Chapter 1

Derek smiled at the sight of his Pretty Boy as he trudged grumpily into the kitchen. Even half asleep with his night shirt rumpled and his hair in crazier tangles and curls than the norm, Spencer was the most beautiful thing he could imagine. He sidled up close and whispered in his ear, "Morning Pretty Boy," followed by a quick kiss behind his ear. Spencer grumbled about morning breath and coffee. Chuckling, Derek began his morning routine and after getting off the phone with JJ, went to announce to Spencer that they had a case. By then Spencer was dressed and awake having guzzled down most of his coffee flavored sugar drink.

"Hey you awake now Pretty Boy?"

Spencer looked up at him with an adorably bewildered expression. "I was awake before, I just needed my coffee."

"We got a case," Morgan grinned. He pulling Spencer into a short, but affectionate kiss which Spencer returned and heading out to the car. Spencer finished what remained of his coffee before rinsing the mug and following Derek out, grumbling that Morgan still had morning breath.

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On the way to the BAU, JJ called again to inform them that another body had been found and Hotch wanted them on the plane sooner rather than later.

"The Unsub might be devolving into a spree killer if the time table is so quick, "Spencer noted. "Garcia sent over some of the files. There have been three bodies found within the last week. If not, he's definitely on a mission."

"What about victimology," Morgan asked as he navigated the morning traffic.

"He doesn't seem to have a preference for gender, age, or appearance. The victims must have something else in common. He also doesn't seem to have a preference for how to kill his victims which is strange. One was drowned, another starved, and another beaten to death..."

"Maybe it's more about the torture than the kill."

"Then after he kills them he lays them out gently, cleaned…" Spencer paused looking closely at the crime scene photos.

"So he's showing signs of remorse? Maybe he relates to the victims somehow. Or doesn't want to kill them, but feels he needs to?"

"And it looks like he left messages with each."

"Saying what," Morgan asked as he parked the car and they started walking toward the waiting jet. They could see they others already boarding.

"'Sleep Peacefully Now', 'Your Suffering Ends This Day', and 'Rejoice in the Freedom of Darkness' are the most recent ones, but previous victims all have similar messages."

Morgan began to climb the steps into the plane grimacing. "That is seriously creepy. But that means these are likely mercy kills."

"That's what we were thinking too, "said JJ who had already found a sunny spot in a window seat.

"What I don't get is the method of killing, "Said Prentiss from her seat across the aisle. Morgan and Reid took their seats across from JJ while Hotch and Rossi settled in toward the back of the plane.

"I think the actual kill must be something he chooses especially for that victim. It could have to do with why he's choosing these people specifically," said Rossi.

"What do we know about the victims?" JJ asked.

"Quite a bit my dear crime fighters," came the answer from the big screen overhead where a colorfully adorned Garcia appeared. She pushed her purple cat-eye glasses up the bridge of her nose before the furious sound of typing could be heard. "The first victim, Kelly Mason, 22 was found two weeks ago on bench in a local park. She was beaten to death and had bruises on her wrists that led the coroner to believe she was restrained. She was a college student majoring in Kinesiology with a minor in Nursing, had a part time job on campus, and was a member of a few clubs. She was missing six days before she was found by a service cop with the message, 'Breath Easy for Your Burden is Lifted'" Garcia visibly shuttered.

"The second victim was 42 year old Terrence Conelley who was found in the outdoor seating area of the coffee shop he frequented. His death wasn't initially linked to the Unsub's MO because it was believed to be a suicide by pill until police found the message the Unsub left. It had blown a ways away from the body by the wind, but it said, "Bask in the Success of Your Deepest Desire.'" Reid's brow furrowed in thought.

"The third victim…. Aww," Garcia paused before continuing in a somber tone. "The third victim was 9 year Henry Greyson." JJ shifted uncomfortably and tried not to picture her Henry. "He was found starved to death at the school lunch tables with a message 'Forever Young'. He had been missing the longest, so police think that he might have actually been taken before victims one or two and was held and tortured all that time until he was found. Poor baby," she mumbled.

"Garcia did Kelly visit that park often," Reid asked looking up from the paper files Hotch had handed him.

"Uh, if she did I can't find official record of it, but she did buy new running shoes a month previous to her disappearance and there is a running trail through the park."

Hotch leaned forward in his seat. "What are you thinking Reid?"

"Terrence was found at a coffee shop he frequented and Garcia I'm guessing the school Henry was found at was his own elementary school?"

"Right you are Boy Wonder, "She said still with a tone of sadness in her voice.

"If we assume Kelly went to the park often, all of the victims, including the more recent ones, were found within the context of their own lives. That means he probably stalks his victims, but it also means he would have to be unemployed or has a job that allows for him to be flexible with his hours. Think about it, the time it takes to stalk someone in itself is time consuming, but to spend time with his victims as he clearly does and find the perfect windows of opportunity to pose the bodies in these very public places without being seen would have to take away from any other obligations he has."

"Yeah so probably not a family man, "said JJ.

"These messages he's leaving all seem to be addressing the victims. It's clear he thinks he's doing them a favor, "said Rossi.

Prentiss nodded then added, "It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to say these killings and messages are expressions of his own desire to end it all would it?"

"Not at all," said Reid while flipping the files to the police reports though he had already committed it to memory. "It's actually quite common that when messages like these are left at the scene, they're things that the Unsub themselves would like to internalize in fact several different criminology studies have found that-"

"So he has suicide ideation," said Rossi. Reid looked about to add something, but he stopped when his phone buzzed. He paused while reading the message then quickly tucked his phone away.

"Which the Unsub is then projecting on others who he thinks are suffering, "said Hotch.

"Why is the method of the kill tailored to the individual victim then," asked JJ. "That seems like a lot of effort to keep changing it up."

"Probably because to him it's about the victim's suffering. The kill would be symbolic to end that specific form of suffering," said Morgan, eyeing Reid, who was now staring out the window watching the ground drop away as the plane took off.

"Garcia is there any indication from the victim's pasts that would somehow correlate with their deaths," Hotch asked.

Garcia's fingers flew over the keys before she reported, "Kelly had been in the hospital for a brief time about two weeks before her disappearance. Apparently she and her boyfriend had a fight and he beat her. Angela Miller who was drowned reported that she was having problems with bullies who had given her swirlies- really? People still do that? Gah, kids can be so mean! Henry had been in the hospital on several occasions for fractured or broken bones, but I can't find any records in reference to starving. None of the other victims have any such connections. Not on any official records anyway."

"It could be that Henry's parents were abusive and starved him. If the Unsub stalked him, he would likely know that," said JJ.

"Alright Garcia I want you to continue digging into the victim's lives to find any additional connections. Also see if you can find security footage or possible witnesses of the dump sites and report back with anything you find, "said Hotch.

"Will do Boss Man," Garcia clicked a button and was gone.

"Though he spends time with his victims, the time between kills is getting shorter. Hopefully that means he'll start making mistakes. When we land I want to split up. Reid, I want you to go to the station and start on a geographic profile. JJ and Morgan go to the crime scenes and see if you can find something the police may have missed. Rossi, Prentiss, and I will split up the victim's families to conduct interviews. We'll meet up later with our findings."

Everyone nodded and while some of them continued to throw around ideas, Morgan leaned closer to Reid. "Are you alright," he asked quietly. Reid pulled out a book that he would probably finish long before they landed. "Of course, why wouldn't I be?" Morgan looked doubtful. "Come on Pretty Boy, don't do that. Talk to me," he said taking Spencer's hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze.

Spencer sighed then mumbled quietly so Derek had to lean in closer, "That was one of the nurses at my mom's facility. She has my number so she can give me daily updates. She's having another episode." He began picking at the material of his pant leg with the hand Derek wasn't holding. "She thinks someone has taken me and is hiding me from her. She's demanding they let me go." Derek squeezed Spencer's hand tighter and rested his chin on his head. "I'm sure they'll take care of her. She'll be okay in a little while," he said not really knowing how to comfort Spencer other than to be there for him. "If I visited her more, maybe she wouldn't have these episodes so often," said Spencer feeling guilty. He really did want to see her more often, but it also scared him. Seeing her could either be pleasant where she seemed okay- like her normal self. Or she could be yelling and throwing things, convinced Spencer was an imposter. Then there were those times when she would look at him and see a total stranger. He knew it wasn't her fault, but after his father left, it was she and him against the world. Until the times she forgot him. Then he had been alone.

"How about this, when this case is over, you and I take a couple days off and we'll go see her. Maybe spend some time hittin' the scene while we're there. Or find a nice hotel to hide away in…" He moved his hand away from Spencer's and instead wrapped his arm around Spencer's shoulder and pulled him in closer. Spencer sighed at the contact and adjusted to fit more comfortably before opening his book, though it was obvious he wasn't really reading. It was a moment before he replied, "Maybe we could. It would be a good opportunity too to tell her about us. We have been dating for a while now. I guess it's time she ought to know." He would have mentioned it in the letters he sent her, but that just seemed like something he should tell her in person. Assuming she remembered who he was.

Derek smiled and pulled on his headphones and listened to his music. He sighed deeply, enjoying the sweet smell of spencer's hair and slowly fell asleep to the gentle movement of Spencer breathing against him and the quiet turning of pages.