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Chapter 5

"Home is where you go to find solace from the ever changing chaos, to find love within the confines of a heartless world, and to be reminded that no matter how far you wander, there will always be something waiting when you return."

-Kendal Rob

Thum, Thump, Thump…

"What the hell," her eyes snapped open and looked around the room; it's only 6 am.

Thump, thump, thump

"I'm coming, I'm coming" she grumbled, peeling the blankets off, unwillingly leaving the warm body next to hers. After a quick look through the peephole she threw the door open. Standing before her was Agent Derek Morgan holding two cups of coffee.

She was glad to see him, but not glad enough to forgive the six o'clock wake up call, "Morgan, Hotch said we didn't have to meet until eight," trying her best to stayed annoyed at the now smiling man.

"Princess!" he said, pulling the sleepy brunette into a hug, "Man, it's good to see you, when did you get here?"

"Oh about three hours ago," she replied hugging him back, she'd missed this; she'd missed the team. It'd been why she hadn't visited; it would've been too easy just to stay.

"Now are you gonna tell me why you're here so early?" she asked grabbing the coffees.

"The Sheriff called, said something about a storm moving into the area later today. He wants us to look at the dumpsite before the snow destroys all evidence. JayJe was supposed to come with me," Emily frowned in concern at the mention of the other agent, "she ok?" he asked.

"Yeah, she will be, we had a rough night," answered Emily, "let me get her up, we'll meet you downstairs in a few minutes."

He nodded, giving her on last playful slap on the shoulder, he said, "it's good to have you back Princess, I've missed you."

I've missed you guys too, she said to herself closing the door. A smile still planted firmly on her face. The sight of a sleeping JJ managed to sober her up almost immediately, why didn't you call me sooner?

"Jay, sweetheart? It's time to wake up," she whispered walking closer to the sleeping woman. Delicately running a hand through blonde hair, savoring the closeness, I'm sorry I missed all this, I should've known. The younger woman jumped awake at Emily's touch, clearly scared.

"Hey, you're ok, it's just me," Emily soothed, her hand didn't move away.

"Emily?" JJ asked, "When did you get here?"

"I've been here for a bit, I got in when you were having a nightmare," she vividly remembered how the blonde had cried in her sleep, "why didn't you tell me they've gotten so bad?"

Oh right, she was here when you were crying, she had to wake you up, JJ looked down at her hands, this is why you called her back, someone had to see how bad it's been, "I don't know, I didn't think they were so bad, I thought it was normal."

The older woman leaned closer, pressing her lips lightly over JJ's furrowed brow, "just know you're not alone anymore, I'll be here for as long as it takes."

JJ leaned into the other woman, soaking in the human contact. It'd been so long since someone comforted her, "thank you Em, for coming, for being here," she tried to keep her voice steady.

"Don't thank me yet, we still have lots to talk about. But right now we have to get moving. I told Morgan we'd meet him downstairs," she said not moving away from the blonde, "a storm is coming, dress warm."

Both women moved in synchrony as they got dress, falling into the same routine they had when Emily worked at the BAU.

Down stairs Emily was received with open arms and kind words. The team was surprised to see her but understood the meaning behind her sudden return.

"It's good to have you back Emily," said Reid.

"How long do we have you Bella?" asked Rossi.

Emily directed her eyes towards the blonde standing next to her, "I don't know yet, as long as it takes."

"We can talk some more tonight," interrupted the unit chief, "there's a storm coming and we need to get to the dumpsite before all evidence is erased. JJ, Morgan, Prentiss, head out there now, Sheriff Kinney is waiting outside. Reid, Alex go to the station and start on victimology. Dave and I will go to the last victim's house to interview the parents. Also because of the recent development with the weather, I'm having Garcia join us here. The areas we'll be covering have very limited reception."

The team dynamic didn't seem affected by the new arrival. They were like a well-oiled machine, on task, focused, ready to bring this serial killer to justice.

Emily felt a gentle touch on her shoulder as she headed outside, "Agent Prentiss, I believe you might want to have these back however temporary your stay might be," she took her badge and gun from Hotch's hand.

"Thanks," she replied but the man had already left.

-o-

The wind whipped around them, pushing cold air down to their bones. It didn't cease, it didn't stop, the wind seemed endless, so cold it burned; the two hours they'd spent going over the dumpsite had been brutal. Pulling her coat tighter around her thin frame JJ continued to examine the scene before her, finding little of interest.

"The body was found right over yonder," said the Sheriff pointing at a little patch of dirt, "The M.E. is examining it as we speak. There was no murder weapon found, not a single drop of blood anywhere, you can see why I called y'all."

Morgan was leaning over the area where the body had been found, "the site is clean, and whoever did this knew what they were doing."

Emily hung in the back, not really sure what her role was, certainly not comfortable enough to give any input. But being a profiler wasn't something you could turn off. Her mind acted on it's own accord, scanning the area, observing everything and everyone for suspicious behavior. It had been her that noticed the ATV approaching a ways away. The howling of the wind masked the loud motor.

"Morgan, we got company," she said making her way to JJ, standing in front of the younger agent, "he's armed."

The man had a black .20 gauge shotgun hanging off his shoulder, his face was dirty, his clothes were covered in old bloodstains. Morgan had his finger hovering over the trigger, a breath away from shooting. Just as all hell was about to get loose the vehicle stopped, about fifty yards from the agents, "what the hell are you pointing those at me for?" yelled the new arrival, "as far as I know it's still legal to hunt."

"Roy Speer," greeted the Sheriff with a sneer, "take off the gun and get over here. We've got crime scene, you're mucking it up." Roy stumbled trying to stand straight; he was a tall man with dark hair, even through the many layers of cameo covering his body the agents could tell he was well built.

The four guns pointed at him didn't waver or move until he was standing in front of the Sheriff, "Son a gun, don't tell me you've been drinkin?" it wasn't a necessary question, the man smelled like a distillery.

"Just shot me a lion, had to celebrate Sheriff. Gutted him about half a mile from here," he pointed at the mountain lion carcass sitting in the back of his vehicle, "What's this you saying about a crime scene? Did someone shoot themselves?" he asked the alcohol slurring his words.

"A girl got murdered, you know anything about that?" asked Morgan stepping into to interrogate the man, something about Roy Speer didn't seem right.

"Nah, I've been up here for a week, my campsite was a little ways that way," he pointed past the dumpsite, "no one's been up here except me, at least not that I know."

"Would you mind coming down to the station and giving us a statement?" asked the blonde woman. Stepping next to the other agents, a little annoyed at Emily, I can still shoot a gun; I don't need them protecting me.

Roy didn't like the implication, "Who the hell are these people Randy?"

"They're with the FBI, I called them to help us with the recent murders," replied the Sheriff.

"Fucking feds? Sorry sweetheart I ain't going anywhere with y'all," he looked at her in disgust, "but I do got to get going, a storm is moving in, looks like a bad one."

The man left, chunks of dirt flying in their direction as he sped off "Whose that?" asked Emily.

"That's Roy Speer, widowed, has a daughter Riley, sweet girl. He's a drunk and can't seem to be able to stay out of trouble. If you ask me he's on my top list of suspects," replied the older man, still looking at where Roy had disappeared.

"Something's off about him," mumbled Morgan.

"Been saying that for years," replied the Sheriff leaning against his pick up, "but he's never done more than a few drunken fights and such."

The Sheriff noticed JJ pulling out her cell phone, "there's no cell reception up here, and if your lot's done I reckon we should head back to town, Roy's right there's a storm heading our way."

R&R!