Lost In Japan // Aaron Hotchner

IX

(Trigger warning)

Arden opened the front door for Aaron. He was a bit surprised by how the big front door was so quiet. She gestured for him to go to a room to the right while she locked up. Aaron took a seat on the sofa as he waited for her. She was skillfully quiet as she closed the door to the room.

"This room has thick walls. We can talk here," she said as she took a seat next to him.

"Where's Pierce?" His eyes scanned the room for anyone lurking in the shadows.

"Upstairs. Thought I'd be best if we were alone." He handed her the cup of tea he brought from the station. It was cinnamon tea, lightly sweetened. "Thank you."

"What do you know about the Jane Doe?" He was more curious than anything to find out the reason behind her reaction to hearing about the file. It had been so unexpected. He hadn't even said any details yet she knew. It made him wonder what she was hiding. What wasn't she sharing? For a second he felt furious. Why wouldn't she tell them? Why did she keep them in the dark? Hell he could charge her with obstruction of justice. But then came the sliver of calm. The part of his mind that told him to listen. Just listen.

Arden's gaze remained fixed on the take out cup in her hand as she began to speak. "Fifteen years ago I was a different person. Picture a rebel without a cause who really loved to read and listened to rock and you'd have a pretty good description of me. Alex was on the football team all throughout high school which meant by default as his best friend all the popular kids knew and hung out with me. I mean, Alex and I, we were a duo. But Ben... Ben was always left behind."

"Who's Ben?"

"Alex's younger brother. He's nine years younger. Odd circumstances. Lex came here when I was two. Then his brother got dropped off when we were nine. He just couldn't leave his brother to fend for his own. Ben is a sweet kid. Reid reminds me of him." Aaron saw a faint smile tug on her lips. He knew if he wanted to know he'd have to be patient. "We were both sophomores. Got invited to some dumb party. Of course we went. Gideon and Rossi crashed the party in search of an unsub. That was the first time I met Gideon."

"I didn't know," he muttered.

"Yeah? That's because we don't talk about it. Not that case. Never that case. It was like some unspoken rule between us. But it's not because of the party. It's because of what happens later. Alex and I walked back home that night after Gideon and Rossi asked us some questions. Offered us a ride home. We should have taken them up on the offer." There was such a sad look in her eyes. "On our way home we encountered a pair of men, couldn't have been older than 21 maybe 22. Reeked of alcohol and cigarettes." She took a breath. "Power reassurance rapist. You saw the tapes. We all did. Reid thinks that we only have one unsub. I think we have a dominant leader and submissive partner. One person can't handle two teenage girls." She looked at her hands. "It's the only thing that makes sense to me. It's the only way I can understand the connection. That night... On that street... Alex and I called Gideon. We filed a report."