Crossover Mini Arc: 1. Criminal Minds. Case: 1. This is just the intro case. Later they will play a big role in the MC's story.
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The living room looked like something out of a high-end magazine. Tall windows let in beams of afternoon sunlight that fell across antique furniture polished to a mirror-like shine. A fire crackled in the stone hearth, even though the day outside was warm. Rosa sat in one of the deep armchairs, a cup of tea balanced on the small table beside her.
Janice sat in the chair opposite her.
"Please," Janice said, her voice smooth and clear. "Call me Janice. 'Mrs.' anything makes me feel old."
Rosa hesitated for a moment, then gave a little nod. "Alright… Janice."
They sat in comfortable silence for a brief moment, the kind that was not awkward but rather seemed to weigh the other person quietly. Janice was the first to break it.
"I want to thank you, Rosa."
Rosa looked surprised. "For what?"
Janice folded her hands in her lap. "It has been years since I have seen my son truly smile. Years since he looked… happy. Whatever it is you have done, you have managed to bring something back into him. Something I thought was gone for good."
The comment made Rosa look away for a second. Compliments were not her strong suit. She picked at the edge of her sleeve and muttered, "He's… alright. For a guy who makes me meet his mom without warning."
Janice gave a quiet laugh, but her eyes stayed thoughtful. "How much do you know about him?"
"Not much," Rosa admitted. "He's not exactly an open book. When I try to ask about his past, he either changes the subject or acts like I've just asked for nuclear launch codes."
Janice leaned back, studying her for a moment. "Then maybe I can give you a little insight."
Rosa looked serious and yeah, she was curious. She had wanted answers for a long time now.
"When Raymond was a boy," Janice began, "he was different. He has photographic memory and an unusually high IQ. His teachers called him gifted, but it was not a gift for him. Children his age could not relate to him, and he could not relate to them. While they were playing games, he was memorizing entire books. It made him a loner."
Rosa tried to picture Ray as a solitary kid, and the image was both sad and strangely fitting.
"When he was fourteen," Janice continued, "his father was killed in the line of duty. He was SWAT. That day changed him. He did not cry. He just sat quietly through the funeral, and the next day, it was as if he had locked something away inside himself."
The fire popped softly in the grate, filling the pause.
"On his eighteenth birthday, he enlisted in the army. He never explained why in detail, but I think it was his way of following his father's path. After that, I saw less and less of him. He would come home for short visits, but that's it... he would never say much about where he was stationed or what exactly he did. I only know he is part of a special unit."
Janice looked into the fire for a moment, as if she were remembering the young man who had left. She continued, "When he came back from the army, he was… different. He had perfected a mask. He could pretend to be happy or sad depending on what the situation required, but there was no true feeling behind it. Like a machine that had learned how to imitate emotions."
Rosa stayed quiet, letting the weight of the words settle.
"But," Janice said, and her eyes met Rosa's directly, "after he met you, that changed. For the first time in years, I saw real emotion in his face. It was as if he was finally letting himself live a life outside his duties and missions."
Rosa swallowed. She did not know what to say to that, so she settled for a half-shrug. "Guess I'll have to make sure he doesn't start brooding like Batman again."
Janice's lips curved slightly. "That would be appreciated."
...
[Around evening]
Rosa was sprawled across it like a starfish, arms and legs stretched wide, staring at the ceiling with an expression that was somewhere between thoughtful and bored.
The door opened quietly, and Ray walked in to check on her. He finished the chores his mother gave him and then took a quick bath before coming to her room. He stopped beside the bed, looking down at her.
Without asking, he climbed onto the mattress, bracing himself over her so his face hovered above hers. His weight dipped the mattress just enough for her to feel surrounded by him. His eyes met hers.
"How are you feeling?" he asked in that low, even tone that always carried a hint of concern, no matter how much he tried to hide it.
Rosa gave a small shrug as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm alright."
He studied her face for a moment, then his gaze dropped to the small cast on her nose. He reached out, his fingers brushing lightly along her cheek as he checked it with a soldier's precision. "You're in pain," he said quietly. "The pills help, but not enough."
She tried to smirk. "What, now you can read my mind?"
"I can read you," he said simply. "Even when you think you are hiding it."
Her eyes softened just a little, but she didn't answer right away. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, lingering there as if he could will some of the pain away just by staying close.
'Oh~ I could get used to this,' Rosa thought with a smile despite the pain.
When he pulled back, his hand still rested against the side of her face. "You do not have to pretend with me," he said. "If it hurts, tell me. If you are tired, tell me. I do not care how tough you think you need to be. You are not alone in this."
Rosa's lips curved faintly. "You know, for a guy who looks like he could punch through a wall, you're ridiculously good at the whole emotional support thing."
He gave a small, amused huff. "It is easy when it is you."
She looked at him for a long moment, her expression unreadable at first, then let out a slow breath. She opened up a little. "It does hurt. More than I want to admit. And I hate that I'm stuck in this giant fancy bed instead of doing something useful."
"You are doing something useful," he said. "You are healing. That is your only mission right now, Detective."
Her mouth twitched at the use of her title, but she didn't argue. Instead, she shifted slightly so he could settle beside her. He slid down next to her and pulled her into his side, his arm fitting comfortably around her shoulders. She rested her head against him, feeling the slow, steady rise and fall of his chest.
For a while, they stayed like that, saying nothing. Then Rosa murmured, "Your mom told me some things about you."
He glanced down at her. "What kind of things?"
"That you were a loner as a kid. That you've been through… a lot. That you hide behind a mask sometimes." She turned her head slightly so she could see his face. "I think she's right about the mask. But I think you take it off more than you realize when you're around me."
He looked at her for a long moment, and something in his eyes softened in a way she had not seen before. "You make it easy to take it off."
She felt a strange warmth in her chest, the kind that was hard to put into words. She reached up and touched his jaw lightly. "Guess that makes us even. You make it easy to let my guard down too."
Rosa held his gaze for a long moment before leaning in. Their lips met softly at first, almost tentative, as if testing the waters. The kiss deepened slightly, but it remained slow and unhurried, carrying more meaning than urgency. His hand brushed lightly along her side while hers rested against the back of his neck, keeping him close. The world outside the room faded until there was only the quiet sound of their breathing and the warmth between them.
After a few minutes, Ray pulled back just enough to look at her, his forehead still close to hers. A faint smile touched his lips. "I bought the Robocop collection today. Wanna watch it together?"
Rosa blinked and then sat up. "You like Robocop?"
Ray sat up beside her, leaning back against the headboard. "Of course. It is a classic. Action, corruption and questionable special effects. What is not to like?"
She gave him a sideways smirk. "I would have pegged you more as a gritty drama type."
He shrugged. "I appreciate good storytelling in all forms. And Robocop has a unique charm."
"Alright," Rosa said. "Let's do it."
Ray got up to set everything up while Rosa adjusted the pillows so they could sit comfortably.
'He's into Robocop just like me. Haha! Nice,' She thought.
A few minutes later, the screen lit up. He returned to the bed with a bowl of popcorn, which he placed between them.
As the movie started, Rosa made a dry comment about the hair styles in the opening scene, and Ray chuckled. Soon they were trading remarks back and forth, laughing at the dated effects and still getting drawn into the story.
By the halfway mark, Rosa was leaning against his shoulder again, her earlier pain temporarily forgotten. Ray glanced down at her and saw the faintest smile on her lips, a sign that she was relaxed. He felt a quiet sense of satisfaction, the kind that came from seeing her at ease.
The night stretched on with sequels playing one after another. They had dinner and then went straight back to her room to watch the movies. Between films, they debated which was the best and argued good-naturedly about plot holes. By the time the final credits rolled, the air in the room was warm, the popcorn bowl was empty, and both of them were more comfortable than they had been all day.
Ray glanced up at the wall clock. "It's 10:30. Time for your medicine."
Rosa groaned like he'd just told her the vending machine was out of beef jerky. "Ugh. Those things taste like battery acid mixed with sadness. I hate them. Maybe I'll skip tonight. My genes are good. I heal fast."
Ray didn't even blink. "No meds means no good night kiss."
Rosa froze mid-sulk and narrowed her eyes. "That's blackmail."
"It's strategic motivation."
She sat up, glaring like she was deciding whether to take the pills or commit a felony. "You wouldn't actually hold out on me."
Ray leaned back casually, folding his arms. "Try me, Diaz."
There was a tense standoff. Somewhere in the distance, a dramatic western whistle played in her head.
Finally, Rosa snatched the water glass from the nightstand. "Fine. But if I die from bitterness overdose, I'm haunting you."
Ray placed the pills in her hand like he was passing over classified intel. She popped them in, made a face so dramatic Hitchcock would've given her a standing ovation, and chugged the water.
"Happy?" she asked, wiping her mouth.
Ray nodded. "Very. Now…" He leaned in and kissed her, slow and warm.
She smirked against his lips. "Worth it. Still hate the pills though."
Ray gave a small shrug. "Good. Hate them all you want. But you're still taking them tomorrow."
Rosa sighed. "You're annoyingly good at winning."
He smiled. "Part of my charm."
Ray's phone buzzed on the nightstand. He glanced at the screen. "It's Holt."
Rosa raised an eyebrow. "This late? Something must be going on."
Exactly. That's what made Ray's gut tighten. Captain Holt didn't call without a reason, and "a reason" in Holt-speak usually meant trouble. He put the call on the speaker and answered. "Captain."
Holt's voice was calm, but there was a weight behind it. "Raymond, I need you at the Nine-Nine immediately."
Ray straightened, already sensing this wasn't routine. "Sir, I still have two days of paid leave."
"I'm aware," Holt said. "This isn't standard procedure. Six children were kidnapped around noon today. Two of them have been found dead in Blueveid Park."
Rosa's eyes widened at the mention of "dead," but she stayed silent, watching him closely.
Ray's jaw tightened. "Who's handling it?"
"The FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit has been brought in," Holt replied. "They believe the kidnapper will kill the remaining children soon. Which is why…" Holt paused, as if weighing the words. "…Gideon asked for you. I know that you had a past with them, but I'd like you to think of saving those innocent kids and put your differences aside for this case."
Ray sat down on the edge of the bed, rubbing his forehead. The name dropped between them like a lead weight.
Rosa tilted her head. "You know Gideon?"
Ray didn't answer right away. He just exhaled slowly, eyes fixed on the floor, mind already running scenarios. But lives are at risk here. The past can wait.
He stood up.
"I'm on my way."
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[25 advance chs] [No double billing.]
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