The Things They Left Behind

Chapter One

They Left Them Behind

Prompt: Stephen King – The Things They Left Behind

2 Years Earlier

They packed their bags quickly and quietly.

They stuffed clothes, toys and whatever else would fit in them.

They turned off their cells and told the kids they were going away for a little while.

They left in the middle of the night, not wanting to alert anyone of what they were doing.

They drove for hours, a real destination not in mind, just knowing they had to get out of DC.

They finally stopped somewhere just out of Pierre, South Dakota, staying for a week before moving on.

They eventually found a nice little town just outside of Boise, Idaho, deciding to settle there, far away from their life in DC.

They bought a quaint little four bedroom house, big enough for the little family of four, soon to be five they now had.

They changed their names; Derek to Marcus, Emily to Rachel, Alexandra to Leah and Toby to Jordan. Their last names changed from Morgan to Shaw. They changed their hair and professions too. They didn't want to be found. Ever.

When Hotch heard the news he decided not to worry them at home. He was going to wait til morning to tell them but when he approached their home at half past eight the next day he could just feel that something was wrong. Their car wasn't there and the back gate was open. Knocking cautiously on the front door he realised it was open and a feeling of dread couldn't help but wash over him. Entering the house with his gun drawn, Hotch quickly cleared the first floor, his fear only growing upon discovering no one to be there. He noticed certain things were missing; family photo's, the kid's favourites toys and other such things. Creeping slowly up the stairs, he couldn't help but feel he wasn't going to like what he found or more precisely what he wouldn't find. He was right to feel that way because as he looked around the second floor of their house the feeling in the pit of his stomach got worse. Checking the children's rooms first he saw that the closets and drawers had been raided, stray clothes strewn across the beds. Certain toys had been taken and others left in what had obviously been a rushed departure. Moving on from the children's rooms, Hotch moved forward to the master bedroom already knowing what he was going to find. Pushing open their bedroom door he sighed at the note he saw lying in the centre of the bed. Stepping into the room he reached out and took the note paper from atop the bed covers. Unfolding the paper he sighed at the obvious script of one Emily Morgan.

He found us. It just isn't safe anymore. Don't try to find us. You won't. We're sorry it had to come to this. All our love, Derek and Em.

Placing the note in his pocket, Hotch pulled out his cell phone, hitting speed dial 3; Rossi's number, after a few rings Rossi picked up.

"Dave, its Hotch. He found them already and now they're gone," Hotch told him solemnly.

The things they left behind were much more then just possessions; they left their family.

AN: Alright, so my self-imposed sabbatical is almost over. So in celebration of that, here is my newest multi-chap fic. I have many others planned but I thought since I've desperately been wanting to do one of these that I'd make this one my first! This is done for the Novel and Short Story Prompt Challenge by Kavi Leighanna and Sienna27. Anyway, if you haven't checked out their challenge yet do so now! It's awesomely cool. So I guess that's enough shameless advertising but yeah check it out.

Oh please read and review. If you have any ideas as to where this could go let me know and I'll see if I can work it in! :) CT.