Elysian [Book 1]

thirty-seven

thirty-seven; my very shitty family tree

I walked into William Hightower's cell as they released him into FBI custody. He was in the middle of putting on a new prosthesis. I opened the glass door and looked at him.

"They, uh, say you get used to it."He said holding up his prosthetic leg and my smile faltered. "Right now- it just hurts like hell." He said grunting, putting on his prosthesis which was for his below the leg amputation. 

"I'd be lying if I said it gets better, because it doesn't." I said and he slid his stump into the prosthesis and looked up at me. I pulled up my pant leg to show him that I wasn't lying and I showed him my above the knee amputation.  He gave me a sad look and I coughed, and looked at him, shoving the pant leg down.

"We'd like you with us in the cass corridor." I said and his face shot over to me. "Doing what?" He asked confused and I shrugged my shoulders. " The same thing you've been doing. We'll conduct nightly checks. You have a rapport out there." I said and he looked at me confused. 

"Is the Detroit Police Department on board?" He asked and I shrugged one shoulder. "Eh. I mean, but I honestly don't really care." I said and he nodded smiling at me. I smiled back and I closed the door and I walked off to the side and leaned against the wall. 

"Want to go to the hotel?" I heard Spencer ask as I jumped. I turned to him with a hand over my chest and nodded, going to the hotel to get some rest.

I walked into the briefing room as they had just finished telling the officers about the profile. I opened the door to the briefing room and Hotch looked over at me and I sighed. "That's it. Any other questions, feel free to ask me or the other agents." Bedwell said and they all nodded leaving the room.  William looked out the glass doors and saw his mother.

"What is she doing here?" He asked and looked back at all of us. I raised my hands in defense and walked over to Spencer, who was holding a cup of coffee. He handed it over to me and kissed my temple as Hotch spoke to William.

"I don't want her living off hope. Bad news stops us for a while, but then you move on. Hope- is paralyzing." He spat at all of us and I looked at his mother.

"You did a stupid thing." Mrs. Hightower said and William stood up and nodded. "Yes, ma'am." He said and limped over to her. "Come here." She said and pulled him into a hug. I sipped on my coffee and Hotch looked at me. "A word." He said and I sighed and set my cup down, walking away from Spencer.

We walked out of the briefing room and Hotch looked down at me, with his hands crossed. "You were an hour late. We had already gone through the profile." He said and I nodded, with my eyes closed. "I know, I know. I'm sorry. " I said and he tilted his head. "Hadley. If this happens again you won't be on the next case." He said and I nodded and turned to leave but he stopped me. "Also, I called your doctor and we talked about giving you a higher dosage of Modafinil." He said and I rolled my eyes playfully.