All These Scars... (A Criminal Minds fan-fiction)

Chapter Four

Derek's POV:
By the time I got home Savannah was already asleep so I tried my best not to wake her and sat on the couch.
Penelope was worrying me. I mean, yeah, a lot of things bothered her but she sounded hurt and I hated when she was hurt. She was one of my best friends.
I sat down on the couch in the living room and tried to put it aside until the next morning, watched a few shows before falling asleep.

Spencer's POV:
I pulled into the laundromat and got my clothes out of the back. I thought it was better to come home and have fresh clothes since I would have most likely been exhausted after the plane ride.
I walked in and headed for the fourth washer that lined the wall. Over the years I found out that it was one of the only ones that didn't steal your quarters. After checking all of the pockets I threw the wad of clothes into the machine, tossed in the detergent and picked a cycle option.
I decided to pass the time by reading a few books. One of them was Moby Dick, one of my many favorites. I didn't feel like walking over to the drug store at the time so I told myself that after the clothes were washed and in the dryer I would head over there for some medication.

JJ's POV:
The last thing I remembered was Will walking out the door when I finally regained consciousness. With wobbly arms I pulled myself up off the floor and onto my knees. My head was throbbing like crazy and the rest of my body ached.
How could he do this to me, to us? I thought to myself.
I had given him everything. A loving wife. A decent home. He had a good job and a beautiful child.
Henry.
He was outside and I just let my sorry ass forget about him.
I'm a terrible mother...
I quickly stood up and ignored the urge to throw up the contents of my stomach. I felt so woozy, swayed and stumbled as I rose. I checked the clock above the stove.
4 a.m.
I turned to the door and unlocked it, opened it.
Henry looked absolutely awful and I couldn't help but let out a sob when I saw him.
His right eye was bruised and swollen and he was shivering, had only his pajamas on. I couldn't believe my eyes. His cheeks were stained with tears and I quickly pulled him into a hug even though it hurt to do so.
"Baby, I'm so sorry," I cried and held him close. I carried him inside and laid him on the couch, covered him up with several blankets.
"I'm hungry, momma," his lower lip quivered and I just wanted to go back in time and not got to Houston, Texas. If I hadn't Henry wouldn't have been left alone with Will.
I quickly fixed him a bowl of macaroni and cheese that was in the fridge and got him a small ice pack for his eye.
"Oww!" he shouted as I gently set the pack of ice on his swollen eye.
"Be still, be still. This will help." I gave him a reassuring smile and tried my best not to let him see me cry. As I stood up I heard a few crackles under my shoes and saw the broken vase shattered among the floor.
I let out a sigh and fetched a broom and dustpan to clean up the mess.
After I disposed of the fragments of glass I checked the cabinet for any Aleve or Tylenol.
All gone.
I had used it all up the last time Will hit me. He must've been using some too even though he wasn't the one who was strangled or pushed down the stairs.
I always did my best to hide my bruises. He never usually put bruises on my face until he got really mad and I always told the team I had fallen down the stairs which wasn't entirely a lie.
"Henry...sweetie, I need to make a quick trip to the drug store and I don't want to leave you here, okay? You don't have to come inside, you can stay in the car if you'd like," I said with a weak smile. He just nodded his head and slowly got off the couch, his blanket in hand.
As he made his way to the door I went into the bathroom and checked out the damage he did to my face.
It was awful. My lip was busted open. My left eye was swollen and bruised and my right eyebrow had a huge gash in it from the bottle he threw at me. There were bruises on my neck too, from where he grabbed me. My eyes were bloodshot from crying. Everything about me looked damaged but I sucked it up.
I exited the bathroom and grabbed Henry's coat off the coat rack and wrapped him up tightly. I grabbed a jacket from my duffel bag too and pulled the hood over my head, hoping the shadow from the hood would make my face look less noticeable.
After strapping him into his car seat that he had almost outgrown I zipped up my jacket, jumped into the car and pulled out of the driveway.
So many things raced through my mind. I continually asked myself why he did what he did, why he started drinking and why I didn't report him the moment be laid a hand on me.
I kept giving him chances, hoped that he would find it in his heart to be better and change. But when his drinking interfered with my son, that was all I could take. I wanted him dead but I wouldn't be the one to do it. I wanted him to feel the suffering we did but I was not one to retaliate.
So many questions bounced off my skull and before I knew it I was slamming my hands on the steering wheel at a stoplight and screaming something unintelligent.
I looked in the rear view mirror to see Henry crying as he looked out the window and I quieted myself. The poor kid. His dad had lost it and then his mother began to go crazy.
No.
I was going to be the bigger person. I was going to turn the other cheek and show him how to be strong. I was going to suck it up and move on with my life. For him. But there was one thing I wasn't going to do. I was not going to let Will come back into our lives. He had caused enough pain for a lifetime.
Once I saw the sign of the drug store that was right beside the laundromat I took a moment to gather up all my broken pieces, to pull myself together.
I put the car in park and hopped out with my debit card. Will had taken all of my cash.