Derek Morgan Imagine - Tumblr Posts

Begin Again

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Prompt - ‘In a cafe, I watched it begin again.’

Dating Derek Morgan was...it was completely refreshing honestly. Never had a man treated you as well as he did, never made you feel so confident, so happy. Your last relationship lasted for a while, you were in love with the man but he treated you like you were nothing, every little thing you did was criticised, he made you feel so small.

After the relationship had finally ended you were ready to just be on your own and you lasted for a while, you got yourself an apartment, got promoted, everything was going great but you still felt terrible as a result of the constant belittling from your relationship.

Bumping into Derek Morgan had been completely random . He was working a local case and you just so happened to be tasked with dealing with the FBI when they showed up at your workplace asking questions about a colleague who had not long been fired. Derek had been his charming self and once the case was finished he came and found you to ask if you’d like to grab a coffee with him sometime.

You weren’t quite sure if you were ready to start dating again or not but there was something about Derek that made you say yes. The two of you exchanged numbers before he left, shooting you a grin as he did.

The two of you had agreed to meet at a cafe not too far away from you. You couldn’t remember the last time you were this excited, you were dressed up nice, wearing a pair of high heels. It had been a long time since you’d worn heels, Michael hadn’t liked it when you did and it was easier to do what he said to save another argument.

After your last relationship you fully expected every guy to be like him so you were shocked when you walked in and saw Derek sat at a table waiting for you. Your ex had always been late or even stood you up without letting you know, it was humiliating, so seeing Derek there on time took you back a bit.

The second he saw you he stood up, smiling as you made your way over to him.

“Hey,” He said, his smile widening, “You look gorgeous.” He told you before he was moving to pull your seat out for you.

You paused as you watched him, never having a guy help you into your seat like this. It was such a casual move and Derek hadn’t even known how nice that was but you did.

“Thank you.” You replied, trying to hide your blush.

From there the two of you had sat and talked for hours, it was incredible how easily you were able to relax around Derek. The two of you swapped stories, admittedly Derek’s were a lot more interesting what with working with the FBI and all but when you spoke he gave you his full attention, you couldn’t help but relax as each hour passed.

Watching Derek throw his head back with laughter, you couldn’t help but remember your last relationship and you couldn’t ever remember laughing like this with him. It was strange that Derek found your stories funny when he never did.

Even though you were relaxed, you knew you were still coming off a little shy and knew Derek had to have picked up on it. He never asked though but when the date was over Derek walked you back to your car you almost told him why you had been so shy. You almost brought him up but then Derek started talking about Christmas with his family, he told you the movies they watched every year and you couldn’t help but smile at him and in that moment any thoughts of your ex left your mind.

“I had a great time tonight,” Derek told you when you stopped at your car. “Can I take you out again sometime?” He asked.

There was no hesitation this time, you knew you wanted...knew you had to see Derek again. There was something about the man, the way you were able to relax and talk so openly with him, the way you were able to laugh and joke together. There was no fear of saying the wrong thing and being shouted at, there was nothing within you telling you to get in your car and drive away from him.

In fact every instinct was telling you that Derek was special, he could be trusted.

“I’d really like that.” You told him honestly, watching as he grinned at you before leaning down to kiss your cheek softly.

“Get home safe, pretty lady.” He said as he pulled away, looking at the blush decorating your cheeks and smiling softly at you. “I’ll see you soon.”

“I hope so.” You smiled.

You hadn’t realised it then, how could you? It was a first date after all but that was the day you started falling in love with Derek Morgan. For eight long months you had thought all love ever did was break and burn and end and on a Wednesday afternoon, in a cafe, you watched it begin again.

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- To Hold You Close (It’s All I Need)

- It’s Going To Be You

- State of Grace

- Half of a Whole

- (20) 22

- I Wish It Was Me

- Losing You, It’s Not An Option

- I Have Found you

- Some Things Are Worth The Risk

- Treacherous

- Only You

- Begin Again

- I Almost Do

- Come Back…Be Here

- Hold You To That

- The Best Day

- Live Like Jack and Sally

- The Lucky One

I Almost Do

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Prompt - ‘I can't say hello to you and risk another goodbye.’

It had been an exhaustingly long case, both you and Derek being forced to act like nothing was wrong between you when in reality being around the man made you want to cry.

Things had been great between you, together for over a year, moved in with one another, things had been great. You couldn’t even pinpoint when things had started going bad, you just remembered that the two of you were arguing more, you remembered that in the last few months you’d spent more time in the guest bedroom than you did in your own.

The tension between the two of you eventually seeped into your work life and Hotch had taken to keeping the two of you as far away from each other as he could whereas he usually paired you with each other for most assignments, knowing how well the two of you worked together.

Derek was the one to finally put an end to the relationship after months of fighting, months of faking smiles and telling everyone things were fine, everyone had rough patches, after months of sleeping alone and days without talking to one another.

“We can’t do this anymore Y/N,” He had snapped one day, the two of you were arguing in the kitchen. Hateful words thrown at each other in the heat of the moment. Derek sighed before softening his voice and repeating, “We can’t do this anymore.”

You blinked against the tears, you knew he was right but it didn’t mean you wanted it to end. All you wanted was for the fighting to stop, you didn’t even know what you were fighting over anymore. You’d never fallen out of love with Derek, you still loved him more than anything but ultimately you knew he was right.

“I know,” You replied, voice just as soft as his.

You watched his face fall, your expression mirroring his as you both came to terms with the fact your relationship was just over.

Derek took a step closer to you, lifting his hand to cup your face, giving you plenty of time to pull away before he dipped his head down and let his mouth connect with yours.

It was then you let the tears fall, the saltiness could be tasted on both your lips as he kissed you softly, trying not to let his own tears fall.

When he pulled away he rested his forehead on yours, looking at your face he couldn’t help but let a single tear fall as he brushed yours away.

“I love you baby.” He whispered, causing you to scrunch your nose up as you tried desperately to stop more tears from coming.

“I love you too,” You told him, nodding slightly as you did.

From then on everything became tense. You and Derek didn’t know how to act around each other. Hotch continued to keep you separate and the two of you avoided each other as best you could and you did quite a good job considering the close quarters you worked in.

Emily hadn’t hesitated to offer you her spare bedroom as you looked for your own apartment and she watched as you fell apart after rough cases, the only thing that could help was the one person you couldn’t have.

Sometimes Derek reached out, a phone call or a text, but you never replied. As much as you loved him, and you did love him more than words could say, you couldn’t say hello to him again and risk another goodbye. You knew he probably hadn’t even considered that but the first breakup was so painful, you couldn’t go through it again.

Tonight though it took everything in you not to call him. Tonight you just wanted to be with him, his arms secure around your waist, holding you tightly, his touch grounding you. You wanted him to kiss your forehead and whisper sweet nothings that always made you feel better.

But you didn’t call or text him. You didn’t get in your car and drive to the place you once called home. There were so many times where you had nearly given in, nearly gone to him, almost done it, but you resisted.

The thought of having him back just to lose him again was far too painful.

You knew in some ways that it was probably for the best the two of you had parted ways before you ruined everything with each other forever. At least calling it quits when you did meant there may have been a possibility, somewhere down the line, there was a chance you could reconnect, be friends again, be in the same room without any tension.

It had been an exhaustingly long case, both you and Derek being forced to act like nothing was wrong between you when in reality being around the man made you want to cry. You bet at this time of night that Derek was still up, just as tired as you after a long, hard week. You bet he was sitting in that chair by the window, looking out at the view, in the seat that you had both once occupied, you in his lap with his arms holding you securely.

You hoped he was thinking about you as much as you were thinking about him, you hoped he missed you as much as you missed him. You hoped one day that the two of you would be ready to find each other again and this time not let each other go.

______________

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Should Have Listened - Derek Morgan Imagine

Derek x reader

Summary: The team doesn’t know about Derek’s new girlfriend until she becomes a vital part of a new case they’re working.

JJ laid the folder in front of each of them. ‘3 women, all kidnapped and murdered in the last two weeks’ Hotch explained. ‘Right here in Washington, the last one was kidnapped yesterday’ He sat and clicked the remote three pictures coming up on the board. ‘They all look the same, that’s a clear link between victims’ Reid observed.

Derek lifted his head to look at the women, they seemed familiar, like he’d seen them before. ‘That’s not the only one’ Prentiss looked at the file. ‘They all work in The Dover Institute, all on the same ward’ That got Derek’s attention. ‘They work where?’ He began flicking through the sheets and sure enough they all worked at the same place. No wonder he had recognized them.

Derek shoved his chair back before hurrying out of the room. ‘Hey, Morgan, wh-’ But Hotch was cut off by the door closing behind the agent. When outside he pulled his phone from his belt and pressing the speed dial.

You looked down at you phone as it began to ring. ‘Excuse me’ You smiled politely at the nurse you were speaking to. Rounding the corner you hit the answer button. ‘Hey Babe’ You smiled chirping into the phone. ‘Let me guess, new case you’ll be gone for a few’ It was always that when he called you at work. ‘New case, right here. Listen to me sweetheart’ He rushed and the smile instantly fell from your face.’Tell them you’re sick go home pack a bag and go to mine, do not let anyone in, do not stop and talk to anyone, always have someone around you. Do not, ever, be on your own until you get into mine, and stay there’ You furrowed your eyebrows.

What was this? Why did he need you to go? You were already understaffed with Aine not turning up for work and Sandra being on holiday. Then there was Denise, you didn’t even want to think about what happened to her, the poor girl’s body was found almost a week ago. ‘Derek, I ca-’ He grunted at the other end. ‘No, Y/n, listen to me. There’s some guy going around killing people from your ward, they look exactly like you. Go to mine. Now’ Your hand flew to your mouth. ‘You-you mean Denise? Is that what happened to Aine? She never showed up today. Oh God’ You fell back into the chair.

You heard his uneven breathing on the other end of the phone. ‘Sweetheart, no, listen, calm down, deep breaths, come on, deep breaths’ You could feel the tears coming in your eyes. ‘Calm down?’ You hissed. ‘Derek, by the way you’re making it sound I’m next, oh god. Poor Aine’ You closed your eyes willing not to cry. ‘Three, there’s been three abductions Y/n, you’re not next, I’m just being safe, please go home beautiful, please’ You froze your body rigid.

Three? ‘Derek, three? There’s only two of us mi-Sandra? She-shes supposed to be on holidays’ You felt a tear slip out of your eye rolling down your cheek. ‘We found another body, three. Sweetheart, go home. Now’ You nodded frantically wiping your tear from your face. ‘Y-yeah, I’ll grab my stuff a-and be at yours in an hour’ You told him. ‘Good, thank you beautiful, ring me when you get back, ring me if you’re alone. Promise’ You nodded again. ‘Promise, I’ll see you later’ You hung up and dropped your head into your hands.

Standing you pushed your hair from your face. ‘Y/n?’ A nurse’s voice called from down the hall. ‘He’s gotten worse’ Stealing yourself you tucked your phone away and strode down the hall towards the patient's room. You could hear him screaming before you even got onto the corridor. ‘I’m going to go in maybe I can talk to him, but I need sedative’ The woman nodded and ran off knowing what to do, it wasn’t like this wasn’t a regular occurrence.‘Brian?’ You opened the door stepping hesitantly inside.

You sighed laying your head on the wall. Closing your eyes you took a deep breath. ‘Hey’ You heard an angry voice shout. Well, this day couldn’t turn out any worse. Opening your eyes you seen Derek storming down the hall towards you. Taking a deep breath you readied yourself for his onslaught. ‘Derek, lis-’ You gasped as he took your arm in his hand dragging you further down the hallway. ‘You promised me you’d go home, why the hell are you still here?’ You shrugged your arm out of his grasp. ‘I had to stay’  You defended

He sighed loudly throwing back his head a little. ‘Derek, one of my patients had an episode I couldn’t leave, I had to stay. With Aine, missing’ You gulped. ‘And Sandra not in it’s just the two of us here, I couldn’t leave Nick alone wi-’ Derek grabbed you arms leaning down to your height. ‘Screw Nick, this is your life we’re risking here. The bastard could be waiting outside for you now, he knows your schedule Y/n, he knows all your schedules. I need you alive you hear me’ You pulled away from him. ‘I risk my life walking into some of these rooms when these people relapse, it’s something I’m used to don’t go lecturing me about risking my life. What the hell do you do every single day? You think I don’t know if the last time I’m going to see you alive is every time you walk out the door huh?’ You almost shouted at him.

He paused. ‘That’s different, you’re being targeted. I’m bringing you home, now’ You shook your head. ‘I need to monitor Mr Willows for another hour, Derek’ He shook his head. ‘No, no’ He grabbed your hand turning dragging you back down the hall. ‘Derek’ You snapped and tried pulling away from him but he had an iron like grip on you.

It was only then that you noticed the other agents standing at the bottom of the hall. One was tall and skinny, Dr Reid, the other wore a suit and had a stoic face, Hotch, and the last a woman with dark hair, Prentiss. Derek had told you about them. ‘Woah, Morgan, we need to question her’ Your eyes widened as Hotch put a hand on Derek’s should stopping her. ‘I can do it, I’m dropping her home’ He snapped.

Reid looked between the two of you. ‘You know each other?’ You nodded. ‘Am I a suspect? Is that why you’re questioning me? Or is it because you think I’m the next victim?’ They all looked from Derek to you. ‘Ma’am w-’ You shook your head. ‘Doctor, but you can call me Y/n’ You cut him off and he nodded quickly. ‘We just need you to answer a few questions. ‘Ms Denny did not come into work today?’ You shook your head. ‘And Ms Francis is supposed to be on vacation?’ Again you nodded, your hand tightening around Derek’s. 

He stepped away from Hotch and closer to you, almost shielding you from their view. ‘Ms Francis, she was found wearing a wedding ring? All three of the victims were. Any idea why that would be?’ You shook your head. ‘Sandra hadn’t even got a boyfriend, not in almost a year, there’s no way she would be married, Denise was, but Aine wasn’t either’ You glanced up at Derek. ‘Why? Why would they be wearing rings?’ You tugged on his arm your other hand coming up and wrapping around his forearm.

He sighed as if he didn’t really want to tell you. ‘We believe this Unsub could be living out a fantasy where the victims are his wife’ He looked down at you. ‘And you think seeing as they’re all from the same ward here, the Unsub was a patient here. Or maybe someone who has had contact with us all?’ Hotch raised an eyebrow and glanced at Derek. ‘I’m not a profiler but I know how people’s minds work, it’s my job. I-I can give you a list of people if you just explain what you think he’s like’ Derek squeezed your hand giving Hotch a warning look but nodded.

You flicked through your files the team behind you. ‘Frank Waters, he was discharged two years ago, always proposed to Denise and myself. Called us his wife, told us we looked like his late wife. Mr Martin, oh, no it’s not him, he passed two months ago’ You clicked a few more buttons. ‘Jamie Leeson, he’s in Nevada, a friend of mine does frequent home visits’ You pressed a few more keys. Last check in was two days ago, he’s fine’ Pulling up the last file you read the details. ‘Mark Rush, released almost five months ago, Nick was his attending doctor but he always asking for us to come by’ You shuddered. ‘He was always saying he was married to one of us, but honestly I don’t think he could tell us apart. But I wouldn’t ever see him killing’ You looked over your shoulder at them

Reid pulled out his phone dialing a number walking from the room. ‘That’s it, but none of them ever struck me as murderers’ You looked at Derek. He nodded and reached out laying his hand on your shoulder his thumb stroking the skin on the back of your neck. ‘That wasn’t there yesterday’ He said noticing the cut on the back of you neck. You shrugged closing the files and standing. ‘I need to check on Mr Willows, and don’t fight it. If you’re so worried about me, come back after and bring me home. If I’m in here, I’m safe, this place has security and I promise I’ll stay inside until you call me’ Derek studied you for a second. 

Then nodded. ‘Okay, I’ll ring you when I’m outside and you come straight out’ You nodded. ‘You’re gonna get this guy’ You reached out and squeezed his hand. ‘You’re good at what you do, you’ll get him’ You leaned up and pressed your lips to his jaw before nodding to the rest of the team. ‘It was good meeting you, excuse me’ You slid out the door by Reid just as he was coming back inside.

An hour later you walked through the lobby of the hospital, Derek was waiting outside. ‘Ms Y/l/n?’ You heard a call. Turning you strode to the security office. ‘What ca-’ You were cut off by a knife pressed to your throat as you were spun around and pressed against the wall. ‘Hello, my love’ A kiss was pressed to your shoulder. You pulled away but the metal only bit into your skin. It was then you seen the man bent over the controls, blood coating the walls ‘Shh, we’re going to have a lovely time, me and you. Husband and wife. I came back for you. All the others, they were nothing. It was always you’ You closed your eyes.

Dipping your hand into your pocket you found three and held it down. Come on Derek, pick up, pick up. ‘Frank? Frank is that you? Hi’ You began to talk loudly trying to cover the ring. You heard Derek’s voice from your pocket. ‘Frank’ You spoke louder. ‘Frank you’re not supposed to be inside the hospital, where are the guards?’ You asked. He spun you around. ‘I came in the back door, by your car, but that traitor wants you out front’ He snarled. With that he raised his hand and then black.

When you woke you found yourself alone, it was cold and dark. You wore a long shirt, your previous uniform gone. Lifting your hand in front of your face you seen a golden ring on your finger. Your hand shook and you turned in on yourself the cold seeping into your bare legs. You heard a rattle and something bit into your left ankle. You were shackled. Tears prickled at your eyes and they began to overflow. Sobs shook your body. 

You were going to die. You were going to die. 

You didn’t know how long you lay there crying but then there was footsteps, outside the door. Then light. You tried to calm yourself trying to feign unconsciousness. ‘I know you’re away my love, a husband always knows’ You closed your eyes curling in more. ‘My love, come on’ A hand wrapped around your arm and yanked you up. ‘You must eat’ You screeched at him launching yourself at him. You hit and clawed as well as you could. He stumbled back as you hit him. 

Then the chain around your leg caught and you fell to the ground. Tears fell from your eyes hitting the ground. ‘Eat, my love’ A plate was slid in front of you, with a sandwich You picked it up and threw it as hard as you could towards him. You gasped as his hand came into contact with the side of your face. With a scream you fell back onto the ground. ‘Look what you made me do, look’ He shouted. ‘All you have to do is love me and look’ He screamed at you ‘Let me go, let me go and I’ll love you. I promise’ You pushed yourself up pleading with him.

You sobbed. ‘Please’ He shook his head. ‘I’ll make another, you need to eat’ He turned and began to leave. ‘No, no’ You screamed. ‘No, don’t go please, please, don’t le-’ With that he slammed the door shut locking it. ‘Come back, please. Frank’ You screamed as you puled your knees to your chest. The salty tears stung the cut on your cheek and when you tucked your lip into your mouth did you realize that was cut too.

You didn’t know how long you were there, but you were cold, very cold. You couldn’t stop shivering. And that’s when you heard shouting, shouting and screaming. Then the door opened. ‘F-frank?’ You shivered. He turned and locked the door. ‘Sh, they’re here to take you away. They can’t take you away. Not again’ He made his way towards you reaching out for you laying a hand on your cheek. ‘Derek’ You screamed. Shoving Frank aside you began to crawl towards the door. ‘Derek, help. Derek, I’m he-’ He covered your mouth as you were tackled to the floor

You tried to kick him off but he was too heavy. His body flattened yours into the floor his hand covering your mouth. You bit down harshly on his skin and he jerked away. ‘Derek’ You screamed before another slap was delivered to your cheek. You could hear them outside though. ‘De-’His hand calmed down over your face cutting off your air supply. ‘Sh, sh’ He calmed you looking to your eyes. Wide eyes that just wanted to be loved, that needed someone. But that someone wasn’t you.

A bang came from the side and light flooded the room. ‘Get off her, on your feet’ Derek’s voice shouted filling the room. Then you were pulled up to your knees and something was pressed against your neck. A knife, again. ‘Put it down, put the knife down’ Derek shouted at him brandishing his gun. ‘Let her go’ You eyes met his as the metal pressed more into your neck. ‘She’s mine, she’s mine now’ Frank croaked from behind you.

You took a deep breath. ‘H-he’s right, I-I love him, don’t I Frank?’ You shook. ‘Look at me Frank, come on. Look at me so we can tell them the truth, you didn’t take me. I’m here because I want to’ The knife came away from your neck and you flung your head back. He grunted as you hit him and then smacked him before shoving him away from you.

Shots rang through the room as you fell to the floor covering your ears.You uncovered them as you seen Derek rushing towards you. ‘Der’ You sobbed reaching for him. He fell to his knees and gathered you up into him. You arm wrapped around his neck as you buried your face into his shoulder gripping his shirt tightly. ‘I’m sorry, I’m so-so-sorry’ You sobbed. You felt his hand smooth your hair. ‘It’s alright sweetheart, it’s okay. I have you. I got you’ Derek cooed holding you tighter. ‘Hotch, get the key’ He snapped.

When the chain was gone from your leg Derek slipped his arms under you and lifted you from the ground. ‘Come on, I’m gonna get you to the hospital’ You held onto him as he maneuvered you out of the house and towards the black SUV. ‘I should have listened to you’ You sobbed as he slipped into the passenger seat. He nodded to whoever was in the drivers seat and the car turned on. ‘Remember that for future reference sweetheart’ He pressed a kiss to your head.

You looked up at him. ‘Don’t you worry Baby, I got you’ He smiled down at you. He reached up drying your tears. ‘I got you’ You reached up and pulled him down to you pressing your lips against his in a soft kiss. ‘Thank you, thank you for coming for me. I should have went home with you. I’m sorry’ Derek wrapped his arms around you pulling you into his chest. His hand smoothing your hair again holding you too him. 

Derek handed you his coat and you put it over the spare clothes you had on. ‘C-can I stay with you tonight?’ You whispered. Derek looked down at you as he lead you out of the hospital room. The whole team were waiting outside to see how you were doing. ‘You can stay with me as long as you need’ He pressed a kiss to your temple and wrapped his arm around you shoulder.

A woman you hadn’t seen before smiled at you. ‘You must be Y/n, I’m Penelope Garcia’ She held out her hand to you. ‘Hi, that’s me’ You smiled slightly wincing as it pinched at your cut lip. ‘Nice thinking back’ Hotch nodded at you. You shrugged leaning into Derek. ‘Something Derek told me, he likes to talk about his cases sometimes. He said something about Reid playing into his fantasy’ Derek tightened his arm around you

You smiled as he kissed your head again. ‘That’s my girl’ He whispered rubbing your arm. ‘Your girl we’ve never heard of’ Garcia gave him a sharp look. You smirked. ‘I’m sorry, I asked him not to, it’s new and he travels a lot I wasn’t sure it was going to last’ You bit your lip and Derek gave Garcia a apologetic look. ‘Oh, it’ll last darling’ She assured you with a smile as Derek began to properly introduce you to the rest of the team.

Sitting cross legged on the bed you looked at the bruise on your ankle. You sighed running your finger over the discolored skin. ‘You okay?’ You looked up to see Derek standing, in a top and boxers, in the doorway a cup in his hand. ‘I’ll get by’ You took your hand from your leg. ‘Tea?’ You nodded and Derek sat on the bed beside you handing you the cup of steaming hot liquid. ‘The team liked you’ He mused and you nodded taking a sip letting the liquid warm you from the inside. ‘I like them too’ You smiled up at him.

Leaning across you laid down the cup before taking Derek’s hand in yours. ‘I should have listened to you Der, I’m so sorry I did that to you. You warned me and I didn’t listen, I’m so sorry’ You felt tears welling up in your eyes again. ‘Sh, baby hush’ Derek pulled you into him pressing his lips to yous firmly. ‘It’s okay, it’s okay. Look at me Baby’ You sniffled looking up at him. ‘You did what you needed to do, It’s okay’ He pressed his lips to yours again.

You melted into him your hands gripping his shirt holding him to you. ‘I love you Baby’ He whispered his forehead against yours. Your eyes shot open but you were met with his eyes closed and a relaxed look on his face. ‘I-I love you too Derek’ You whispered and pressed your lips to his again.

Derek pulled you down lying and pulled the covers over you. He reached behind him pulling off his top. ‘You should sleep Beautiful, you’ve had a long day’ He turned off the light beside him. ‘Eh, Der’ You whispered. ‘Can you leave it on?’ The light came back on. ‘Course Baby, whatever you need’ He wrapped his arm around you holding you to his chest. ‘I love you, Der, and thank you’ You closed your eyes curling up into him feeling safe and warm. ‘I love you too Baby’ He pressed a kiss to your forehead and leaned back into the pillow keeping his arms tight around you.

Family - Derek Morgan Imagine. 

Derek x Reader 

Summary: A case lands on the doorstep with a blast from the past

Warnings: Little bit of smut, some violence. Like a sentence.

JJ always had piles of files on her desk. It had become a habit for you that when you had finished writing up your own reports you would come down and help her with the files she received. 

Today you were here again. ‘I never understand how you get your reports finished so quickly’ JJ said as she glanced over a file and placed it in the no pile. ‘I didn’t have anything else to do last night so I stayed late’ You clarified glancing up at her. Your eyes caught a file on the desk. Reaching over you grabbed it. What could possibly be so wrong that they would want the FBI in the darkest pits of Detroit.

Opening the file your eyes widened. ‘JJ’ You whispered and fluttered through the pages. ‘Yes?’ She looked up from the file she was engrossed in. ‘I got us a case’ She opened her mouth. You never had outrightly accepted a case, you just tried to profile a few she was uncertain about see what the unsub was like. But you had always given a suggestion never stepping over the line and picking a case.

JJ sighed. ‘Y/n’ You held her out the file. ‘Read it’ She sighed again taking the file flipping through it. With each page , each photo, each crime scene report her eyes widened and her face paled that little bit more. ‘I know those cops JJ, they wouldn’t ask in the FBI if it wasn’t serious. Their hatred for us almost matches the hatred the community has for us. And that’s a lot’ She nodded. ‘I’ll make copies and run it by the team’ You smiled at her slightly.

A half hour later the team sat in the briefing. ‘That area, we’re putting our lives in danger just by driving into it’ Hotch noted. ‘We always put our lives in danger’ You shrugged. His eyes fell on you. ‘You’re from Detroit right?’ You nodded. ‘Is that why you want to take this case?’ You looked up from the file and at him ‘Those boys were only 8 years old Hotch, just because the people around them aren’t particularly fond of us doesn’t mean they don’t deserve justice’ He leaned back in his seat his normal stoic expression a little sour.

You hardened your own face. ‘So what’s the personal connection here?’ He crossed his arms. ‘Personal? Detroit is a big place Hotch’ You snapped trying to cover your body language. He was a profiler, but so were you, you could cover your tracks, hopefully. ‘Reid, how far is Penswatch from the cri-’ You slammed your hand down on the table. You watched as everyone jumped ‘Don’t you dare answer that Reid’ You growled.

Hotch stood. ‘What’s your connection with this case?’ He snapped. You stood also shoving your chair back. ‘None, I don’t know any of those boys, I haven’t been home in ten years’ You growled. ‘Reid’ Hotch warned. ‘Seven miles east’ Hotch raised an eyebrow. ‘What is your connection to this case?’ Hotch repeated. ‘Hotch’ Derek cut him off. ‘She says there’s no connection, ‘there’s no connection’ But Hotch didn’t listen he just stayed staring at you. 

You dropped back down onto the seat with a sigh. ‘Jessie Donnelly, the third victim. I helped deliver him. He’s my Godson’ You ran your hand over your face. ‘You know family isn’t allowed work the case’ You shrugged. ‘He’s not family, after I got accepted, I went home to see my sister only, we met up somewhere that we wouldn’t be seen. It was Lilly’s house, someone we went to school with, she went into labour when we were there. I helped out and she asked me to stand for him’ You looked up at Hotch, he was only watching you curiously and openly. ‘That was the last day I seen him, I’ve gotten a photo every christmas of them all and I send him a present twice a year. He wouldn’t even recognise me, he didn’t even know my name. No connection’ You shrugged.

Hotch sighed and closed his eyes a second. ‘Hotch, I’m working this case, with or without the team. I have a nephew the same age who lived four houses down from the fourth boy, he could be next. I need to catch this guy’ Hotch opened his eyes. ‘There’s a connection there’ Again you shook your head. ‘No connection, the boy doesn’t know me, he was told I died ten years ago. He thinks I’m dead’ Reid’s eyes widened and he looked at Prentiss and she looked back at him. ‘Wheels up in 20′ Hotch turned and walked from the room.

After a moment the team began to follow him after gathering up their files. ‘You okay?’ Derek was the only one left. ‘Yeah, just want to catch this guy’ You whispered. He placed hand on yours and he threaded his fingers through yours. ‘We will’ You looked up and he smiled slightly at you. You looked away and closed your eyes tight. You heard his chair being pushed away from the desk and then warmth engulfed you. You sighed and pushed yourself from the chair burying your face in his chest and wrapping your arms around him. ‘I gotcha Baby, it’s alright, I gotcha’ He stroked your hair as you clung to him.

Rossi stood beside you making his own coffee. ‘This guy likes to spend a lot of time with these kids’ You heard Derek from the seating area of the plane. ‘Hotch may have a problem with it but I don’t’ Rossi said out of nowhere. ‘Huh?’ You looked up from stirring your own coffee. ‘Taking a case this personal, and no matter what you say it will always be personal’ You sighed as he nodded at you. ‘Family is family right?’ You told him the one thing you had lived by all your life, even though you hadn’t exactly had a family for years until you found the BAU team. ‘Right’ He nodded walking back into the area leaving you alone again.

You shielded your eyes when you got off the plane against the sun. ‘Woah, watch it there sweetness’ A hand caught your hip before you could fall forwards as Derek ran into the back of you. You glanced over your shoulder. ‘Always my knight in shining armour’ You giggled with a tight smile. He siled down at you some worry in his eyes as he squeezed your hip his fingers brushing the exposed skin under your shirt.

The others were throwing their bags in the trunk when you two got down there. ‘I told them they didn’t have to collect us, we had someone who knew the area’ Hotch told you. You nodded as he handed you the keys before turning going to the second car. You climbed into the car to find Derek in the passenger seat. He gave you a reassuring smile as you started it. 

It only took about 20 minutes to reach the station. There was a detective waiting outside for you leaning against the wall. The rest of the team climbed out and Hotch walked up to him. ‘Listen, if this is too hard for you-’ Derek reached across taking your hand. ‘-someone needs to check us in at the hotel’ He was giving you an out. But you just shook your head and climbed out of the car hearing him sigh behind you.

You strode over to the rest of your team. ‘Ah Detective Morrison this is Agent Y/n Y/l/n’ You stopped beside Spencer and held out your hand. ‘Agent?’ Morrison looked you up and down. ‘Well damn, who would have known’ You dropped your hand. ‘Why do you think I left?’ You shrugged. He laughed. ‘Honestly, we all thought you were dead’ Derek stopped beside you and crossed his arms. ‘Bet that came as good news’  You scoffed. He laughed and crossed his arms sizing you up ‘Well, one less person to arrest’ He held out his hand then.

With a smile he shrugged. ‘Good to see you again Ms T’ You rolled your eyes. ‘Agent will do’ You took his hand. ‘Or just Y/n, I gave up that name ten years ago’ He laughed. ‘Look at you, giving out your name like it’s nothing, how long did it take for us to get that out of you’ You let out a sharp laugh. ‘Seven years, and it wasn’t me that gave it up, idiot Donnelly hadn’t of tried to murder me in there you would have never known’ He chuckled. ‘Lord I remember that day, what were you in on?’ You glanced at the rest of your team seeing them watching you with surprised faces.

You cleared your throat and rubbed the back of your neck. ‘Assault’ You pursed your lips. ‘With a deadly weapon’ He clapped his hands momentarily. ‘Right, right, that was the time you tried to kill Marvin, guy was twice your size’ You crossed your arms your eyebrows narrowing. ‘Can’t prove that, ye ain’t got no proof, I ain’t admitting to nothing’ Instantly you realised your mistake. First, the old accent came out, second, you were acting lie you had all those years ago in the interrogation room. But Morrison just let out a laugh. ‘Boy am I glad I ain’t hauling your ass in no more, you were a tough nut to crack’ You scoffed. ‘In my memory, I never cracked’ He smirked and turned to Derek holding out his hand. ‘Detective Morrison’ He smiled.

You followed him into the station. It was the same as it always had been. It hdn’t changed in over 10 years, maybe a few new computers, and a coffee machine but after that. ‘Hey Morison you go so-’ Before you could finish your sentence a bottle of water came flying your way and you snatched it out of the air. You smirked. ‘Nice to know I made an impression’ You wiggled the bottle at him. ‘Cos of you we got two holding cells now, so yeah, you made an impression’ You let out a sharp laugh.

You smiled at Reid a he watched you carefully. ‘Well, well, well Ms T’ Came a deep voice and you turned to your left, Your eyes widened. ‘Old Man Hank’ You laughed holding out your hand. ‘You still around?’ He took it shaking your hand firmly. ‘Thought you’d be dead or retired’ He rolled his eyes. ‘Barely pushing 40 kiddo’ He laughed. ‘You look good, FBI suits you better than cuffs’ You smirked. ‘Still doing the cuff thing Hank, only for you though’ He chuckled again letting go of your hand. ‘You always were my favourite’ He laughed as he walked by you. You smiled. ‘You always will be mine’ You called after him and he waved you off over his shoulder.

Morrison turned. ‘Oi, opposite si-’ He stopped realising his mistake at using the old line he always had used when the two of you had started. Hank always was one of the favourite cops to ever roll through here. He wasn’t a hard ass and he was nice to anyone who was nice to him, which made him quite popular. He’d drop home kids who were up to no good instead of bringing them in when it was only minor offences, he’d give some of the women a lift home after shopping when they had no car. But when it came down to it h’d take you out. You just always liked to flirt with him. ‘Same side now Dick, can’t use that one no more’ You laughed following him.

You groaned dropping your head onto your arm. ‘We’re missing something’ You sighed looking at the board. ‘Everyone here fits this profile’ Reid said flipping page after page frustrated. You shook your head. ‘No, this guy enjoys it, and his victims are kids, the rest of them, they do it to protect family and gang’ You ran your hand over your face, ‘He, how about a coffee’ Derek laid his hand on your shoulder. JJ nodded. ‘I’d like one’ He nodded at her. His hand tightened on your shoulder and gave you a tug. ‘I’ll help’ You muttered standing. ‘The others should be back-’ You all looked up as the door opened the rest of your team walking in.

You stood as Prentiss dropped in her chair with a sigh. ‘No one would talk?’ She nodded. ‘Should have sent me’ You told Hotch. He hadn’t let you go out to talk to the people of the community because it was too close to the belt. Derek shook his head and gave you a push towards the door. ‘Coffee?’ He offered and the three that had come in nodded. You sighed following his direction. ‘Don’t patronise him, you’re lucky he’s letting you work this’ You turned and glared at him. He just shrugged.

You leaned on the counter. ‘I know this is hard but don’t take it out on Hotch Y/n’ You looked at Derek out of the corner of your eye. ‘How are we supposed to solve this if no one’s talking?’ You breathed. ‘We’ll get him’ He promised you pouring some milk into the Rossi’s coffee. You pushed yourself off the desk as someone strode into the station. A woman with light brown hair ran in after him..

You gulped when his eyes fell on you. Then they narrowed. Then he was stomping towards you. You took a step forwards him raising your hands in surrender. ‘Listen, I-I had to I-’ Derek looked up just as the woman screamed. His eyes widened.

The man’s hands grabbed your shirt lifting you up. ‘Hey man’ Derek’s hands wrapped around his arms pulling at him. ‘How dare you’ He screamed at you shaking you. Derek gave him a tug and his hands came clean making you fall back towards the coffee table. His hands landed on Derek’s shoulders and shoved him aside. ‘Dad’ The woman screamed running in. ‘Pa, I had to’ You held up your hands as he dove at you again.

Then pain flared in your cheek and you landed face down on one of the detectives desks. He had hit you. ‘Woah woah woah’ You heard them all trying to get him in order. Hands wrapped around your arms pulling you up. ‘Hey, hey, you okay?’ You focused on Derek’s voice instead of the man shouting at you. 

Derek’s eyes roamed your face and stopped at your lip. It was undoubtedly cut. He laid his hand gingerly on your chin. ‘The hell’ He whispered. You wrapped your fingers around his wrist and he looked up at you through his lashes. ‘I’m okay’ You whispered. ‘You don’t belong here’ A shout from behind the worried man in front of you. With that you shoved Derek out of your way coming face to face with the man who had to be restrained by five officers. ‘You ain’t from here anymore’ Your fist shot out and collided with his jaw. 

He stumbled a little before straightening. That shut him up. ‘You don’t think I know that’ You screamed back at him. ‘You think I’m under any other impression than that Pa?’ He bared his teeth. ‘You left, it was your choice’ He shouted struggling again as they tried to cuff him. ‘Yeah and you made sure to shut and lock that door behind me when I did’ You snarled. ‘I told you- I told you th-’ You straightened your shoulders. ‘You told me I ever set foot anywhere near here again you’d put a bullet between my eyes. I remember the words, I hear them every god-damn day’ You screamed at him as they finally got the cuffs on him.

He spat at you but missed. ‘But I came back to do my job’ You crossed your arms. ‘Your job was to stay away from here, from us. I told you to’ He glowered at you as they pulled at him. ‘Well guess what Pa, I don’t take orders from you no more’ He stopped struggling and they finally got a good hold of him and got him moving. ‘I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you' He shouted at you. ‘Rot in hell you son of a bitch’ You screamed after him before they pulled him out of the room.

The room was silent, all you could hear was him shouting from the next room, the woman in the doorway sobbing. You closed your eyes letting your shoulders slump. And then an arm wrapped around your shoulders. And people began talking again. ‘You’re okay, it’s okay’ Derek whispered as he turned you into him. You reached up grabbing his t shirt burying your face in his shoulder. ‘I gotcha’ He squeezed you tighter.You let out a long breath. Well, you wanted to meet my Dad, there you go’ You watched as Derek’s eyes widened.

You sat with the ice on your lip. ‘I-i’m so sorry, I tried to stop him’ You shook your head. ‘What’s you relationship to Mr Y/l/n?’ Rossi asked. ‘He-eh-he’s my Dad’ They glanced at you as your sister fumbled with her fingers. ‘They’re okay’ You told her leaning forwards. Derek’s hand wrapped around yours under the desk. ‘They’re FBI’ She hissed at you. You put down the ice before taking out your badge tossing it across the table. She picked it up eyebrows furrowed. ‘Y-You’re FBI’ Her eyes widened and you nodded.

Derek reached across you picking up the ice pressing it to your swollen lip. You groaned and raised your hand holding it there. Your sister looked between the two of you. ‘They take good care of ye?’ You shrugged. ‘Yeah, we got each others backs’ She nodded. ‘He take good care of ye?’ She nodded at Derek. ‘What?’ She scoffed. ‘Oh come on, you been hoverin’ round her ever since I got here. Don’t play dumb with me handsome’ She smirked.

You rolled your eyes. ‘Madison’ You scolded. ‘Listen, no one’s talk bout these murders, so open that mouth eh yours and talk’ You snapped. She raised her eyebrow. ‘Ain’t you FBI folk supposed to say please?’ You just gave her your best bored expression and she sat back tossing your credentials back at you and crossed her legs. ‘Ye won’t say ye got it from me will ye?’ You shook your head and she nodded. ‘Right, whatcha wana know?’ You glanced at Hotch and he nodded at you.

You nodded at Derek gun in hand. He nodded back and kicked the door. It flew open with a bang. The team, plus swat, moved through the unsubs house. It had taken you almost two days to find him but you had. ‘Clear’ Prentiss called from the left. You nodded to Hotch then up the stairs and started moving up them Hotch following. There was only two rooms. Hotch took one, you took the other.

You twisted the handle and pushed the door wide open. ‘FBI, put it down’ You shouted. He stood with the gun pointed at the woman’s in the corner. ‘Come on T’ He smirked. ‘Really?’ You stepped into the room. ‘Let her go, that’s you sister in law, let her go, you don’t wana kill her’ He shook his head. ‘No, no I want to, she made my life hell’ You nodded biting your lip. ‘I know, and she paid for that, her little boy. He’s gone, he didn’t make it’ You told him. The woman in front of him screamed and wailed. ‘He didn’t?’ You shook your head. He smiled.

Then he looked down at her. ‘Let her go’ He looked up at you. ‘He’s gone’ He whispered as he let her go. Only she didn’t wana go too far. ‘You so-’ She screamed at him and reached for the knife on the bed. He raised the gun pointing it at her. Two shots echoed through the room as you pulled the trigger. One hit his chest the other his head. The blood splattered on the wall behind him and she stumbled back with a scream.

You rushed forwards kicking the gun away from him motionless hand. Then crouched checking for a pulse. None. You turned to the woman. ‘He’s okay’ You shouted at her taking her shoulders in your hand. ‘Your son, he’s okay, I’m sorry’ Her sobbing died down a little as she looked at you her eyes wide. ‘I had to make him let you go’ You pulled her into your chest hugging her to you. ‘I’m so sorry, he couldn’t grow up without you I’m so sorry’ She began sobbing again. ‘We got him out’ And then her arms wrapped around you. ‘Thank you’ You patted her hair. Looking up you seen Hotch and Reid standing in the doorway. He nodded at you and you smiled slightly.

You curled your feet up underneath you as you cradled the hot cup in your hands. The TV was playing in the background, what was on it you weren’t really sure, you weren’t exactly looking at it. You were thinking about the case. You had gotten home about two hours ago after a quiet plane journey.

On the plane you had completely taken yourself away from the others. They had asked you how you were and you could feel their eyes on you every now and then but after that they left you alone. Derek had offered to bring you home but you didn’t want anyone around, you just needed to think.

You groaned at he knock at the door.You put down the cup and tossed the blanket off you. It was probably just a neighbour. The old lady down the hall liked to check in on you every now and then after a case to make sure you were okay. You trudged towards the door and pulled it open. You were almost going to slam it shut when you seen who was outside. ‘Derek, what are you doing here?’ You asked leaning your head against the door. 

He smiled slightly. ‘I know you said you wanted to be alone but’ He pulled his hands from behind his back, he had a tub of ice cream and some chocolates. ‘My baby had a rough few days and I thought she deserved some ice cream’ You smiled reaching out you took the chocolates and ice cream. ‘Thanks’ You smiled and shut the door leaving him standing on the other side.

You left it for a second before opening the door with a small laugh. ‘I changed my mind’ He reached out and took the chocolates back. But he was smiling as he stepped through the door. He wrapped his arms around your waist as you closed the door and he peppered small kissed along the length of your neck. ‘Are you ok-?’ You turned around and took his face in your hands pulling him down. Your lips moulded with his and you felt him smile again. ‘I’m fine’ You muttered

You laid your forehead against his and he looked you in the eye. ‘You’re not, but I’ll let it go’ You smiled thankful and pressed your lips to his again. He bent and picked you up his arm behind your legs and back. You giggled laying your head on his shoulder. You would have squealed but you were too used to this by now, after all it had been four month of you two dating. And derek loved to pick you up whenever he could, you had just come to expect it.

He put you down on the couch and disappeared, you presumed to get spoons. You were right, a moment later he came back with two spoons. He dropped down onto the couch next to you as you popped the lid off the ice cream. He covered you both with the blanket and handed you a spoon. You laid your head on his chest and he wrapped his arm around you shoulders.

You moaned as you took the first bite of the cold substance. ‘When you said you didn’t see your family much,I didn’t think it was that bad. Your sister didn’t even know you were FBI’ You nodded as he took a spoonful. ‘I only talk to my younger sister, Tessa. The rest I haven’t seen in ten years’ You looked up at him to find him thinking. ‘At least you finally got to meet my family’ You smiled and he raised his eyebrows

You shrugged taking another spoonful. ‘Did you ever get along with your Dad?’ He asked and you pursed your lips for a second. ‘Yeah, I was his girl, his most trusted, I was to follow in his footsteps, well-’ You sighed. ‘Until I left’ Again Derek was silent for a moment giving you both time to eat the cold treat. ‘Do you ever regret it?’ You bit your lip and shook your head. ‘Sometimes I missed the family aspect but I have the BAU now, that’s all I need’ You left it at that. Derek must have noticed your tone because he didn’t press the matter anymore.

You leaned forwards dropping the now empty tub on the table. Derek stretched and pushed off his boots tossing the to the far side of the room. ‘Oh, make yourself at home’ You said sarcastically. He raised his eyebrows but just leaned forwards capturing your lips with his. ‘I’m glad you’re here’ He whispered against your lips and grabbed a hold of your hips pulling you to him. 

You wrapped your arms around his shoulders throwing one leg over hips hap straddling him. He tightened his arms around you pulling your chest flat against his. You both groaned at the friction it caused as you rubbed against each other. Your hands grabbed handfuls of his shirt tugging. He pulled away from you and grabbed the back of his shirt pulling it over his head.

He tossed it across the room and his lips were back against yours. You shivered as his fingers slipped underneath the oversized shirt you had on, it was then you realised it was Derek’s. You ran your hands up and down his hard chest your fingers tracing his abs. You rolled your hips against his and he groaned again his fingers digging into your hips.

Your hands found his belt and made fast work of the buckle and the zipper of his pants. You tugged at them and Derek raised his hips. The difference of angle made the bulge press against your core and you whined. You could feel him smirk as you pulled down his pants. He wiggled a little trying to push them down all the way, which he succeeded in doing, but in the process ended up grinding up against you, causing you both to let out soft moans.

You grabbed his sides pulling him closer to you as he opened his mouth, You did the same both your tongues colliding in a passionate, desperate kiss. You pulled away and groaned as the doorbell rang. ‘Ignore it’ Derek panted grabbing your hair and pulled your lips back down to his. You moaned and listened. You rolled your hps against his gaining another delicious moan from him.

Then the doorbell rang again, twice. You cursed pulling away. ‘I-I have to’ You breathed as Derek’s lips fell on the tender skin of your neck. He just hummed not letting go you you. Hie reached up pushing the top from your shoulder as his lips followed the path of the fallen fabric.

The doorbell rang again. ‘Derek’ what you hand meant to sound stern came out as nothing more than a pleading moan as Derek bit into the spot at the bottom of your neck. You put your hands on his shoulder and pushed yourself out of his grip. He groaned and his head dropped back.

You bit your lip looking down at him. Damn, he was just pure muscle. A god, just made of hard muscle covered in that soft dark skin that you loved running your tongue over. Derek looked up at you and smirked noticing your lingering gaze.

Then the doorbell. You huffed. ‘Coming’ You shouted and rushed from the room into the hallway You smoothed down your hair and took a deep breath before opening the door. Your eyes widened. ‘Emily, Spencer, Penelope. What are what?’ You gaped. They all smiled. You heard movement in the other room and presumed Derek was  trying to get dressed. ‘We’re here to cheer you up, and no is not an answer’ You stuttered as Penelope explained and pushed by you into the apartment. ‘Wait’ You called.

She stopped in the doorway to the living room and her eyebrows raised. ‘Oh my’ Her voice raising an octave. ‘What?’ Prentiss rushed forwards and you stuttered. ‘Woah’ She came to a stop beside Garcia her jaw dropping. Spencer furrowed his brows and pursed his lips stepping into your apartment. You could already feel yourself heating up. You closed the door and followed them. You would have giggled at the sight if you hadn’t of been so embarrassed.

Derek stood frozen in the middle of your living room his pants almost all the way up staring at you all. ‘Well hi Derek’ Prentiss laughed. That seemed to get him out of his shock and he pulled up his trousers and fastened it up. ‘I knew it’ Garca squealed. ‘I knew you two were hot for each other’ You rolled your eyes stepping by her. ‘We all knew it’ Prentiss chuckled. ‘Explains why Derek wasn’t picking up’ Spencer concluded.

You walked into the room grabbing Derek’s top and handed it to him. He sent you a small smile pulling it on. ‘How long has this been going on?’ Prentiss asked looking between you both. Derek reached out and wrapped his arm around your shoulder. ‘Five months, we’ve been together four’  Garcia squealed. ‘Should-should we go?’ Spencer asked nervous.

You shook your head. ‘Nah, you’re here now, no point wasting a trip’ You nodded to the chairs. Garcia bounced into the room. ‘Where is safe to sit?’ She giggled joking. ‘In this apartment? Nowhere’ Derek laughed and you nudged him knowing the truth behind the words but the others just laughed.

Garcia took the single seat and Reid took the other looking at it skeptically before sitting. Prentiss sat on the opposite end of the couch. Derek fell down onto it too. ‘So, tell me how my two favourite agents got together’ Garcia beamed. ‘Hey’ Emily tried to sound offended but she was smiling too much. You sat beside Derek and he wrapped his arm around your shoulder pulling you too him. ‘Come on’ Emily raised her eyebrows at you. ‘Tell’ Derek laughed.

You looked around at them. Garcia giggling, Emily beaming, and Reid just giving you both a fond loving smile. You knew this was where you belonged. With your team. With your Family.

No Place Like Home

Derek Morgan x reader

TW: Mentions of sexual assault on reader, murder, blood, violence, regular criminal minds stuff, angst with a happy ending, this gets very dark at some points so please read at your own discretion, I think that’s it. Lmk if I missed anything.

₊‧ʚ ﹆・︵︵ ₊˚๑ ᕱ🌿ᕱ ꒱✦ ₊ ︵︵・₊﹆ɞ‧₊

Baraboo Wisconsin.

Y/N L/N’s hometown. The one she left the second she turned sixteen and never looked back. Baraboo is a quaint little place, beautiful views and fun places to go if someone knows where to look. It’s a tight-knit community that’s for sure. Where everyone knows everyone and whatever secrets someone has also belong to the rest of the town. It can be endearing at times but also make an individual feel claustrophobic.

She never planned on coming back here. She graduated college at fourteen and worked her ass off to save enough money to leave by the time her sixteenth birthday rolled around. In fact, that was her birthday present to herself. To get the hell out of there.

Y/N’s father died when she was six years old. He was a hero, a firefighter. He died saving a family of six from a burning house. He was the only one who didn’t make it out alive that day. He managed to get every person out with minimal injuries. Just couldn’t seem to save himself.

After he died, Y/N’s mother, Lisa L/N, was a mess. Completely ignored her daughter after her husband’s, started drinking. Y/N practically raised herself. Until her step father came into the picture. Adrian Cole. The name itself gives her sickly chills just thinking about it.

Y/N continued her studies after getting her first bachelors degree at fourteen. She ended up with a doctorate and three masters under her belt by the time she turned eighteen. The girl is what most specialists would consider a “high potential intellectual.” She has advanced cognitive abilities that contain superior pattern recognition, enhanced situational awareness, an eidetic memory, advanced deception detection, superior deductive reasoning, mental simulation/scenario building, and advanced problem solving.

She’s rather valuable to say the least.

Y/N has had the world at her fingertips since she was born. She’s smart, cunning, calculated. She knows exactly how to get what she wants. Unfortunately, she doesn’t screw up from time to time.

Hence why she got arrested for petty theft when she was eighteen.

She had been working odd jobs for her entire life. Bouncing around from city to city, trying to find a place she could make her home. She somehow ended up in Quantico Virginia, a random bus stop on a long list of places she could go. But it had been a couple months since being there, and one week she didn’t make enough to get herself some basic grocery supplies, so she thought it wouldn’t be the most terrible thing to snag a loaf of bread on the way out of one of the many grocery stores in the city. She didn’t think they’d truly care about one loaf.

Clearly, she was wrong. They apparently needed that bread way more than she did.

And that’s how she ended up the in police station. It wasn’t the most pleasant experience at first. Most of the officers just thought she was some punk kid who got a kick out of stealing. She didn’t even bother trying to explain why she did what she did because they wouldn’t believe her in the first place. And it’s not like they could put her in the system, she was eighteen.

However, as they were processing her, she noticed some of the detectives talking about a murder investigation. They had a man who was found dead in his living room, and the prime suspect was the wife who mysteriously disappeared after it happened.

The thing about having advanced cognitive abilities, is that it’s easy to get stuck inside the many wrinkles of the brain. She also has a compulsive need to correct everything she sees is wrong, and that is why she interrupted their conversation by yelling across the station that the wife is actually a second victim, not the perpetrator.

Of course, most of the detectives thought she was full of crap and didn’t have any idea what she was talking about. The commander however, seemed to have a different opinion. She asked Y/N what made her think that the wife could be a victim in the case.

That led to her explaining that the photos in the crime scene board indicate that there was a third part, and that’s who killed the husband and kidnapped the wife. She pointed out how there were microfibers on the legs of the chair in the photo and that shows how someone had been tied to it with duct tape. And it clearly couldn’t have been the husband with the way there was no ligature marks or redness on his skin.

Needless to say, they found the wife and the person who killed the husband. Turns out it was his best friend who was having an affair with their son’s school teacher. The husband knew to much and threatened to tell his best friend’s wife which led to his demise. Who would’ve thought?

After that case, the commander offered her a position as a consultant on their cases. It gave Y/N the first feeling of stability she’s had in a very long time. She was even able to save enough to buy herself an apartment in the area, and put herself through the FBI academy. Her coworkers at the station were sad when they found out she had been recruited to one of the most elite units in the agency, but they knew her potential was to great to be stuck at the precinct for the rest of her life.

That’s why she’s currently back in Baraboo, the ripe age of twenty-five, with the rest of the Behavioral Analysis Unit team. The leader, Aaron Hotchner, and the rest of the group: David Rossi, Jennifer Jareau, Emily Prentiss, Doctor Spencer Reid, and the one and only… Derek Morgan.

From the moment Y/N met Derek, they clicked. They both have very similar traits but differ in the most important ways. They somehow manage to understand each other on a level that the rest of the team can’t comprehend. The two of them share flirty and playful banter constantly. Everyone in the office thought Penelope and Derek were bad, at least until Y/N sauntered in. She distinctly remember Spencer having to leave the room, his face flushed red after hearing a conversation between Derek and Y/N.

The two always brushed it off as a joke, or something they do to cope with the darkness of the job, but there’s always been a little something more lying underneath it. Neither of them have been able to acknowledge it out loud, but it’s not hard to see.

“How does it feel to be home, Princess?” Derek asks with his signature golden smile, full intention of getting a flirty reaction from her. He cracks his back as the rest of the team gets off the jet, getting ready to split up and head to the station or to the most recent crime scene.

Y/N keeps her eyes trained in the distance, her face cold, hard almost. “This hasn’t been my home for the past nineteen years,” she replies stoically before walking off to join Hotch and Rossi by one of the SUV’s.

Derek is taken aback by her demeanor. She’s never been one to turn down an opportunity to flirt or be witty, especially with him. Y/N has always been a bit closed off, but in the same way Derek is. She doesn’t tell anyone about her past, and she’s never asked him about his. It’s one of the many things he loves about her. She didn’t push when she knew not to. In fact, the most they knew about where the other came from was home towns. Now he did share some about his family because they’re important to him, and so is Y/N, but he never delved too deep. That is until about last year when he was arrested for murdering three boys back home.

Y/N was the only one who tried to help without digging to deep into the things Derek didn’t want found. It killed her a little bit to see how Derek broke down when confronting the real perpetrator, Carl Buford, who also molested Derek as a child. That particularly made it a rough case for her, for more than one reason.

“Reid, JJ,” Hotch calls out to the two. “I want you guys to head to the station with Rossi, see if you can nail down a geographical profile.” The trio nods before heading over to their own SUV. “Prentiss, you come with me to talk to the most recent victims family. Morgan, L/N, head to the crime scene. Sheriff Mills will meet you both there to discuss the rest of the details.”

Y/N nods silently before turning back to Derek. She gestures towards the third black car waiting for them, walking past him and over towards the driver’s seat. Derek grabs her wrist gently as she tries to open the door, “Babygirl, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Following orders,” Y/N answers like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“Uh-uh,” Derek shakes his head. “Get your cute little ass in that passenger seat right now.” He demands.

“Derek, we don’t have time to argue over who’s gonna drive the damn car,” Y/N snaps, completely out of character. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

His eyebrows shoot up into his nonexistent hairline, “Whoa,” he puts his hands up. “I didn’t mean to upset you, sweetheart. I just like driving you around, that’s all. I thought it was like a little silent agreement we had. You being my passenger princess.”

Y/N’s face softens, but he can still see the anger behind her eyes. There’s definitely something wrong. She’s never been like this without a reason. A small sigh escapes her pink lips, “Okay…” she mumbles, very cutely in Derek’s opinion. “You can drive.”

Without another peep, Y/N climbs into her designated spot besides Derek. He casts her an unsure glance, wondering if maybe she’ll open up to him on the way to the scene, but unfortunately the entire ride was quiet. Apart from the playlist playing in the background. They both had created it for when they were partnered together on a case.

They pull up to the scene, no words uttered between them. Y/N stares out the window, sucking in a deep breath. Her knuckles are a pale white as she clutches onto the door handle. He wants to ask her what’s going through her mind, but knows better than to push when she’s like this.

She steps out of the vehicle, the gravel crunching beneath her feet, Derek following closely behind. As soon as they near the crime scene, she spots Sheriff Mills standing by the perimeter tape, arms crossed but eyes bright when he recognizes her.

“Well, I’ll be damned. Y/N L/N!” Mills calls out with a smile, his voice booming across the lot. “You’re a sight for sore eyes. How long’s it been?”

Y/N offers a small, genuine smile, feeling a rare sense of warmth. “Hey, Sheriff. It’s been a while. Nine years, I think.”

“Nine years,” he repeats with a shake of his head. “You disappeared on us, huh? Look at you now.” He glances over at Derek, curiosity sparking in his eyes.

Y/N glances between the two men. “This is Derek Morgan, one of the best profilers at the BAU.”

Derek steps forward and extends his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, sir.”

“Likewise,” Mills replies, shaking Derek’s hand firmly before turning back to Y/N. “You always had it in you to do something big.”

Derek watches the brief exchange with interest, noting how Y/N seems more at ease around the sheriff. There was history here, but also a quiet sense of trust. The sheriff gave Y/N a comforting nod before stepping back to let them work.

They cross under the yellow tape and into the scene, where the victim’s body lay partially covered. Derek’s voice is low but steady. “What are we looking at?”

Y/N knelt beside the body, her jaw tightening as she takes in the brutal injuries. “Ligature marks on the wrists and ankles…looks like she was tied up, maybe tortured before…” She let her words trail off, her eyes lingering on the deep gash across the victim’s neck. “The unsub wanted control, dominance. But there’s rage here too.”

Derek nods, crouching down next to her. “The way he escalates...it’s personal. There’s something he’s trying to prove with each kill. Could be revenge or a power trip.”

Y/N swallows hard, her breath hitching for a moment as she takes in the scene. She stands, brushing her hands on her pants as if trying to rid herself of the heaviness in the air.

Derek stands too, noticing the slight shift in her demeanor. He narrows his eyes, stepping closer to her. “You alright?”

Y/N hesitates, casting a glance back at the body. The familiarity of it all—the victim, her face—was a knife in her chest, twisting cruelly.

“I knew her,” Y/N finally admits, her voice barely above a whisper. “Her name’s Claire. We…we went to high school together.”

Derek’s brows furrow, concern flashing across his face. “You didn’t mention that at the briefing.”

She shrugs her shoulders, jaw clenching. “I didn’t think it would be relevant. I haven’t spoken to her in years.” Y/N turns away, looking out into the distance as if trying to find something to balance herself, her mind.

Derek’s hand gently rests on her shoulder, his touch grounding her in a way she wasn’t expecting. “If this is too much, you don’t have to–”

“I’m fine,” she snaps, though the sharpness in her tone is more for herself than him. She looks at Derek, the vulnerability showing through her usual hard exterior. “I just didn’t expect this.”

Derek softens. “You don’t have to be fine, Y/N. Not here, not with me.”

For a moment, their eyes locked, a silent understanding passing between them. But Y/N quickly broke away, determined to stay focused. “Let’s just…get back to work. We have to find this guy.”

They both turned back to the crime scene, their focus shifting back to the task at hand. But the air between them was heavier now, weighed down by the past that had resurfaced with a vengeance.

“Whoever did this,” Derek says quietly, “they knew how to get close. Claire trusted them.”

Y/N nods, her jaw clenched tightly. “He’s not a stranger to any of these women. He’s someone who knows how to blend in. And he’s getting more comfortable.”

Derek meets her eyes, a silent understanding passing between them. They have to catch this unsub before anyone else suffers the same fate. But now, more than ever, Y/N had a personal stake in it. And Derek was going to make sure that, whatever happened, he’d be there for her.

₊‧ʚ ﹆・︵︵ ₊˚๑ ᕱ🌿ᕱ ꒱✦ ₊ ︵︵・₊﹆ɞ‧₊

The police station is humming with quiet intensity, the kind of buzz that always fills the air when the team is piecing together fragments of a case. They’ve been working nonstop, and the weight of the victims is hanging over all of them. Every detail matters now, every tiny revelation could lead them closer to the truth.

Hotch stands at the head of the room, looking over the maps, notes, and pictures strewn across the table. JJ, Reid, and Rossi are gathered around, quietly talking through the geographical profile they’ve been working on. Emily leans against the wall, flipping through her notes from the victimology interviews. Derek and Y/N, just back from the most recent crime scene, stand a bit apart, their body language tense but focused.

Hotch looks up from the map, his expression sharp and business-like. “What did you find at the crime scene?”

Derek steps forward, his eyes catching Y/N’s briefly before he speaks. “The victim was restrained before she was killed. Ligature marks on her wrists and ankles. She was tortured—cut up pretty bad across her torso. He took his time with her. Cause of death was strangulation, but the wounds came first.”

Reid frowns, looking over at the crime scene photos pinned to the board. “That suggests control. He didn’t just want to kill her, he wanted to inflict pain, assert dominance.”

Rossi nods in agreement, his tone grim. “He’s trying to break them down before killing them. Likely projecting some internal conflict, something personal.”

Y/N stands a little off to the side, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. She hasn’t said much since they got back, but Derek knows that look. She’s running the details over and over in her mind, trying to process everything.

Derek glances at her again before continuing. “He’s gotta be in his late 40s or 50s. Strong enough to overpower, but methodical enough to take his time with them.”

Emily pushes off the wall and approaches the table. “We’ve seen it before. Someone with deep insecurities who compensates by dominating their victims. There’s probably a sexual element involved, even if it’s not immediately obvious.”

Hotch is quiet for a moment, taking in all the information. Then he asks, “Was there anything else? Anything personal about her?”

There’s a pause. Derek hesitates, his eyes flicking over to Y/N again. He’s been waiting for her to say something, but she’s been holding back. She looks tense, almost like she’s somewhere else entirely.

Y/N clears her throat, feeling the weight of Hotch’s attention on her. “The victim... her name was Claire.”

Hotch raises an eyebrow. “And?”

Y/N shifts slightly, her voice a little quieter. “I knew her. We went to the same high school.”

That draws everyone’s attention. Reid, JJ, and Emily all look at her with surprise. Rossi’s eyes narrow in thought. Hotch’s expression shifts from curious to stern in an instant.

“You knew her?” His tone is sharp, almost accusatory.

Y/N nods, though it’s clear she’s uncomfortable. “Yeah, but... we weren’t close. I hadn’t seen her since high school. I didn’t even realize it was her until we were at the scene.”

Hotch’s jaw tightens, clearly frustrated. “And you didn’t think that was something we should’ve known?”

Before Y/N can respond, Derek steps in, his voice firm and protective. “She didn’t know until we got there, Hotch. This isn’t something she was hiding. It just hit her at the scene.”

Hotch’s gaze shifts to Derek, his expression still hard, but he doesn’t argue. There’s a beat of silence, the tension palpable in the room. Y/N looks down at the floor, her jaw clenched, clearly battling with the emotions bubbling beneath the surface.

Reid, ever the analyst, chimes in. “If Y/N knew the victim, that could mean the unsub has a connection to her past as well. It’s possible he’s targeting women from the same community.”

JJ nods thoughtfully. “If the victims are all from the same area, it might explain how he’s able to blend in so easily. He knows them, at least in passing.”

Y/N swallows hard, feeling the pressure of everyone’s eyes on her. She’s never liked being the focus of attention, especially not when it comes to something this personal. She hates how it feels like she’s under a microscope right now.

Derek steps a little closer to her, his hand brushing her arm lightly, a silent reassurance. His voice softens, just for her. “You okay, babygirl?”

She forces a tight smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “I’m fine.”

Rossi taps the edge of the map in front of him. “If this unsub is blending in with his victims, he’s not the type to stand out. He’s attending social gatherings, getting close to them before striking. He’s comfortable in these environments.”

“That’s how he’s avoiding detection,” Emily adds. “He’s slipping under the radar, appearing harmless.”

Sheriff Mills, who’s been standing quietly in the back of the room, finally speaks up. “You think he’s been attending community events?”

Rossi nods. “It’s likely. He’s integrating himself into their lives without raising suspicion.”

The sheriff frowns, thinking for a moment. “Well, Diane Cole—one of the most prominent women in town—she hosts a weekly Sunday luncheon. Half the community shows up after church.”

Y/N’s entire body goes rigid at the mention of the name. Her breath catches in her throat, her heart pounding suddenly in her chest. The rest of the team doesn’t miss the way her expression changes, the way she seems to freeze in place.

Hotch notices it immediately, his sharp eyes narrowing. “Y/N? Why does that name mean something to you?”

Y/N tries to keep her composure, but it’s slipping. She feels exposed, vulnerable, like the walls she’s spent years building are crumbling around her. Her voice comes out strained, barely above a whisper. “Because Diane Cole is my mother.”

The room falls silent. No one says anything for a moment as they process what she just said. The different last names had kept them from connecting the dots until now, but the revelation is staggering.

Rossi’s eyes soften with understanding, but Hotch’s expression grows darker. He takes a slow breath, his frustration evident. “You didn’t think to tell us that your mother hosts one of the biggest events in town? One that our unsub no doubt plucks his victims from?”

Y/N shakes her head, her voice cracking slightly. “She and I... we haven’t spoken in years. I left home when I was sixteen, Hotch. It’s not like I’m going out of my way to connect with my mother. She’s not—” She stops herself, not wanting to open that door. “She’s not apart of my life. We’re not close.”

Hotch is clearly irritated, but before he can say anything else, Derek puts his hand on Y/N’s back, his voice low and calm, but with a protective edge. “Look, Hotch, this isn’t easy for her. She’s not keeping things from us on purpose. Let’s just focus on what we know and move forward.”

Hotch stares at Derek for a long moment, clearly weighing his words. Finally, he nods, letting the issue drop for now. “Alright. The luncheon is our best lead. Y/N, Derek, Emily—you three will come with me and we’ll see if anyone stands out. We need to be cautious. We don’t know what this guy looks like yet, but he’s dangerous.”

Y/N swallows hard, nodding along with the rest of the team. She feels Derek’s steady presence beside her, his hand on her arm again, grounding her. She meets his eyes for a brief moment, grateful for his unwavering support.

“We got this,” Derek murmurs, just for her. His voice is soft but full of confidence.

Y/N takes a deep breath, steadying herself. “Yeah. We do.”

As the team breaks off to prepare for the next steps, Y/N lingers for a moment, the weight of what’s to come settling heavily on her shoulders. She’s about to walk back into a part of her life she thought she’d left behind for good, and the thought terrifies her. But with Derek by her side, she knows she can face it. She has to.

₊‧ʚ ﹆・︵︵ ₊˚๑ ᕱ🌿ᕱ ꒱✦ ₊ ︵︵・₊﹆ɞ‧₊

The drive to Y/N’s childhood home is filled with a heavy silence. Derek occasionally glances over at her, but she stares straight ahead, her face unreadable. He knows she’s shutting down, retreating into herself as the memories she’s been trying to bury claw their way to the surface. The tension in her body has been there ever since they received word that the unsub might be attending her mother’s Sunday luncheon, and it hasn’t left her since.

As the car pulls up to the house, Y/N’s stomach knots. The familiar two-story building looms in front of them, looking almost exactly the same as it did the day she left nine years ago. The white picket fence, the flower beds her mother used to tend to religiously—everything looks frozen in time, untouched by the years she’s been gone.

Derek cuts the engine and turns to her. “You sure about this, princess?”

Y/N swallows hard, forcing a small nod. “Yeah.”

She isn’t sure. Not even close. But she’s here for the case, and that’s what matters. She can’t afford to let her emotions get in the way of the investigation, no matter how much being here is already tearing her apart.

They step out of the car, and Derek moves beside her, a steady presence as they walk up the path. Hotch and Prentiss are already ahead, scanning the area as they approach the front door. Y/N’s eyes flick around, taking in the familiar sights—the swing set that used to creak with the wind, the porch steps she used to sit on every evening, staring at the stars. All of it feels distant, like a life that belongs to someone else.

As soon as they step onto the porch, the front door swings open. Diane Cole, Y/N’s mother, stands in the doorway, her face lighting up in a wide smile. “Y/N!” she exclaims, her voice filled with warmth and hospitality as if no time has passed at all. “Oh, my goodness, it’s been so long!”

Y/N’s body tenses as her mother wraps her in a tight embrace. The scent of her perfume—familiar, suffocating—fills Y/N’s nostrils. She stands stiffly, arms at her sides, not reciprocating the hug. She can feel Derek’s eyes on her, the weight of his concern palpable, but she doesn’t move.

Diane pulls back, her hands still on Y/N’s shoulders, beaming at her. “Look at you! You’ve grown into such a beautiful young woman.”

Y/N forces a smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Hi, Mom.”

Diane doesn’t seem to notice her daughter’s coldness or, if she does, she ignores it. “Come in, come in!” she says, ushering them inside with a wave of her hand. “Everyone’s already here. We were just about to start lunch.”

Y/N steps inside the house, the familiar creak of the floorboards under her feet making her stomach turn. The smell of roast chicken wafts through the air, mingling with the sound of chatter coming from the dining room. It’s all so painfully familiar, like stepping back into the life she left behind.

Hotch and Prentiss follow them in, their eyes scanning the room, already analyzing the guests milling about. Derek stays close to Y/N’s side, his presence grounding her, but even that isn’t enough to quell the anxiety bubbling up inside her.

As they move into the living room, Diane can’t seem to stop talking. “It’s so wonderful to have everyone here. We do this every Sunday, you know. Just a little gathering after church. Keeps the community close.”

Y/N nods absently, her eyes flicking around the room. She’s searching for something—someone—though she’s not entirely sure who she’s looking for. The unsub is here. That much they know. But standing in this house, surrounded by people she hasn’t seen in years, feels like walking through a minefield.

Diane turns to Derek, her smile still plastered on her face. “And who’s this?”

Diane’s smile widens. “Oh, it’s so nice to meet you, Derek. Please, make yourself at home. We’ve got plenty of food, and if you need anything, just let me know.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Derek replies politely, though his attention is already back on Y/N. He can see how tense she is, the way her eyes are darting around the room, scanning faces, assessing the crowd. She’s in work mode, but there’s something deeper, something more personal eating away at her.

As they move further into the house, Diane continues to chatter, offering drinks, asking about their work, pretending as though she hasn’t been estranged from her daughter for nearly a decade. Y/N barely listens, her mind racing as she takes in every detail, every face.

As they began to split up, Y/N felt a wave of relief wash over her. She’d always preferred to keep her distance from the noise and chaos of family gatherings, and today was no different. “I’ll check the backyard,” she suggested, hoping to create some space between herself and the tension inside.

“Be careful,” Derek said quietly, watching her with concern as she slipped outside.

Once she stepped into the backyard, the sun was almost too bright, illuminating the vibrant flowers in the garden but doing nothing to warm the coldness settling in her bones. She leaned against the wooden railing of the porch, breathing deeply, attempting to ground herself.

For a moment, it was quiet. The chirping of birds and the rustle of leaves filled the air, allowing Y/N to momentarily escape the chaos inside. But just as she started to relax, the back door creaked open. She turned to see Adrian, her stepfather, stepping onto the porch. The brightness of the day dulled as he approached, his confident demeanor wrapping around her like a shroud.

“Y/N,” Adrian said, his voice dripping with feigned warmth. “It’s been a long time.”

Y/N stiffened, her pulse quickening. “What are you doing here?” she asked, trying to keep her tone steady despite the rising tide of panic.

“I came to check in on you,” he takes a silly step closer to her. “You’ve grown up so much,” he said, his eyes scanning her with a mixture of familiarity and something more invasive. “You know, your mother is worried about you. You should visit more often.”

Y/N felt a wave of discomfort wash over her. “I’m fine. I don’t need checking on,” she replied firmly, trying to keep her tone from betraying her nerves. “And I have a busy job. I don’t have time for trivial visits.”

“Really? You’re fine? Because you look like you’re about to bolt. I thought we were past this.” Adrian’s voice turned sharper, an edge of annoyance creeping in as he crossed his arms over his chest.

At that moment, Derek stepped out onto the porch, instantly sensing the tension in the air. He glanced between Y/N and Adrian, picking up on the shift in Y/N's posture—the way her shoulders were tense and how she seemed to shrink back.

“Y/N, are you okay?” Derek asked, concern lacing his voice.

Adrian turned his gaze to Derek, sizing him up as if trying to gauge his intentions. “And who might you be?” he asked, feigning curiosity but with a hint of challenge.

“I’m SSA Derek Morgan with the BAU,” Derek replied, his tone neutral but his stance protective. “We’re here to investigate.”

“Investigate?” Adrian scoffed, his eyes narrowing. “What do you need to investigate in a place like this? It’s just a house.”

“Everything in here could be important,” Derek replied evenly, maintaining eye contact. He felt the tension simmering in the air, aware that any hint of aggression could escalate quickly.

Adrian took a step closer to Y/N, invading her space. “Well, Y/N and I have a lot to discuss, don’t we? Family matters are important. So I think it would be best for you to continue your investigation inside.” There was an underlying threat in his tone, one that made Derek’s instincts flare.

Derek shifted forward, placing himself between Adrian and Y/N, his presence a solid wall. “She doesn’t seem to want to talk,” he said firmly, glancing back at Y/N, searching for reassurance in her eyes. “I think you should give her some space.”

Adrian’s demeanor shifted slightly, his confidence cracking as he tried to reassert himself. “Space? I’m her stepfather. I have every right to speak to her.”

“That doesn’t mean you have the right to make her uncomfortable,” Derek replied, his voice steady but edged with authority. He wasn’t here to play games—he needed to protect Y/N, especially if something felt off.

Adrian’s smile faded as he took another step forward, his eyes darkening. “You’re just some guy, aren’t you? An FBI agent trying to play hero. What do you know about family?”

Derek squared his shoulders, refusing to back down. “I know that family should support one another, not intimidate. And from what I can see, you’re not doing that.”

Y/N felt the tension spike, her heart racing as she sensed Adrian’s irritation boiling beneath the surface. Derek was standing his ground, but she could see the way Adrian’s demeanor shifted—his posture becoming more aggressive.

Adrian’s gaze flicked between Derek and Y/N, and she felt the weight of his scrutiny. “You don’t know her like I do. I’m trying to help her,” he said, his voice lowering as he leaned closer to Derek, trying to assert dominance.

“Help her?” Derek echoed incredulously, his tone clipped. “By pressuring her? You’re not helping anyone but yourself.”

“Watch yourself,” Adrian warned, his voice turning low and menacing. “You don’t know what you’re dealing with here.”

Derek’s jaw tightened, and he took a step closer to Adrian, matching his intensity. “And you don’t know who you’re threatening. Back off.”

Just then, Y/N felt the walls closing in around her. Adrian’s words were wrapping around her like a vice, squeezing her heart and pushing her instincts into overdrive. She could feel herself being pulled in two different directions—Derek’s protective stance grounding her but also reminding her of the past she was trying to escape.

“Y/N,” Adrian said, his tone shifting again as he turned back to her, that familiar manipulation creeping into his voice. “You don’t have to listen to him. I’m just looking out for you.”

She shook her head, the memories crashing over her like a wave. “I don’t need you to look out for me,” she said, her voice firm but low, trying to keep it steady as her hands trembled at her sides. “I’m done with that.”

Derek shot her a glance, noticing the shift in her demeanor. “Y/N, you okay?” he asked, concern thick in his voice.

“I’m fine,” she insisted, but the strain in her tone betrayed her.

Adrian smirked, the kind of smile that sent a chill down Y/N's spine. “Look how protective you are of her,” he said to Derek, his voice dripping with mockery. “Isn’t that sweet?”

“Enough,” Derek said sharply, stepping further in front of Y/N, his body a shield. “You’re crossing a line.”

Adrian’s demeanor darkened, his posture becoming more aggressive as he looked back at Derek, trying to assert his dominance. “You think you can just waltz in here and play protector?”

“Believe me man, I’m not playing,” Derek replied, his voice low and steady.

That was when Y/N felt the weight of everything pressing down on her. She couldn’t stand it. Adrian’s presence, the memories flooding back, and the way Derek was standing up for her—it was all too much. Without another word, she turned and walked briskly toward the front door, needing to escape the suffocating atmosphere.

“Y/N!” Derek called after her, but she was already moving, her heart pounding in her ears.

She rushed through the living room, her mind racing. She felt a wave of anxiety surge as she stepped outside, the sunlight hitting her face, but it felt distant, almost cold.

“Y/N! What happened?” Prentiss shouted, following her outside. The concern in her voice echoed in Y/N’s mind.

“I just... need a minute,” Y/N replied quietly, trying to control the tremble in her voice.

Hotch stepped outside, his brow furrowed as he assessed the situation. “What’s going on?” he asked, his tone serious.

“Nothing,” Y/N breathes heavily, her chest heaving from anxiety and anger. “Nothing, I-I I’m fine.” She didn’t want to relive it; she didn’t want to talk about Adrian or the past. “I don’t want to discuss this.” She shakes her head rapidly.

“Why are you upset?” Prentiss pressed gently, her eyes filled with concern.

“I said I don’t want to talk about it!” Y/N finally snaps, her voice slightly rising as she felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. She turned away from them, needing to find a way to breathe, to think without the weight of their gazes on her.

“Y/N, please,” Derek said softly, stepping closer but remaining respectful of her space. “Talk to us. We’re here to help.”

She shook her head, feeling the panic rising within her. “I can’t do this right now,” she said, her voice breaking. “I just– I cant. I’ll jeopardize the case if I go back in there. And I can’t do that to those women. I can’t mess this up.”

With that, she turned and strode toward the SUV parked at the curb, the need to retreat overwhelming her. She climbed into the back seat, shutting the door firmly behind her, pressing her forehead against the cool glass, desperately trying to find calm in the chaos that had erupted.

“Y/N!” Derek called again, but she didn’t respond, her heart racing as she stared out the window, willing the memories to stay buried and the present to fade away.

The team gathered outside, their expressions a mix of confusion and concern as they exchanged worried glances. “What do we do?” Prentiss asked, glancing from Hotch to Derek.

“We give her space,” Hotch replied, his voice steady. “She’ll talk when she’s ready.”

Derek clenched his fists, frustration coursing through him. He wanted to reach out, to comfort her, but he knew that pushing would only make things worse. “I hate this,” he muttered, his gaze fixed on the closed door of the SUV.

As the minutes ticked by, Y/N closed her eyes, willing herself to breathe, to find calm in the chaos swirling around her. She couldn’t let Adrian’s presence ruin everything she had worked for, everything she had fought to build. But deep down, she knew the shadows of her past wouldn’t let her go so easily.

₊‧ʚ ﹆・︵︵ ₊˚๑ ᕱ🌿ᕱ ꒱✦ ₊ ︵︵・₊﹆ɞ‧₊

Walking back into the police station, Y/N managed to get the entire teams attention without even speaking. The unfortunate part about working with such observant people is that even if she breathes a little too heavy, they can tell exactly what she’s thinking. And let’s just say her breathing is way different than what they would consider her “normal.”

Spencer, JJ, and Rossi all watch with concerned eyes as Y/N practically storms into the designated room they have for the case, slamming the door behind her. The glass windows shake from the force and she places her hands on the table before zeroing in on the case board in front of her.

Hotch, Emily, and Derek walk in, their own cautious gaze setting everyone on edge. Rossi looks at the trio, pointing back at the fuming agent in the other room. “What happened there?”

Hotch states after his younger agent, tilting his head as he tries to gauge whether she’s more upset or angry from beyond the window. “Something set her off at the house,” he answers.

“Not something, someone,” Emily corrects with a worried sighs. “As soon as her stepfather showed up, it was like her entire world stopped. And not in a good way.”

“Stepfather?” JJ furrows her eyebrows.

“Adrian Cole,” Reid answers for them, causing everyone to look at him confused.

“And how did you know that?” Hotch questions flatly.

“When she mentioned Diane was her mother, I did some digging and asked some of the other officers about her,” Reid admits with a harsh swallow as he notices Morgan glaring in his direction. No doubt for probing into Y/N’s life. “Diane got married to Adrian when Y/N was eight years old. Three years after her father died. He’s currently fifty-two, eight years older than Diane. I guess everyone was pretty surprised to find out they were seeing each other,” Reid reveals. “Sheriff Mills told me that it was the talk of the town when it originally happened. Adrian was kind of a recluse, not approached by many, kind of a ‘creep’ as described by the deputies,” he gestures over in the other direction. “So it was surprising to find out that Diane ended up with him, especially since she married her high school sweetheart, Y/N’s father, Daniel L/N.”

“So she kept her father’s last name,” Rossi points out, glancing back over to Y/N. “Shows how much she truly wanted to distance herself from her mother. Not taking her new husband’s last name.”

“Or maybe she was just closer with her dad,” JJ suggests.

“Or maybe her stepfather never got over his ‘creep’ reputation,” Emily scoffs out. “Gotta admit, if he was my stepdad, I wouldn’t want his last name either. I mean, the way he walked up to Y/N… it was almost predatory.”

Derek stands off to the side, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. He listens to the conversation but doesn’t say anything yet. He’s been watching Y/N closely ever since they walked into her mother’s house, noticing every shift in her demeanor, every tell-tale sign that she was far from okay. Now, hearing the others discuss her like she’s some puzzle to solve only makes his jaw tighten.

“We can’t just sit here and talk about her like she’s not in the other room,” Derek’s voice breaks them out of their conversation. “We shouldn’t be discussing and probing into her life without talking to her first.”

“She doesn’t exactly look like she wants to talk, Derek,” Emily points out. “She kind of bit our heads off when we originally tried to get something out of her. We’re just trying to get an idea so we can help.”

“Well maybe instead of talking about her we should be talking to her,” Derek says snippily. “Then we might actually be able to get her to open up.”

Hotch raises an eyebrow, “You think she’ll open up?”

“To me? Oh, I know she will,” Derek nods his head confidently. “She trusts me. If anyone is going to get through to her, it’s me.” He says, his voice steady, though there’s an edge of protectiveness in his tone.

Without waiting for anyone else to respond, Derek heads toward the room where Y/N disappeared. The others exchange quick glances, knowing Morgan has a point. He’s closer to Y/N than anyone else on the team, and if she’s going to talk to anyone, it’s him.

Inside the room, Y/N stands in front of the caseboard, her eyes scanning over the photos and files without really seeing them. Her mind is racing, and it’s written all over her face. Derek walks in quietly, closing the door behind him. He watches her for a moment, his eyes softening as he sees the tension in her shoulders, the way she’s gripping the edges of the table like it’s the only thing keeping her grounded.

"Princess," he says softly, using the nickname he knows she responds to when she’s upset. "You okay?"

Y/N doesn’t turn around, her voice coming out strained. "I’m fine, Derek."

He takes a step closer, his tone gentle but firm. "No, you’re not. Talk to me."

She lets out a shaky breath, still not looking at him. "It’s... it’s nothing. I just—there’s too much going on. I need to focus."

Derek’s not buying it. He steps closer until he’s standing next to her, he gently places his pointer finger under her chin, lifting her head up to him. "Y/N, look at me."

Reluctantly, she allows him to lovingly adjust her head, her eyes meeting his. The moment their gazes lock, Derek can see it—the fear, the anger, the confusion. She’s holding it all in, trying to keep herself together, but it’s a losing battle.

"You don’t have to do this alone babygirl,” Derek says softly, his voice full of concern. "Whatever’s going on, you know I’ve got your back."

For a second, she looks like she’s going to say something, but then she shakes her head, turning away from him again. "It’s just... I don’t know, Derek. I don’t know what to do, what to say,” she huffs frustratedly. “Things are a lot more complicated than everyone thinks they are.”

He watches her, giving her the space she needs but staying close, his presence solid and unwavering. "You don’t have to have all the answers right now. Just talk to me."

Y/N’s breath hitches, and she suddenly steps back from the caseboard, running a hand through her hair as she starts to pace. "It’s not just about Adrian, okay? There’s... there’s something else."

Derek watches her carefully, his eyes tracking her movements as she starts to unravel. "What is it?"

Y/N’s mind is moving a million miles a minute, pieces clicking together as she starts connecting the dots. She stops pacing and stares at the board again, her heart pounding. "I found the connection," she murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper.

Derek’s brow furrows. "What?"

Y/N swallows hard, her hands trembling slightly as she starts flipping through the files. "It’s me,” she admits shakily. “I’m the connection,” she rushes out, throwing files left and right. “The girls. I know all of them. I guess I haven’t been processing faces until now, trying to block out the memories I have here, but I can’t do it anymore. These women…” her hands tremble as she moves. “They’re dead because they knew me.”

“Whoa, whoa, sweetheart, slow down,” Morgan places his hands on her shoulders gently to get her to stop rambling. “What do you mean you’re the connection? You haven’t been here in over nine years.”

Y/N squeezed her eyes shut, letting the warmth of Derek’s hands try to slow her mind. It works momentarily, but does nothing to slow her racing heart at the realization that she could be the key to this entire case. And she did exactly what she promised she wouldn’t. She jeopardized it. Ignored the fact she faintly recognized each victim. Ignored the nagging feeling in her brain that something was off. Thats why the team has been struggling to track the unsub, because they’ve been missing one key element. The connection between the victims. Why he picks them.

“They were all part of the same support group I was in when I was a teenager.” She swallows thickly, rubbing her now sweaty, nervous hands on her slacks. “All of them. That’s why I recognized Claire... and the others.”

Derek steps closer, his voice low but urgent. “A support group? For what?”

Y/N’s chest tightens as the memories flood back, memories she’s tried so hard to bury. "For survivors of abuse. Sexual abuse."

There’s a beat of silence as Derek processes what she’s just said. His jaw tightens, his protective instincts kicking in even harder. "Y/N..."

She doesn’t give him a chance to say anything else. Her eyes dart across the files, her mind racing as she speaks faster. "This isn’t just random. He’s targeting them, Derek. The girls from the group. I don’t know why, but he’s going after them. And now... now it’s happening again. They went through something so evil and vile as kids and now… now they’re being killed for it.”

Derek takes a step forward, his hand reaching out to gently grab her arm, grounding her. "Hey, slow down. We’ll figure this out, okay? You’re not alone in this."

“Derek, what if that means I’m next?” She asks him. “We have five victims, and there was only six people in the group. I’m the only one left.” She moves back to the case board, trying to see if any new information will reveal itself after this epiphany. “And it-it’s not like a lot of people knew about it…” she mumbles. “It was a private group, very secluded. It was us and whoever we chose to tell about our experience.”

“Babygirl…” The way Derek calls out to her, she can already tell exactly what question he’s going to ask next. Which is the main reason why she didn’t tell him sooner. She’s been trying to avoid the answer to this question for her entire life.

“Who did this to you?”

Y/N freezes, her eyes traveling down to her feet. She fights off the tears welling behind her eyes, needing to stay strong. This can’t have a hold over her anymore. She can’t keep living like this. In terror of returning to the place she used to call home.

“Adrian,” she says, her voice cracking. She doesn’t even have to turn to Derek to know his fists are clenched. She can feel the anger radiating off of him at the revelation. It all makes sense to him now. Why Y/N’s been acting off since getting to Baraboo, why she was uncomfortable in her childhood home, why she looked like she wanted to run and hide the second Adrian approached her. He violated her in a way no person should ever be violated. In a way that he understands all too well.

He manages to get ahold of his fury, walking closer to her. He sits down in the chair directly next to her body. He reaches out, grabbing her hand and rubbing his thumb over her soft skin. “How long?” He asks, a pained tone in his voice.

She keeps her eyes trained on her shoes, “Ten to fourteen,” she says barely above a whisper. “I went to the support group until I left for college at sixteen.” Y/N sits down next to him, almost hiding within herself. “Most of the other girls were older than me,” her eyes barely graze over the crime scene photos.

“Babygirl, this went on for four years? Did you tell anyone?” Derek wonders, not judging because he didn’t say anything either.

“I tried–” her voice cracks again as she chokes back her tears. She clears her throat to regain her composure, “I told my mom,” she admits quietly. “But she didn’t believe me. She told him I told her and that’s when things went downhill. She called me a liar, told me no one would believe me. Adrian played the victim throughout the whole thing, but the same night he came into my room and–” she sucks in a deep breath. “He told me it was my fault. That he was being so nice to me for doing what he was doing. Told me I wouldn’t make it without him or his help. And I was just a kid,” she sniffles. “I was scared out of my mind. I couldn’t defend myself because I believed him. And my own mother didn’t even think I was telling the truth. How could I tell the police?”

Derek doesn’t say anything but moves forward to pull her in for a hug. He holds her tightly and she slowly melts into his chest. They both can feel the eyes of the team on them, but choose to ignore it. “That’s why I went to the support group.” She continues, slightly muffled by Derek’s chest. “Because they were feeling the same way I was. Even if the people who did it to them were caught and put away, they still understood what it felt like.”

“Sweetheart, I don’t want you to have to relive this, but I gotta ask… Who else knew about these meetings?” He lifts her head up, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “Anyone that you can think of. If you truly believe you are the key to this case, you’re the only one who would know.”

“I didn’t tell anyone,” Y/N says honestly. “Whenever I would go I would say it was for tutoring or book club. I didn’t want them to know I was looking for help. But the other girls could’ve told someone. I don’t think they did though. When we went it was for us. To help us cope. We didn’t feel the need to tell anyone else because we had each other.” Her forehead creases as she tries to think of someone who could’ve been aware. “I guess the only other person who would’ve known is the girl who facilitated it. She graduated five years before I even got there. Got a degree in psychology. I think she actually became a therapist here.”

“Would she have told anyone?”

“No,” Y/N shakes her head. “She was big on confidentiality. That’s why we all trusted her.” She thinks back to try and remember any detail she could. “Her name is Candy Brown. Dark hair, a couple inches shorter than me, real organized, had set schedules and certain ticks. Like borderline OCD. She would have to click her pen three times when moving onto a new person while taking notes.”

“She kept records?” Derek’s face suddenly morphs into one of extreme concern. “Y/N, if she wrote down everything you guys ever told her, someone could’ve easily found the notes and that’s how our unsub got his information. That’s how he could’ve figured out who was in the group.”

“We need to tell the team,” Y/N looks out the window towards the group of people who haven’t moved since Derek came to talk to her.

“Baby–”

“No,” she shakes her head, using her right hand to cup the side of his face. She looks him in the eyes genuinely for the first time since arriving in Wisconsin. “It’s okay,” Y/N reassures him. “This is information that pertains to the case and can help catch our unsub. They need to know.”

₊‧ʚ ﹆・︵︵ ₊˚๑ ᕱ🌿ᕱ ꒱✦ ₊ ︵︵・₊﹆ɞ‧₊

After telling the team all about her past, Y/N felt embarrassed but overall relieved. She could tell they were heartbroken for her, but none of them went too overboard with it, knowing it would make things worse if they coddled her over it. She was grateful to have Derek with her. She wouldn’t have been able to get through it without having a panic attack if he wasn’t holding her hand all the way through it.

Hotch sent her and Derek to find Candy and ask if she had lost her notes in recent months while him and the rest of the team delivered the more updated profile. Now that they had all the information, they could get a better idea of who this guy is.

Y/N was almost in awe of how large Candy’s building was. Sheriff Mills had given her and Derek the directions to get there, and it was almost refreshing seeing someone from that time in Y/N’s life flourishing. Especially since the other girls didn’t even get the chance to.

Walking into the office, Derek and Y/N flash their badges at the receptionist, informing her of who they are and why they’re here. She quickly guides them to Candy who is fervently writing down information.

“She just got done with a patient,” the receptionist whispers. “She’ll be done any second now.”

Suddenly the dark haired woman’s head shoots up, but not before clicking her pen three times. The same thing she needed to do when trying to move on from person to person.

“Candy Brown,” Derek begins, walking up to the woman to respectfully shake her hand. Y/N follows after him, her hands folded neatly in front of her. “I’m SSA Derek Morgan, and this is–”

“Y/N L/N,” Candy finishes, a mixture of shock and confusion in her voice. A small smile crosses her face as she takes in the now adult woman in front of her. “Wow,” she breathes out. “I haven’t seen you in–”

“Nine years?” Y/N finishes.

Candy nods, “Yeah.” She furrows her eyebrows, looking in between her and Derek, “What’s going on? I know your guys’ team is here investigating the murders, but why are you here?” She asks curiously.

“You remember the support group you created when I was here?” Y/N immediately jumps into the conversation, not bothering to beat around the bush.

“Yes?”

Y/N takes another step forward, analyzing the room around her, “I don’t know if you realized, but all of the victims were participants in the group.”

“Of course I realized,” Candy says. “That’s why I was so surprised to hear that you not only came back but are also working on a case where you could be a potential target.”

“And you weren’t worried about being a target?” Derek asks, brow quirked.

“No,” Candy answers with a small shrug. “After he killed Laura-”

“The second victim,” Y/N adds for clarification.

“Yeah,” Candy nods. “After I found out she was killed, I knew it was a matter of time before the others went.”

“And how exactly did you come to that conclusion?” Derek folds his arms, not understanding how she has so much intel on the case.

She swallows thickly, looking around and avoiding eye contact with the two agents. Y/N tilts her head, narrowing her eyes which makes the shorter woman squirm. “Candy…?” Y/N says expectantly.

“I thought they would’ve told you by now,” Candy starts. “I had a different office before this one. My old one burned down after it was burglarized.” Her explanation makes Y/N’s stomach twist in multiple different directions. Her and Derek make eye contact, knowing exactly where this is going.

“Let me guess, this all happened around two months ago?” Derek sighs when he watches Candy nod her head.

“Yeah. So someone did tell you?”

“No,” Y/N corrects. “That’s just when our unsub started killing.” She looks at Candy with a serious expression, “Listen, I need you to think long and hard about who could’ve had access to your office. Who also might’ve taken too much of an interest in the work you do with sexual abuse survivors.”

Derek elaborates more on the profile, “He should be a white male, late 40s to early 50s. He acts confident as a way to overcompensate for his past failures. He can be a bit of a creep sometimes but tries to cover it up with a facade of charm. He’s become an influential member of the community, but he wasn’t always that way. He had to claw his way up.”

Candy’s brows are furrowed in thought as she thinks deeply about what they’ve said. Her mind goes over the different people that were employed with her, those who spoke to her about her work, who showed interest. That’s when her eyes light up. She looks at Y/N, her lip quivering.

“What?” Y/N asks, immediately noticing the shift. “Candy, what is it?”

“The only other person who could’ve had access to my office in the other building was the cleaner I hired,” she answers. “I hired a third party to come later at night so my day janitors and custodians could go home earlier during the day.”

“Do you remember who this third party is?” Derek asks urgently, getting ready to phone Hotch.

Candy’s face falls, “It was Adrian,” she reveals quietly. Y/N feels like she’s been shot in the chest when the words leave her old friend’s lips. “He’s had this free lance cleaning business for some time now. It’s been pretty successful with all the small businesses around here. He was always asking questions after my meetings, but I would never tell him much. You know I wouldn’t betray Doctor-patient confidentiality like that.” Y/N nods along with the statement. “But after you left, the girls continued to see me. We met in group settings until I built my practice and then they started coming individually. Just for someone to talk to.”

“Did you still keep handwritten notes?” Y/N questions.

“Yeah,” Candy nods. “It’s the most efficient way for me to keep my thoughts organized. But there was one evening I remember that Claire came in and she was telling me how she felt isolated from the community. It was something all the girls had been hinting at, but I didn’t take it seriously until I realized all of them had said it. I was frustrated that I didn’t see them all asking me for help. So when Adrian came in that night, I just said that some of my clients felt alone.” She mentally facepalms, “I know I shouldn’t have even engaged in conversation, but he was just being so involved and nice about it. That’s when he told me to invite them to your mom’s luncheon.”

“And did they go?” Derek questions.

“Yes,” Candy nods. “I encouraged them to go together as emotional support. They all went to the same one.”

Y/N sighs, realizing they’ve already spoken to their unsub and let him get away. “And let me guess, it was the Sunday before your office was burglarized?”

Candy rubs a hand over her face, “And their files were the only ones unaccounted for.”

“Y/N, we need to call Hotch,” Derek tells her seriously. “We’re gonna need backup.”

She nods, a more than determined expression on her face. “Let’s go.”

₊‧ʚ ﹆・︵︵ ₊˚๑ ᕱ🌿ᕱ ꒱✦ ₊ ︵︵・₊﹆ɞ‧₊

Rolling up to her mother’s house twice within the span of a day was unexpected for Y/N, but she’s determined now more than ever to make sure this visit leaves an impact. The woman is the first one out of an SUV, darting towards the door with her gun ready in her hands. Derek follows closely behind, accompanied by Hotch and the rest of the team.

Diane’s car is in the driveway, so Y/N knows this isn’t going to go as smoothly as she desires. If she could just go in and take Adrian down, she would. But she knows her mother is going to try and fight it.

Hotch gives the signal, and Derek pushes the door open, stepping in first with Y/N close behind. The rest of the team fans out, guns at the ready, but Y/N’s focus is singular: Adrian.

Diane is in the living room, flipping through a magazine. She looks up, startled to see them. “Y/N?” she says, her voice warm with surprise. She stands, smiling tentatively, “What’s going on? What are you doing here?”

Y/N’s throat tightens as she looks at her mother. The warmth, the confusion in Diane’s eyes—it almost feels like any other visit, except this time, it’s not. “We need to talk to Adrian,” Y/N says, her voice steady but distant.

Diane frowns, glancing at the rest of the team behind her daughter. “What’s going on? Why do you need to talk to him?” Her smile fades slightly, but there’s still an air of disbelief as if this can’t possibly be serious.

Hotch steps in, his voice professional, calm. “Where’s Adrian, Mrs. Cole? We need to speak with him.”

Diane looks between Y/N and the team, her confusion deepening. “He’s in the bathroom. But what’s this about?”

Y/N feels the familiar dread creeping in, the same doubt her mother always carried. She avoids Diane’s gaze and nods toward the hallway, signaling to Derek and Rossi. “Go get him.”

As Derek and Rossi head toward the hallway, Diane’s tone shifts, becoming more defensive. “Wait, Y/N, what’s going on? You can’t just barge in here—”

Y/N feels a knot form in her chest, but before she can respond, Derek’s voice calls out, sharp. “Adrian! We know you’re in there. It’s over!”

There’s a clatter from the bathroom, followed by silence. Y/N’s eyes dart toward the hallway, tension crackling between them all. She can’t breathe, waiting for the door to open, for Adrian to step out.

Diane’s face hardens now, the warmth fading. “Wait, you think Adrian had something to do with these murders you’re here for?” she asks, her voice incredulous. “This is absurd. He hasn’t done anything!”

Derek reappears at the doorway, his eyes locked on Adrian as he exits the bathroom. Adrian’s face is calm, too calm, but there’s an edge to his voice as he looks from Derek to Y/N. “What’s this about?”

“We know what you’ve been doing,” Y/N says, her voice breaking the silence, though her throat feels like it’s closing in on itself. The weight of her past is crashing down all at once. “We know you found out about my old support group and have been preying on the women.”

Diane’s eyes widen in shock, her voice turning sharp. “Wait—what? This is what you’re accusing him of?” She turns to Y/N, disbelief clear in her expression. “You can’t be serious, Y/N. You’ve always had it out for Adrian—”

“Mrs. Cole, stop,” Derek interrupts, his voice firm as he steps between Y/N and her mother. His protective instincts kick in, but there’s a bite in his words now as he faces Diane directly. “You didn’t believe her then, and I get that you don’t wanna believe her now, but this isn’t a game. He’s connected to multiple murders.”

Diane’s face turns pale as the words sink in, but she shakes her head, her hands trembling slightly. “You’re wrong,” she says, her voice breaking. “Adrian wouldn’t—he didn’t do anything.”

Y/N feels the sting of her mother’s disbelief. After everything, Diane still won’t accept it. Derek glances at Y/N, his voice lowering but full of fire. “She’s your daughter. You should’ve protected her. Instead, you’re defending him.”

Adrian looks like he’s about to speak when Diane steps in front of him, as if shielding him. “Y/N, this is insane. You’re arresting him for murders? You’re destroying our family—again!”

Y/N snaps, emotion flooding into her voice, “Do you even hear yourself? Do you understand what’s happening right now?” She doesn’t want to raise her voice, but it’s like years of anger are bubbling to the surface. “He hurt me. He manipulated me, and now other women are dead because of him!”

Diane looks at Y/N with wide eyes, as if she can’t process what she’s hearing. “You’re lying,” she says quietly, her voice shaking. “You’re making this all up. You always blamed Adrian for everything—”

Y/N’s heart twists painfully in her chest. Even now, her mother doesn’t believe her. Derek’s jaw clenches as he steps forward, practically growling now. “She’s not lying. She’s been through enough, and it’s time you started listening to her instead of defending this monster.”

Adrian, sensing that things are slipping out of his control, sneers at Derek. “You don’t know anything about me.”

Derek’s eyes are sharp as he glares back, full of unspoken anger. “I know enough.”

Hotch steps in then, signaling Spencer, Rossi, and Prentiss. “We’re taking him in,” he says, his voice calm but decisive.

Diane stumbles backward as Morgan pulls Adrian’s arms behind his back to cuff him. “You can’t do this!” Diane cries out, her hands shaking as she reaches for Adrian.

“Ma’am I’m going to need you to step back,” Prentiss warns, her voice firm but not unkind.

Diane turns to Y/N, desperation in her eyes. “Please, Y/N. Don’t do this.”

Y/N’s throat tightens again, the pain almost unbearable as she looks at her mother. “I didn’t do this. He did.”

As they haul Adrian toward the door, Derek stays by Y/N’s side, his hand gently resting on her arm. He leans in, his voice softening just for her. “You alright?”

Y/N can barely nod. “I just… I need this to be over.”

Derek squeezes her arm gently, the tension between them unspoken but palpable. “We’ll make sure it is,” he says quietly. “He’s not gonna hurt you anymore.”

As Adrian is led out, Y/N watches him disappear through the door, the weight of everything she’s carried for so long finally starting to lift. Derek stays close, his protective presence like a shield around her.

“I should’ve seen this sooner,” Y/N whispers, her voice full of regret.

Derek looks at her, his eyes full of something deeper, something he hasn’t said yet. “This isn’t on you,” he says, his voice steady. “We’ve got him now.”

Y/N takes a deep breath, her heart pounding, but there’s a strange sense of relief starting to creep in. Maybe, finally, this part of her life is coming to an end.

₊‧ʚ ﹆・︵︵ ₊˚๑ ᕱ🌿ᕱ ꒱✦ ₊ ︵︵・₊﹆ɞ‧₊

In the interrogation room, Adrian Cole lounges in his seat, his cocky smile never wavering as Hotch and Derek sit across from him. The fluorescent lights overhead cast a cold, sterile glow, but Adrian is undisturbed, clearly enjoying himself. His eyes flick between Hotch and Derek, and there’s something calculating in the way he looks at them, like he’s already planning his next move.

Hotch keeps his voice steady, professional. “Adrian, we know about your connection to the women in the support group. Candy Brown confirmed that you used to work for her, that you were asking questions about the survivors. You were studying them, weren’t you? Figuring out how to get close.”

Adrian leans back in his chair, chuckling lightly. “Questions? You mean me being polite? Curious, maybe? Come on, Agent, that’s hardly a crime.”

Derek’s jaw tightens, but he remains composed. “You fit the profile. We know you’ve been stalking these women. We know Y/N was your real target all along.”

Adrian’s smile grows wider, his eyes shifting to Derek. “Oh, Agent Morgan. I see why you’re here now.” He leans forward, the playful tone in his voice turning darker. “This isn’t about the profile, is it? It’s about her. You’re here because of Y/N.”

Derek’s gaze hardens, but he doesn’t take the bait. “I’m here because of what you did.”

“What I did?” Adrian raises an eyebrow, mockingly confused. “You mean what you think I did. You’re just mad because you know I got to her first.”

The air in the room seems to thicken with tension as Adrian watches Derek’s reaction, clearly enjoying the game he’s playing. Hotch tries to redirect. “This isn’t about Y/N. It’s about the six women you killed.”

But Adrian’s eyes stay locked on Derek. “Six women… sure, that’s bad. But you know what’s worse, Derek?” He leans forward, dropping his voice to a whisper. “Knowing she’ll never be yours. No matter what you do, no matter how hard you try to protect her, you’ll always be too late. You can’t fix what’s already broken.”

Derek clenches his fists under the table, the muscles in his jaw working as he forces himself to stay calm. Adrian’s words are cutting deep, hitting exactly where he intended.

“You’re wrong,” Derek growls, barely keeping his composure. “She’s stronger than you think. And you’ll never touch her again.”

Adrian’s smirk doesn’t falter. “Strong? Sure. Strong enough to get away from me last time. But the thing is, Derek… people like her? They always come back. It’s just a matter of time.”

Derek leans in, his voice deadly quiet. “You’ll rot in prison before you ever get that chance.”

Adrian sits back, casually crossing his arms over his chest, his grin widening. “We’ll see.”

Hotch, sensing Derek’s rising anger, stands up. “We’re done here.”

Derek hesitates for a split second, his eyes still locked on Adrian, but then he rises as well. Adrian chuckles lowly and his eyes follow Derek as he moves toward the door. “Leaving already, Derek?” Adrian’s voice drips with mockery. “Y/N must have told you everything by now. How she couldn’t resist, how much she used to like it when I—”

Derek spins back around, his anger breaking through for just a second. “You need to shut your mouth.”

Adrian’s smile only widens as he leans forward, reveling in Derek’s reaction. “Touched a nerve, did I? Guess it’s not just Y/N’s mind I wormed my way into, huh?”

Before Derek can step closer, Hotch holds out an arm, signaling him to back down. He knows Adrian is trying to bait Derek into losing control. “We’re leaving,” Hotch repeats firmly.

As soon as the door to the interrogation room shuts, Derek finally lets the anger show on his face. “That guy is a real piece of work,” he mutters under his breath. He paces, trying to rein in his emotions. Rossi, JJ, Prentiss, and Spencer are waiting, their expressions tense.

Hotch nods, his expression grim. “He knows how to manipulate, how to get under people’s skin. That’s why he’s dangerous. But we need a confession.”

Derek shoots him a look, his voice hard. “You’re not seriously thinking about sending Y/N in there.”

“She’s the only one he’ll talk to,” Hotch replies, his tone even, though there’s clear discomfort in his eyes. “He’s too focused on her. He won’t crack for us, but with her, he might.”

“She doesn’t need to be anywhere near that psycho,” Prentiss adds, backing Derek up.

Rossi nods, his arms crossed. “He’ll try to manipulate her, Hotch. He’ll push all her buttons. You know how dangerous that could be.”

Hotch looks around at the team, his face unreadable, but resolute. “He’s not going to talk to anyone else. Y/N’s the reason this is all happening—he’s fixated on her. If we want a confession, we need her.”

Derek is still pacing, shaking his head in frustration. “Hotch, you know what he’ll do. He’ll tear her apart mentally.”

“Derek…” Y/N’s voice cuts through the tension as she steps forward, her face calm but determined. “I need to do this.”

Derek looks at her, his expression a mix of frustration and concern. “No, Y/N. You don’t have to do this. Let someone else handle it.”

Y/N meets his gaze, her voice steady. “It has to be me. He won’t talk to anyone else, and you know it. I’m the one who has to end this.”

Derek runs a hand over his face, still conflicted, but he knows she’s right. He can see the resolve in her eyes, the same determination that’s been driving her since this case started. After a long moment, he nods, though it clearly kills him to do so. “Fine. But I’m right outside the door. The second you need me, I’m coming in.”

Y/N gives him a small, appreciative smile. “I know.”

With a final glance at the rest of the team, Y/N walks into the interrogation room. Adrian’s eyes light up the moment he sees her, his grin returning.

“Well, look who it is,” he says, leaning back in his chair like he’s just been handed a gift. “I knew you’d come.” His eyes flicker with amusement as he takes in her demeanor. She’s calm. No sign of fear on her face, making his fists clench. “You always were a clever girl, Y/N. Smart enough to know what you wanted but never strong enough to follow through. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it? You think you’ve won.”

Y/N narrows her eyes. “I didn’t come here to win anything, Adrian. I came here to end this.”

He scoffs, leaning forward again, his tone dropping to a darker pitch. “End what? You think locking me up will change anything? You’ll still be thinking about me. You’ll always be connected to me. You and I, Y/N, we’re the same.”

Y/N’s lips curl into a tight smile. “That’s where you’re wrong. I’m not like you, Adrian. I’m stronger because I don’t need to control anyone to feel powerful. You? You’re nothing. You never were. You thought you had control over me, but really, you were just a pathetic coward trying to feel important.”

Adrian’s jaw tightens, but Y/N can see the flicker of anger behind his eyes. She presses on, her voice dropping to a cold, cutting tone.

“You couldn’t control me, Adrian. That’s why you went after those other women. You thought by killing them, you’d finally feel like you had power over something. But deep down, you knew the truth. You’re impotent. You can’t control anyone, least of all me.”

His hand twitches on the table, and his smirk falters. Y/N knows she’s hit a nerve.

“You think you’re so smart, don’t you?” Adrian hisses, his voice venomous. “You think you’re untouchable? I killed those women because they were weak! They were nothing compared to you! But I did it for you. Every one of them, Y/N! Every one was for you, to remind you of what I can do.”

His face twists with fury as he leans in, practically spitting the words now. “I did it because I knew it would bring you back to me. And guess what? It worked. You’re here. And when this is over, you’ll never forget me.”

Y/N doesn’t flinch, her eyes cold and unwavering as she meets his gaze. “You’re right about one thing, Adrian. I won’t forget you. But not because I’m scared or because you have any hold over me. I’ll remember you as the pathetic, cowardly man who couldn’t even face his own failures. You killed those women because you couldn’t handle the fact that I got away from you. That I beat you.”

Adrian’s face is red with rage now, his fists clenched as he glares at her. He’s lost his cool completely, no longer the charming manipulator he was trying to be. He’s exposed.

Y/N stands up slowly, looking down at him with calm, cold eyes. “You wanted me back in your life? Well, congratulations, Adrian. You’ve got a one-way ticket to prison, and the only time you’ll see me again is when you’re rotting behind bars.”

She leans in just a little, her voice dropping to a near whisper, her words like ice. “I won. You lost. And the worst part for you? You’ll spend the rest of your miserable life knowing I never belonged to you.”

Adrian’s face twists in a snarl, but he doesn’t say anything. Y/N doesn’t need him to. She’s already shattered his delusions.

As she turns to leave the room, she pauses in the doorway, glancing over her shoulder one last time. “Enjoy prison, Adrian. You’ll be surrounded by men just like you. Maybe they’ll remind you of what real powerlessness feels like.”

She walks out without looking back, leaving Adrian sitting there, fuming and defeated.

Outside, the team watches through the observation window. Derek’s eyes never leave Y/N as she steps into the hallway, her expression unreadable but victorious.

As soon as she’s out, Derek moves toward her, his voice low and full of quiet admiration. “You were incredible in there.”

Y/N gives him a small smile, but it’s bittersweet. “It’s over.”

Derek steps closer, his voice softening. “You did it, Y/N. You took him down.”

She nods, but before she can respond, her mother’s voice cuts through the moment. Diane, standing at the end of the hall, her eyes wide with shock and regret, had heard every word of Adrian’s confession.

“Y/N…” Diane’s voice trembles, her face pale as she takes a tentative step forward. “I didn’t know. I didn’t believe you and I’m—”

“Stop,” Y/N says, her voice sharp but not raised. She turns to face her mother, eyes hard. “I forgive you, Mom. But I’ll never forget what you did. Or didn’t do.”

Diane’s face crumples as she stares at her daughter, tears welling in her eyes. “Please, Y/N. I didn’t understand. I didn’t know how to—”

Y/N cuts her off again, shaking her head. “It’s too late. You had years to believe me. Years to help me. I’m done waiting for you to care.”

Diane reaches out, but Y/N takes a step back, her face unreadable. “Take care of yourself, Mom. I don’t need you anymore.”

With that, Y/N turns and walks away, the weight of years of pain finally lifted from her shoulders.

Derek watches her go, admiration and sadness flickering in his eyes. He catches up to her and without a word, pulls her into a tight embrace, holding her like he never wants to let go.

“You did good babygirl,” he murmurs into her hair, his voice thick with emotion. “You did real good.”

Y/N lets out a shaky breath, leaning into him. “It’s really over,” she whispers, and for the first time, she truly believes it.

₊‧ʚ ﹆・︵︵ ₊˚๑ ᕱ🌿ᕱ ꒱✦ ₊ ︵︵・₊﹆ɞ‧₊

Y/N stood in her kitchen, stirring the lavender tea she had made for herself, hoping the soothing scent would calm her nerves after the intensity of the past few days. The warmth of the mug seeped into her hands as she glanced at the clock—it was late, and for the first time since they wrapped the case, she was alone. It was a rare, precious quiet. She wore her comfiest pair of sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt, her hair thrown into a messy bun as she padded over to the couch.

She sank into the cushions with a sigh, trying to let the exhaustion slip away. Just as she curled up, ready to embrace the quiet, a knock came at the door.

Her brow furrowed. Who could it be at this hour? A part of her tensed, but when she peeked through the peephole, her face softened.

Derek.

A smile immediately spread across her lips as she quickly unlocked the door and swung it open. "Derek," she said, warmth filling her voice. "What are you doing here?"

He stood there, dressed casually in jeans and a fitted t-shirt, but the warmth in his dark eyes was what made her heart flutter. He held a small box in his hands, the edges of a smile tugging at his lips.

“I couldn’t let you be alone after everything,” he said softly. “And... I brought you something.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow, eyeing the box with curiosity. “Oh? And what’s that?”

Derek stepped forward, holding the box out to her. “Carrot cake. Figured you could use a little sweetness after the last few days.”

Y/N’s smile brightened, and she laughed softly, the tension of the case beginning to melt away. “You remembered it’s my favorite.”

“Of course I did. I remember everything about you,” he said, his voice low and teasing, but there was an underlying sincerity in his words.

She took the box from his hands, shaking her head in amusement. “I think I need something sweeter than carrot cake, though.”

Derek cocked an eyebrow, that signature smirk playing at his lips. “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

Y/N met his gaze, her voice soft but playful. “You.”

The smirk on Derek’s face softened into something more tender as he watched her, his dark eyes flickering with a mixture of admiration and something deeper. “Is that right?”

She stepped aside, motioning for him to come in. “Come on, might as well share the cake if you’re here. I’m not letting you leave just yet.”

Derek chuckled as he stepped inside, glancing around her cozy apartment before his eyes landed back on her. “I wasn’t planning on going anywhere.”

They moved to the living room, and Y/N placed the cake on the coffee table, her heart lighter now that Derek was here. The weight of the last few days seemed to lessen in his presence.

“So,” Derek said as they sat together on the couch, their knees brushing. “How are you holding up?”

Y/N exhaled, leaning back against the cushions. “I’m... okay. Honestly, I’m better now that you’re here. But it’s been a lot. I didn’t think I’d ever have to face him again, let alone...”

She trailed off, and Derek reached out, placing his hand gently on top of hers. “You don’t have to explain. What you did back there? Y/N, you were incredible. You stood your ground. You faced him head-on, and you came out stronger.”

Y/N looked at him, her heart swelling at the tenderness in his voice. “I couldn’t have done it without you,” she said quietly. “You were right there the whole time, and knowing that... it made it easier.”

Derek’s hand slid up from hers, his fingers lightly brushing her cheek before he cupped the side of her face. His touch was warm, grounding. His voice lowered, filled with awe. “Y/N, I’ve always been in awe of you. Always. But after this... what you just went through? You’re the strongest woman I know.”

Her heart fluttered as his thumb softly stroked her cheek, his eyes searching hers. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the space between them charged with something unspoken but undeniably strong.

Y/N’s breath hitched slightly, and she let herself lean into his touch. “Derek...”

Before she could say more, Derek’s eyes flicked to her lips, and in a soft, almost tentative movement, he leaned in and kissed her. It was tender, a kiss filled with emotions that had been building for so long. Her hand found its way to his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heart beneath her palm as she kissed him back, letting the warmth of him pull her in.

When they pulled away, their foreheads rested together, and Y/N smiled softly. “That was...”

“Long overdue,” Derek finished for her, his lips brushing hers again in a whisper of a kiss before he pulled back slightly to look into her eyes. “You’re amazing, you know that? I’m proud of you. And I’m not just saying that because of this case. I’ve always been proud of you.”

Y/N’s chest tightened with emotion, and she bit her lip to keep her smile from spreading too wide. “You’ve always been my rock, Derek.”

“And you’ll always have me,” he said, his voice low and certain, like a promise.

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, Derek still holding her close, and Y/N couldn’t help but feel a sense of peace she hadn’t felt in days. She rested her head against his shoulder, her fingers still lightly touching his hand.

Derek wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer as they sank deeper into the couch. Neither of them felt the need to speak anymore, the warmth of their closeness enough.

Eventually, the exhaustion from the case caught up to them. Their breaths evened out as they lay together, bodies intertwined on the couch, the world outside fading away as sleep overtook them.

For the first time in days, Y/N finally felt at peace, knowing she was exactly where she was meant to be—in Derek’s arms, where everything just felt right.