A/N: The next in the series following Dates to Remember. Set in the gap between the last episode of Season six, and the first episode of season seven (which isn't out yet :() Hope you enjoy. Read and Review.

A Road Less Travelled

25 July 2011
20:19pm

"Is there a reason we are all gathered in my hospital room?" Chris questioned, looking around the BAU team members curiously. Morgan sat on a chair in front of the door, gun in his hand, hyper-vigilant. Garcia was sitting on another chair, plugged onto her laptop as she rapidly typed, opposite a window on the left side wall. In the corner of the room, where the wall the door was on, and the window was on met, JJ leaned, her shoes discarded. Rossi sat on a chair under the window, the blinds drawn, and Hotch stood in the corner opposite JJ.

Reid was on Chris's bed with her, Chris leaning back against his chest. They both wore pairs of odd socks, and Reid had on his sunglasses, blocking out the light as a nagging headache began to form. James was asleep in the plastic crib at the end of the bed, under Morgan and Chris's watchful eyes.

"This is the safest place we could possibly be at this time," JJ stated, and Chris hummed. She was feeling drowsy from the medication, and her head lolled onto Reid's shoulders, her eyes drifting shut, before lazily opening again. A sleepy 'why?' passed her lips, and Reid played with her hair idly, mind going at a mile a minute. As if she could tell, she put her fingers on his temple, frowning at him.

"The team is being targeted by an UnSub. We think they may be after revenge for something they believe that we have done wrong," Hotch spoke, and Chris frowned, the words registering in her mind. She mouthed something, trying to formulate a response and failing miserably. She looked up at Reid, feeling strangely helpless. "I believe that our families are safe. The UnSub doesn't seem to want to hurt our loved ones. His grudge is with us."

"What if its a relation to someone we helped put away? Someone that believes that we were wrong in catching the family member? That could be what started this, and then it grew when the UnSub went through a stressor. This could be it finally reaching it's boiling point," Reid stated, his eyes going to Hotch behind his sunglasses. Chris pushed herself up more, swallowing and wincing.

"Ice cream van... there was an ice cream van at the park. I didn't think it was weird because... it's a park, and there are children there. But there were no children at the van. It was there at the beginning of the match, I was going to get the girls an ice lolly each," Chris told them, and JJ paled, looking at the only other mother in the room. Chris stared back at her, suddenly alert. "I saw him, just before I was shot. I didn't realise..."

"An ice-cream van blends in. No one would suspect it, whether it was accepting customers or not," Rossi stated, and Garcia looked up, her eyes shifting slowly.

"I bought an ice-cream. Derek and Kevin came with me," she trembled, a flash of fear with her. Morgan turned his head to her, and left his seat, going over to her and putting his arm around her.

"It's okay, baby girl. Nothing would have happened to you. We were there to protect you," Morgan assured her and Garcia nodded shakily. Hotch paced, his expression brooding. JJ ran her hand through her hair, feeling suddenly exhausted.

"Garcia, run a background check on any on the UnSubs we have come across who have brothers who own an ice cream van," Hotch ordered, and Garcia nodded, only to stop when Chris shook her head, shifting slowly off the bed and putting her feet on the floor. "Whoa, what are you doing?" Hotch asked, as she padded over to her bag which was on the floor next to Garcia.

"How many of you told someone about your plans for today?" Chris asked, looking at them over her shoulder. They all looked at her. Reid sat up straighter, realising what she was starting to get at. "Exactly, the only people you told about your plans, were each other, so how did the UnSub know we would be at that park? I only told three people that we had the week off, and they were Strauss, the FBI Police Chief and a secretary so I could get the clearance forms and the basis of leave papers."

"The FBI Police Chief? Why tell him?" Rossi asked, and Chris stood up straight, lifting her jeans with her. She looked at him, her eyebrows furrowed, and giving him a 'are-you-kidding-me' look. "Of course. You needed to inform them that our department would be down for the week. Did anyone overhear your conversation? Was there someone else in the room when you told him?"

Chris scrunched up her nose, before she nodded rapidly. "Yeah, he was just an officer... no real significance," Chris shrugged, and then she closed her eyes, exhaling heavily. "Of course... typical narcissistic personality. Feelings of superiority, stuck in a job with no real importance."

"What was his name? Would you recognise him?" Rossi asked, and Chris shrugged her unwounded shoulder. "Chris, this guy potentially could have shot you and killed your son as well. He is possibly trying to kill all of us. Would you recognise him if you saw him?"

He was standing now, making his way towards her, and she looked at him with wide eyes. Even now, even despite the fact that she was friends with Rossi, the sight of an advancing man coming towards her caused her to panic. She backed up quickly, her back hitting the wall. Gasping, her hand flew to her shoulder and she took a shuddery breath, pain spreading through her rapidly. He jeans dropped to the ground.

"I don't know! Maybe! He wasn't anything special, I don't pay that much attention when I'm somewhere I'm supposed to be safe!" Chris snapped, pain and frustration on her features. Reid

"What was his name?" Hotch asked, and Chris thought hard looking at everyone in the room, before she said 'Murray. Officer Murray' in sudden exasperation. Rossi looked at Garcia, who stated 'Already on it' fingers moving rapidly over the keys of her laptop. Mere moments she said 'found him' looking at the screen triumphantly. Chris shifted away from Garcia and Rossi and over to the bed, hugging herself and bowing her head.

"Get this, Officer Murray? Was in the army for eight years before he was discharged. And his brother... is an ice cream man," Garcia stated, and Morgan grinned at her, giving her a tight hug and saying 'Great job, baby girl' and she smirked. "Oh yes, I am awesome."

"Where is he now?" Hotch asked, and Garcia went to speak, when the door to the room opened.

"Right here."