Chapter One

What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other? - George Elliott

The FBI's Behavioural Analysis Unit was quite well known all through out America. So Detective Lauren Lewis shouldn't have been so surprised at how busy the office was. As she walked into the drab square room from the elevator people paid little attention to her, just hurrying about with the tasks at hand. Her gaze flicked over the hustle and bustle of the room but didn't see the figure she was looking for. Tapping the closest person on the shoulder they turned to face her obviously annoyed at her interruption.

"I'm looking for Hotch—" She stumbled on her words, knowing she probably shouldn't refer to him so informally here. "Agent Hotchner." She corrected. The man nodded in recognition of the name and simply pointed to an office up a level. Lauren thanked the man but he simply grunted and walked off.

With effort, Lauren just managed to maze through the sea of people without getting bumped into. The door to Hotch's office was already open with him sat at his desk pouring over some papers encased within a brown file.

"You got the case file then?" Lauren asked unable to not smile at seeing Hotch. He looked up straight away. Aaron Hotchner was the head of the BAU and looked the part. He was tall with dark hair and a scowl that could bring down the most stubborn of men. But his usual emotionless face was replaced by a very small smile as he stood and moved to her. She went to hug Hotch but saw him look disapprovingly at her action so instead shook his hand.

"I did get the files." He answered. "We would be happy to help."

"I am glad to hear you say that." Lauren admitted with a sigh. "NYPD has been stuck since the case began." She took a seat as he also returned to his previous place behind his desk. "I feel so useless. There is no physical evidence at the scenes, they are pristine." Her brow creased in confusion and annoyance. "I'm so stuck on this one, Hotch."

"Have you come up with any kind of profile on the unsub?" He asked, not only interested but testing her.

"I think he's a collector. And I am pretty sure he's not killing them just for the satisfaction of murder."

"Is that it?"

"Like I said, I'm really stuck on this one." Her voice was strained revealing how tired she really was. Lauren hadn't slept much for the past two weeks since the killings began and it was beginning to affect her work, this was what worried her the most. She hated not being at her best, it meant she missed things.

"Well, let's talk to the rest of the team. They may be able to come up with something new." Hotch stood once again and headed out, taking the case files with him.

Lauren stayed behind for a moment just looking over Hotch's office. It suited him. There were few pictures or decorations. It was quite plain but had an imposing presence, just walking into it made you feel like you were walking in to a headmaster's office. She smiled, it had been so long since she had seen him last, there was a small hope in her that they could catch up some whilst working on the case together. Standing from her place she moved out ready to meet the rest of the team. Although she was quite used to meeting new people a small surge of butterflies made her stomach lighter. Being a Detective in the NYPD gave her a feel of authority over others at times but these people were the best of the best, and she just hoped she wouldn't seem so amateurish to them all.

Hotch had already begun before Lauren reached the room the team had assembled in. Taking a deep breath she entered.

"The killer has already struck three times in two weeks." Hotch walked in front of a board, already detailing parts of the case. "The unsub always places a flower in the victim's hair, leading to the name the media have given him—"

"The Hibiscus Killer." Lauren chimed in. She didn't really mean to interrupt Hotch, it's just she wanted to make her presence known. A group of eyes suddenly fell on her and she could feel each member of the team quickly making judgements of her.

"This is Detective Lauren Lewis of the NYPD." Hotch introduced. "She is the one who has asked for our help." He turned back to the mix of people that made up the BAU. "This is Agent David Rossi," The man Hotch introduced was obviously the eldest member of the team, but Lauren had already heard of him knowing he was one of the founding fathers of the BAU. "Agents Emily Prentiss and Derek Morgan." Emily was pretty with dark hair and a warm smile, Morgan was handsome, dark and giving her a broad grin. Hotch continued the introductions, "This is Agent Jennifer Jareau, our media liason."

"JJ is just fine." The woman resoponded and smiled. She was blonde and again, pretty. Lauren began to wonder if being attractive was one of the requirements of getting a position in this team.

"And this is Dr Spencer Reid." Hotch finished. Lauren looked over the man. He was young, she guessed more her age than the others in the room. He was tall, lanky and the most obvious geek. His hair was quite long and his outfit consisted of a shirt, tie knitted pullover and khaki trousers. He was adorable, but she was sure he wouldn't want to be called that by a woman his age.

"A doctor? At so young?" Lauren asked. She didn't mean to sound disbelieving but she knew that's how it would be interpreted.

"And you're a Detective at so young." Emily commented, it wasn't snide more sounding interested. "And you're not from here are you?" She asked.

"No, I am from jolly old England." Lauren replied with a smile. "I'm sorry if the accent is off putting, I can't get the hang of Americanisms yet." The joke was met with a few laughs which seemed to calm some of the tension in the air.

"Shall we continue?" Hotch asked.

Spencer was surprised to say the least at the newcomer; not only with Detective Lauren Lewis' young age and law enforcement status but also her seemingly informal relationship with Hotch. She didn't really look like the police type. Though Spencer didn't really know what he would class a 'police type', he just knew she didn't fit that category. She was shorter than him with blonde hair pulled back into a knot. With dark brown eyes that contrasted with her pale skin she looked quite unique although the thing that he noticed the most was that she really was beautiful.

"Our new case is in New York." Hotch said, bringing Spencer back from his thoughts. Spencer had been to New York a few times now, the huge masses of people there made him anxious but he was happy to go where the case led him.

"Three murders so quick?" Morgan asked referring to Hotch's earlier statement whilst flicking through the crime scene photos.

"Yes," Hotch replied simply. "He is a sophisticated killer and my guess would be he has killed before to perfect his method but only now have his murders been recognised."

"Yeah, he seems to be a collector." Detective Lewis added, a serious expression now adorning her feminine features.

"What makes you think this?" Morgan asked.

"At each crime scene he has left a Polaroid of the victim next to their body and a trinket, usually a piece of jewellery has been taken." She explained. "But I don't think it's the trophy he is really interested in."

"Most serial killers will usually take some kind of trophy, just to remember the killing with at least." Spencer said confused by her statement.

"I know, but I don't think he is killing them for the sake of murder. I think he is trying to capture them." She moved to the table and selected one of the pictures. It displayed the body of a woman sat slumped on a porch seat. "See how she is dressed? How she is positioned?" Detective Lewis asked. "They are so carefully placed, their clothing similar, their hair done to perfection. Even their make up is like a model's." Spencer looked carefully at the photos of the three victims, each were similarly dressed and positioned as she had said. "And the hibiscus flower in their hair, it means rare or delicate beauty. I think he is trying to capture their splendour, their beauty." The whole team were silent for a moment, each obviously contemplating the thought.

"You know about profiling?" Morgan asked interrupting the quiet.

"I do, I had a good teacher." Spencer caught her glance at Hotch and smile. "Profiling helps when working with the NYPD. But this one I think we will need help on ourselves."

"We will meet you on the plane in twenty." Hotch said finally before nodding to the team and heading away. Detective Lewis followed suit and headed out. Spencer watched her go. He couldn't help but wonder how she knew Hotch. They must be quite close, he surmised, Detectives rarely flew in personally to ask for the BAU's assistance.