Chapter 32: Small Steps
In Paris,
Emily decided to go for a walk in a park close by. She stopped at a gift shop and got a postcard for Bella. She hated that she couldn't send it to her but she knew that one day she would be able to give it to her herself. She hoped she would. She had to believe she would.
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(Sunday)
Bella woke up and walked to the kitchen. She sat to have breakfast and everyone could see she was embarrassed about what had happened.
"So Bella, I was talking to Garcia the other day and she's moving in for real" Derek said and Bella just kept eating her cereal. "So we have to make room for her here so... I need help building another room" he said. "Would you help me?" He asked hopeful.
Bella nodded yes not looking very excited.
"Alright. We have to go get everything, so go get ready once you're done" he said excited deciding to ignore the girl's mood and Garcia smiled.
"Go where?" Bella asked a bit unsure.
"To a few places" he said and gave her a look.
She looked down looking scared. She was not sure she could do it. Derek walked to her and kneed down next to her. "Look at me" he said and she looked right in his eyes.
"You said you would trust me, didn't you?" He said. "You promised"
"I know" Bella said.
She just sat there and her eyes filled with tears. She jumped and hugged him. "I just feel like I can't do it" she said crying.
"I know you can. I'll be right there with you." Derek said.
"I just get scared he's gonna come" Bella cried.
"Doyle?" Penelope asked.
"Yeah. He's gonna come and he'll do what he did to mommy and Me again" Bella sobbed.
"Sit up. Look at me" Derek said and she sat back on the chair.
"Look at me" he said and she did as told. "He is not coming here." He said serious. "You were never on his plan. You were not on his list. Baby, a while ago he didn't even know you existed." He said tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "You were never who he wanted to hurt... He wanted your mom." He said and Bella kept crying.
"But what about his son?" Bella asked.
"He's okay. Declan is okay" Derek said.
"But she took Declan from him. I heard them" Bella said.
"And Doyle took her from you. That's it. It's over. He's not coming back, baby girl. There's no reason for him to hurt you. Okay? He's not coming back. He's far far away from here because he knows that we're looking for him. And I promise you he's not coming here" Derek said and Bella looked down at the floor again.
"Look at me" he told her and she looked up. "You can do this. You can." He said. She hugged him again and he stood up and lifted her.
"Let's get ready" he said and carried her to the bedroom.
He put her down and she hugged his waist.
"Uncle Derek?" She said and he pulled her chin up. "Will I ever be okay again?" She asked with tears streaming down her face.
Derek hugged her tight and said "I promise you will"
They hugged for a while and then he told her to go get ready.
They got changed and went out to get everything. Bella was really nervous and would not let go of Derek but she went to every store they had to and didn't ask to go home. Not even once.
They stopped to eat lunch around 1pm at McDonald's, and then headed back home.
"I told you you could do it, didn't I?" Derek smiled as Bella stopped in front of him to help with the bags. She gave him a shy smile and helped him unload everything. Bella sat to watch a movie with Penelope while Derek started working on the new room. He was going to combine a small office he had with part of the laundry room.
He decided to stop around 5:30 and finish Isabella's room. The three of them helped and around 7 they were all done. The furniture was in, the decorations and bedding were placed and it looked amazing.
"How about that?" Derek smiled big as he saw how good it looked.
Bella hugged him as tears filled her eyes.
"Thank you" she said and he saw she was crying.
"Why the tears?" He asked letting go of the hug.
Bella just shook her head no. She felt strange. She was a little happy but sad too.
Derek and Garcia wrapped her in a hug at the same time.
"We love you so much, pumpkin" Penelope said.
"I love you both too." Bella said.
They let go of the hug. "Can we all sleep here tonight?" She asked.
"Of course we can" Penelope smiled and Bella gave her a little smile back.
"So how about dinner, shower and then bed?" Garcia said.
"Okay" Bella said and they went to the kitchen. Bella helped Penelope cook some spaghetti, they ate, showered, Garcia took care of the child's back and they laid down on Isabella's new room to sleep.
Bella's eyes wondered around the place and she really loved how it turned out.
"Thank you for the new room Uncle Morgan" Bella said.
"You're welcome, princess" he smiled. She turned to face him. "I love you" she said and closed her eyes.
"I love you too" he said and gave her a little kiss on the forehead.
Penelope just stared with a big smile on her face.
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The next two days went okay for Bella. She was doing great at school and started to do better at home too.
Derek was trying to go out more and she would go but she hated it. They could see on her face that she was scared and much rather stay home.
JJ had got in contact with Emily through scrabble and had told her how Bella was doing. Emily was very thankful about everything Derek and Penelope were doing. She felt like she would never be able to thank them enough.
Tuesday night, Bella was at home with Garcia and Morgan when Derek got a call from Hotch.
"We have a case. We need to go" Derek told Penelope.
"Right now? It's almost 11 at night" Bella said.
"Yes we really have to" Derek said and Bella looked upset.
"Do you want to stay at Chloe's?" Garcia asked.
"No!" Bella said upset.
"You have to stay at the office then" Derek said getting his go bag.
"Okay" Bella said and went to her room. She packed a few things and they left.
The night went fine but Penelope couldn't get Bella to go to her office. The girl refused to sleep anywhere else other than the conference room or Rossi's office. So Penelope stayed with Bella in the conference room almost all night. The girl woke up a few times but she was okay.
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In Paris,
Emily had changed hotels again, this time in the suburbs, and was finally more confident about going out. She had lunch in the hotel, then went to the city and walked around, went to a few shops and then sat to eat dinner at a restaurant downtown.
She was eating and looking out the window when she saw a little girl walking by with a woman that looked like her mother. She smiled as she remembered little Bella walking around in pigtails just like the little girl was. Suddenly a waiter walked by and the woman was inside with the child. Emily couldn't help but look at the little girl. She had dark hair like Bella's and couldn't be older than 5. Emily heard the woman telling the girl, in French, to take the pacifier off so she could eat. They started a battle because the woman wanted out now and the girl kept saying the food wasn't even there. Suddenly the woman told the girl she would tell everything to the binky fairy and she would not get any presents.
Emily's heart ached as she felt she needed to see and hold Bella. She remembered Bella being 4 and John fighting with her over pacifiers saying the girl was too old for that and Emily always told him he should let Bella have it at least till she was 5.
She felt really sad because she wanted her daughter. She just paid for her unfinished meal and left. She took a taxi to the hotel and as soon as she entered the room she started crying.
After she calmed a bit down she went online and sent a message to JJ on scrabble asking about news on Doyle's case and asking about Bella. She stayed logged in while she watched tv and was surprised when she got a reply after just 4 minutes.
"He was seen in New York and two days later in Maine. We know he's used to the 'good life'. We'll find him" JJ sent.
"So you guys have nothing?!" Emily sent.
"We are doing everything we can" JJ sent.
"You better do way more than that" Emily sent angry.
JJ felt bad.
"What happened, Em?" JJ asked.
"Nothing" Emily said.
"I know you. And I know something happened" JJ said.
"I just miss her, okay?" Emily sent. "I miss my daughter. I should be home with my daughter"
"We are doing everything we possibly can to make that happen. Please don't be mad. You know this is necessary" JJ sent.
Emily took a deep breath. She had to remind herself she needed to keep her baby safe and that was the only way at the time. But she just hated it.
"I know. I'm sorry" Emily sent. "How is she?"
"She's doing better. I heard she got an amazing new bedroom" JJ said.
":) I want to hear all about it" Emily sent.
They talked for a long time and then JJ said she had to go.
Prentiss felt a bit better after talking to JJ and knowing how Bella was doing.
She couldn't wait to hug her baby again.
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