Chapter Text
Prologue
Atlanta FBI Office
Tara took a breath as she stood and looked in through the one-way window at the small figure who was sat at the table, her fingers tapping on the table.
“Hey Tara, are you okay?”
“Huh, yeah Luke. Just she’s had her world turned upside down and we are.”
Tara took a breath, gently resting her hand on the window.
“Doing our job Tara.”
“I know Luke but.”
“She’ll be fine Tara, she’s strong like her Aunt was and her grandmother is.”
Tara managed a small smile as she turned and patted Luke on the arm, she knew he was right but the girl reminded Tara of her young self, she even had her hair braided in the style Tara had in her teenage years. But for now she needed her head focused on work and getting the details from the girl about the man who had murdered her aunt.
Tara reached across and patted the girl’s hand softly.
“Thank you Zoe that was all really helpful. Are you going to be okay to wait in here for a bit?”
“Yeah I guess so, will I be able to see my grandma soon?”
“I’ll go and find out for you, just try and relax.”
Tara smiled as she stood up and walked out of the room, quickly finding the rest of the team in the conference room allocated to them.
“Okay so she identified our suspect and her statement will help with the prosecution, good job Luke and Tara, why don’t we finish up here and then we can fly back tonight.”
Emily smiled as she looked around as everyone, apart from Tara, nodded their heads and started to pack their things up.
“Emily?”
Tara’s voice was quiet as Emily gestured for the two of them to go to the corner of the room.
“Zoe wanted to know when she can see her grandma, any news from the social worker?”
Emily sighed as she smiled faintly and took a breath.
“She can see her, that’s not an issue but they don’t want her to have custody, they said that she isn’t physically well enough to take care of Zoe.”
Tara frowned and shook her head, she could feel her own anger rising.
“So she ends up in some crappy group home instead, she’s a teenager Emily she can look after herself she needs her grandma for support, now more than ever.”
“Sorry Tara but it isn’t our decision to make.”
Tara shook her head once again before she wandered out of the room, wanting to tell Zoe herself that she had let her down, after all of the help the teenager had given to her and Luke.
Emily poured another drink as she held the two glasses and walked down the narrow aisle of the jet, sliding in as she sat opposite Tara and pushed a glass toward her.
“Sorry, I know it is shit.”
Tara sighed as she smiled at Emily.
“I know and I am not angry at you Emily, it’s just a crappy situation that we are leaving Zoe in.”
Emily nodded her head as she reached and put her hands on top of Tara’s.
“If there was anything I could do please know I would have done.”
“You know what really makes me so angry Emily? If Zoe was a white kid from a different neighbourhood I bet there wouldn’t have been any issues but no she’s just some kid from the wrong neighbourhood and wrong ethnic background.”
Tara moved and took a long sip of her drink and looked at Emily, but the unit chief just sat back and nodded her head, knowing that she agreed with Tara’s assessment.
The sound of the drawers opening and closing told Rebecca all she needed to know. The case had affected her wife and that for the time being she just needed to sit on the couch and allow Tara the time and space she needed, knowing that it wouldn’t be too much longer until she came and sat with her.
“Hey, I missed you, that was a long four days.”
Rebecca smiled as Tara slouched down on the couch and leaned in against her.
“Yeah it was.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Rebecca reached and kissed Tara on the lips before she rested her head on Tara’s shoulder.
“It wasn’t the case as such, yeah that was horrible. One of the witnesses was a 16 year old kid, she saw her aunt abducted so she gave us a great description that helped build the case.”
“Was she hurt?”
“No it wasn’t like that. She lived with her aunt, her mom died in childbirth and her aunt raised her. I wanted her to move in with her grandmother but social services thought differently.”
Rebecca felt Tara tense slightly as she took a hold of her hand, allowing her wife some time and space.
“We all know that kids in care and group homes face massive challenges but throw in that Zoe is African American. If she was just allowed to stay with her grandma.”
Tara let out a heavy sigh as she felt Rebecca hold onto her hand and stroke it softly.
“Why wouldn’t they let Zoe stay with her?”
“Because she has a few health issues and apparently they were worried that Zoe’s education would suffer as she would spend her time looking after her grandma.”
“I’m sorry Tara, I know how frustrating these things are and how you and the team sometimes feel that you haven’t made a difference, but darling you do and you have. Take a couple of days and then contact the home and leave a message with them for Zoe, let her know that you are there if she needs anything.”
Tara smiled as she swallowed hard, trying to keep the tears at bay as she reached and kissed Rebecca.
Three Weeks Later
It was late in the afternoon as Rebecca walked into the bullpen, her eyes quickly scanning around as she saw the empty desks and no sign of her wife. A frown crossed her face as she started to reach for her cell and wondered if she had missed a message.
“Hi Rebecca, come on up.”
Rebecca quickly turned at the sound of Emily’s voice before she nodded her head and wandered up the stairs, quickly taking a seat opposite Emily.
“Is everything okay, is there a case?”
“No everything is fine, JJ and Tara have just gone out for coffee, we thought that Tara could do with a bit of outside space.”
“So you’ve noticed too?”
Rebecca bowed her head slightly as Emily smiled and lent across her desk.
“Yeah, I’m sorry Rebecca, I wish things had been different.”
“I know you would have done all you could have, for some reason Tara felt a connection with Zoe and wanted the best for her. She reached out a few days ago but hasn’t heard anything back so.”
“She has taken it personally. Look leave it with me Rebecca, I will make some calls and chase up first thing tomorrow. For now take Tara home and relax as much as you can.”
The smile on Emily’s face was contagious as Rebecca smiled and nodded her head before she squeezed Emily’s hands softly.
“Thank you Emily.”
20 hours later
Emily closed her eyes and put her head in her hands. The news she had just received wasn’t good and now she had to relay it, knowing that it was going to cause anger and hurt. Emily walked out and looked down, her eyes quickly catching sight of Tara.
“Hey Tara have you got a minute?”
The smile on Emily’s face was there to try and put Tara at ease as she closed the office door and gestured for Tara to take a seat.
“What’s wrong Emily?”
Emily sat back and took a deep breath before she looked carefully at Tara.
“I am sorry Tara, I have some news for you. I know that you reached out to Zoe and haven’t heard back. I chased them up and they have been moving her from group home to group home, at least once a week and nobody can give me a reason why.”
Tara frowned as she shook her head, the anger quickly rising.
“I knew that this would happen. Can I have some time off so I can down and talk to Zoe?”
Emily closed her eyes for a moment before she took another deep breath.
“Nobody knows where she is Tara, Zoe left the last group home two nights ago. They have tried her grandmother but she hasn’t seen or heard from her.”
Emily looked at Tara, the sadness evident on her face.
“I’m so sorry Tara.”
“Can I have a couple of days off please?”
“Of course, but keep in touch and if you need anything or any help please let me know.”
Tara nodded her head before she got up and walked out of Emily’s office, stopping briefly to grab her go bag, ignoring Like and JJ before she walked out, grabbing her cell to speak to Rebecca.
Three days later
Rebecca was waiting patiently at the airport, the snatched conversations they had managed to have had gone into too much detail but Rebecca knew that her wife was hurting. Catching sight of the all too familiar figure she walked over and quickly wrapped her arms around Tara, whispering into her ear.
“It’s okay, I have got you baby.”
Tara held onto Rebecca for a few minutes before the two of them walked silently to the car, with Tara waiting until they were safely inside before she spoke.
“Zoe’s grandma was heartbroken, I promised her I would do everything I could to find Zoe, but what if I can’t?”
“Tara, sweetheart, baby. Everyone is on this now, we will find her.”
Tara nodded her head as she rested her head against the seat and rested as Rebecca drove them home.