Disclaimer: I'm borrowing them for a little while, but CBS and ABC say I have to return them when I'm done. Which makes me sad.

Strike

Morgan sucked down the last of his soda at the diner. He grinned at Reid when the genius rubbed his forehead to alleviate his brain freeze.

"Too much?"

"I always get this!"

Morgan laughed and snatched another fry off JJ's plate.

"Morgan!"

He turned when thirty-four pounds of Tyler smacked into his leg. "Hey, Little Guy."

Joy turned up right behind him, grabbing her son's hand.

"Hey to you too, Detective."

She smiled. "Hey."

"What are you doing here?"

"We're getting milkshakes!" Tyler climbed into the booth next to Morgan.

Joy started at the sight of them. Agent Morgan could possibly pass as Tyler's father.

"This late at night?" Hotch asked.

"We had the viewing today."

Tyler nodded and kicked his feet, still in his dress shoes. "John's Mommy is with the angels now."

The atmosphere sobered.

Morgan poked the little boy. "What's your favorite?"

"Vanilla. And Mama likes chocolate." He tugged Morgan's sleeve. He lowered his ear to the little boy's face. "It matches me!"

Morgan grinned.

"Come on, Tyler. We're getting our milkshakes to go, remember?"

"Can we watch Finding Nemo?"

"Not tonight."

"Why?"

Joy closed her eyes. She couldn't bring herself to say because the mother dies.

"How about Road to El Dorado? With the horse?"

"Your horse bit me in the butt!" Tyler giggled and climbed out of the booth. "Bye, Morgan. Say hi to Penny for me."

"I will."

Tyler took his mother's hand and held it tightly as Joy ordered, laughing with the waitress.

"He likes you," Prentiss said.

Morgan smiled. "I think he likes having someone around who looks like him."

"What about his father?"

The smile vanished. "He's not around."

"Don't get too attached," Rossi warned.

"I know."

Hotch pulled out the case file. "Do we have anything new?"

Prentiss shook her head and finished off her onion rings. "No DNA and the waiting suggest an organized killer."

"We already knew that."

"But the attacks are random. They used to follow the three week pattern," Reid pointed out.

"Triggers."

"But what?" Morgan put his head in his hands, watching Tyler spin on a bar chair, chattering at Joy.

"We keep striking out."

"Unfortunately, it looks like we're going to have to wait for the next victim."

Joy Marriott's Apartment

Freehold, New Jersey

Joy curled around Tyler for the third night in a row. She couldn't bring herself to let him go and had been sleeping on the pull-out bed with him, falling asleep to movies.

The title screen for Prince of Egypt was up when she jerked awake, groping for her phone.

"Marriott."

"Detective, we have a survivor."

She blinked and slowly sat up.

"Detective?"

"Sorry, Agent Hotchner. A survivor."

"Medics are patching him up now."

"I'll be right there."

Joy hung up and glanced at Tyler, fast asleep. She rolled out of the bed and ducked into her room to dress. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she stroked his dark curls.

Damn, she was going to have to take him to the crime scene.

Freehold Raceway Mall Parking Lot

Freehold, New Jersey

Joy set the child locks and alarmed her car before joining the rest of the force. Craig was already there, talking with Agents Rossi and Hotchner. Morgan was pacing the crime scene.

She ducked under the police tape. "What do we have?"

"A witness." He glanced behind her at her car. "Tyler in there?"

"No matter what my mother says, this is the first time I've brought him to a crime scene," she hissed.

He chuckled. "Babysitters would be hard to come by this late at night."

"Tell me about it."

"Ryan Fitzpatrick is a closer for Borders', like Lear. The Unsub hit him and dragged him to the light. All that was written was one sentence." He dug a paper out of his pocket. "Lucifer smiled sadly when he saw Chloe sleeping on the couch again, a picture of Christopher clutched in her hand."

"References several characters."

"That's as far as the Unsub got when a patrol car passed by. The Unsub ran and the car called for help."

"Do you think…?"

"We're hoping he saw his attacker. Prentiss is going to interview him later."

She nodded, looking around. "Christopher, Chloe, Lucifer, Lilly… I think the others were Rosalie and Charles."

"Good memory."

"Do you know how long I stared at those photos?" She glanced at her car again. No movement.

"Joy?"

She turned back to him.

"We're going to get him."

"I know."