Hide and Go Seek

The Night

I couldn't sleep. It had been years since Henry's abduction but I still couldn't bring myself to leave them alone at night. I guess I understood that this was Henry's last night at home before he left for college, and that Michael was one of the star football players on his team even though he was only in sixth grade. But tonight just felt different. I couldn't stop tossing and turning, maybe it's because of them or maybe it's because I know the truth about Jaelynn.

Jaelynn had just turned ten. She had curly brown hair and blue eyes. Everyone was in awe when I told the team I was pregnant with her, everyone but Dr. Spencer Reid. Spence told me that he had suspected it for a while, ever since he saw me sneaking saltines.

I was still turning when I heard a voice mumble next to me.

"Stop turnin' the kids are fine," Will was talking in more of a southern accent than normal.

"I'm going to go and check on them," by the time I finished my sentence I was already up and walking towards the door.

The first door I come to is Michael and Henrys. As I looked through the shadows of different shades of blacks and greys that I saw I could easily make out there bodies under the covers. AS quietly as I could I slowly closed the door and started for Jaelynn's door. As I was walking the closer I got the wooden floor under me got colder, and colder by the step. When I opened the door terror fled through me as more of the room revealed.

The window was opened, a lamp on the floor with her white covers off the bed with no sight of her. According to Will I screamed loud enough to wake up our neighbors. WIthout thinking I back traced to the boys room. Maybe she got scared and went into their room. As I opened the door it hit the wall with a powerful bang. Looking around the room I watched the boys jump as I turned on the lights.

"What the hell," Henry answered without a space.

"Is Jaelynn in here with you?"

"Why would she be?" Michael was turning to face the wall on his side as he spoke.

My feet took in control of my body. "Will-," I was hyperventilating trying to get air into my lungs, the walls were all moving in a circle when I made it to the room. The moment I saw him I melted to the floor and started to bawl. Will was holding my hand and on the ground with me. "Sh- sh- she's gone," I could finally spit out.

Without hesitating Will took in control, "Call 911 Henry, and Michael call Emily! Now".

Within minutes our block was surrounded by flashing lights, police officers, and the curious neighbors that wanted to know why they have been woken up. I have been on both sides of this conversation before but not knowing is the worst. Like every other case we were outside as CSU went through the room and detecting how much of the house is a crime scene. When I heard a car door close I knew that it was Emily. Michael talked quietly and I never wanted to know if she picked up the phone or not.

"Hey," she was rushing over to us. "Michael said that Jaelynn was taken?"

I wanted to respond, I wanted to hear them say that it looked like she had just gone out to a friends house, but I knew it couldn't be that simple. She was ten after all. Nothing was that simple.

The moment I made eye contact with her I felt all of my emotions rush right to the top. My eyes filled with hot tears that could never have been held back, I started to lean in the direction of Emily. I knew it was happening but I couldn't stop myself from falling forward. Will graded me from behind and Emily jerked forward to help catch me.

"Woah okay, okay," She looked at Will as she held me up, " I am going to take your statement over here and an officer will take all of yours''. Something with guys is that they don't wear their emotions on their face. She helped me over to a corner where the lights were not as bright and the noise was muffled.

"Emily, I didn't hear anything," The last part I know was muffled to my hands but I couldn't bring myself to admit that I was awake the whole time my daughter was taken.

"Hey no, this is not your fault. You can't do this to yourself". I couldn't help myself but cry when I heard that. We had told so many parents that but in the end it sounds pointless when you are the parent. I tried to hold myself together but nothing made sense anymore. I know that she wasn't Will's. I know what because it happened when I was on a case. Everything happened so fast. One minute I was at a bar and the next he was there, the detective on the case. One drink led to two and by the end of the night we could barely make it to my room. Nobody but I knew the truth. The truth was that everyone loves her and that we are still a family. "JJ, I really do need to ask these questions and you know it".

"Right, sorry," I barely could finish sorry before Emily grabbed my hands. They were so warm and full of life.

"There is nothing to be sorry about. And I already spoke to the rest of the team. They should be here within the hour. We are going to find her. Alive. Now how did you find out she was missing? Did you notice anything weird?"

"I was going to check in on her," my mouth was speaking but my head wasn't. I knew something was wrong before I went to look how far the unsub could be with her? And what were they doing to her as everyone sat around looking for evidence on how she got out?