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BITTERSWEET
::  xxix. | cynical times (part 2)

Vanessa sat on the couch watching tv in the living room. She was going to be getting dress soon for her date but in the mean time, she decided to kill sometime with the tv. She was flipping through channels on what to watch when she came across the news. She read the heading and it said something about an explosion, FBI, and New York City.

Vanessa immediately freaked out. Every next move that she made was impulsive. The tv was turned off, her keys were in hand as well as phone and purse. The next thing she knew, she was out the door when she bumped into Cole who was just coming home.

She just walked passed her daughter with no say. It was like Vanessa left her body and something else was controlling it. After getting into the car, she started it and immediately began driving to the airport. It's like everything in her brain was off and she just had one function: go.

Go.

Go to jj. Make sure she's ok, alive. Don't think about anything else. She didn't know what it was but something over came her.

After a forty or something minute drive, Vanessa finally reached the airport. She didn't have a plan. All she was going to do was park her car, get a ticket to New York and then find Jennifer.

This whole situation might seem cliche but when someone she loves is in danger, something happens to her — like a switch. A switch to where she has to go and make sure everything is ok. So she bought that round-trip ticket, hundred forty-eight dollars but it was all worth it to her.

She just didn't know what to expect.

• • •

Cole was sitting on the couch in the living room. She kept calling and texting her mom over and over again but each time, no answer. She kept growing more worried by the minute and hearing the doorbell, hoping it be her mom didn't help.

She put her phone down and made her way to the door. Cole quickly opened it and met the face of her teacher, Ms. Charles. She wasn't that surprised but her teacher was in a dress, so she was a little confused.

"Hey, teach. What's up?"

"Could I come in? Is your mom here?" Savannah softly spoke.

Cole let her in, "No. did you have something going on tonight?"

Savannah closed the door as Cole asked while she was making her way back to the living room. Savannah then went to the living room as well to continue chatting with Cole.

"We were going to go out." Savannah began, "I waited for her for like an hour and a half before coming here."

Cole shook her head, "Mom wouldn't have just bailed. She would've given noticed if she had something going on." She sighed, "I've called her dozens of times. She's not picking up and she didn't tell me where she was going when I saw her leave."

"Do you remember what time that was?"

Once again the teen shook her head, "No. But it feels like it was at least three hours ago."

Savannah sat next to Cole on the couch and together, they tried to call her again. They did think about calling the police maybe but it hadn't been twenty four hours, so that was out of the question. Cole did think about calling jj but it made no sense, so she didn't even try.

Vanessa never did anything like this before, completely ghosts everyone and she didn't really know that's what she was doing. Right in that time, she's stuck in her own mind with the worst possible thoughts because the only person on her mind is Jennifer Jareau.

• • •

Vanessa had been in New York City for about thirty minutes now and she had no idea where she was going or supposed to do. Her initial thought was to go to the NYPD because it was the obvious but from what she saw from the news, would it be the obvious? Usually, the obvious is the answer so like any other person, she hailed a cab.

After getting in, the ten minute drive and then paying, she was finally stepping foot on NYPD. Of course it was late in the night and sirens all around, blaring loudly.

Now, there's two ways into the building. The side and the front. The intentional accident happened in front of the building but since Vanessa was dropped on the side, she had no knowledge of what was really happening.

As she was approaching the door, that's when she heard her name being called out.

"Vanessa?"

At the sound of her name, she turned around and there was jj. The only person she's been wanting to see. Her eyes lit up, she was so happy to see Jennifer was ok but it made her question who on the team was hurt then or was it even someone on the team. Nonetheless, she was happy to see her favorite blonde.

"Hi." Vanessa approached jj, making the gap smaller between the two, "You're ok."

Jj nodded, "Yes, I am."

Vanessa spoke softly, "I saw the news and I wasn't sure."

"You didn't want to call instead?" Vanessa just shrugged and jj continued, "You came all the way here."

The agent didn't know how to take it. She couldn't believe that Vanessa came all the way out there just to make sure she was still breathing. She thought it was sweet that Vanessa cares that much, but Vanessa wasn't the only one to think of that idea. Will had already been there hours before but that was on a need to know basis.

"I'm glad you're ok." Vanessa awkwardly spoke.

Jj reached for Vanessa's hand and loosely held it, "I appreciate it."

As they were lost in each other's eyes, a familiar voice was heard in the background quickly approaching them.

"Jj, are you ok?" Will quickly approached with jj subtlety pulling her hand away from Vanessa's.

She cleared her throat, "Yeah, all good."

Before anyone else could say anything, Emily came into the picture and informed jj about everything, resulting in her leaving Will and Vanessa outside by themselves.

Though it may have been a bit awkward because Vanessa has no interest in getting to know him, they did however share some greeting words. Just as Vanessa was leaving from in front of the station, Cole and Savannah finally came to mind.

to be continued . . .

a/n:
oof. well, this act is
about to be over. idk
if this is a step for jj
&& Vanessa but o
well. ik it's kinda cliche
but that's besides the point.
also, new opening gif ((: