Rossi and Reid get to Pittsburgh and immediately get to work reading and picking apart the confession. Case files are being sent from all over the state so they could review the evidence and even resubmit anything they can find for new scientific testing, including DNA where applicable. As they get going, they get a call from Morgan.

"You're on speaker, Bossman," Rossi tells him.

"First of all, Garcia is nearly finished with all the runs. You should have them within the hour."

"Good. Some of these cases are so far away they won't get their information to us until tomorrow at the earliest," Rossi says.

"I know. Hopefully Garcia's information will help you get moving." He pauses and sighs. "Secondly…JJ knows.'

"WHAT?" Reid exclaims angrily.

"She walked into Garcia's office just as Amy's background was finishing."

"Is she okay?" Rossi asks.

"She will be. Em took her home. She's a bit freaked out but who wouldn't be?"

"Morgan, if we have to move forward and speak to her parents, should she be with us?" Reid questions with concern.

Morgan sighs. "I think…I think she would need to be there as a witness, not as an agent. Her parents and brother will need her as much as she'll need them."

Rossi nods. "I agree. Look we're going to get going here. As soon as we know anything we'll be in touch."

"I know you two will work late on this; later than you should. Call me anytime," Morgan tells them.

"Will do."

Rossi disconnects and looks at Reid. "Are you going to be okay? I know she's more a sister to you than friend."

Reid nods. "She…she's always been there for me. It's my turn to be here for her."

"Hey, kid, if you feel a need to… 'forget'…tell me. I won't let you give in to that shit," Rossi says kindly.

Reid just nods. He had noticed the signs of Straus being drunk at work. Though he had no idea that Emily had mentioned it to Rossi, the genius finds it intriguing that the older man would be willing to help him with his substance issues while ignoring the fact that his girlfriend needed serious help. But that is something to be looked at later.

He opens up the first evidence box. A young woman, blonde hair, blue eyes, found raped and strangled. Several people had been questioned but no one had been arrested. Reid frowns.

"Rossi, this victim is blonde hair, blue eyes. A teenager."

Rossi looks up. "This one, too."

Reid picks up his phone and calls the Oracle of Quantico. "Garcia? Run a quick filter on the alleged victims for eye and hair color."

She gulps. "Let me guess…blue and blonde?"

"Yes," he says with regret.

"Okay. Should be pretty quick with such specific para-and it's done. Holy Swedish Supermodel, Boy Wonder. 37 of 37 with those combinations." She hears the pause on the other end. "Oh, God…does this mean…mean he really did it?"

Rossi shakes his head. "No, Garcia, not necessarily. He could have gotten that information through the Freedom of Information act by requesting autopsies and trial transcripts. He could have seen pictures in obituaries. We have no idea how long he's been searching for the right combination of supposed victims."

"Oh, right. I should have thought of that. I guess I'm still a little upset. Jayje hates me right now."

Reid sighs. "She doesn't, Garcia. She couldn't."

"Maybe. Look, I'm nearly done with the backgrounds. Let me get back at them so you all have all you need."

"Okay. Take care, Garcia."

"You, too, my friends."

The two agents get back to work. It was going to be a long preliminary investigation before they can even interview the suspect. Time was of the essence now that they knew the turmoil JJ is going through.


A hand strokes the hair off JJ's forehead. She slowly opens her eyes and looks up at her best friend. She sighs.

"I'm an ass, Pen," JJ whispers. "I'm so sorry for what I said to you."

Garcia smiles. "No, you're not an ass. I should have locked the door so I would have heard you typing on the touch pad. I could have turned off that damn screen before you got in."

JJ sits up and takes Garcia's hand. "Did you get Reid and Rossi what they need?"

Garcia nods. "Yep. For now. Right now they are looking at that and case files from all over Pennsylvania as they arrive. They don't plan to talk to Thedoroski until they know as much as they can about the cases, including any hold back info for crimes that are unsolved."

JJ nods. "Yeah. Makes sense." She stretches. "Where's Emily?"

"She went to Dec's game. She wanted to keep things as normal for him as possible right now since all sorts of Hell could be drummed up by this case." Garcia smiles. "Plus, she showed me you were in good hands. Or rather, good paws."

JJ frowns in confusion. Garcia holds up her cell phone and shows JJ the picture Emily had taken. JJ smiles and shrugs.

"What can I say? He's a cute and cuddly puppy." She stares at the ceiling for a minute then reaches over and grabs the photo album off the nightstand. She opens it to one of her favorite pictures. She turns it so Garcia can see it. "This was me on my first travel soccer team. We won a huge tournament the first time we ever played in it. Amy was so happy for me."

Garcia can't help but tear up at the picture of Amy and Mark holding JJ up on their shoulders. JJ is happily holding her trophy. All 3 Jareau's are laughing and happy.

"How old were you?"

"I was 10, Mark was 12 and Amy was 15."

"I guess she wasn't an athlete?"

JJ chuckles. "Not when mud stopped being fun and started being yucky. She played t-ball and softball until she was about 9." She flips back to the last team picture Amy had taken. "She always said I got the athletic genes and she got the designer jeans."

Garcia laughs. "I think I'd have liked her."

JJ nods. "Yeah, I think you would. Oh, we could fight but…but I always knew if I needed her she'd be there for me." Her tears start again. "When I found out I was pregnant I wished I could call her. I was so confused and I knew she could have helped me. I always have a talk with her last school picture when I go home. I hope she can hear me."

"She does, Jayje. She does."

JJ smiles. "Did you know Emily had a talk with her, too? After she proposed?"

Garcia smiles. "She did?"

JJ nods, wiping away her tears. "Said she had to make sure Amy approved of Em marrying her little sister."

Garcia wraps an arm around JJ's shoulders. "I'm sure she did."

JJ chuckles. "Trust me, if she hadn't, we'd have known. Emily's pants would have ripped up her butt or something on the wedding day."

Garcia laughs. "Yeah, I can see a sister doing that to someone she doesn't approve of. Tell me more about her," she pats the album. "About this. I want to know her."

JJ scoots closer and flips back to the beginning of the album and takes her best friend on a journey through her sister's life. Just before they get to the end, JJ stops. She slowly turns to Garcia.

"What sort of bitch am I that I'm sitting here hoping my sister was murdered? How fucked up is that, Pen? I'm going to burn in Hell for these thoughts!"

Sobs wrack JJ's body. Garcia pulls her close, letting her best friend's emotions just flow over her.

"Oh, Jayje, I'm not going to pretend I know what you're going through. But, honey, suicide is…it leaves us feeling helpless; like we failed our loved ones. Murder is someone else's fault. Who wouldn't prefer that if you have to lose someone you love. You, Jennifer Prentiss, are not going to Hell. You're just going through it right now, my sweet."

JJ can't speak. She just lets Garcia hold her as they both cry for a girl who died way too soon, no matter what or who the cause.


Emily smiles as Declan races over to her, Henry and Francesca. He had played an outstanding game and his team was now on the way to the semi-finals of the Virginia Association of Independent Schools championship.

"Did you see that last play, Emily?" he asks excitedly.

She smiles. "I sure did. That was a heck of a reach, Dec. I had no idea you could extend your arms like Inspector Gadget."

He laughs, happily. On their opponents last chance to score he had somehow managed to extend his stick just far enough to deflect the ball. His team had recovered it and counter-attacked, which allowed them to score and go up by 2. It was the final margin of victory.

"DEEK!"

Declan smiles at Henry. "Hey, Henry. Glad you could make it." He looks at the nanny. "You, too, Francesca." He looks back at Emily. "Is JJ working?"

Emily sighs. "Not exactly. How about you go to your team meeting, get changed and then we can maybe talk in your dorm common room?"

He pales. "Is…is she okay?" he whispers.

Emily takes him by the shoulders and looks into his eyes. "Yes, Dec, she's fine. We just have a case, sort of, that could affect her." She sighs. "Geez, that sounded crappy. Look, just know she's okay. I'll meet you at your dorm, okay?"

He nods, his face full of worry. As he walks off, Emily runs a hand down her face. "I screwed that up," she mutters.

Francesca lays a hand on her arm. "He will be okay, cara."

"Not if I keep talking like that, he won't."

Francesca smiles. "He is a smart boy who loves Jennifer very much. Just be honest with him, Emily."

Emily nods. "Right. Honest. I'll see you two at home." She gives Henry a hug and kiss. "Go home and make Mommy smile, Champ, okay?"

He grins and nods. Emily smiles and kisses him once more. Forty-five minutes later she stands as Declan enters his dorm common area. They step outside to a bench where they have a little more privacy.

"She's okay, right?" Declan asks immediately.

Emily smiles. "Physically she's fine." She blows out a breath. "Dec, has she told you about Amy?"

"Her sister? Some. She died young, right?"

Emily nods. "Yes. She…she committed suicide."

Declan pales. "Oh."

"But now some guy has claimed he killed her."

"Whoa," he whispers, his eyes getting wide.

"Yeah. Rossi and Reid are in Pittsburgh looking into his claim, as well as other murders he's trying to claim."

"So, she didn't kill herself? Jennifer should be happy," he reasons.

Emily shrugs. "We…we don't know if he is lying or not. He—"

"But why would someone lie about killing someone if they didn't?" Declan asks.

"Some people are mentally ill and really believe they did it. Some people want to be famous, no matter what for. Others enjoy the pain it causes families when the story is debunked."

"How do you debunk it?"

Emily smiles and ruffles his hair. "You always ask good questions, Declan." He grins as she continues. "We debunk it by looking through the original case files, we compare that information to the confession, and then we interview the suspect, looking for tells or inconsistencies. That's what Rossi and Reid are doing now with help from the police and Garcia. If…if they find any validity in his claim then the rest of us will head up there. Morgan and I as agents," she sighs, "and Jen as a witness."

"Whoa."

Emily nods. "Yeah. So, we wanted you to know what's going on so that if Jen gets distant with you or…or doesn't respond to emails or text messages you know it's not about you. Her sister's death really shocked her family; especially Jen who was just 11 when it happened. This guy's claims, whether true or not, are really messing her up."

"Do her parents and brother know?"

"No. We won't tell them until we know one way or the other."

He nods. "That's good for them. But it's sad Jennifer doesn't have them to talk to about this."

Emily smiles and wraps an arm around his shoulder. "You're right, Declan."

"Is…is there anything I can do to help?"

"Well, you could keep winning. That will make her smile," Emily tells him.

He grins. "I'll do my best. Emily, thanks for telling me. I…I would have worried it was about…you know…"

Emily nods. "I know. That's why we wanted to tell you." She glances at her watch. "Okay, young man, you have study hall right now. Better get in there."

He nods as they stand. "Thanks again for telling me, Emily. And thanks for coming to my game. Tell Jennifer I love her."

Emily nods. "I will."

"I love you, too, Emily."

She gives him a hug. "We both love you, too, Dec."

She watches as he heads back inside for team study hall. She takes a deep breath and heads home to see how her wife is doing.