Chapter 21: Stop And Smell The Roses
Prentiss left JJ's return to the BAU party to answer a long distance phone call from Clyde Easter in London. He told her that a cold case of an unsub known as the copy cat killer just got a hit in New York. Easter faxed Prentiss the report of a shooting that happened in the Bronx. After Easter hung up, Prentiss quickly read the report. Suddenly, Prentiss daydreamed back to a year and a half ago. In London, Prentiss was tracking down the copy cat killer in a dark and old abandoned apartment building. Prentiss looked out of a broken window and she turned around and saw a woman lying on a mattress on the floor. She had been fatally stabbed and she was coughing blood out of her mouth. Prentiss tried to phone for help, but the unsub clocked her in the back of the head. Prentiss looked up and saw him standing there. She pulled out her gun and opened fired on the unsub, but all of the bullets just bounced off of him. The unsub laughed at Prentiss and he turned around to leave out a window and then he disappeared. Prentiss turned back around and she held the hand of the woman watching her die when suddenly, she heard Garcia and Morgan's voices talking to her.
"Em?" said Garcia.
"What's wrong, Emily?" asked Morgan.
Prentiss snapped out of her daydream.
"Uh, that was Clyde Easter on the phone," said Prentiss. "We have a case. Pen, please bring Hotch and the others in here. Derek, I need to get something out of your office."
"What, Emily?" asked Morgan.
"I'll explain everything once we bring it in here," said Prentiss.
Morgan and Prentiss went into his office to pick up a cold case box she had stored in there. Garcia brought the BAU team into the round table room. Morgan placed the cold case box on the round table and Prentiss opened it to present the cold case files to the BAU team.
"When I returned to Quantico," explained Prentiss. "I brought some unfinished business back with me. This box has everything I had on a cold case in London. There's 2 years worth of murders here which I believe were all committed by the same unsub. The press nicknamed him the copycat killer because he precisely copies famous killers of the past. When Derek and I started seeing each other, I asked him to store this box in his office just in case the unsub appeared again. Clyde Easter called me today to tell me that the unsub might have committed a murder here, stateside in New York. He faxed me the police report. Pen?"
Garcia shared the New York police report on the BAU team's tablets.
"A woman named Camille Harrison was shot dead in the driver's seat of her car in the Bronx last night," said Garcia. "She was a 26 year old bartender from Yonkers."
"People get shot in New York every day, Emily," said Hotch. "What makes you so sure this was your unsub?"
"Geography, MO, victimology," answered Prentiss. "Now, I thought that I might just be seeing something that wasn't there. But, his signature is how precisely he likes to mimic each famous murder. So, it's him, Hotch. I know in my gut that it's him."
"But, two people were shot in the original Bronx murder," said Rossi.
"There's only one shooting victim in this report," said Morgan.
"Yes," said Prentiss. "But, it happened in the same neighborhood in the Bronx, and ballistics confirmed that the shooter used a .44-caliber Bulldog."
JJ and Reid looked at the files together in Prentiss' box.
"Two years ago, the unsub sexually assaulted and mutilated a 10 year old girl in Rostov, Russia," said Reid. "She was found near where the original Russia murder happened back in 1978. The unsub was able to escape arrest in a crowded train station."
"One year ago," said JJ. "3 women were discovered murdered in London in Whitechapel within a month's time and it was a week apart for each murder."
"Last month in Boston, the unsub used nylon stockings to strangle an elderly woman to death," said Reid.
"It happened one block away from where the original Boston murder took place back in 1962," added JJ.
"And then there was the Scotland Yard murder where Emily almost caught him in an undercover operation," said Morgan.
"Em, I'm sorry about the undercover inspector who was killed," said Garcia.
"Were you close to her, Emily?" asked Reid.
"No," answered Prentiss. "I mean, I knew her, of course but, no."
Reid added, "Guys, if this is all the same unsub, he's been able to commit murders in 3 different countries and evade capture. He's highly intelligent, multilingual and criminally sophisticated."
"And, he has money in his pocket, too," added Rossi. "Traveling takes financing."
"Well, we haven't been invited in by Boston or NYPD, and we all know the protocol gets tricky," said Hotch.
"Technically, it's serial," said Prentiss. "Meaning FBI has jurisdiction."
"If you count the international murders, yes," said Hotch. "But, we're still going to need permission from the Department of Justice."
Prentiss sighed, "Good people died trying to catch this guy, Hotch. I need your help."
"I will call the DOJ now and ask them," said Hotch. "If they approve, wheels up in 40."
Hotch and Rossi walked out of the round table room.
"She's holding back something, Aaron," said Rossi.
"I know," said Hotch. "I've picked up on that, too, Dave. But, she asked us to help her instead of traveling to New York alone. Maybe she'll tell us what it is when she's ready."
10 minutes later, Hotch texted, "Wheels up" to the BAU team. Prentiss let out a huge sigh of relief. Morgan, Reid and JJ helped her put all of the files back into the box.
"Well, Morgan," said Garcia. "Your desk duty is officially over! Are you ready to go kick down some doors again?"
"Yeah!" enthusiastically said Morgan. "I've been smashing up too many walls lately. I need a little balance."
"Are you ready to go catch some unsubs again, Mrs. Reid?" asked Reid.
"Ready, willing and able, Dr. Reid," smiled JJ.
The BAU jet landed safely in New York city. Hotch, Morgan and Reid went to the NYPD police headquarters with Prentiss' case box. Reid put the 2 years worth of case evidence up on a wall. Rossi, JJ and Prentiss met Detectives Rawlings and McLeary in the Bronx. They showed the 3 of them the murder victim's car. Camille Harrison was killed by a single gunshot wound to her head in the driver's seat. Prentiss noticed that someone else was in the car because of the blood spatter. The detectives said that it rained last night so any outside blood trails might have been washed away. Rossi noted that if someone else survived the shooting, then the unsub had copied the original Bronx murder accurately. The original shooting survivor was only shot in her leg. Prentiss and JJ put themselves in the survivor's shoes and followed the sidewalk to the next busy street corner. They found a bloody fingerprint on a sign pole. The detectives were impressed.
The BAU team regrouped at police headquarters. Reid noticed a pattern from Prentiss' evidence wall. The unsub only did his murders between the months of March and September. Garcia ruled out the possibility that the unsub might have been a traveling diplomat. Detective Rawlings got a hospital report of a woman who was admitted for getting shot in her leg in the Bronx. Hotch sent Prentiss and JJ to the hospital to talk to her.
The woman's name was Monica DeJesus. She claimed that she was mugged by a white man who took her purse and shot her in the leg. Prentiss and JJ knew that she was lying. Prentiss explained to Monica that she worked for Interpol and the guy who shot Monica was a serial killer who Prentiss tracked from Russia to England to the United States. And, that he's killed 6 people that they knew of. That scared Monica enough to tell them the truth. Monica was desperate for money and she worked for an escort service to make ends meet. She lied before because her father doesn't know about that. JJ assured her that they wouldn't tell her father about it. Monica said that the unsub texted her on her website ad saying his name was Mike and that he asked Monica for a threesome with him and his girlfriend, but Monica refused to do that. He offered Monica three hundred dollars just to show up so she did. They arrived at that street corner in Camille Harrison's car. He shot Camille in her head, getting blood spatter all over Monica. Monica panicked and tried to get out of the car, but the unsub shot her in the leg and he just walked away from there. Prentiss asked Monica did he speak with a foreign accent and Monica told them that he sounded American.
Prentiss and JJ got a facial sketch of the unsub from Monica and brought it back to police headquarters. The BAU team suggested that NYPD double their patrols in Queens just in case the unsub wanted to commit a second copycat murder before leaving New York. Detective Rawlings told the BAU team that they spotted a man who fit the unsub's description going into a warehouse in Queens. Hotch, Prentiss, JJ and Morgan accompanied a SWAT team inside the warehouse. The four of them cleared the warehouse. Detective McLeary radioed to them that he spotted something a block away from the warehouse. The BAU team arrived at his location to find a rich couple murdered execution style in their car.
"Damn it!" emotionally cried Prentiss. "We almost had him!"
Hotch looked inside of the car. Prentiss walked away a minute to compartmentalize herself. Morgan and JJ looked at Prentiss.
"What was that all about?" asked Morgan.
"I was hoping you could tell me," said JJ.
Morgan said, "All I know is ever since Emily stored that box in my office, she's been waking up in the middle of the night many nights from dreaming the same nightmare. I've tried to get her to tell me what the nightmare was about, but she refuses to tell me. All Emily would say was that there was only one way the nightmare would stop. Catching the unsub who caused them."
The victim's names were Trent and Rhonda Klein, both 46, parents of two girls, 12 and 10. Prentiss found a Rolex watch in Trent's mouth. Rhonda was still wearing expensive earrings. Meaning robbery wasn't a motive for the unsub. The gun the unsub used was a .44-caliber. The BAU team realized that the unsub must have reloaded his gun because a Bulldog gun only holds 5 rounds. Prentiss counted 7 different entry wounds in Trent and Rhonda had at least 6 different entry wounds. They realized that the unsub had lost control and failed to copy another famous killer here. Meaning he might not be rich after all and he might hate people who are rich. They were ready to deliver the profile.
Morgan, JJ and Prentiss told the police at the crime scene the unsub's profile while Hotch, Reid and Rossi told the police at the station. They profiled that the unsub was a narcissistic copy cat killer and that although most copy cats have identity issues and low confidence, this unsub has a lot of confidence. He was copying famous murders globally between the months of March and September. Because of the pattern Reid discovered, between the months of October and February the unsub had to do something to earn money for his traveling around the world the rest of the year. He probably earned cash so he wouldn't leave a paper trail for Garcia to electronically follow. He might be a bank robber or a drug dealer or even be from a mafia crime family. Because he travels, the BAU team suggested that the local police canvas the airports, train and bus stations for him. The unsub was possibly a survivor of serial crimes or was deeply fascinated by them as a child. They had no doubt that the unsub would kill again once he decided who he wanted to copy next. Unfortunately, the unsub had already left New York aboard a bus. The BAU team regrouped at the police station.
"Hey," said Prentiss. "Where's Hotch?"
"He went to visit his brother, Sean," answered Reid.
"He ordered us to rest up to try searching for the unsub again tomorrow," added Rossi.
"You don't have to tell me twice," said Morgan.
JJ kissed and hugged Reid. Prentiss looked at the evidence wall.
"Well," said Prentiss. "If I could borrow Reid tonight, maybe the two of us can find a pattern here that we might have missed earlier."
JJ held Reid's hand.
"No can do," said JJ. "Spence and I are going out to dinner tonight. In fact, all of you are invited to join us."
"Count me in," said Rossi.
"Derek? Emily?" asked JJ.
"I will if you will, baby," said Morgan.
"I don't think so," answered Prentiss. "I wouldn't be very good company tonight. But, you guys go on ahead and have fun."
"Uh-uh," smiled JJ. "You might be saying, 'no' to dinner, Emily, but, baby Morgan, here is saying, 'I want to eat some delicious New York food!'"
While JJ said that, she put her hand on Prentiss' belly, tickling her. Prentiss backed away while giggling. Morgan laughed.
"Stop and smell the roses, Emily," smiled Reid.
"For baby Morgan, I'm not taking, 'no' for an answer." smiled JJ. "You're coming with us, Emily, unless you want me to hurt you!"
Prentiss stared at JJ.
"What?" asked JJ.
"Oh, my God!" said Prentiss. "Guys, Penelope Garcia has become a master of disguise! Pen, I...I really thought that you were JJ all this time!"
Morgan laughed. JJ gave Prentiss a mean smile.
"Cute," said JJ. "I'm telling Garcia you said that when we get home! And, nobody talks about this case until morning. Let's go, family!"
"You heard the boss, guys," said Reid.
Rossi took JJ's arm and they started leaving the police station.
"Seriously, Spencer," whispered Prentiss. "When did JJ start talking like Garcia?"
"After we flew home from the Detroit case," answered Reid. "You're just noticing that now?"
"Is there something that we can do about it?" asked Morgan.
"Yes," answered Reid. "You two can learn to like it."
JJ took the BAU family to the Italian restaurant Il Cantinori where they went to ten years ago. The five of them got seated at a table and got six menus. JJ left a text for Hotch asking him to join them there.
"Oh, wow!" laughed Morgan. "You brought us back here, JJ?"
"Yes," answered JJ.
"Man," said Morgan. "That was...ten years ago when we ate here last time. I loved what happened here last time!"
"Why?" asked Rossi.
"What happened here last time?" asked Prentiss.
"That's right," said Morgan. "You two weren't with us yet ten years ago. We came here to New York for a case. It was Reid's first time ever in New York, so JJ said if we had some time she would show him around. Our Pennsylvania petite brought Reid, Gideon and the rest of us here to this Italian restaurant because she used to always come to eat here when she was going to college. It was kind of a second date for JJ and Reid with the rest of us along as their chaperones!"
"Awww," smiled Prentiss.
"While we were here, we were all talking about our case," continued Morgan. "Especially Gideon. But, we all found out that Pretty Boy, here, didn't know how to eat with chopsticks!"
"What?!" reacted Prentiss.
Morgan laughed, "Every time he tried to take a bite, his food would drop off the chopsticks and land back on his plate!"
Prentiss' eyes widened as she gasped. Reid blushed and lowered his head. JJ put her hand on Reid's shoulder, comforting him.
"No..." said Rossi.
"Yeah," continued Morgan. "Reid said he felt like he was trying to forage for dinner with a pair of Number 2 pencils. I loved it when he tried asking the waiter for a fork!"
Prentiss laughed along with Morgan.
"Morgan was so happy because he finally saw something that Spence didn't know how to do," added JJ.
Reid put his left hand on JJ's right hand and the two of them looked into each other's eyes.
"But," added Reid. "JJ tied my two chopsticks together with a rubber-band so I could eat my food."
"The rubber-band trick," said Rossi. "Nice, JJ."
"That's sweet," smiled Prentiss.
"Mommy to the rescue again," laughed Morgan.
Hotch joined the BAU family at the table while overhearing their conversation. He sat down between Rossi and JJ.
Reid continued, "Agent Elle Greenaway noted that we were in a New York restaurant only talking about work and other profilers."
Hotch added, "I agreed with her and I asked, 'So, Elle, are you seeing anyone?'"
Morgan, Prentiss and Rossi laughed.
"Oh, my God!" laughed Prentiss.
"Elle immediately changed the subject back to work," smiled JJ.
"See?" smiled Hotch. "I do have a sense of humor."
The BAU family enjoyed their dinner evening at Il Cantinori. The following morning, everybody returned to the police station. Hotch was talking to the detectives while Reid was looking at the US map on the evidence wall. JJ walked over to Morgan.
"Derek," said JJ. "Is Emily doing any better?"
"Not really," answered Morgan. "Dinner was great last night, but she still woke up from her nightmare at 3 am. She still won't tell me what it's about. But, I talked her into telling Rossi about it hoping that he could help her."
"When I kept my miscarriage a secret," said JJ. "Spence knew that keeping it bottled up inside was killing me. But once I told him everything, a huge weight was lifted off of my shoulders because Spence loved me and he was there for me. When Emily does tell us what's bothering her, just be there for her."
Prentiss told Rossi about her bulletproof unsub dream.
"I've had that dream many times myself," said Rossi. "The bullets just bounce right off him! I keep firing, but he keeps coming. I always wake up right before he grabs me."
"I'm literally losing sleep here," said Prentiss. "Now, I'm waking Derek up in the middle of the night because of it."
"Some cases just stick with you," said Rossi. "It makes sense why it's so important to you."
"I wish I could just flip a switch or something to control it," said Prentiss.
"The only way to control it is to surrender to it," said Rossi.
"But if I do that," said Prentiss. "Then I might have to face the fact that I might never catch this guy!"
"Yeah," said Rossi. "But by that logic, you also have to face the fact that you might. But, the one thing you can't do is blame yourself for it."
"Yeah," said Prentiss. "That's...easier said than done, you know?"
"Tell me about it," said Rossi.
"Guys," said Reid. "I found something."
Reid told Prentiss and Rossi that he was pinpointing where the unsub would end up next based on famous killers who he would want to copy. Reid threw the highest number of famous killers in Morgan's hometown, Chicago, Illinois. The BAU team immediately departed New York and took the jet over to Chicago. Morgan phoned his mother asking her and his two sisters to stay home with the doors locked because with this serial killer, nobody was safe.
Prentiss dozed off during the flight. She started dreaming that she was in London tracking the copy cat killer in the old apartment again. Except the fatally stabbed victim lying on a floor mattress coughing up blood and bleeding to death was JJ this time. Prentiss kneeled towards JJ and tried calling for help. JJ saw the unsub hitting Prentiss in the back of the head. Prentiss turned around and saw the unsub and pulled out her gun and opened fire on him. Again, the bullets just bounced off of him while he laughed at Prentiss. He turned to leave out of a window and then he disappeared again. Prentiss turned back towards JJ watching her dying.
"You...had him, Emily," groaned JJ.
Prentiss sat JJ up with both arms.
"I'm sorry," emotionally cried Prentiss. "I'm so sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
"Emily," groaned JJ while coughing up blood. "Emily!"
Prentiss started waking up. JJ suddenly changed from looking like a dying stab victim to looking normal and healthy.
"Emily, wake up," said JJ.
Prentiss gasped.
"I'm up! I'm up!" said Prentiss.
Everybody was looking at Prentiss.
"What?" asked Prentiss. "Why are you all staring at me?"
"You were talking in your sleep," answered Morgan.
"You said you were sorry for something over and over again," added Reid.
"Was it the same dream again?" asked Rossi.
Prentiss lowered her head.
"Yeah," answered Prentiss. "Except JJ was the dying victim this time."
JJ and Reid looked at each other.
"Spencer," said Prentiss. "Do you remember when I said I wasn't close to the undercover Inspector?"
"Yes," answered Reid.
"I lied," sadly admitted Prentiss. "Her name was Louise Hulland. I was the one who suggested that Louise volunteer to go undercover. I told her it would be good for her career. And, we needed more women in power positions."
"It's okay, Emily," said Reid.
"But, it was my profile," continued Prentiss. "That whole undercover operation? It was my idea."
"You never told us that," said JJ.
"Well, I'm telling you now," said Prentiss. "She's dead because of me."
Morgan sat down next to Prentiss while she lowered her head again.
"Emily, she volunteered," said Hotch. "You have to remember that."
"What the unsub did to Louise wasn't your fault," said JJ.
"But, I talked her into it," tearfully continued Prentiss. "The Chief Inspector hated the idea. He thought it was too risky. And, I went above his head to push the operation through. I just thought...I thought that we would catch him."
Prentiss leaned her head on Morgan's shoulder silently crying while looking at the file with Inspector Hulland's badge ID on it.
"You almost did," said Reid.
"Almost," whispered Prentiss.
"Thanks for telling us, baby," said Morgan while kissing Prentiss' forehead.
Prentiss went to the rear of the jet for a bottle of water. JJ followed her.
"Don't," said Prentiss. "Don't give me that look. I'm fine."
"I know," said JJ. "I also know that you're still holding something back because you don't want us thinking that you're crazy. But, Emily, we already think that you're crazy."
Prentiss silently laughed, "Thanks."
"Come on," said JJ. "What are you thinking?"
"Well," answered Prentiss. "That night in London, he had me! He could have easily killed me, but he just walked away and let me live."
"You weren't a part of his plan," said JJ. "His desire to copy famous killers was compulsive."
"Yeah, I thought that, too," said Prentiss. "Now, maybe it's just my nightmare talking, but I could have sworn that he was savoring it."
"Maybe he was," said JJ. "Being that close to getting caught might have given him a rush. Maybe he likes being close to getting caught."
"Then that would make him a thrill killer," said Prentiss. "He must get off on the adrenaline."
Garcia called the BAU team on the speakerphone.
"What have you got for us, Baby Girl?" asked Morgan.
"Guys, I connected to the national law enforcement surveillance feeds nationwide and I got this man's face from a Chicago PD camera at a bus station 2 hours ago," said Garcia. "I'm sharing this to your tablets now. He looks like Em's unsub to me from Monica DeJesus's sketch. I'm running him through the national facial recognition software as we speak."
"A bus left New York at 8:30 last night," said Reid. "It was due to arrive in Chicago at 11:00 this morning."
"It's the national database, though," said Garcia. "Meaning it will take awhile to identify him."
"Garcia," said Reid. "Let's narrow this search down by region. Our unsub might have grown up near a high-profile serial murder. So, let's concentrate on California, Illinois and the surrounding states."
"Okay, that helps," said Garcia. "But, the program is cycling through millions of faces."
"Okay," said Prentiss. "What is it that we're still missing?"
"You said that he was savoring it," said JJ. "What if all of this is really about getting the thrill?"
"A guy like that doesn't shut off his urges," said Morgan.
"So, what would he be doing during his downtime to feed his urge?" asked Prentiss.
"We profiled that it might be something criminal," said Reid. "Like a drug dealer or a thief."
"Yeah," said JJ. "But if that were true, he would have stolen the Rolex watch instead of shoving it down the man's throat."
"Well then," said Hotch. "He must have a seasonal job that would be lucrative and high risk."
"Like a hunting or adventure guide," said Reid. "He could also be working at a mountain climbing job or a ski resort."
"Okay," said Garcia. "Narrowing the search down."
"Oil rig workers sign short-term contracts," said Rossi.
"I'm adding that to the search," said Garcia.
"Wait a minute," said Prentiss. "The knife!"
"What knife?" asked JJ.
"The knife he used to stab you and Louise in my nightmare," said Prentiss. "It's long and serrated on one edge and it has a leather lanyard thing wrapped around his wrist."
"That sounds like a fisherman's knife," said Rossi.
"Exactly," said Prentiss. "I know this is a stretch, but what if he's a fisherman?"
"Fishermen work crab season between October and February," said Reid. "And it's highly lucrative because you only work a few months of the year."
"And, it's dangerous," said JJ. "A perfect job for a thrill seeker."
Garcia entered the fisherman clue and she waited nearly a minute and the facial recognition software pinged an ID match to the unsub's face.
"Shut the front door!" said Garcia. "I give you 35 year old Michael Lee Peterson of Joliet, Illinois.
"He told Monica his name was Mike," recalled Prentiss.
"He's back in his hometown," said Rossi.
"Meaning this could be his endgame," said Morgan.
"Tell us everything, Garcia," said Hotch.
"Uh," said Garcia. "Mr. Peterson works as a deck hand on a crab-fishing vessel in the Bering Sea known as 'Neptune's Squall.' He was raised by his mother, Lorraine, who died from a stroke ten years ago. His father, Vincent was an armed robber who died in prison two years ago."
"That was around the time Peterson started his murder spree in Russia two years ago," said Morgan.
"Pen," said Prentiss. "Where did Peterson's dad serve his time?"
"Mostly in the Stateville Penitentiary," answered Garcia.
"There were two famous serial killers in that prison, guys," said Reid.
"So, which killer does he want to copycat now?" asked Rossi.
The BAU jet landed in Chicago, Illinois. Hotch had Garcia call the Chicago PD and the local FBI office to put an APB out on Michael Peterson. They put an FBI hotline number out for anyone to call if they spotted Peterson. Hotch, Morgan and Reid got into an SUV while Rossi, JJ and Prentiss got into a second SUV. Garcia called them again.
"What have you got, Garcia?" asked Hotch.
"Sir, I got the Stateville visitor logs," said Garcia. "Michael and his mother visited his father every weekend until the father was transferred for his own safety."
"So, Peterson might have seen those two famous killers ever since he was a kid," said Prentiss.
"Wait," said JJ. "Why was the dad moved for his own safety, Garcia?"
"Peterson's dad agreed to testify against his former partner," answered Garcia. "He was almost stabbed to death."
"Snitches are worse off in prison than child molesters," said Morgan. "Serial killers, on the other hand are on the top of the food chain."
"Kids are like sponges," said Rossi. "If Peterson spent all of that time visiting his dad, he probably saw his father getting stabbed."
"That was Peterson's trigger," said Reid. "He got his first thrill watching his father getting stabbed. Now, he wants to earn the respect that his father never had."
"He was kicked out of four different schools," said Garcia. "All for fighting."
Garcia's computer got a ping on the FBI hotline.
"Uh, guys?" said Garcia. "I just got a hang up call on the hotline. It might be a prank, but a student at Northeast University named Megan Ross said she's spotted Peterson."
Hotch turned on the sirens saying, "Send us the location, Garcia."
Peterson forced two students named Megan and Charlotte into another student, Kasey's dorm room. The BAU team arrived at Northeast State University. Sgt. Hernandez said they were surrounding the entire dorm building when they all heard a gunshot inside. The BAU team split up to immediately enter the dorm. Hotch, Reid and Morgan took the back of the dorm while Rossi, Prentiss and JJ took the front of the dorm.
Peterson had shot Kasey dead execution style. He dragged her body across the floor. Megan and Charlotte were crying together while sitting on the floor. While Peterson wasn't looking, Megan grabbed a pair of scissors. Peterson asked the girls who would be the next to die. He picked Charlotte and grabbed her. Megan attacked him with the scissors trying to save her friend. The three of them struggled and his gun went off, alerting the BAU team which room he was in. Charlotte bit Peterson's arm. She broke free from him and she ran out of the room screaming for help. Rossi, JJ and Prentiss found Charlotte and moved her to safety. Peterson held Megan at gunpoint. Prentiss entered the room first pointing her gun at Peterson.
"Michael Lee Peterson," said Prentiss. "FBI!"
"Get back!" said Peterson. "I swear I will blow her head off!"
"Okay," said Prentiss. "Okay. It's all good."
"Back up!" ordered Peterson.
"I can't do that, Michael," said Prentiss.
"Help me, please," cried Megan.
"Shut up!" ordered Peterson.
Rossi and JJ joined Prentiss pointing their guns at Peterson. Rossi saw Kasey lying dead on the floor.
"You don't remember me, do you, Michael?" asked Prentiss. "We met in London."
"You followed me all the way here?" asked Peterson. "Then, I must be a big deal!"
"You're already going to be 'the man' when you get to prison," said JJ.
"Just let her go," said Rossi. "And we'll put you on the 10:00 news."
They all heard more police sirens and cars screeching to a stop outside. A helicopter was flying over the dorm building.
"Look outside," said Prentiss. "Half of the cops in the city are out there just for you, Mike."
"See for yourself," said JJ.
"You're the best ever," said Prentiss. "Police all over the world have been looking for you."
"They're gonna write books about me!" boasted Peterson. "I'm even gonna make you famous!"
"Look outside," said Prentiss.
"See all of those people out there?" asked Peterson. "They're all gonna know..."
Prentiss opened fire and shot Peterson in his forehead. He dropped dead flat on his back in the bed. Prentiss took the gun away from his hand. JJ took Megan into her arms trying to comfort her. Rossi put his hand on Prentiss's shoulder. Prentiss realized that this hunt was finally over. She walked out of the dorm room.
Morgan asked Hotch for them to wait until morning to fly back to DC. Prentiss and Morgan spent the evening having some quality family time with Morgan's mom and sisters. The Morgan family celebrated together the fact that Derek was finally going to be a father. Hotch and Rossi went out to a restaurant and they watched a live singer singing on stage. Reid and JJ did a little sightseeing together in Chicago.
The following morning, the BAU family were flying back to DC on the jet. Hotch was writing his end of case report. Reid and JJ were snuggling together relaxing in each other's arms. Prentiss was looking out of a window. Rossi was sitting across from Prentiss writing a book chapter. And, Morgan was putting a food container in the refrigerator.
"What's that, Morgan?" asked Reid.
"It's my mom's peach cobbler," answered Morgan.
"Ooh!" smiled JJ. "Garcia will be happy to see that!"
Morgan fist bumped JJ and then he sat down next to Prentiss.
"Jennifer, Spencer," said Rossi. "Thank you both for taking us to that Italian restaurant while we were in New York."
"Yeah," smiled Prentiss. "That was a fun night. Thanks, guys."
"You're welcome," said Reid.
"We both knew that Morgan would want to tell the two of you about Spence not knowing how to use chopsticks," said JJ.
"How did you know that?" asked Morgan.
"Because when it comes to a memory of me not knowing how to do something or an embarrassing memory of mine that I would much rather forget?" said Reid.
"Then, you're the one with the eidetic memory, Derek," said JJ.
"Yep," said Rossi.
"Guilty as charged," said Prentiss.
"They've got you there, Morgan," said Hotch.
"Yeah," laughed Morgan. "I am."
"I also know that you were disappointed, Derek," smiled JJ. "Because Spence now knows how to eat with chopsticks."
"Yeah, that was a downer," admitted Morgan. "But, both of you have changed a lot these past ten years."
"I've been practicing," admitted Reid. "Someday, I want the two of us to take Henry and Rose to Il Cantinori's and tell them about our second date just like we've told Emily and Rossi."
"Did you take us there because I was having a hard time while working this case?" asked Prentiss.
"That was part of it," answered JJ. "Spence and I made a deal when we went to Las Vegas to bring Diana back to DC with us. The night before we left Las Vegas, we looked up at the stars together. I never noticed how beautiful the Nevada sky looked any of those other times that we were in Las Vegas because we were too busy working cases."
"I knew how beautiful the Nevada sky looked because Las Vegas is my hometown," added Reid. "JJ and I agreed to put our case files down for a minute whenever we wanted to find a little time to unwind and enjoy sightseeing or eating out of town together before we flew back to DC."
"Stop and smell the roses," said Morgan.
"Yes," answered JJ. "We spend so much time trying to catch the unsubs and helping save other good people's lives during cases that we don't always take the time to try enjoying our own lives. We owe ourselves that."
"As long as it's on your free time," said Hotch.
"Yes, sir," said Reid.
"We also know that New York has some bad memories for most of you," said JJ while taking Reid's hand into her hand.
"The murders of Detective Ware, Chief Strauss and Agent Joyner. Detective Cooper getting shot and Hotch's brother, Sean getting arrested," recalled Reid.
"But, what's done is done," said JJ. "None of us can change what's happened to us in the past. But, we all can work a little harder in having a little more fun in the present. The unsubs have taken a lot away from us in the past, but they shouldn't ever take away the good and fun times that we still can share together in the present."
"There's no time like the present," said Prentiss.
"Yes," said JJ. "Spence and I did a little sightseeing in Chicago last night."
"Yeah?" said Morgan. "Well, the next time we're all in Chicago, let me be your tour guide because Chicago is my hometown! I know many places that you two won't find in the brochures."
"We'll think about it," said JJ.
"We want to tell Henry and Rose about all of our fun times together when they get a little older," said Reid.
"For now," said JJ. "We can tell them about our fun times together by creating fairy tales for them."
"And," said Reid. "We wanted to create some fun and happy memories for all of you while we were back in New York."
"We want the good times to outweigh the bad times," smiled JJ.
"Thank you," said Hotch.
"Yeah," said Morgan. "Both Emily and I needed that, didn't we, Emily?"
Prentiss had fallen asleep from leaning on Morgan's shoulder.
"Shh," said Rossi.
"Let her sleep," suggested JJ. "Both Emily and baby Morgan need it."
Reid gave Morgan a blanket to wrap over Prentiss. After the jet landed back in DC, Garcia met the BAU family in Quantico.
"Hello, my family," greeted Garcia. "I was wondering if any of you wanted to celebrate Emily's big win by going out to dinner tonight...?"
JJ and Reid smiled at each other.
"Count us in," said Reid.
"I'm in," said Rossi.
"I have some free time," said Hotch.
"I don't know, Baby Girl," said Morgan. "Maybe we should wait a day or two until we can catch up on some sleep..."
"Baby," smiled Prentiss while putting her hands on her belly. "You might be saying, 'no' to dinner, but baby Morgan, here is saying, 'I want to eat some delicious DC food tonight!'"
JJ and Reid smiled at Prentiss.
"Exactly," agreed Garcia. "And for baby Morgan, I'm not taking, 'no' for an answer. You're coming with us tonight, Derek, unless you want me to hurt you!"
Morgan laughed.
"Deja-vu," whispered Rossi.
"Stop and smell the roses, Morgan," said Hotch.
"Okay, okay," laughed Morgan. "I give!"
Prentiss hugged Garcia with her right arm and she hugged JJ with her left arm.
"Besides," said Prentiss. "There's no time like the present."
"So," said Morgan. "Where are we going?"
"Well," suggested Prentiss. "Hotch once shared with me a video of the rest of you guys...singing karaoke one night?"
Morgan, Garcia, JJ and Reid laughed.
"Penelope?" asked Rossi.
Garcia pulled out her cell phone.
"Karaoke restaurant list coming right up, sir," smiled Garcia. "Let's go, family! And, bring along that peach cobbler!"
Everybody started walking towards the elevator. Prentiss stopped JJ a minute.
"Hey," whispered Prentiss. "Did Pen ever do that 'unless you want me to hurt you' threat to you?"
"During both of my pregnancies," answered JJ.
Prentiss and JJ laughed while joining the others at the elevator. The BAU family entered a karaoke restaurant and sat down at a table together. They all told Prentiss the details leading to their first time in a karaoke bar together. After eating dinner, Rossi dragged Reid, JJ, Garcia, Morgan and Prentiss up on the stage to sing karaoke songs with him. Hotch pulled out his phone and recorded them singing together again.