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BITTERSWEET
::  xv. | cotton candy

It was five in the morning. Vanessa was asleep next to jj when her phone started ringing. Jj sat up and answered it. It was Hotch talking about how there was a shooting at a local bank and it was all hands on deck. Jj understood and hung up. She briefly laid back down just for a moment before forcing herself to get up and get ready for the day.

As she was coming in and out the room a couple of times within the hour, she didn't see Vanessa waking up. So the next time she came back into the bedroom before she left, she saw Vanessa sat up and the tv on.

"Four people died and three injured." Vanessa shook her head, "Jeez."

Jj turned to the tv where the news was on, "Yeah, that's the case we're working."

"I'll lock up when I leave and stay safe." She told her friend who was about to join her team in the field.

Jj gave her a quick nod before heading back out. She grabbed her things as she made her way to the door and then she was gone to the BAU. She couldn't remember the last time the team had a local case.

As soon as she walked into the conference room, Garcia immediately began to debrief everyone who was there.

• • •

"This is the third bank robbery in the county of this year. This group has been moving and moving." Garcia pressed a button to bring photos up onto the screen, "Three men, one woman. As far as we know, they're the most infamous robbers we've ever encountered."

"And no leads yet? Background? Who they are?" Morgan asked Garcia.

"Not yet." She shook her head, "But Gideon, Hotch and Prentiss are all on scene now."

Morgan stood up from his seat, "I'm gonna get down there."

Jj stood up just as quickly, "I'll go with." She turned to reid, "Track the money and the geological profile."

Reid gave her a slight nod, turning back to Garcia and jj went to catch up with Morgan. Her mind was set on the case, but she also wanted to know Morgan's motives and plans with Vanessa.

She caught up with him at the elevator. He pressed the button to the garage, where cars are being held. It was silent amongst the two but only for a brief moment.

"Do you know if Vanessa got home ok?" Morgan ask.

The elevator dinged and opened to the garage.

"You should give her a call." Jj mentioned as she slowly made her way out the elevator and Morgan then following behind.

• • •

Vanessa was just approaching the front door of her house. Now, six thirty in the morning and she was finally getting home. She pulled out her keys and opened the front door. She assumed Cole would be up because school starts in an hour.

"Cole!" She walked through the front door, "I'm back!"

At the sound of her name, Cole sprung up and hit Daniel's chest to wake him up too. She never had a boy sleep over or in her room at all. She never been in this situation before. All the boys at her school were trash but Daniel . . he was anything but.

He lightly coughed from the hit as he sat up, "What time is it?"

Cole checked her phone, "Almost six forty and I think my mom's here. So get dress."

The two quickly got out of bed. Daniel rushed to pull his pants on as Cole quickly rummaged through her drawer to find new clothes because if she wore the same ones downstairs, her mom would know something was possibly up.

After getting dress, she looked over a Daniel who was still getting dress. She rolled her eyes at his slowness.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't find my shirt." He whispered.

Cole grunted, "Just sneak downstairs. I'll find it."

So Daniel grabbed his shoes and quietly opened the door. He looked both ways to make sure he didn't see the mother. Concluding it was clear, he began down to the hall and to the staircase. He gently walked the steps to not make any noise and once he was downstairs, he stealthily walked into the kitchen.

Just as a sigh of relief escaped his lips as he headed towards the door through the kitchen, Vanessa came walking in. She cleared her throat and Daniel stood there with his back turned in pure shock. He didn't know what to do. He was never in this type of situation before, so he slowly turned around.

"Ms. Reigns." He nervously chuckled, "Good morning."

Vanessa stood there with her eyes narrow and her brows furrowed, "One, who are you? Two, where's your shirt?"

Before Daniel could say anything, Cole came into the kitchen. She stopped in her tracks once she saw her mom, "Hi—-"

Vanessa turned to her daughter, "He's yours Cole?"

Cole tried to avoid eye contact with her mom. Vanessa reached the shirt Cole was holding and gently took it out her hand. She turned back to Daniel and walked up to him. Vanessa handed Daniel his shirt.

"It's cold outside."

"Thank you." Daniel nodded, "See you at school, Cole."

Daniel left on out, leaving Cole alone with her mom. Vanessa's arms were crossed over her chest as she stared down her daughter. She wasn't disappointed, more surprised and speechless.

Cole never had a boy come home before and stay the night. She knew the rules but everything was an accident. All the worse thoughts were surfacing Vanessa's mind. Was Cole having sex? Is she still a virgin? Was it consensual? Did he ask for consent? Was a condemn used? The thoughts kept running through her mind as she stared at her daughter.

They were both speechless.

a/n:
what do y'all think
of Daniel?