Chapter 3

Derek handed Daniella the phone, and she smiled before walking away from the group. She dialed Garcia's number and waited for her to answer.

"Garcia at your disposal," Penelope teased.

Daniella burst out laughing. "Hi, Penelope."

Penelope exclaimed into the phone. "My angel, my angel. How are you doing?"

Daniella laughed. Penelope was always a sweetheart with a big heart for almost everyone.

"Thank you. I'm fine. I just wanted to check in and let you know I'm fine."

Penelope smiled. "Okay, I'm glad."

"I'll let you talk to Morgan now," she said, going back into the office and giving Derek the phone.

"Ready to work some magic, baby girl?"

Reid approached Daniella and handed her food. She gave him a small smile as he sat next to her. He struck up a conversation with her solely because, unlike the others, she could keep up. He made a few stupid jokes, but it was worth it to make her laugh. They returned to help everyone solve the case after they finished eating.

"There's a name, but it doesn't make sense," JJ commented to Hotch.

Hotch examined the name and attempted to rearrange it. Prentiss tried it, but they didn't get anywhere. Daniella took the paper and examined it carefully.

the letter s k r a r e p

Reid took her gaze and began writing the letters on the board. He gave it some thought before circling the letters and bringing them down.

"Parkers," Reid explained. "Does anyone have the surname Parkers?"

Daniella rummaged through the papers, grabbing one that said Adela Parkers. She gave Hotch a look and handed him the paper.

"She's got a child."

Everyone else went through the back, except Hotch, JJ, and Daniella. Everything was quiet, and Hotch silently counted to three before kicking the door open. They had guns and flashlights and went through the entire house.

"Hotch!" He heard JJ call out from upstairs.

He nodded at Daniella as she went into the living room. She flashed her light in the living room to see a boy tied in a chair with duct tape on his mouth.

"Derek!" Daniella called out. "I found the kid."

Derek approached her and nodded. She approached the boy and quickly untied his arms and legs and removed the duct tape from his mouth. He sobbed and embraced her. Her eyes welled up, and she returned the little boy's hug.

She walked the boy to the ambulance and ensured that he was properly checked. She stayed because he started freaking out as she was about to leave. She shook her head as they all looked at the covered body they were removing.

Derek approached Rossi and looked at Daniella. "Do you think she'll be alright?"

Rossi made a shaky motion with his head. "No."

Daniella handed Aiden a cup of water as they drove him to the station. He just stared at it, scared and silent.

"It's fine," she said sadly. "Can you recall who was in your house?"

He raised his head and nodded. "She's a friend of my mommys. She works at home. Jacky. "

He placed the cup on the table after Daniella nodded. He then lowered his gaze to his hands.

"Can I see my father?" He inquired, his eyes bright. "Is my father here?"

He grabbed her hand as she led him out of the office, and she nodded. The boy's father had already heard the news and had a breakdown.

"Daddy!" He screamed.

He ran to his father, and he embraced his son. She told Hotch everything, and she went outside to get some air. She came back as the rest of the team went back to the hotel to sleep, but Daniella stayed behind. She knew she wasn't going to get any kind of rest, so she made herself a cup of coffee.

She put her head down on the table and closed her eyes. She opened her eyes 30 minutes later, and she let out a sigh. She felt helpless and exhausted. She read Jacky Walker's criminal history, and she circled the places where the victims were found on the map. She noticed they were all within the same distance.

"She must be hunting in this area now," she muttered to herself as she circled the area in blue.

Morning arrived, and she had figured almost everything out. She was a bit jumpy after all the coffee she drank, and she looked like a person who was about to have an entire meltdown.

Hotch and the team arrived, and she avoided eye contact with Reid. She nodded at Hotch, and everyone turned to them.

"I went over the profile and found something. Jacky Walker worked for all the victims, and she was either a babysitter or a psychic. "If she was killed in this area," she said, pointing at the red circles.

"She must be hunting in this area now," Reid said, as he pointed at the blue circle.

Danielle looked at him and stepped away from him.

"Okay, but where exactly?" Prentiss asked.

Daniella sighed as she looked at the board. That was the question on her mind.

"I don't know. That's the only thing we need to find out. "

Hotch and Reid went over the map and profile. Daniella began to bite her nails once again. Derek gave her tissues when he noticed that she was bleeding from her nail.

She wrapped the tissue around her finger and went to the restroom. Everyone watched her leave, and JJ sighed, Reid turning to look at her.

"She needs to sleep."

Rossi stood up from his chair and walked over to the coffee machine. "As much as we'd love to help, that's not up to us."

Reid put down the marker in his hand and turned to Hotch. "Send her to the hotel to rest. "Please."

Hotch nodded. "I have to anyway. We can't be negligent about the problem. "

Derek stayed quiet, not wanting to input his thoughts. He didn't think it was a good idea, and Prentiss shook her head.

"I'll talk to her. Just don't decide on anything yet," Prentiss said as she left the room.

Prentiss walked into the restroom to see Daniella washing her face. She had her eyes closed and she leaned against the sink. Prentiss knocked on the door, and Daniella opened her eyes and looked at herself through the mirror.

"Are you okay?" Prentiss asked.

Daniella sighed. "I would be if everyone just stopped asking."

Prentiss handed her a band-aid and Daniella sighed.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Thank you."

Prentiss nodded. "You need sleep. You look like you haven't slept in weeks."

Daniella took a deep breath. "I haven't had any sleep. I'll be okay once this case is over. "

Prentiss nodded, and they both walked out of the restroom. They walked back into the conference room, and Hotch gave Prentiss a look. Reid looked at Daniella as she went back to reading the profile with JJ.

Hotch pulled her away after a while, and he made sure no one else heard them.

"Go to the hotel," he ordered. "Get some rest."

"Hotch ..."

"It's not a request," Hotch said sternly. "It's an order."

"Great," she murmured, grabbing her things. She didn't have it in her to argue anymore. Hotch gave her keys to an SUV, and she left the station.

She booked a room and got her keys before going in. She sighed, knowing she wasn't going to get any sleep, but she tried anyway.

The station was quiet and everyone was still figuring out a location. Penelope checked records and street coordinates that Reid was giving her. They struggled to find those coordinates without Daniella, but they didn't call her in knowing she needed rest.

Reid worked on the coordinates while everyone went to the area. His eyes widened when he connected the lines, and he immediately called for Hotch.

Daniella got out of the shower and grabbed her things before checking out of the hotel. She didn't get much sleep, and she just decided to stop trying. She got into the SUV after changing and drove to the station. She cut the ignition after parking and walked into the station to see Reid waiting patiently.

She walked into the room, and Reid looked at her.

"How'd you sleep?" He asked.

She sat down and shook her head. "I slept for 15 minutes, if that's progress."

Spencer pulled a chair up next to her, and she leaned against him in silence. They stayed quiet for a few minutes before Spencer finally let out a breath.

"Let's go back to the hotel," he suggested. "We can get some rest before they come back."

Daniella leaned up and tapped her fingers on the table. "I checked out of my room."

Spencer gave her a shy smile. "I haven't."

The team went back to the station once they caught the unsub. They didn't see Reid, so they went back to the hotel after cleaning up.

"3 am, guys," Hotch said. "Don't forget to wake up Reid and Daniella."

Derek slid the card and the door opened. He walked in and closed the door behind him before turning on the light to grab a towel. He looked up to see Daniella and Spencer sleeping peacefully in each other's arms.

"Well, I guess I'll be waking them up," Derek mumbled, as he turned off the light and went to the bathroom for a shower.

The plane ride back to Quantico was slow and quiet. Almost everyone was asleep. Daniella was still cuddled up against Reid as they slept. JJ was asleep with a blanket wrapped around her while Derek fell asleep listening to music.

Prentiss smiled, "She looks so peaceful."

Rossi nodded. "She does."

Hotch looked at the two and shook his head as he went over everyone's report.

"I want her to take an entire month off to get rest and help," Hotch said. "If she really has sleep deprivation, we all know it won't be long before she develops PTSD or insomnia. We'll help her but with time. "

Prentiss nodded in agreement as Rossi drank his whiskey.

"Do you think they'll ever be more than friends?" Rossi asked. "I say there's a good chance."

Hotch closed the file and nodded. "I see it happening, just not now."

Prentiss looked at them once more before getting comfortable in her seat. "Maybe once she talks about what bothers her sleep."

"Maybe then."

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