I know you're all preparing pitch forks and torches right now since you had to wait 2 weeks for this chapter. Sorry about that, unfortunately it was a hectic couple of weeks... and then I spent the holiday weekend with family and no internet access this weekend... but who doesn't like a three day weekend full of grilling out, fun in the sun, and all the other fun things that come with kicking off the summer season?... Now if only I tanned instead of burned... oh well that isn't changing anytime soon.
You know the drill... I don't own Criminal Minds... belongs to Jeff Davis, CBS, ABC Studios, the Mark Gordon production company... blah, blah blah...
Now onto the fun part. ;)
Happy reading and enoy :D
Spence lay staring at the ceiling fighting against the insomnia that his headache was causing. He'd been attempting to fall asleep for hours. He hadn't slept more than a few hours a night for the last few days. Try as he might, it just wasn't happening, but at least JJ was curled up against him sound asleep. Luckily he had a couple of weeks off to spend with JJ, Chloe, Henry, and Joshua while they adjusted to there being a baby in the house again.
As Spence stared at the ceiling, his mind racing and his head pounding, Joshua started to stir in his bassinet. Spence tightened his grip on JJ and held her head to his bare chest as he rolled to the side, placing JJ comfortably on her back with her head resting on her pillow as he worked to slip free of JJ's embrace without waking her up.
Once he disentangled himself from JJ; he stood up and walked to the other side of the bed, bending over to pick his newborn son up out of his bassinet. "Hey Joshua let's go get you changed buddy and give Mommy a few minutes more to sleep." Spence whispered softly as he carried the baby boy across the hall to the nursery.
Joshua kicked his legs as Daddy pulled them free of his sleeper. He wasn't so sure about all of the fuzzy shapes around him… but he definitely enjoyed being able to hear all of the voices he recognized better now that he was in the bright outside place and not the dark swimmy place.
Spence undid the tabs on Joshua's diaper and swiftly removed the dirty diaper, cleaned the baby's bum, applied diaper cream and powder to protect his son's sensitive skin, and then placed a clean diaper in place. All in all, it took less than a minute… with the third go round of diapers, Spence was now a pro. He bent down put his face close to Joshua's as he wiped off his hands. Then he slipped his fingers into Joshua's grasp, giving the baby something to hold onto. "What do you think huh Joshua?" he asked softly. "Are you hungry? Should would go see Mommy?"
Joshua grunted his agreement as his eyes studied the face attached to the voice he'd come to know as Daddy over the last several months. His eyes moved from looking at Daddy's eyebrows to his hair and then to his moving lips, as he was mesmerized by the sounds coming out of them. Then he grunted softly as he kicked his legs and squirmed, his fussing getting louder. Now that he was dry and clean he wanted to be fed.
"Okay, buddy. Let's go see Mommy." Spence said as he stood up and scooped Joshua up off of the changing table and walked back across the hall to his and JJ's room. He sat down on the edge of the bed on JJ's side of the bed.
JJ moaned softly into the pillow as she felt the bed shift beside her. She opened up one eye and peeked up at Spence and Joshua. "Hey" JJ yawned as she opened her other eye and rolled onto her back. Then she scooted up to sit leaning against the headboard and started to unbutton her shirt… well actually it was Spence's shirt… her favorite purple one.
Spence's eyes followed JJ's fingers as they undid the buttons of his shirt that she was wearing. He loved when she wore his clothes. He'd spent an inordinate amount of time attempting to figure out exactly why he derived so much pleasure from such a simple thing.
JJ smirked softly as she reached out to take the baby from Spence. "Enjoying the view?" JJ asked as she settled Joshua in place.
Spence nodded his head and then shifted to lean back against the headboard next to JJ in their king size bed. He wrapped an arm around his wife as he settled in close to her. "Immensely." He responded, one of his hands rubbing against her belly, the other hand played with Joshua's foot while he took in the beautiful sight of his wife, in his shirt, breast feeding their son.
JJ sighed contentedly as she rested her head on Spence's shoulder. "You know you don't always have to be the one to get up with him…"
Spence shrugged. "You need your rest… and I was awake anyway."
JJ tilted her head to be able to see Spence. She winced at the sight of the dark circles under his eyes. "Couldn't sleep?"
Spence nodded as he buried his face in JJ's hair, enjoying closeness and comfort of the moment as they bonded with Joshua.
"Headache?" she asked.
Spence nodded again. "The last couple of days" He said softly as he wrapped his arm around underneath where JJ's held Joshua and helped to support the weight of the baby.
"You should have told me, baby." JJ said and then turned to look back down at the baby, her thumb gently rubbing over the side of the baby's head where it rested in the crook of her arm.
"I'm sorry" Spence said as he kissed her temple. "I was just trying to hold on until the appointment tomorrow."
JJ sighed. "I know… but you still should have told me. I just want to help."
"I know, but I… I just didn't want you to worry any more than you already are." Spence replied.
JJ turned her head and pressed a kiss to her husband's neck. "We'll see what Dr. Greene says tomorrow, but baby just promise me you'll let me help."
"Okay, I promise." Spence responded.
"Good, but for right now, I think Joshua wants Daddy to burp him." JJ said as she handed the baby to Spence.
"Hey Joshua, do you want Daddy to burp you?" Spence asked as the baby lay along the length of his arm.
JJ reached around Spence to the nightstand and grabbed a cloth and laid it over Spence's shoulder.
Spence lifted Joshua up to his shoulder and rubbed slow firm circles on the baby boy's back, occasionally patting.
JJ tipped her head to the side and watched Joshua's tiny little face where it rested on his Daddy's shoulder.
Then Joshua let loose with a mighty burp.
"Whoa… that was an awfully big burp for a little guy baby boy." JJ said as she used the edge of the cloth to wipe the little bit of spit up off of Joshua's chin.
Spence kept rubbing for a few minutes longer as a couple more burbs escaped. Then he handed the baby back to JJ and she settled him the crook of her other arm so he could beast feed some more.
Spence leaned down and kissed Joshua on the forehead. Then he lifted his head and softly kissed JJ. "Have I told you how much I like when you wear my clothes?" he asked as he rested his forehead against JJ's.
JJ smirked. "I know you do. That's why I do it." She said as she kissed Spence again. Then they both turned their attention back to the less than a week old baby in his Mommy's arms.
JJ groaned and stretched when she woke up in bed. She fumbled behind herself with one hand, reaching for Spence. She paused, confused at finding herself in bed alone. Then she heard the sounds of hushed voices and giggling wafting up the stairs. She smiled and stretched again, feeling pretty rested for being woken up by thier hungry baby boy every two hours like clockwork. She smiled thinking about how she had a wonderful husband to thank for that.
Then she frowned, thinking about how his headaches had been preventing him from getting a full night's rest on a daily basis. Lately he needed to be pushed to the brink of exhaustion in order to sleep. The last night he'd slept through the night and woken well rested was the night they'd gotten home from Boston and capturing Doyle.
She stood up and glanced at Joshua in his bassinet to find he was sleeping peacefully. She glanced at the clock. She had just enough time take a quick shower before Joshua woke up ready for his Mommy-made breakfast.
Half an hour later, JJ and Joshua descended the stairs and walked into the kitchen where Chloe and Henry sat in their booster seats eating breakfast, while Spence stood at the stove making breakfast for himself and JJ.
"Morning Mommy" Chloe greeted cheerfully.
"Good morning sweetie; how's your breakfast?" JJ asked as she leaned down and kissed Chloe on the top of the head.
"Good" Chloe nodded causing the pigtails Daddy had pulled her blonde curls up into to bounce.
"Hi Mama!" Henry chirped from his spot next to Chloe. "Hi Doshiea" he said waving at his baby brother.
"Good morning baby boy" JJ said leaning down to kiss the only clean part of Henry's upturned sticky little face, his forehead.
Henry shook his head. "No baby. Doshiea da baby now. I big boy."
"You're right buddy. You are a big boy now." JJ said somewhat sadly at the thought of her babies growing up. Chloe was now a preschooler and Henry would be before they knew it as well. "You and Chloe are both doing such a good jobs as Mommy and Daddy's little helpers." She said as she sat down next to Chloe.
"I like to help." Chloe said with a big smile.
"I know you do sweetie, and I'm very glad because you are so helpful." JJ said with a smile at the three year old.
Chloe smiled and then continued to eat her breakfast.
Spence turned away from the stove with a plate in hand and set it down in front of his wife; then he leaned down and kissed her good morning.
"Mm" JJ moaned softly and reached up running her thumb lightly over Spence's lip as he pulled away.
"Good morning Joshua" Spence said as he took the baby from JJ. "How are you this morning huh?"
"He tan't answer you, Daddy. Babies tan't talk." Chloe said as she looked up at Daddy.
Spence chuckled. "I know he isn't going to say words Chloe, but babies like to be talked to. It's how they get to know us and the sound of our voices. Listening to you and Henry and Rebecca and Mommy and Daddy and everybody else talk is how Joshua is going to learn how to talk." He explained.
"Oh" Chloe said in understanding. "What nickie name are you going to calls Joshua?" she asked.
JJ smiled as she looked at her smart little girl who was figuring out new things every day. "What do you mean Chloe?"
Chloe swung her legs as she looked at Mommy. "You calls me sweetie and Daddy calls me princess… and you calls Henry baby boy…"
"No baby" Henry interrupted. "big boy"
JJ smiled. "Chloe wasn't calling you a baby Henry. She was just saying that was Mommy's special name for you before Joshua was born."
Chloe nodded agreeing that that was what she'd meant. "Uh huh, an Daddy calls you buddy an big guy." She said as she turned to look at her little brother.
"I wikes dat." Henry nodded.
"So whats you going to calls Joshua?" Chloe asked.
"Him has a 'pecial name too?" Henry asked.
JJ and Spence glanced at each other and then looked back at their two oldest children, their Irish twins.
"We don't know yet guys." JJ said, "Joshua will get his own nick name, but we'll figure it out later. You know nick names are special right? And that they help show how much we all love and care about each other?"
Chloe and Henry nodded in unison.
JJ smiled and glanced up at Spence and then back at her oldest babies… after all, no matter how old they got, they'd always be her babies. "So we'll think of a special name for Joshua, just like we have special names for both of you."
"Otay" Henry said, while Chloe simultaneously agreed with an "Okay"
"Baby, aren't you going to eat?" JJ asked as Spence sat down at the table next to Henry.
Spence shook his head and looked up from watching Joshua in his arms. "I already ate." He said with a smile. "Go ahead, eat." He said as he shifted Joshua in his arms and took a sip of his tea.
"Cwoe an I tome wit?" Henry asked as he watched Mommy and Daddy get ready to leave while he played with the hem of his shirt.
"No buddy you and Chloe get to stay here with Bec and play." Spence said as he knelt down in front of Henry.
"But Doshiea gets a go" Henry pouted, wanting so spend the whole day with Mommy and Daddy.
"Joshua's too little to be away from Mommy for more than just a little bit." Spence said as he wrapped an arm around Henry. "Besides we're just going to doctor's office to find out about Daddy's headaches. It wouldn't be any fun for you or Chloe, that's why you get to stay here with Bec and play."
Henry tipped his head. "Him fix you owie?" he asked as he patted the side of Daddy's head. Mommy and Daddy had explained when Daddy didn't feel good over the last few months and that his head hurt.
"I hope so big guy. I hope so." Spence said as he leaned forward the kissed Henry on the side of the head. "Give Mommy a hug and a kiss. You'll be so busy playing, that we'll be back before you know it."
Henry hopped over to Mommy where she knelt saying bye bye to Chloe and then he gave her a loud kiss on the cheek and a big hug while Chloe skipped over to say bye bye to Daddy.
Rebecca smiled as she stood with Joshua in her arms, watching her two oldest charges say goodbye to their Mommy and Daddy. Then she handed the baby to JJ as she stood up from saying goodbye to Henry.
JJ settled Joshua in his car seat and draped his baby blanket over him to ward of the chill in the early spring air. Then Spence picked up the car seat and they were out the door.
"Okay guys" Rebecca said as she looked down at Chloe and Henry "what should we do?" She smiled as Chloe and Henry both rambled off all of the things they wanted to do that day.
"Hello," Dr. Green said to JJ and Spencer as he entered his office where they sat waiting for him, "and who is this little guy?" The doctor said with a smile as he glanced at the chair next to JJ where Joshua was sleeping in his carrier.
JJ nodded. "This is Joshua."
Dr. Green smiled. "He's a handsome boy. Congratulations. Rachel wanted me to tell you congratulations as well. She's looking forward to seeing you both in a couple weeks for your checkups." Then he paused as he opened some files on his desk. He turned and looked at Spencer. "I want you to know that I spent quite a bit of time looking over your test results, as well as comparing your MRI results with all of the previous MRI results from your case."
Spence took a deep breath as JJ reached over and slipped her hand into his. He was scared about what he was about to be told. He was afraid of being told that it was psychosomatic, that it was all in his head; but he was also afraid of being told that it was a life threatening physical ailment.
JJ squeezed Spence's hand, her eyes never leaving the doctor's face as she looked for a tell, something, anything, that would let her know if they were about to hear good news or bad news.
Dr. Ryan Green had after several years as a doctor, and his experiences sharing both good news and bad news with families developed an unreadable expression when delivering a diagnosis. Although his friends had come to dread it when playing poker against him, it had worked well in his line of work. He was able to deliver diagnosis without patients planning either their final days or what they would do now that they knew they were going to be all right. A patient's diagnosis was a serious thing, and he wanted to know that he had their complete and undivided attention.
"I want to show you something." The doctor said as he turned his computer monitor so that it could be seen by JJ and Spencer. Then he typed on the keyboard and three images of Spence's brain came up side by side on the monitor. "These are the MRIs that were taken." He said as he pointed to the MRIs on the screen.
"Everything is normal in all of the MRIs with respect to all four lobes in both hemispheres of the brain as well as the meninges." He said as tapped the keyboard and rotated the images.
"So you didn't find anything either." Spence said as he looked at the images of his brain on the screen.
"On the contrary, I did find something." Dr. Green said as he continued to rotate the images through various angles on the screen until he found the angle that he was looking for. "There are a few reasons it might not have been found before. It wasn't within the larger mass of the brain." Dr. Green said as he pointed at the images of the underneath side of Spence's brain. "It could have been missed due to the slightly more difficult to see angle, or it could have been because this is a rather uncommon diagnosis," the doctor continued as he glanced at Spencer and JJ.
Then he changed the view on the monitor to only be of the most recent MRI and changed it to be full size on the screen so that what he was about to show them could be easily seen. "This," he pointed to a small spot on the screen and then used the keyboard to zoom in, enlarging the image so that it would easier to see, "is your pineal gland" he said as he pointed to the small gland tucked into a groove where the two hemispheres of Spencer's brain met. "In an actual size MRI of your brain, the pineal gland would be incredibly difficult to see. It's about the size of a grain of rice. Your pineal gland, as you may or may not know is part of your epithalamus and is responsible for the production of melatonin. Melatonin affects the modulation of circadian rhythms, most prominently the sleep-wake pattern." He glanced at JJ and Spencer to make sure they were following his explanation so far.
Then he pointed to a small round mass towards the backside of the pineal gland. "This," Dr. Green continued as he pointed at the mass, that was about one third the size of the pineal gland, located at the base of Spencer's brain where the brain met the spinal cord. "is a pineal cyst."
It brought back to JJ just how fragile life was that something so small could cause all of the issues that it had for Spence. She rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand, relieved that her husband's worst fears were put to rest.
Spence's shoulders sagged in relief. The last few months of wondering, worrying, and waiting were over. Now they could treat the cause of his headaches. Relief surged through him at the prospect that he would not lose himself in his own mind.
Dr. Green momentarily dropped the mask of professionalism and allowed a slight smile to cross his face at the relief washing over the young couple in front of him. "The increased pressure from the cyst, combined with it acting on your pineal gland is what is causing your symptoms. I'd like for us to avoid surgery if at all possible." Dr. Green said as he pulled out a prescription pad. "Are you on any medications?"
Spence shook his head. "No"
"Alrigh,t" Dr. Green replied. "then I'm writing you a prescription for a diuretic. I'm hoping that will reduce the fluid in the cyst. If it works, that should relieve the pressure causing the headaches, and allow your pineal gland to begin normal production of melatonin again." He said as he scribbled out the script and handed it across the desk to Spencer. "Do you have any questions?"
Spence looked down at the prescription in his hand, at JJ, and then back at the doctor. "What if this doesn't work?"
"Then we have a couple other options." Dr. Green replied. "We could try using a shunt to drain the cyst; however, if the drugs don't work, then I recommend surgery over using the shunt. The surgery is minimally invasive. It would involve the use of a microscopic endoscope and a navigation system. I'd access the pineal gland from beneath your brain, so it wouldn't affect your brain at all. You'd need a six to eight week recovery time. However, like I said, I'd prefer to avoid surgery if at all possible."
"Thank you Dr." Spence said as he stood up from his chair, the light of hope shining in his eyes as the thought of eminent relief from the ongoing headaches of the last few months.
JJ smiled as she stood and shook the doctor's hand. "Thank you very much."
"You're very welcome." Dr. Green smiled. "I'm glad we were able to figure out the cause, now we just need to fix it. I want you to schedule an appointment for a month to six weeks from now so that we can take a look at if the drugs are having an effect on the size of the cyst." He said as he walked the Reids out to the reception area of his office.
The team smiled, each remembering when they were in Ashley and Zoe's place up on the stage, having just finished training, graduating, being sworn in, and receiving their badges, credentials, and bureau assigned firearms.
"I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God" The graduating class from the FBI Academy said as they took their oath and were sworn in by the Director of the FBI, Jack Fickler.
When the Director handed Zoe and then Ashley their badges and credentials, a large cheering section consisting of the BAU whistled, clapped, and cheered for them.
"Congratulation Agent Seaver and Agent Hawkes!" The team cheered as Ashley and Zoe walked into the round table room for the morning briefing the day after their graduation.
Ashley and Zoe grinned as they walked into the room.
"Thanks for coming to our graduation. It meant a lot." Ashley said.
Zoe nodded in agreement. "My Mom said to tell you all thank you for making her feel so welcomed. She appreciated getting to meet all of the people I've been telling her about for the last few months."
The team grinned, thankful that they'd met Mrs. Hawkes when she came to see her daughter's graduation from the Academy instead of having met her in the course of investigating her daughter's murder a few years ago in Cleveland.
"So who wants cupcakes?" Penelope asked as she unveiled a container of homemade cupcakes that spelled out 'Congratulations Graduates'.
"Totally worth the extra 20 minutes on the treadmill over lunch." Elle said as she picked a cupcake up out of the container after Ashley and Zoe had first pick.
"Only 20 minutes?" Morgan asked.
Emily laughed. "Just how much time do you spend on the treadmill after baked goods in order to keep your girlish figure Morgan?"
"None, I have a much more effective way to work off the baked goods." Morgan said and then wiggled his eyebrows.
Rossi smirked and chuckled as he watched Penelope smack Morgan on the shoulder while the rest of the team laughed.
Hotch grinned and shook his head, glad the dark days living in the shadow of Ian Doyle were over. "Agent Seaver and Agent Hawkes will be staying with us just a little bit longer. All of the graduates have been temporarily assigned to their training teams while their permanent assignments are worked out. Garcia?" Hotch said as he turned to look at Penelope and direct the focus back to their morning briefing.
"Oh, yes. We're going to Portland Oregon and it's not for a Dead Moon concert." Penelope said as she turned on the monitor and started to brief the team on the case.
"So, Jay Johnson, a DJ, was cutting through an alley on his way home after leaving a club when he was bludgeoned by a pipe and then stabbed 31 times. His watch, his cell, and his computer were stolen. That was two days ago. Now early this morning Karen Heywood, a 30 year old nurse, she died during a home invasion," Penelope said as she laid out the details of the case for the team, "she was stabbed 40 times, but first she was bludgeoned with weapons of opportunity." Penelope explained, flustered as she didn't know how else to describe the way that Karen Heywood was beaten by the all of the various items.
"There's extreme overkill in both" Morgan said as the team looked over the files and discussed the case on the jet.
"Overkill usually implies a personal relationship." Ashley said as she turned to look at Hotch.
Hotch glanced from the files to Ashley, "Or it can mean the victim represents someone for whom the killer has extreme anger."
"These unsubs are night owls stalking and killing other night owls." Rossi said as he turned to look at Reid.
"And they're also disorganized. In one they subdued their victim by hitting him with a pipe found at the scene. In the other they use a knife followed by 7 other items found in the kitchen." Reid said as he closed his files.
"A doorstop, even a ceramic cat," Ashley said as she held up a photo of the bloodied ceramic cat from the most recent crime scene at Karen Heywood's home. "All of this just to steal?"
"They're evolving, that's for sure." Elle said as she laid the photos of the crime scenes out next to each other.
Emily nodded as she looked at the photos with Elle. "I'll say. They went from killing out in the open to invading someone's home."
"When a gang mentality sets in, unsubs become more capable of heinous acts." Rossi replied.
"It's just odd. The incidence of robbery is so low in this area." Ashley said as she looked around at the team.
"Especially when you consider how little was taken from the house." Zoe added. "That time of night they should have been able to get much more than a computer, a picture of a lily, the jewelry… I know we're thinking they were after pawnable quick cash items… but then why not at least steal a TV, or a stereo?"
Reid nodded and reached for his ever present map. "I was puzzled by the low robberies in the area as well, that's why I started working a geographical profile." He said as he spread out the map for the rest of the team to see.
"First things first, I factored in journey to crime distance. If you'll look here," Reid said as he held up the map so the team could see. "you'll see that this area of Portland is well within the expected 5 mile radius. I also factored in distance of decay."
"Uh, what does distance have to do with decay?" Ashley asked.
"Distance decay is a geographical term. It explains the effect of distance on spatial relations. All things are related, but near things are more related than far things." Zoe said remembering back to her criminology classes. "It can be used to measure the relative probability that something will happen, like an unsub traveling outside his comfort zone."
"Very good" Rossi said as he turned to look at Zoe.
"All those charts, graphs, and studying data in criminology class had to come in handy sometime right?" Zoe asked with a smile.
Hotch nodded. "Unsubs prefer to stay in an area that they know well."
"Like your commute to work, or to the gym." Morgan added to make it a bit more applicable to their everyday lives.
"The closer the crime scenes, the greater the likelihood that unsub lives or works nearby." Hotch explained.
"Based on my algorithm, the unsubs either live or work in this area." Reid said pointing to the area of the map where circles surrounding the crimes scenes overlapped.
Hotch nodded as he looked down at the map. "Reid, you and Ashley go and check out the first crime scene. Morgan, you and Zoe go and talk to grocery store where Karen Heywood was last scene. Dave and I will go to Karen Heywood's house to see the second crime scene." Hotch said as he glanced around at the team. "Emily and Elle, can you please get us set up at the precinct and see what other angles we've to work off of?"
Elle and Emily worked to get the evidence board set up, as well as calling Garcia to see if she'd had any luck tracking down any of the pawnable items or finding any common connections between the victims.
Elle hung up her phone from talking to Penelope and turned to look at Emily as she lined evidence up on the board. "Hey, how are you doing, really?"
Emily turned to look at Elle just after tacking the photo of Karen Heywood's stabbed body to the board. "Do you ever feel like you dodged a bullet?"
Elle raised an eyebrow at Emily and just looked at her for a long moment before asking, "Really?"
Then Emily realized what she had just asked Elle and shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. "Right, sorry."
"No, it's okay. I've learned to laugh about it now. Although," Elle paused to glance around to make sure she and Emily were alone. "after JJ and Reid first told us, it really creeped me out. Now, the way I see it, how often are we forced to look at our own mortality in the face of what could have happened?"
Emily nodded, not even wanting to contemplate the alternative.
A short while later the team met back at the precinct to begin piecing together the profile based on what they'd discovered.
Reid and Ashley had narrowed the members of the group's age down to them being in their mid-twenties based on the environment the club provided. Drug paraphernalia showed the alley way next to the club to be a drug corridor. The unsubs being on drugs explained the extreme overkill with the victims.
Hotch and Rossi however discovered the same shoe print repeated over and over again around the crime scene in Karen Heywood's kitchen. With killers as unorganized as their unsubs, they wouldn't be organized enough to all wear the same shoe, which could mean only one thing. They weren't dealing with a group of unsubs; they were dealing with one very erratic killer.
Morgan and Zoe learned about the 'weird' guy who talked to Karen Heywood at the grocery store. He'd been mumbling to himself and swatting the air like someone was bugging him.
The team had reached the conclusion that the person they were looking for was most likely a drug addict as it explained the strange items that were taken from Karen Heywood's home, the erratic pattern in the stabbings, and the overkill.
"So where does all of this leave us?" Zoe asked as the team stood in the precinct going over everything they'd found out that day.
"Unfortunately we don't have a solid enough profile." Hotch replied.
"So there's nothing we can do?" Zoe replied.
"We've done what we can with the information that we have. We'll just have to wait for more. That sad fact is that sometimes it takes another victim to solve the case." Rossi explained.
Hotch nodded solemnly. "We should get to the hotel and get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be an early day."
Morgan turned to look at Reid as the team grabbed their things to head for the hotel. He waited back with Reid until most of the team had already headed out of the precinct. Just he, Emily, and Reid remained. "You alright pretty boy? You don't look like you're feeling so hot."
Emily glanced at Reid questioningly.
Reid sighed as he slung his messenger bag over his head and let the strap fall against his chest. "I've been having headaches, really intense headaches." He said as he stuffed his head in his pockets.
"Are you going to be okay?" Emily asked.
"Have you seen a doctor?" Morgan asked at the same time.
A smile twitched across Reid's lip at his friends' concern. "I have seen a doctor… several of them actually." Reid said as he glanced at Morgan. "They determined that I have a pineal cyst, so I think I'm going to be okay." He said quietly as he turned to look at Emily as he held the door of the precinct open for her while she exited.
"The doctor prescribed some medication to help reduce the cyst, but I can't sleep at night. I'm having trouble focusing on our cases…" Reid said, explaining his condition as they headed for one of the SUVs.
"Well hang in there man. You know we're all in your corner and that if you and JJ need anything, all you have to do is ask." Morgan said as he paused in front of the SUV.
"Thanks… but for now, could you guys just not tell everybody else? I just… they worry, you know?" Reid said.
Morgan nodded.
Emily squeezed Reid's shoulder. "I won't tell anyone."
"Thanks" Reid replied as he moved the passenger side of the SUV and climbed in. He just wanted to get back to the hotel for right now so that he could talk to his wife and hopefully get a few hours of sleep. He wasn't going to hold his breath though.
Morgan and Emily exchanged a concerned glance for their friend and younger 'brother' over the hood of the SUV.
The next morning led to the team being informed of another murder that had the distinctive appearance of their unsubs methods. So with little more than coffee to start their day, the team was on the move.
Rossi had been right in that another victim had given them more to work with… it gave them the profile that they shared with the Portland PD in the hopes that they could catch this unsub before there was another victim.
"What is it Reid?" Hotch asked as he walked up to where Reid was studying the evidence board and the map. He'd long ago learned to recognize the thoughtful expression on the young genius' face.
"Our unsub's hallucinations aren't fractured like a typical schizophrenic's. They're vivid and clear, leading me to believe that we're missing an important variable." Reid said as stared at the evidence board, as if waiting for it to tell him the secret.
Hotch nodded as he glanced at the evidence board. If Reid thought they were missing something, then they most definitely were. The key to solving the case was going to be figuring it out. He turned and headed to see how things were coming along with the local officers and their canvassing of the area Reid had identified in his geographical profile.
"Hi baby" JJ murmured and then yawned as she answered the phone. She'd just placed a sleeping Joshua in his bassinet.
"Hi… you sound tired." Spence replied.
"Mm hm" JJ yawned again. "How's the case going?"
"We're getting closer. Morgan and I just met with a priest that was able to tell us about how his mother took him to a church to have an exorcism done when he was a child and there was something about a fire… but there's still something we're missing… I just can't figure it out." Spence replied.
"How are you feeling? Have you managed to get any sleep?" JJ asked in a concerned tone of voice. Even though they knew what was wrong now, JJ was worried Spence was going to drop from exhaustion before the medication had an opportunity to work properly.
"No… but hopefully this case will be over soon. I always rest better at the end of a case." Spence said as he leaned back in his chair at the precinct.
"I hope so baby. I'm really worried about the insomnia you have from the cyst. You need to be able to sleep to get better. Maybe we could…" JJ trailed off as Spence interrupted her.
"That's it!" Spence cried out as he sat back up in the chair. "JJ, you're brilliant. I love you. I'll call you as soon as we have this wrapped up. Give the kids a good night kiss from me." He said as he hung up his phone.
JJ glanced down at her phone and shook her head. It wasn't the first time she inspired an epiphany in her husband's genius brain, and it probably wouldn't be the last. She laid her phone back down on the nightstand as she leaned over and placed a kiss on Joshua's forehead. "That's from Daddy baby boy… hopefully he'll be home soon." Then she stood up to go check on Chloe and Henry and give them their good night kiss from Daddy.
"Reid, what is it?" Elle asked as she watched Reid hang up the phone from talking to JJ.
"Insomnia… the unsub has insomnia. Did you notice that each victim has more stab wounds than the last?" Reid asked as he looked around at the team. "Do you know how physically exhausting it would be to stab someone 31 times… 40 times…he'd be completely worn-out. The stuttering, it's more pronounced when he hasn't slept. That's why the priest heard him stutter, but the clerk at the grocery store didn't. The insomnia makes the visions more clear and sleep is the only release he has from them… "
"He's not here." Hotch said as the team cleared Ben Foster's apartment.
"What do you want to do Hotch?" Morgan as he looked around at the meager surroundings in the sparsely furnished apartment.
"We've really only got one option." Hotch said as he turned to look at Rossi. "We need to get the patrol cars out of here… we don't want to spook him when he comes back here. He could be anywhere right now, but eventually he will come back here, and when he does, we'll be waiting for him."
Rossi nodded and headed out to get the clear the street in front of Ben Foster's apartment.
It was morning when a well-rested and blood covered Ben Foster opened the door of his apartment and was promptly slammed to the floor and handcuffed while being read his Miranda rights.
"Feel a little better after your nap on the plane man?" Morgan asked Reid as they headed for their cars in the parking garage to head home.
"Yeah, a little bit." Reid said with a nod.
Morgan nodded. "You know Penelope has a theater thing this weekend. How about we spend some guy time together? How do you feel about hockey?"
"Hockey? I don't really know anything about hockey." Reid said as he opened up the driver's side door of his car.
Morgan shrugged. "So I'll teach you. Jake can play with Henry and Chloe. It'll be great."
Spence watched puzzled as the Washington Capitals and the New Jersey Devils skated around in what to him appeared to be an aimless manner on the screen of the TV while Morgan cheered.
Jake, true to his mother's prediction weeks ago, wasn't able to sit still with Daddy long enough to watch more than a few minutes at a time of the hockey game before he became bored. He and Henry were on the floor playing with blocks and cars. The two little boys who were just over 7 months apart in age always got along well when they played together.
"Yes" Morgan said, throwing his arms up in the air as the Capitals scored a goal. "See, I told you this was a great sport, didn't I?" he said as he turned to look at Reid.
"Yeah… I just don't get it." Reid said as he turned to look at Morgan.
"It's pretty simple Reid. They skate around on the ice and try and put the puck in the other team's net."
"Yeah… but why do they keep stopping like that" Reid said nodding to the screen where a face off was happening. "and I'm confused by what all the lines on the ice mean."
"Reid, JJ taught you about football. This really isn't all that more difficult than learning about how football is played."
"Yeah, but JJ was able to provide me with an incentive to learn that you can't… well I suppose you could, but I'm really not interested." Reid replied with a large grin. "No offense, but I'm just not interested in that sort of incentive from anyone but my wife."
"You mean…" Morgan paused and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, remembering the little ears in the room that were at an age when they remembered everything they heard.
Reid raised his eyebrow at Morgan and nodded. Then he smirked as he watched his friend fall back in his chair speechless.
"Hey, what are you guys up to?" JJ asked as she came down the stairs with Joshua in her arms and Chloe at her heels.
Chloe headed over to see what Jake and Henry were doing while JJ laid a sleeping, but freshly bathed baby boy in his bassinet.
"Morgan was trying to explain hockey to me." Spence said as he looked up at JJ as she made her way over to him.
"How's that going?" JJ asked with a smile as she seated herself in Spence's lap.
Spence chuckled. "He actually was just asking me how you managed to teach me football since I can't seem to grasp hockey." He said as he wrapped an arm around JJ's waist and pulled her close.
JJ laughed and leaned down to peck Spence softly on the lips.
"It's not funny." Morgan said as he pouted about not having been able to teach Reid hockey so that he'd have someone to watch with occasionally.
JJ laughed again. "Right, because you wouldn't learn how to needle point or knit if Pen offered you the right incentive."
Morgan sighed and took a sip of his beer and then leaned back in his chair. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed JJ leaning down to whisper in Reid's ear. Yeah… he could totally admit to the fact that he learn whatever his baby girl asked him to… he just hope JJ didn't mention this to her… he really had no interest in knitting, needle point, or crocheting... then again with the right incentive...