summary: everything seemed to go down hill when Derek came back to town, expect for her, she was there to pick up the pieces. In which childhood sweethearts meet again

***

"Sarah, I need you to take a deep breath and tell me again." Y/n said through the phone. It wasn't odd for Sarah to call the girl from time to time but Sarah called her work phone in tears, speaking incoherently.

"He-he was a-arrested." Sarah said through her tears on the other side of the call.

"Who, Sarah, who was arrested?" Y/n asked in calm tone.

"D-Derek." She answered.

"What did he do Sarah?" Y/n asked trying to keep the worry out of her voice, not wanting to worry Sarah anymore. Despite being broken up for years and not seeing each other, he still had a deep place in her heart.

"Here Sarah, give me the phone." Y/n heard Fran in the background. "Hey sweetheart."

"Hi Fran, what happened?" Y/n questioned.

"I'm not sure, we were at home about to eat cake, when Gordinski came to the door and arrested, they wouldn't tell us what happened. I know you and Derek haven't spoken in years, but please you gotta help us." Fran explained.

"Don't worry Fran, I'll return boy, safe and sound. I'll keep you updated." Y/n bid her goodbye hanging up the phone.

"Stacey." She pressed the intercom to her secretary. "Cancel the rest of my meeting and clients for the day, and put down I'm taking on a pro-bono case. Derek Morgan."

"Yes of course." Stacey replied.

Derek Morgan and Y/n L/n. Childhood sweethearts, together for almost 10 years. Everyone in the neighborhood seemed like they were gonna get married. So it was quick the shock when they heard Derek got accepted in the FBI and had to leave to Quantico, Y/n wasn't behind him. It was a mutual breakup between the two, there wasn't any hard feelings, just it was time to grow up and join the real world.

"You've got to be kidding me." Detective Dennison scoffed when he saw Y/n come off the elevator and into the precinct.

"I'm here for Derek Morgan." She started in her professional voice. "I'm his lawyer, I would like to speak to him right away."

"Of course." He complied sending her towards the interview room.

"I need to stop talking to my client, you are to speak to me in my presence only." Y/n had walked into the room where Gordinski and Derek were. Derek was just about to open his mouth before she stopped him. "Don't say another word."

"You can't be here!" Gordinski exclaimed. "You could be a conflict of interest. For all we know, you were there all those years ago too."

"I don't like the tone you're speaking in. I would like for you to leave so I can have a moment alone with my client, and it wasn't a suggestion." Y/n said passive aggressively. In an industry that was dominated by man, the only way for you to get your point across was to be as aggressive as them.

Gordinski stared at her for a few more moments, hoping to get the upper hand but with the glare Y/n had sent back, he wasn't getting far. Rolling his eyes, he left the room, leaving the two of them.

"Hey." Y/n finally turned her attention towards Derek who was slightly teary eyed.

"I didn't do it." He whispered. Y/n walked up to him wrapping her arms softly around his head and neck while Derek wrapped his arms around his waist, resting his head on her chest, crying softly. "I just came to visit my mom, it's her birthday."

"I know. It's alright. I'm going to get this all sorted out." Y/n said soothingly.

While the two shared their intimate moment, Gordinski, Dennison and the rest of the BAU stood on the other side of the glass watching.

"Seems like she knows him." Emily commented watching the two.

"I think they know each other." JJ restated, emphasizing on the 'know'.

"That's attorney Y/n L/n. She grew up in the neighborhood. She and Derek were together since they were in high school. Broke up when he left for the FBI. Someone must have told her about him because she only takes on the bigger cases downtown." Gordinski explained.

"I would like to talk to her." Gideon said before making his way into the room. "Ms. L/n. Whenever you're ready, I would like to have a talk with you."

"Of course." She nodded her head. "I'll be right back, sit just tight, okay?"

"Okay." Derek finally released her. "It's good to see you."

"You as well." She smiled before leaving the room making her way back into the main room.

"I'm SSA Jason Gideon, I work with Derek, I was just wondering if I could ask you a few questions."

"Are they professional questions or personal?" Y/n raised an eyebrow.

"Personal." Gideon answered.

"Alright then." She gave him the floor.

"You were with Derek since high school?" Gideon asked to which Y/n nodded. "Did he tell you about the body he saw when he was 15?"

"Yes he did. He told me I was the first person he told, and was traumatized. A boy our age, killed in the neighborhood in that manner." Y/n replied.

The questioning went on for the next 15 minutes, Gideon asking professional and personal questions hoping something could help Derek to plead innocent.

"What is here doing here!" Y/n exclaimed when saw Carl Buford across the room. Y/n had a deep hatred for that man and the things he had done to Derek. She remembered the day Derek came back from his cabin, he could barely touch Y/n, he felt so dirty. It took him a while to confide in her and tell her what happened. It was a secret the two were going to bring to their grave.

"That's Carl Buford." JJ explained. "He got Derek's record expunged. Shocked, Y/n grabbed the paper from JJ looking over it, and what she said was true. Carl Buford went to court and got Derek's arrest record expunged.

"What the hell is he playing at." Y/n muttered under her breath.

"Is there something you know?" JJ asked.

"That's confidential between Derek and I. I can't tell you." Y/n answered before making her way back to Derek.

"They're both hiding something." Hotch said to the team.

"Carl Buford is here!" Y/n exclaimed walking into the interrogation room. "I don't know why he's here and I think your team is getting suspicious on why I couldn't explain. In about 5 seconds probably, one of your team members will walk into this room and start questions on why we're asking secrets. Don't say anything."

Like clockwork, Hotch came into the room, slamming the door behind him. "You two are keeping something. Something very important."

"I'm sorry, but it's under client confidentiality. I'm not at will to give you that information unless my client would allow that and I don't think anyone wants to hear it." Y/n said sternly.

Hotch looked at two in anger before storming out of the room.

The next couple of hours were a whirlwind for Y/n. While she was out getting food for her and Derek, she came to see the officers running around with their heads cut off. Apparently Derek had escaped and left the building and there was a manhunt for him. The most she could do was just sit and wait.

She heard the elevator ding and turned her attention to see Carl Buford in handcuffs and Derek behind him. Y/n had gotten up and made her way towards Derek, flinging herself onto him.

"They got him." Derek muttered into her neck. She felt the tears soaking the collar of her shirt. "They finally got him. I confronted him. I finally confessed about what happened."

"I'm proud of you D." The nickname sliding across your tongue. "It's all over now."

"Thank you." He looked at her.

"Why are you thanking me? I didn't do anything." She asked furrowing her eyebrows.

"You did everything." Derek explained. "You were always there for me when we were kids. You're here for me now. I don't think I could tell Carl without you."

"That wasn't me." Y/n shook her head. "You telling Carl was all you. The courage you had for that, was from you. You should go home, your mom and sisters are worried about you."

"Come with me." Derek said.

"Are you sure, I don't want to intrude." Y/n replied.

"You're not intruding. They would be happy to see you. And I want you there." Derek confessed.

"Alright then, lead the way." Y/n smiled grabbing his hand, following him out of the building.

———