---- Thanks a million times for the review and support! This last chapter is for all the readers and reviewers!! ----

Taking away rules leaves you with perfectly-ordered chaos - Anonymous

A collective gasp comes from the team, the kidnapped women all cower again, and Reid rolls out of the way just in time.

All the same, Rossi's reaction is automatic. When the unsub aims at your partner, you aim at the unsub. And that's just what Rossi does.

Of course, spending year after year on the job and encountering many times needed to shoot, Rossi's aim is good. And if he had aimed to Mildred's brain or heart, or anywhere really vital, she'd be long gone.

But he aims for her right hand which holds her gun, and he hits, and Mildred drops the gun – indeed, dropped the the ground – with a startled, painful cry.

Morgan runs over to Reid, "Are you ok man?" he asks, and Reid nods. "Yeah…come on, those women are more hurt than I am!"

And although Reid had needed to drop to the ground in order to save himself, he now reaches out, takes Morgan's outstretched hand, pulls himself up, and walks over to the victims.

"Where are the medics?" Reid inquires, finding Rebecca's slumped-over but not yet lifeless form and leaning over her awkward, not sure whether or not to move her.

"On their way," Hotch calls out, while placing a pair of cuffs around Mildred's ankles as he is unable to put them around her wrist, due to her bullet-wound which will need medical attention.

Patricia Cornwall looks up with wide eyes, "We're ok…the rest of us are ok…but there's a body – a, a, a head –" she can't finish her sentence, pointing over to where Mildred revealed her handiwork just minutes before.

JJ nods and makes her way over to the coffin, opens it up, and flinches. "You guys," she says.

Morgan looks over JJ's shoulder. "How much do you want to bet that it's Adele?" he asks grimly.

"Are you hurt in any way?" Prentiss questions Jessica, Nina, and Patricia. They shake their heads but Prentiss pulls Hotch aside, "I think they'll still need to go to the hospital. Just in case." She states, "And they'll probably need a hell of a lot counseling besides," Hotch mutters.

***

Germantown Police Department

"So we found them, baby doll. We'll be back before you know it." Morgan says into the computer, filling in Garcia via webcam. "Miss you until you're here with me, sweetcheeks." She replies.

Reid and Emily sit a little bit away from them, "So did you hear? Rebecca didn't make it." Emily frowns. Reid nods, "I just…I can't help thinking…" "What?" Emily asks. "Well, I was bullied all the time in school. But it just…it made me want to prove I could do better I just – I don't see how Millicent and Mildred thought the murders could make things right." He explains.

"Well Reid, I mean, who knows why killers do what they do? It's just…they're different in the head." She responds. "Yeah. Maybe. But, really, we're all different in the head, right? So what if killers…what if they're the only ones who aren't? When you take away all the adornments what you're left with is the fact and that fact is –"

"Reid," Prentiss cuts in before Reid can begin a lecture, "It's just how things are."

Hotch and Rossi stand, looking out at the rest of the team. "Should I have killed her? Maybe it was wrong, but I couldn't kill her. I thought she needed a chance." Rossi speaks, suddenly. "As far as I'm concerned you stopped her from shooting and didn't take her life." Hotch replies. "But did I make the right decision?" Rossi repeats, mostly to himself. "I think so, Dave." Hotch says truthfully.

Police Chief Deluchi comes up behind them suddenly, "Thanks for helping us solve this case. Most of those girls got home safe, and that's all you can ask for." He thanks them.

JJ looks up from where she was sitting, "We'd better get going," she announces, and everyone agrees.

As they leave for their hotels in order to pack, Morgan gives a laugh, "So I guess we know the unsubs really favour you, huh, Reid?" "Shut up," Reid protests. The rest of the team laughs too, "How many times is that now?" JJ inquires.

"Gruesome to think we can joke about kidnapping while this town lost a cellist," Rossi points out. The team sombres for a second.

But then they just have to laugh, because they're happy they solved the case, and they're happy Reid wasn't shot.

Nobody ever died of laughter – Sir Max Beerbohm