The Room Upstairs

Chapter Six

"I was seven when my father murdered my mother," Cass said, staring blankly at the casket.
It was closed since the body inside was a heavily damaged skeleton, but she knew too well what the corpse looked like.
"Of course, I didn't have proof at the time, but I always had a feeling, "Cass went on. "Twenty five years later, I finally have my answer thanks to my colleague and good friend, Dr. Spencer Reid."
Spencer nodded once.
"My mother, Victoria Lancing Sherwood, was a good woman, and I like to think I take after her," Cass concluded, sitting down.

The remainder of the funeral was quiet, most of the few attendees having done their mourning twenty five tears prior when they thought Victoria had run away. Derek, Hotch, Rick and Evan lowered the coffin into the grave, and the hole was filled in.

Evan pushed a woman in a wheelchair over to where Cass and Reid were standing.
"Mrs. Carter," Cass said, surprised.
"Fran insisted on coming," Evan worried. "I told her she looked pale today but-"
"Evan, I told you I needed more sun is all!" Fran interrupted. "Cassidy, dear, is this your beau? Your partner?"
"Partner, yes, but not the way you mean," Cass said quickly.
Fran chuckled.
"Spencer Reid," Spencer introduced, offering an awkward half wave.
"Good to meet you, dear," Fran smiled.
Evan wheeled her away, and Cass spotted her uncle getting into the back of a car.
"Uncle Rick!" she called, dashing over.

Rick looked surprised as his niece ran towards him, but waited.
"I just- er, I wanted to say, I- I forgive you," Cass fumbled. "For the- for everything."
"That'll all I wanted to hear," Rick smiled.
"We can split the money," Cass offered. "I don't want it all."
"No, Cassidy, I'm getting up in my years and I never had particularly good health," Rick said. "You go ahead and keep the fortune. I'm old. Not much longer and I won't have a use for it. Until then, I suppose we have a lot of catching up to do."
"I'll stop by in the morning," Cass promised.
"I'll be waiting," Rick nodded, climbing in to the car.

People began to leave, and the BAU waited until the cemetery was empty, then piled into two of their black SUVs to return to Cassidy's farm.
"How are you doing?" Reid asked, catching back up with Cass as she climbed into one of the black SUVs.
"Fine," Cass told him, a small smile on her lips.
This time, it wasn't a lie.