𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄 ➺ 𝐉𝐉 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐊

𝟏𝟓.𝟐「 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐌𝐄 𝐒𝐖𝐎𝐎𝐍 」

𝐎𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

I walk up the drive way of the Cameron residence and take a deep breath before raising my fist to knock on the door. Before my knuckles can even touch the wood, my arm is grabbed and I'm spun around.

"You shouldn't be here" Rafe states.

The first thing I notice about the boy is his puffy red rimmed eyes that let me know he's been crying, but I don't mention it.

"R-Rafe, I need to talk to you" I stutter, mentally facepalming myself for letting my fear show.

"Are you afraid of me?" He asks, looking surprised and even a little bit hurt.

"You don't scare me" I lie.

He quickly grabs my arm and I flinch, making him scoff.

"Don't lie to me, Det" He says, letting go of me and walking away.

"Rafe, wait up!" I yell, following after him as he walks around to the side of the house.

"What do you want?" He demands, turning to face me once we are away from being seen by anyone.

"I want you to turn yourself in" I answer and he laughs as if I'm joking.

"I'm not gonna do that" He shrugs.

"It's the right thing to do" I reason.

"I don't care" He retorts.

"They can get you help" I continue and he shakes his head.

"I don't need help. I'm fine" He says but I can't tell which of us he's trying to convince.

"My brother is going to get the death penalty, Rafe! And he can't play the mentally ill card" I argue "I'm going to lose him for the second time in the span of months. They're going to kill him, and there's jack shit I can do about it!"

"What do you want from me?!" He yells in my face.

"Help me!" I scream, tears tumbling down my face "Please just help me"

He looks away from me with a clenched jaw and I step forward, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt.

"Just tell the truth, Ray. Don't make me grieve the loss of a sibling all over again. Don't hurt me again" I plead.

"I'm scared, Det" He admits with tear filled eyes and I let go of his shirt, gently lifting my hands to his face.

The boy flinches like I've seen JJ do multiple times over the years and I shed more tears as my palms are placed on his cheeks.

"I won't hurt you" I promise him.

"Why not? You should" He chokes out.

"No one should hurt anyone" I counter and he reaches up, softly wrapping his hands around my wrists.

"I don't want to hurt you again" He tells me, tears rolling down his rosy cheeks "I just don't know how to do anything else"