Undivided

Chapter Seven

"Do you think they saw anything or suspect anything?" JJ asked when they arrived back at Spencer's apartment after their run in with Luke and Lisa.

Spencer shrugged, "I don't know, maybe?"

JJ looked at him in disbelief, "How can you be so calm about this Spence? He could know or he could tell the entire team!"

Spence sat down on the couch and motioned for her to join him, "First of all at worst from the distance where they were he saw us hug, something we've done in full view of the team plenty of times. Second, if he does suspect something Luke isn't going to say anything that's not his style, third if he did say something it doesn't bother me. I love you Jennifer and everyone is going to find out eventually."

JJ sighed and finally sat down on the couch next to him, "It would be nice if I was actually divorced before they found out." She pointed out defensively.

Spencer pulled her into his arms, "That should be any day now, why do I think that's not what's really your biggest concern?" He prodded.

"What if they make one of us leave the BAU?" She asked. "Someone is always looking for a reason to break up our team."

Reid shook his head and then placed a kiss on top of her head, "There is no FBI policy against fraternization of agents within the same department."

JJ smiled and him as she moved into his lap facing him, "Is that what we are doing fraternizing?" she asked leaning into kiss him.

"Yes, this would most defiantly count as fraternizing." He told her between kisses.

They spent the rest of the weekend was spent lazily around Spence's apartment reading, and talking, and with JJ planning Michael's fourth birthday party which was coming up in a few weeks. Early on Sunday morning JJ rolled over in bed and kissed Spencer.

"I've got to get to breakfast." She told him.

He sat up in bed next to her and kissed her softly, "Tell the boys I'll see them on Tuesday if we don't have a case and call me after they go to bed. I'll see you at work tomorrow"

"I love you Spence." She said before giving him one last kiss.

They had barely reached the office on Monday before they found themselves on the jet to Atlanta to investigate a series of murdered women. Spence and JJ both wondered what Luke was thinking after seeing them together on Saturday night and also wondering if the rest of the team could pick up on the change in their relationship. Emily handed out directions to everyone sending JJ to the police station to help the chief with the local press that was already out of control and pairing Spencer with Luke to visit the most recent crime scene.

An awkward silence filled the black SUV Luke was driving as they made their way to the crime scene. Growing uncomfortably nervous Spencer began to fill the silence with facts about Atlanta's crime rate, racial diversity, and history. Finally Luke interrupted him.

"Reid, its fine I'm not going to tell anyone that I saw you and JJ out the other night." He said with a grin. "Is there anything that you want to tell me?" He asked his grin growing wider.

"Oh that, we were just having dinner the boys were with Will and she wanted some company." Spencer fumbled in the most unconvincing manner.

"Reid, I know I might not be the most experienced profiler on the team but what I saw the other night wasn't just company." Luke said.

"We are good friends, best friends really." Spencer said truthfully.

"I've noticed, Reid when you were in prison JJ was willing to move Heaven and Earth, and battle all the forces of Hell to get you out. I'm not sure the woman ate or slept, every day that you were in there it was like a little piece of her died. I'm not sure that everyone else saw it because they were so close to both of you, but to me it was obvious I was looking at a woman that was afraid of losing the man that she loved." Luke explained gently.

Spencer stared out the window knowing there was no way he could deny what that time had done to the both of them. "Nothing happened between us until after Will asked for a divorce. JJ would never…" he finally added feeling some kind of need to speak on her behalf.

"What happened when doesn't matter to me, just know I'm happy for you two, I really am." Luke assured him before adding, "And everyone else will be too when you are ready for them to know."

Spencer nodded feeling a rush of relief when they arrived at the crime scene, grateful to be out of the personal conversation. All three victims had been found in Piedmont Park over the course of one month. They seemed to have been taken late on a Friday night from one of the clubs nearby and their bodies found early Monday morning.

"Were any of the victims reported missing?" Emily asked when the team had assembled back at the police headquarters later that day.

JJ shook her head, "The second one was by her boyfriend. He was out of town on a guys' weekend. He said she had returned his text over the weekend, but not his phone call. When he got home Sunday evening he said there was no sign that she had been home since Friday. He went straight to the police and her body was found the next morning."

"But the other two weren't?" Rossi questioned.

"No, both other victims lived alone, the first one left the bar alone late on Friday, she was supposed to meet some girlfriends for brunch on Sunday but sent a message through their group chat saying she wouldn't be able to make it. Also her mother said she called her on Saturday but just got a text saying she would call her later."

"Chances are when we get to interview friends of the third victim at least one person got a text from her over the weekend." Spencer added.

"Have their phones been recovered?" Tara asked.

"No, but I already have Garcia on it." Emily answered. "Assuming he keeps to his time table we have four days to stop him before he takes another woman. Let's get to work. JJ and Reid you take the third victim find out if anyone heard from her this weekend, Tara and Luke talk to the boyfriend of the second, Rossi and I will continue to look for links between them while Garcia is trying to get access to their phones."

JJ and Spencer discovered that just like the first two victims the third had supposedly sent text over the weekend. She had texted back with a friend declining an invitation to go out Saturday night and two generic work related text saying she would get back to them on Monday.

"All three victims appear to have been killed late Sunday night on the weekends they were taken." Tara said as they met back up later that evening. "Two of the three lived alone and the third's boyfriend was gone for the weekend, how did the Unsub know this?"

"The victims had to be planned not random. Someone with a spouse or roommates would have been missed sooner." JJ added, "And he had to know the boyfriend was out of town."

"It has to have something to do with their phones." Rossi mused. "What if he was somehow monitoring them from their phones?"

Emily quickly called Garcia, "Penelope had our victims downloaded any of the same apps lately?"

"Well, let me see, diet apps, no that was just two of them, they used different ride share apps, wait it looks like all three had some local check in rewards app that supposedly gave you reward points for doing things around the city."

"That had to be it, download the app and he could begin to monitor them and find his victims," Spencer added, "Penelope, how many downloads does the app have?"

"In Atlanta around 10,000." She answered.

"Can you narrow it down by gender and age?" Luke asked, "To match our victims?"

'Several hundred." She said, "uh oh.."

"Uh oh what?" Rossi asked.

"There are different versions of the app for different cities." Penelope explained. "Austin, D.C., and San Francisco, all have versions."

"Meaning if this is how he's doing it he's prepared to pick up and go to a new city at a moment's notice." Emily quickly concluded. "Can we get the app shut down?"

"That takes a lot of doing and a lot of court time." Penelope answered. "The developer had to leave a clue behind let me do my thing and track him." She said before hanging up.

It was getting late, "Let's call it a night and hope Penelope has something for us in the morning." Emily told them and they all left to go back to the hotel.

The next morning it was Spencer knocking on JJ's door to tell her that Penelope was ready to brief them. She opened the door on her phone and motioned for him to come in. He sat down on her bed and listen to her talk to who he assumed was Henry on the phone.

"No, I don't think we will be home tonight, I'm sorry, Well maybe Spence can come to dinner another night this week. Yes, he's on the trip with me, hold on." She paused and turned to Spence, "He wants to talk to you."

Spencer looked at her in surprise, "Hi Henry, how are you?"

"Why aren't you coming to dinner tonight? The next Harry Potter book came and we are supposed to start it." Henry reminded him.

"I know Henry, I was looking forward to it too, like your mom said though, I can come over when we get back we can start. All right?" Spencer did his best to reassure the boy while feeling the pain of guilt for not being there.

"I guess, I have to go, Olivia says it's time to leave for day camp. Bye Spence, bye Mom." Henry said before hanging up.

Spencer handed JJ back her phone, "Does it always feel this bad?" He asked her.

JJ Reached for his hand and pulled him up in front of her smiling as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "Needing to be in two places at once? Yeah, but you learn to be really present when you are with them." She told him.

"I hate that I disappointed him." Spencer added with his own look if disappointment. JJ wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head down for a kiss.

"I love you Spencer Reid, now come on we've got an unsub to catch." She told him as she turned him loose but smiling when she felt him grab her hand and pull her back.

"I love you Jennifer, you and your boys." He added before kissing her quickly.

Thirty minutes later they were in a conference room listening to Penelope's briefing. It turns out the app developer had offices in all three cities that the app had a version of.

"Meaning he probably travels to these three cities frequently." Luke summated.

"Which also means he is at least mid-level or higher in the company if he travels between their offices. A lower level employee wouldn't do that." Spencer pointed out.

"He's most likely not in the upper levels of management he wouldn't have to social skills to hold that kind of position long term." Rossi added.

'We've got another body." Emily announced coming into the conference room. "It's only Tuesday, he's escalating which means he probably knows we are here. We need to catch him before he heads to another city."

The day produced very few results the latest victim had been taken on Saturday night meaning before the team had arrived. So they were unsure of the reason for his escalation. The design company had not been helpful saying that they had no proof that their app was the cause. Shortly after dinner a uniformed officer walked in carrying a small package.

"Agent Reid, this was just delivered for you." He said handing it to him.

"Perfect, thank you, Emily I need about thirty minutes to take care of something. Is that all right?" he asked.

Emily looked at him with a questioning look but simply nodded her head, "Of course, everything all right?"

"Yes, I just have to follow up on something." He responded taking the package with him. JJ watched him go wondering what her boyfriend was up to, having the distinct impression it was not related to the case.

Forty five minutes later JJ was knocking on the door to a small office where she found Spence. "Hey are you coming back?" She asked noticing he was hanging up his phone and shoving whatever had been delivered to him in to his bag.

"What are you up to?" she asked with a grin.

"It's nothing." He did his best to assure her but she had already reached his bag and was pulling something out.

"Spence…" She said in disbelief holding a copy of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. "Have you been in here reading to Henry?"

Spence just shrugged, "But when did you get a copy?" She asked.

"I ordered it online and was able to get same day delivery." He said as if it was no big deal.

"You ordered it on line?" She asked in complete disbelief knowing his extreme avoidance of all things digital, "Spence have you ever ordered anything on line before?"

"Well no, but this seemed important, I know you said it would be fine, and I know there will be times that I disappoint Henry and Michael but if there is any way I can avoid it I want to and this was a time I could avoid it." He shrugged again, "Oh but I might have charged it to your account because I don't' actually have one so I owe you twelve dollars." He explained.

"We have to go back to work but know that I love you more than I will probably ever be able to tell you." JJ told him before walking out of his room with him close at her heels.

"I've got something!" They heard Garcia's voice as they entered the conference room. "I started thinking about how this company had offices in these different cities and I did some checking. Each of these cities have had at least one murder matching our unsub's MO over the last three years. Our lovely home of DC has had three. I cross referenced the dates of the murders with names and travel dates of employees. I only found one employee who was in each city at the same time as the murders. I am sending his information to you right now."

"Let's go." Emily declared as she went to notify the local police of their discovery and the team sprang into actions.

In the early morning light their plane was taking off from Atlanta back home to DC. The Unsub had been arrested after they found all of the victim's phones in his apartment.

"They'll never stop keeping souvenirs." Rossi sighed. "At least sometimes that makes our job a little easier.

Now they were all trying for a quick nap on the flight home over the top of his book Spencer watched JJ slip in her headphones before reaching into her pocket and smiling when she felt his note. She glanced around briefly, Tara was already asleep in the seat next to her and nobody else was looking anywhere near her. She slowly pulled it out.

I meant what I said before, I know eventually I will disappoint the boys but I plan to do whatever I can to avoid it. Same goes for you Jennifer, I know this won't always be easy between us and I know there are a lot things we still have to figure out, but know that I'll do everything I can to keep from hurting you. I love you Jennifer and I'm in this for as long as you will have me.

JJ glanced across the aisle of the jet to where Spence was now pretending to sleep. She knew he could feel her gaze because his lip twisted into the slightest smile. She felt herself smile as she carefully placed the note back in her pocket and started to close her own eyes when she felt another set of eyes on her. She turned slightly and saw Luke watching her, their eyes met briefly and he offered her a smile and a nod before closing his eyes. She closed her own eyes and slept peacefully for the remainder of the flight home.

TBC