Erin hurried into the elevator the first day back from their holiday, trying not to acknowledge the fact that she was running extremely late. She hadn't even had time to stop for tea at her coffee shop, and she could feel the need for caffeine crawling beneath her skin. She only hoped that someone had thought to make her tea. Letting out a deep sigh, she slumped against the back of the elevator car, trying to regain her breath as she rode up to the sixth floor. As the doors opened, she saw Alex there, waiting with a mug in her hands.
"Did you and Rossi lose track of time this morning?" she asked as she handed the mug over.
"Honestly? No. David should be here already. He left before I did this morning. I just…"
"You got nervous about being alone in the house?" She nodded as she took a sip from the mug, swallowing slowly. "All right, answer me honestly. Did you see any unfamiliar cars in the area?"
Erin shrugged as they walked over to her office. "I'm not as familiar with the cars that David's neighbors drive. So many of them are unfamiliar to me still. There was a utilities van that was still parked near his driveway this morning as I left, but I can't be certain that they hadn't moved. I don't know, Alex, I think that I'm becoming too paranoid to function."
The woman nodded a little as they made their way past Helen, and Erin waggled her fingers at her assistant before letting herself into her office. As soon as the door was closed, Alex spoke once more. "I don't think that being paranoid in this situation is a bad thing. There is someone stalking our team, copying our previous cases, and if things continue down this road, one of us is going to get seriously hurt."
Erin felt her eyes well up with tears as she looked down into her mug. "Don't make my paranoia sound normal, Lexie. Don't make it seem reasonable."
"I have to, because my own is steadily growing. There are only so many ways that I can stave off that gnawing feeling, you know. I had a picture shoved under my door the day after Christmas. There were no prints, I dusted for them. But it showed us together on Christmas Eve, it showed us hugging on Dave's front porch, and it was really creepy. So we have every right to be paranoid."
Erin licked her lips nervously, suddenly wishing that she had chosen a different profession. But then, that would have meant never meeting the people she loved most in the world, and that thought also saddened her. "Did you give the picture to Penelope?"
"Not yet. I don't want her to overreact, you know? She means well, but there are just some times that it can be a little overwhelming."
"And you've only worked with her for a few months. It's been almost a decade for me, and she can still surprise me with some of the things that come out of her mouth. But, she is great at organization and digging. Before Aaron briefs the next case, we should probably get together with her and figure out where this fits in what she's dug up about our mysterious Replicator."
Alex nodded as she reached out and patted her shoulder in sympathy. "Bring your tea along with you, who knows how long she'll keep us." Erin gave her a shaky smile as she sipped from her cup. Alex opened the door once more and left the office before she did.
"Helen, we have a small issue to take to Ms Garcia. Please hold all my calls until I return."
"Of course, ma'am. And I just need to remind you that there is a two o'clock meeting with the Director and all the SACs, and you're expected to present your budget."
"Shit," she whispered, shaking her head a little. "I don't suppose…"
"That I've collated all the information that you need, along with a few bullet points to bring to their attention about the extra funding that our department needs? I arrived early this morning, figuring that you had spent your holiday promptly forgetting about all that. I don't blame you, I want you to know. There's been so much on your shoulders these last few months. And the madman who's copying your team's cases hasn't let up, either."
"That's the worst thing," Erin said before she let out a soft sigh. "I should be back in about twenty minutes, and then we can go over the budget mockup you created."
"Of course, ma'am."
She smiled at Helen before following Alex out of her office and over to the bullpen. Alex stopped by her desk to pick up the picture, and Erin shivered a little at the very tangible evidence of the fact that they were being stalked that was now in her hands. Somehow, she made it up to Penelope's office without losing her balance or otherwise giving herself away. Alex entered the office without knocking, and Erin tried to smile as Penelope turned around to look at them.
"Is there something wrong?" Penelope asked as she stood, coming over to them.
"Yes. The bastard that's copying our cases is much closer than we first thought." Penelope's brow furrowed as she looked between them, and Alex handed over the photograph. "That was taken Christmas Eve. And we have no way to figure out who took it. I'm hoping that you can work your magic and find out anything that might put us one step closer to nailing this bastard."
"I'll do what I can, but I'm not really a miracle worker."
"I beg to differ, Penelope. You've somehow managed to get us back together, and there was a time I would have sworn that only an act of God could do that." Erin gave her a weak smile before she made her way over to the sofa and sank down onto the seat, cradling her mug close to her chest as she stared at the floor. "Please, do whatever you can to protect my friends."
She heard Alex gasp before the sofa sank beneath the weight of a warm body. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she saw that her friend had taken a seat next to her, and she shrugged a little as Alex wrapped her arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "You are not to talk like that, Erin Strauss. I do not need to hear fatalism drop from your lips, not when I just opened my heart to you once more. And there is no way that I am losing you to the hands of a madman. Do you hear me?"
Erin nodded a little as she set her mug onto the table in front of them, letting her arm come to rest around Alex's waist as she tried to get her sense of equilibrium back. "I hear you, but if it comes down to it, I am willing to make the sacrifice."
"Erin!" This time it was Penelope who objected to her words, and she looked up at the woman, seeing the stark sorrow on her face. "If I have to wrap both of you in bubble wrap until we find this bastard, I will. And I'll get Rossi to help me, which I know that he will. Gladly. Now, let me do my work, and I'll maybe have answers for you today at lunch."
As they got to their feet, Erin wasn't surprised when Penelope came over to her side and wrapped her into a tight hug. "I'm serious, Penelope. Alex before me," she whispered lowly into Penelope's ear, not missing the way her arms tightened around her. "I'll see you at lunchtime." Pulling away, she looked into the younger woman's face, taking in the sad look she was giving her, and knowing that she would most likely be facing a long talking to come lunchtime.