Within a few seconds, you bolt to block Hotch from your father's view, raising your hands. Your eyes are ablaze, even Hotch is surprised at the blue light that has now overtaken your orbs.
"If you touch him I'll kill you!"
Your tone doesn't even sound like your own. Your voice has a deep tremble that Hotch has never witnessed. With your hands raised, you look as if you're ready for a full on war. Your chest is heaving, and your jaw is clenched.
Still, Manchester doesn't look shaken.
"I'm not here to cause you harm."
"LIAR!!"
Manchester deflates, lowering his hands in a surrender.
"I came because I saw it. That nightmare."
You don't show any significant change. That's until Hotch places a hand on your shoulder. You turn sharply. Hotch's look is soft, almost comforting. Your breathing returns to normal, and the blue filters out. You blink, now looking at him.
Hotch's smile is warm. You swallow, right before you turn back. You can't let your guard down, not in front of him. You're still uneasy, and you stay firmly protective in front of Hotch. For once, your father looks disappointed in himself.
"The fact that you think I'm such a monster that I would kill an innocent man, someone you clearly love, it's heartbreaking." Manchester looks down in guilt.
"Whether you like it or not, we're family. I'm tethered to you, the same way you are to me. When you're distressed, I feel it. That's how I found you when you were taken by that monster. It's how I know you now see me the same way you do those people that you hunt down."
You can't figure out if he's serious. Because this is the first time that he shows remorse, or regret for his actions.
"I'd never put you through that, especially after I lost.." He can't finish the sentence, he just swallows. Your guard lowers, because you can see it. The pain his actions have caused. He's sincerely distraught. He wipes at his face.
"I didn't get these powers after your mother died. I've always had them. I was born with this, the same way you were."
"What..."
That couldn't be right. You'd literally know this man all his life. Surely you would have seen him use it.
"It was hard for me growing up being this different. I didn't trust many people. Being able to see the truth that people hid, it was a burden, a curse. But when I met you mother I..something inside me changed." His eyes show love. The kind you hadn't seen for years.
"I fell for her. She was special. For some reason I didn't hear the chaos that I did from regular people. I thought she was a mutant too, but that wasn't it. Our abilities see through everything, especially evil. The ones that we have a harder time reading are those who have more purity than darkness. Aneesa was different. Just like him."
You narrow your eyes, turning to Hotch.
"Like me?" Hotch asks.
"There's something about you that's distinctively good. It's why you can so readily block most of her ability. Why it's so difficult for me to even touch yours."
You aren't sure how you feel about what he's saying. If you even believe him.
"If you trust nothing else that I say, trust that I would never cause you harm."
You blink, and just like that, he's gone.
This was not how you thought the night would go.
