He doesn't say a word, but his face shows every emotion. The small smirk shows he is amused at Danny running in here. The glint in his eyes promising pain. The tick in his jaw is the frustration and anger he has projected on Danny this entire time.

She stays back by the door, while he is still hand cuffed to the table. The team seems to be letting this happen, as Danny hasn't been dragged back out yet.

She steels herself, taking a breath.

"Why did you shoot Spencer?"

He lets out a disgusting chuckle. "Out of everything you could have asked me, that is your first question? What about why I attacked you? What about why I killed those girls? Huh? All you care about is your little lover boy."

"Answer the question," Danny isn't going to let him dictate this interrogation.

The crazy glint in his eyes is back. "I shot him because I could. No one to protect you anymore Daniella. I want to watch you squirm." He laughs again.

Danny ignores the fact that he knows her name. Obviously his is more about her than the team thought. But she already knew this.

"He didn't do anything to you!"

"But you did!" He shouts loud in the small room, the noise bouncing off the walls. Danny sits back like it doesn't effect her. Inside she's reeling. How delusional can one man be?

She baits him further, "Am I supposed to say sorry?"

"You bitch! Your parents raised a little slut of a daughter. I should have choked the life out of you when I had the chance," he bellows, face turning red and stream shooting out of his ears. So it's about her parents? Interesting.

"My parents," Danny hisses out, "are the best people to have ever been alive on this earth."

He barks out a laugh, "They ruined my life! I am going to take away the only thing that mattered to them. You. I will make you suffer now that they can't."

"What? Are you going to rape and strangle me, just like those other girls you killed? You hate my parents that much?"

"They took everything from me. I enjoyed hurting those girls, imagining that they would be you. Squeezing the life out of their eyes," he growls manically.

Danny knows that's a confession right there. She stands up, preparing to walk out. He admitted to shooting Spencer, he admitted to hurting those girls, and he admitted to attacking Danny. He should be in prison for life.

She ignores his shouting. She doesn't care what her parents did to him. Her dad was an FBI agent and her mom was a detective close by from southern Virginia. They were doing their job in one way or another. Danny's just glad she got what she came in for.

"You got a full confession," Hotch gives her a small nod and walks her back to the team. That's as much as a 'good job' as she probably would ever get from him.

"Danny got a full confession from the killer. He talked about the shooting, the killings and the attack," JJ quickly summarized for the team. Seemingly bragging like a mother would.

They look over in surprise.

"I thought you weren't going to let her in," Prentiss looks to Hotch in anger.

He sighs, but Danny cuts him off so she can explain herself. "I went in there by myself. Without the unit chief giving the okay," she turn to Hotch. "Sorry about that."

"Can I ask what he meant in there?"

Danny nods her head. "My dad was an FBI agent, my mother was a detective. I'm not sure what they did to 'ruin his life' but I'm sure it has something to do with working on his case. I'm not sure."

"I can have Garcia look into it if you want," Derek offers.

"No, it's okay. I really don't care at the moment. If you all don't mind, I want to go visit Spencer now." Danny's feet shuffle on the ground, hoping the attention will turn away from her. Though, she's really glad that they all think of her as a capable agent.

"Come on, I'll take you. The rest of you can finish up the case while I take Danny to the hospital. You can all meet us there when you are done." Rossi looks to Hotch as confirmation before leaving with the anxious girl.

•••

Danny sits again by Spencer's bedside, holding his hand and stroking the soft skin on the back. He's still, laying with the blanket half up his lean figure, looking like he is in a peaceful sleep.

A few hours later the rest of the team join them. All taking the plastic seats and sitting around talking. Prentiss is in the middle of telling the story of how Spencer had to babysit all the kids for them when Penelope walks in the door with a small girl on a tablet.

"Oh my gosh is this the Danny I've heard so much about," her blond hair bounces as she bobbles in place. The young girl goes straight to Morgan and sits on his lap, Danny sees the similarities immediately.

She giggles a little by Spencer's bed side, "that's me. Is this the genius tech analyst I've always wanted to meet?"

"Oh!" She squeals. "I love you already. Reid you picked a good one."

"Yeah I know I did," he croaks out and the whole room goes silent. Danny throws herself delicately over Spence and cuddles to his chest, trying not to crush him.

Sounds of joy spread throughout the room. Everyone excited that Spencer finally woke up, crowding around the room. Spencer doesn't let up in Danny, making her lay next to him while he greets the team. Danny doesn't mind, she's become more comfortable with everyone at this point. Until they get to the case.

"So did you guys catch the UNSUB?" Spencer asks the group. They all start talking at once.

And Danny burrows herself in his chest as they tell the whole story.

—-

Authors note:

Only one more chapter left before the epilogue! This book was a journey, I wanted to thank you all again for voting and reading my work. As an author, and a reader, I always appreciate the feedback.

- ivy eve