Emily felt a throbbing migraine coming on as they arrived at the crime scene, she heard Reid cough behind her slightly. She knew it was his way to grab her attention because he hated tugging on someone's sleeve. '' What is it?'' she asked, trying to force a smile as her head started throbbing more. '' I have some painkillers in my bag. I can sense the migraine from over here'' smiled Reid awkwardly as he folded his hands.
She had forgotten all about Reid's struggle with migraines, so she smiled sympathetically '' Thanks Reid, but I've just taken some''. Reid nodded, not even remotely satisfied. He however had to let it go because they had reached to dorm where the last murder had occurred.
Thomas Dahl had been brutally stabbed in the middle of the day, while he was taking a nap. Emily's could feel JJ shiver slightly next to her as they noticed the stuffed animals around the young boy. Thomas had only been 16. He was highly intelligent and had skipped a few grades.
Emily's eyes travelled towards Reid whom stood next to him, slightly pale. She knew what he was thinking, because she was thinking the same thing. '' You okay?'' Emily whispered, as they watched Hotch talk to an officer. ''It's just weird'' he replied, she could hear his voice shaking. '' I know, I'm sorry''.
After concluding there was nothing out of the ordinary at the crime scene, except for the murder, they returned back to the room that was cleared for them at the university. Garcia had already started a background check on Thomas Dahl as Reid made his way towards the board where he placed the picture of Thomas next to the other victims.
Emily sunk down in one of the chairs and rubbed her forehead. JJ pushed a glass of water into Emily's direction as she glanced at her dark-haired partner with worry. Emily flushed slightly before thanking the blonde.
'' Wait'' Reid said as his finger touched the pictures of the students. '' All these students started at this school in the same year. Maybe the unsub is someone whom fell out of place in their year? '' Reid suggested.
'' Nah'' interjected Morgan, '' We've asked around and checked their socials. Everyone was very tight with each other. Their year was very tight knit. Or at least that is what Jimmy's roommate mentioned''.
'' Maybe the unsub is someone that was denied admission for that year?'' suggested JJ. Hotch nodded in agreement '' That's a good one''. They put Garcia on speaker and waited as she pulled the admissions lists of that year.
'' Okay well, 1253 males were denied admission for that year'' Garcia muttered, the entire team sighed collectively. ''Can you narrow it down to white males? I read something about Carla's complaint, she said it was a white, brown haired male'' Emily said. Emily squeezed her eyes shut tightly as she felt a wave of nausea hit her.
'' That narrows it down to 300 white, brown haired males'' said Garcia. '' Okay, how about males with a record. Any prior history with violence, either they were the aggressor, or they witnessed someone being the aggressor'' suggested Hotch. They could hear Garcia type furiously before hearing a surprised aha.
'' We have ten left. No wait, six. WAIT'' Garcia mumbled. '' I think I have something, Timothy Danes witnessed his father kill his younger sister and his mother before his father killed himself in front of him''. JJ took note of this on a note pad, '' For his admission essay he wrote about this, and always how he'd do everything for a place at that school'' finished Garcia nervously.
'' Do you have a current address?'' Hotch asked as the entire team stood up so they could leave quickly, Emily saw flashes before her eyes as she stood up but after a sip of water she felt a bit steadier.
Emily felt slender fingers wrap around her elbow. '' Are you okay?'' JJ whispered in her ear. Emily visibly shivered, having JJ this close to her caused goosebumps to cover her skin. '' Sorry'' whispered JJ as she noticed Emily's physiological response to her being so close. '' It's fine, I'm fine''.
JJ looked unconvinced and even Morgan noticed. '' Maybe you should stay here, princess'' he said. '' I'm fine'' groaned Emily again. Morgan stepped back, his hands raised in defense. '' I'm just looking out for you, no need to snap'' he said.
Emily muttered something before turning her attention back on Hotch. Garcia had sent them the address and they were separated into different cars.
Emily allowed JJ to take the wheel and they drove right behind the swat team towards Timothy's house. '' Em, is it okay if I'm worried about you?'' JJ eventually asked, Emily looked up surprised, her eyes meeting JJ's for the first time in a while. '' Yes, that's okay. It's not necessary however''.
'' Can we talk? Later? After this case? I could come by. We could get some take-out and some wine?'' JJ suggested. Emily tensed slightly, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to face JJ without being able to run, but she didn't want to hurt JJ by declining either. '' Uh.. we'll see, okay?'' she eventually settled on. JJ wanted to say more but they had arrived at the house by now.
Hotch motioned for Emily, JJ and Reid to go through the back, and he motioned Rossi and Morgan to go to the front once they'd gotten out of the car. Emily entered through the kitchen, her gun raised, and she looked around.
Plates covered with molded food covered most of the counter, empty cans of beer were scattered on the floor. The entire area was a mess except for the desk, where various academic books were scattered across the table. Reid touched a few of the books as Emily and JJ made their way towards the basement.
The basement was covered with boards, similar to the ones they used for victimology. Pictures of various men and women covered the boards, red marks covered the pictures of Annie, Carla, Jimmy and Thomas. '' Is this.. his hitlist?'' JJ asked, '' I think it is'' agreed Emily as they heard the rest of the team walk down the stairs.
'' He's working the pictures in order. Which means this girl is the next one'' said Morgan as he touched the fifth picture in the row. Emily gasped slightly: '' Rasha'' Emily and JJ said in exchange. '' That's Carla's roommate, she's staying with her parents at the moment'' Emily said.
'' Morgan, JJ and Emily you go to Rasha, we'll stay here to see if he comes back and to collect evidence'' Hotch said, he hardly had time to finish his sentence before the three were running up the stairs.
Morgan jumped behind the wheel of the car and pushed the gas roughly. They were way passed the speed limit and drove through several red lights before arriving at Rasha's house.
'' FBI open up'' Morgan yelled once they got out of the car, he kicked the door down when there was no response.
JJ noticed Ms and Mr Nahir on the floor in the kitchen and hurried over towards them. '' Call an ambulance'' she yelled towards the officers whom had followed them, '' they're alive''.
Morgan and Emily made sure JJ was left with an officer before walking up the stairs.
Commotion from one of the rooms in the corner caught their attention, so Morgan motioned for Emily to get over there. Emily pushed the door open with the tip of her gun and saw an unconscious Rasha on her bed, Timothy was seated on top of her, a knife tightly in his hand.
'' Timothy Danes, FBI. Drop the knife'' Emily yelled. Morgan backed up behind her, his gun raised as well. '' I need to claim my place at the school'' hissed Timothy, his eyes dazed as he pushed the knife a little closer to Rasha's exposed neck. ''Killing all these students won't give you a place at the school Timothy'' Morgan said.
'' If I can't go, no one can'' Timothy whispered, as he turned around to face Emily with intent. '' I know you're hurt Timothy, I know you're suffering. You haven't been handed a fair hand in life, but you don't want Rasha's family to suffer the same fate as you did'' Emily stated as she inched closer to Timothy.
'' That school could've been my home'' he said, as tears rolled down his cheeks whom were flushed red with anger. '' But it wasn't Timothy, you had to find a better home, didn't you?'' Emily inquired.
'' No one wanted me. I got kicked around so much. I tried to befriend them first you know. They could put in a good word for me'' shrugged Timothy, tension visible in his shoulders. '' but they didn't want to do that did they?'' Emily concluded, stating the obvious.
'' They deserved it for the way they treated me. I look like trash to them. They act all rich and pretentious. Fucking cunts'' Timothy said. Emily and Morgan exchanged glances, they noticed Timothy's speech kept making less sense.
''Timothy we can talk about what that did to you, but you need to drop the weapon first'' Emily said, as she inched another step closer towards Rasha and Timothy.
'' No, I am not losing'' he suddenly yelled, in the flash of a second, he raised the knife and pushed it into his neck, causing an immediate shot of blood. Morgan immediately called for an ambulance, as Emily rushed over towards Timothy.
His mouth filled with blood as he chuckled '' I won'' he whispered, before closing his eyes. '' No Timothy, stay with me'' Emily yelled as she pushed on the open wound in his neck with her bare hands.
She could feel his heart stop pulsating, his arms landed limply next to his body. Morgan led the paramedics towards Rasha, whom had yet to regain consciousness. Morgan raised his eyebrow as he looked towards Emily, Emily merely shook her head, indicating the death of their unsub.
Emily and Morgan stayed behind as they watched Rasha being wheeled out of the room. '' I can hear you thinking Emily. This was not our fault. We did not profile this unsub as suicidal'' Morgan said as he squeezed Emily's shoulder. '' I'm fine'' stated Emily as she shrugged Morgan's hand off. Her head was already working overtime trying to compartmentalize everything into boxes into her head, so it wouldn't bother her as much, the throbbing migraine was making it a tough job though.
Emily cleaned the blood on her hands with a towel one of the paramedics handed her as she made her way out of the house, JJ was filling Hotch in about what happened with the parents.
'' Don't Reid'' Emily said as she held her hand up in the air, the young man had made his way over towards her. His entire body language indicating what he was about to ask. '' I'm here'' Reid eventually said '' for you'' before walking back towards Rossi whom had joined Hotch as well.