CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE: HELL TO PAY !

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IT HAD ALREADY BEEN A WEEK SINCE SPENCER HAD BEEN GONE. Casey had managed two kids pretty well, getting help from Isaac and Leah and spending more time with them when she could. Even managing time to go and visit her dad just a few days ago at the prison in Roanoke.

But things were different at work. Garcia had been staying at the office, day and night and they figured out why. The team found out she was a target by a network of hitmen after she began investigating them in the deep web during the case of Giuseppe Montolo. Her identity was unknown to the network, so they dubbed her as 'The Dirty Dozen'. Which concluded to the team what it was. As this result, she was relocated to an old room in the BAU headquarters for her living quarters, but she continued her normal operations in assisting the team in cases. Casey knew that the number one priority was Garcia's safety, even while on cases. But Garcia managed to be her smiley self as much as she could be. It was just hard to imagine what she was going through. And Casey knew for a fact that she was definitely going stir crazy, being in the office day and night.

The team had been called in for another case and Hotch had ordered for everyone to come in bright and early. The sun hadn't even rose yet when Casey arrived, first thing she did was make herself some coffee before heading to the conference room.

Garcia was ready to start the case. "Down in sunny Illinois, Sarah Garrison, 16, has been reported missing since Friday. She was apparently last seen at a bowling alley in Rockford after a high school football game."

"It's Monday," Vivian stated. These child abduction cases were usually called in day of. "Why are we just now getting this?"

"Apparently, she told her mom that she was spending the weekend over at a friend's house so she didn't even think twice when she asked." Garcia told. "Any suspects?" Morgan asks.

"They aren't ruling anyone out yet, all except for one boyfriend, Bobby Levinson. According to Sarah's BFF, Tori Stevens, the two recently had a very bad breakup. And she has very much stated her dislike for him with a passion."

"Are they certain he's responsible for her disappearance?" Tara asks. "There's a chance she could've run off with him." JJ adds.

"He has a solid alibi," Rossi read on his file in front of him. "His friend, Clara Wendell, said they were at a mutual friend's house, Tony Fisher."

"And speaking of fishy things," Garcia interjected. "Tony was one of the few people that was last seen with Sarah. According to security footage, he picked her up and drove off with her. This was the only camera that was seen picking them up." Garcia showed the video footage of Sarah getting in the car.

"So Tony could be responsible for this?" Casey asks. "There's a chance, yes." Garcia nods. "We know how these abductions cases be. Wheels up in 10." Hotch told.

With that, Casey stood up, getting ready to go. She looked down at her phone and seen that someone was calling her. It was a call from her dad's lawyer. Casey hadn't picked it up, knowing she had bigger fish to fry with a teenage abduction than her own personal life.

The team made it to the jet, Casey taking a spot next to Morgan with a file in her hand. Rossi and Vivian sat in front of them, doing the same. They had currently been delving into the personal life of Sarah Garrison, Garcia talking to them over the monitors.

"Nothing points to Sarah Garrison running off." Rossi tells. "What was her personal life like, Garcia?" Morgan asks in curiousness, knowing Garcia had the answers.

"Sarah's a straight A student, she's in student council and on the swim team. It's just her and her mom. Dad's not in the picture, not after a domestic disturbance call around four years ago. Mom and Sarah have a restraining order against him." Garcia explained the girl's life out to the team.

"Maybe her dad took her?" Vivian suggests. "We've seen things like this before." JJ nods, "There's a shot there." Casey shakes her head, "But Tori Stevens seems oddly certain that the boyfriend, Bobby Levinson is responsible for this. There's a chance she's a suspect in this too."

"If anything, we're looking at three maybe four suspects in all of this. We have to rule out that maybe a group took her." Tara told.

"It's big enough to start with." Hotch told. "JJ, Vivian, I'd like for you to talk Sarah's mother and friends, anyone that may know Sarah well enough." The man turns towards the youngest member of the team. "Casey, your job is Bobby Levinson. Dig into his personal life with Morgan and Garcia. Rossi, Tara and I will talk to Tony Fisher." Casey nods at her assignment.

When they arrived at the PD, they could tell they were in for a long day. Casey and Morgan settled themselves into their conference room, meeting with Michael Sheffield, the lead detective on the case. JJ and Vivian had found themselves in a room with Sarah's best friend, Tori and Sarah's mother, Susan.

"If only she hadn't gone back," Tori stated. "I told her to break it off, to stay away." JJ watched as she talked and Vivian had gotten her a cup of tea to calm her nerves. "But Sarah didn't listen, I suppose?" Vivian asks.

"She defended him," Tori told. "Once she told me that if she just learned to love him better and didn't give up, then he would treat her better, too."

JJ raises her hands up. "Hold on, let's pause for a second. Tori, why are you so sure that Bobby is responsible for Sarah going missing? You haven't told us much except for what you just said. And I'm gonna need you to backtrack so Agent Hudson and I can understand." JJ spoke calmly to the girl.

Tori looked down and then back at Sarah's mother before she spoke. "Bobby used to hit her," Tori told. "I saw him do it. And it wasn't just one time. This happened multiple times. And I didn't tell anyone because... Sarah just kept saying she loved him. And that he wouldn't hurt her. But... he did. I know he did!" Tori was getting worked up and this caused Vivian to put a comforting hand on her arm to calm her down. "Okay, okay, Tori. I need you to relax."

"There was a bruise on her shoulder," Susan spoke lowly. Both JJ and Vivian turn to her. "She told me that it was nothing, that she just fell." Susan began to burst into tears. "Oh, god, why didn't I see it?" She cried.

After gaining info on that, JJ and Vivian had to delve deeper into the relationship of Bobby and Sarah. Meanwhile, Morgan and Casey had been on the phone with Garcia and her handy-dandy laptop.

"Garcia, what can you tell us about Bobby Levinson?" Casey questioned. "I can tell you he's certainly no treat," Garcia stated. "And neither is his life. His father is in prison for vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. It's just him and his mother and... oh..." There's a pause from Garcia.

"What is it, baby girl?" Morgan asks. "So many anger management classes. And I mean, so so so many. He's been taking those classes since he was ten after... beating the ever-loving crud out of one of his classmates. And nearly breaking a kid's spine during a wrestling tournament."

Walking in on cue, JJ and Vivian deliver their news. "Just talked to Tori and Sarah's mother, they both confirmed that Bobby used to hit Sarah, numerous times." Vivian told.

"He leave bruises?" Morgan asks. "Uh, yeah, Sarah's mother said that she had bruises on her shoulder and one on her neck." JJ stated.

"Tori also told us that Bobby was possessive," Vivian told. "He often stole her time away from her friends and her studies and her student council events and apparently, always told her to be home at night so he could call her." Casey's eyebrows raise in ridiculousness. "He would go with her everywhere, making sure she never left his sight." JJ stated.

Casey looks towards Morgan at this revelation. "I think we need to bring Bobby Levinson in. There's a chance he may just be a crappy boyfriend but there's also a chance he knew what happened to Sarah if she never left his sight."

Rossi, Hotch and Tara had brought in Tony Fisher in for questioning — where Tara and Hotch played 'good cop, bad cop' and Tony revealed that he had taken Sarah to Clara Wendell's house where Bobby was, as well. And Bobby had been trying to win Sarah back. Tony had driven both Bobby and Sarah down to the lake they always liked to go to. Bobby told Sarah he wanted to talk. They were gone for ten minutes when Bobby had come back without Sarah and told Tony, "If I can't have her, no one can." Tony was an innocent bystander in all of this. He had no idea what even happened until he came back.

Hotch, Rossi, Tara and Morgan had gone to pick Bobby Levinson up while JJ, Vivian and Casey stayed at the PD. Vivian had been doing a coffee run for the team while Casey and JJ had been in the conference room, looking into Sarah's disappearance and what may have happened with Bobby at the lake.

Casey's cell phone rang for what seemed to be the third time earlier today. Casey sighed, knowing she had to answer at some point. "Hello?" She asked and JJ turned around from the board to see she was on the phone. "Yes, this is she." Casey runs a hand to her face and hair as she asks, "Parole?"

That single word gets the attention of JJ. "Uh, yeah... yeah, I'll-I'll talk to him. I'm working now, but, um, is there a chance I can call him at this number later?" There's a pause. "Great, thanks."

With that, JJ looks at Casey with arms crossed and a concerned look on her face. "Who was that?" JJ asks curiously. Casey stuffs her phone in her pocket. "Nobody." She said. "Didn't sound like no one." JJ stated.

Casey remained quiet. "Hey, I told Spence this and now I'm telling you this. Whatever you got going on, whatever you think we aren't gonna listen to, we're here for you. And that means we tell each other everything." JJ told. Casey sighed, knowing that eventually she was gonna have to talk about it.

"That was my dad's lawyer," Casey stated. "He's looking on getting out on parole." JJ's face changes as Casey tells her. It's concern to surprise. "He's been doing good these past few months... so... he's getting out on good behavior."

"That's good, right?" JJ asks.

"Yeah?" Casey almost seemed unsure about it. "I don't... really know how to feel about it. He mentioned it when I went to visit him a couple days ago. He's gonna need a place to stay but I don't want him staying with us so I'm getting him a hotel room to stay in until he gets back on his feet."

"Does Spence know?" JJ asks.

"Not yet," Casey answered. "I'm telling him when we get back."

"When's your dad getting out?" JJ asks. "Couple of weeks, I thought. But the lawyer called me saying he might be getting out earlier than that. May take days." Casey stated.

Casey got along with her father now but learning to forgive him still took time and it couldn't erase the trauma she endured years ago. And she knew she couldn't expose Christopher to the same lifestyle she had. She never wanted that to happen. Her and Spencer wanted to raise Christopher in an environment he was happy in. Not the ones they grew up in.

Tara had walked into the conference room and Vivian walked in at the same time with coffee in her hands. Rossi and Morgan passing by them with Bobby in handcuffs. "As you can see, we bought Bobby Levinson in." She said.

"Didn't hide away?" JJ asks. "Didn't even try," Hotch told. "He's in one of our interrogation rooms now. He didn't even speak to any of us." Casey thought for a moment. "He's got a problem with male authority figures, stemming from his experience with his dad. There's a chance he may response to a woman better than a man. Especially when women are the one thing he's trying to control."

Both Casey and JJ look at another and stand from their spots, heading into the interrogation room. This looked like a job for Cassandra and Jennifer, tearing down the male psyche like they always did best.

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Casey and JJ knew to follow each other's lead when walking into the interrogation room. "Bobby, is it?" The boy nods to the women in front of him as they walk in and sit down in front of him. "I'm Agent Cassandra Willows, this is my colleague, Jennifer Jareau." Casey introduces.

"We're here to ask you a few questions about your ex-girlfriend—"
"Girlfriend." Bobby corrected.
"Pardon?"
"She was my girlfriend. We hadn't broken up yet."

JJ and Casey exchange a glance. "Right, apologies." JJ tells. "Look, Bobby, before we start," Casey says, trying to be on his side so maybe he reveal some things that maybe Tony didn't mention. "We just want you to know we're on your side. And whatever happened, we understand it was an accident."

"I wanna be honest with you, Bobby, here's what I think happened..." Casey stands up as she rolls her sleeves up to her elbows. She begins to pace in a slow circle. "You guys had a fight. And... it got carried away—"

"No," Bobby started. "No, I told them already, I didn't—"
"I think you should listen to my good friend, Cassandra, over here." JJ told. Bobby gives a sharp look over to JJ before turning his head back to Casey as she makes her way back to her seat, standing in front of it this time.

"You had a fight. You're a pretty strong guy, wrestler, right?" Bobby nods at Casey's words subtly. "Maybe you... got her behind the neck, one of those wrestling moves. You were just trying to calm her down, I understand. Accidents happen."

"I swear to you," Bobby then gives the sharp look over to Casey's way. "I love Sarah, I'd never hurt her."
"And we understand that," Casey said. "And we just wanna help. Don't we, Jennifer?" JJ nods, "Just... tell us what happened, Bobby and we can help you."

Casey noticed the way Bobby's leg began to bounce up and down and his eyes were looking everywhere but Casey and JJ now. His hands fidgeted under the table and he began to pick at his fingernails. "It's starting to bother you," Casey points out. "I can tell by your behavior. The leg bouncing up and down, picking at your fingernails. I do that, too." Underneath all that anxiousness, Casey could see that Bobby did it. And he wasn't doing a very good job at hiding it.

"You know where she is. Just tell us where she is." JJ told. Bobby pauses for a second before looking back at Casey and JJ. "I told you," He stated. "You're wrong about me and Sarah."

"Oh, come on, Bobby." Casey groaned. "I can see it on your face, it's eating at you." Bobby shakes his head as Casey makes her way over to his side. "Can't you see I'm in mourning too? If you could just listen—"

"No, you're listening to us," Casey told. "You hurt Sarah. And I know you did something to her. And you knew Sarah, you knew she couldn't fight back. So, she let you put your hands on her. But she may have been scared of you because trust me, if my husband were to ever lay a hand on me like that, he wouldn't have a hand." Casey antagonized.

"How'd you do it, Bobby?" JJ questioned, dropping her act next. "Did you— did you grab her... like this?" JJ demonstrated by grabbing his arm forcefully. "And twist it, so she couldn't move under your grasp? Or did you choke her? Or maybe you stabbed her?"

Bobby had a fearful look on his face but he kept his cool for as much as he could. But JJ and Casey saw right through that. "Where is she, Bobby?" Casey asked. "Where did you put her?"

When Bobby didn't answer, Casey had had enough. She made her way back slowly to her chair and pushed it in roughly and smacked her hands against the table. "Tell us where she is!"

Bobby had a look of realization on his face and thought for a moment. Just when JJ and Casey were about to give up and leave the room, Bobby finally spoke up. "You should check the lake."

"Not much to go on." Casey said. "We've already checked the lake." JJ added.

"But have you checked all of it?"

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Sarah's body was found at the bottom of the lake, wrapped in a trash bag and tied to a cinder block. She was stabbed antemortem. Her body was already deteriorated. Tori held onto Susan as she fell to the ground in shambles, witnessing her daughter's body being carried to a coroner van.

The jet ride was terrible to say the least. Casey could barely get a few hours of sleep in after the case. Vivian, Rossi and Morgan sat with her, all talking each other's heads off as Casey was in her own mind, not making any attempt in talking to them. Morgan could see it on Casey's face that she was letting the case get to her.

"Hey, Ace?" Morgan spoke, getting Casey's attention. "You doing good over there?" He asks and Casey sighs, "Sarah was sixteen, had her whole life ahead of her. That's only a few years older than Lennox." Casey stated what was bothering her. "And if someone... were to ever put his hands on her... I think I might just kill him."

"You and me, both." Rossi told, putting a comforting hand on Casey's shoulder and patting it before taking it away.

"After what Lennox has been through, do you ever think she'd expose herself to someone as cruel as that? The answer is no, because she has you as a mom. And she has Reid as a dad. She knows that you two go to bed with one eye open for her. I did that with my daughter. And my son." Vivian assures. "But pricks like Bobby... they weren't born that way. They were made that way. And she's got you and Reid to steer her in the right direction."

Casey nods, feeling a bit better. "Why don't you try to get some shut-eye before we land?" Rossi asks. "Oh, trust me, I've tried, it's not happening. I hardly sleep anymore, what with two kids now."

"Try two kids under ten. Then we'll talk." JJ chimes in from the other side of the jet, making everyone chuckle.

Casey holds a pillow towards the window and leans her head onto it to at least get some rest. "Hey, Rossi." Morgan chirps up, getting an idea. "I remember Reid told me once, uh, I think it was something like this--" Morgan puts on a fake nerd voice, that was very obviously imitating Spencer.
"'Hey, Morgan, you know electronics emit a sleep depriving type of blue light that prevents you from falling asleep at night.'" Casey smiles to herself at the imitation of Spencer.

"He sounds nothing like that." Casey mumbled. "I say that was a pretty good representation of Dr. Reid." Vivian tells.

"I remember that," Rossi whispered. "I actually think it was more like-- 'Well, studies show that we need between seven and nine hours of sleep a night.'" Rossi even added in Reid's famous hand gestures as both Morgan and Vivian chuckled lightly and fist bump one another and realize that Casey had fallen asleep.

"Works like a charm." Rossi whispered, motioning towards the sleeping Casey. "She wasn't lying when she said she could fall asleep to his voice." Vivian added.

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When Casey got home, the first thing she did was plop down on the couch. Unfortunately, this got the attention of two little rascals in the house and Casey heard the deafening small footsteps of her son's footies. "Mommy!"

"Oh, hey, you!" Christopher jumped right into his mother's lap and she groaned and chuckled. "Ooh! How are you, bud?" She ran a hand through his hair. "Good!" He threw a thumbs up to his mom. "Good?" Casey asks, throwing a thumbs up back.

"Hey, Casey." Lennox walked in next and Casey heard her footsteps from a mile away. "Hey, you." Lennox made her way next to Casey on the couch. "Did Leah leave?" Casey asks, looking around. "She actually fell asleep on Chris's bed reading a bedtime story to him. Actually, it was her fifth bedtime story to him."

Casey looked at her son. He definitely couldn't sleep without his dad reading him a story. "I do not blame her." Casey chuckled to herself, only imagining Leah on half of the bed and snoring.

Casey pulled in the oldest sibling in and rested her head on top of hers. "Rough case?" The twelve year old asked and Casey took a deep breath. She and Spencer never shared the extent of their work with Lennox, even if she had went through something rough herself. But it was a time like this that Casey knew she had to be a good mother and teach Lennox the lessons that she may have had a challenge to learn herself.

"Lennox, I need you to promise me something..." Casey rubbed her arm up and down. "Yeah?" Lennox asked. Casey moved her hand to the top of her head and kissed the side of her hair. "Don't ever let a man tell you who you are... or make you feel like you are less than he is."

Lennox nods, "Okay," Truth be told, she made that promise to herself the minute she had gotten out of the life she previously lived in. And she was gonna make that promise to herself until the day she died. "I promise."

The very next day, Casey had received news that her father was going to be released in a couple of days. It gave her time to talk to Leah and Isaac about it and even made sure Lennox and Christopher understood. Casey talked to Spencer on the phone about it and he told her that if she needed anything, he'd be right there even if he was millions of miles away. It was decided that Casey would be going to pick James up and take him to his hotel in DC.

Casey had waited outside for at least fifteen minutes at the gate and soon enough, the gates buzzed and James was out. James Willows was out.

After twenty years of being in prison, James Willows was finally out. He smelt the stiff air and the breeze blowing down his hair. Casey had seen him dressed in the clothes he wore when he was arrested, tattering away like paper.

Besides the fresh air, he noticed the one thing that kept him sane over the years.

The woman he owed a lot to. Scratch that — the girl he owed a lot to.

Casey had her arms crossed as she watched James make his way slowly but surely to her. "Hey, peanut." James spoke. It was weird not seeing him in his usual uniform. The turquoise coveralls he always wore. James didn't want to push a hug from his daughter so he kept his distance as best he could. Casey saw he was trying to.

It suddenly felt like she was a little girl again as she witnessed her father trying to keep his distance, he didn't want to hurt her again. She saw that much. Casey took a deep breath as she let out a: "Hi, Dad."

i so based this on that one movie "no one would tell"🤭
anywayssss
papa willows is out😒 how do we feel about that?

y'all because this chapter had no spencer in it

ready for the next original coming out😁
thank you for reading!
i love you all!
-mya </333