Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Memories that remain"
* * *
Florida was always Bella's least favorite state to work in, especially in the summer. The weather was almost unbearable to even stand in. The sun toasted your skin while the humid air grabbed you by the throat and choked you. It was a living hell.
Although Bella was wearing a tank top, she still wanted to peel all of her skin off and jump into the nearest body of water. She was used to mild summers with cold nights, not boiling hot days with muggy nights. July in Florida was her nightmare, but she had to be there to do her job.
The team dragged their feet up to the docked cruise ship. Bella could tell that Hotch was dying in his suit, but he would never be caught in anything else. Spencer also was sweating while wearing a long sleeve and tie, but he didn't own anything but dress shirts and sweaters. The sun was their biggest foe at the moment.
Bella felt the most for JJ, who was already carrying the weight of a whole other human inside of her. Ever since she told the team she was pregnant 3 months ago, every single one of them had been looking out for her. She was now 6 months pregnant and getting a bigger bump by the day. It excited Bella to meet a new baby of the BAU, she already knew that she was going to spoil it to death.
"How long has Barbara been missing?" Hotch asked, his face serious.
"2 days," JJ answered, cradling her growing baby bump. "The Miller family reported her missing after waking up and she wasn't in the room. The captain didn't put the ship on hold because he didn't want to panic guests, they docked outside the Bahamas and allowed guests to leave the ship and shop. This was after he had some ship employees search the boat for her, but clearly they didn't find her."
"The captain sounds brilliant," Derek said sarcastically. "Barbara could be absolutely anywhere."
The team held their case files close to them as they approached the group of investigators standing just outside of the cruise ship. Some investigators were speaking with some of the guests on the ship while others spoke to workers. In the distance stood the Miller family with a couple of investigators.
"Agent Hotchner," a balding investigator said, shaking Hotch's hand tightly. "Thank you for arriving so soon, this case is a mess. These are Investigators George Reynolds, Lena Damon, and Kit Eldridge."
Bella felt her heart fall into her stomach as she looked up from the case file she was studying. Her eyes immediately fell onto the familiar set of clear blue eyes she used to get lost in. Her eyes scanned over the familiar set of curly black locks and soft freckles. This couldn't be happening. It felt too unreal. Bella felt herself become dizzy.
"Kit," Bella said, the name rolling off of her tongue for the first time in 7 years. "Kit Eldridge?"
Kit looked over, his eyes flashing with surprise. He couldn't hide his cheeky smile as his stepped forward, "Isabella. Isabella Snow." The two stared at each other in shock, neither believing that this was actually happening. It felt almost serendipitous.
