Chapter 128
AN: I hope you like this chapter. PLEASE, PLEASE, leave a review.
A little over two weeks have passed since the team helped Penelope and Emily move into their new house and in BAU tradition the team ended up working on Christmas so Penelope and Emily didn't get to host Christmas Morning at their new home.
It's extremely early in the morning and as she has a lot of paperwork to catch up on Emily is quietly getting dressed, in hers and Penelope's bathroom, not wanting to wake her sleeping wife. Once Emily is dressed she heads out of the room and over to the bed where she leaves a note for Penelope on her pillow, so she doesn't worry, before leaving.
A little while after she, disappointingly, woke up to a note rather than her wife Penelope is arriving at the BAU at the same time as JJ and Matt.
"Oh, my gosh. You guys, this might be a record. It's just a little bit after new year's and we're actually going to celebrate our MHM tonight," Penelope says, sounding excited.
"You still call them that?" Matt asks amused.
"Of course," Penelope answers.
"Wait, you know what that means?" JJ asks, sounding a little surprised as she thought she would have had to explain that to Matt.
"Yeah, Penelope created the term when we were kids," Matt explains. "She and Stephen had a lot of Missed Holiday Meals with their fathers," Matt explains, knowing that both Penelope and Stephen spent more than one holiday with him and his family; usually when the plan was for Penelope to spend a holiday with her dad but then a case got in the way.
"That's an understatement," Penelope comments.
"You know, this is actually perfecting timing, Spence just got back from his seminar," JJ explains, and as she does all three of them see Emily and Rossi in the roundtable room.
"Put on your rain-check boots," Penelope realizes, knowing the sight all too well, and the three of them head up to the roundtable room.
"What do we have?" JJ asks, as she, Matt and Penelope walk into the roundtable room.
"No time to sit," Emily says. "Trish Gains. She was beaten nearly to death, partially buried and resuscitated in a grave in Hitchens," Emily explains, as she puts images on the screen.
"She's the chief of police's wife. She was found in a national park one hundred miles form here. Makes it a federal case," Rossi explains.
"We also have a suspect on the run," Emily reveals, putting another image on the screen. "Rick Sturgess. He was seen harassing Trish at a bar just hours before she was found," Emily explains.
"He's done time for sexual assault," Matt realizes.
"He's never killed before," JJ notes.
"But he has an outstanding warrant," Penelope says.
"Which is why we're teaming up with the marshals," Emily explains. "But I'm not ruling out any suspects. Whoever wanted Trish dead is still out there," Emily explains. "We'll hit the road in ten," Emily explains, and once they do everyone starts to head out of the roundtable room as Penelope walks over to her wife.
"You know I really don't like waking up alone," Penelope says to her wife.
"I'm sorry, I really wanted to try to get some paperwork done," Emily admits.
"You could have woken me, I have work that I could have done too," Penelope tells her wife.
"You looked too Peaceful," Emily says, before kissing her wife. "I love you," Emily says, once they break apart.
"I love you too," Penelope responds. "I'll see you after this case," Penelope says.
"Yeah," Emily says, before heading out of the roundtable room.
A little while later Emily, Rossi, Matt and JJ have arrived in Hitchens, and Emily is speaking with the deputy sheriff who was the last person to see Trish.
"I shouldn't have left her," the Deputy Sheriff says. "Steve was gone for one night and I didn't keep Trish safe," he says, guilt clear in his voice.
"That's not your job," Emily assures him.
"Yeah, but it happened on my watch," the Deputy Sheriff explains. "He said he hadn't left her alone before," The Deputy Sheriff explains, and Emily finds the choice of words a little disturbing.
"What do you mean?" Emily asks, wanting an explanation for those specific, and disturbing, words.
"I didn't pry," he admits.
"Look, I'm wrapping up these witness statements, but Barb Stanhope wanted to talk to you director," he explains.
"Okay, thanks," Emily says, and she goes to talk to Trish's friend. During the conversation Emily discovered that the victim got a hell of a lot of texts from her husband on her night out.
After getting instructions from Emily Tara is walking into Penelope's office knowing that they have to discuss something that might be difficult for Penelope.
"Emily had me call a contact in Ashburn and it's not good," Tara admits. "Trish had multiple visits to the ER broken arm, fractured ribs, two miscarriages," Tara explains.
"Okay, and multiple ER visits usually means family services," Penelope realizes, as Tara puts her hand on Penelope's shoulder, which causes her to tense.
"You okay doing this?" Tara asks concerned.
"Yeah," Penelope says, as she continues to type. "Trish said she fell down the stairs," Penelope explains.
"She wasn't pushed?" Tara asks.
"Not according to her," Penelope explains. "No ER visits since they moved to Hitches," Penelope explains as she finds something. "Oh, this case just went from a slam dunk to… I don't know the right analogy, but it just a whole lot worse," Penelope realizes. "Check that out," Penelope says, showing something to Tara.
A little while later the entire team are in different places but are all on the phone together. Rossi, Matt and Emily are at the Hitchens police station, JJ is at the hospital, and Penelope, Tara and Luke are in the roundtable room.
"JJ, I'm with Dave and Matt, you're on speaker," Emily explains.
"We're all here, JJ," Penelope explains.
"Oh, thanks Trevor," JJ says to Trish's son. "Yeah, I'm here, but…" JJ starts to say.
"Uh, sounds like you can't talk," Emily realizes. "Okay, we've ruled out Rick Sturgess as our prime suspect," Emily explains. "There was no sexual assault on Trish," Emily says.
"As we know, Sturgess is all about the predatory masculine behavior. He wouldn't have been able to control those urgers," Matt realizes. "So, do we have any other suspects?" Matt asks.
"It's possible that Trish's husband might be involved," Emily explains.
"Where is that coming from?" Rossi asks, sounding surprised.
"Barb, Trish's friend, she said Steve was texting Trish all night," Emily explains.
"Forty-two times to be exact," Penelope explains.
"Steve won't release the medical records to us, and Mack told me last night was the first time Steve had ever left Trish alone," Emily explains.
"Which is weird and possessive, right?" Penelope asks, and for a second her thoughts go to Kevin, but she quickly pushes those thoughts down. "So, I did some digging. Trish has had a slew of, quote, 'accidents', I don't want to judge, but they're classic excuses for domestic abuse," Penelope explains.
"Okay, but the chief has a solid alibi. He was camping," Luke explains.
"Ah, not so solid," JJ explains. "Their son said when they woke up around six am, Steve wasn't there. He got back around seven am with doughnuts, and that's when Mack called with the news," JJ explains.
"So, he drives home while the kids are asleep, things get heated, he goes too far, he has to cover it up," Rossi realizes, as he walks to the board.
"Yeah, but to do what happened to her, the level of it, he'd have to be out of his mind," Matt comments.
"Well, the ER visits could be why they moved," Tara suggests. "You know, too many people asking to many questions. They needed a fresh start in a small town," Tara theorizes.
"Okay, so what's the plan?" JJ asks.
"You're in a public place, so he will control his temper, and he won't be expecting you to ask how things have been with him and Trish," Emily realizes. "You'll get an honest reaction," Emily explains.
"Okay, all right. I'll, uh, call you back," JJ explains.
For the next day the team continues to work that case and in that time the Deputy Sheriff has been killed, it has become clear that Trish is detoxing from drugs, Reid has arrived and Penelope has travelled from Hitchens and is working out of the hospital.
Like Penelope Luke and Tara have travelled to Hitchens, and Emily, Tara, Luke, Matt and Rossi are working together in the conference room of the Hitchens's PD.
"So we just got the EMTs to admit that there have been fifteen deaths, one hundred and two overdoses, nine babies born with drug-related issues in this county in the last week," Matt explains.
"I've got three hundred and six jailed just this month for drugs," Luke explains.
"The EMTs told us they've gone to a single house multiple times in one day due to overdoses," Tara explains.
"So why is this town hit so hard?" Emily asks, as it does not completely make sense to her.
"Baltimore's the closest port city," Matt explains. "Hitchens county is merely a stop along this heroin highway," Matt explains, as Emily's phone starts to ring.
"Good day and news," Penelope greats. "Uh, I got into Mack's smashed cell phone. Not a lot of activity. There is an outgoing call to a pay phone in town. And I have the last entry in his notes," Penelope explains.
"Great, let's have it," Emily says to her wife.
"Shelly, those were his notes. That was his note… that name," Penelope explains.
"Has there been a shelly anywhere else in the investigation?" Rossi asks, trying to make sense of the situation.
"She wasn't on the witness list from the bar," Emily says, knowing that.
"Penelope, how many Shellys in the county drive a pickup?" Rossi asks his daughter, and Penelope checks.
"Not a single one," Penelope says, a level of disappointment to her voice.
"Okay, keep trying, Babe, it could be a nickname, or a last name connected to Trish," Emily says to her wife.
"All basis covered, got it," Penelope says, before hanging up.
"Trish was surrounded by a lot of women the night she was attacked. So maybe this Shelly was involved, but she just didn't come forward," Matt says.
"What if she is Trish's dealer," Luke suggests.
"We need to talk to the Chief," Emily realizes.
A little while later Spencer has talked to Trish's daughter, and discovered exactly how she feels about her mother's addiction. Thanks to Matt and Rossi going to talk to the chief the team now knows how Trish got her drugs and Emily, Luke and Tara are in the conference room of the police station together.
"These pills are the most prolific serial killers we've ever seen," Tara realizes.
"Like a lot of towns in America," Luke notes. "I mean Hitchens could be quietly calling out for help," Luke realizes.
"JJ said there's a community board down at the hospital and almost every flyer is for an addiction hot line. Wonder who sponsors those," Tara comments, and as she does Emily's phone rings.
"Pen, I was just thinking about you," Emily says, as she answers her phone.
"Well you know I can read your mind, Amore," Penelope says to her wife. "What do you need Sweetheart?" Penelope asks her wife.
"I need to know who runs the drug help lines in Hitchens," Emily explains to her wife.
"That will be next on my to-do list," Penelope explains. "And why I love hearing you sexy voice I called to say the chief is getting his prescription filled by a Doctor Gorman, but it's all totally legit," Penelope explains.
"By chance, anyone in his life need Shelly?" Luke asks, wondering if he is asking for trouble by interrupting Penelope and Emily's flirting.
"Uh, his wife's name's Michelle. Shelly could be short for Michelle right," Penelope explains, and as she does she sees JJ walking towards her. "Uh, em, JJ jus walked in and she looks…. What's wrong?" Penelope asks concerned.
"Trish is awake," JJ explains.
A little while later Penelope has found out that the Doctors Wife, Shelly is behind all the help lines, and she is on the phone with Emily, her Dad, Matt, Tara and Luke, examining what she has found about Shelly's sister Kat who is the prime suspect.
"Okay, so Kat has a nasty history of addiction," Penelope explains. "Back in 2014, she almost Oded with her newborn in the car," Penelope says. "The courts granted custody to the Gormans," Penelope explains.
"What do we know about Shelly and Kat's past?" Rossi asks.
"They came from the same violent broken home, single alcoholic father," Penelope explains. "Shelly dropped out of school. She started working a lot in Baltimore. She got fired a lot, had a long list of court mandated anger management classes," Penelope explains.
"Well that rage would explain the extreme attack on Trish," Matt realizes.
"So she cleans up her act, moves to Hitchens, meets a nice doctor, marries up. She's manipulative," Tara concludes.
"It sounds like this is about survival for her. I mean, she'd do anything to keep the life she's made for herself," Luke realizes.
"Pen," Emily says, and her wife simply saying her name is enough for Penelope to know exactly what she wants.
"Okay, I'm sending Kat's apartment and Shelly Gorman's address now," Penelope explains.
A little while later Shelly has been arrested, Kat's life has been saved and the entire team is in the roundtable room which has been set up with a long, large table.
"You did all this?" Reid says to Penelope as they walk in and take their seats.
"With a little help," Penelope says, referring to her father and Emily, as everyone sits down Rossi at the head of the table, Emily at the other end with Penelope, JJ, and Reid sitting on one side, with Penelope sitting closest to Emily, and Tara, Luke and Matt on the other, with Tara being next to Emily.
"Happy new year to all my favorite people," Penelope says.
"Salud," Rossi says and everyone toasts, as they do Penelope and Emily kiss before drinking some of their champagne.
About a week has passed since the case in Hitchens, and even though they are married now and have a different anniversary Penelope and Emily are at Archer's having a, late, anniversary dinner.
"I'm really glad Archer was able to keep pushing our reservation," Penelope comments, though she does feel a little bad that he had to.
"Me too," Emily confirms. "This is nice, we haven't had a night like this in a while," Emily says, as between work, and moving, they have mainly been eating take out or Penelope's cooking.
"I know," Penelope says, and basically as soon a she says it both her and Emily's phones go off.
"I really shouldn't have said anything," Emily says, as they both check their phones.
"You really shouldn't have, you jinxed us," Penelope tells her wife.
"I'll get the bill," Emily says, knowing they have to go into the BAU.
"I'll call in the team," Penelope says, and both she and Emily start to do what they have to do.
A little while later Penelope and Emily have gotten in touch with every member of the team, except for Luke, and so Penelope and Emily tracked his phone to a restaurant where from the bar, as attempt to get his attention, they realize he is on a date.
"Boss, Garcia, what are you doing here?" Luke asks confused, once he walks up to the pair.
"Sorry Luke, but we've got…" Emily starts to say.
"A case," Luke realizes.
"We tried texting you, but you didn't respond," Penelope explains to him.
"I turned my phone off while we were eating," Luke explains.
"Which is why Pen tracked your phone as we headed into the BAU," Emily explains.
"Sorry for making you go out of your way," Luke says, as he knows from Penelope and Emily's place to get here is the opposite way to the BAU.
"You were actually on our way," Emily explains, which causes Luke to realizes that he wasn't the only one on a date.
"All right, let me tell my date," Luke says, and as he does he realizes that Penelope, and even Emily a little, look curious about his date
"Would you both like to meet her?" Luke suggests.
"I don't want to intrude…" Penelope says, but she starts to walk towards Luke's date with Luke, and Emily who has an amused look on her face, right behind.
"Is everything okay?" Luke's date asks once the trio walks over.
"Lisa, this is my boss Emily Prentiss and her wife, and our technical analyst Penelope Prentiss," Luke introduces, and Penelope can't help but smile at Luke introducing her by that name. "Emily, Penelope, this is Lisa Douglas," Luke introduces.
"Hi," Penelope says.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Emily says.
"it's a pleasure to meet you both too," Lisa says.
"I'm sorry, I have to go," Luke explains.
"And we're sorry to tare him away, but Duty calls," Penelope explains.
"Sure, I understand," Lisa says, because she does.
"You should stay, and you know, have deserts or coffee, whatever," Luke explains. "I'll take care of the waiter," Luke explains.
"Okay," Lisa says, as Luke walks away.
"So, Luke's a really great guy, how long have you been dating?" Penelope asks curious.
"Pen," Emily says, attempting to hide her amusement.
"What, you know you want to know too," Penelope says, and Emily tilts her head slightly, which says her wife is right.
"This is actually our first date," Lisa admits.
"Then I'm even sorrier," Emily admits. "But Pen's right, Luke is a good guy, don't hold this against him," Emily explains.
"I'll keep that in mind," Lisa says, realizing that Luke's coworkers clearly care about him, which says a lot about the kind of person Luke is, as Luke walks back over.
"Look, again, I'm sorry, I'll call you," Luke says to Lisa, feeling like he is not making a good impression.
"It was nice to meet you," Penelope says.
"You too," Lisa responds, as Penelope, Emily and Luke start to walk away.
"Get dessert," Emily advices, as they start to walk away.
"Hey, you better get a sitter for that sweet little girl of yours cause this case is gonna be a doozer," Penelope comments, as she, Emily, and Luke walk away.
Not long after they crashed Luke's date Penelope and Emily are walking into the round table room where the rest of the team are.
"NYPD need our help," Emily explains.
"I'll say they do," Penelope says. "Okay, earlier tonight the body of a jogger, Brad Norton, thirty two was found in Central Park," Penelope explains.
"He was disemboweled, and his throat was torn out," Rossi reads.
"Yeah, and then last month, the body of Victor Guzman, twenty-six, was found in Central Park, and he has been… what Dad said," Penelope explains.
"Any witnesses to either crime?" Tara asks curious.
"No, none," Emily answers.
"And the wounds on both victims looked like claw and bite marks from a large animal," Reid explains.
"Did the police check to see if any large predatory animals escaped from Central Park zoo?" JJ asks.
"Every last creature has been accounted for down to the last penguin," Penelope explains.
"Well, there are people who think having exotic pets, like lions or tigers, is a good idea," Matt explains. "Maybe one escaped or was abandoned and is living in the park," Matt suggests.
"There's a lot of places to hide," Reid explains. "Central Park is eight hundred and forty-three acers, including fifty eight miles of pedestrian paths, thirty six bridges seven bodies of water, six miles of roads, and five miles of bridal paths," Reid explains.
"If it is a wild animal, it's a job for animal control," JJ explains.
"Someone could have trained a pit bull or large breed like a mastiff or an akita to attack on command," Tara says.
"I can search kennels and dog breeders in the area," Penelope says.
"This case reminds me of one from ninety-seven," Rossi comments. "Two teenagers killed a man in the park in almost the same way," Rossi remembers.
"Yeah, I was living in the Bronx then," Luke says, trying to remember. "It's uh… Daphne, Daphne Abdella and a Christopher Vasquez," Luke says. "They slit a man's throat, gutted him, and then filled his body cavity with stones before they threw him in one of the lakes," Luke says.
"Wild beast or human, either way wheels up in twenty," Emily says, and once she does everyone except for her and Penelope head out of the room. As everyone else leaves Penelope and Emily walk over to each other.
"I'm sorry, I know this wasn't exactly how we planed our night to go," Emily says to her wife.
"Yeah, but it's not overly surprising," Penelope admits, as Emily reaches out and takes both of Penelope's hands.
"Rain check when I get home?" Emily asks her wife.
"Definitely," Penelope assures her wife. "Stay safe," Penelope says, before kissing her.
About half an hour later the team are on the plane on their way to New York, with Penelope on the video call.
"The latest victim, Brad Norton, moved to New York City five years ago from Danbury, Connecticut," Emily explains.
"He was single, worked as an insurance agent, and had the same job for ten years," Luke explains.
"From all accounts, he lived a low-risk lifestyle," JJ says. "Though jogging in the park alone after dark is a pretty high risk behavior for anyone," JJ comments.
"According to his social media, his goal was to run a marathon," Penelope explains. "He said, "Nothing was going to stop him," Penelope explains.
"Yeah, well, we all know how that turned out," Rossi says.
"Victor Guzman, the victim from last month, is a much different story," Matt explains. "He was a member of the Amsterdam crew, which is a particularly violent gang on Manhattan's upper West Side," Matt comments.
"You know, some street gangs use aggressive dogs as a weapon to intimidate or install fear," Reid says. "A rival gang might have targeted Guzman to send a message," Reid comments.
"The jogger had no gang ties," Luke says. "But he could have witnessed something in the park while he was running. Maybe it's a case of wrong place, wrong time," Luke explains.
"Maybe not time," Penelope says. "Both attacks happened during a full moon; just saying," Penelope comments.
"Coincidence or Luna effect?" Rossi asks.
"Oh, come on. No one really believes the full moon triggers strange and erratic behavior in people," Tara says, and as she does she notices the look on Emily's face as she glances towards the screen Penelope is on.
"Uh, yes, they… I… I do," Penelope says. "I believe that," Penelope says.
"Yes, studies, albeit informal, show an increase in suicide, homicides, ER visits, psychiatric hospital admissions, traffic accidents, even fights at professional hockey games," Reid explains.
"You guys, another victim was just found at the park," Penelope reveals. "Same MO, same full moon," Penelope explains.
"When we land, Luke, JJ, go to the latest crime scene," Emily instructs. "Dave, Matt, see what the ME can tell us. The rest of us will set up in the precinct in Central Park," Emily instructs.
For the next day the team continue to work the case and, in that time, a foster kid, in a bad situation, who was in the park as it's safer than his group home was treated kindly by the unsub. As the team have developed a profile Matt, Luke, and other police officers are in the park surviving things as the sun has gone down.
"Matt, Luke," Emily says through the coms.
"Yeah, go ahead, Emily," Matt says.
"What's your status?" Emily asks, as Matt notices Luke once more check his phone.
"It's all quiet here. Nothing to report," Matt responds.
"Same as the others. Okay, stay alert," Emily instructs.
"Ten four boss, over and out," Matt says. "So, who is she?" Matt asks curious.
"What do you mean?" Luke asks, pretending to be confused.
"That's about the tenth time you've checked your phone," Matt explains. "Who is she?" Matt asks curious.
"I met her on a blind date," Luke explains.
"Ah," Matt says, in understanding.
"She's, uh, funny and beautiful and smart," Luke comments.
"She can't be too smart. She went out with you," Matt teases.
"Well, she's, uh, she's a doctor: Luke reveals. "She worked for Doctors Without Borders, and then she volunteered in Pakistan, Yemen, South Sudan," Luke explains.
"Dangerous places to work," Matt says, sounding impressed.
"Yeah. Anyway, the date got interrupted by this case, by the Prentiss' actually, I told her I'd call her, and left a message, but there's been nothing but radio silence since," Luke admits.
"You think what we do for a living has something to do with it?" Matt asks curious.
"Nah. One of her brothers is a cop, and she knows the life," Luke explains.
"Well, I wouldn't sweat it. You'll hear from her soon," Matt comments.
"You know, it's funny, when I was hunting down fugitives, I preferred being alone," Luke admits. "Nothing to worry about, no one tying me down," Luke admits.
"What about now?" Matt asks curious.
"I can't stop thinking about her," Luke admits.
"You poor bastard," Matt says with a laugh.
The next morning, there has been another victim, who was dumped out of the park which means the unsub is unraveling. Due to that fact the entire team know that they are running out of time and so Emily, Tara, Reid and Matt are in the conference room of the central park precinct, discussing things.
"Kelly Sinclair was attacked walking her dog," Tara explains as she puts up Tara's picture. "Her fiancé said she never took off her diamond engagement ring since the day he proposed," Tara explains.
"And the ring was not recovered at the crime scene," Reid says.
"The unsub could have taken it," Matt suggests.
"He's never taken souvenirs from any of his other victims, and why just the ring? She was also wearing an expensive necklace and watch," Emily explains.
"Biting off Kelly's finger could have something to do with the real target of the Unsub's rage. A wife? An ex?" Luke suggests.
"We said that he may have suffered some kind of loss. Taking Kelly's ring may symbolize a divorce, a broken engagement, a death of a spouse," Matt suggests.
"When the unsub put his coat over Chad while he was sleeping on the park bench, he was acting more like a protector than a predator," Emily realizes.
"Wolves by nature are fearless predators, but they're also incredibly social. They live in packs, they mate for life, they fiercely protect their family, "Reid explains.
"What if their was a loss to his family unit? His pack so to speak," Matt suggests.
"If he failed to protect a family member in that park, he could be trying to right that wrong by targeting those he perceives to be bad," Tara realizes.
"Protector transforming into vigilante," Emily realizes, knowing it makes sense with what they know.
"Exactly," Reid says. "The unsub could have witnessed Victor Guzman involved in gang activity, Frankie Brown mugging the out of town couple, and in his delusion, it might have looked like the jogger, Brad Norton, was fleeing the scene of a crime," Reid realizes.
"What about the hot dog vendor?" Matt asks.
"Well, maybe he saw Mr Patel have that fight with the other vendor," Tara suggests and because she knows they need information to know if their theory is correct Emily calls her wife.
"Pen," Emily says, as soon as she hears Penelope pick up.
"Emily Prentiss you have ESP, and by that I mean, especially spectacular posture, but also the other kind," Penelope admits. "Cause I was just about to call you," Penelope informs her wife.
"What have you got, Babe?" Emily asks.
"Unfortunately, a lot of bupkis," Penelope admits. "I found two current lycanthropy cases but none in the New York area," Penelope explains. "And as far as park employees with red flags, there's nothing that's like flapping in the breeze," Penelope explains.
"We need your help with something else," Emily informs her wife.
"Bring it," Penelope requests.
"We're looking for incidents that happened in the park that may have involved a child or family, go back ten years," Emily instructs.
"Pulling up crime stats now," Penelope says, and then she sees all of the results. "Ah, I'm gonna need a skosh bit more time to go through this," Penelope admits.
"Okay, get back to us," Emily requests.
"You know it," Penelope says. "Penelope Prentiss down but not out," Penelope says before hanging up and Emily can't help but smile.
In her office back at Quantico Penelope is looking though the crime scenes.
"Mama Pajama," Penelope says shocked, suspecting she has found just what her wife wants, and so she calls her back.
"Go ahead, Pen," Emily answers, as she walks back into the conference room at Central Park, where Luke, who had to fix a miscommunication with Lisa, has just retuned to.
"I've been looking into crimes that happened in the park among families and children in particular. I think I found what you're looking for," Penelope admits. "Please check your tablets," Penelope says, as she sends everything though. "Two years ago, this month, the McCord family of Bellerose Queens, father Mitchell, Mother Adele, fifteen year old son Bryce, decided to go ice-skating in the city. On their way home they went for a walk in the park," Penelope explains.
"They were confronted by a robber with a gun. Bryce intervened," Rossi reads.
"And he was shot an died in his mothers arms," JJ says, sounding horrified.
"Talk about your off the charts stressor," Matt realizes.
"And it was a full moon that night," Tara realized. "Mitchell must have started using drugs to self-medicate to escape his pain and grief," Tara says.
"So, in his delusions, he can release his rage and dispense his own vigilante justice," Reid realizes.
"Penelope, what does the dad do for a living?" Rossi asks his daughter.
"Uh, he works as a dental lab technician," Penelope explains.
"Now we know where he made the canine mouthpiece," Luke realizes.
"Pen, you know what to do," Emily says, as the team hurry out.
A while later the killer has been stopped, and the foster child, Chad, has been rescued. While the rest of the team are sitting and talking Emily is sitting and staring out of the window, thinking about something.
Feeling concerned about her friend JJ walks over and sits down across from her.
"You okay?" JJ asks and Emily doesn't hear her. "Emily," JJ says, trying to get her attention.
"Sorry JJ, did you say something?" Emily asks confused.
"You okay?" JJ asks, feeling her concern grow.
"Yeah, I'm just thinking," Emily admits.
"Anything you want to share?" JJ asks curious.
"I can't stop thinking about Chad," Emily admits. "He preferred the park over his group home, and he wasn't safe at either place, " Emily says. "How many kids have we seen like that? What kind of future is he going to have?" Emily asks.
"It's one of the hardest parts of the job, knowing that as much as we may want to me can't help kids like Chad," JJ admits.
"Maybe there is something," Emily mutters, but she spoke loud enough for JJ to hear.
"What?" JJ asks.
"Nothing," Emily says, knowing that this is something she wants to talk about, but JJ isn't who she wants to talk about it with.
"Okay," JJ says, feeling confused.
A while after her conversation with JJ Emily is sitting in the main living area of her house, which still has boxes everywhere, with Penelope who surprised her by getting take away from Archers. As they eat Penelope can tell that her wife is being even quieter than normal.
"Em? You okay Amore?" Penelope asks concerned.
"Chad, the boy the unsub took hostage, he's in such a bad situation and there are soo many kids like him, too many," Emily admits.
"And you want to do something about it," Penelope says, knowing her wife, and because she knows Emily so well Penelope thinks she knows exactly what her wife wants to do. "Em, do you want us to look into adoption, or fostering?" Penelope asks, a level of amazement to her voice.
"How would you feel about that?" Emily asks.
"I think it's an incredible idea," Penelope tells her wife, with a smile, as she reaches over and takes Emily's hands. "I want us to be parents, I want us to give a home and loving family to a kid, or kids, who need us," Penelope explains, as she feels Emily squeeze her hands. While she knows what children of BAU agents will face a lot of complications she also knows that she is in the best position to make sure they don't have the same experiences as her and Stephen as she knows what it is like.
"That's exactly what I want to," Emily admits, even though it terrifies her. "Though I wouldn't even know where we would start," Emily admits.
"We search with research," Penelope tells her wife. "And probably a conversation with either Stephen, Kristy or Fiona to find out what added complications we will face and ask if they can recommend any LGBTQ+ focused adoption lawyers," Penelope suggests.
"That sounds like a good idea," Emily says. "How about we start by asking Stephen," Emily says, as she knows that Stephen would be the least likely to tell anyone else in the team.
"I like that idea," Penelope admits, as she moves closer to Emily who puts her arms around her wife. "I think it would be better if we didn't tell anyone else in our family until we know something concreate," Penelope suggests.
"You read my mind," Emily tells her wife as she knows that everyone in the BAU knowing could make things complicated.
"We're going to be parents," Penelope says, as she leans against Emily.
"We're going to be parents," Emily confirms, as she kisses her wife's cheek, doing her best not to focus on the feeling of terror, and self- doubt, and instead is focusing on the joy and excitement she is feeling.