________________________________________

BITTERSWEET
::  lix. | devil's in the backseat

Cole stayed tucked away in a little corner of a room. She wasn't scared, at least she didn't think she was but she knows this man is dangerous. Just by the way he talks to her and strokes her hair, she understood what kind of man he was and what he was like, willing to do to get what he wants.

Chris walked back into the room and closed the door behind him. Just as he was approaching Cole, she suddenly stood up. She was not going to let him tear her down and she let him know.

"I'm not scared of you." She looked directly in his eyes.

"Pity. It would've been more of a bonus." He brought up his hand, the back of it caressing her cheek, "But confident girls are more my thing."

Cole's eyes closed at his touch. Not in pleasure, but nervousness. She was nervous of what he was going to do because she did lie to him about the flash drive and he was angry about that.

As his hand left her cheek, her eyes finally opened and a sigh of relief escaped her lips.

He moved to the door, hand gripped on the knob as he turned back to Cole, "By the time I'm done with you, you'd wish I just killed you."

He left out the door and Cole sunk back to the floor. Her knees pulled up against her chest, rolled up in a ball. This was the only way she could get comfort and man, she hoped so badly that they would find her before he does whatever he plans to do because she's afraid that she won't be able to take it cause it'll ruin her. Forever.

• • •

Jennifer stormed into the conference room of the BAU. She was livid as ever. Cole was out there and he has her. Anything is possible and that's what scared jj in the most in this case.

"What's being done to save my kid?" Her stance was strong as well as her tone.

"Everything." Rossi reassured her, "We're not giving up."

The main focus was locating the flash drive and finding everything they could about it. What was on it, why Chris wanted it, basically what made it so valuable. But regardless of its value, Chris wasn't going to get it. The team had to figure out a plan to where they keep the flash drive, save Cole, and arrest the bad guys. Because if it goes awry, there's no telling what could happen.

So the team, including jj, began looking through everything and dissecting that whole mission that Strauss and Jareau was on. As in dissect, meaning Erin and Jennifer were given cognitive interviews.

Aaron did Strauss', while Emily did Jennifer's. Their stories were quite consistent, but there's one thing that was different for both. Strauss knew of the drive, but jj knew it. She didn't know what it looked like, but she knew what was on it as her memory recalls.

"Where are you? Where did you see the drive?" Emily ask.

Jj's eyes were closed as she continued, "I wasn't alone. The door was cracked open and the voices talked about the drive as a video played on the screen."

"Video or videos?" Emily wanted to be precise.

"Random media." Jj slowly opened her eyes, "It was people slaughtering families. I'm sure Chris was apart of it, that's why he wants it back."

Emily nodded, "He's an annihilator. Murdering families."

"What does that mean for Cole?" Jj pressed Emily.

"Anything." Prentiss spoke calmly, "We need to know who this man is first."

After the interviews, the team regrouped back in the conference room and began to profile Chris as well as locate that flash drive, just as well as a plan to get Cole back. They were doing everything all at once but for them to succeed, Hotch had to split them up.

Garcia and rossi worked to locate the flash drive. Reid and Emily did the profile, with Hotch, Morgan, and jareau coming up with the plan.

They knew they weren't going to be able to find the drive quick enough, so Morgan's idea was to use a fake drive. However, Hotch and jj were against it but let Morgan plead his case anyway.

"I get it. It's risky and anything could happen." He continued, "But whose to say Chris knows what the drive looks like? This could be our only leverage over him. We don't know what it looks like, but neither does he."

Hotch nodded, "Just hope he bites the bate. Once it's in his hand, Cole is with us, then we arrest." Arron conclude, "Until then, see what's up with Garcia and Reid. I'll make the call."

So with that, Morgan and jj left Hotch alone to call Chris telling him that they had the drive. But what was found out from Reid was very crucial to saving Cole . . .

Chris Knowles wasn't just an annihilator. He was also a rapist. When annihilating families, he usually would hurt the girls like daughters but they were only of particular age. He only likes 16-18 year olds and after that, he then would pursue to kill the whole family.

From what the team gathered from that was no was safe. It was only a matter of time. By the time Hotch walked into the conference room, he had news.

"We have one hour before we meet Chris." He looked amongst his team, "Let's get everything situated and I want updates right now."

Everyone looked at each other, before glancing at Spencer who definitely looked like he had a frog in his throat after what he said.

• • •

Chris had walked into the room with his phone in hand. He waved it around as he approached Cole who was in a different position this time. She sat with her legs crossed in the center of the room, with her back against the middle of the white wall.

He squatted down in front of her with a smile across his lips. He stared into her eyes with the tilt of his head.

His lips parted, "I got the call. They must really want you back." He nodded, "And I see why." Before he could caress her cheek, Cole pushed his arm away.

In result of that, his other arm came up and his hand gripped around Cole's neck. Has his hand began to squeeze, the door behind him opened.

"Chris, uh, we need you for a second."

His hand was still around Cole's neck, "Give me a minute."

Once the door shut, he turned back to Cole. Her face was practically as red as a tomato. He could see slight fear in her eyes, which he enjoyed. He then let loose of his grip and she gasped for air.

As he stood up, his palm met her forehead. So much force was used as he slammed the back of her head into the wall, causing a hole and shards to break lose. He watched as Cole grabbed the back of her head and slowly laid down on the floor in agony.

He spoke in a seething tone, "Don't ever disrespect me again."

He turned on his heels and walked out the room to see what he was needed for.

Now, it was about less than an hour before he met the agent.

• • •

The team were at the location that Chris picked for their meet. Hotch, jj, and Morgan all stood at the spot waiting, while the others were around for backup if needed. Not only less than five minutes later, Chris came approaching with Cole in his grasp and a few men behind him.

Cole's neck was red and the back of her head was throbbing. But that didn't mean, she wasn't ready to strike if needed. All her faith was in the team, but if she needed to punch her way out —— she would gladly do so.

"Where's my drive?"

"Oh, we have it." Morgan spoke, "Cole for the drive."

He looked between the agents before vocalizing his answer, "No. Drive first, or the girl stays with me."

Hotch gave jareau a slight nod, signaling to give the drive to Chris. So jj walked up to him as she pulled it out her pocket. He stuck out his hand and she placed it in.

Just as Cole was about to walk to jj, Chris pulled her back by his side.

"Have to see if it's the real one and not a fake. Then you get her. Capeesh?"

One of his boys pulls out his laptop from a bag and brings it to him. As he turned the laptop on, Morgan and Hotch were intensely glancing at each other and jj knew once that drive comes up with nothing . . . guns will be blazing.

Cole glanced towards jj and just by the look they were sharing, Cole had a feeling that the drive was fake. So whatever the team had in mind, Cole had a way out also.

As Chris slid the drive into the laptop and the waiting began, that's when Morgan and Hotch started reaching for their guns.

Not only a second later, Morgan yelled . . .

"Now!"

Everyone's gun game out as well as the opposing side. Rossi, Reid, and Emily came up from behind as the shooting began. Cole tried to run away but two of Chris' guys snatched her up and jj went after her with Morgan and prentiss following behind.

As the three were closing in, the guys and Cole hopped in a truck, driving away. Morgan and the two agents then hopped in an suv, following after them. While a car chase was in motion, Hotch was putting the cuffs on Chris and some of his guys.

After putting Chris in the back of the car, he then was told about the apparent car chase.

"If we hurry now, we can probably intersect them!" Reid got in the backseat as Hotch started the car and rossi buckled up, "I'll call prentiss for their location."

Not only moments later did they meet Morgan and them, next to them in the other truck. Hotch made a sharp left as Morgan continued straight, right on their tail. After that left, Hotch continued straight, seeing the truck with Cole through the right window.

That's when he made an extremely sharp right turn. As his foot pressed a bit harder on the accelerator, he then quickly pressed on the break, the car making a screeching noise as it eventually stopped right in front of the truck.

All the agents got out the suvs with their guns up, pointing at the truck.

"Hands up! Out the vehicle now!" Agent jareau voiced.

Both the men stuck their hands out the window with sighs of defeat. They then opened the doors from the outside and hopped out the truck. Morgan and Spencer arrested the two men as jj and Emily went to open the back. As they hoped, cole was there with her wrists tied together.

Jj was happily able to cut her lose and as they exited the truck, Emily got a call from Garcia. The technical analyst filled her in that she found the flash drive and that Strauss was on her way to get it as they spoke.

A major sigh of relief escaped Emily's lips. That meant the case was officially closed and everyone was safe.

However, where to go from there?

Vanessa and Cole might've been saved, but what they went through was going to be one hell of a process. Especially since Cole had to get stitches and telling Vanessa all this was going to be tricky, that's if she still didn't remember.

• • •

Everyone was finally back in the comfort of their home, except they were staying in a hotel while the apartment gets fixed. Vanessa was there, Cole, Henry, and jj. After the case, the doctor was able to release Vanessa. Even though her memory was coming back in pieces, she sort of understood what happened and why Will had to lie.

Cole's head was resting on her mom's shoulder, "We need a vacation."

Vanessa slightly smiled, "I second that."

"I'm just glad you two are ok." Jennifer made her way over after putting Henry to sleep, "I was so scared and I can't remember the last time I was so stressed and nervous like that."

Vanessa reached for jj's hand, giving it a light squeeze.

"We're all safe cause of you, mom." It was Cole's first time ever calling Jennifer mom.

"Mom?"

Cole lightly shrugged, "Thought it was about time. Besides, it's weird calling Henry my brother and not calling you mom. It just makes no sense."

"Hm." Jj hummed, "How's that head of yours?"

"Really hurts." Cole rubbed it a bit as she looked towards Vanessa, "How's that head of yours?"

"Also, really hurts."

Jj kissed the top of Vanessa's head and just like that, everyone began expressing how tired they were. So, cooped up in that small hotel room, Vanessa and Jennifer went to sleep on one of the beds while Cole slept on the other. Henry however, jj managed to fold up his crib and bring it to the hotel.

As everyone began sleeping, finally resting after the hell they went through, jj's eyes perked open. She sat up and leaned her back against the wall behind her. She looked at her two girls and Henry, thinking this was it. Nothing was going to get better than what she has and she could not bare to lose them.

Which is why in that moment, a crucial decision was made.

Jj was going to propose to Vanessa.

a/n:
one more act left !!