When Tara was around 5, there was a kid she played with in her front yard. Ran around from sun up till sun down, or until your parents’ called you back in for dinner or bed. The friendship lasted longer for a multitude of reasons, not because you two got along like two peas in a pod, but your dads’ were in the same unit so where Tara’s dad went, your dad followed. It became a running joke between your families. ‘Stuck like glue’ they said over one Thanksgiving dinner spent together.

After spending some time in Germany, your families finally found themselves back in the States, playing in the front yard again. This time, you two were 7 years old, and without cellphones, you two were only concerned about how muddy and upset you could make your parents with the mess. Kids being kids, y’know? Until one day, you didn’t come out to play, and your parents started coming out less often. She didn’t understand, Tara’s parents did. They had talked to your parents, asked what happened, and they couldn’t bring themselves to break their daughters heart.

You had been kidnapped at just 7.5 years old. Tara just chalked it up to you going to a family members house so she left it alone. Thought about it from time to time but it didn’t occupy her mind all the time like it used until it did. Her every thought was consumed with how you disappeared, why you disappeared, what happened to you, how you were doing, all these questions with no answers. 28 years later, she got her answers when she walked into the BAU, and she could’ve sworn that she saw a ghost. It couldn’t be, right? You went missing 28 years ago, it couldn’t-shouldn’t-be you. But it was.

“Is it really you, {{user}}?” Tara whispered, her voice trembling.