Hi guys, this is the first time I've written a note at the beginning of a story!
I hope everyone enjoyed reading the stories, please let me know if you think anythings wrong.
They're all pretty long, so let me know if you think they're too much, also.
Thanks so much for reading.


Chapter Three; Larisas POV

I walked into the Bureau the next day carrying my stupidly heavy duffle bag with overnight clothes, among other things in. Yesterday Agent Hotchner has told me I had to have one, so when we got a case I didn't have to waste time running home to pick my stuff up.

After dropping it under my desk I entered the conference room and found Agent Morgan sitting looking through a case file.

'Hi,' I muttered, feeling kind of shy actually. I mean, yeah we got introduced yesterday but hardly and now I was all alone in the big office with him.

He looks up and looks kind of mildly suprised to see me.

'Your in early aren't you?' he questions.

'Yeaah, I figured I should get here early, make a good impression, you know?'

He sort of chuckles at me and I feel like a little kid whos just done something to make her older brother laugh.

'Well...everyone else won't be here for at least another 20 minutes, or ten in Reids case, so just sit, chill out, make yourself a cup of coffee and yeah, just get ready. I was talking to JJ last night before I turned in and she thinks we have a case, just outside of Seattle.. Gruesome murders obviously, just wonderful for your first case,' hes kind of laughing at me and I feel hella stupid. I'd also kind of excited. A case! My first real case!

'Well, I actually had a coffee before I left my house and I live like ten minutes from here so I don't really want any cafeine...I'll make you one if you want though,' I offered.

'Nah kid its cool. Sit down, have a chat. Your names Larisa right?'

I nod.

'Well mostly we go by last names around here, except for JJ, but your last names kind of a mouthful so I'm guessing we'll be calling you Larisa. Why the long last name?'

'My dads last name was Parker and my moms is Kennedy...they broke up when I was kind of young. So my mom added her name in. Pretty stupid I guess. Always made me unique though,'

'Honey, with a face like that you couldn't get anymore unique,' he smiles and I grin back.

'So, your from the Big Apple right?'

'Yeaah, I am,' I grin with memories of my beautiful hometown. I've missed it alot since I moved all the way over here. Quantincos nice, but its not exactly NYC.

'What made you join the Bureau? I mean, its kind of a change from Vogue,'

'Well actually, its complicated. In College I did Criminal Pyschology because thats what I wanted to do. But the Dean wanted me to do two others aswell as that and my best friend Gracey was doing Media and my other best friend James was doing Photojournalism. So thats how I ended up with those qualifications. Then we moved back, Gracey got a job on Vogue as a sub editor and she asked me to join with her. I didn't have anything else going on, no openings in the Bureau so I joined with her. James became a model now and he partially runs a nightclub,' Put like that, I sounded like some directionless retard who always follows the herd. I silently damned myself. Also, bit of a speech. I made a mental note to stick to smaller sentences.

'I think those qualifications might actually be among some of the most helpful I've ever heard from anyone,' Morgan remarked, looking up at the ceiling.

'You do? Why?' I was kind of shocked to be honest with you.

'Well, I'm guessing you had to spend alot of time working with people and trying to get quotes aswell as finding out the truth from people. Also, with all the celebrity rumours going around, you had to work out what the truth was and what the fiction and what the grey was in between. I'd say that makes you pretty damn qualified for this job,' he finished.

I was shocked to say the least. I never even thought about it like that.

'Look kid, don't feel intimidated. They only put the best on here and the high up guys wouldn't have put you here if they didn't think you could do it. I know we're kind of intimdating sometimes, and Reid will make you feel like a three year old who can't spell their own name, but just do your best. Your best will be good enough,' he said, reading the question about to leave my mouth.

I sat back and thought about this. This team worked hard together and they obviously had a good group dynamic. But from the impressions JJ, Emily and Morgan were giving me, they wanted to have me here. I felt a ton more comfortable.

'What do you mean about Reid?' I asked.

'Well, hes great guy, of course. But hes super smart. Now your only 22 with three degrees, so I'm going push the boat out and say your above average smarts too. But your alot more sociable than Reid, so it doesn't count, and maybe you'll be able to synch with him better than the rest of us. But when he starts sprouting off more things in one sentence than the rest of us learn in a year, he can make you feel kind of dumb. It happens to all of us. But don't worry. Just do your best and trust your instincts. Thats the best advice I can possibly give you,' he sits back in his chair after this speech and I pause for a moment to think it over.

Hes probably really right. This team has been going a while. I just have to try my best and it'll all work out. I smile and feel genuinely completely relaxed.

'Thanks Agent Morgan,' I say, happily.

'Its just Morgan. Cut the 'Agent' crap, unless we're in front of public or anyone else,' he seems amused by my formality.

'Of course. So what do you know about the case?' I change the subject slightly.

Whatever he was about to say is interrupted when JJ comes in. JJ's actual name is Jennifer Jareau, but everyone calls her JJ, and she laughed at me when I tried to call her Agent Jareau, so I think I'm gonna just call her JJ. They don't seem all that formal around here, which is nice. But yeah, JJ's seriously gorgeous. Totally all american girl with big blue eyes and blonde hair. Even her little baby bump is totally cute. Shes tiny aswell. I'm only wearing four inch heels today, but I still kind of tower over her.

'Hey guys, wondered where you were! Briefing starts in 10,' She smiles really broadly and her eyes light up. I stand up to take the file she carrying off her and she gasps.

'What? What is it?,' I yelp, thinking theres a spider on me or something.

'Nothing, its nothing...just that dress. You look amazing Larisa!' She says, her eyes wide open.

'Thanks...this dress is nothing special really! Its just Luella!' I grin embarassedly at JJs reaction to it. It really is nothing special. Just a black taffeta bustier with puffball skirt. I'm wearing it with a cute cardi too, gray and pink leopard print. Obviously pink tights too.

'Are all of your clothes like that?' JJ questions as we sit down on the table.

'Yeaah pretty much...I worked on Vogue remember? Alot of designers tried to get into the magazine by giving us free stuff,' I'm giggling as I remember all the things various designers gave us. My favourite was a floor length Alexander McQueen gown he gave me after I wrote up one of his parties.

'Wow,' JJ says open mouthed.

Just after this exchange, which Morgan watched, throughly amused, Reid walked in. And slopped half a cup of coffee on the floor.

'Sorry! Sorry, I just got a shock, I er, didn't...' he trails off while smiling embarassedly.

We're distracted from Reids accident by Emily Prentiss, the nice lady who really looked after me yesterday. Agents Rossi and Hotchner are right behind her. Reid hurriedly sat down in his chair, across from me. He looks up at me, and gives this funny little wave. It just brought to mind Napoleon Dynamite. Don't ask me why like!

'Right, everyone ready?' JJ asked, as she stood up. We all nod or make some form of OK gesture.

'Ok, there have been 10 murders in the last two months in a small town in Washington. Its called Port Orchard and its a real small town, everyone know everyone, so theres alot of hysteria. Victims had their throats cut and a small circular symbol carved into their foreheads. Police can't find any links between victims, which is the main reason they called for us. Victims are Emma Preston, 17 years old, Rachel Thompson, 18 years old, Beverly Hicks, 18 years old, Stacey Moore, 22 years old, Hannah Jones, 25 years old, Beth Harriman, 26 years old, Genevive Ibbot, 24 years old, Karen O'Connell, 19 years old, Alison Porting, 29 years old and Melissa-Jayne Merrelle, 32 years old,'

As JJ spoke, she clicked a remote at the wall screen and pictures of both the girls alive and the crime scene pictures taken after their deaths showed up.

Agent Rossi spoke up.

'Has anyone identified the symbol?'

'No, whatever it is, its not commonly used. I had Garcia run it through the computers and she got nothing, so the FBI have never dealt with whatever that particular symbol stands for before,'

'Are the girls tortured, or raped before death?' Morgan says, tapping his pen on the desk.

'No, they're just found on the streets, in semi public places. From what the detective on the case said, they're taken from behind and their throats slashed straight away. Whoever does this isn't sadistic,' JJ answers confidently.

'Right, wheels up in 20 minutes, Prentiss, look after Agent Parker-Kennedy if you would,' Agent Hotchner says before leaving the room.

Agent Rossi follows after him, pulling his cell phone out and dialling a number.

'I'm gonna go visit Garcia before we leave, I haven't seen that goddess in three days,' Morgan says as he strides from the room.

I stare around, kind of wide eyed, and look at Emily for help as to what to do.

'Did you bring a bag with clothes and stuff in?' She questions and I nod, feeling intelligent for remembering.

'Right, well go grab it off your desk, make sure you have everything you need, and Reid, could you take her down to the front and wait, cause my bags still in the locker room and I oughter run if we only have 20 minutes,' Emily smiles at me. 'Don't worry, Reid will take care of you, or I'll sick my mom on him, and no one wants that,' With this she dashes from the room.

JJ stuffs a few case files into a box and picks it up, while she goes to leave the room.

'Hey, not in your condition missus! Lemme get those!' I yelp, grabbing the box from her. I have a thing about pregnant woman, I'm always terrified they're going to hurt themselves. No idea why, I barely even know any people who are pregnant/have been pregnant.

'Thanks Larisa. I hope you brought something to read..cause this is going to be one bitch of a long flight,' JJ smiles at me. 'You gonna be ok with Spence there? Only I really need to dash and call William, let him know I'm going away. Usually they give us an hour before wheels up, thats why everyones like a headless chicken at the minute,' I nodd at her and she leaves the room in a hurry.

I turn to Reid and see him staring at the picture JJ left up on the board. Its the symbol the unsub carved into the victims foreheards.

'Whats up?' I question lightly.

'Nothing...its just this symbol, I'm sure I've seen it before somewhere, just don't know where,'

'Well I'm sure there'll be lots of time to work it out when we get to Port Orchard, at least, I assume there will be. Since this is my first time and everything,' I blush slightly at the innuendo of that sentence.

'Of course! I'm so sorry, I completely forgot. Wheels up means the cars will be waiting outside to get us in whatever time Hotch specified. In this case, 20 minutes. Then we'll go to the airport, and in about an hour, we'll be in the air ready to fly out,' He explains.

I nod and we leave the room, pick up our bags and stagger down the stairs since neither of us want to try to elevators. We find Agents Hotch and Rossi already waiting out at the carpark and we stand beside them, while me and Reid talk about the possible origins of the symbol. Now he'd mentioned it, the symbol seemed to ring a bell with me too. I had no idea what though.

Morgan came out too, soon after us and dropped his black bag to the floor next to us. Then the two of them gave me a nice description of the jet (they lied alot...it doesn't have a marble bath) and after that JJ and Emily came out of the building carrying excessively large bags with them. We all cimbed in the black SUVs, which had very comfy leather seats, I have to say, and we started the short drive to the airport.

Without a doubt, it was the quickest, and nicest check in I ever did. So after the check in we all settled down on the jet. Agent Rossi sat on a chair at the back, with the case file spread on the table in front of him. Agent Hotchner sat on the back chair at the other side of the jet with his head leaned back, catching up on sleep, I guess.

Reid lay down on the couch almost as soon as we got on the jet and was definately asleep, while me, Morgan, Emily and JJ sat on the four chairs around a table, just talking about life and stuff in general. Morgan filled me in on the nightlife in Quantico while Emily and JJ regailed me with tales of funny things that had happen in the office. A particular one, something to do with 'pyschics magic' had them in fits while me and Morgan just sat and looked confused. Then, after about an hour, a fax machine at the rear of the plane beeped and JJ stood up to go get the fax. As she sat down again and started to read through it, I started to tell a story about a fashion show I covered once that was absolutely disastrous. But before I even go to the point where the model had a chandelier fall on her, JJ interrupted me.

'Sorry Larissa, but everyone need to listen to this. Hotch, David, you guys listening?' JJ yelled. After two affirmatives she told me to reach over and wake up Reid. I reached over and poked him. After a few minutes, when he was awake and both Agents Hotch and Rossi were sitting next to him on the couch JJ began to speak again.

'We have a new victim. Her name is Clare Keere and she's a 22 year old woman, with two children. She was found behind a dumpster on Pottery Avenue, just 20 feet away from the police station which suggests the unsub is getting bolder. Same MO, throat cut from behind and she had the symbol carved into her foreheard,' JJ shuddered as she finished.

'Well, that close to a police station, isn't there video footage which might show us the kind of guy we're looking for?' Emily said, pretty good question as far as I can see.

'Stragegically placed tree basically makes it useless, though they do have the footage,'

'Right team, listen up. With a murder in the last 24 hours, we're going to have to move quickly. We're going to land at aproximately 1pm, Washington time and we should be at the Police Headquaters for 2pm, at the latest. I want us all to work till around 9pm tonight,' Hotch began, 'David and Morgan, I'll accompany you two and we'll visit each of the crime scenes, try and work out how he does his killing, does he have anywhere to hide, that kind of thing. Emily and JJ, I'd like the two of you to visit each of the victims family, find out if their daughters acted any different, if they had new friends, if they'd changed in the weeks or months before their deaths. You know what to ask. Reid and Larisa, I want both of you to set up shop in the Police Station, try and find a link between our victims, and find out what that symbol means. We'll all meet up at the Police HQ at 7pm sharp please, to discuss our finding, and give out a final profile,' Agent Hotchner finished and the rest of the flight continued, in a much more subdued mood.

Me and Emily got to know each other alot better, and I found out shes bi-lingual, which made me smile and when she found out I am too, we were like snap! JJ said it was fully cute. So yeah, we touched down at half past two because of some dumb turbulence or something and then after a brief stop at our hotel, where I found the room very basic, since it was just like cream. With a spinach green dodo rail. It wasn't what I was used to with hotel room, I'll tell you. But then I gave myself a mental shake and I was like, hey, you are so fully not at Vogue anymore, your in the FBI, they don't rent the Ritz!

So we headed out to the police station and again, it was small. Everything in this town was small! Even the Wal-Mart, which we drove past on the way to the hotel. The police detective in charge of the investigation, Detective Jason Chavasse, seemed really glad to see us, and even happier to hand over the investigation, probably because it was a huge riddle. Then he introduced us to the rest of his staff, who were all very respectful, which was way nice, I have to say. They even opened the door for me and said 'Ladies first,'

Then me and Reid were left to set up in the conference room while everyone went out on their appointed tasks. Reid set himself down on the table with a pile of books and started to flick through them, at an inhumanely fast speed. But I didn't bother to question it, because Emily had told me he could read something like 200,000 words per minute, or something like that anyways. While he read through his books, I set out the board, with each victim in columns. At the top of every column I put a picture of the girl before her death. Mostly drivers license pictures, or passport pictures. Under those was a small card JJ had created with vital sats on, like hair colour, eye colour, height and weight. And under the cards I stuck up the crime scene pictures of the girls. At the bottom of every column, I attached a picture of the symbol which has been carved into each girls forehead. Then I sat myself down with a pencil and a pad of paper and started at the pictures waiting for inspiration, or lightening to strike.

I made alot of notes, and although me and Reid worked in silence, it wasn't an uncomfortable silence, it was a nice, quiet, companionable silence. Occasionally, he'd find some reference and we'd discuss it, but by half past five, nearly six pm, we were both frustrated.

'I just can't seem to find this symbol anywhere. It doesn't correspond with anything I can find!' Reid sounded pretty desperate, I'm telling you. Earlier in the afternoon, he'd called a girl called Penelope Garcia, and had her run the symbol through every search engine she could find. She came up with some hits which were close, but not entirely similar, and Reid had spent a long time going through them, although only after he was done reading the hundred or so books he'd gotten from the library across the street, which he decided could contain an answer.

'Well, what do you know about it? Even if you haven't found it, you must have found some things about it, right?' I questioned.

He looked grateful for my support.

'I'd sumise that its Greek, probably Ancient Greek. But I can't find it in any legends whatsoever,' He sighed in loud frustration.

'There are thousands of Greek legends, many lost, or only found sporadically, so its not suprising. Maybe your looking at it the wrong way? Maybe its not what the symbol itself as a whole stands for, maybe its the parts of the symbol? To me, it looks like different parts joining together to make one...but thats just me. I'm probably wrong,' I sighed myself and collapsed back into my chair.

'No, no you could be onto something. The parts of the symbol, not the symbol as a whole...interesting theory,' He half looked away into space and I felt a sudden rush of fondness. While locked in this room with him for best part of an afternoon, I'd been able to observe his little habits and they all further fueled my small crush on Reid.

'How about you, what do you have?' He asked me, in return for my interest on his area of work.

'Well, not alot to be honest. These girls didn't do the same things, they didn't go out with the same people, they weren't the same religion, they didn't go to the same schools. And theres no physical similarites either, except they all dyed their hair black. Or if not black, a darker brown shade,' I sighed, feeling suddenly sad as he reminded me of my lack of progress. I'd gone through every record I could find of these girls, including their credit historys for 30 days before they died and found absolutely nothing to link them.

'Well, your looking for the obvious connection. Look for the one thats unobvious. Usually, its the link that takes a little digging to unearth, thats the one thats important. Try and look over it with fresh eyes, think outside the box, thats all the advice I can give you,' Reid rubbed his eyes with his fingers and then looked again at the pictures of the girls.

'I don't know how to look over with a fresh eye though!' I whined, feeling like a kid all of a sudden.

'Ok, well listen to me. Go over in your mind facts from the case. Then look at the pictures and information, and whatever strikes you, look into that. That could be the link you need, something which will LINK the victims together, thereby telling us who our unsub is killing, and maybe why hes killing,' Reid said, very supportively I might say.

I closed my eyes and let JJ's voice roll back into my head, stating facts about the case. Then I opened my eyes and stared at the first picture of the first victim. The first picture taken post mortem, that is.

'Thats wierd.' I said.

Reid jumped from his chair and ran to stand next to me. As our arms brushed I felt a twinge of electricity, but I was too excited about what I'd realised to even think about it.

'Reid, didn't the attacker kill these women from behind?'

'Yes,'

'So there would not have been a struggle?'

'No,'

'Do we have a way to prove that?'

'Yes, coroners reports. There are no marks where the victims tried to defend themselves,'

'Right, so Reid, why do the victims have black eyes?' Triumphantly, I turned to face the board again. Reid moved closer (and my heart skipped at least three beats) and he suddenly turned to face me.

'Your right,'

I smiled, feeling not half like the cat who got the cream! Because, not to blow my own horn or anything but Reid looked really impressed. He suddenly dived for the table and started to flick through the reports. After a minute he stood up straight and and raised his eyebrows.

'Your definately right, not of these reports even begin to mention any bruising, of any kind, which means there wasn't any. So whats creating the darkness around the eyes?' He looked very puzzled as he said that and I nearly laughed aloud, though I managed to turn it into a cough at the last minute.

'Isn't it obvious? Its make up. Dark make up. Black mostly, but probably with a little bit of maybe red, purple, or even pink eyeshadow,' I stated very confidently and then suddenly had a little bit of a realisation that I'd spent the afternoon in a room, alone with the sexy FBI agent I had a good bit of a crush on. And I hadn't flirted once. Dear God, Gracey would kill me if she knew. So I fluttered my eyelashes a little to remedy the situation and promptly forgot about flirting as we began to work on the case once more.

'You could well be right, I'll call the coroner,' Reid said and fished his cell phone out of his pocket and made the call. After a couple of seconds he was nodding down the phone and thanking the coroner.

'They just confirmed that they removed dark, smudged make up from the eyes of each of the victims while they made them presentable for their families,' Reid began, 'So we know all of the victims wore dark eye make up the night they were attacked and murdered, why would it be smudged?'

'Rain, obviously. In all of the crime scene pictures, the ground is wet, so it'd obviously been raining crazy the night before,'

'Well done, this is really excellent work Larisa! But how's it a link?'

He looked mildly confused, bless him.

'Reid, don't you see! Dyed black hair, lots of dark eye make up, and theyre all wearing black on the crime scene pictures. Our unsub is going after goth girls,' I exclaimed.

He looked really shocked for a minute then, and then looked confused. He screwed his eyes up for a second and then his face cleared and he nodded.

'Your almost certainly right,' he said, and sat down again.

'Its almost seven now, so if we wait for everyone to get back from their respective tasks and inveil your theory then?' Reid said, looking up at me.

'Whatever you think Reid,' I smiled, suddenly feeling consious of him now that I wasn't swept up in working stuff out.

So we began to do a little work on the profile and one by one, the team trickled back in. We explained what we'd worked out about the make up, and who the unsub was targetting, and after a brief discussion to settle the profile, Agent Hotchner stood up.

'Everyone ready to give out the profile?'

We all nodded and filed out of the room.