They filed back in to the conference room. "What did you find?" Rossi asked as JJ and Morgan took a seat.

"The only thing that ties them together seems to be the gun use to kill them." Morgan said as he started to skim through the ME report.

"Isolated. Although it's that flat you'd have seen your attacker." She paused slightly. "Could be he blends in with the people around here?"

"He knows them." Reid muttered. "He has to be from around these areas."

The knock at the door disturb them. "We've got another victim" officer Sanders said as he leaned against the door frame.

"Can you ask the ME to leave the body alone until we get there?" Morgan asked.

Sanders shook his head. "He's on his way to hospital."

"He's alive?" JJ asked as she casted a glance at Morgan.

"For now, gunshot wound to the upper chest area, looks like he missed."

"This guy doesn't miss." Morgan mumbled. "Sure, it's the same guy?"

"Pretty sure, won't know until we get ballistics back." He said firmly. "I'm heading to the scene."

"Morgan, JJ you two go with officer Sanders, Reid and I will go to the hospital. Hotch should be here in a few hours."

Reid looked at the board, the locations the bodies had been found, the spot where the latest attack had taken place. "One second." He said pulling Rossi's attention. "What if the guys in a car, although looking at the road I'd say a pick up." He smiled slightly as he finished. "A cars tyres would get torn up on these roads."

Rossi nodded. "It's worth considering, maybe this latest victim can shed some light." He mused as he picked up his jacket.

Emily closed her eyes once the door was finally shut, the bolt slid into place across the wooden door, a simple lock wasn't good enough now. Extra was needed, as though those new bolts gave her protection. The problem was her mind, it had no protection it was on a loop, a never-ending cycle.

Maybe Hotch was right give a statement and maybe the healing process would start, she hated feeling powerless. It was unnatural for her, she had never shied away from anything. She had tackled the darkest of mind, she could even say some were on the lines of what she had been through. She always wondered how they coped how they managed to move forward. Was it because they gave a statement or because they had their day in court and watched on as the criminal had been handed down his life sentence. Was that it? Was that what was missing?

Morgan nudged JJ as they walked the crime scene. "These tracks seem new." JJ commented as they walked along the road in a hope they would find shell casting. "You don't think that's why we have no casings?" she paused slightly.

"You're thinking truck?" he questioned.

"More pick up, you could get a good angle if you were to position yourself correctly." JJ said as they came to the spot which gave the impression that this was where it has stopped.

"Might want to test your theory." Morgan smiled. "How's it going with Prentiss?" he asked.

JJ shrugged. "I don't know." She chuckled slightly. "I think she's getting there but." She paused slightly.

"You want to go home?" he asked cutting her off from her trail of thought.

"That obvious?" JJ asked with a slight smirk on her lips.

"Nope, that's just how I'd feel. Would want my own space." He shrugged slightly.

"I daren't bring it up with her though, she's been through so much." She sighed slightly.

"Ever thought she wants time alone?" Morgan asked. "You know Prentiss she likes her own space, she hates people surrounding her." He shrugged slightly.

"You think that's what I'm doing?" she frowned slightly.

"No. I just know my partner" he smiled kindly. "She pushes people away, so she can figure stuff out on her own. I'm not saying she doesn't want you there, since I have no clue if she's asked you to stay." He paused. "But knowing Emily she'd feel guilty asking you to leave." He shrugged slightly.

"Oh god. That's why." JJ mumbled as she looked at him.

"That's why what?" Morgan asked confused.

"She's been locking herself in her bedroom, for the most part." She said looking at him. "Hence why I haven't touched the subject of me maybe going home and being at the end of a phone if she needs me." JJ mentally kicked herself. "fuck."

"Damn JJ" Morgan chuckled. "Not your fault. I just know my stubborn partner too well." He said through a shrug."

"Yet you didn't know about Stacy?" she asked slightly.

"Nope, but she likes her privacy." He shrugged. "Her mother sure did some damage to her when she was growing up." He smiled kindly. "You remember when Garcia got shot. One thing she asked was for us not to treat her as a victim."

"damn it. You think that's what I've been doing?" JJ almost growled at him. "Do you seriously think I'd do that?" her voice raised slightly.

He held his hands up slightly. "Nope not saying that at all. I'm saying you're too close to notice." He smiled slightly. "Hence Garcia had the whole don't treat me like a victim talk with us." He chuckled slightly. "Thing with Prentiss, she'd worry how it would come across. You know how blunt she can be sometimes." He mused. "Talk to her once you get back." He smiled. "Let's solve this and then you have an honest conversation with our dark headed beauty."

JJ nodded slightly. "Thanks."

The knocking on the door pulled her attention.

"Em its me." Garcia shouted slightly. "Let me in please." Even now Emily could hear the lightness in her voice.

"Hey." Emily sighed slightly. Had Hotch really been gone that long? She eyed her friend up noticing the laptop in her hand and the brightly coloured bag attached to her shoulder.

"I bring food, but I need to set my laptop up." She said brightly

Emily nodded as she motioned her through to the small study area which would allow her to work. "How's the case going?" Emily asked.

Garcia shrugged "Not great, but I haven't heard much, seems they lack evidence and motive. Hotch should be with them soon, he thinks a spree, but until they get some type of evidence they are flying blind." She mused slightly. "But I haven't spoken to anyone since they left this morning."

Emily looked at the clock, it was just after 6pm. "That's a long time," Emily frowned knowing that they normally touched base within a few hours.

Garcia shrugged. "True, but like I said they don't have much to go on, not the first time I've been forgotten" she gave a slight pout before smirking.

"You're pretty hard to forget Garcia" Emily chuckled slightly. "Fancy a coffee?" Emily asked before moving to the kitchen.

Garcia chuckled slightly, "Thanks." She paused slightly. "How you are doing?" Emily shrugged her answer. "Em?"

Emily shook her head slightly. "As a friend can you just leave it?" Emily asked slightly.

Garcia sighed. "Okay, but." She paused slightly, "The longer you leave it the more it'll fester." She gave a soft smile. "I'm not asking you to talk Em, I just want to."

If Emily was truthful with herself she just wanted and needed to be alone, to allow her mind to heal with people trying to wrap her up in cotton wool all the time. As much as she loved Garcia and she also knew she meant well but she was starting to get frustrated.

"I know. I'm tired you're welcome to stop, you can use the spare room since JJ isn't here." She paused slightly. "I just." She took a breath. "Need to think." And with that she retreated upstairs. She needed to process what Hotch had asked her.

Garcia sighed, it hadn't gone unnoticed that she hadn't touched the food Garcia had brought, nor had she taken a sip out of the coffee she had made them both. She pulled her cell out. 'Hey Jaye, I'm at Emily's, Hotch asked me to stay until you've got back. She gone to bed now.'