The team did indeed arrive early the next morning. Reid and Riley made it in around 7:30. Reid, not wanting to wait for the others, immediately went to the conference room to get started. Riley met with Emily as she got them coffee.
"Hey," she said, heading to the pot. "How are you this morning?"
She stared into the brown swirls in her mug. "I'm alright." Was all she could say. She met Riley's eyes. "You and Reid… are you okay?"
"Yeah, we're great." she said with a smile. "I shouldn't have kept that from him… Spencer's so protective and… I can still be kind of withdrawn about those things. When we got home, we talked… loudly, but then we made up… loudly."
They laughed like two teenage girls. Riley would never admit it, but she loved having a girlfriend to talk and laugh about this with. She had never had a female friend like this before, not even in high school, and hadn't had any actual friends in ages.
"What about you? How was drinks last night?" she poured out two steaming cups of coffee.
Emily wasn't sure how to respond to that. "Interesting," eventually came out. "You know psychology. Why is it guys only realize they want you when they can't have you?"
"That's Freudian logic." Riley explained. "One boy sees another take a toy out of the sandbox and suddenly he wants it." She took a sip of her drink. "Why, two guys fight over you last night?"
Ironically, Morgan had walked in at the moment. Emily's eyes watched him head over to his desk, not noticing the two girls chatting in the break room. "Yeah… guess who started it."
Riley's eyes followed Emily's gaze. Her jaw dropped slightly in shock. "You've got to be kidding me."
"Nope," she turned her back, not wanting him to see her admiring him. "It was embarrassing."
There was a long silence before Riley said, "No it wasn't."
Emily looked to her, a little offended. "Yes, it was. You weren't there, you don't know what happened. And you don't know how I felt."
"You're two-thirds right. I was not there and I don't know the details, but I know how you felt." Emily noticed the smirk on her face. "However he acted, you loved it. And not the fact that two guys were vying for your attention. It's that Derek Morgan was vying for your attention."
"That's ridiculous." Emily hissed.
But the conversation was over. Morgan had walked in. "I'll see you guys later," Riley said, sporting one last meaningful grin, and made her way to the conference room with the coffee.
"How's Malcolm?" Morgan asked. As soon as he said, he noticed it was similar to Riley's 'Lila'.
"I'm not sure. It wasn't long before we parted ways last night." She replied.
"Wow, he didn't even stay the night?" He snapped. "Not feeling better about Malcolm."
"He didn't stay at all." Emily explained. "When we got to the corner, I made an excuse and went home. Alone."
Slightly impressed, Morgan looked her over with new eyes. "You serious?"
"Not that it's any of your business, but yes. I don't sleep with men I don't know, Morgan." Emily was truthful in that. She had been that reckless in her youth and paid the price. After that, she swore she'd never put herself in that situation again.
"Then why did you leave with him?" Morgan asked.
She gave him a very evil smirk. "I couldn't pass up the chance. You needed a taste of your own medicine."
Morgan looked a little angry and bitter, "Well, excuse me for being concerned for my friend."
"That was concern?" Emily exclaimed, unfortunately drawing the attention of several trainees nearby. "Wow, what the hell do you do when you're actually harboring feelings for a girl?"
"You know what, Prentiss," Morgan tossed the carafe back on the hot plate, sloshing some of the black liquid onto the counter. "If you thought that was anything more than friendship, maybe you're the one harboring feelings. And if it's a problem, maybe you should request a transfer. You don't even want to work here anyway."
With a cold glare, Morgan took his coffee and left. Emily watched him, her anger festering. Morgan had been one of her best friends for years. He'd been acting so strange since Friday, and since then, she'd been feeling differently towards him. She was beginning to loathe him. At least, that's what Emily wanted to believe.
…
Elle did indeed decide to help in the case. She actually seemed pleased to join them, possibly at the fact that Hotch was finally taking her seriously. With the exception of Rossi, who was trapped in discussion and debate with Strauss, everyone received their assignments in their search for Nathan Harris.
"Alrighty, my beauties," Garcia announced. "I, the magical gateway into all things known, have indeed done my duty once again and found the information needed on one Nathan Harris." She handed out copies to everyone in the group as she spoke. "No applause, please. However, flowers and candy never fail to say thank you."
She took a seat next to Morgan as she began noting the main points in the paperwork. "As we know, Nathan's mother died one month after he was committed, he spent time in Havensall until he turned eighteen, at which time his case was reported in a hearing. They declared Nathan ready to return to society. A year later, he was accepted to the Lyndon University. He was majoring in criminology and was about to declare a minor in psychology."
"Ironic," Emily said.
"Tell me about it," Garcia agreed. "He dropped out the end of his third semester. After that, he kind of disappears of the grid for a few months. He stopped going to therapy, group meetings, he quit his job. It's like he disappeared."
"He couldn't have survived on his own." Riley realized. "If he didn't have any family, he had to have someone who was taking care of him."
"You couldn't be more on track, Dr. Parker," Garcia agreed. "According to my research, Nathan's survival depended on his girlfriend. Now, who's going to be the first one to name her?"
There was a long silence as everyone read. Reid, of course, found the answer long before the others. "Myra Little."
"And circle gets the square!" Garcia exclaimed. "Yes, Nathan was shacking up with Myra. And that's when our star returned to the stage. He and Myra were arrested and brought up on charges of drug use and possession with intent to sell. Myra also was charged with four counts of prostitution. Myra pleaded guilty and was given a deal. If she testified against her boyfriend and went to rehab, she'd avoid jail time. Unfortunately, when Nathan was given bail, he skipped out. After that, there's nothing."
"That's why he came back two months ago to kill Myra." Reid decided.
"Okay, the prostitutes are easy enough. I can see that," Emily said. "But he committed murders all over the country. He spent time delivering letters to Reid's mother. How could he manage that without a credit card?"
"Identity theft?" Hotch voiced. "Garcia, run a search on anyone specifically close to Nathan who reported their identity stolen within the last year."
"I'm on it! I am white on rice, sir!" She exclaimed, making a note with her fuzzy pink pen once again.
"Who was Nathan's roommate in college?" Elle asked.
Everyone looked at Reid as he searched. "Allan Payne." He read.
"If he were in the same class as Nathan, he might still be there," Elle explained. "Maybe, he knows some information."
Hotch thought for a moment. "It's not going to hurt to ask. Morgan, Prentiss, why don't you track him down at the school."
"Actually, Hotch, I'd rather stay here and help Garcia." Morgan said quickly.
That was a surprise to everyone, including Emily, who fixed him with a harsh look. He felt no remorse or embarrassment for it, making no attempt to hide his contempt.
"Is there a problem with you two?" Hotch asked.
Morgan shrugged. "Hotch, I'm tired. I had no weekend. Send Reid, he's the reason we're stuck doing this anyway."
At first, he thought his boss would protest, or at least Reid, but Hotch nodded. "Reid, maybe it would be better if you went. But Morgan, you'll go with Elle to the Fairfax police. I want you both to talk to the officers in charge of Nathan and Myra's arrest. Garcia, you and JJ work on those searches. Riley…"
"Yes?" She asked, a little surprised she was being brought into the conversation.
"I'm going to head to Havensall and talk to Nathan's former doctor. You know that place, I'd like you to come."
"Sure," Riley agreed. Despite the danger, it was a little exciting. The most she had ever done since Seattle was give an opinion on psychopaths or sociopaths. But she was in the middle of a real investigation. Maybe taking over for JJ wouldn't be a bad idea.
Everyone stepped out, getting ready for their respective assignments. Reid stopped Riley before she left the conference room. "What's up with Morgan and Emily?"
"I'll tell you later," She replied.
Reid wasn't ready to let her leave yet. He brushed away a small piece of fly away hair. It was neat, pulled back in a barrette today. Her usual work attire on, complete with Mary Jane saddle shoes. "Be careful, okay?"
"I'll be fine. It's just Havensall. I know that place like the back of my hand… unfortunately."
"I know…" he lowered his voice, as if someone else were trying to listen. "But this isn't your routine. You don't work in the field. And Nathan might be following you. I feel pretty comfortable that you'll be with Hotch, but… I'm just warning you. I don't want anything to happen to you."
She didn't like the fact he felt the need to be so overprotective, but at the same time was grateful he cared about her so much. "Well now you know how I feel every time you go to work. Every single time you go out of town. That constant worry that I'm never going to see you again. How does it feel?"
"Terrible. How do you live with this?" He asked with a smile.
"I don't know." She admitted. "I just do."
"But why?" He pressed.
"Because I love you, you idiot."
She was the only girl in the world who could turn him into an idiot. With a smile, he leaned down and kissed her. Quick. Like a habit. Like they would be doing it for the rest of their lives. "I love you, too."
Riley smiled and ran her fingers through his long, tousled hair. She went to meet Hotch in his office. Reid hurried out of the conference room, meeting Emily in the bull pen.
"Ready?" he asked. She gave him a glare at his cheerful demeanor.
"I guess," she replied. Reid pulled on his coat and pulled his bag over the opposite shoulder. He went to wait by the elevators.
With her coat and gloves on, she caught Morgan's gaze. They both stopped in expectation, waiting for the other to say something. After a moment of silence, she gave a roll of her eyes and went to meet Reid.