Hotch's Niece | Criminal Minds

Found

PROTIP: Read this with Dream by Imagine Dragons on repeat.

Previously on Hotch's Niece...

"Here's the thing, darling," Hunter says to me as I wheeze and cough, trying to catch my breath. "I killed your parents. I killed your friends. You don't think I can take on your team? See, I'm a simple man. I'm a man who knows to hit people where it hurts. For your Uncle Hotch? It's you. You and your cute little nephew, Jack. Who's next, Derek? Oh, well Derek and that little computer rat, Penelope, they have a certain uncanny weakness for each other. Emily's weakness is the pretty blonde agent Jennifer, well, she goes by JJ, right? Her soft spot would have to be her son, cute little blonde Henry. Spencer and Rossi share one. They're both very fond of you."

God, this guy has some serious issues. Although there's no way he could take on the team, right? JJ or Derek? There's just no way.

Hunter is reaching over the torture cart for a new weapon - looks like he's going for a knife - when I hear it. Soft thudding above us. Footsteps. Finally.

They're here.

NOW:

As soon as I hear footfalls above us, I begin to thrash and make as much noise as I can, hoping to conceal my team's arrival, and relieved to find the paralyzing drugs have worn off enough for me to at least try to fight, or maybe it's just the adrenaline. I know they're staying as quiet as they can, but with the rattling and echoing of the old ship, their footsteps are audible enough that I'm afraid he may hear, and if he does he will definitely kill me before they get the chance to save me. 

Hunter lunges forward to grasp either side of my ribcage, and stares me down. "You know what? I think I'll start with that pretty blonde one, JJ. Yeah, I think I will. Do you think her body would make a good present for her son?" Without even thinking, I bring my knee up to hit him as hard as I can in the stomach. With the fact that I'm suspended by my arms and that my feet can't touch the ground, it isn't a very hard blow, but it's enough to knock him back and send him wheezing.

"I won't let you," I grunt out, and Hunter, who has managed to regain his composure, laughs at me. 

"You won't let me? I don't know if you've realized, but you're in a little bit of a predicament here. What are you going to do to stop me?" Hunter's words render me silent for a moment, before I come up with what might be my dumbest plan yet.

"You can have me. I'm yours. All yours. You don't touch JJ, or Emily, or Spencer, or anyone on my team, and you can have me." Hunter stops dead, clearly not expecting that. He pretends to think it over, but I can tell I've got him on the ropes. He's engrossed in the conversation, and my acceptance of him is drawing him further from the table of weapons and closer to me, making it easier for my team to rescue me, hopefully. 

The creak of a door echoes through the room, but Hunter is either too lost in thought to react, or he just chalks it up to the boat being old, which I'm fairly certain it is. 

"And why would you do that?" Hunter asks.

I can hear them close by now, and so I drop the act and try to get him as mad as I can so he's not thinking clearly when they do enter. 

"Because my team means more to me than you ever have to anyone. They're like family. JJ is the best person I have ever met, and if you think I would ever let anything happen to her, you're dead wrong. And Spencer? He has something that you never, ever will. He has me, and my heart. You are going to die soon, and you are going to die as the dirty, loveless, worthless rat you've always been."

JJ's POV JJ'S POV JJ'S POV JJ'S POV JJ'S POV(backs up about five minutes)

This boat is too silent, I think, for Avery to be here, but there's only two that could possibly hide Avery and Hunter. Hotch, Morgan and Emily took the other ship, so I lead Spence and Rossi down below deck. I'm starting to lose hope that Avery is on this ship, but then I hear a man's voice. I hold up a hand to stop Rossi and Spence, and we listen with bated breath.

"... You don't think I can take on your team? See, I'm a simple man. I'm a man who knows to hit people where it hurts. For your Uncle Hotch? It's you. You and your cute little nephew, Jack. Who's next, Derek? Oh, well Derek and that little computer rat, Penelope, they have a certain uncanny weakness for each other. Emily's weakness is the pretty blonde agent Jennifer, well, she goes by JJ, right? Her soft spot would have to be her son, cute little blonde Henry. Spencer and Rossi share one. They're both very fond of you." The voice in the other room is a young man, and it's definitely Hunter. I send Rossi around to see if there's a back entrance, and it's very slow going for a long time. We have to be careful not to make any noise, as we can't have Hunter spooking. If he does, he'll kill Avery.

Spencer is restless beside me, but we move slowly. It makes me happy to see that Spencer cares so much for someone, who clearly loves him just as much. By the time we reach the door, it's Avery talking. "...my team means more to me than you ever have to anyone. They're like family. JJ is the best person I have ever met, and if you think I would ever let anything happen to her, you're dead wrong. And Spencer? He has something that you never, ever will. He has me, and my heart. You are going to die soon, and you are going to die as the dirty, loveless, worthless rat you've always been."

I step into the room and fire just as I see Hunter lunging for Avery.

AVERY'S POV AVERY'S POV AVERY'S POV AVERY'S POV AVERY'S POV

Hunter lunges for me and I flinch back, but before he can touch me, there's a gunshot, Hunter falls, and JJ is standing there, gun raised and shock on her face. Spencer is right behind her, and the two of them rush toward me. JJ checks Hunter, but the shot was clean and he was dead before he hit the ground. 

Rossi comes around from behind me and helps Spencer to lift me so that my wrists can get free of the meat hook, and I fall weak in Spencer's arms. My arms are all but numb, and what little I can feel hurts like hell. My stomach aches from the blows and burns where he electrocuted me, but I can't focus on that. They found me. My team did it. They really found me. I'm safe.