My Broken Valentine

Home of Savannah Hayes – Sunday Morning –

Savannah carried her son with her as she answered the door. She hated working on Sundays, but she’d agreed to take on an extra shift while her colleague was out recovering from a hip injury. It was a good distraction, and she needed a distraction.

Della gently pulled DJ into her arms and kissed the baby lightly on the cheek as she followed Savannah into the kitchen. She loved this house if felt like home, the home she’d always dreamed of.

“So how was your day off?” Savannah asked.

“I was able to get some business taken care of, so I guess it was a good day.”

Savannah was preoccupied and not really paying attention to Della; just going through the motions until she was out of the house into the morning air.

“I’ve decided to go on with my life,” Savannah began.

“What?”

“Yeah, I’m moving on, I’m not going to beg Derek to get back together anymore. If he doesn’t love me, then fine! I deserve to find someone who will!”

“NO!”

Savannah was shocked at the younger woman’s reaction. Della didn’t know her ex-husband except through the stories she had told her. It was odd that she was so invested.

“Della?”

“I mean, I mean...you love him and, you just don’t turn feelings off like a faucet! Fight for him! You three are a family! DJ needs his father, and you need your husband back!”

“DJ isn’t his son and besides, It’s too late for that now, he loves Penelope.”

“He loves YOU!”

Savannah pulled Della into a sisterly hug. It was time to comfort her now. She hadn’t known her for long, but she’d somehow grown attached to Della over the months that she’d worked for her. She was the little sister that she never had.

“You’re so sweet, Della and I know we haven’t known each other for very long but you’re like family to me and I thank you for everything you’ve done for us”.

Della nodded against Savannah. It felt warm and comfortable against her. She had to make Derek understand, she had to teach him where he belonged. She had to make sure that Savannah smiled again.

“Just don’t give up, he’s going to change his mind, he’s going to see that he belongs here with you and DJ, just you wait and see,” she whispered.

Savannah pulled the young woman tight against her. She and she alone knew that it would take a miracle to make Derek change his mind about her. It was time to move on; to begin her life again without the man she loved with all her heart.

George Carver High School –

George Carver High School had been closed and abandoned for four years now. The school district had forgotten about the property and the students it had once served; perhaps because it sat in the middle of the most depressed section of town where poverty was the norm and crime was the only means of survival. Corey checked the bindings around the woman’s wrists to make sure she would not be able to escape. He felt bad for the bruises and blood on her face; he didn’t mean to lose his temper but her whining and crying had sent him to place in his past, a place that he didn’t want to revisit. Her blood was still on his knuckles and now she was moaning as she began to wake.

Penelope slowly opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was the man that she’d hoped meant her and Derek’s rescue. Instead, he’d sent his fist flying into her face and now she was in a place that was unfamiliar.

“I need you to be quiet, okay? I didn’t mean to hurt you, but I need you to do what you’re told, or I’ll have to hurt you again except this time...”

His phone rang interrupting his threats. Keeping his eyes on her, he pulled his phone from his pocket.

“Yeah, where are you?” He asked.

“I told you I have watch DJ. Savannah has to go into the hospital.”

“What am I supposed to do with her?”

“Keep an eye on her and don’t forget to take her picture and send it to my phone.”

“What’s Paolo up to?”

“He’s going to babysit our guest of honor until I can get there. We’re running out of time, and I need to get Derek to come to his senses fast.”

“Savannah, we don’t know these people. They’ve never done anything to us! Please think about this! It’s not too late to...”

“I have thought about it, Corey! I’ve thought about how my parents dumped me in some alley and walked away! I thought about all the foster families who did nothing but collect a check! I thought about what family means, what it should mean and how it shouldn’t be so easy to just dump them and walk away.”

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry, I’ll do whatever you need me to do because you and Paolo are the only family I’ve ever known.”

“Good, very good little brother.”

BAU Headquarters – Afternoon –

The team had regrouped and sat around cups of stale coffee and uneaten sandwiches. Kevin rushed into the room with an update from his most recent searches.

“I ran searches on Derek and Penelope’s phone records over the last week and found something that may be interesting,” Kevin began.

“What is it, Lynch?” Hotch asked.

“Sam has been calling Penelope pretty regular leaving voice messages and then he’s also sent her several text messages.”

“Well, anything that makes him a suspect?” Rossi asked.

“It seems as though they may have been having problems.”

“Maybe we need to talk to Mr. Collier again,” JJ suggested.

“What about Derek’s phone?” Reid asked.

“Well, Savannah has been calling Derek as well. It looks like they agreed to meet this morning, but he never showed according to her string of text messages.”

“Do you think she would do something to harm Derek? JJ asked.

“Well let’s see, she had an affair, got pregnant by that affair and tried to pass the baby off as Derek’s, so yes, she could do something to hurt him,” Reid replied angrily.

“We need both brought in now for questioning. If they’ve done anything to either Derek or Penelope, I’ll make sure they both spend the rest of their lives in jail!” Hotch assured.

Skid Row Abandoned Building –

Unlike his brother, Paolo had no hesitation when it came to causing harm. He’d been the victim of abusive foster parents all his life and now he wanted to be the one handing out the pain. His sister who had protected him for years, had sent him to watch the FBI agent. He’d been given the chore because he was the strongest of their trio and he wasn’t squeamish like Corey.

Derek continued to pound against the walls and the doors trying to draw attention to the building and to the room where he’d been trapped. He needed to find Penelope before anything happened to her. The fact that he had no idea where she had been taken was a thought he refused to dwell on at the moment.

“LET ME OUT!”

Paolo quickly unlocked the large padlock and pushed the door open. He needed to silence his visitor; the last thing they needed was company. Derek stepped back to see the man step through the door. He could tell that the stranger did not expect him to be free of his bindings, perhaps he could use that to his advantage. Then he saw the long black stick in his hands and the smile that slowly crept across the man’s face.

“Were you expecting someone else?” The man teased.

“Where is she?”

“Don’t worry, she’s fine for now but if you don’t do as you’re told, that will change and fast!”

“What do you want? Whatever it is, just let her go, I’ll do anything you want, just don’t hurt her!”

“That’s good to hear because if you don’t, I’m going to have a lot of fun with that gorgeous blonde of yours,” he chuckled, “yeah a lot of fun.”

Derek lunged at Paolo, using all his strength to reach the man catching him by surprise and knocking him backwards to the ground. Paolo squirmed out of reach making enough room to kick Derek in the chest and away from him. Paolo struggled to his feet but not fast enough for Derek to reach him again sending his fist into the man’s face.

Paolo was stunned, he didn’t expect his captive to have the nerve to defy him and his threats. Derek wrapped himself around the man, pinning him to the ground, pounding his fist over and over. Derek saw the man weakening and as he pulled away slightly, Paolo swung the pipe toward him and missed. Bolting for the door he saw his chance of freedom.

“Stop! If you leave this room, she’s dead!”

Derek slowly turned to face the man, still on the ground.

“Where will you go, how will you find her if you do get away? All I need to do is make a phone call and before you leave this building, she’ll be dead!”