"We need to figure out who is taking out these people and why" Hotch said throwing the file down on the table, nothing about the character suited any of the suspects; "I don't get it, why doesn't anything match up?" Morgan questioned, even Reid wasn't sure about the file itself as he said "I can only imagine it would fit someone as dark and twisted...more than those we have on our suspects list" anyone could tell that Reid was trying to put this together all in his mind. Ranie stood up catching everyone's attention "Maybe we should just leave her alone, it's not like she is really doing anything bad, and besides she is taking down the criminals that we can't" Hotch questioned her "We never said it was a 'she' Ranie" Rane didn't say anything "Well, do you really think a guy can be this clean about the whole mess and still get away with everything?" Ranie questioned back after a moment.
"Actually, I believe that anyone can be as clean about the whole mess depending on their backgrounds and what they went through" Reid replied back making Rane scowl "Do you know something we don't know, Rane?" Rossi asked her wondering what it was that she was hiding from the rest of the team. "I'm not going to be on this case" Rane turned to leave, but, Hotch closed the door while blocking her way "You need to tell us what you already know" Hotch said as Rane went "Why, you'll find out soon enough"
Rane walked back towards a corner "I won't tell you anything, you wish I could, you all wish I would just be more open about this, but, then I would have to kill you, now wouldn't I?" she tilted her head in a bit of a 'I told you so' look. "What are you talking about?" Reid commented confused "You don't really want to know" "Yes we do, Rane" Rossi stated as Hotch agreed. "You are all my family and I love you..." Rane didn't say a name to that, but, she took a blade she had with her in her back pocket slitting her own throat as scratches and bruises appeared on her body before she drew her blade across while the team seemed too frozen to move until she collapsed and darkness covered everything...
Sitting up with a startling shake, Hotch puts his head in his hands "What was that?" he asked himself knowing no one was around, he layed back down trying to re call the dream. Why did he have a bad feeling that something was going to happen- then his phone went off as he picked it up by instinct and said "Hello?" Hotch listened for a moment quickly replying "Right, I'll be right there" getting up he took a quick shower getting dressed and leaving for work. He was so distracted by the dream, everything about it felt so real to him, but, being a dream it should mean nothing shouldn't it? So why was it bothering him so much...
Hotch later made it to work at a reasonable time going into the conference room they seeing Rane not there yet. "Where's Ranie?" he asked using her nickname that everyone called her. "She said she will be late, we'll inform her later" Rossi said as he noticed the way Hotch's expression changed "What's wrong, Hotch?" Hotch shook his head "Nothing, what's the case?" they start talking about what happened to those criminals being killed by someone else going around getting so-called Justice.
"We need to figure out who is taking out these people and why" Hotch said throwing the file down on the table, nothing about the character suited any of the suspects; "I don't get it, why doesn't anything match up?" Morgan questioned, even Reid wasn't sure about the file itself as he said "I can only imagine it would fit someone as dark and twisted...more than those we have on our suspects list" anyone could tell that Reid was trying to put this together all in his mind.
Everything everyone was saying had happened in his dream, just no Rane, so where was she, and why was she late? After talking about the case, Rane had managed to gather her things, and get herself onto the plane before them. She was sitting in a chair already asleep as the others walked onto the plane they would take to go about their case. "Looks like someone is tired" Morgan said as he walked over putting his bag up as well as the others. Hotch, Reid, Morgan, Rossi, and even Penelope was on this case. Well, so was Ranie, but, right now she didn't seem of any use to them.
The plane already took off not waking her up, so Rossi tried to wake her up himself "Hey, Ranie, time to talk about the case" Ranie blinked knowing where she was and who was waking her up for whatever reason "Sorry" she yawned, "Didn't get enough sleep last night, so what's up?" she asked pulling out a bottle of sode on the floor next to her labeled "Mountain dew" everyone else was dressed in their usual, but, Ranie was dressed...differently.
Normally she would wear short sleeves, a jacket on her waist or near her, and capris or pants. Though today she had on blue jeans, her usual sneakers, and a long sleeve shirt that covered her arms even though where they were going, it was going to be warm. Rane looked at the other confused "What?" "Why are you wearing long sleeves and we're going to Florida?" Morgan raised a brow catching Reid's attention "Because I can" she answered "It doesn't matter, we need to brief you on the case" Hotch stated. "Is that all? I already know about it. So now we relax till we get there" she yawned again and something from the dream grabbed Hotch's attention.
"Do you know something we don't know, Rane?" Rossi asked her wondering what it was that she was hiding from the rest of the team.
"Rane, can I speak with you alone?" Hotch said after they got to the hotel rooms which were connected for their use. Hotch was rooming with Rane while Rossi roomed with Reid and Morgan roomed with Penelope as it was a planned set up that they later could easily switch around if they needed to. "Huh? Sure" Rane walked into their bedroom hearing the door close and lock behind them both. Ranie and Hotch were alone now, it helped the rooms would be almost sound proof, as in no one really could hear much of what goes inside unless the door was or would be open.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Rane asked knowing he hadn't used her nickname like usual so this must be something of importance for him to want to speak to her alone about. Rane grew even more quiet when she saw the look that Hotch was giving her and stayed silent looking at the floor. "Aren't you bothered by the heat out here in that shirt?" Hotch asked as Ranie shook her head "No" though she was lying of course, the heat was almost a bit too hot for her, and she was beginning to over heat. "Why are you wearing long sleeves in this weather, Rane" Hotch questioned stopping her from going to the door when she had tried.
Unexpectantly Rane stumbled losing her balance while trying to head to the door, but, Hotch caught her "Hey" Rane mumbled "I'm okay..." she was trying to catch her breath from almost passing out from the heat that built up while wearing her long sleeve shirt, no matter how thin it was. Hotch helped her to the bed as she sat there laying down "Why don't you stop over heating yourself and change into something cooler?" Hotch asked "Don't want to" Rane answered. "Why not?" Hotch asked not getting an answer from her. When he walked out of the room to the connecting bathroom, he wondered if somehting was wrong, was she hurt or something?
Placing the cool rag on her forehead as she laid on her side his expression was filled with concern. Hotch knew she wore a tank top under everything she had on and helped removed the sweater without waking her up. She had on a blank, dark green tank top; what bothered him was her arms in bandages as he began to unwrap them wanting to know more...she had deep scratches along her arms..."What did you do?" he asked in a confused whisper even though she was probably asleep. 'If she didn't want anyone to know about this, then maybe I should play along as if I don't know. Wait, she is going to find out sooner or later that I know' Hotch thought to himself while then moved the blanket to cover her arms up as he opened the bedroom door walking outside shutting it.
Penelope was the only one in the room now besides Rane (in the bedroom) and Hotch. "Where are the others?" Hotch asked her "Oh they went ahead without you guys" Hotch noticed it had been fifteen minutes since he asked to speak with Rane. "Hey, Garcia, you wouldn't happen to have any thin, plain, arm warmers would you?" Garcia listened to the question asked by Hotch "Uh yea, I think I have some, but, they're really not your type..." Garcia thought adding "Oh you meant for Ranie. Yea, but, they might not be her side considering how small she is. It's probably best to go out and buy them"
"Okay, thanks Garcia. Don't let her leave the room if she gets up, she has a slight fever" Hotch stated grabbing his keys and heading outside where Rossi was waiting for him "She still sleeping?" Rossi asked Hotch "Yea, we should leave her alone" they climbed into the black vehicle "You know, you shouldn't bother her about her arms" Rossi brought up the subject "You know?" Hotch asked surprised "I found out the first couple of days I started to notice it when we had victims, children that were losing their families for no reason" oh the case where the children were killing their families and too young to be prosecuted. There wasn't much of a reason for that case except for the fact they just wanted to do it.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Hotch asked "Wasn't my place to tell, I didn't know the reason behind it either, and it was just a hunch. After we work on this case, we'll find her some way of covering it without over doing it with a sweater in this heat" they went to the scene beginning to work, soon enough Ranie did wake up, but, since the team didn't need her right there she went out to the beach telling Garcia she wanted to relax for a bit. Rane was out there for hours until the team came back with less luck than when they started not finding anything. Hotch noticed the room door opened asking "Where is she?" Garcia answered him "Beach, by the pier"
Hotch sighed taking off his work jacket and looking at the door walking out of it and down to the beach. The others decided to change and go take a walk to relax, but, would wait for the two of them to talk. There wasn't anything between Ranie and Hotch, just a friendship, and the others may have had their doubts, but, they had no actual proof. Ranie wasn't the dating type and she said that many times whenever they would ask, talk, or bring up the subject.