Chapter Text
What identifies a home. Is it a group of buildings that blend together with browns and reds on concrete walls? Is it blues of skies and greens of grasses in parks? What about the people? Passing by you in hurries as they find themselves needing to move to work or elsewhere. They hurry along not wanting to disrupt the pattern that everyone so gently crafted.
And with and things what happens when your home is reached. When something happens to push everything to the side. What happens when your safety net, the thing that you most rely on catching you — snaps. Do you hold on, dangling with what could verses couldn't happen? Do you push your hope to the back of your mind, hopeful it's just one mistake? One simple thing falling short of something wonderful, beautiful. Or do you fight back, letting your chains become loose, and watching as you learn to gain your wings? Finally free to be who you wanted to be. These things aren't as likely without a reason. Something that makes you want to jump.
November 19th
The road back from Stars Hollow wasn’t too bad. It was a pretty straight and narrow line for the most part. But as for any road, it wasn’t safe when it came to the incoming cold.
“I should probably head home before the first snow comes in. you know how the roads get.” the voice of a boy in his late teens spoke, his car was warming up on the side waiting for him to climb in and go on the road.
“Yeah, I’ll see you. Stay safe.” the voice of a girl no older than 17 spoke as she waved him off. They had talked whenever the other came into town. In this case, what the girl didn't know was that this would be for all she knew, the last time she would see him.
Music played from the stereo as he changed the radio, again and again. God, it seemed all these stations only played the same nine or ten songs. Especially in a small town like this, it was all they could hear when moving around the different areas. Yet all of it from top to bottom made it so he never wanted to leave. Some remixed version of Amazing Grace could be heard. Fixing his eyes back to the road. As he stopped at the stop sign in front of the road he looked before driving more down the road.
“Stop the car.” a voice popped in from the back seat. Fight or flight mode turned on and he realized that he would do anything at this moment to
“What?!” panic rose in his voice.
“STOP THE CAR.” he slammed on the break. That was the moment that everything went dark.
November 21st
"Living in a small town, I knew everybody and everybody knew me."
-- Anna Nicole Smith
“Chip Macenstoch, 18. He was last seen leaving back home. They found his car with the keys still in the ignition but no sign of Chip seen.” Penelope's voice carried as she clicked through the slideshow she had on the screen. “Matt Schoenfeld, found with his window wide open, his bed was empty. There were no signs of struggle.” she clicked through the slideshow again. “The only connection between the two is a last reported conversation, and the area they come from.” she clicked off the slideshow.
“Stars Hollow according to tourist websites, it has a population of less than one-thousand.” JJ offered as she looked through the file sitting in front of her.
“And we need to be there before anything happens to turn that town’s population any less…” Hotch sighed as he made his way to standing up.”wheels up in thirty.” he offered, and the room dispersed.
Not much happened here, not much has happened in the last seventeen years she had lived here with Rory. there had been some slight scandal involving the town priest. But nothing huge here or there. This though was a shock.
The cold of the November wind lasted an ongoing chill to the brunette at the desk as she communicated with a woman on the phone. “It's a week before Thanksgiving it might be a little rough in order to get enough rooms.” the brunette behind the desk offered. “Yes, we do offer breakfast. Yes there's double bed rooms.” she offered. “three rooms for today? Will do. Thank you." She sighed as she moved from the desk to the small entrance to the inn. She ran a hand through her hair. So much had happened to their small town within the past few days. Two teens vanished without a trace. Both teens, very safe, smart boys. She looked out the window.
"They canceled school for the rest of the week. Which, while I should be relieved. They said they were canceling due to the vanishes in Stars Hollow. Which is weird." Rory spoke appearing from next to her.
"Woah Woah Woah — slow down speedy," Lorelai responded in return to her daughter's tangent. The cases of the missing boys had made news in all the towns nearby, her parents swore they wanted Lorelai and Rory. to come to stay with them until it all blew over. It didn't seem like a good idea though. With a week till Thanksgiving they could use as much help in the Independence inn as possible. Plus — it was home to them. Even if their home seemed to be a little crooked. "Go get something from Sookie to eat to work at the tables. Okay?" She offered. Seeing her daughter nod before walking off.
It took some time, but as Lorelai was writing down some notes she saw from the corner of her eye two cars, she knew from the looks of the black sleek vehicles, that these were the guests they were waiting for. “It’s go time Gilmore,” she stated to herself, waiting for what was to happen next.
What was there to expect from a small town that didn't even show up on a map? Was there something to expect from a place where some who exited called the "friendliest town on earth?" From the bright-eyed townsfolk who walked around looking like they belonged in a Disney film to the distinct smell of farm life and coffee beans that drifted throughout the entire place. Was there more than the sidewalks that cracked and crinkled yet how this place seemed to call the names of those around them.
This place looked as if it hadn’t experienced constant shock and trauma. As if it was the perfect Disney town where birds braided hair and good peeked at every corner. As if truly things were perfect. The biggest shock factor had been when they found out the Organic Milk wasn't truly organic. So this really was the worst possible thing to happen. Emily commented that it looked straight out of a Hallmark film. And the little inn they were staying in, definitely brought more of that message forward. The agents walked out of their cars, into the small lobby area. Immediately seeing how it was decorated. They wouldn't be spending too much time here, but it did have a nice way of being subtly decorated for the holidays. “I’ll go grab our bags.” Derek offered as Reid mumbled a fun fact in the direction of Emily.
“Welcome to the Independence Inn. I’m Lorelai.” a bubbly brunette offered and JJ stepped in.
“Pleasure to meet you Lorelai. We should have three rooms under Garcia?” she offered, knowing Penelope had set them the reservation.
“Oh yes yes!” she nodded as they stood in the center of the room. “4, 7 and 10A are all open and ready for you.” she smiled and Hotch wondered how this woman was so bubbly and full of energy. He would have mentioned it but Emily did with a comment of
“Someone clearly had their coffee.” she commented, getting a roll of the eyes and a comment of “be nice.” from JJ.
There was something about the way that the place had a small humming of home to it. It was a shame they wouldn't get to experience the town. Sure they were probably going to be in town for Thanksgiving, but that wasn't a reason to celebrate. There was a lot of wonder in the town. From the little Cafes and Diners they saw as they entered into the area. They had a place called Luke’s recommended to them a good nine times. He knew they would most likely eat there at some point for their trip. They just needed to get something established for the case first, figure something out. There also seemed to be a lot of mystery, from the woods that surrounded where they were. He had a lot of questions. From what other things lay unstirred behind these walls.
And what about the bubbly brunette who walked around. Bright eyed as she talked to all the members of the team , asking them different statements as JJ happily conversed. To Reid, looking like he was absolutely shocked that someone could talk as fast as he could. Maybe there was something about her young daughter. Well not super young. Probably late teens. The way her eyes flickered around whenever someone would ask her something. How when Derek and he had pulled her for questioning she asked a few times if this would be on any kind of record for her
“Do you have anyone we can talk to for an alibi?" Derek asked from beside him. And Hotch could tell right away. There was no way in hell this girl had anything to do with this. From the way her doe eyes shined, curiosity to the brim of them. To the way the books in her arms sat perfectly. She was grace, and he could tell that she was the woman in the lobby's daughter.
“My mom and I have a movie night every Tuesday Night. My boyfriend came to watch with us. You can ask him, or my mom, I was home.” she commented and a mental note was made to ask. After Hotch included his own question. Wanting to get more of an idea for what was happening.
“Is there anyone with foul wishes or harmful intent for him?” he added in his own question.
"Everyone loved him, he would come to town meetings and see if anyone needed anything. He came to a town meeting the night of his disappearance. Next thing we knew the newspaper came in with news that he was gone." She explained. She explained Chip and his role in the town. He was a local farmer's son. He would come into town every week to get supply and then he would come back home. "Is he okay?" They had found his truck on the side of the road. But they didn't have the heart to tell her that there wasn't much hope of where he was.
They sighed. Looking at one another "we'll keep you updated — okay kid?" Morgan stated before Rory as they learned her name was walked off. Running over to where her mother was waiting. As they prepared to go back for some of them to the scene of the crime. And others to remain questioning. Hotch ran a hand through his hair. There was something about these small towns that hit harder than anything else. from the way they came together, which meant it would hit harder knowing there was someone among one of them causing harm.
What they had learned about Rory Gilmore. Real name Lorelai. Bright eyed girl, smart, charming. Going to attend an ivy league within a year. She had a knack for reading lately getting into classics. "In Cold Blood" had been one of her favorites lately
He found that as being ironic. But not a funny irony. More of a cold irony.
They had to be cautious with their next moves.
"Miss —." Morgan paused looking for a name.
"Lorelai. Lorelai Gilmore." She offered and her voice was rushed but still had music to it.
"Do you mind if we question you?" He asked and Hotch watched as Rossi and Morgan took the brunette to the dining room. He watched as they walked away, she had some kind of wonder the way she did things.
JJ approached him, "sir we should probably head back out. See if there is anything we missed." What was there to miss? This looked a lot like the rest of the things they had seen. He hated cases where the best thing was to wait for whatever came next. Spend a day or two and see what pops up. Immediately as he stepped into the cold, feeling of air hitting his face he climbed his way into the car. Allowing Emily to take the wheel as they went to what was next.
It wasn't that he didn't trust his team. He trusted them more than anything else. This case just had so little to go by at this moment. He didn't want things to crash and burn before they even started. They go back to the scene of the first abduction and immediately they’re back to not noticing anything new. What they did notice was their victim’s parents were standing off to the side, their arms wrapped around each other. Hotch had seen this look plenty of times before. Had seen the way their entire bodies would collapse, it was as if all they had known was crumbling. He tried his best not to get involved in the cases, he knew it wasn't the best thing to do. So he continued to push it aside.
“Please tell me you found my son.” someone would ask, at first when he started in the field he didn't know what to tell them. How did you break someone’s heart? Take away the hope they have kicking in their soul. He was called cold, broken. So that is what he allowed himself to become. He hardened his shell and bounced back stronger than anything else.
His voice finally beckoned out of him as he looked at the family. “He's gone… they found his body in the creek.” he looked at them, his eyes not leaving the couple. He hated this type of news.
“What do you mean he’s gone?” the response would come and then they would see the body pass on the stretcher. Tears would fill the eyes and he wished that all of this didn't happen. Yet it was. Bad people filled the earth.
“No, no no, that can't be him. It can’t be my baby boy.”
He didn't know what stirred him out of all of this, but when he noticed Emily and Reid “we asked around and according to people nearby the last seen person near both of them has been identified.”
“name?” Hotch offered. Hopefully, this person would have some kind of connection that could truly get them closer to where they needed to be. Even if they only had only been here for less than a day.
“...Rory Gilmore,” Reid stated, he noticed the connection between the name and the situation.
The daughter of the woman back at the inn. This case just got a lot more intense.