Peter smiled and gladly anticipated the warmth of a hot shower and his gorgeous wife as he steered toward home.
SSA Derek Morgan leaned back against the heavy wooden desk and sighed wearily. He had been staring at this board for a good hour or so and now the smallest things were distracting his sleepy mind. Things like Reid's neat handwriting caught his attention and he found himself subconsciously analysing it, noting how unusually feminine his handwriting was with its curvature slant. Morgan groaned, scolding himself and quickly deciding to go grab another cup of coffee before he went insane. Nothing on the board had leapt out at him, no sudden brilliant theories of how to catch the psychopath who was mysteriously drowning innocent young men.
There was barely anyone in the New York detective department at this time of night, only a few unfortunate officers dozing in their chairs. Morgan smiled as he saw FBI Liaison Agent Jennifer Jareau already at the counter in the small kitchen area, the aroma of rich, brewing coffee filling Morgan's nostrils as he approached. JJ was oblivious to his presence as he came up behind her, absentmindedly pouring her fresh brew into a cup sipping it tentatively.
"Hey JJ."
She whirled around startled and almost dropped her new drink on the ground but steadied it just in time. Placing a hand on her chest in a gesture of a racing heart she smiled weakly at Morgan's grinning face.
"Morgan, you scared me."
Morgan laughed gently "That's me, all big and scary."
He punched her amicably on the shoulder and her smile grew wider as she turned around and swiftly handed him another cup of the gorgeously warm coffee.
"Thanks," Morgan replied gratefully, taking a large gulp in an attempt to heat himself up "Well done on the press conference today, you did really well."
JJ nodded appreciatively as she leant back against the white counter top "I just wish we had been called in sooner, the killer's going to abduct another victim any day now and I'm left feeling unsure if we can do anything to stop it."
"Don't worry JJ, we'll find this guy." Morgan paused before continuing "Anyway it's unlikely we could do much anyway, we barely have enough on this guy and we kinda need something to go on. Though I hope it's some kind of public tip off rather than another adduction."
JJ bit her lip tensely and set the cup down beside her "Hotch and Reid are down at the mortuary, apparently a lead on where the men may be being drowned and Rossi and Blake are checking out with the local weather station to try and work out when the kidnapping is most likely going to take place…but it's a bit of a stab in the dark. All we can do is warn as many as we can and send a few more patrols out to canvas the area but New York's a big city, Morgan. It could happen anywhere."
Morgan bowed his head and observed the swirling pattern on the surface of the liquid, uncertain of how to answer his friend's confession. Finally JJ exhaled and picked up her cup, this time taking a long gulp and gazing out the nearby window.
"The weather's getting really bad, I'll call Hotch and Rossi then we should meet back up at the hotel. I don't know about you but I'm exhausted and I would certainly feel better if I had a good night's sleep and come back in the morning with fresh eyes."
Morgan nodded, sucking the last of the bitter fluid that suddenly seemed so much less delicious and straightened, mumbling an agreement before tossing the empty cup in the open bin. It bounced on the lid once and fell inside and Morgan gave a small cheer of satisfaction; taking pleasure in JJ's giggle and light applause as they headed out, snatching up their belongings.
Just as they reached the elevator, Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia rushed out of the hallway behind them with a slight squeal as she skidded across the smooth floor and almost barrelled into Morgan. She titled perilously but Morgan his strong arm out, catching her as she tipped and setting her back on her feet with a amused glint in his deep, chocolaty-brown eyes.
"Woah Baby-girl, where you rushing too?"
Garcia's grateful look turned into a poignant frown as she studied Morgan then JJ.
"To you of course! I do need a ride to the hotel too you know!" she exploded dramatically, gesticulating wildly in her usual flamboyant way and poking Morgan painfully in the chest "You should be ashamed of yourself, hot stuff, leaving a defenceless young lady such as myself to face the dangers of the taxis of New York."
JJ chuckled, wrapping an arm around Garcia in an apologetic manor as well as a sisterly one.
"We are so sorry Garcia, I totally forgot you were still working; it was my fault."
Garcia gave a slight harrumph before striding into the empty elevator as the door opened; her vivid red heels clicking on the floor as she did so. Morgan glanced at JJ who shrugged at him and followed the analyst's lead. With a mock-despairing shake of his head, Morgan hopped inside beside Garcia, tapping the button impatiently as the large metal doors shut behind him.