The rest of June flies by. Tara is flowing seamlessly into the role of unit chief and has already taken the lead on a few cases. I've been slowly giving her more of the paperwork, and by the first week of July she's handling more than half the load.

The third week of July we're called out on a case in Connecticut, my last case in the field. The unsub is attacking working mothers in high level business positions. So far, he's killed four women. On our third day in Hartford, we identify the suspect as one Christopher Johnson. His ex-wife, a tech CEO, had won full custody of their 5-year-old son after the divorce and he had passed away in a drowning accident in her care while she was on a conference call. The unsub blamed her for putting her work ahead of her child and was taking his rage out on anyone who reminded him of his wife.

Splitting up in two SUVs, half of the team went to the unsub's house and the rest of us to his workplace. JJ, Matt and I pull up to his office building. When we approach the receptionist inside, we're told that Christopher just left a minute ago for lunch and that we might still be able to catch him in the parking garage. With the information that employees park on the third floor, we head down the hall to the stairwell connecting the office building with the parking garage.

As we enter level 3, we each split off down an aisle, guns out and eyes open. Halfway down my row I turn to the left to clear around a pillar and am met face to face with the unsub, whose gun is already drawn.

"Christopher, put the gun down." I say calmly.

"Why? So that I can end up in prison? That's where my ex-wife belongs, not me." He spits.

"I know you're angry about what happened to your son. But the women you've killed aren't your wife and you took them away from their families."

"They didn't care about their families. About their children. They put their jobs first, just like Angela. And look at you." He scoffs, waving his gun towards my now noticeably pregnant belly. "Walking into dangerous situations and putting your unborn child's life at risk. You deserve to die like the rest of them."

The next thing I know, two shots ring out and I watch the unsub fall to the ground. Looking back up I see JJ behind him. Taking a shuddering breath, I mouth the words thank you to her and she nods.

####

We landed in DC around 9:30pm that evening. Since the team was on stand down for the next week, Tara and I decided we could wait to write up the reports until the next morning, recommending that everyone go home and get some sleep.

Knowing I wouldn't be able to go to sleep right away, I decided to wind down with a bubble bath when I got back to the condo. Adding a few drops of lavender oil to the water and pulling my hair back into a clip, I climbed into the tub. Sinking further into the warm water, I had just closed my eyes when I heard my phone buzz. Picking it up off the ledge beside the tub, I see that Andrew is trying to FaceTime and I smile, sliding my finger across the screen to answer. "Hello, my handsome man."

"Hey, beautiful. How are you?"

I sigh. "Tired. This last case got to me."

"What happened?"

Recounting the basics of the case and telling him about the events in the parking garage, I watch his facial expressions turn from concern to relief. "I know I didn't end up getting hurt, but I honestly think that if we weren't already on stand down this next week, I would've called it quits." I say, rubbing my free hand across my growing belly.

"I'm so glad you're ok, babe."

"I wish you were here. I just want to cuddle up with you tonight."

He grins mischievously. "Seeing as it looks like you're in the tub, I wish I was there, too."

"Andrew Mendoza." I admonish playfully. "You and your one track mind."

He chuckles lightly and then takes a breath. "One more week, my love."