ABLOCATE ▇▇▇▇ VOLUME TWO
━━ ❛ 𝒂 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔 ❜

chapter no. 045!

❪ 𝚃𝚆⠀ : ⠀ 𝙳𝙴𝙿𝙸𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝙱𝙻𝙾𝙾𝙳,
𝙼𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝚂𝙴𝚇𝚄𝙰𝙻 𝙰𝚂𝚂𝙰𝚄𝙻𝚃,
𝙰𝚂𝚂𝙰𝚄𝙻𝚃, ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 𝙿𝙷𝚈𝚂𝙸𝙲𝙰𝙻 &
𝙿𝚂𝚈𝙲𝙷𝙾𝙻𝙾𝙶𝙸𝙲𝙰𝙻 ⠀⠀⠀ 𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙴,
𝙰𝙽𝙳 ⠀⠀𝙶𝚁𝙰𝙿𝙷𝙸𝙲 ⠀⠀𝙸𝙽𝙹𝚄𝚁𝙸𝙴𝚂. ❫

❝ SAD TO SAY. ❞
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﹙ MAY 5TH, 2016 ﹚

     THE ENTIRE WEST WING OF THE HOSPITAL HAD BEEN SANCTIONED OFF. No one was to be let in or out unless authorized hospital staff members had been background checked and specifically selected to assist in the care of Cara Valentine or authorized Surrey and Vancouver police officers and F.B.I. agents. Everyone was in lockdown mode while the doctors were with the recovered woman and the BAU team stayed in the waiting room. Captain Marvinhill and Cruz were off speaking with hospital security.

     No updates had been given to them ever since they brought her in. All they knew was that Blake was donating blood since she and Cara were the same type and that Cara was being tended to— nothing more, nothing less.

     Everyone was holding onto hope that their friend would pull through. After everything she'd experienced and endured, she deserved a long and happy life.

     Spencer Reid's hands still shook and hadn't stopped since he'd held Cara's hand in the ambulance. He and his clothes were still covered in blood. He was filled with unease and impatience as he paced back and forth. There was no possible way for him to sit still for more than a minute, and he wasn't alone in that.

     The rest of the team was just as restless.

     Morgan was slumped in a chair with his head in his hands. He had a mild headache and was growing increasingly irritated with the lack of communication about what was going on with Cara.

     On his left sat a still and silent Penelope Garcia. Pink tissues were gripped tightly in one hand while the other was resting on Morgan's back. Her eyes were glassy and her brain struggled to think about anything but her best friend. Nobody had told her what her physical state was when Morgan and Tara found her, but she knew it wasn't good. Morgan had been shaken up ever since then and had yet to speak since the team got to the hospital.

     On his right was an anxious JJ, who was bouncing her knee up and down. Her chest felt tight and she kept praying that this wasn't going to be a repeat of what happened to Emily. None of them were prepared to go through that. Not for a second time. The first time had been traumatizing enough.

     Across from the three were Rossi and Tara. Both of them were staring off into space, quiet.

     Meanwhile, Hotch was leaning against the wall closest to the entrance of the O.R. His focus was glued to the floor as he kept his breath controlled. This wasn't any of their first time being in the hospital for an agent. Yet, none of the team had been in this bad of shape before. Never like this.

     "Blake," Tara said, being the first to notice the brown-haired woman entering the room.

     Raising his head, Morgan sat up. "How is she?"

     "Is she okay?" Spencer asked, scanning Blake's face for any sign that Cara was okay. Instead, he was met with an exhausted expression that was nearly unreadable.

     Shrugging, Blake heaved a sigh. "I don't know. The nurses wouldn't tell me. A doctor is with her right now, though."

     Rossi nodded, well aware that they would only receive word on Cara's state from either a nurse or doctor. "How are you? How much blood did they take?" he asked, spotting the bandages on her arm.

     "Two pints," she replied, avoiding the first question. "I tried giving three, but one of the nurses said that wouldn't be necessary. A nearby hospital is having someone transfer six units of O-negative blood. Luckily, they had some on hand."

     Unable to stop himself, Spencer hastily added, "Only seven percent of Canada's population has O-negative blood."

     Penelope's jaw slackened. "She... Did she lose that much?"

     Everyone around her nodded solemnly.

     "How are you?" Hotch's chin upturned, surveying her body language.

     Dammit. Blake wet her lips before speaking. "Worried," she admitted, making her way over to sit next to Tara.

    At that, no further questions were asked and the group grew quiet.

────

     SEVEN HOURS LATER, THE SOUND OF FOOTSTEPS APPROACHED. In unplanned unison, some of the team looked up again as a doctor entered the waiting room. "Cara Valentine?" To her credit, she didn't flinch at the numerous sets of eyes flashing at her.

     Morgan nudged JJ and Penelope awake, whispering that the doctor had arrived. That quickly woke them up.

     "That's us," Hotch said, clearing his throat and flashing his badge.

     Spencer quickly walked up to the woman, concealing his now clean but quivering hands. "How is she?"

     The rest of the team was fast to stand, joining the genius where he stood in the center of the room. They were all holding their breath for good news.

     Looking amongst the F.B.I. agents, the doctor readied herself for the news she was about to deliver. She'd been made aware that the woman was a recovered agent who'd been missing for quite some time. "My name's Dr. Inaya. I'll be Ms. Valentine's primary doctor," she introduced herself. "We managed to stabilize Ms. Valentine's condition and effectively resolve the hypovolemic shock thanks to Dr. Blake's blood donation. The blood transfusion was a success. Blood pressure is rising. She's been hooked up to a ventilator and her breathing has returned to normal."

     A few of the agents visibly relaxed, while others had picked up on what wasn't being said yet.

     "But she'll be okay now, right?" Penelope asked hopefully, choosing to cling to blind faith.

     Dr. Inaya shook her head. "I can't make any guarantees. As of now, Ms. Valentine has not gained consciousness and is being monitored carefully. However, she is far from being out of the woods."

     Rossi was the first to break the silence. "Have you been able to do a physical exam to assess her present injuries?"

     "I have," Dr. Inaya answered. "I just want to preface this by saying that these are just initial findings. Some of these could be subject to change."

     Nodding in understanding, Hotch gestured for her to share with them what she found.

     "The proximal phalanges in her right index, middle, and ring finger have been slightly dislocated. As well as in her left middle finger and pinky. Out of all of her physical injuries, these are the most recent. Based on the coloration of her fingers, amount of swelling, and the small amount of breakage of skin on her fingers, I'd say she dislocated them less than seventy-two hours ago." Dr. Inaya said, noting the crestfallen expressions on everyone's faces.

     Hotch crossed his arms. "And the rest of her injuries?"

     "I'm sad to say that with how much time has passed since the injuries happened, a few are permanent or could become."

     "Can you just tell us all of the injuries she has?" Morgan asked, eyes bloodshot. He wanted to get this over with. The very thought of what the Founding Fathers did to her made him feel sick.

     Dr. Inaya nodded. "Of course. Based on the CT scans, she has five broken ribs. From what I can tell, she initially had seven, but there was a period where her body was either not harmed, or her chest area was not damaged. Due to this, two of the five healed themselves, which is expected given the position of the rib cage in the human body. I'd estimate that three of the five ribs were broken as recently as March. The other two are a couple of months older and were not given the proper time to recover or heal themselves.

     "She also has a slight fracture from the T1-T5 interspace of her spinal cord where the thoracic nerves are. These injuries typically affect the abdominal and lower back muscles and the legs— resulting in paraplegia. We can't fully determine whether the fracture is severe enough to affect her ability to walk presently, but we'll have a better idea as her body heals over time. With the other injuries, malnutrition, drugs left in her system, and trauma, it's hard to predict anything.

     "Through the CT scans, I have determined that Ms. Valentine has a slight case of aphonia, which is the loss of one's ability to speak due to disease or damage to the larynx or mouth. In Ms. Valentine's case, it appears she lost her voice approximately three months ago. Perhaps two. My best guess would be that she lost it due to vocal abuse and spasmodic adductor dysphonia, which are spasms that cause muscles in the throat to stiffen and close. This means that she is limited in her ability to speak or make any noise. She can still do those things, but not without feeling a burning sensation in her throat, and she can only speak so loud. Most people can regain their voice, and with voice therapy and medications, Ms. Valentine will fully recover.

     "She has dozens of regional injuries. While being held, she experienced frequent multiple blunt impact trauma, which, as you know, is the most common form of violence in torture. Certain areas of the body were preferentially targeted, such as her stomach, back, sides, and overall torso. I had our on-call medical examiner come and examine the injuries herself. She hypothesizes that Ms. Valentine was struck by objects, perhaps bats or heavyweights, and through physical contact.

     "Furthermore, upon examination, the M.E. determined that roughly thirty percent of Ms. Valentine's body tissue is now scar tissue. The scars are scattered across her body, but the deepest ones were found on her stomach, forearms, back near the trapezius muscle, and upper thighs. There are faint burn marks on the tops of her shoulders. Given their circular shape and six-millimeter diameter, it's safe to assume that she was burned with cigarettes. These burns were not treated but somewhat healed on their own.

     "Now, according to Agent Morgan, when he and Dr. Lewis found Ms. Valentine, she was suspended in the air with cuffs around her ankles and wrists. This is true, and I believe she'd repeatedly been suspended for days on end. There are heavy ligature marks on her wrists, and she has developed a case of Keinbock's disease, also known as avascular necrosis of the lunate. It's a condition in which the lunate bone, one of eight small bones in the wrist, loses its blood supply, leading to the death of the bone. The lunate is a central bone in the wrist that is important for proper movement and support of the joint. Damage to the lunate can lead to pain, stiffness, and sometimes arthritis of the wrist if some time has passed.

     "Given how much trauma has been done to her wrists, she's already been approved for surgery. There's no guarantee that surgery will bring complete feeling, movement, and mobility to her hands, but it's a high possibility. There are no signs of permanent brain damage, which I consider a miracle regarding what she's endured. But be advised, while there may be no visible damage to her brain, she likely underwent psychological torture or manipulation. The woman you meet may not be the same one you knew."

     Stumbling into Blake, Spencer could feel himself becoming light-headed by the overwhelming news. Blake placed a hand on his shoulder and another on his arm, steadying him.

     Collapsing against Morgan, Penelope shakily wiped her tears away. His arm wrapped around her.

     "Was there any sign of rape? Does she have any STDs or HIV?" JJ asked, looking up from staring at her boots. It was taking everything in her not to break, but these questions need to be asked.

     "Our forensic physician is still determining whether to conduct a physical examination. Thankfully, we weren't able to find any STDs, STIs, or HIV in her blood tests." Dr. Inaya lowered her clipboard. The people before her seemed to let out a collective breath at that information. "There's no telling when Ms. Valentine will regain consciousness and be able to consent to a physical examination, though. Potential evidence could be lost before she regains the ability to consent to the examination. Depending on our physician's choice, Ms. Valentine's ability to pursue criminal and potential civil justice remedies if she were assaulted could be affected. However, if there is someone who could, for the time being, act as Ms. Valentine's legal guardian, they could consent to the rape kit examination for her. They would just have to keep in mind that by doing so, they would be taking away her bodily integrity."

     Penelope cleared her throat. "Is there any other way to determine if she was sexually assaulted without using a rape kit?"

     "There's a difference between rape and sexual assault," Dr. Inaya started. "Sexual assault includes a range of actions that cannot all be tested. Earlier, when examining her body, the M.E. did find extragenital injuries that could result from sexual assault. Other than that, we cannot test or examine any further in order not to violate her completely and take away her ability to consent."

     A test wasn't necessary to tell them what they already knew. Some of the Founding Fathers had raped her. Cara stated it herself on the DVD.

     "Will you hit me? Rape me? You've already done both, so what will it be this time?"

     Ultimately, the tests and examinations were necessary for the criminal charges that they were hoping Cara would want to pursue. It was a tricky situation, though. If she didn't want to press charges and someone consented for her, they'd be further stripping her of her bodily autonomy. Something that she had lost control of a long time ago. But if she did want to hold the bastards accountable and the team waited until she was conscious and too much time had passed, evidence would be lost. It was an impossible decision to make.

     "There's one more thing," Dr. Inaya paused, ensuring she had the group's attention before continuing. "Given the improvement in her condition between arrival and the transfusion, I would say that Ms. Valentine's chances are looking up. That said, any information you can give me, especially regarding her stapedectomy or any medication she could have been given would go a long way with helping her treatment and recovery process."

     Time seemed to slow down as the doctor's words gradually sank in.

     "I'm s— I'm sorry, her stapedectomy?" Spencer stuttered; his face blanched and he felt like he could be sick. "Cara's never had a stapedectomy done before."

     A frown tugged at Dr. Inaya's lips. This was not welcomed news. Nobody had known. "During my initial assessment, I noted a scar behind her right ear concurrent with a stapedectomy. The CT scan confirmed that Ms. Valentine's hearing in her right ear had been rendered defective. By my estimations, the scar is a little over a year old."

     Spencer wanted to punch something when nothing but utter fury washed over him. Not only had the Founding Fathers stolen two years of Cara's life, stripped her of every right she had, treated her like a ragdoll, drugged and starved her, beaten her to the point of death, and assaulted her— they had also stolen half of her hearing. They treated her like an extendable piece of meat, to use and abuse as they saw fit with no regard for her or her well-being.

     When he glanced at Hotch and Rossi, he could see his rage mirrored in their eyes. The Founding Fathers... When they found the Founding Fathers... they were going to pay for every single thing they did.

     Tears pooled up and Penelope hesitated before swiveling toward Morgan. "I... I don't understand. A stapedectomy? What does she mean by that?" she stammered, desperate for him to tell her that what they were being told wasn't true. She wanted him to deny the truth, but she knew that he couldn't.

     Soundlessly, Morgan just stared back at her with similar tears in his eyes. He couldn't find the words to answer her and even if he could, nothing he said could take back what the doctor told them. Finally, he turned away and made his way back to where he'd been previously sitting. He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw, trying to keep his emotions under control.

     That was all Penelope needed for her to break down, instantly being consoled by Tara.

     Normally, Rossi would wince at the sound of one of his teammates crying, but he was too taken aback to notice. The image he had painted of who Cara was and what he remembered of her had never faded from memory nor been tainted. Despite seeing her at her worst and most vulnerable. It simultaneously shattered his heart yet enraged him when he reflected on everything she'd been through. Just when he thought things couldn't get worse, they did.

     A shaky breath escaped Blake and she blinked away the water disfiguring her vision. Balance. She needed something to balance herself on. Her feet moved under her with a mind of their own, taking her to where Morgan was and sitting beside him. A hand covered her mouth and she felt her chest tighten.

     The fate Cara Valentine had been subjected to was not one that she would wish on anyone.

     JJ shortly joined Blake and Morgan. A painful lump resided in the back of her throat. Throughout the entire case, she had yet to publicly shed a tear or displayed immense sadness, but it existed. It was there, and now it was on full display.

     Tears silently rolled down her cheeks and she fixated her line of sight on the tiled floor in front of her. She'd gotten what she wanted— for her friend to be found, safe and sound— but at what cost?

     The price Cara was going to be physically and mentally forced to pay was one that she didn't deserve. What happened to her was... There wasn't even a word to properly describe it. What happened to her was indescribable.

     Taking in the sight of his devastated team, Hotch felt a thousand cracks splinter across his own heart. He was so used to putting on a front and micromanaging his every emotion and reaction to life's daily stressors that part of him struggled to let go and fully process how he felt. But right now, he could feel the sadness and anger that boiled in his chest. He could feel the urge to let loose and take his anguish out on any and everything.

     If he kept these emotions bottled up, he was going to lose it. Despite knowing that, though, he inhaled sharply and kept his expression as stoic as possible.

     "I think it'd be better if we continued this discussion somewhere else," Hotch cleared his throat, quietly addressing his statement to Dr. Inaya. "I can answer whatever questions you may have and tell you everything you need to know."

     She nodded and gestured for him to follow her.

     Spencer looked up at the Unit Chief's words and stepped forward. "W-Wait," he called, stopping the pair from exiting the waiting room. "Can I uh, can I see Cara? I-I know she's not conscious, but I just... I need to see her," he choked out, unable to make out Dr. Inaya and Hotch's facial expressions through the tears.

     An uneasy silence answered the genius and he swallowed harshly.

     Hotch could see the despair in Spencer's eyes and the pleading gaze he was giving them. He was desperate to see her. If it were up to him, Hotch would give him the go-ahead, but it wasn't up to him.

     So he glanced at Dr. Inaya, who had also recognized the desperation and longing the agent was feeling. The woman down the hall meant a great deal to him. Strings tugged at her heart and she made a decision she hoped she wouldn't regret.

     "I can give you ten minutes, but you must wash away the blood and change into different clothes. Given the nature of this situation, I'd prefer to keep her room as clean as possible to avoid any potential infections. I can have a nurse show you where our showers are. Ms. Valentine's condition is stable, but that could change."

     Spencer immediately nodded in agreement. He was more than happy with ten minutes. It was ten more than he'd had in two years. He would take what he could get.

────

     THE DOOR OF ROOM FIFTEEN STARED DAUNTINGLY AT SPENCER REID, CONCEALING THE REALITY OF CARA'S CURRENT STATE. He'd been quick in showering and changing his clothes. All he could think about was seeing Cara, but now as he stood outside her door, he froze.

     Taking a moment to compose himself, he shut his eyes and took a deep breath. No amount of time or number of deep breaths could ready him for what he was about to see. However, he mentally reminded himself that nothing could be worse than the states he'd seen her in during the DVD and yesterday when they found her.

     Nothing could be worse... Right?

     Wrong.

     He stepped forward and curled his fingers around the doorknob, hearing a soft click.

     Once Spencer entered the room and his gaze found her, he knew there was no way he was leaving her side. Never again. The steady beep of the heart rate monitor was the only thing keeping him from breaking down because the sight before him was devastating.

     Cara Valentine looked dead.

     Her body was littered with cuts, scars, scrapes, and bruises. The hospital staff cleaned her up after the transfusion. It appeared her hair and face had been washed. The dirt, blood, and grime were gone, but that didn't erase how small and lifeless she looked. Especially when she was hooked up to a ventilator.

     Both of her wrists were wrapped and in casts. Additional casts had been set on her right index, middle, and ring finger, and her left middle finger and pinky. Stitches were visible on her right temple near her hairline where a large gash had been. Her lips were chapped and there was a slit in the lower left corner.

     Bandages covered both of her shoulders; Spencer could see them peeking out from underneath the hospital gown. Further bandages had been secured on her forearms, hiding the long cuts that'd been made. And he would bet that more were wrapped around her torso and legs that he couldn't see.

     Tears clouded his vision and he came to a stop. He hadn't made it more than five steps in. Sinking down into the chair closest to the door, Spencer let out a shuttering breath.

     Blinking, he gulped down the mass to hinder the waterworks, but his actions failed. Feeling tears running down his cheeks, he licked his lips and wiped them away. In an attempt to distract himself, he glanced around the room. It was bare and empty, aside from the medical equipment.

     His feeble attempt to distract himself didn't last long. He soon found his attention floating back to Cara. The ventilator was aiding in her chest rising and falling at a normal pace, and it gave him a small sense of reassurance. That, and the beep of the heart monitor.

     She was there. She was alive.

     And that's all he wanted. It didn't matter if she couldn't wake up for a while. As long as she was safe and with him, that was enough.

𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆   ───   ❪ CRIMINAL MINDS ❫
act two:     𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚁𝙴𝙳 𝙿𝚁𝙸𝙴𝚂𝚃𝙴𝚂𝚂,       ²
╱ ✹     ▬▬     ❛ © CARDIIAC     2023. ❜
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𓄹 ━━━ 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓! ࿐ ໋₊ ˖

     hey everyone!! i hope you all enjoyed the forty-fifth chapter!

     (new author's note banner now that cara has been found!)

     i cried writing this chapter and it's not even the saddest one in this book... this story has turned me into an emotional wreck and i love it.

     the next handful of chapters are quite short in comparison to the last seven chapters, but it's to give everyone a breather considering how heavy the first half of VOLUME TWO has been. i'm very excited for everyone to see what cara is like when she's awake and able to interact with the team. it's going to be emotional, i recommend getting tissues.

     DISCLAIMER: i am not a fucking doctor so please don't attack me if i got/get anything wrong in this book. i did so much research for this chapter (in particular when it comes to medical information) and read articles on the aftermath of torture on people to get a better look at the reality of it. i want to properly portray the effects of what cara's been through as close as possible to people's real-life experiences.

     i am not the smartest woman alive by a long shot, but i did my best to make all of this make sense. for anyone who thinks that cara's injuries seem over dramatic or extensive, please remember the torment the founding fathers put her through (some of which you will learn more about later) and the physical conditions she lived in. what happened to her body is very real and something that would result from her situation.

     lastly, the founding fathers and their whereabouts will be mentioned soon! i have not forgotten about those douchebags.

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˒⠀𝑹𝑬𝑴𝑰𝑵𝑫𝑬𝑹. . . ▬⠀⤸

Thank you all for taking the time out of your day to comment on this story. It means a lot and helps the story be spread to a broader audience &&& allows me to grow as an author. All I ask is that people vote on each chapter, please. As a creator, it takes time to write and develop stories. Especially ones such as this that take a while to write and dedicate time to. So please, vote on every chapter. It means a lot more than I could ever express.

Don't forget to vote & comment!

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˒⠀𝑪𝑶𝑷𝒀𝑹𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻. . . ▬⠀⤸

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