An/Written in response to femvamp's"good guys as bad guys" challenge. Let me know what you think.

Regular disclaimers apply.

"Mom, we're out of bread." She tentatively explained, anticipating the emotional onslaught that would likely follow. But SOMEONE needed to go shopping, and not only were the pantries bare, but the last of the food in the refrigerator was gone. She needed to say something.

"You don't need anything." Her mother retorted quickly. "Not with all that weight you've put on."

She remained quiet, not bothering to acknowledge her mother's insult. Acknowledgements usually only served to make matters worse. "I just thought you'd want to--"

"Well, I don't." Her mother quipped before going back to reading the newspaper.

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. That exchange went far better than she had anticipated. Her joy, however, was cut short when she heard the front door open and slam shut.

"JJ?" She jerked involuntarially, surprised to see the entire team looking at her.

Rubbing her eyes quickly, she inwardly winced as she realized she must have fallen asleep in the car. "We're here?"

"Are you okay?" Emily asked, her eyes full of concern as she ignored JJ's question completely.

"Of course," She laughed lightly, mentally cursing herself for showing any sign of weakness. Weaknesses were sloppy, and unless she was using them to decieve someone else, she had to be careful. "I'm fine." She assured the others.

Emily nodded warily, and JJ couldn't shake the feeling that the older woman didn't believe her in the slightest. The others dissipated while Hotch lingered, his own concern radiating from him in waves. "If this case is too difficult--" He started as she got out of the car.

"Hotch, I want to be here." She insisted, rolling her eyes inwardly at his protectiveness. She had been through too much in her life to simply roll over and let someone help her.

Because if life had taught her anything, it was that in reality, no one cared.

Sure, Hotch was a friend and he was different from most people, but deep down he was the same as the people she hunted. Just maybe, he wasn't as bad to be deserving of her retribution.

She could see the hesitance in his eyes and steeled herself to look into his dark brown orbs. "Hotch. I'm fine." She restated.

Sighing, he relented. "If this case gets to be too much for you, let me know."

"Oh, I will." She promised, knowing that no matter what she would never voluntarily admit weakness.

Because above all, she was in control.

"Garcia, what do you have for us?" Emily asked once the team got situated in the precinct conference room.

The happy tech came across the phone "I've compiled a list of cases. It's all still coming together, though."

"What do we know so far?" Hotch pressed. There wasn't time for pleasantries.

"I've got cases from all over the country, so I'm still going through. Right now, I've found five more victims. Phoenix, LA, the French Quarter in New Orleans, Miami...it's a lot to go through, sir."

"Let us know when you have more." Hotch said crisply.

"We've got a mission based killer." Rossi surmised quickly.

"But most of the victims are white-collar workers. Typically 'house cleaners' and other mission based killers focus on prostitutes and the homeless." Emily shook her head in confusion. "Victimology doesn't tell us much. Most of the victims were white, but we've also got a few black vics and three hispanics."

"David Malone was asian." Reid added.

"Which means though its not definitive, he's probably white." Morgan rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Why?" JJ asked innocently.

"Whites are more likely to cross racial barriers than other racial groups." Reid answered without looking up from the file he was speed reading.

"So what does that tell us about the UnSub?" JJ asked curiously, trying to avoid coming across the way Gideon used to like he was trying to coax the team into discovering an answer he already knew. It wouldn't bode well if the team knew she could easily identify the killer.

"It could be he is trying to recreate an event in his childhood." Emily mused aloud. "Seeing as most of the victims had white collar jobs, I think it's safe to say our UnSub is from the upper middle class." The others nodded and turned back to the information in front of them.

"The victims' ages aren't consistent with a specific type." Hotch pointed out. "But if he's been at this for six years..."

"It puts his age at anywhere from 25-45." Derek groaned, he was hoping that the others would have been farther along after processing the basic details of the case.

"But look at these victims." Morgan commanded, thumbing through the files that he had studied. "Sally Tate had self defense training. Brian Denkla played hockey recreationally. This guy would have to be pretty strong to gain control of the victims this way."

Dave blew out his breath in disgust. "But look at the different methods this UnSub's used. Charles Anderson was eviscerated, Stephanie Hanson was shot..." He trailed off, looking through the other files.

"He's focused on the male victims." Reid spoke up.

"You're sure?" JJ asked, looking down at her blackberry.

Spencer nodded. "Thirteen of the victims we have are male. Here's just a couple of their causes of death: strangulation, evisceration, drowning. Now listen to the females, again, just a couple: single gunshot to the back of the head, sliced corotid artery."

"The women suffer quick deaths. The men suffer." Rossi nodded in agreement. "He's punishing the men, but the women aren't totally innocent."

JJ smirked thoughtfully. She had never thought she had a pattern, but now it did seem quite obvious.

"JJ, release to the press that we're looking for a white male 25-40 in a professional job." Hotch commanded. "The rest of us will divide up and check out the last two crime scenes, maybe he'll get sloppy.

Nodding, she stood. At least the team had gotten a couple of things right.

But she was probably going to have to help them along.

This was going to be fun.