A/N: I had a little high after the first chapter and was super enthusiastic about it so I pumped out another chapter straight after the first. So chapter two is also mine. Don't worry, the next chapter wont be mine. :)

Thank you to everyone for reviewing! And I'm not sure about Nigel to those who asked - we're having a hard enough time as it is trying to fit all the new ones in. We'll see what we can do, though. :P

Chapter 2: Life Stories

"Detective Camerez," a familiar voice cut through the detective's morning induced coma. His head snapped around and his eyes met with an all too familiar face.

"Fancy seeing you here, Agent Fox," he choked, and stood up from his chair. It was a quarter to eight, and he had been up all night, as he had pressed Garret into pressing Jordan into doing the autopsy as soon as they had returned from the scene, and had stuck around to get the results, which hadn't yet come in.

"Yes, I thought a change of scenery would be nice," she said dryly. "Although I didn't completely up and move for the pleasure like some."

"Checking me out, Foxie?" he said, grinning and standing up, holding his hand out. "Although I'm loathe to say it, I'm glad to see you again. If not for your occupation."

Her face broke out in a rare smile as she took his hand.

"Likewise, you sneaky bastard. I can't believe you didn't tell me."

"Them's the breaks. Every man for himself, against this guy. How did you find out where he was coming?"

"Same way you did. I could charge you, you know."

They dropped their hands and eyeballed each other. "I'd like to see you get a judge to do anything," he said. "All I did was move to this lovely town, where I have history, by the way, and take up my old position."

She shook her head. "What have you found out?"

"About what?" he asked innocently.

She swallowed hard, telling herself it wasn't worth it to get angry with the man who had the thickest skin she'd ever come across.

Her voice quietened. "You don't seem to understand. The FBI have jurisdiction over this case. I have been generous to allow you this much leeway with the whole thing. I have provided you with information, with aid, because I know that sometimes you have to swallow your pride and work with someone else to get things done. If you don't want to co-operate, fine. Two can play at that game."

He waited, watching her.

"What?" she said irritably, noting the expectant expression on his face.

"I just thought that that speech would have been so well concluded had you left me with your lovely ultimatum, then stormed out. Then I would look after you with a contemplative expression on my face, then the camera would cut out and we'd go to a really annoying ad break…"

"Oh shut it," she said. "I know you better than that. Save your sarcasm for someone who doesn't."

"Again with the look," she continued after he paused again. "I'm not storming out." She was now half kidding, having calmed down somewhat.

"Damn," Camerez muttered.

-----------

"So you never told me why this is so urgent," Jordan said, handing Garret the finished autopsy report. He glanced at her before opening it and rifling through it. He stood up.

"Thank you for doing that so quickly," he said, distracted, and tried to walk past her.

"Don't keep evading me," she said, grabbing his arm. He met her eyes, as if weighing something up, and thrust the report back at her.

"Why don't you go ask Camerez?" he said. She frowned.

"Why did he come back?" she asked.

"You'll have to ask him that, too."

Jordan frowned, shrugged and walked out and drove the familiar route to the precinct.

"Hey, Jordan," Camerez said as she knocked on his door.

"Hey," she said, and held out the file, as she stepped in. "Autopsy on the Jane Doe from last night.

He looked at her and took the report. "Okay," he said.

"What's going on, Marcus?" she asked. "Why did you come back?"

He dropped his eyes and flipped through the report, face darkening.

"Didn't Garret tell you?"

"Oh god don't play this stupid game. Tell me."

"Just as impatient as ever," he said, and took a deep breath, before feeding her the same story he had Garret the night before.

"I see," she said, unimpressed. "You moved back here, completely uprooted yourself to follow a murderer." He watched as she stopped and laughed. "Okay maybe that's not so far fetched. It's just a shock to see you back here."

He looked at her. "I know," he said.

------------

The secret didn't stay a secret for long, as is the way of most secrets. The fact that a feared serial killer that many Bostonians had heard of before had hit their city was shocking at best, and the press was having a field day. Garret sighed as he folded over the morning's newspaper which had a headline screaming of the 'chaos that was primed to strike Boston'.

"Did you get many copycats in Nebraska?" he asked Camerez, who was lounging on the chair opposite.

"Surprisingly few," he said, shrugging. "Interestingly."

Camerez looked up, and watched as a woman strode down the corridor.

"Looks like that's my cue to leave," he said as she made a beeline for Garret's office, and left through the other door just as the woman opened the front one.

"Renee," he said, surprised.

"Garret," she said. "This is going to have to be quick."

"Okay…" he said, waiting. She looked at him.

"In light of recent events…" she said.

"The serial killer?" he prompted.

"Yes," she said. "I think it would be wise if you were to hire a few extra staff members. Not just for the duration of the case. You need some more permanent staff. Have you replaced Dr. Maguire yet?" It seemed to be a rhetorical question because she kept ploughing on. "I know how you don't like me interfering, but I have picked out a couple that you might like to start with, just for now then you can get your own…"

"It sounds like we're buying fruit," he said. She stopped, looked surprised, and smiled.

"Just don't fight me on this one," she said. "I think you'll like them."

"Tell me about them," he said. He was irritated, sure, but could appreciate the need for being properly staffed. He wanted his team to be on the serial killer's case wholly, and it wouldn't hurt to have a few people doing the back burner cases.

"There's only two, never fear. Both ME's, good doctors, good references."

"Don't sell them to me, tell me about them. Young, old, male, female, vegetarians…"

She nodded. "All in good time. They'll be here after lunch."

"Oh joy," he said, still at odds with the idea, and waved the DA out of his office.

"Good luck with it all," she said, allowing herself a small grin before walking out of the building.

"Yeah," Garret muttered.

------------

They weren't there after lunch, but it didn't matter to Garret who had completely forgotten about them in the light of the latest phone call.

"Hey, Garret, you might want to get down here," Camerez said through the phone, and rattled off an address, informing him that although he and Jordan were already on it, the Chief ME might want to come down and 'supervise'. Garret sighed heavily, it could only mean another murder.

He found out that he was right when he arrived there – the body, an African American male in his late thirties, had a knife protruding from his neck, and bruises all over his body. Jordan glanced at him as he arrived and both she and Camerez made a beeline for him.

"Same," was all Jordan said, and he nodded. Camerez seemed distracted and was constantly glancing over his shoulder.

"I wonder if we can boot her off the case somehow?" Camerez said, half jokingly, and jerked his head towards Detective Cœurvay who was talking to the brother of the victim.

"Doubt it," Jordan said, shrugging.

"He doesn't normally kill this close together. Last time he spread them out over a couple of weeks."

"How many does he kill in each state?" Jordan asked, looking at him with interest.

"About three or four," Camerez said grimly. "And here we have half his quota in two days. Maybe he'll decide to throw us."

"Was there any pattern in where he went? Any connection between the states?"

"None that we could find," he said. "It was only by pure chance that I found out he was coming here. And there's no way he's going to slip again. This is our last chance."

Jordan nodded. "Okay," she said. "I guess we'll get him back to the morgue and see what we can do."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Camerez asked Garret.

"Copycat?" Garret asked. Camerez nodded.

"Detective," a voice asked, and Camerez turned. It was Cœurvay.

"Yes?" he asked. The woman wrinkled her nose.

"Do we really need two of us on this case?" she asked. He stared at her.

"Yes," was all he said, and walked off.

"Jerk," Cœurvay said, and turned herself, leaving Jordan and Garret grinning widely to themselves.

"Are you the Chief Medical Examiner?"

The two turned, seeing a red headed woman, a little shorter than Jordan.

"Yes," Garret said. "Who are you?"

"Charlotte Fox," she said. "FBI."

"Pleasure," Jordan said.

"I'm going to lay it all out on the table," the woman said, and Jordan couldn't help but think she was being sarcastic, although her voice hinted at nothing of the sort. "I know far too well how the locals and the Feds sometimes clash over cases like this, and know from experience it's better to reduce the friction as much as possible."

"You're the agent Camerez was talking about," Garret said. She looked at him, startled.

"You know him?" she asked. He studied her.

"We go way back," he said. "He used to live here."

She frowned. "He never told me that," she said. Jordan raised an eyebrow.

"How rude of him?" she said, and the two women stared at each other for a minute, each knowing what was going through the other's mind. Garret of course was completely left out of the loop, having no idea what the two were giving each other the hairy eyeball for.

Camerez sauntered back and stopped in mock horror when he saw the agent.

"I knew you were stalking me, Foxie," he muttered, and his eyes moved from her to Jordan then back to her. "Now that is just weird."

It finally fell into place for Garret and he looked at Jordan, mildly intrigued though not completely surprised. She and Camerez had seemed to hit it off quite well last time he was here, but he never really thought… ah well, he thought, at least he knew what was going on now.

"Weird indeed," Jordan said, and Garret glanced at her. "Anyway I better get back to my body before it decomposes too much," she finished wryly and walked off.

Garret's phone rang and he picked it up, as you normally do when your phone rings.

"Macy," he said.

"Hey Dr. M," Nigel's voice came over the connection. "There are two women here saying you hired them. Of course I told them they must be mistaken…"

"You did?"

"No I was waiting for you. That's my bet, though."

"Good bet. It was Renee."

"Oh lovely. She picks 'em good," he said scathingly.

"I'll be right there," Garret said and hung up, sighing.

------------

"Well apparently you are legit," Nigel said, walking back into the break room where the two women sat. They looked up.

"What were your names again?" he asked.

They stood, and one held out her hand.

"Dr. Jess Stanford," she said. Nigel took her hand and shook it.

"Pleased to meet you," he said. She nodded and stepped back.

"Caroline Maher," the other said. "When is Dr. Macy getting here?" she asked.

Nigel looked at her with mock hurt.

"Alas, the minion is not good enough for the lady," he said. "He'll be here soon."

Jess chuckled.

"So girls," Nigel said, gesturing for them to sit down. "Life stories, please. Only, tell us the abridged version. Better still…" he held a finger up and twisted in his chair.

"Hey Bug, Lily!" he roared through the door, much to the amusement of the newcomers, who watched the heads of the people sitting at their respective desks summoned snap up in confusion until they spotted Nigel, in which case they grinned and came towards him.

"New people," he said, jerking his head at the two, and made the introductions. We're about to hear their life stories."

"I love those," Bug murmured.