(A/N): Hey, guys, I'm so sorry about the late update. I hope this is alright, my muse sort of ran off again, but hey, writer's block is my default mode, amiright?

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds.

Markham Police Department...

"Julia Bui was a sophomore student at Stanford going toward a degree in environmental science." Garcia sent out a picture of young woman, sitting poised for the photo with her hair pulled back into a messy braid. Her face was decorated with dimples, one larger than the other, and glistening eyes, looking straight at the camera. She resembled innocence while still managing a closed smile, one that taunted the lenses to come closer. "She liked to party, but her parents claimed that Julia always made it back sober. Clean record, didn't cause too much trouble or attention until October 14, 2010. One of her classmates, Neal Bryson, was seen on top of a roof, ready to jump. Julia was able to climb up and talk him down. Two years later, she was reported missing."

"Until she was found a year after her disappearance by a group of hikers," Morgan added through the phone, scouring through a bushel along the trail.

There was a mumbling through the line, a newfound curiosity in the air. "Hysterical, Julia wasn't able to communicate correctly, and was yammering on about being captured, but nobody has been able to understand what she was trying to say. She was kept in a psychiatric hospital, but now she's staying with her family in Oregon. The police have tried to investigate further, but the case went cold."

Morgan saw JJ ahead of the trail, foraging through a dead bush while speaking into the phone. "I don't understand, what does this have to do with the case?" she asked, her voice sore from the cold.

"I know it's a stretch, but you should see how scary high that building is," Penelope said, scrolling through photos. "Could it be possible that our UNSUB is also targeting people who have put their life at risk willingly?"

"But that doesn't account for the race and gender cross. These victims are supposed to be surrogates for his son, so why would he go out of his victimology?" Kate asked. She stopped walking and combed through her hair with her hand, unsure of what to make of the news. It seemed as though the more they found, the more questions that were unburied.

They heard Garcia smile over the phone. "I'm way ahead of you, kitties. When his wife died, Sam Caspar's sister, Camille, came in to help raise Connor. Sam was said to be distant and buried in work and alcohol."

"The UNSUB might have felt responsible for being an absent father figure." There was a rustling over the phone, then a sigh. "He could still feel insecure about his role toward his victims. Maybe after the first victim was having a hard time cooperating, he wanted a more reassuring role model, one that had put her life in danger."

Reid came in from behind Morgan. "The UNSUB felt as though Julia saving her classmate meant that she had a dampened fear of death," they heard him mumble, shuffling through files.

"Julia's jacket was found near the dump site. That, and her saving a classmate, risking her life for another… that can't just be a coincidence," Hotch said. "JJ, Morgan, go to Julia, see if there's any way to get some information. Kate, get a hold of Caspar's sister, ask her about Sam and Connor's condition at home."

"Got it boss."

"Yes sir."

"Alright everybody, it's getting dark. It's time to get back," Hotch ordered. There was a mumble of agreement as everybody shuffled back the way they came. A chilling breeze went past Hotch, singing through the branches of sleeping trees. He pulled his jacket closer to him, staring into the void in the vast forest, unable to comprehend the vast amount of land there was around him, untainted by humans' hands. Hotch stayed there for a second, straining his ears to try to hear something, just something, but he was surrounded by silence, interrupted only by the lulling chirps of crickets, and a distant owl calling into the night. There was an endless amount of woods, a sea of wilderness and creatures, and the team was looking for one single thing. The impossibility was overwhelming as Hotch slumped back to the SUV, and somehow, he had to bring hope into the darkness.

Bui household- Five hours later…

A thundering of footsteps ran down the stairs. Julia arrived at the kitchen in a ball of frenzy while her parents were at the breakfast table. Her father was reading the latest TIME magazine with a bowl of oatmeal, profoundly intrigued by the latest study of heart surgery with his jacket draped around the chair and tie straightened, snug around his neck. Her mother was at the kitchen washing strawberries, still in her pajamas with a bird nest on her head, little to be recognized as the clean cut real estate agent she'll transform into when she steps out the door. Through the deafening silence of the house, Julia came in, snatching a bagel from the fridge as her mother tsked at the dirty flannel flung on her shoulders.

"Sweety, when was the last time you sat down for breakfast," her mom asked, hardly looking up as she composedly cut her strawberries. Julia brushed past her, only mumbling something with a bagel in her mouth. Without a second glance, she walked to the front door with her dog trotting behind her. Julia closed the door, and the dog whined. A sigh came from the kitchen as her father flipped the magazine to the next page. "She'll be back any second no-" He was interrupted by door opening and the little mutt yapping happily at it's owner's return. "The keys are on the table…" Looking up, he saw a man and a women standing next to his daughter.

"Susan and Kevin Bui?" the man asked. Julia's father, Kevin, stood up. He looked to his daughter for an answer for the intrusion.

Julia bit her nails with a shrug. "They're FBI," she mumbled.

Morgan and JJ held out their credentials. "We'd like to talk to Julia about what happened to her when she was missing two years ago," JJ said as she saw the parent's usure looks. Julia, who was headed back to the door, looked at them when she heard her name.

"I don't understand," Susan said slowly, "Julia already told the police everything she knew."

"We're sorry, but we think that there's a connection between her missing year and a new case," Morgan explained. "We just need to ask a few questions to find out what happened."

The two parents looked at each other warily. It had been more than two years ago when their daughter had come back to them, but it was only a few months ago when they felt like Julia had truly returned. They feared that opening this up again, even for a little while, could mean losing their little girl again. Kevin sighed in defeat. Looking at Julia, he said, "It's your decision honey. You don't have to if you don't want to."

Julia spent a few seconds biting her nails, eyeing at her parents, then the agents. With everyone staring at her, she nodded. Susan led them to the living room. As they walked to the couches, she came from behind Julia, gently putting a hand on her shoulder. As if being snapped out of a daze, Julia sharply glanced behind her shoulder with a second of fleeting fear in her eyes before realizing that it was her mom. She scurried to a couch facing toward the agents. JJ smiled to the parents, asking to be alone with Julia. After having the living room by themselves, they started. "I know that this is hard," JJ said slowly, "but I want you to tell us everything, starting from when you went missing."

Julia hesitated before going back, back before she was kidnapped, back three years ago.

(A/N): I know that this is a bit of a weird place to stop, but I really wanted to get a chapter in today. I've been trying a bit of a new writing 'style' with a bit more descriptions. Reviews and criticism are welcome!