RUNAWAY
CHAPTER TEN...!

❝ NUMB , SEASON
FIVE ❞

       "Foyet called Haley from Casmire's phone. He told her she was compromised, and I was dead."

"Have you called her?"

"No. He told her to throw her phone away, and buy a disposable. Anderson's bringing me a car. I'm hoping at least— she's gonna call me at least to check."

"Foyet posed as a Marshall, he even called from a number that Haley recognized."

"And now she trusts him, where do you think he would take her?"

"Witness Protection had her living in New Jersey."

"He has a head start. He could be there now."

"Garcia's got a trace."

"Send the coordinates to my phone." Aaron told the woman on the other line, as the ride that Anderson brought for him showed up.

"Hotch?"

"He hung up."

"Damn it— Wait, what's that?"

"Hotch is calling Foyet."

—

       JENNIE sat in the passenger seat of Haley's car, her leg bouncing up and down. She had tried making her eyes remain on the road in front of her, but they kept glancing back at Haley, who's frantic expression didn't help calm the girl's nerves.

Haley had noticed the girl's anxiety way long ago, before finally she sighed, "Our location was compromised."

Jennie's eyes shot to the woman, furrowing her eyebrows slightly, before she continued.

"We're going back to the house. Our house. The one we lived in before your dad and I separated. They'll tell us what to do from there."

The girl knew it was better if she didn't say anything, only nodding at the woman's words. She looked back at Jack, who's gaze was occupied on something outside the window, before looking back at the road.

However, her worried expression didn't fade for the remainder of the car ride, as a thoughtoccupied her mind. Why would the Marshall tell them to go back to their old home, and not a location that didn't hold any significance?

But Jennie didn't have time to question it.

Because, by that time, they had already pulled into the driveway.

—

"Agent Hotchner." Foyet answered his flip phone, confidence riding in his voice.

"If you touch them—"

"I'll be gentle. Like I was with you. What the hell took you so long? I was beginning to think this phone was dead, or something. Why so quiet? You usually lash out when you're frustrated."

"I'm not frustrated. You're more predictable than you think. You didn't know where Haley was, so you made her come to you? Just another way for you to show control. Your mother tried to protect you from your father, but she wasn't strong enough. And you hated her for that, didn't you? You decided all women were weak. What, were you nine when you killed him?"

"It was a car accident."

"That you couldn't take credit for, that had to be hard for you. But poor George got another chance. The little orphan was saved by the wealthy, Sterile Eastside couple, the Foyets. The story should've ended there."

"I don't believe in fairytales. Do you?"

"That's the thing, George, this isn't a fairytale. You don't have to write this story, you don't have to do any of this. I know you're exhausted. Always looking over your shoulder. Always wondering when the other shoe's gonna drop. Have you got what you wanted? You set yourself apart from anyone we've ever dealt with. You're not just a famous serial killer, you're The Reaper. We're going to study you, and your methods for years, and years."

"You know what I've been thinking?" Foyet's eyes narrowed to the car that had pulled up nearby, "Haley looks good with dark hair. She's lost some weight. Must be all the stress you caused her. Where's the little man? Oh, there he is. With his big sister right behind him, wanting to protect him from any, and everything."

Aaron could hear Foyet's other phone ring.

"That's your wife. Hold please."

—

        "OKAY, that's the Marshall pulling in." Haley announced to the teen, peaking throw the window. She then turned to face Jack, running her fingers through his hair, before she looked back at Jennie, "You think you could get him something to drink? He looks thirsty."

"Yeah, of course." Jennie told Haley, giving Jack a small smile. The girl grabbed his water bottle, before leaving the room to go to the kitchen.

As she stepped into the kitchen, she could hear Haley let the man into the home. Her ears had tuned out the conversation, with her thoughts overpowering her hearing. There, she filled up his water bottle with cold water, and twisted the top back on.

She formed a small smile onto her face that she could greet Jack with, as she walked back into the living room. However, when she walked in, she saw the Marshall sitting on their couch. Except, it wasn't a Marshall.

It was him.

The sight had made her drop the water bottle onto the ground, resulting into the top coming undone, and water spilling all over the carpet.

The drop had made Haley's eyes turn to her, along with the man on the couch's.

"Jennie, what— what's wrong?"

The girl felt like she couldn't speak. Like her throat had closed up. Like the dryness in her throat was cancelled out with the watering of her eyes.

He was right in front of her.

"Haley—" Jennie began, her voice shaking, as her eyes didn't leave the man, "Call my dad."

Haley looked at the man, who's eyes were on Jennie, before back the teen, not sure of what to say. The woman was yet to tell her the news of her dad being claimed dead.

"Jennie—"

When the woman paused, Jennie had made eye contact with her, repeating "Call my dad."

"Jennie," Her ex-stepmom began again, trying to explain, "There's something I need to tell you—"

"Whatever this man told you about my dad is not true. Whatever he told you—" Jennie interrupted her, her eyes flicking back from her and the man, before landing on Haley once again, "Haley, please. Call my dad."

"You can use my phone." George Foyet spoke, raising up him flip phone to the woman. Haley furrowed her eyebrows, pausing for a second, before taking the phone from his hands, and dialing Aaron's number.

Jennie never broke eye contact with the man, as the phone rang. He didn't show it, but she could tell that he was enjoying this. Like he enjoyed the night he broke into her and her dad's apartment.

He enjoyed every second of it.

"Foyet?"

"Aaron? You're okay?"

Haley's words finally made Jennie squeeze her eyes shut, a tear rolling down her cheek.

Aaron tried to make sure his voice wouldn't break, "I'm fine."

"But, he said that—" Haley paused for a second, seeing Foyet look up at her with a knowing look. Realization hit her, water building up in her eyes, "Oh, Aaron."

"He can hear us, right?"

"Yes."

"I'm so sorry—" Haley told the man on the phone, before looking back at the teen, who was trying her best not to break, "Jennie, I-I'm so sorry."

"Haley. Show him no weakness. No fear."

Haley wiped her tears away, sniffling as she nodded, "I know. Sam told me all about him. Is he, um—"

"No, Sam is fine." Aaron quickly told her.

"Aaron, Aaron, Aaron." Foyet began, his voice only making Jennie's blood boil, "Is that why your marriage broke up? Because you're a liar?"

"Don't listen to him, Haley."

"I have Sam's service phone right here. They sent out a mass text about his death. You can take a look if you want."

"He's trying to scare you."

"Did you even tell her what this was about?" Foyet pried, "About the deal?"

"He's just trying to make you angry."

"Well, she should be. She's gonna—" Foyet paused, reaching over to cover Jack's ears, "D-I-E, because of your inflated ego."

At his action towards Jack, Jennie had realized the little boy was right in front of George Foyet, causing her to swiftly move behind him. She pulled him away from the man, a firm grip on his shoulders, keeping him away from the man. The man watched the teen, moving his hands away, raising them up in surrender.

"Ignore him, Haley."

"I'm sure you don't want her to know this part, either." A small smile formed on Foyet's lips, as he informed the woman, "You know, all he had to do was to stop looking for me, and you wouldn't be in this mess."

"Don't react."

"What is he talking about?"

Haley questioned, after blinking away her tears, her voice soft. That had caused the man to pause for a moment.

"Tell Jack I need him working the case."

"What?"

"Tell Jack I need him working the case."

Jennie looked at the woman, who cleared her throat, handing her the phone. Jennie took it from her, going on her knees so she could hold the phone could be at Jack's level.

Jack put a hand over Jennie's, to bring the phone closer to his mouth.

"Hi, daddy."

Jennie could hear her father's voice crack as he spoke, making another tear roll down her cheek.

"Hi, buddy." He paused for a moment, "Is Jen-Jen there?"

"I'm right here." She spoke up.

Jack only paused for a moment, looking at his sister next to him, before speaking back into the phone, "Is George a bad guy?"

"Yes he is." The man spoke, "But, Jack— I need you on this case with me. Do you understand? I need you to work the case with me."

"Okay, daddy."

"Jack, hug your mom for me."

Jennie took the phone from the little boy's hands, making his arms free to give Haley a tight hug.

"Mom, you hug me too tight."

"I'm sorry—" Haley began, pulling away, giving her son a soft smile.

"Why are you sad?"

"I-I just love you so much." Haley told him, pulling him into another hug, hiding the tears riding down her face.

They hugged a bit longer, before Jack pulled away, "Mom, I gotta go. I'm working the case with Jen-Jen."

"Okay."

And with that, Jack Hotchner ran upstairs, as his mother watched him with watering eyes. Jennie gave him a small wave as well, trying to hide her emotional state from the boy.

"Is Jennie still there?"

Haley wiped her tears again, before nodding, "Yes."

"Jennie—" He paused for a moment, before excepting the cracking of his voice, "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, honey. I know I've put you through so much. And I know that you're scared—"

"Stop." She told him, "This isn't your fault. I promise, none of this is your fault."

"She's right, Aaron. It's not your fault." Foyet spoke up, "Frankly, I think I could've lead myself to her, whether she was your daughter or not."

Honestly, the words had caught Jennie off guard. And he could tell through the change of her facial expressions. As she quickly tried to compose herself, her father spoke up.

"What are you talking about?"

George let out a soft, dry chuckle, his eyes staying on the teen in front of him.

"Well, haven't you ever wondered why your little boyfriend is yet to tell you his last name?"

At those words, Jennie couldn't hide her emotions any longer, her expression being a mix of worry and confusion.

"What?" Her voice cracked.

"Jennie, don't listen to him. He's just trying to scare you." Her father tried to reassure her, but the girl hadn't registered his words.

George let a small smile form on his lips at the girl's fragile state, extending out his hand, "It's so nice to meet my son's girlfriend face-to-face."

She shook her head, "You're lying."

George then pulled out a photo, showing it to the girl, "This was us when he was born. Little Grayson Foyet. 8 pounds, 13 ounces."

He could see Jennie deflate. Jennie knew he could've easily been lying— but she knew he wasn't.

She knew he was telling the truth.

She felt as if the world around her was collapsing. As if right outside the window behind her was fire, and smoke. As if George Foyet had stabbed her right then and there.

Because her first real friend wasn't even real.

Grayson and her weren't real.

"Jennie— I need you and Jack to work the case." Aaron tried to snap the teen back into reality, "I need you to go and work the case for me."

When Jennie didn't respond, the only sound being her heavy breathes, Haley knew she couldn't just watch. She pulled the girl into a comforting hug, which Jennie was quick to give into, wrapping her arms tightly around the woman.

"I-I— I can't—" Jennie began, "I can't just leave you. I can't just leave you here."

"I'm going to fine." Haley told the girl, pulling away from the hug, as she cupped the girl's face, "I'm going to be just fine, okay Jennie?"

The woman could see the girl's eyes glisten, as she shook her head, "I'm so sorry."

"No, no, no— Jennie, don't do that—"

"No," The teen continued, cutting off the woman, "I'm so sorry. There— there were so many times I wanted to tell you that I loved you— and I just didn't. A-And there were so many times that I tried to refer to you as my mom, but I couldn't. Because I was scared. And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Haley. I should've been better to you. I should've— I should've been a better daughter."

"Hey," Haley gave the emotional girl a soft smile, "Look at me. Jennie, you are— amazing. You're kind, you're smart, you're funny. You have a good heart, righteous morals. And you— You always sacrifice to help everybody else. That's why I love you so much. You are— the best daughter I could've ever asked for."

The speech didn't help with Jennie's waterworks at all, as Haley pulled the girl into her embrace once more.

"I don't want you to die." The teen's voice was soft, and fragile. Haley paused for a moment, shutting her eyes, as a tear escaped.

Haley knew she couldn't promise Jennie that she wouldn't die. And Jennie knew that Haley couldn't promise to stay alive.

"I love you so much, Jen-Jen."

Jennie squeezed tighter, her words slightly muffled as she buried her face in the woman's shirt.

"I love you too."

—

"Promise me that you will tell him how we met. And how you used to make me laugh. He needs to know that you weren't always so serious, Aaron. A-And, I want him and Jennie to believe in love because it is the most important thing. But you need to show them. Promise me."

"I promise."

Those were Aaron Hotchner's last words to Haley, before gunshots had filled everyone's ears.

—

"I WORKED the case daddy, just like you said."

Those were the first words that came out of Jack Hotchner's mouth, when Aaron had opened the small, hidden compartment in his office, revealing his two children.

Jennie could hear his car screeching as he came through the driveway, only moments prior before he opened the box. She could hear his fight with Foyet, which would explain the cuts and blood on his face.

She didn't witness any of it, but she could hear it. Very clearly.

When the man opened up the box, he saw Jack's ears being covered by Jennie, which he assumed was to cover the gunshot noises.

Jennie didn't react when the compartment opened, only staring off, with a single tear fall down her face as she laid there, emotionless.

"You did a great job buddy." He told his son. Aaron lifted the boy out the box, as Jack questioned him, seeing the blood on his face.

"What happened to you, daddy?"

"I'm okay. I want you to go outside with Ms. Jareau, okay?"

Jennifer, who stood by the door with Spencer, smiled at the boy, as she picked him up in her arms. With that, she carried him out the room, and made their way outside.

Aaron turned back to the box, taking a moment to try to compose himself, before looking back at Jennie.

There, the blank expression on her face stayed as she laid on her side, only looking at the space that was previously occupied by Jack.

"Jennie—" He spoke softly, but got no response other than a small sniffle. The sight didn't help his emotional state, speaking again, "Jennie, please."

Jennie slowly got up from her spot, sitting up, before accepting her father's embrace. They held each other tightly, tighter than they had ever held each other, with her father burying his face in her shoulder.

However, despite feeling the need to, Jennie didn't let any tears fall. Frankly, there were no tears in her system to fall. Within the time frame from when she drove her father to the hospital, to now, she was almost fully convinced that she had cried all of her tears.

And now, she was just— numb.

AUTHORS NOTE |

jennie has this picture in her wallet and she looked at it everyday before bed while in witness protection 😁😁

word count.
2888.