Disclaimer: Criminal Minds belongs to CBS - I'm just borrowing the characters. This is a work of fiction. Any similarity to people alive or dead is purely coincidental

Spoilers: None really - no episodes mentioned. Set somewhere between Season 4 and 5

Pairing: JJ and Emily eventually. This will be a femslash story. If it's not your thing, please don't read

Archiving: Only with the author's permission

Thanks to all those that have taken the time to review. All your comments are welcome and encourage me to work faster! Happy reading.

Part Three:

Emily watched JJ from the back of the makeshift press area with open respect. The young liaison handled all the questions concisely and carefully, ensuring that there were no double meanings to her words and diffusing heated questions that arose from frustration around the distinct lack of information. To a casual observer, the blonde looked completely at ease and in control. Emily could see the strain hidden behind the professional mask though and noted how tired JJ looked. It didn't help that the raging humidity and heat had not abated in the late afternoon. The town could do with a thunderstorm to break the oppressive atmosphere but it didn't look like the weather was going to break anytime soon.

JJ pulled at her blouse and tried to cool down as they walked to their hire car. "God, I hate this heat," she moaned. "It completely sucks the life out of you." She tried to get some air through her clothing but could feel her body and face dampening with sweat almost immediately.

Emily jumped in the driver's side and cranked the air conditioning to maximum as JJ walked round to the passenger side. She waited for JJ to buckle up before driving off. "I'm not sure it's just the weather that's doing that," she remarked casually. "Those press conferences are pretty grueling."

JJ shook her head in disagreement. "Nah, that one was fine. Tomorrow's one may be a little different though, especially if we have nothing further to add."

Emily shot the younger woman a speculative look. "You okay?"

JJ put her head back on the headrest and closed her eyes. "Just tired," she replied softly, not wanting to admit that it was Emily's attentive kindness that was getting her so discombobulated. She was relieved when Emily didn't push her. She jumped suddenly when she felt the car stop. "Are we here already?"

Emily couldn't stop a chuckle escaping. "Jayj, you were asleep in seconds. Yes, we're here." The taller woman got out the car and grabbed both go bags from the trunk. "Come on. Let's get checked in and I'll walk you to your room."

"Emily, you don't have to," JJ began to protest but the brunette quelled her with a look and then strode towards the hotel entrance.

Within minutes, Emily was fumbling with the card key to JJ's room before going inside and dumping her bag on one of the queen size beds. She turned round to see JJ sat on the other bed staring blankly ahead. "Are you sure you're okay?"

JJ looked into the rich brown eyes of her colleague and fleetingly wondered how Emily would react if she told her she just wanted to fall asleep in her arms. She blinked away the thought hurriedly and smiled wanly. "I think I'm just going to crash if that's alright with you Em," she replied softly.

Emily resisted the urge to tuck a strand of JJ's hair behind her ear. There was nothing more she wanted to do than protect and look after the younger woman. "You want me to order something to eat for you?"

JJ shook her head. "No, it's too hot to eat," she complained. "How about you get me up at a sensible time and we have breakfast?"

"You have a date Ms Jareau," Emily responded easily, though she could feel her heart beat a little faster at the words she had chosen.

JJ smiled back and damped down her wishful thinking regarding Emily and dates. That was something that was not going to happen, unfortunately. "Thanks for looking out for me Emily."

Emily shrugged the appreciation off. "Good night Jayj," she said softly as she opened the room door. She turned round when there was no answer and saw the blonde agent already asleep on top of the bed. Knowing that the Alabama heat would be more than enough to keep JJ warm all night, Emily quietly closed the door behind her and let the agent sleep.

Breakfast didn't exactly follow Emily's plan. After leaving JJ to sleep she had taken the time to scope out a small diner that the hotel had recommended and when she knocked on the blonde media liaison's door at 0730, she had every intention of taking her over for a quiet meal where she would be able to really savor her company. JJ had opened the door looking refreshed and was clearly delighted at Emily remembering their morning meet but as they were crossing the foyer of the hotel, Reid and Morgan spotted them and suddenly breakfast for two became breakfast for four.

Neither JJ nor Emily could be cross for long. They both enjoyed their colleagues' company, and JJ found herself re-focused and fresh. When they joined the rest of the team at the police station house, there was a new-found positivity among the group and they quickly got immersed in the evidence. That positivity found a new urgency when the police captain interrupted their brain-storming with news that another body had been found.

The body at the crime scene had similar injuries to the previous victim. She was identified as Jessica Callagher, one of the reported missing women. Morgan and Rossi reported back their findings to the team after examining the scene. "Victim was found at an annex of the Highlands Medical facility in a body sized bag," Rossi began.

"So we're thinking that the unsub works for clinical waste disposal and not within the hospital?" Emily questioned, recalling that the hospital had been instructed to withdraw large clinical waste bags.

"Either that, or he had a stash," Morgan replied. "He did know not to go to the incinerator sites though. The bag was dumped with the regular waste. He must have known or seen that the incinerators were under closer guard."

"So he needs to dispose of the body but won't change his routine enough to utilize a different method," Hotch speculated.

"Yes, but he wasn't prepared to risk being spotted," added Reid. "This guy is organized and methodical and not rash."

Rossi looked at the profilers and noted Hotch's small nod. "Gather the squad. We've got a profile."

Morgan began the profile to the assembled police. "We're looking for a male in his late thirties, early forties. Most likely white. He's a blue collar worker, high school educated or a drop out from college. We think he may work within the waste disposal system as he has knowledge of clinical waste procedures and bags."

Prentiss continued. "He's smart and articulate. He is likely to study and stalk his victims. He may even interact with them and charm them. Perhaps convince them to go somewhere with him. That's why none of the disappearances stand out."

"He is a sexual sadist," Reid stated. "He tortures his victims and rapes them before finally killing them. The drive for him is power over his victims. He has to completely dominate them. The way he does that is to make them fight back. The more they fight back, the more he tortures them."

"He's been doing this for some time now. He gets his thrills with the fight. This will only escalate in violence and frequency. He found what he thought was the perfect way of remaining undiscovered but that's all changed. His disposal method has been exposed. This means that if he wants to continue, he's going to have to try a new method and that could mean he'll get sloppy," Rossi supplied.

He was interrupted by a uniformed officer. "If he wants to continue? Won't he just stop now he knows we're on to him?"

"Highly unlikely," Hotch demurred. "He's been doing this too long. It provides too big a thrill for him to be able to give it up. But it will force him to change his pattern and take risks."

"Too long?" the same officer probed. "You think he's been doing this for longer than 4 months?"

"It's too early to say," Reid interjected. "But the missing reports really only pick up pace from four months ago. Before that, the number of missing person reports stuck along the average for this area, which is well below the national average. He may have started accelerating, which means he could have been at this for years, or he started four months ago."

"What would make him accelerate?" a female officer asked. It was clear that this town did not usually deal with this sort of incident, and all the law enforcement task force were focused and determined.

Prentiss stepped forward. "Again, it's too early to say," she started, using Spencer's earlier line. "He could have been rejected when he asked someone out, or someone may have insulted him, triggering him to retaliate, or he could have been with someone who struggled slightly and he realized that he got a much higher thrill when with a woman. He then took it to the next level."

Morgan took up the thread again. "This man is cool, collected and rehearsed. He's practiced this before or at least done something like it. We'll do some cross checking to narrow down the search but it's vital we get on this quickly. Speak to the city waste workers. See if there have been any odd changes to behavior in this group of males."

"That's an awful lot of people," one of the southern detectives drawled.

"I know," Hotch agreed. "We're hoping to narrow it down. In the meantime, we'll do a press release advising women to remain alert and not to take risks."

"This isn't New York, agent Hotchner," the same detective responded. "This is a small town where girls don't take risks."

"We understand," JJ interjected. "We'll tailor the message appropriately but people should be aware to take care and be vigilant." Her concerned tone placated the grumblings from the assembled crowd and Emily marveled again at just how well the liaison officer could do her job.

With the briefing over, the police quickly dissipated. Rossi turned to Hotchner. "You know, they're right. Our suspect list is just too long at the moment."

Morgan heard the comment and interjected. "Well, let's see if we can do what we promised to do." He flipped open his cell phone and dialed quickly.

"All knowing goddess of technology. How may I rock your world?" Garcia was clearly in a chipper mood today.

"Hey baby girl," Morgan greeted with a soft smile. "I need you to run a cross check for me. Any waste disposal, or clinical waste disposal workers with a prior record for minor assault, stalking or exposure."

"That's still going to be a lot of people my chocolate stud muffin," Penelope told him as she began her trawl.

"White and aged between 25 and 40," Morgan continued, hearing the hurried tapping of a keyboard the technical analyst refining the parameters.

"That really doesn't narrow it down too much," Garcia pointed out reasonably.

"We gotta start somewhere," Derek sighed.

"Well, believe it or not sweet cheeks, my list is only 24 men long," Garcia stated in surprise. "Downloading it to your PDAs now."

"Well done, Garcia."

The team managed to eliminate five names off the list due to them being in jail at the time the bodies were dumped but that still left 19 to locate and talk to. Hotchner got the names of the 'persons of interest' to the local police and asked them to bring them in for questioning. By the end of the day, the team had managed to interview twelve of the men, but none of them appeared to fit the profile or set off any warning bells. However, the process was exhausting and the team was once again drained as the sun began to set. Rossi looked at the rest of the team before turning to Hotch. "We need to call it a day again."

"I don't like this Dave," Hotch replied. "We're running out of time here."

"I agree but what else can we do?"

TBC