicker of surprise. "Tonya," he says, standing.