BAU Headquarters, Quantico, VA – Morning

Penelope stepped into her office closely followed by her loving and attentive husband, Derek Morgan. He made it a point to escort her to her lair each morning with her large blue faux leather bag in one hand and his coffee mug in the other. She was anxious to get started; her diagnostics were over due, and she'd already received a call on the way in that Team C needed her skills on a case in Omaha. Derek and the others were buried in case files and consults which would hopefully give her time to work on her secret project.

Maybe it was nothing more than paranoia; something she'd picked up since Savannah and Sam had tried to kill her husband but no matter what it was, she didn't trust Oscar Boyd. Derek wasn't ready to hear her suspicions and her gut was telling her she had to at least check him out.

She'd been unusually quiet on the way in. He knew something was bothering her but no matter how many times he asked she had a logical reason for her somber mood. He knew her and he knew she was keeping something from him. She hadn't slept well all weekend and it was more than excitement about hosting this year's Christmas dinner. He gently turned her to face him momentarily stopping her frantic task of powering up her babies.

"Talk to me."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. She avoided making eye contact which was her tell. She couldn't hide anything from him.

"I'm fine…I'm just being silly, that's all. It will pass."

"Penelope…"

"Really! Go, or Hotch will have your head on a stick if you don't get that mountain of paperwork done."

He placed his index finger under her chin and slightly lifted it to meet his gaze.

"Damn Hotch, I'm not going anywhere until you, my lady, tell me what's bothering you."

"I hate profilers."

"Well this profiler loves you and I know something is bothering you so, spill it!"

She pulled away and returned to her computers. He watched as she fretted and fussed over them until the screens began to light up one by one. He wasn't moving until she came clean and so exhaling she turned back to face him.

"Derek, I know you think this man is harmless and just some guy whose down on his luck but I'm telling you something is off about him."

"Baby…"

"No, Derek. You asked me so I'm telling you, Oscar Boyd is not who he says he is!"

"Okay let's just say your suspicions are right. What do you think he's up to?"

"I-I don't know. It's just odd that his car would break down in our neighborhood late at night and he just happened to pick our house to ask for help…"

"He saw the light on and he rang the doorbell?"

"The Mitchell's across the street."

"What about them?"

"Their lights were on too. Why not ring their doorbell instead of crossing the street to come to our house?"

"I don't know why. Look Baby Girl I know you're still upset over everything that's happened lately but I just think you're blowing this out of proportion. Boyd is a nice guy. He's doing a great job over at the house and he hasn't done or said anything that has made me suspicious."

"Oh, so you think because you're the big time profiler that you're the only one of us who can spot someone who's not who they claim to be?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying. I just don't want us to let the last few weeks make us feel as if we have to look over our shoulders every time we step out of the house."

She was furious now and more determined than ever to prove that Boyd was not just some random down-on-his-luck stranger who just happened to wander onto their street in the middle of the night. She stiffened as he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Go."

"Penelope, please don't be mad. I'm not trying to discount your feelings…"

"Go to work. I'll be fine."

He shook his head in defeat. He needed to make it up to her and quickly. So he leaned down and planted a kiss on the side of her face and whispered in her ear.

"I love you Mrs. Morgan."

Dammit! She hated when he did that. How could she stay mad at him when he was so tender with her? Still, she wasn't letting it go…not until she found out who Oscar Boyd really was.

Briarwood Property –

Boyd had offered to work at the old fixer while Morgan returned to work. It was peaceful and he loved the warm solitude of the house. He already envied the family who would eventually live here. He and Morgan had gotten a lot done over the past few days and he was looking forward to finishing the flooring before…

As he began placing the wooden planks along the far wall, he couldn't help imagining in his mind the contrasting colors of rich crimson against the distressed ashen driftwood oak as his target lay dying on the floor. In any other circumstance the color choice would have been a flawless design choice and Boyd had to admit he was impressed with the man's skills but Boyd knew what lied in his unwitting victim's future and Aberdeen birch may have been a better choice.

"Is this what I'm paying you for?"

He pretended not to notice her arrival earlier as he continued working.

"Actually, Derek Morgan is paying me for this little job." He joked. "Nah, it's all a part of the plan, all a part of the plan."

"I see. I like what you've done with the place."

Savannah slowly walked around the large main room admiring the architectural lines and the light gray paint choices that had been recently applied to the walls.

"You know it's not too smart showing up here, Dr. Hayes."

"I know but you haven't been returning my calls and I need an update."

Boyd stopped his work and stood facing the gorgeous woman. As he pulled off his work gloves he eyed her from head to toe. Her time in county lock up hadn't bruised her ego or her confidence. She was a cold-blooded snake single-minded and determined to see her plan through to the end.

"As you can see I've been busy. Besides, I don't like to be micro managed."

Just like her attorney, he'd come highly recommended and it wasn't that she doubted his abilities his price had given her an inclination that he was the best. She was just anxious; Christmas was coming and she wanted the prosecutions star witness dead before her trial began at the first of the year.

"I'm more than confident in your ability to get the job done. In fact, I was thinking…"

"Oh yeah? About what?"

She closed the small gap between them and she could smell the sweat and feel the heat radiating from his body.

"When you kill Derek Morgan in three days, I was hoping you'd let me watch."

BAU Headquarters –

Derek needed a break. Penelope was still upset and decided to go off on her own for lunch so he was left with an hour of free time. He was eager to see the progress out at his new project so he grabbed his keys and headed toward the elevators. Just as he pressed the down button, Reid rounded the corner.

"Hey Morgan, were are you headed?"

"I thought I'd go check on my latest project. I have a guy doing some work and I'm anxious to see how it's going."

"I'm surprised Garcia isn't with you."

"She decided to run some errands."

Reid noticed the evasiveness in his friend's tone. Morgan and Garcia were darn near inseparable during their free time.

"I don't have any lunch plans do you mind if I tag along?"

"Sure Pretty Boy, I could use the company."

The two were half way out of the parking garage when Reid began to interrogate Morgan.

"So you want to tell me why Garcia really ditched you for lunch?"

Morgan rolled his eyes shooting a quick glance at the younger man.

"She's pissed at me."

"Why?"

"She's got this thing about the guy I hired to help me with the house were going to go see."

"Oscar Boyd?"

"Yeah, how did you know his name?"

"Garcia told me. She thinks he's up to no good. Obviously your fine with him."

"I think my wife's hormones are out of whack. That and the incident with Savannah and Sam, she thinks everybody is out to get us."

"She may have a point."

Morgan shot another glance at Reid.

"What?"

"Think about it. Garcia sees the best in everyone. I know what Savannah and Sam did scared her, it scared all of us, but she's not like us. She sees good in everybody that's the only reason Savannah's plan worked…well almost worked."

"I don't know Reid she made some interesting points earlier today that's got me thinking she may be on to something."

"Like what?"

"This guy, Oscar Boyd, knocked on our door the other night just after you all left. He said his battery had died and he needed a jump."

"So?"

"He parked across the street and instead of asking our neighbors he went out of his way to ring our doorbell."

"Maybe yours were the only lights on."

"No, he parked in front of the Mitchell's and their lights were on, Reid."

Just as Reid was about to spout off a litany of statistics Derek pulled in front of the old house. They could hear the sound of a nail gun and pounding as they jumped out of the truck.

"This really is a lovely house. It's a shame he won't have a chance to see the finished product."

"Look Savannah you really need to go. If you're seen here it will blow our plans out of the water!"

Just then Boyd heard voices outside near the front of the house. Savannah shot a look of panic at him and it was the first time he'd seen her slightly off kilter suddenly as she looked around her for a place to hide.

"Boyd!"

Morgan opened the front door and immediately smelled the scent of fresh paint. This was by far his favorite acquisition and he had special plans for the place.

"Boyd? You here, man?"

He looked at Reid and shrugged as the two proceeded further into the house stopping suddenly at the unexpected sight before them.

"What the hell?"