My Broken Valentine

Home of Savannah Hayes – Tuesday Morning –

Savannah was dreading Sam’s visit. He had every right to see his son, but his sudden demand to see DJ had felt uncomfortable and threatening; it had been two months since he’d paid his son a visit and until now hadn’t expressed much interest in being a regular part of his life. They both had a lot to lose if DJ’s father’s identity was revealed. Savannah still wanted to keep it a secret, and Sam wanted to have Penelope back before he shared that news with her.

Even though Savannah had given her the morning off, Della stopped by to make sure her friend was okay before getting knee-deep into her day. Seeing the look of relief on Savannah’s face when she let her in made Della realize that her stopping by was a good call.

“You’re off today, remember?”

“Yeah, I know, I just wanted to make sure you were okay; I know Sam is stopping by later.”

“Thanks, but I’m fine. Besides, he’s not really coming to see his son as much as he wants to start the proceedings in getting DJ’s name changed.”

“Why, he’s very rarely here to see him?”

“I think it’s just another way to prove that he has something Derek doesn’t. DJ is a reminder that he took something that belonged to the man who always seemed to come out on top.”

“Messy!”

“Something like that.”

The two women chuckled and headed into the kitchen to talk. Savannah had made breakfast for herself but there was plenty for the both of them.

“Hungry? I’m still cooking for two adults.”

“I’m starved, thanks.”

“Legally DJ is Derek’s son; do you think he’ll give you a problem about changing DJ’s name and birth certificate?”

“I know Derek and he still loves that baby, but he also wants the best for him.”

“You know once his name is changed, it becomes public record and Derek or anybody else will be able to find out that Sam is his biological father.”

“You’re right.”

“Are you ready for the fallout?”

“I guess I have to be. It doesn’t matter now; Derek has made it quite clear that there is no chance of a reconciliation.”

“I’m sorry Savannah, I know how much you still care about him.”

“Yeah, well it’s time for me to move on because obviously, Derek has.”

The two women continued to talk as they ate, and Savannah welcomed the distraction. Afterwards, the two worked together to clean up the kitchen. Just before Della headed out, she stopped and asked one more question.

“If Derek were to come to his senses and wanted to come back to you, would you take him back?”

“Yes, in a heartbeat.”

BAU Headquarters – Morning –

The team filed into the large conference room in response to an urgent text message from Hotch. They all were familiar with the routine and so without hesitation, one-by-one they gathered.

“San Diego is requesting our help in a serial murder case.”

All eyes were on the board in front of the room as files circulated around the table.

“The bodies of four men have been found in various forms of decomposition over the last seven weeks.”

The team grimaced at the pictures of the victims, all eerily resembled each other, all had been victims of a sick sadist who enjoyed inflicting pain over a long period of time.

“What took them so long to call us in?” Derek asked.

“The bodies were found in different subdivisions that have their own police departments and very little communication takes place between them,” Hotch answered. “Two detectives from two different communities ran into each other at a recruiting event and got to talking and they realized that they were both working on identical cases.”

“He doesn’t have a racial preference,” added Reid.

“But he does have a preference,” Dave began. “Each victim is physically fit, tall and even though they cross racial lines, they look very much alike.”

“And they’re all single and regulars at several downtown upscale bars,” JJ noticed.

“So how is this unsub finding them?” Hotch asked out loud.

“And why so much brutality?” Dave asked.

“Garcia, I need to know everything about our victims.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Wheels up in thirty.”

Garcia was the first out of the room. Derek desperately wanted to speak to her; he missed their rushed, idle banter that always took place before he left on a case. He stood frozen in the hall contemplating the direction he would head toward; left would take him to her lair, right headed toward the steps and the elevators. He turned right, his office was next door and so he grabbed his go bag and closing the door he headed toward the stairs and the elevators.

Penelope so wanted to go to him, to wrap her arms around him and make him promise to be safe and to come back home to her in one piece. She stayed instead firmly planted behind the door of her lair counting the minutes until the last ping from the elevator signaled that he had left. He was always the last to leave; last because the two of them would have to say goodbye in their own prolonged, flirty way. The team would giggle and tease and pretend to be frustrated but it merely confirmed what everyone knew; the two hopeless, lovesick puppies belonged together.

Unknown location – Afternoon –

Della pushed the heavy rusty door open; she was surprised that after all these years, no one had done anything to improve the warehouse. As a child it had become a place of refuge for her and her foster brothers and sisters. She had found it by accident, and it had become home in a weird sort of way. Now she was back, she shook her head, not much had changed except it was dirtier and there were signs that others had found the place too. Nevertheless, it would do for what she had planned. The homeless or drug addicts wouldn’t mind that another body had moved into the place; the more the merrier, she chuckled to herself.

She moved to a far corner and began clearing old crates and other debris. Concealed behind the clutter was a door; nobody had known about the door; of that she was certain, and she breathed a sigh of relief that over the years it had been left untouched. Della pulled a large padlock from her backpack and clamped it across the doors handle just in case. Then satisfied with her security measures, she put the crates and other debris back in place as if it had not been touched and made her way out of the building. Next, she headed to her old neighborhood where her brothers still lived; she will need their help if her plans against Derek Morgan had any chance of working.