𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐘. ( 𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐤 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧 )

chapter twenty-one

TW: child abduction, stalking, mention of adoption, angst if you squint, police presence, mild language, racist ideals, violence

truth comes out, part two of three.

"everything happens for a reason. don't question it, trust it. " - buddha.

-

"Why didn't you tell me?" Spencer asked quietly, walking up to Genevieve, who was filling up her cup with coffee. Garcia had compiled part of a list of potential suspects for Genevieve and Emily to look through. The media had somehow gotten hold of the fact that Annike was Genevieve's daughter, so JJ was currently outside trying to calm the mob of reporters. Hotch was out directing a K9 unit around the neighbourhood in hopes of finding something, but their hopes were low. Derek was interviewing the Moore's on any suspicious persons to see if they could get a physical description or even a name. Rossi was paying a visit to the coffee shop Genevieve frequented and her apartment complex to try and see if anybody recognised anyone matching the profile. Spencer was meant to be analysing the note, but had taken a quick brain break, and seized the opportunity to approach his sister.

Her expression dropped.

"Honestly?" She asked, looking up to find him staring intently at her. Nervously, she averted her gaze. "Anybody who knows my rap sheet knows that I can be accurately classed as a flight risk-"

"Genevieve-"

"Don't," She interrupted him, knowing he was going to try and offer her some comforting words about how it wasn't her fault. "You and mum forgiving me doesn't change the fact that I handled me leaving badly. I was a twenty-six-year-old with no life outside the Green Berets. I had no income after my discharge, and no one to help me. I was alone, and I was scared, so I did took seemed like my only option. I carried Annike to term and gave her up to a good, hard-working family who deserved her a lot more than I did. And it makes me sad that I gave her up, that she isn't my daughter. But I don't regret it. I don't know what kind of life I could have given her, but it wouldn't have been as stable as the one the Moores have given her. And until now, I thought this way was safer for her. But I didn't want people judging me for leaving another person-"

"Genevieve," Spencer interrupted, his expression soft. "You didn't leave her. You love her. And you made one of the biggest sacrifices a mother could make to give her the best life you possibly could. No one would judge you for that. I think you did what you saw as the best thing for Annike, no matter how much hurt that caused you. And in my book, that makes you a fantastic mother,"

Her eyes darted around the precinct, looking anywhere but at him, as the her eyes started to tingle as tears pooled up and threatened to overflow.

"I'm fine," She assured him, as he opened his mouth again, his eyebrows furrowed together in a concerned expression. "I'm fine. I've got to help Derek now. I'm not doing her any good by standing around crying about her," She brusquely rubbed her eyes, as if pushing the tears back into her head, and strode away, forgetting her coffee on the bench.

+++

"Agents," Detective Gardener strode into the room where Derek and Genevieve were pouring over the files that Garcia had sent over so far. The pair looked up, as Hotch, Spencer, Rossi, JJ, and Emily all walked in on his feels.

"What is it?" Genevieve asked, her eyes widening as she saw the grim expressions on the faces of her colleagues.

"He's sent another note," Gardener said grimly, handing her a plastic bag in which a perfectly uncrinkled piece of A4 piece of paper. On it, were four words that broke the case wide open.