AN: I did have a snow day yesterday, so I got Thursday's chapter written and I've started on Saturday's. I'm very super motivated to keep working on this fic, not only because I love reading everyone's reviews, but also because my next ficcie will be written with a writing software I'm super geeked to try.

MN: If she thinks she's excited to try Scrivener, I'm about 1000 times more so. Can't wait to play with all of the cool features!

It was a borderline miracle that I hadn't thrown up. While Derek had initially managed to calm me down, the ensuing briefing the night before had served to stir my nerves up again. The very idea that I may be preparing to walk into a room with someone who had killed six people in cold blood gave me the urge to take a bleach shower.

It had been just after midnight when Hotch had decided everyone was thoroughly ready for whatever my morning meeting would hold and shut down the video chat. I had insisted to my Prince Charming that I was fine and he should head back to his hotel, then proceeded to spend half of the night alternating between improving my code and pacing my room.

At six, a bellhop had delivered a case containing the surveillance equipment I was to truss myself up with and I had set to work. I didn't have much available in the way of clothing choices, but luckily most of it was pretty professional. Usually, I was the one to take my time getting ready, but I found myself done at seven sharp with nothing left to do but worry.

"Hey, Sexy Thing, you got your ears on yet?" Even Derek's voice in my ear made me jump.

"Yeah. I'm wired up like a Christmas tree. Can you hear me okay?" I had taken care to make sure the microphone wasn't visible, but I wasn't quite sure if the placement would muffle the sound.

"Loud and clear, Sunshine. You alright?"

No. Absolutely not. I was so far from fine. "Just peachy. Does your tech guy want to test out these cameras?"

"I would say 'as long as you're decent', but we've already established that you and decent are complete opposites." His attempt to distract and cheer me up was noble, but useless.

"I've got camera 1 in a pin on my jacket. Try that one first." I made myself stop pacing so they wouldn't know just how nervous I was.

"Camera 1 is a go. Lovely view of the curtains."

I moved to stand in front of the mirror by the door. "Try cameras 4 and 5."

"Damn Baby, did you really manage to wire not one, but two cameras into your glasses in an hour?"

I took that to mean it was working. "But of course. I started with the one but you could kind of see it so I did the second to make it look like part of the frames."

"That big giant brain of yours is incredibly sexy."

"If you think that's smart, check out camera 3." I turned around quickly, my back to the mirror.

"Alright Ms. Thing, where is it?"

I grinned to myself, proud to have stumped him. "What? No comments on the 'do?"

"It's a bun. It's nice, but not really you."

I laughed and smiled harder. Derek genuinely liked me for who I really was and I loved him for it. "Agreed. Not me, but does require the use of bobby pins, to which it is easy to attach little teeny cameras. Figured I'd make it easy for you to watch my back."

"I can handle that. Speaking of, we're already in place. That conference room you're going to is one of six that open off a shared little lounge area. We'll be on the exact opposite side of said lounge."

"Okay." While he'd distracted me temporarily, my butterflies were returning. "I can do this, right?"

I expected him to reassure me. Instead, I got dead air. I was about to say something else when my phone rang. I grabbed it from the dresser and looked at the screen, surprised to see Derek's face on the screen. I swiped my thumb to answer it. "Did the comm go out?"

"Nope. I figured this pep talk was best done just between you and me, Princess. So everyone took their headsets off and I've commandeered a quiet corner. What's going through your mind?"

"Lover, we don't have enough time for me to put it all in to words. In summary, I am equal parts nervous about this interview, which is ridiculous because I don't actually want the job, and about potentially being in close quarters with a killer, which is also ridiculous because he won't touch me in public and you'll be close by." Just saying it aloud calmed the churning in my stomach.

"It's not ridiculous to be nervous. What is ridiculous is for you not to believe you can handle being nervous like a champ. You are smart, gorgeous, and make a great impression on everyone. You have endured more than anyone should ever have to and come out an even more beautiful person."

Was it a wonder women threw themselves at Derek Morgan's feet? "Thank you, My Sweet."

"Feel better?" I could hear the cocky smile on his face and it made me grin.

"You know I do. The Morgan charm is an infallible force."

"It helps when I'm speaking the truth. Now, suck in a couple of deep breaths through that pretty mouth of yours and get your sexy self out the door."

That earned him a chuckle. "Yes, sir, Agent Morgan, sir."