Title: Somebody's Watching, Somebody's Waiting
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Pairing: Jennifer Jareau/Maggie Lowe
Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is property of CBS and I don't own anything.
Rating: PG
Summary/Spoilers: This is a retelling of the episode 'Somebody's Watching'. The BAU team is on the hunt for a killer stalking an actress. Meanwhile Jennifer Jareau begins dating the actress's best friend, unaware she's the stalker they're searching for. Yeah that's right I just revealed the ending of the episode, but it's not possible to write this story without revealing it anyway. Numerous story revelations are revealed.
A/N: This episode not only had two women I really like (A.J. Cook and Katheryn Winnick) together, but the first portrayal of gay characters on Criminal Minds, with Katheryn being one of them. It had so many things going for it, but instead it was disappointing. A.J. and Katheryn's screen time was minimal, they never appeared onscreen together, and the gay portrayals were terrible. Ironically Maggie Lowe is probably still the best portrayed gay character on the series. So I decided to write this episode the way it should've gone. Oh and that "lesbian" crushing on Gideon earlier in the episode because he reminded her of her dad? That scene alone warrants her getting erased from the story.
A/N2: If you're going to watch the episode to try and remember what happened, I recommend starting it around 3:45 min because the intro scene isn't in this story. Also do not go beyond the scene when the LA detective is being wheeled into the ambulance (the scene where JJ says her last lines in the episode). Trust me you do not want to go beyond that point.
Part 1
The BAU's private jet soars through the air with agents Aaron Hotchner, Derek Morgan, Elle Greenaway and Jennifer Jareau inside. Jason Gideon and Spencer Reid were already in Los Angeles to give a seminar about profiling to the LAPD. However a murder case arose and now the team was on assignment before Gideon and Reid even left. What were the odds?
"First victim Wally Melman: killed in a public place," Derek reads out as all four of them have the profile in front of them.
Jennifer walks into the aircraft's cabin with a cup of coffee in hand, "Wally was killed outside a massage parlour." She takes a seat.
"In Culver City," Derek adds.
"Which he went to every Tuesday," Elle goes on.
"Well if he knows his schedule, maybe that means he follows his victims for a while," suggests Derek.
"And not a single witness," Hotch says as he shifts his attention towards his team once in a while, but mostly maintains focus on the file in front of him. "So we know this unsub can blend in. Regardless of location, he has the ability to hide in plain sight."
"He's meticulous," Elle tells Hotch.
"The media is calling Natalie Ryan's murder the biggest celebrity homicide since Sharon Tate," Jennifer informs the others.
"What does that mean for us?" Elle asks.
"That everybody will be watching," Hotch answers before shifting his focus again to the papers in front of him. Derek raises his eyebrows before staring back at the laptop in front of him.
All members of the team have gathered in the police station. Jennifer was never a qualified profiler, so she decided to stand outside the already filled office of detective Owen Kim, the man in charge of the case, as the others explain the profiles they have to identify the person they're searching for to the detective. Even though she wasn't a profiler, hearing the others solve a puzzle still interested her. So Jennifer stayed within sight and listening distance of the others.
"There's absolutely no evidence left at the crime scene," Elle tells Owen. "There's no DNA, no manifestation of psycho sexual release, and there's no detectable signature of any kind."
"Remember our profiles are formulated not just by what's present at the scene, but what's absent." Gideon tells the detective as he stands against the open door to the office.
"From all the evidence gathered, we believe you're looking at a type 4 assassin," Elle continues.
"Type 4?" Owen asks.
"Type 1s are political assassins, like John Wilkes Booth," Reid answers.
Jennifer shifts her attention and notices a middle aged man with a young blond woman in tow walking the halls. As they pass through the double doors to the bullpen of the station, Jennifer decides to be helpful.
The blond agent approaches them, "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Ah yes," the middle-aged man answers. "Let me introduce ourselves. My name's Michael Ryer. This is my client Lila Archer. Lila here received an anonymous note that scared her, so I brought her here to assure her it's nothing."
"Let's see the note," replies Jennifer.
Michael opens a magazine and shows it to Jennifer. The words "YOU OWE ME" are written on an article about Natalie Ryan's murder.
Jennifer gives it a good look. "You two come with me," she tells them.
Lila and Michael follow Jennifer. The agent opens the door to an empty office. "Lila, do you mind if you wait here for a moment?"
"Yeah no problem," the actress answers.
Jennifer pulls out the rolling chair from behind the desk, "Here."
"Thanks," Lila says as she takes a seat.
She then steps out of the doorway. "Okay Michael that office just across the hall from us with the open door and many people inside..." she points it to Michael.
"Yes," Michael responds.
"Ask for Detective Kim, he's the one heading the Natalie Ryan murder. Just show the people inside what you showed me."
"Sure thing," Michael heads for the office.
Jennifer sees Lila and walks back inside. The blond actress looked nervous, so the press liaison placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll find out if it meant anything soon."
Lila looks up at Jennifer and gives her a light smile.
Michael Ryer looks inside Kim's office and knocks against the wall, "Excuse me. Hi. Is there a Detective Kim here?"
"Right here," Owen answers from his desk.
"You're heading the investigation into the Natalie Ryan murder?" Michael asks.
"Yes," Owen answers again.
"Um, my, I have a client, she's ah," Michael pauses. "Is there any place where we can be private?"
"We're all working this murder," Owen tells him in a no nonsense manner.
"Well," Michael clears his throat as he steps into the room. "She received a note, my client did. And she was freaked out. I told her not to worry about it."
"Where's the note?" Derek gets to the point.
Michael folds the magazine to the page and hands it to Derek. He takes a look at it then shows it so everyone else in the room can see.
"Where's your client?" Hotch asks.
"She's waiting in the other room," answers Michael.
Derek stands up and hands the magazine to Elle. "Reid. Let's go," he pats Spencer on the arm. Reid gets off his seat and they make their way to the other room.
They've stepped out of Owen's office, and taken the discussion to the bullpen of the station, with Lila being the center of attention. At least now Jennifer can sit with the group.
"How well did you know Natalie Ryan?" Hotch asks Lila.
"We spoke when we saw each other in public, but we were never friends," Lila answers.
"How about Wally Melman?" Hotch adds.
Lila tilts her head in confusion, "What?"
"Wally Melman," Elle answers while staring at the case file in her hands. "He's a producer that was killed a couple of months ago."
"Th-the papers said that was a robbery," Lila responds nervously.
"Well the paper was wrong," Owen informs her.
"We met a few times about a project, but I didn't get the part. They went a different way."
"Which way?" Elle asks.
"He cast um, another actress," Lila pauses as realization hits. Michael knew what she was thinking. "Oh my god."
"What is it?" Spencer speaks up.
"He cast Natalie Ryan," Michael answers.
Spencer gapes his mouth open and turns to look at Derek. Derek flaps the magazine, "You owe me."
Lila lets out a sigh then buries her face in her palms.
Elle looks at Michael, "I guess that's one way to ice out the competition."
Michael points to himself, "Don't look at me. I brought her into the police station."
"Have you ever had a sense somebody was watching you?" Gideon asks while examining novelties on the desk of the detective he was sitting at. "Following you?"
"From the moment I get to work," Lila answers. "I have hair, and makeup, and wardrobe people, producers, writers, my agent, my manager, my publicist, not to mention photographers, I..."
"It's a part of her life," Michael finishes.
"Anything seem odd? Out of the ordinary?" Gideon continues. "Happens on a regular basis, or semi regular basis?"
"What do you mean?" Lila wonders.
"Repetitive phone calls with hang ups," Spencer answers. "Ah gifts left anonymously?"
"I've received flowers," Lila answers. "On the seventh of each month. They just appear at my trailer, never a note, just a plain glass bowl. Red Anemones... my favourite."
"And you don't want to know who they're from?" Elle continues.
"Celebrities get anonymous gifts all the time," Michael tells them. "She has fans you know."
Lila puts her hand to her forehead.
"You remember meeting anyone on the seventh day of the month?" Gideon goes on. "On July, the seventh month of the year?"
"No."
"Wally Melman was a producer that considered hiring you, but didn't," Hotch states. "And Natalie was a rival."
"So all these people are being killed because of me?" Lila lays it out.
"It's possible," Hotch responds.
Lila sinks her face into her palms again. "Uh, I'm sorry. I can't, I," Lila starts to get up from her seat. "I have to go."
Jennifer watches as the distraught woman leaves the station. "Hope she's going to be alright."
Derek looks at Jennifer, "I'm sure this can't be the first time she has ever had a crazy fan JJ."
Lila's lying on her living room couch with her face buried into the cushion and her hand combing through her blond hair. The news she just learned is really getting to her. She takes her head out of the cushions and sits back up. The actress reaches for the cell phone on the coffee table and dials a number.
"Hey there Lila," her best friend on the other line says.
Lila sighs into the phone, "Mags... I just wanted to hear your voice."
"You sound upset Lila. What happened?"
"You remember that magazine I showed you earlier today?"
"They're just crazy fans sweetie. Don't let stuff like that get the better of you."
"Well this one is not so easily forgettable."
"How so?"
Lila gets off the couch and starts pacing around, "Michael suggested I show it to the police. And turns out they believe whoever wrote the note might have killed Natalie Ryan and this other person as a sadistic favour for me."
"Sounds terrible."
"You said it."
"Do you want me to come over Lila?"
"I would really like that Mags," Lila starts walking towards her patio door. "Actually it's Friday, why don't you spend the night while you're at?"
"Sounds fun. Should I let myself in or ring the doorbell?"
"Ring the doorbell. I don't want to think anyone's trying to break into my house at the moment."
"Will do babe. See you in a few minutes."
"See you soon Mags," Lila hangs up the phone. She opens her patio door and takes a good look outside. Her home overlooks the city as its bright lights shine in the night sky. Lila takes a deep breath of the night air.
There's a ring at Lila's door. She opens it. Maggie stands there with bags in her hands. "Someone needs a friend?"
Lila smiles, "Come on in."
The two blondes walk to Lila's living room. "I got some movies from my collection that you like, and I borrowed some new ones from the video store if you prefer to watch something new," Maggie tells Lila. "Or if you're not in the watching mood, I got junk food: Chips, your favourite candies, ingredients to make things like s'mores, or we can just see what you have in your fridge and concoct something from there." The two of them sit down and Maggie places her bags on the table. "And if none of those things work, we'll just have to find some activity to do until you do feel better."
"I'm sure we'll have fun Mags," Lila replies.
Hours have passed and things begin to settle. The TV is off and there's bowls of food sitting on the tables. The two women sit next to each other on the couch.
"Want to play some of those slumber party games we used to before calling it quits?" Maggie asks.
"I don't have the energy Mags," Lila stands up and lets out a yawn. "I'm just going to head to bed now." She begins walking to her bedroom.
"Or we can always just skip to the sleeping part then," Maggie follows Lila.
"I like that part."
Maggie opens the door and turns on the lights to the bedroom for Lila, then heads to the bedside to flick on the lamp. The drowsy actress walks in, then immediately falls onto the bed. She begins tucking herself in. Her best friend returns shortly after turning off all the lights in the house. She closes the door and switches off the bedroom light before moving back to the bed. Maggie lays down on the empty side of the king size mattress.
She tucks herself underneath the blanket, "Night Lila."
"Night Mags," Lila responds, already closed eyes and ready for dreamland.
Maggie just lays there with her eyes still opened for a while. She moves in closer to Lila, raising her body up to get a good look at Lila who is facing the other way. Maggie listens to determine if Lila is asleep or not. Deeming asleep, she draws her hand near Lila's face and brushes away the hair that was in the actress's face. She gently runs a finger down Lila's cheek.
Afterwards the blonde returns to her side of the bed and flicks off the lamp. She rests her head on the pillow and reminisces about all the good times she and Lila spent. One specific time kept on popping up that reminded Maggie of the good old days.