Hey all - Here's chapter 25. I don't own Criminal Minds, I'm just playing in their sandbox.

Happy reading - enjoy :)

JJ sat looking through files for the next few potential cases and wrapping up her paperwork for the current case as the team jetted home from the case in Beachwood, New Jersey. She rested her head in her hand as she contemplated not only the upcoming cases, but also the case they had just wrapped up. She lifted her head as Hotch came up the aisle of the jet beside her and spoke to her, disrupting the thoughts going through her head.

"You're not asleep." Hotch said as he glanced over at JJ from the notes he was reading through.

"Huh…Just finishing my report." JJ responded as she looked back to the paperwork and files spread before her.

"Everything ok?" Hotch asked as he settled into the seat across the aisle from JJ with his notepad filled with notes and his cup of tea.

"There's always another file. This next ones pretty bad." JJ said as she flipped through the case file before her.

"Yeah" Hotch said in whispered commiseration.

JJ tapped her pen a few times on the contents of the file in contemplation. She already knew the answer to what she had asked last time…but she still wanted to have the conversation with Hotch. "Of all the departments, why'd you choose the BAU?" JJ asked as she turned to look at Hotch.

"You know I had prosecuted dozens of murder cases, and by the time they had reached my desk, it always felt like it was too late." Hotch said as he looked straight ahead reflecting on the cases he had seen. "and I wanted to stop them before they got to my desk."

JJ was lost in thought about how to help Hotch this time around as he answered her question. She began to put away the case files that she was done working with.

"That doesn't really answer your question." Hotch said turning to look at JJ.

"No, it doesn't" JJ said.

"I guess I'm still trying to figure it out." Hotch said with a sigh.

"Try and get some sleep" JJ said as she leaned back in her seat and grabbed the blanket off the back of her seat.

As she covered up with the throw and closed her eyes, she thought back over the last few days.

"How do you want to handle the press?" Gideon asked pointing to JJ.

"We still don't even know how these people got dosed. I think it would irresponsible to issue a warning without specifics. It'll just cause panic. I did notify the local PD to be discreet. I think I should meet with the local media and explain to them the importance of not going to press with anything that could incite panic. I think it's unrealistic for us to expect that in the course of the investigation that something won't be leaked."

JJ paused for a moment in thought and then continued "I also think we need to get in touch with the local hospital. We'll need to make them aware of what we looking for. They can have an eye open for what we're looking for. We might be able to use information from the hospital to get ahead of the unsub in the event that there is another poisoning."

After dealing her dealings with the press in the last two cases, she really was questioning whatever happened to responsible journalism. When did it become all about the sensationalism and the headline. Who answered for a family being asked questions that no family should have to answer when their child was missing, like the Copelands had. Who answered for inciting a panic in the general public, all for a few extra ratings and a little sensationalism.

She was glad in the case of the Copelands she had been able to prepare them. On this case they had been relatively lucky. JJ had met with the General Manager at the local news station. She had been able to dissuade them from airing any story or footage that was vague or lacking specific details. The GM has called the reporters in for a briefing and she had managed to explain the importance of not inciting a panic without giving away any details of the ongoing investigation. When the leak happened, the name of the restaurant had been included in the news report. That had been enough to avoid the phone lines and the hospital being over run.

Liaising with the hospital had been a huge benefit. They had been notified about Lynn Dempsey as soon as she came into the ER. Through checking her background they had been able to find Edward Hill earlier and prevent the poisoning in the office at Hitchcock and catch the executive team before the left for their retreat with the tainted envelopes.

Unfortunately for Lynn Dempsey, Hill had dosed her and himself almost right after poisonings on Friday night. They had both been beyond help since before the team even arrived in Beachwood.

JJ hoped that by preventing the panic that lives had in fact been saved that hadn't before. That people who had truly needed emergency services and medical help had been able to receive them because the phone lines and resources hadn't been tied up by people in a panic due to irresponsible journalism.

She turned to look at Hotch as he looked out the window. How do you prevent an honorable man from losing his family? Hotch lost Haley long before Haley lost her life….how do you prevent the breakup of a relationship …the destruction of a family? How do you warn a man dedicated to his job to spend more time at home? How do you be in two places at once? The team needed Hotch, but Haley needed her husband, and Jack needed his father.

She thought about the things that were coming up for the team. She wondered how she and Spence could change things, not just the cases, but some of the pain and suffering of their teammates themselves. She knew that she and Spence had opportunities to help them out, to prevent things from happening, she just hoped for the team's sake, that whatever she and Spence did, that it would be enough.