I don't own Criminal minds

Spencer woke up to phone call from JJ only hours after he'd fallen into a restless sleep. He groaned picking up the phone. "Hello."

"We have a case." She said without preamble. "Meet at the jet you'll be briefed there."

"okay." Spencer tried not to scowl as he shut off his phone and grabbed his go bag making sure he had everything he'd need before changing himself and heading to his car to make it to the jet. He thought he'd have more time. More time before he had to face Hotch with the new information that had blown his world apart. Looked like fate and serial killers had other plans.

He walked up to the jet. His face as professional as he could make it. Meeting Derek at the steps they both walked onto the plane. Finding Rossi, JJ and Prentiss there. Wondering where Hotch was Reid settled down in a seat beside JJ who he refused to look at because he knew if he did he'd see sympathy residing in those blue eyes of hers and he knew he couldn't handle that right now. Just then Hotch came onto the plane.

"Okay what do we have?" he settled across from Spencer not able or daring enough to look directly at the younger man.

"Five dead women. All brunette all between the ages of 25 and thirty. All found dead with in twelve hours of abduction. All found in trash dumps naked and duck tape over their mouths.

"And where is this?" Rossi asked

"Mini Louisiana."

"All the same dumps or different ones?" Prentiss quarried

"Different and no DNA. They were all raped but the unsub used a condom."

"How long between kills?" Spencer asked wondering why a file hadn't been handed to them yet.

"Three days."

"Aw here we go. The files." JJ stood up and took the files from the junior FBI agent who had been rushed from Quantico to bring them the case files.

"Thank you."

The young man nodded and headed off the jet as JJ passed out the files and everyone settled back to read. Buckling in as the jet took off.

"It's possible this is a substitute for someone. He has a clear victim down look and age wise. Though marital status nor social economic status seem to matter." Hotch said looking through the file in his hands.

"No first victim Louisa Kline was 25 single waitress. Second victim Addie Summers was 28 engaged Assistant . Third victim was Jessica Lewis 30 Married Veterinarian Fourth victim Hadley Newell 25 single bartender fifth victim Josie Grace 29 engaged medical intern." Morgan read off.

"The next victim will be thirty if not older she'll be married and she'll have a highly professional job." Spencer said looking up from the file he himself held.

"Why do you think that" JJ questioned.

"Look at the pattern. Young single a job you'd typically have at that age. Next one engaged a slightly higher paid older next oldest married highly professional job. And then it starts over again." he points out

"So there is something about this pattern that sets him off but what? And how is he meeting these women?" Rossi mused.

"What's with the tape over their mouths." JJ shook her head.

"Probably to silence them even in death." Hotch provided. "Okay when we land I want JJ to come to the precinct with me. Prentiss and Spencer go to the last dump site. Dave go to the ME see what she has to say about our victims. All of them nodding no one commenting on the fact that Hotch had said Spencer instead of Reid like he normally would. They all took their files and spread out over the jet.

JJ's eyes followed Spencer as he settled onto the couch. She looked over at Hotch who was buried deep in his own file but he wasn't fooling her. she noticed how his eyes would flicker to Spencer from time to time. She wanted to get up and talk to him she knew se couldn't though knew he wouldn't appreciate being made the center of attention again. She knew that is just what would happen if she went to him too.

They landed and all went to their assigned places. All in professional mode. All pushing or at least trying to push the personal upheaval to the back of their minds. It took them four days and one more dead woman. Victim six Nadine Ellis. Like Spencer predicted she was 31 a college professor and married. their unsub happened to be a deranged man who had loved one woman from the age of ten a women who broke his heart and married his best friend. The stresser had been when she had died in a car accident earlier in the year.

On the jet on the way back home the air one again stifled with all the unsaid words not just with Aaron and Spencer but also with the team. Spencer didn't think they noticed but all of them saw that tiny flinch when Aaron answered a call from Haley and talked to Spencer as they were high in the air. JJ gripped the arm rest of her chair so hard she was sure there would be permanent indentations there. Trying her hardest not to rush to him.

"Buy Buddy I love you. Get some sleep." Aaron ended the call as Spencer flinched. Aaron noticed all eyes were pointed at Spencer who was pretending he was buried in his post case paper work but was so tense and the pen wasn't moving. Aaron went to stand up. He wanted to go to his son. Say something. He almost did almost stood almost moved towards him but JJ's subtle headshake stopped him.

"No." she mouthed. She leaned over close to Hotch.

"He's not going to want to talk about this on this Jet." She hissed. "His personal life has already been over shared with the team. Give him as much privacy and space as you can. Let him come to you."

It was an internal struggle for Aaron he wanted so badly to go to Spencer but if anyone knew Spencer it was JJ. So he bent to the woman's knowledge and stayed in his seat. He closed his eyes for the rest of the flight home. He still had to figure out how to tell Haley.

Spencer knew everyone was looking at him. watching him trying to see what he would do. If he would break. He noticed JJ trying hard not to come to him. Hotch fighting to not say something. He noticed JJ saying something to Hotch and Hotch sitting back against his chair. Spencer sent up a silent thank you to his best friend. He didn't begrudge Jack Aaron's attention and love he just was reminded of all he 'd missed out on by being the first son and not the younger one who was kept. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep. Tried to shut out the reality of his life.

A/N thank you so much for all the reviews. Follows and favs they all mean so much. Hope you enjoy this chapter.