Derek

Two days later, we had caught our latest unsub. Thanks to us, that son of a bitch was going to be put away for a long time.

I was glad of what we had accomplished in two days. Catching him wasn't an easy task. And, while doing that, some of us may or may not have forgotten to sleep.

"Morgan, you look like a freaking zombie," Garcia exclaimed over the webcam, "And Stevenson, you look no better!"

"Gee thanks Pen, love you too," Grace mumbled

"She's right. We just have a few loose ends to tie up tonight. Why don't you two head back to the hotel and actually use the rooms to sleep?" Hotch said.

"Well, I'm sorry I couldn't sleep when there was a psychotic killer on the loose!" Grace replied, "but… if you insist, I'll take you up on that offer."

Grace

We pulled up to the hotel, Derek parking the SUV.

"Ah, I can't wait to sleep," I admitted as we got out of the car.

"Me neither," he replied.

He locked the car and I couldn't help but jump at the loud beep. Then I started to laugh, and I couldn't stop.

"I, I think we really need some sleep," I gasped between breaths while Derek looked at me with amazement.

"You really are something Stevenson."

We entered the building and I asked the hotel clerk for the room key that opened all of the rooms the team was in.

"Remember, I'm right next to you. Better not have one of your girls in there. I want to sleep," I joked.

"What has Garcia been saying about me?" he retorted with a smirk on his face.

"Nothing, nothing at all…" I replied, laughing.

"Cause you know, it isn't true," he continued.

"Oh does big bad Derek Morgan care what some random girl thinks about him?" I laughed.

He was quiet for a second. "…You're not some random girl."

I blushed and looked around awkwardly.

We walked to our rooms in silence and I opened up my door.

"I can see a bed," I sighed, "I never knew I could be so excited to sleep!"

"That's what this job will do to you. Well, see you in the morning Grace. Good night," he said with a smile.

With that, he entered his room and closed the door behind him.

I looked around the simply decorated hotel room, thinking about all that had happened in the past few days.

My first case and we had solved it in two days. The little girl was back with her parents and no one else was going to be hurt by that sick bastard.

I never thought I could accomplish something like this. Never knew I could be part of a team, a family, like this. It was an amazing thought.

No one had ever believed in me, except for myself, but I had still managed to make it this far.

I put on shorts and a tank top and laid down in bed. I felt around for a light switch and turned the light off.

Finally, peace and quiet.

Derek

I changed quickly and sat on the bed. I didn't even know how to process the quiet.

All this time at the BAU and I still wasn't used to it. Doing nothing.

I sat there for some time, my mind racing. Yet another child molester and murderer had been arrested.

That thought brought me back to the previous case, the one that paralleled that of Carl Buford.

He couldn't hurt me anymore. I was a grown man, and he was behind bars.

Damn it, what was I even doing thinking about the past? It was the past for a reason.

I shook the thoughts from my mind and closed my eyes. Sleep had to come eventually.

Grace

I woke up with a start, swearing that I had heard a scream.

I looked at the clock, three in the morning.

It had to be the case getting to me, I reasoned. Then I heard it again.

"NO! NO, STOP IT!"

It sounded like Derek. Oh god. What was I going to do?

I raced out of my room and quickly opened his door.

What was I doing? I had no gun, I hadn't even taken the gun permit test yet.

I ran into the room holding a vase, prepared to smash whoever was in there with it.

What shocked me was that there was no one. Only Derek, thrashing around in his bed.

"HELP! NO, STOP! PLEASE!"

His arms and legs were flaying every which way as I slowly made my way over there.

I had to wake him up, right?

I put a hand on his shoulder and tried to shake him awake, when suddenly his arm hit me with enormous force.

I slammed into the wall and everything went black.