Chapter Text
The sun twinkled against the buildings of Chicago, inviting me back into its welcoming arms. I couldn’t help but smile as my home came closer, closer to seeing my unit, to seeing my partner. As much as I had enjoyed- uh- needed this break, I was well and truly ready to return to the job I loved. As I looked out over the sky, my thoughts drifted back to the previous two weeks.
The cabin was just as I had remembered, perfectly nestled between the ash trees towering around, perched on the earth just as the ground started to rise into the mountains in front of me. The snow capped the mountains like a glove, glistening in the soft sunshine. Although it had been years since I had ventured up here, it looked exactly the same. The weathered wood exterior looked out over the valley I had hiked up, several miles from the narrow driveway winding through the forest from the main road. I stood on the small porch, momentarily looking out over the view, before turning and going in, dumping my pack, suitcase and food bags just inside the door. The small kitchen along the western wall looked newer than I had remembered, a small fridge positioned in the corner next to a fancy gas stove; my great uncle must have done some renovations since I was here last. Turning my head left, I recognised the hand-carved wooden sofa and matching armchairs arranged perfectly around the stone fireplace for maximum heat in the dead of winter. In between the kitchen and living room was the matching dining table, directly opposite the door I had walked through.
I snapped out of my thoughts, reaching down and picking up my suitcase and pack, before venturing down to the end of the hallway, right of the fireplace, to the larger of the two bedrooms. I dumped them on the double bed, disturbing the layer of dust that had settled on the duvet, making me cough. Looking around the room, I couldn’t help but think of fond memories, of my family and I huddled together on the bed, eating chocolate, watching movies on my father’s old laptop, laughing at each other’s jokes. Before the childhood I really remembered had begun.
I had woken early, my body still used to the early bustle of the 21st district. The air was cool, the wind blowing gently through the trees, though not quite mimicking the signature breeze of the Windy City. I stood looking out over the porch, watching the sunlight twinkle on the water of the lake ahead of me as it climbed the sky. My fingers curled almost protectively around the hot cup of coffee nestled in my hands.
The tranquil view was a welcome respite from the succession of many particularly difficult cases Intelligence had just finished wrapping. Voight had all but pushed me out the door, somehow noticing that deep down I was rattled, forcing me to take a two-week break.
In the worst of it, I had been haunted by the first nightmares I had had in over ten years. Even so, I had reluctantly agreed.
I sipped the last drop of piping hot coffee just as the last sliver of the sun poked out over the top of the mountains, warming the frosted grass. I was looking forward to venturing through the landscape, hiking through the trees and taking in the earthy scents, starkly different from the city.
I hadn’t been hiking since high school. I turned on my heel and ventured inside, looking for my hiking boots.
The air was brisk, but somewhat refreshing from the subtle layer of sweat that had settled on my skin. The trail winded through the trees before following the gradient of the mountain. It was calming to be back in nature, the months stress all but forgotten. I stopped halfway up the peak, taking a breather leaning against a tree, and looking out over the landscape. The sun was perched overhead, glistening off the lake below me, the breeze slightly stronger. The scene was mesmerizing. Trees towered above me, grass poked out through the blanket of leaves.
I took a deep breath and turned to hike back down the mountain when the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I froze and frantically looked around, my heartrate spiking.
The feeling of anxiety lingered the whole way back down the trail, even though I had not seen anything, only calming once I had reached the cabin. I wasted no time heading inside, unlacing my boots and taking deep breaths to calm my rapid breathing from my rushed descent down the trail. My mind was racing.
‘It must have been an animal. Some sort of predator. Maybe a bear.’
I shuddered at the thought, making a mental note to be more careful, before turning and locking the door.
The unease settled itself in the back of my mind, never quite going away. The hikes were slightly less enjoyable, though the scenery remained beautiful. When I had ventured up and down the trails on the mountains numerous times, I instead decided to venture down to the waters edge. I sat on the bank and took in the mountains in the distance, bringing a book and sitting there for hours whilst basking in the sun. It was peaceful.
After a week I was beginning to get restless. I missed the hustle and bustle of the city, the rush of the case. I missed my team. I missed Jay.
The days begun to drag together. Even the hiking started to become monotonous.
I took trips down to the nearby towns, sightseeing, and finding cozy cafes for coffee. Even in civilization, I still felt like I was being watched. When I returned to the cabin, I would curl up on the couch, reading, flicking through tv channels, or texting with Jay.
By the twelfth day, the solitude had become unbearable; I decided to return to Chicago early. I spent the morning packing up my things. By noon, I was heading out the door back down the driveway to the rental, giving a final look out over the mountains.
I was brought out of my thoughts as the seatbelt sign flashed above my head, the plane beginning its final descent to the ground. My thoughts shifted to the district that awaited me. I couldn’t help but imagine and chuckle at Jay’s reaction to me coming home early, teasing me about coming home, about how much I ‘missed’ the unit, with that goofy grin plastered on his face. And it was true. I was coming home early. The total isolation had been unnerving, and I hadn’t been able to shake the anxiety in the forest, almost as if I was being watched. I tried to relax into the wilderness the time I was there before I succumbed to my desire for comfort and jumped on the next plane home.
I stepped out of the stuffy terminal into the brisk Chicago air, taking in the warm rays of sunshine as I shiver slightly, the light woolen sweater offering little protection in the fall chill. My mind wanders as I pull my suitcase along behind me, daydreaming of returning to the district. At the thought of seeing my favourite partner, my lips turned upwards into a slight smile. As I approach the taxi stand, my smile fades as I shift my focus to hail a cab. Just as I raise my hand, I become hyper-aware of my surroundings, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up towards the sky. Before I have a chance to react, I feel the cold metal of a gun pressed up against my shoulder blades.
“Don’t make a sound”.
I barely register the vaguely familiar masculine voice that growls into my ear. I freeze, my mind racing to attempt to identify the figure stood within inches of me. He digs the gun further into my shoulder and growls once again,
“Move”.
I stumble forward as my grip tightens on my suitcase, the man following closely behind as he uses the jacket draped haphazardly over the gun to make it look as if his hand is resting on my back. What the hell is going on? I glance to my side as he moves to my right in an effort to act less conspicuous, noticing his tall frame and dark hair. I move my eyes back to the airport ahead of me, scanning the cars to try and deduce where I am being walked to, trying to link the situation I find myself in with the man behind me.
I hesitate, opening and closing my mouth a couple of times,
“Who are you?”
The man lets out a cold snicker, leaning forward slightly, before replying, his voice dripping with contempt and hatred,
“Shouldn’t you have figured that out already, Detective?”.
The emphasis on his last spoken word leaves me speechless, my mind scrambling to figure out what the hell was going on. As we reach a bright blue SUV with tinted windows, nestled into the sea of taxis and ride shares, I catch a glimpse of the man behind me in the reflection, and my stomach sinks to the floor.
Shit.
It was Booth.