Chapter Nine
Personal Expirence
"I just wish, oh, how I wish I could go! Please, Aunt, Please reconsider!" Melanie begged to Erin Strauss.
"It's not even official, just some of the agents gathered an idea to form this ball," she said, in her distastful mood. "Besides, the only man I would ever aprove of you dancing with is your fiance. Has he allowed you to go?"
"He would but momma said-"
"Then listen to your mother."
Erin Strauss left a pouting Melanie in front of her office.
"What's wrong?" Garcia asked as the team came up.
"Aunt won't let me go to the ball that's tomorrow night."
"What's so special about it?" Reid asked her.
"Oh, Spencer! Just the idea of it is so romantic and thrilling!" she held her hands over her heart-or rather the yellow and blue plaid tie, that matched the skirt and yellow wool cardigan she was wearing. "Its just...I've always wanted to see one. And now, when it is right in front of me, I am forbidden to go. I just angers me to the point of no return!"
"Just go," Emily said. "I'll help you sneek out."
"Hold your tongue!" Melanie gasped, signalling her to shush. "If anyone were to hear you-!"
"What would happen? I can't get fired."
"No, but I would get a good beating!"Melanie hissed. It was honestly no secret Melly was abused, but it was the first time she had ever truthfully ackwoldedged it.
"I'll keep quite," Emily whispered as the walked toward the conferance room.
*****
"She was raped?" Melanie breathed. "She was only 12...Oh God..." she covered her face with her hankerchief. Garcia grabbed her hand, trying to console her. They were all on the plane.
"But she survived," Emily said, without a smile.
"Sometimes being dead is better..."Melanie whispered, pulling her sleeves down. Reid eyed her arm, wondering why Melanie had twitched in that way, but tried to ignore it.
"Can I talk to the girl?" Melanie asked.
"You're in charge." Hotcher replied.
Melanie swollowed and replied she would like Emily to come with her. Hotchner agreed that would be best. Reid smiled at Melly who seemed deeply pained by this. He grabbed her little hand with both of his, and rubbed it most of the plane ride. JJ noticed this, and added it to her list to believe the two were together. But Melanie had not once been unfaithful to Phillip. She had thought of it before, and almost accidentally did, but never had. Spencer could never like her in that way...not even her future husband....
****
Reid and Hotchner watched from outside the interview room as Melanie sat down, and Emily stood in the corner, and began talking to the little girl.
"Hi, sweetheart," Melanie said, sitting in front of the girl, taking care not to get to close to her. The girl was small, looking almost 10, and her skin was pale and ivory. She had pretty blue eyes and long red hair, which she braided on one side. "Can you tell me your name?" she asked.
"Au-Audreyanna."
Melanie smiled overly dramatic and said what a pretty name it was, and to belong to such a pretty girl. She asked her if she was hungry, or wanted anything. The girl declined. She asked again, and again the girl said no.
"Audreyanna, this isn't going ot be easy. But we are going to retrace your steps before...what happened."
The little girl's eyes swelled and she looked stricken.
"I-I don't wanna..." she whispered feverantly.
"I know. I don't want to make you do this either. But we need your help to find him so he can't hurt anymore little girls." Melanie reached out and took the girl's hand. "Can you please help me?"
The little red headed girl nodded slowly.
"What were you doing?" Melly asked, still holding Audreyanna's hands. She closed her eyes.
"...I was playing...mom told me to stay by her, but there was a rabbit, and I went to pet it. It ran off and I lost it. It was crowded and I couldn't find mom again. It got really dark all of a sudden, and then-" the girl shook and moaned and Melanie assured her she was right there and that no one could hurt her.
"Are you sure?" whispered the girl.
"He will never touch you again. And I'm here. I would die to protect you, sweetie."
Audreyanna smiled with her eyes closed, then gulped. "He came up behind me, and told me he lost his doggie. He looked nice...I thought..." she screamed.
"I know, I know..." Audreyanna ran around the table to Melanie. She accepted the girl with open arms, placing her on her lap. She shook.
"He can't hurt you anymore...we're going to get him...but we need you're help."
"He...he had on a blue shirt...like that," she said, pointing to Melanie's skirt.
"Plaid?"
"Yes. He had...a dark scruffy beard."
"How long?"
The two went at it for a little longer, and Melanie told the girl she was done and didn't have to do this any longer. She smiled and hugged Melanie.
"Isn't there anything else I can do?" she asked.
"You've done so much. You've been so helpful and brave. You are a strong girl, Audreyanna. One of the strongest I've ever met. You helped me so much. I do believe I owe you. How about I buy you an Ice cream? Huh? Sound good?"
"...Can it be strawberry?"
"It can be a whole bucket full of strawberry!"
Audreyanna smiled. "Will you share it with me?"
"I certainly will, sweet heart."
"Hey, I gotta..." she looked down.
"Go to the bathroom?" Melanie whispered with a slight smiled. Audreyanna nodded.
"Do you want me to take you?"
Audreyanna looked from Melanie to the door to the hall. "No...I've got it."
Melanie lead the red-head out, and she scampered to the bathroom. Melanie smiled.
"Hey," a boy, around the age of Melanie with bright red hair came up behind her. "Thank you, for this. I'm Todd, Audrey's brother."
"You have a brave girl with you, Todd. She's so strong."
"I know. I'm worried about her. She has nightmares...everynight. What do I do? I try to help, but all I seem to do is make things work. How can I help my little sister?"
"...The nightmares will most likely never stop. When something like this happens, most kids curl up in balls, never leave their rooms, and...commit suicide before high school. She hasn't done any of this. Keep her in public, keep her with friends. Good girls. Or boys. It doesn't matter which. Men might even be better, if they're sweet. Don't let her be afraid, but never force her. Always make everything seem like her idea. Let her do things her way. As for the nightmares...hold her. Let her be comfortable with human touch, crave it. This helps."
"Thank you..." the boy whispered. "My parents...."
"I understand. I myself still don't know the answer. Keep her safe and if they are being pessimistic, keep her away from them as much as possible.....Keep her young, Todd. Let her stay young. She still has her innocence and that's all you can ever ask for. That girl is something and you hold on and you save her. Got it? Don't fail her."
"...I got it." He left.
"That wasn't in any psychology book," Hotchner said to Melanie, Reid by his side.
"No," she said, tears running,"That was from personal expirence."
At this point young Audreyanna came running out of the bathroom and smiled at Melanie.
"Ready for Ice Cream?" she asked her.
"I am always ready for Ice Cream!" Melly exclaimed and the two left together.
****************************************************************
JJ watched little Audreyanna sneak into the BAU's set up room, and roar at a sleeping Melanie. Melanie screamed and sputtered away, eyes wide and filled with horror. Upon seeing it was just the redhead, she slowly untensed.
"I'm sorry," the little girl whimpered.
"No, no...it's okay...you just caught me off guard..."
"...Okay," she replied. "Can I go get a milkshake before we start?"
"Yes, but hurry, dear," Melanie whispered, touching her head as she left.
"Why do you need my daughter, again?" Audreyanna's mother hissed. "Haven't we been through enough?"
"You haven't been through anything," Melanie said cooly, cocking her head.
"Miss Wilkes," Hotchner warned. Melly sighed.
"We need more information from your daughter-"
"She's given you all she knows."
"No. She knows more, but is trying hard to forget it."
"Then why bring it up?"
"Because there are other girls!" Melanie bellowed. "There are other little girls that will suffer unless we find this man! Do you honestly want that? Another girl like your daughter?! Audreyanna is strong, but other's may not be-"
"I want out. Now."
"You're daughter is strong-!"
"We're moving and hiding her. Homeschool."
"Why are you doing this to her-"
"Melanie!" Emily yelled, pulling down on the little girl. Melanie looked from her, to Mrs. Hurst.
"I have expirence with women like you. If I had my way, you would never be able to hurt you daughter again."
"wha-"
"I'm ready Melly!!"
*****************************************************************
Todd Hurst came belowing in with his sister as the BAU was packing up ready to leave.
"Hey," said Melanie, hugging the girl and shaking hands with her brother. "I was hoping you'd come before we hauled off."
"You caught him?" Todd asked.
"...Yes," Melanie whispered, pulling Audreyanna tight when she felt her tense.
"I want to see him," Todd said firmly.
"...I can't let you, Todd," she whispered, setting the girl on the ground. She stepped closer to the boy as she whispered. "Things like that...they engulf you. The hate...you won't be able to think straight. Take her home, love her. Keep her strong, pure, and young. Let her be. Let her live and make mistakes. She has one tough skin."
"...I have to see him."
"Please, Todd, trust me."
"...Say good-bye, Aud."
"Goodbye Miss Melly."
"...Bye-bye, sweet heart."
"Hey!" Todd yelld as they were leaving.Melanie turned to them. "Can we call you some time? To talk? I think you're like some kind of genius or something the way you know everything."
Melanie laughed," No...I am no genius, and Todd...no one knows everything...some people just know things people need to know."
*****************************************************************
"You did good," Derek said to Melanie on the plane, slapping her leg.
"But you crossed lines," Rossi said.
"I did what I thought had to be done, said what I thought would help."
"You thought-" Hotchner scolded.
"I did. Nothing can be changed. I will learn from expirence and not what you have learned. I'm stubborn, boys. It's time you learned it." Melanie smiled when Derek wrapped his arm around her and she hugged Em. She was finally fit in some where.
But is that what she wanted?
"Are you sure?" whispered the girl.
"He will never touch you again. And I'm here. I would die to protect you, sweetie."
Audreyanna smiled with her eyes closed, then gulped. "He came up behind me, and told me he lost his doggie. He looked nice...I thought..." she screamed.
"I know, I know..." Audreyanna ran around the table to Melanie. She accepted the girl with open arms, placing her on her lap. She shook.
"He can't hurt you anymore...we're going to get him...but we need you're help."
"He...he had on a blue shirt...like that," she said, pointing to Melanie's skirt.
"Plaid?"
"Yes. He had...a dark scruffy beard."
"How long?"
The two went at it for a little longer, and Melanie told the girl she was done and didn't have to do this any longer. She smiled and hugged Melanie.
"Isn't there anything else I can do?" she asked.
"You've done so much. You've been so helpful and brave. You are a strong girl, Audreyanna. One of the strongest I've ever met. You helped me so much. I do believe I owe you. How about I buy you an Ice cream? Huh? Sound good?"
"...Can it be strawberry?"
"It can be a whole bucket full of strawberry!"
Audreyanna smiled. "Will you share it with me?"
"I certainly will, sweet heart."
"Hey, I gotta..." she looked down.
"Go to the bathroom?" Melanie whispered with a slight smiled. Audreyanna nodded.
"Do you want me to take you?"
Audreyanna looked from Melanie to the door to the hall. "No...I've got it."
Melanie lead the red-head out, and she scampered to the bathroom. Melanie smiled.
"Hey," a boy, around the age of Melanie with bright red hair came up behind her. "Thank you, for this. I'm Todd, Audrey's brother."
"You have a brave girl with you, Todd. She's so strong."
"I know. I'm worried about her. She has nightmares...everynight. What do I do? I try to help, but all I seem to do is make things work. How can I help my little sister?"
"...The nightmares will most likely never stop. When something like this happens, most kids curl up in balls, never leave their rooms, and...commit suicide before high school. She hasn't done any of this. Keep her in public, keep her with friends. Good girls. Or boys. It doesn't matter which. Men might even be better, if they're sweet. Don't let her be afraid, but never force her. Always make everything seem like her idea. Let her do things her way. As for the nightmares...hold her. Let her be comfortable with human touch, crave it. This helps."
"Thank you..." the boy whispered. "My parents...."
"I understand. I myself still don't know the answer. Keep her safe and if they are being pessimistic, keep her away from them as much as possible.....Keep her young, Todd. Let her stay young. She still has her innocence and that's all you can ever ask for. That girl is something and you hold on and you save her. Got it? Don't fail her."
"...I got it." He left.
"That wasn't in any psychology book," Hotchner said to Melanie, Reid by his side.
"No," she said, tears running,"That was from personal expirence."
At this point young Audreyanna came running out of the bathroom and smiled at Melanie.
"Ready for Ice Cream?" she asked her.
"I am always ready for Ice Cream!" Melly exclaimed and the two left together.
****************************************************************
JJ watched little Audreyanna sneak into the BAU's set up room, and roar at a sleeping Melanie. Melanie screamed and sputtered away, eyes wide and filled with horror. Upon seeing it was just the redhead, she slowly untensed.
"I'm sorry," the little girl whimpered.
"No, no...it's okay...you just caught me off guard..."
"...Okay," she replied. "Can I go get a milkshake before we start?"
"Yes, but hurry, dear," Melanie whispered, touching her head as she left.
"Why do you need my daughter, again?" Audreyanna's mother hissed. "Haven't we been through enough?"
"You haven't been through anything," Melanie said cooly, cocking her head.
"Miss Wilkes," Hotchner warned. Melly sighed.
"We need more information from your daughter-"
"She's given you all she knows."
"No. She knows more, but is trying hard to forget it."
"Then why bring it up?"
"Because there are other girls!" Melanie bellowed. "There are other little girls that will suffer unless we find this man! Do you honestly want that? Another girl like your daughter?! Audreyanna is strong, but other's may not be-"
"I want out. Now."
"You're daughter is strong-!"
"We're moving and hiding her. Homeschool."
"Why are you doing this to her-"
"Melanie!" Emily yelled, pulling down on the little girl. Melanie looked from her, to Mrs. Hurst.
"I have expirence with women like you. If I had my way, you would never be able to hurt you daughter again."
"wha-"
"I'm ready Melly!!"
*****************************************************************
Todd Hurst came belowing in with his sister as the BAU was packing up ready to leave.
"Hey," said Melanie, hugging the girl and shaking hands with her brother. "I was hoping you'd come before we hauled off."
"You caught him?" Todd asked.
"...Yes," Melanie whispered, pulling Audreyanna tight when she felt her tense.
"I want to see him," Todd said firmly.
"...I can't let you, Todd," she whispered, setting the girl on the ground. She stepped closer to the boy as she whispered. "Things like that...they engulf you. The hate...you won't be able to think straight. Take her home, love her. Keep her strong, pure, and young. Let her be. Let her live and make mistakes. She has one tough skin."
"...I have to see him."
"Please, Todd, trust me."
"...Say good-bye, Aud."
"Goodbye Miss Melly."
"...Bye-bye, sweet heart."
"Hey!" Todd yelld as they were leaving.Melanie turned to them. "Can we call you some time? To talk? I think you're like some kind of genius or something the way you know everything."
Melanie laughed," No...I am no genius, and Todd...no one knows everything...some people just know things people need to know."
*****************************************************************
"You did good," Derek said to Melanie on the plane, slapping her leg.
"But you crossed lines," Rossi said.
"I did what I thought had to be done, said what I thought would help."
"You thought-" Hotchner scolded.
"I did. Nothing can be changed. I will learn from expirence and not what you have learned. I'm stubborn, boys. It's time you learned it." Melanie smiled when Derek wrapped his arm around her and she hugged Em. She was finally fit in some where.
But is that what she wanted?
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