AN: Here's another chapter of this story. Thanks for the continuing support from everyone.

"The only clear thing connecting the two murders is the fact that the arrows that killed all six people were of the same type. Nothing else between the two crimes matches," JJ pointed out. The team was now onboard the jet, heading west but were continuing to discuss what they currently knew about the case. "The original two victims were an out of state couple in their forties, hiking in the mountains. They weren't even staying in Catchclaw whereas the recent set of murders was a group of locals camping in the mountains. There were three males and one female, from age twenty to twenty-two. Isn't it possible that the couple were still the result of an accident? Some hunter's shots went astray and he panicked."

"It's possible, though unlikely," Reid interjected. "Even before these new murders, the likelihood of both the man and women in the original case being shot by accident was low. A bow takes time to reload. While the statistics of people being hit by an errant arrow is actually on the high side, the fact that the second person was hit almost makes it a certainty that it wasn't a shot that went awry."

"But the couple's death was ruled an accident," Blake pointed out.

Reid nodded. "Chances are the locals had nothing else to go on with the murders and so to give the family of the victims some closure. Their deaths were ruled accidents."

"It would explain why Sheriff Moss was so quick to link the two," Morgan stated. "He wasn't really satisfied with the accident theory for the first murders to begin with."

"What about the arrows? Was there anything special about them?" Rossi asked, knowing that Garcia had been tasked to check into those two questions following the initial case briefing.

On the screen of the laptop open on the table, Garcia shook her head. "Nope. The arrows used in the murders aren't anything special. They're actually one of the more popular brands of arrows used by hunters in the area and sold by too many stores for me to actually name. Tracing these specific arrows to the store that sold them is a dead end."

"Okay, so what more can you tell us about the victims, Garcia?" Hotch asked, hoping that perhaps they could find a less obvious connection between the victims that might give them a hint to what their UnSub's intent had been. Was there a reason he had chosen these people or were they simply victims of opportunity?

The profilers on the jet all listened intently while Garcia filled them in on what she had found out about their six victims. Even the more detailed information that Garcia had dug up for them didn't reveal any new links between the couple and the four campers.

"Sorry, I couldn't be more helpful," Garcia said as she finished relaying what she had found out. She may not be a profiler but even she could see the look of disappointment on Hotch and Rossi's face, the only two she could see via her link with them.

"No need for apologies, Garcia," Hotch replied. "We're only just starting our search. Who knows when something you found might provide the clue we need to solve this case."

"Right," Garcia replied, knowing she was being placated but not caring. She'd take whatever help she could get with her effort of keeping her spirits up.

The team spent another fifteen minutes going over what information they had from the locals, which unfortunately wasn't much. At the end of those fifteen minutes, Hotch had come up with a game plan for them once they got to Catchclaw. With the assignments given, Hotch brought the meeting to an end. Hopefully, the crime scenes themselves might reveal to them some clues.

"Why do I get a feeling that it's going to be a long weekend?" Rossi asked, as Hotch closed the lid of the laptop after signing off with Garcia.

Around them, the other members of the team were settling down for the rest of the flight. JJ and Alex had moved to the front of the plane. Across the aisle, Morgan was settling in by the window, headphones in place. The dark-skinned profiler was still looking at his tablet and Hotch had no doubt that Morgan was combing over the details of the case once again, looking for something that they might have missed. At the back of the jet, Reid was unfolding a map. However, with only two crime scenes and the rural area they were working in, it was unlikely that a geographical profile was going to reveal much information on this case.

"Because it probably will be," Hotch replied. "I have a feelings clues are going to be few and far between on this case."

"We'll figure it out. We almost always do."

Hotch nodded though he didn't feel as confident as Rossi was trying to sound. The few cases that they usually had to leave unsolved almost always occurred in rural areas.

"I've got the dishes," Alice said, picking up her plate and getting to her feet. "Why don't you go relax on the couch for a while," she suggested.

Though clearing the table was one of the few household tasks that he could help out with given that he could still only use one arm, Will didn't feel up to protesting his mother's suggestion tonight. His physical therapy session that afternoon had seemed more tasking than usual and what he really wanted to do was call it an early night. However, with Hotch out of town, the police detective wasn't about to do that until both boys were tucked in bed tonight. Not to mention, he was still awaiting Hotch's promised phone call.

"I think I'll do just that as soon as I check on the boys," Will replied as he too stood up.

Henry and Jack had finished their dinner before the two grownups and had been excused from the table about fifteen minutes earlier. Though sounds of a cartoon could be heard coming from the television, there was no guarantee that the boys were still watching it.

Leaving his mother to clean up the kitchen, Will headed into the living room. Glancing toward the television, he spotted Henry laying on his stomach, coloring book open on the floor in front of him. The little boy glanced up at the television every now and then while he worked on the picture in the book.

Having accounted for Henry, Will went in search of Jack. Looking first in the boys room, Will saw no sign of the first grader. A check of the bathroom showed that it was empty. He headed next for Hotch's room, thinking that perhaps Jack had gone there to feel closer to his father as he was away. It wasn't until the Cajun had checked Hotch's room and found it empty that he started to feel any sense of panic.

Where had Jack got to? The boy knew better than to leave the apartment alone?

Knowing that he needed to thoroughly search the apartment before he started to worry anyone else, Will headed for the home office that both he and Hotch used. Though the boys had been told the room was off limits unless they were with either he or Hotch, he couldn't be sure Jack wasn't there unless he checked.

Approaching the home office, Will noticed that the door was ajar. Quickly covering the distance between him and the room, he reached the door and pushed it open. To his relief, Jack was sitting at Hotch's desk writing in a book opened in front of him.

"Jack, you know you and Henry aren't supposed to be playing in this room," Will said gently but firmly as he walked into the room.

At the sound of Will's voice, Jack looked up at him. "I know. But I'm not playing, I'm doing my homework, just like you and Dad do when you're in here."

Having crossed the room to stand behind Jack, Will let his eyes drift down to the desk. Jack did indeed have his school workbook open and was working on one of his assignments.

"I just wanted to feel closer to Daddy and work at his desk while he wasn't here," Jack explained, a sad look on his face.

Will sighed. He couldn't very well scold the young boy for missing his father and it wasn't like he was hurting anything by doing his homework at the desk.

"Okay, then. You can finish your homework in here but don't touch anything. The next time, you ask permission before coming in here, okay?

"Yes, Will," Jack replied, leaning over to give Will a hug around the waist.

Will reached down with his good arm and ruffled Jack's hair. Now that both boys were accounted for, he decided that it was time to take his own mother's advice. Heading back toward the living room, he settled down on the couch. Leaning his head back, he closed his eyes.

The recovery process was taken a toll on him. Yes there was the physical pain but there was also the frustration of not being able to do certain things. Though grateful for his mother's help, he felt guilty that he was taking her away from her life down in New Orleans. He also felt guilty about not being there for Sarah. Though his partner had assured him she was doing fine, and was actually enjoying the break from him, Will knew his place was beside her while she was out in the field, just like Hotch's place was with his team when they were on the case. At least the team of profilers was one group that he wasn't messing things up for right now.

What he wanted was to stop being a burden to those he cared about. The metro detective wanted to be there for his partner and fellow officers during work hours. When he wasn't at work, then he wanted to be able to take care of Henry and Jack without having to rely further on others. Will wanted to be able to drive himself around town instead of needing a chauffeur. He wanted not to have to battle through the pain to do the simplest tasks.

In other words, he simply wanted his life back.

Movement on the couch beside him caused Will to open his eyes. Having tired of the coloring book, Henry had climbed up on the couch by his father. Settling down by his father's side, Henry leaned his head against Will and continued to watch the cartoon that was on the television.

Will smiled down at his son. At least this was one aspect of life that his injury was not ruining.

Father and son finished watching one cartoon and were into the second one when Jack came into the living room.

"Is your homework done now, Jack?" Will asked, seeing the first grader enter the living room.

Jack nodded. "All done. Now I don't have anything to worrying about getting done this weekend."

"That's very responsible of you," Will told him.

"Come watch cartoons with us," Henry interjected, patting the couch cushion next to him as he imitated what he had seen the adults around him do.

"Okay," Jack agreed easily as he walked over to the couch and settled down next to Will.

The three went back to laughing over the antics of the animated characters on the screen before them. It wasn't long before Will got the feeling of being watched though. Looking away from the television screen and over his shoulder, wincing at the pain the movement caused in his injured shoulder, Will found his mother standing not far from them, watching the three of them.

"That is such a sweet sight," Alice commented. "It reminds me of when you and your sisters were young and you'd watch the Looney Tunes with your father. Of course, your father usually fell asleep partway into the first cartoon but you kids didn't mind."

Will smiled, remembering those times himself. "Why don't you have a seat, Mom," Will said, knowing that Alice was no doubt just as tired as he was.

"Don't mind if I do," Alice replied, moving to take a seat in the arm chair.

A few minutes later, Will's cell phone rang. Taking it out of his pocket, he didn't need the name on the screen to recognize the number.

"Hey, Aaron. How was the flight?"

"Uneventful," Hotch said in response to the inquiry. "Just like this case has been so far."

"Well, you did just get there. You guys will figure it out."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence. Is Jack around?"

"Yes, he's right here on the couch beside me. Hold on," Will replied before holding the cell phone out to the little boy looking eagerly in his direction.

"Hi, Daddy," Jack said excitedly into the phone the moment he had it up to his ear. "Where is this case?"

Will smiled. The conversation Jack had with his father was already starting out much different from those Henry would have with JJ when she was away. The first words out of Henry's mouth was that he missed his mother and wanted to know when she was coming back. He figured Jack's conversations had started out like that as well but over the years Jack had come to accept his father being away as part of Hotch's job. It was nice to see the young boy show an interest in his father's work.

Will allowed the conversation between Jack and Hotch to take place without any interruptions. This was important for the little boy and he knew he would have his chance to talk with Aaron when Jack was finished.