Blood and Battle | Criminal Minds (gxg)

Chapter 75

TW: violence, mention of r@pe

Elle's avoiding me. Every time I approach her she conveniently finds somewhere else to be. But I need to talk to her. I know her. She's going to lock everything she's feeling in a tiny box in her heart and throw away the key. I need her to give me the key.

I sit in the bullpen of the police department, across the room from her. I don't try to hide the fact that I'm staring directly at her. She continues to ignore my gaze as she sits with Reid and JJ.

Hotch and the others worked on Lee all night and day. He's given us nothing. And we're out of time.

Morgan leads Lee and his lawyer from the interrogation room. Derek catches my eye and I see the anger behind his. Lee no longer wears handcuffs. The sight makes my skin crawl.

Elle looks up as she notices them. Her mouth drops open and she stands, pushing her chair back. The metal legs screech across the floor.

"You're letting him go?" she nearly shouts as she rushes to Hotch. I stand as well and make my way towards them.

"There's nothing we can do." Hotch fights to keep his voice steady. "Our time is up."

"You know," Elle hisses. "You know he's the unsub."

"And we would have him, if things went as planned," Hotch shoots back.

"Our strategy wasn't working."

"It would have. But you screwed up."

Elle's voice shakes with anger. "Yeah? Maybe it's because the last time you sent me home Hotch, I got shot!"

I reach for her elbow but she rips her arm from my grasp and storms off. I'm about to go after her when Hotch puts a hand in front of me. "She needs space, C."

I glare at him. "She's not wrong, you know."

"Carli-"

"Why should she trust us?" My voice is eerily calm, my tone icy. "Why should she trust us to keep her safe when we've already proven we can't?"

Hotch holds my gaze, his eyes sad. "I'm sorry."

I take a step back, regarding him coldly. "We all are."

────

The wind bites at the bare skin of my arms. It helps to clear my head. I sit on the front steps of the police station in a t-shirt and jeans, my hair whipping back. I haven't seen Elle for an hour. Once again, I feel the tears trying to surface. And once again, I force them down.

I've sat here for twenty minutes and I've gotten nowhere. I don't know what she wants anymore. As far as I can tell, it's to be as far away from me as possible. She's not going to come find me. That leaves me with one option.

I stand and gaze down the road. A pair of brake lights trails off into the distance, red laser beams in the darkness of the night. I sigh and turn towards the door.

Once inside, I walk around the entire department without any sign of her. I find the rest of the team in the conference room.

I poke my head in the doorway. "Have any of you seen Elle?" Everyone shakes their heads.

I frown and continue my search. I open a door to my right and realize it's the records room. Lee's file spreads out on the table near the door. I'm about to leave when I realize it's flipped open, the papers scattered across the tabletop. I look closer and pick up the paper on top.

It's Lee's profile, filled with his basic information. Name, description, address–

I freeze. "No."

The paper falls from my hand as I rush out the door.

---

I park the car on the street instead of entering the parking lot to the apartment complex. I jump out, my gun already drawn. I creep down the sidewalk, sticking close to the wall of the building beside me.

I can hear voices. I can hear Elle.

"We both know what you are. And we both know you're not going to hurt women anymore."

I peek around the corner and see Elle, illuminated by the glow of the streetlight. Lee stands with his back to me.

"Look, lady, I don't know what your–" He's interrupted by the sound of gunshots.

I rush forward at the sound, bringing my weapon up. "Elle!" I shout.

Startled, she turns her gun on me before realizing who I am. We both drop our weapons. I stare at her in confusion. Slowly, my eyes travel to Lee's body on the pavement, lying in a puddle of blood.

My hand falls to my side, my gun suddenly too heavy to raise. "Elle..." I breathe.

I drag my eyes away from his body. Elle's hand drops limp at her side. Tears glisten in her eyes.

"What have you done?"