𝗗𝗢𝗡'𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗠𝗘 | 𝘼. 𝙃𝙊𝙏𝘾𝙃𝙉𝙀𝙍

twenty two

'That sound,' Spencer caught the team off guard with a loud expression, 'It's like the coast. She's at the docks.'

'Are you sure? Reid we can't mess this one up- you know he's unpredictable now,' coaxed Morgan, making sure Spencer was firm.

'Morgan I'm nearly never wrong, we've got to go,' and the files Spencer Reid was holding were gushed over the table. Aaron didn't think he'd moved faster in his life.

                 'I can't tell you how much damage my team will do when they find me,' you hummed to his despair. Gradually, the steepness of his annoyance was increasing- you were just enjoying yourself, 'Besides, it's not like you're ever going to get out of prison, well, after what you di-'

'Shut up! Just, be quiet!' he boiled at the brim, you could almost see the hot water tipping over his head and through his eye sockets as they bulged in anxiety. You sighed, looking around and having an urge to whistle. A gash in the wall opened a doorway for little rays of light, finding their footsteps on the damp ground where you could hear water sloshing beside. Smacking the ground over and over, the tide came in and with your eyes closed you could see the filth ridden water pinching the harbour. Mismatched pipes were leaning lifelessly against the moss laced wall on which a large piece of mesh hung, begging to be righted. Across your path, a rat scuttled quickly, making no hesitation as George awoke from the shadows.

'Fascinating,' he tilted his scruffy head, his auburn hair flopping over to the left side.

'I beg your pardon?' you accented your words.

'Drop the cockiness, Agent. It makes you look stupid.'

'If you want me to be scared of you, there's just no chance of that, George,' you said as he got up fast, knocking the stool behind him and swiping the silver blade to your eyeline; a bead of sweat dripping from his face to yours.

'Drop. It,' he paused harshly between his words which made you step down just enough, so he was satisfied. If only you could have seen Hotch's face at that moment; after all, the whole team could hear. It was whether they'd caught the waves.

                   Derek lead Reid and Rossi around the back of a small lot on the docks. Bands of wind shouted from a red steel door and they proceeded with caution. Tap, tap tapping water from a broken pipe set them on edge, flashlights darting around the damp darkness that engulfed them. As of now, Hotch had JJ and Prentiss around the front and was entering from a new angle. The underground pipe works were practically like mazes, and unknowingly, you were running out of time.

               Near to making you gag, his cynical grimace rose up from his hands and plastered itself to his face like a second skin.

'So, you think your team is really going to save you?'

'Why wouldn't they?' a frown was created as you replied.

'Oh no, I'm positive they will. In fact, they could already be here. But it wont matter anyway once I flood the place,' he scratched his neck with the knife, chuckling slightly.

Your head fell back and rose up at his sentence, 'What?'

'You didn't think I broke these pipes for nothing, did you? Oh really, you call yourself an agent. Maybe you are just stupid,' he laughed but you picked up on something else. A squeak in the tunnel behind you- too loud for a rat- made your head twist. Spencer. Rossi's monotone voice hushed ever so slightly but the gush of water below you masked it. Reddening, your face was painted with fury, despair, and fear. Knowing that they would be listening, you tried to hide the quiver in your voice.

'You need to get out,' you spoke to George, but not really to him, but to your team. You were telling them to leave. God, praying that they would leave.

'I'm going down, you're coming with me. I won't rot behind bars, Agent,' he swerved around, curling his words.

'Please,' you begged them, 'Go,' but the crash of the door said otherwise. Gnawing through his blue shirt, George Danver swiped the blade in his hand at the taller, much heavier agent behind him. Hotch just about dodged the scrape apart from a slice on his left arm that began dripping immediately. At this point, Reid had untied you and Danver was just about to kick you up from the ground until you flicked your hair over the back of your head, gripping the shirt of your abductor and pulling him close.

'You need to learn how to bluff. Now who looks stupid,' you scorned, clasping your hand until you let him go. Facing Spencer, he pulled you into his embrace, clutching your arms as if he would never let you go again. That was your only drawback- the fact that every time you pulled a stunt like this, a little bit of Spence's fragility chipped away.

               Cold was the night as it scuttled past your back, trailing lines down your arms in small raised bumps. Across the docks about 10 meters away, Aaron's arm was being tended to and you saw an opportunity to speak to him. Apologise rather. Dave came from around the right side of the ambulance, perching on the seat beside you, nudging your shoulder.

'Glad you're okay kiddo, but you gotta stop pulling stuff like this. I can't take much more,' he lightened the mood.

'Yeah. I think I'll get the brunt of it with him,' you laughed nervously, nodding your head in the direction of Hotch.

'Good luck with that,' Rossi smiled at you, patting your thigh before heading over to the cars. Thanking the medic, you got up- wrapped in a large FBI jacket- and headed over to Aaron, shielding the wind by pulling the jacket in more. He fixated his gaze on you, seeing your body language couldn't have been a good sign, but you strode forward regardless.

'Hi,' you greeted- awkward around him, 'How's the arm?'

'It'll be fine. You?' he said with only a touch of concern in his voice. Aside from that, he was deadly serious.

'Yeah, I'll be fine too. Can I sit?' you asked, raising a hand to the back of your head. He agreed after a moment of thought, 'I'm sorry for doing that. It- uh- it's not good of me,' you tried to apologise, knowing the brunt of it was in store.

'It was stupid, careless, arrogant. And yes, we caught him, right before you could've been killed- again.'

'Again?' you repeated, 'You rememb-'

'I read your confidential file. You've done this before,' Aaron admitted, coarsely.

'Thinking about it, did it help?'

'What?'

'Did you remember anything?' you hoped, to which Hotch got up from the van.

'Are you serious? Beckett you've got to be kidding me,' he turned to face you; getting up, you were now in his eyeline.

'Hotch, I didn't-'

'Look what you've put this team through- again,' he gestured, making your eyes wander to the rest of them who were gathered before the SUVs, now watching the feud unravel, 'Your selfish acts put your life and the welfare of this team in jeopardy again. For god's sake Beckett, grow up!' he near shouted, not a hint of regret in his voice. You took a step closer to him.

'The difference this time, Hotch, is that I didn't have to worry about losing you. You were already gone in the first place,' you calloused, pushing the jacket you had taken off into his chest and walking aggressively towards the cars, parting the team in your path of reckoning. Hotchner looked around for somebody and anybody to side with him, but no one was there.

In the back of the car, JJ was next to you as you slept for the first time in a while.

Imagine, if you left him. Left this life behind and vanished. It's not like he'd remember a thing about you, Agent Beckett' 'What? No, I would never leave him' 'Are you sure about that?' Smiler appeared. 'You' 'The afterlife isn't much fun, Beckett, that's a warning' he laughed. 'Why are you here?' you yelled at him. 'Oh, just cutting some loose ends, hey- that reminds me of when I cut the cords of the airbags in your family car. Tragic' he grimaced. He wasn't alone. 'Genie' 'Duckie' 'Mom? Jamie?' 'Genie. Genie.' 

In one motion, your eyes were open.