Heal Me

Sometimes, to fix the broken, you have to break the rules.

. . .

Chapter 5

"Sir?"

Aaron Hotchner looked up from the form he was signing. Seeing Garcia hovering on the threshold he waved her in, turning back to the form and finishing it with one last scrawl of his signature. He looked up, closing the manila folder as he went.

"We have a new case in" she said, handing him a set of photographs.

Hotch's eyes travelled over the first image. "I see" he said. "Only one victim?"

"Well yes sir but –" Garcia paused.

Hotch looked up, and saw that her hands were shaking. "Garcia?"

"I think you need to look at the third photo sir"

Hotch shuffled through the photos and then paused. He looked up at the blonde tech in horror and saw she was crying silently. He nodded once and Garcia departed, fetching the team. Hotch stared at the photo in disbelief, unable to see what he was seeing with his own two eyes.

. . . .

Round Table Room

Rossi sat, deep in thought, staring at the blanked out plasma. On his right Reid was chattering away to Ashleigh and Morgan was watching Rossi across the table. The older man could feel the heat of his gaze burning into his skin. Rossi turned and set his eyes on the younger man, asking a silent question. Morgan shrugged in response.

Garcia came in with a quick clacking of heels and a flash of bright purple. She did not greet them with a bubbly smile or a witty remark for Morgan. She sat down quickly and stared straight down at the floor. Morgan threw a worried glance at Rossi who merely shrugged.

"Morning sweetness" Morgan tried.

"Morning" she replied softly, still staring down at her hands.

Rossi sighed inwardly. This was too much. Emily being gone was affecting Garcia worse than he originally thought. Hotch strode in at that point, straight back and dark suit, looking all business as always. Rossi shook his head, he'd have to have a serious talk to his younger friend about losing the tie every once in a while.

"We're headed to Williamsburg, Ohio" Hotch announced.

Garcia snapped to attention and directed the remote at the plasma. "This is Sophie Lansdowne – she was a waitress at Wild Beanz. Early this morning she was found in an alley stabbed thirty two times" she said, holding herself steady.

"Thirty two times?" Ashleigh asked. "A lot of rage"

"Any sexual assault?" Rossi asked, turning to Hotch.

"There is an indication that she was involved in a sexual act but the coroner pointed out that it was consensual" Hotch said, his brows furrowed.

"Consensual?" Morgan asked, clearly shocked.

"An Unsub who stabs his victims is usually impediment" Reid muttered.

"She must have known him then" Ashleigh theorised.

"And trusted him enough to let him get so far"

"Was she killed in the alley?" Rossi asked, flicking through the images on his iPad. "There's no blood pool around her"

"No – the local authorities suspect she was killed at another location" Garcia added.

Morgan sighed and laid his iPad on the table. "Why are we being called in? There's only one victim – this could be just a crime of passion" he said, staring steadily at Hotch.

Silence reigned around the room and Garcia opened her mouth, closing it just as quickly and glancing at Hotch, seemingly pleading for his help. Rossi folded his hands across his chest and waited silently. He knew it. There was something more to this case. Hotch picked up the remote and flicked through the photos until he reached a close up of the woman's chest. A brand, red raw and dried with blood, lay in the middle of her breasts. A four leaf clover.

"No" Reid whispered.

"It's not possible" Morgan hissed.

Rossi felt a hand work its way down his throat and wrap its icy fingers around his heart. The clenching pain made him almost breathless for a moment. A four leaf clover. Impossible!

"What's that?"

Her hands flew to her breast, covering the pearl scar, her eyes travelling away from his own. Embarrassment radiated from her. He slowly, gently prised her hands away and took in the brand. A four leaf clover. Identical to the tattoo on the mercenary's wrist that had been shot. Doyle's mark.

"Did he do that to you?" he had demanded.

"Yes"

She had cried for about fifteen minutes after that. Rossi had just held her, letting her get out all the pain that had been inflicted on her since Doyle had re-entered her life. Was it not enough that Doyle had taken her freedom, that he had to mark her too?

"Emily" he whispered for the fourth time that day.

. . .

Rossi sat across from Reid as the jet took off into the air. It was a cool afternoon and it had been nippy on the tarmac. He shrugged out of his heavy leather jacket and leant back into the soft leather of the seat. The victim had the same brand that Emily did. The entire team had seen the fake autopsy report on Emily. They knew about the brand that Doyle had given her. Rossi had already known about the brand, for obvious reasons, but to the others it had a profound effect.

He distinctly remembered Ashleigh had bolted for the bathroom. Later Garcia told him that she had thrown up several times. Reid had started to shake and Morgan had picked up the files he had been skimming and ditched them across the room. Hotch had been in his office at the time but passing by it later that evening Rossi could've sworn he heard a small sob.

"Okay let's go over victimology" Hotch announced.

Rossi glanced up and turned so he was facing what was left of the team. The lack of JJ and Emily made the jet always seem that tad bigger than usual. Ashleigh looked like she had seen a ghost. If only she knew the truth.

"It's Doyle" Morgan bit out.

"We don't know that" Garcia put out rationally from her data infused self over webcam.

"You want it to be Doyle" Rossi corrected.

Morgan's darkened gaze. "We all know it's him Rossi – cut the bullshit already" he said forcefully.

Silence fell. Rossi felt the others watching him heatedly, waiting to see how he responded. Not wanting to boost Morgan's ego any more Rossi turned a steely gaze that he usually reserved for Unsubs on the darker man. Morgan held his gaze steadily and Rossi spoke:

"I know you want revenge and this coincidental murder is pushing that urge but Morgan –"

"I think it's Doyle too" Reid spoke in a low undertone.

Hotch and Rossi shared a glance. "For now let's just profile this like any other Unsub" Hotch advised. "Doyle may be a part of this but finding this killer is our priority right now"

Rossi turned to stare out the window and almost swore he heard Morgan mutter:

"Speak for yourself"

. . .

It was late, twelve thirty. Rossi lay on top of the covers, shirtless and daydreaming. The last time he had been shirtless was when Emily had come to him. Since that night he'd slept with only his shirt and boxers on. It didn't feel right. But tonight – he had been too hot and his thoughts had been infected with the image of Emily lying next to him smiling softly and staring at him from under her dark lashes.

"What are you staring at?"

"Only the most beautiful woman in the world"

"Are you trying to get lucky Agent Rossi?"

"I don't need luck. I have you"

Rossi sighed, a deep rumble in his chest and swung himself up. He strolled casually over to the window and stared out over the lights of Williamsburg. He picked up the hotel phone and hit a button.

"Room service? Yes could you bring up three extra pillows to room 772? Thank you"

A makeshift pillow "Emily" would have to do tonight. It didn't have the same intoxicating aroma as the real thing, nor did was it blessed with the face of an angel but any comfort would go a long way. This case was going to be a long, tough one.

. . .

AN:
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