Okay - first off, I am sooooo sorry that it took 3 weeks to get these chapters pulled together... but if you looked at the word count on this chapter - it's a bit of a behemoth - so I hope that makes up for it a bit... in addition to the behemothness here, there's more that erm couldn't be published here because those parts were just too citrusy. So you can find them at the other site...
www. thewriterscoffeeshop library / ? uid=60220
You guys know the deal, just remove the spaces. ;)
In case you weren't already aware, award season is upon us once again (I know - I too find myself asking where the last year went)...
* Profiler's Choice 2012 Fanfic Awards for the Criminal Minds Community *
Hosted by ilovetvalot and tonnie2001969 and hxchick
It is our pleasure to announce the Third Annual Profiler's Choice Fanfic Awards for the Criminal Minds community!
The nomination ballot is now available, and all rules are posted on Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum! Nomination ballots must be received by October 15, 2012, and must be sent to this PM at Profiler's Choice CM Awards (this page!) Fics for consideration must have appeared on the CM section of between September 1, 2011, and August 31, 2012 (see rules for full details.)
Please read all rules prior to submitting ballots! Please PM at Profiler's Choice CM Awards with any questions.
So - mosey on over to the Chit Chat on Author's Corner Forum and get your ballot so you can nominate your favorites. There were a ton of great stories this year! Just make sure you read the rules.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled chapter ;)
Happy reading and enjoy :D
"Thanks Emily" JJ as she looked up from helping Henry tie his shoes.
"You're welcome. Besides it's not like you and Reid haven't done the same for Aaron and me before." Emily said as she helped Chloe with her shoes. "Should we go see what Jack, Avery, and Seth are doing Chloe?"
"Yep!" Chloe nodded, excited at the prospect of a sleepover at Aunt Emily's and Uncle Hotch's.
Emily glanced at her godson. "How about you Henry? Ready to go?"
"Yep!" Henry nodded, popping his 'P' like he'd learned from Chloe, while proudly hanging onto the shoulder straps of his little backpack that contained his pjs, clothes for tomorrow, and a few must have toys. "Wes go!" he said eagerly, excited to get to play with Jack and Seth.
JJ smiled at Chloe and Henry's eagerness to go on their overnight play date. "Hey guys do I get hugs and kisses before you go?"
Henry stopped puzzled for a moment. "You not tomin' wit?" his little face screwing up in confusion a he looked from Mommy to Chloe to Joshua in his baby seat to Aunt Emily.
"No baby, remember you get to spend the night at Jack, Avery, and Seth's house." JJ explained. "Then Daddy, Joshua, and I will come and pick you up tomorrow and we'll go to the park."
Chloe walked over and stood next to Mommy and Henry. "Bye Mommy."
"Bye sweetie. Be a good girl for Aunt Emily and Uncle Hotch okay?" JJ asked as she wrapped an arm around Chloe.
Chloe nodded. "I will." Then she wrapped her arms around Mommy in a tight hug as Mommy kissed the top of her head.
Henry stood waiting his turn to hug and kiss Mommy goodbye, and then stepped up with his arms open wide as soon as Mommy let go of Chloe.
JJ smiled at Henry and pulled him into a hug and planted kisses all over his face causing the toddler to giggle. "You're going to be a good boy right?"
Henry nodded. "Yep, I bes good."
JJ smiled. "Okay little man. Have fun playing with Jack, Avery, and Seth." JJ said as she stood up. She rested her hands on Chloe and Henry's heads as she walked with them and Emily to the door. "Thanks again Em."
"Trust me, it's no problem JJ." Emily said and then held out her hands to Chloe and Henry. "Okay guys, let's go have some fun!"
JJ leaned against doorway, watching as Chloe and Henry walked across the driveway with Aunt Emily. She waved when Chloe and Henry turned and waved before Emily helped them climb into the SUV and into their car seats. She stood watching a few minutes longer until Emily backed the SUV out of the driveway. Then she turned around and closed and locked the door. She bent down and picked Joshua and his baby seat up off the floor. "What should we do this afternoon while Daddy is at the gym working out with Uncle Morgan baby boy?" she asked as she sat his chair on the table. She smiled as Joshua cooed and waved his arms.
Spence opened the front door of the house, pausing at how quiet it was. He glanced down at his watch, double checking the time. Surely Chloe and Henry weren't still napping. If they were still napping right now they'd never go to bed tonight. He stopped at the laundry room and emptied his gym bag into the hamper and then went to look for his family.
He smiled when he entered the living room and saw Joshua lying on his tummy on the floor on his baby blanket. JJ laid facing him and making funny faces while Josh looked back at Mommy. "Hey" he said softly, kneeling down next to JJ and rubbing his hand across her back as he lowered himself down to lay on his stomach as well.
JJ smiled and turned her head to look at her husband. "Hey, how was the gym?"
"Good… but I think Morgan took you kicking his butt out on me while we were working out." Spence said as he flexed his foot to stretch his calf.
"Poor baby" JJ teased and then leaned over on her elbow and kissed him softly. Then she turned to look at Josh. "Hey baby boy did you see Daddy's home?" she cooed softly getting Joshua's attention.
"Hey big guy what did you and Mommy do today? Huh? And what about your brother and sister where are they? Huh?" Spence asked.
Josh made a cooing sound at the sound of Daddy's voice and happily kicked his legs, his head wobbling as he turned it toward the sound of Daddy's voice.
JJ smiled as she reached out and ran her hand over the soft blonde hair that covered Josh's head. "Chloe and Henry are having a sleepover with Jack, Avery, and Seth. Em picked them up a few hours ago. I told Chloe and Henry we'd go to the park after we picked them up tomorrow."
"Yeah? So it's just us and munchkin number 3 for the night?" Spence asked as he glanced at JJ.
JJ nodded in response as she shook a multi-colored rattle in front of Joshua.
"Wow… did you hear that buddy? All kinds undivided attention from Mommy and Daddy for you tonight. What should we do first?" Spence asked Joshua.
Joshua laid his head down on his blanket as he wiggled on his belly.
"He must be tired from holding his head up." JJ said as she sat up and picked Joshua up and moved him to lie on his back.
Joshua giggled as Mommy tickled his belly and then squealed in delight as Mommy and Daddy both hovered over him, playing with him.
"Joshua is down for the count." Spence said as he came down the stairs and into the living room where he'd left JJ sitting on the couch. "Want me to make dinner so you can…" he trailed off at the sight of his wife in the living room.
While her husband had been rocking Joshua to sleep and tucking him in for what would hopefully be a full night's sleep, JJ had taken advantage of the time to go change into some of the new lingerie she'd purchased last weekend on her girls day out.
"What's wrong baby… don't you think we deserve a little undivided attention from each other?" JJ asked from where she sat on the ottoman, her legs crossed, while she leaned over to rest her elbow on the arm of the chair, her chin resting in the palm of her hand as she smiled up at her befuddled husband.
"I… uh… yeah… um…" Spence rambled as he took in the incredibly sexy sight of his wife. It wasn't that he hadn't seen her like this before, as after dating, marriage, and three babies, he most definitely had. It was the fact that he hadn't been expecting it that caught him off guard.
JJ smiled at her completely and totally adorkable husband as she uncrossed her legs and stood up.
Spence's breath caught in his throat. The short midnight blue silky robe his wife was wearing fell open revealing the teddy underneath as she walked towards him.
JJ smirked, knowing she'd made the right decision while shopping last weekend.
She'd been looking through baby doll night gowns when Pen had dragged her away from the rack and over to the much more racy teddies on a nearby rack. She'd shaken her head and refused to try on any of the barely there teddies Pen had held up , defiantly crossing her arms with her blonde haired best friend held up one that consisted of little more than ribbons. Her personal opinion was that it would be sexier to be wearing nothing at all than something like that… and then Pen had pulled out a vintage satin and lace teddy that was very classy and sexy at the same time.
It was white satin and midnight blue lace trimmed the legs and bust. Midnight blue straps went over her shoulder crisscrossed in the back, and now that she was standing up and walking towards her husband the short matching midnight blue robe that she had purposefully neglected to tie fell open.
JJ grabbed Spence's hand and stepped backwards, leading him towards the couch. She reached out and took the baby monitor from his hand and set it on the end table as she pulled Spence down onto the couch.
Spence followed JJ, his eyes scanning up and down JJ's body as his feet followed hers. Spence finally managed to find his voice as his wife pulled him down on the couch next to her. "JJ you look amazing."
JJ smiled at Spence. "So you like it then?"
Spence nodded enthusiastically.
JJ bit her lip seductively. "Good. I thought you would…" she murmured as she stretched up to kiss him and laid her legs across his lap.
Spence moaned into the kiss as he tipped his head down to meet JJ's and ran his hand up and down the smooth skin of her toned naked thigh, his thumb rubbing small circles into her warm skin.
JJ moaned in approval as Spence's lips pressed ardently against hers, his tongue tracing teasingly along the seam of her lips and then pausing to suck and nibble on her lower lip once her lips parted.
Spence languidly drug his tongue along the roof of his wife's mouth teasing the sensitive center ridge of her palate and enjoying the moan that came from low in her throat as their make-out session continued.
After some time, JJ's neck started to cramp from being tipped up towards Spence. She pulled her legs from his lap and drew them up underneath her, rising up on her knees above him. She pulled her lips from his for a moment to look into his beautiful brown eyes… the eyes she loved so much. She ran her fingers through her husband's hair from his temple and down behind his ear to the back of his skull, her nails scratching along his scalp as she hovered above his lap, her forehead resting against his.
Spence was lost in his wife's brilliant blue eyes as she hovered above him. His hands slid up her thighs, his fingers enjoying the variation in textures as they moved from JJ's thighs to her hips and across the delicate lace and sensual satin that encased them. His fingers flexed caressing the silky satin into her skin.
JJ moaned softly as Spence's fingers gripped her hips and rubbed the satin of her teddy against her skin. "Spence, baby…mmm" she moaned, nipping lightly at his lip and his chin. She nibbled her way along his jaw. She nuzzled at his ear as she lowered herself down into his lap, her knees and thighs gripping his hips as her fingers began to work at the buttons of his shirt.
"Oooh JJ" Spence groaned low in his throat, his fingers flexing on her hips, as JJ's breath brushed past his ear, her nose graze the shell of his ear, and she nibbled on his earlobe.
JJ alternated between pressing kisses to Spence's neck and nuzzling his ear as she pulled his shirt out of his pants and continued to unbutton it. As she reached the last button, she slid her hands inside his shirt, her hands exploring his back and mapping the landscape of muscle and bone as her lips moved across his collar bone and up the other side of his neck, her teeth grazing lightly along his pulse point and causing him to shiver and moan.
Spence released his grip on his wife's hips as she settled into his lap and his hands slid back down her thighs and then up again, pausing at the tops of her thighs as he traced the lace edges of her lingerie, his thumbs slipping just under the edge. As he pulled his thumbs free, he slid his hands up to her satin covered ass, caressing softly as he had to imagine that the satin felt as good against JJ's skin as it did against his. His hands moved up her back, hiding under her satin robe, as they traced the lace trim between her shoulder blades and the delicate straps. Then his hands slid to the sides of her ribcage, his thumbs resting just under her bust as his fingers traced random patterns into the satin.
JJ alternated running her tongue along the lobe of Spence's ear and nibbling. Her teeth grabbed hold of his ear lobe and tugged gently once, twice, three times. Then she released his earlobe, and whispered "I love you baby" softly in his ear, her warm moist breath brushing past his ear and then like a ghost, it was gone as she began to press soft kisses along his jaw and cheek until she reached his lips.
Spence's lips eagerly met JJ's, the kiss continuing in depth and passion, until air became a necessity for them both and they were left gasping for a moment in each other's arms. Then Spence kissed JJ's chin, her jaw, her neck, her neck again, and again, and again.
As Spence pressed light, teasing kisses along her chin, jaw, and neck, JJ's finger's gripped his shoulder with one hand while the fingers of her other hand gripped the back of his head, twining with his hair as her head tipped back granting her husband's exploring lips, more room to roam.
Spence's hands moved to cup his wife's lace covered breasts, his thumbs teasing her through the lace as they continually grazed her skin and drew circles. Then his hands moved up to her shoulders and grasped the collar of her robe and began to draw it down her shoulders.
JJ released her grip on Spence's shoulder and head, moving her arms behind her as Spence ever so slowly removed her robe.
Spence leaned forward and kissed his wife's chest as he slipped her robe off her shoulders and down her arms. However, he didn't let her robe drop off her arms once he had it off her shoulders; instead he controlled the lowering of her robe, dragging it slowly down her arms. When he reached her elbows, he stopped, distracted in kissing her chest as he held the robe tightly in his grip.
JJ moaned. Her arms were now trapped behind her in the confines of the robe that Spence had paused in removing while his lips moved across her chest. She bit her lower lip and her hips bucked against her husband's groin as he kissed his way along the lace edge bordering the top of her teddy. Then his lips and tongue began kissing her through the lace, the rough texture of the lace pressing against the soft skin of her breasts and causing her to shudder as Spence nipped, licked, kissed, and nuzzled her breasts through the lace. "Spence, oh god baby" she whined softly, her back bowing as Spence gripped the robe more tightly. He continued to explore her lace covered chest, and ground back against her as she pressed against him, gripping his hips with her thighs.
Spence released his hold on his wife's robe and let it drop behind her.
JJ's freed arms wrapped around her husband's shoulders, the fingers of one hand trailing through his hair as she leaned down to whisper in his ear. "Spence, baby… I think… oh god baby…" she moaned as he continued to nuzzle her breasts, "baby… I think we'll be more comfortable in bed."
Spence nodded against her chest, letting her know that he'd heard her request. He kissed his way up her chest to her shoulder. He rested his forehead on her shoulder for a moment, allowing himself to calm down before lifting his head to look JJ in the eye. "I love you." He murmured against her lips as he leaned forward to kiss her. Their kiss lingered as he gripped her ass and stood up with JJ in arms. Then she lowered her legs to the floor. The kiss however, continued on for a few moments longer as JJ leaned against Spence.
JJ broke the kiss and took Spence by the hand, leading him up the stairs to their bedroom. It was all Spence could do to remember to grab the baby monitor from the end table next to the couch.
JJ led Spence up the stairs and down the hallway, pausing to peek in on Joshua and see that their baby boy was peacefully sleeping before leading Spence across the hall to their bedroom.
Spence followed silently in JJ's wake, his bare feet padding across the carpet until they came to a stop in their bedroom.
JJ stopped and turned to face Spence as they reached their bed. Her hands rested on his waist as she looked up at him.
Spence lifted a hand to run his fingers through JJ's hair, brushing it back from her face as he stared down into her eyes. "JJ, you are so beautiful… you just keep getting more and more beautiful the longer I know you… and I… I can't imagine what it ever was that you saw in me, but I'm glad that whatever it was, you saw it. I just… I love you." He murmured as he stepped closer.
"I love you too baby. I'm not sure how I lived through the last six and a half years without you last time… but I'm glad I had you with me this time." JJ replied and then leaned up on her tip toes to kiss her husband as her fingers clutched his shirt.
Spence bent his knees slightly and wrapped his arms tightly around JJ's waist. Then he stood back up straight, carrying her to their bed. He sat her down on the edge of the bed and stood in the 'V' of her legs.
She tugged at his shirt, pulling the shirt and sleeves down his arms and tossing it off to the side. The rolled up cuffs slipped over his wrists as he released his hold on her waist. Then she leaned forward and kissed his chest right over his heart as her nimble fingers expertly released his belt buckle, opened the snap, and pulled down the zipper of his khakis. She grinned, looking up at Spence as her hands slipped inside the opening of his pants. She cupped his ass and hooked her thumbs into the waist band of his boxers and pulled down, her fingers trailing along his backside and thighs as she pushed his pants and boxers down past his knees.
Spence groaned as his wife's fingernails scraped seductively down the back of his thighs. His eyes locked with hers as he kicked his feet and legs free of his pants. He stepped closer to her and his hands slipped up her thighs and around her back around her back. His fingers searched for the hidden zipper, clasp, or closure that would all him to remove his wife's very sexy lingerie. He really liked it and he definitely wanted to see her in it again, that was the only reason he wasn't ripping it off her right now.
JJ smirked as Spence stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her, fumbling for what she guessed to be the zipper of her teddy which was hidden in the lace on the back. She gripped his thighs and lightly scratched, dragging her fingers up his thighs to rest her hands on his ass. She leaned forward and kissed his stomach just below his belly button. Then she kissed his hip and smiled against his skin as his hips jerked forward. She nipped lightly at his hip and then laved the skin with her tongue.
Spence's fingers gripped JJ's back as she nipped, licked, and kissed her way across his lower belly. He forgot about figuring out how to get his wife's lingerie off her when she looked up at him and winked as she wrapped her hand around him.
Sometime later they lay breathless and sweaty in each other arms, gasping for breath.
"Mmm Spence" JJ moaned as he kissed her neck and shoulder, her hand cupping the back of his head and holding him close.
"Hmm?" Spence murmured in response.
"Baby, I'm starving." JJ replied.
Spence laughed as he buried his face in her throat and then grinned as he looked up at her from underneath his messy, bedhead, sex hair bangs. "Well then, let's go feed you." he said lifting himself up off JJ and standing up off the bed. He held out a hand and helped JJ off their bed.
JJ accepted Spence's hand and then bent over and picked up his shirt and his boxers from the floor. She stood back up just as his stomach grumbled. "Sounds like I'm not the only one who's starving." She said leaning up to kiss him as she pressed his boxers into his hand. She smirked and smacked his ass as she turned on her heels and left their bedroom, heading for the stairs, pulling on his shirt and buttoning it up as she went.
Spence grinned as he half stepped, half hopped into his boxers in his eagerness to catch up with his wife.
"Thanks for cooking baby." JJ said leaning back over her shoulder to kiss her husband, as she put the last of the dishes they'd used for their late dinner away.
Spence pulled the dish towel out of JJ's hands and rested his other hand on her hip and turned her to face him. "You, my blushing bride, are very welcome." He said as he tossed the dish towel off to the side.
JJ tossed her head back and laughed. "I'm hardly a blushing bride at this point baby…" She said smiling up at him as she rubbed his bare chest.
Spence quirked an eyebrow at her as if accepting a challenge, and then lifted spun her around and lifted her up to sit on the counter top of the island. "You know the only thing I like better than when you wear my clothes?" he asked in a low tone of voice as he stepped between her legs, his hands spanning her thighs.
JJ bit her lip at the heat and intensity burning in her husband's swirling emotion filled brown eyes as she felt the spark ignite between them again. "No…" she answered somewhat breathlessly as she studied his eyes for the answer, "what?"
"When you're wearing nothing at all." He replied as his hands grasped either side of the placket of his shirt clothing his wife's body, and pulled sending button flying in every direction as he slid his shirt down her shoulders and off her arms, tossing it off into the corner of the kitchen floor.
JJ gasped in surprise at Spence's aggressive move and then groaned low in her throat. She absolutely loved when he was like this. It happened occasionally at work… and that was a turn on, but she absolutely was ready to throw herself at him when his aggressive, take charge, side came out at home.
Spence stepped back out of JJ's legs and lifted them, turning her sideways and releasing her legs to rest on the counter. He quickly shucked his boxers and kicked them off to join his ruined shirt in the corner of the kitchen. Then, he turned to face away from JJ and the counter and leaned back bracing his hands on the counter and lifted himself up onto the counter.
JJ watched wide eyed as Spence turned to face her, one of his legs dangling off the side of the island while his other leg lay on the counter. She gasped in surprise as Spence grabbed onto her legs behind her knees and pulled her close, her thighs resting over the top of his.
Spence held onto his wife's legs, his finger's lightly gripping her soft skin as he leaned forward to kiss her softly.
She braced one hand behind her, holding herself up, while she raised the other hand to grip her husband's shoulder.
He leaned farther forward as the kiss deepened, easing JJ back to lie on the counter.
JJ shuddered at the feeling of the cool counter top behind her and Spence's warm body above her.
Spence let go of one of JJ's thighs, lifting his newly freed hand to cup her head and protect it from the hard surface of the granite countertop. He wrapped the leg he was gripping around his waist as he ground against JJ. He pulled his lips away from hers. "How about now are you blushing now?" he shifted to be able to whisper in her ear.
"Spence, oh god baby" JJ gasped as he ground against her.
"I love you JJ" Spence murmured as he continued to nuzzle her ear.
"I love you too baby" JJ moaned as she wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders.
JJ collapsed against Spence, panting in his arms as she attempted to regain her breath.
Spence trailed his fingers though JJ's hair. His lungs sucked in large quantities of air, attempting to find equilibrium and return their oxygen levels and breathing to normal.
"I don't know" JJ said lifting her head to look at Spence, "about you, but I will never look at this kitchen counter the same way again." She said as she ran her fingers through his hair and then traced her pointer finger down his nose as she leaned and gave him a soft lingering kiss that spoke of a deep and abiding love.
Spence grinned. "I know I will definitely smile whenever I look at this kitchen counter… but now how about a nice hot bath and then bed so that we can be up at the crack of dawn with Joshua?" he asked as he ran a hand up and down her back in a soothing manner.
"That sounds divine baby. And just so you know… if I'm still a blushing bride after all our time together, it's only because I'm married to you." JJ said rising up to her knees to be eye level with Spence and then leaning her forehead against his. "I love you now and forever."
Spence swallowed as the emotion welled up in his chest, threatening to overwhelm him. "I love you too JJ, always."
Then he lifted JJ's leg off to the side and slid off the counter. He turned and scooped JJ up off the counter and carried her bridal style out of their button littered kitchen and up the stairs to the large bathtub waiting for them in their bathroom.
And the weeks passed by…
"You look like you could use this cara." Dave said handing his wife a glass of wine as she walked into their kitchen, having just have arrived home from a grueling day.
"Thank you David" Erin replied, leaning up to kiss her husband and then she took a sip of wine. "Mm, this is very good."
Dave grinned at his wife. "I'm glad you like it. Rough day at the office?"
"Ugh…" Erin groaned as she leaned against the kitchen counter. "It's been very time consuming. We have to be extra cautious not to tip off whoever it was that might have been Ian Doyle's mole. We have one shot at this and if whoever it is finds out that we're on to them, they most likely have the resources to cover their tracks or even take flight and avoid capture for years."
Dave nodded his head and sat his glass of wine on the counter and then stepped behind his wife and rubbed her shoulders. "I have no doubt that you will lead the task force in discovering who the mole is and apprehending them." He whispered in her ear. "After all, no one escapes justice on Erin Rossi's watch." He said in reference to the successes she'd had over the course of her career, which had of course led to her being selected to head up the multi-departmental task force that consisted of some of the FBI's best and brightest agents from several different divisions.
"Thank you for having so much faith in me David." Erin said as she turned her head to rest her cheek on his chest. "It is simultaneously exhausting and frustrating. Attempting to follow the money from Doyle to the mole hasn't gotten us anywhere. The bugs we recovered from Aaron's office and the round table room proved to be from a lot sold to RadioShack."
Dave turned his head to kiss his wife's temple. "So whoever our mole is was familiar enough with the equipment to know what they needed and get it from a source where it couldn't be traced back to them."
"And of course our mole might not even be the person who placed the listening devices." Erin continued. "Whoever was helping Doyle would need to be highly placed in order to be helpful to Doyle. The individual or individuals who placed the listening devices could have been acting on what they thought to be lawful orders."
"Damn. So you aren't any closer to finding the people involved and responsible?" he asked.
"Oh I didn't say that," Erin replied as she turned to face Dave, "just that its taking a long time. We're still searching for that big break. Interviewing Doyle hasn't led anywhere, although considering he was in a North Korean political prison for seven years, we really didn't expect it to."
Dave nodded his head. "Sometimes it takes time… years even. We don't like it, but it's the way that it is." He said thinking back on some of the more lengthy cases he'd dealt with over the years.
And the weeks passed by…
"Good morning birthday boy." Emily said as she stood in front of Seth's crib.
Seth gave Mommy a toothy grin as he held onto the bars of his crib and bounced on his legs. "Ppppppbbbbbbbbtttttt" he babbled and blew a raspberry at Mommy.
Emily smiled. "Come on Seth you can say it. Say Mama." She whispered to him as she scooped him out of his crib and carried him down the stairs.
Seth blinked his big brown eyes at Mommy, shook his head, giggled, and then buried his face in Mommy's neck.
"How about Dada? Can you say Dada Seth?" Aaron asked as he stood leaning against the railing at the bottom of the stairs waiting for them with a smile on his face watching Emily interacting with the birthday boy.
Seth lifted his head and squealed happily at hearing Daddy's voice.
Emily turned her head and stuck her tongue out at her husband in response to the competition for what Seth would say first, Mama or Dada.
Aaron raised an eyebrow at Emily and then turned to look at Seth. "Happy birthday buddy. What do you say we go have some breakfast?" he said as he plucked his youngest son out of Emily's arms and then leaned in and whispered in his wife's ear. "You shouldn't stick your tongue out unless you're going to use it." He said in a serious tone of voice as he grinned against Emily's ear.
Emily laughed out loud in response and then turned her head and kissed her husband with a quick peck on the lips before he pulled away and he and Seth headed for the kitchen. She paused next to Avery who was playing on the living room floor. "Avery, come on sweetie, let's go have breakfast with the birthday boy."
Avery looked up at Mommy with a puzzled expression on her face.
Emily smiled. "Today is Seth's birthday. He's one. It's his special day. Daddy is making pancakes."
Avery perked up at the mention of pancakes. "'ancakes?"
Emily laughed as she bent down and scooped her baby girl up off the floor. "Yeah pancakes."
"Yay!" Avery cheered happily.
Emily smiled and kissed the top of Avery's head as she headed for the kitchen. Seeing Seth in his high chair, she leaned down to whisper in Avery's ear. Then she walked over and bent down so Avery could reach Seth.
"Happy birfay!" Avery told her little brother and then kissed him on the cheek.
Seth turned a toothy, drooly, one year old grin on Avery and screeched excitedly as his palms slapped against the tray of his high chair while he babbled. His eyes tracked Mommy and Avery as Mommy put Avery in her high chair next to his.
Emily walked over to Aaron who was at the stove mixing up the pancake batter and leaned her hip against the counter as she studiously watched her husband for a moment.
"What?" Aaron asked as he turned to look at Emily.
Emily smirked and tipped her head. "I'm just wondering if those are going to be any good, or if we should have asked Uncle Sean to come over for breakfast."
Aaron look gobsmacked as he stared at his wife, his chin dropping against his chest. "Tell me you didn't just…"
Emily laughed and stood up from the counter. She used her fingers to press her husband's chin back in place. Then she leaned in and swiftly kissed him. "You'll do fine, I'm sure. Although," she said as she turned to glance at the bowl that held the batter, "you might want to stir a bit more to get rid of the lumps." Then she laughed and danced away out of his arms as she grabbed a banana and sliced it up for Seth and Avery to eat while they waited for pancakes. They had a busy day ahead of them.
And the weeks passed by…
"Mommy?" Chloe asked as she curled up against Mommy's legs and watched her baby brother.
"Chloe?" JJ answered scooping up her daughter in her arms and cuddling the three year old close as she glanced over to check on Henry where he laid on the floor playing with his toys.
"Why Joshie's face all wet?" Chloe asked curiously.
JJ chuckled. "Because he's drooling."
"Why is he drooling?" Chloe asked, tipping her head to the side as she looked at her baby brother in his baby seat.
JJ laughed as she squeezed Chloe close. "Babies drool sweetie. Josh hasn't learned to swallow quite as well as you or Henry so it leaks out." She said as she reached forward and lifted Joshua's bib to wipe the drool from his chin.
Henry turned to look and noticed that both Chloe and Joshua were by Mommy so he stood up and hopped over to Mommy's other side to see what was going on.
"Hey little man." JJ said wrapping an arm around Henry and rubbing his back. "Are you having fun playing?"
"Uh huh" Henry nodded as he looked at his baby brother. Then he turned to look up at Mommy. "We go to da park?"
Chloe's eyes lit up and she twisted to look at Mommy. "Yeah! Pwease Mommy?"
JJ chuckled at their children's short term memory today. "Sorry guys, we can't go to the park today. It's raining," 'again' JJ thought, but didn't mention, "but Daddy will be home with some movies soon."
Spence had gone to pick up movies when it had become apparent that their young, active, and highly mobile progeny would be stuck inside for the day due to the weather for what was now several days in a row.
"But I wanna go outside." Chloe pouted, her face scrunching up as she crossed her arms in displeasure.
"Me too." Henry said as he rested his chin on Mommy's leg.
"I know guys. Daddy and I wanted to spend today outside too." JJ sympathized with her three year old and two year old. Joshua at just over two months old was completely content to be wherever Mommy and Daddy were.
"Hey guys, I'm home." Spence said as he entered the house and closed the door behind him. He paused to kick off his sandals and remove his soaking wet windbreaker.
"Hi Daddy" Chloe said as skipped over to see Daddy in the entry way.
"Hi princess" Spence said as he knelt down in front of Chloe and wrapped his arms around her to give her a hug.
"Daddy" Chloe squealed. "You wet… ucky" she said as her face scrunched up in distaste at Daddy's hair dripping on her.
Spence laughed. "Sorry princess. It's raining outside. But I brought back some movies to watch."
"Dada, Dada, Dada" Henry squealed excitedly as ran over to Daddy and Chloe.
"Hey short stuff." Spence said as he scooped up Henry.
"I no thort. You taww." Henry replied with a straight face.
JJ laughed as she came up behind Henry to say hello. "Hi baby." JJ grinned and leaned into kiss Spence as raindrops ran down his face. "Guys why don't we go in the living room and pick which movie to watch and then Daddy can go dry off and come and join us."
"That sounds like a plan to me. What do you guys think?" Spence asked as he looked back and forth between Henry and Chloe.
Henry and Chloe's heads bobbed up and down in agreement.
"Okay little man," JJ said reaching out for Henry, "let's go see what movies Daddy picked out."
"Otay" Henry replied, willingly going to Mommy.
"Here princess, can you carry the movies for Mommy?" Spence asked as he pulled the movies out of the wet bag they were in.
"Yep" Chloe said taking the movies and then trotting behind Mommy and Henry into the living room.
When Spence came down the stairs a few minutes later, pillows and blankets were on the floor so that they could all cuddle up together and watch a movie. "So what movie did you guys pick?"
"Dis one!" Chloe said holding out the movie case she and Henry had picked to Daddy.
"Good choice." Spence said thoughtfully as he settled onto the floor with his family and JJ hit play.
After much shuffling around and discussion between Henry and Chloe about who got to sit between Mommy and Daddy, Spence had come up with a solution that worked for everyone. He was sitting leaning back against the couch. JJ sat in-between his legs and leaning back against his chest while she held a sleeping Joshua. Chloe and Henry sat on either side of them; curled up into Mommy and Daddy's sides as they all watched the movie.
A loud BOOM filled the air and the living lit up as lightning crackled in the air. Chloe and Henry both jumped and started cry at being scared by the thunder and lightning.
"Shh…" JJ whispered in a soft soothing voice. "It's just the storm. It's okay."
Spence pulled Chloe and Henry a little closer to him and held them close. "Mommy's right. It's just the storm. Do you want to go look out the window and see it?"
Chloe and Henry sniffled and nodded against Daddy's side.
"Okay," JJ said scooting forward and then walking on her knees over to where Joshua's baby seat sat. She placed him in his seat and then bent down and held out her hands to Chloe.
Chloe lifted her arms to Mommy to be picked up. Then she cuddled against Mommy once she was settled on Mommy's hip.
Spence rose to his knees, picked up Henry and stood up with Henry in his arms. Then they walked over to the deck doors and watched as the rain splashed down and lightning lit up the sky.
Another BOOM sounded around them, causing Chloe and Henry to jump again.
"Shh…" JJ murmured softly as she rocked Chloe side to side. "It's okay. See the storm is outside. We're safe and dry inside."
"Henry, big guy, what's so scary about the storm?" Spence asked.
"It woud Dada." Henry whimpered as he buried his face in Daddy's chest.
Spence nodded his head and leaned down to kiss Henry on the top of his head and then glanced at JJ. They walked back over to the couch and sat down next to each other with Chloe and Henry in their laps. "You know Mommy's right. The storm is outside and we're safe and dry inside."
"Should we watch more of the movie?" JJ asked as she brushed Chloe's hair back from her forehead.
Chloe shook her head no and snuggled into Mommy as she yawned.
"Are you tired sweetie?" JJ asked.
Chloe nodded.
"How about we go put on some nice warm jammies and read a bed time story?" Spence asked as he looked from Chloe's tired little face down to Henry who nodded his head sleepily.
JJ and Spence stood up together and headed for the stairs. JJ paused for just a moment to make sure that Joshua was sleeping peacefully in his baby seat and then she followed Spence upstairs to get their oldest two put to bed.
A few short minutes later JJ and Spence walked down the stairs together hand in hand. Bedtime stories hadn't been needed as Chloe and Henry had fallen asleep in the middle of changing into their jammies.
"I'm going to go put Josh to bed. I'll be back down in a few minutes." JJ said as she let go of Spence's hand at the bottom of the stairs and bent to pick Joshua up out of his baby seat, where he was still sound asleep.
Spence nodded. "Okay." Then he leaned down and kissed Joshua on the head. "Good night buddy. Sleep tight." He lifted his head and kissed his wife softly on the lips. "See you in a few minutes."
JJ smiled at Spence and then headed up the stairs with their youngest baby in her arms.
Spence glanced about the living room and set about cleaning up the pillows and blankets from them watching movies. Once everything was stored away again and the TV and DVD player were turned off, he turned on the light in the back yard. He leaned against the wall as he watched the rain continue to pour down on their deck and back yard. Puddles formed in yard and on the deck. He smiled as he remembered when he and JJ had been dating and gotten caught in the rain at the park. He smiled and shook his head at the memory… then he paused in thought.
He turned and headed to the laundry room and found a couple of large fluffy towels. Then he came back to the living room and sat the towels on the couch while he waited for JJ to come back down from putting Josh down for the night.
"Baby, what are the towels for?" JJ asked a few minutes later as she came down the last few stairs and then crossed the living room to where Spence sat on the couch.
"I was remembering the time we got caught in the rain at the park when we were dating… I thought maybe you'd like to go outside and play in the rain on the deck." Spence said as he looked up at his wife.
JJ grabbed Spence's hand and smiled. "That sounds like fun." She took his hand and led him towards the deck door, pausing to stop at the stereo and turn on her iPod just loud enough that they would be able to hear it on the deck.
Then they slipped hand in hand through their deck door and danced and played together in the rain.
And the weeks passed by…
"I think somebody is enjoying playing in the mud." Elle laughed as she looked at Billy as he crawled through a dirt pile while she stood watering the freshly planted garden.
Will laughed. "He's just bein' a boy cher. Boys get dirty." He said as he glanced up at Elle and grinned. He looked back just in time to see that Billy's tiny hands had managed to find and pluck a worm out of the dirt pile he was currently sitting in. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, Billy. You don' wan' worms bebe." He said as he managed to pluck the worm from Billy finger at just the last possible moment before it like everything else these days ended up in his mouth. Then he scooped Billy up.
Elle laughed. "You boys look like you could use a bath. You're covered in mud." she said as she turned the hose on them.
"Cher" Will gasped as he attempted to hold onto a giggling, squirming, muddy and now soaking wet Billy. "Oh that is it. Get your Momma Billy." He said as he headed towards his wife.
Elle laughed as Will wrestled the hose from her hand and tossed it to the side.
Then he pulled his wife into a tight, wet, muddy hug with their son and pressed kisses to her face and neck. "I'd say now Momma needs a bath too. Right Billy?"
Billy just giggled at the antics of his parents.
Derek could hear Penelope whispering something to Jake and Jake giggling in response as he walked back in the house from loading up the car to go to the Reids' for the annual Memorial Day cookout.
"Baby girl what are you and my main man up to?" Derek asked as he rounded the corner into the living room.
"Jake go show Daddy your new t-shirt." Penelope said with a grin where she sat kneeling in front of Jake.
"Dada tee?" Jake said patting his t-shirt as he turned and ran at his Daddy.
"Momma got you a new shirt huh Jake?" Derek asked as he tried to get a good look at Jake's shirt, but he couldn't with Jake's tiny hands in the way.
He caught Jake as he ran towards him and then lifted him up so he could make out what the shirt said. His eyes got big and he carefully settled Jake on his hip. He looked at Penelope. He looked at Jake's shirt. He looked at Penelope. "Really baby girl?" he asked.
"Or boy" Penelope answered coyly as she stepped up to her two favorite men and smoothed down Jake's t-shirt that read 'I'm the big brother.'
"Baby girl this is… I'm so… you…I…we…" Derek fumbled for words that could express just how happy this news made him.
Penelope smiled as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Derek and Jake. "Happy? Ecstatic? Surprised?"
"Baby girl…" Derek murmured in awe as he leaned down to kiss his wife.
Penelope smiled against his lips. "I'd love it if it was a baby girl… but I don't think you get to choose my chocolate God." She teased.
Derek shook his head and kissed her again. Then he pulled away and looked at Jake. "What do you think my main man? Are you excited about being a big brother and having a baby brother or sister?"
"Baby?" Jake asked as he leaned against Daddy's shoulder.
Derek smiled and wrapped his free arm around Penelope's shoulder's and the small but soon to be larger family headed out to get in the car.
"So how's it feel to be back?" Emily asked as she and JJ walked to the break room.
"Good, really good, but at the same time a little bit strange." JJ replied.
"I bet. A year away is still a year away. Plus it's still a new job for you even if it is your old team." Emily replied with a smile as they reached the break room and pulled down coffee cups.
JJ grabbed a tea bag while Emily filled her cup to the brim with mystery sludge posing as coffee. She watched as Emily dumped teaspoon after teaspoon full of Splenda into the wicked brew and the winced at the first sip. "Still just as bad as I remember?"
Emily raised an eyebrow. "They have better coffee at the Pentagon?"
JJ shrugged. "I wouldn't know. I was pregnant the entire time I was there." She said over her shoulder as she filled her cup with hot water.
"Mm" Emily murmured as she looked at JJ over the rim of her coffee cup. "Good point."
"Hello my little chickadees." Penelope said as she entered the break room and added hot water to her cup of tea. Then she turned and glanced around to face JJ and Emily. "We're a musketeer short. Where's Elle?"
"She's finishing up a consult over the phone." Emily replied.
"What about our fresh faced Academy graduated dynamic duo?" Penelope asked as she leaned back against the counter.
"They're finding out what their first assignments are going to be." Emily replied.
Elle stood up after wrapping up her phone call with a LEO and headed for the break room for coffee and gossip, leaving Morgan and Reid alone in the bullpen.
Morgan closed the file he'd spent the last couple of hours working on and leaned back in his chair to stretch. Then feeling the need for a break, he stood up and walked over to sit on the edge of Reid's desk. "So pretty boy, what's new?"
Reid looked up at Morgan with a puzzled expression on his face. "Morgan I see you every day. What could possibly be new since yesterday?"
Morgan smirked; glad that some things truly never changed. "Kid, it's an ice breaker… a conversation starter."
"Oh… yeah… I knew that." Reid replied as he laid down his pen and sat back in his chair.
"Sure you did." Morgan teased. "Actually, not that we didn't have a good time at the cookout this weekend, but why didn't you and your boys pull out the instruments and play a set or two."
Reid sighed deeply and raised his hand. Using his pointer and index finger he tapped lightly at his temple. "I did want to chance bringing on a headache."
"You're still getting headaches? Man, it's been six months since they started. I thought you said they figured out what the cause was?" Morgan asked in a concerned tone of voice.
"Just because they know what's causing them doesn't mean their fixed. The drugs haven't been working as well as they hoped. We're still in a wait and see pattern." Reid explained as he stretched his legs in front of him and crossed his legs.
"You'll let me know if there's anything you need right?" Morgan asked quietly as he noticed the girls on the way back from the break room and Ashley and Zoe coming in the double glass doors of the BAU.
Reid nodded. "Everything is under control, but yes I'll let you know."
"What are you two talking about?" Emily asked as she sat back down at her desk and turned in her chair to look at Reid and Morgan.
Reid panicked slightly, not wanting to discuss his headaches with group at large since it was only JJ, Emily, and Morgan that knew about them.
Morgan noticed Reid's panicked expression out of the corner of his eye and quickly covered. "You know, guy stuff." He said with a casual shrug of his shoulders.
JJ glanced at Spence and noticed the expression on his face and she knew they'd been discussing his headaches. She knew he didn't want to deal with telling the whole team unless he had to, so she quickly changed the subject as she sat down in the chair at the long table behind Spence that she was using as a desk until Ashley and Zoe left for their assignments. "So can you guys explain something to me?" JJ asked as she randomly flipped a case file open in front of her.
Reid smiled as his wife changing the subject. They'd discussed the case file she'd just opened in detail. She knew and understood that material backwards and forwards.
"How did the budget meeting go last night?" Hotch asked as he sat down in Gideon's office.
Gideon sat up in his chair from where he'd been leaning back with his hands resting on top of his head. "The Bureau is potentially facing a lot of changes. There's some belt tightening and restructuring going on. We'll need to let the team know to expect to be contacted by other divisions"
Hotch sighed deeply, his chin dropping to rest on his chest, his elbows resting on his knees and he pressed his hands together.
"New York is expressing interest in Morgan again. As usual everybody wants their own Agent Dr. Spencer Reid. Penelope's talents are desired by every agency and team we come in contact with, and of course we've already seen how badly other departments would like to have JJ. Elle and Emily aren't safe from another team or agency attempting to poach them either."
Hotch looked up at Gideon. "So we just get the team pulled back together and they're ready to dismantle it?"
Gideon shook his head. "That's not what I said at all… of course other divisions are going to be interested in recruiting from the BAU. If you had to do more with less, wouldn't you want the very best agents reporting to you?" he asked with a shake of his head. "Just because they get asked doesn't mean they will accept. In fact I'm almost willing to guarantee that they won't. What this team has built here is something special. As much as others might try and emulate it or duplicate it, it can't be done. It's special. It's a family."
Hotch nodded. It didn't put his mind at ease to have to have that discussion with the team, but it would need to be done and the sooner the better. Once everyone was in for the day, he'd get the team together and then he could make them aware.
"Do you… excuse me." Hotch said and reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his cell phone. "Hotchner." He said holding the phone to his ear. "Yes… right. I'll get my team called in and send someone out there as soon as possible."
"Case?" Gideon asked as he looked across his desk at Hotch.
"Virginia State Police believe they've uncovered a serial killer." Hotch said as he dialed Dave's number and lifted the phone to his ear and waited for Dave to answer. "They need us at Zacker Road and Route Seven as soon as possible."
Gideon nodded. "We can finish talking about this later. Let me know if you need anything for the case."
Hotch nodded, his phone pressed to his ear as he stood and headed back to his office to call the team in earlier than normal.
JJ moaned as she woke from sleep at the feel Spence's naked form pressed against her back as he snuggled closer to her in the pre-dawn twilight of their bedroom.
Spence breathed in deeply, his face buried in his wife's hair as he stretched his legs and then re-entwined them with JJ's. He tightened his arm around her waist as he scooted even closer than he already was spooned against his wife's back.
She reveled in the feel of his skin sliding and pressing against hers as she glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table. 6:30 am. She laid her head back down on the pillow and settled back into Spence's arm enjoying the closeness and she tangled her fingers with his where they rested low on her belly.
"Good morning" Spence murmured against her shoulder, now that he knew she was awake, as he pressed a row of kisses across her shoulder.
JJ smiled and twisted in his arms to face her husband. "Morning baby" she replied as Spence raised his head from her shoulder to kiss her good morning.
"Mmm" JJ moaned into the kiss. The moan swiftly turned into a groan when both of their cell phones chirped, indicating they had a message.
Spence stretched across JJ's body and grabbed his wife's cell phone for her and then rolled to the other side of the bed and grabbed his own cell phone off of his nightstand.
They turned and looked at each other as they listened to their voicemail messages from Hotch asking them to come in as soon as they could.
Spence leaned down from where he sat leaning against the headboard of their bed and kissed her quickly. "I guess that was our wakeup call. I'll call Rebecca and let her know we need to go."
JJ nodded as she sat up. "I'll feed Joshua and change him while you take a shower."
Spence nodded and watched as JJ slipped from bed and pulled on her robe as she opened the door to their bedroom and went across the hall to check on Joshua. Then he dialed Rebecca's number on his cell phone.
"How bad is it?" Ashley asked as she and Zoe entered the round table room where JJ, Reid, Emily, and Penelope sat around the table.
"Judging by the fact that it's just barely seven am, I'd say pretty bad." JJ replied, remembering the several times over her years as the team's media liaison that she'd needed to call the team in early for a case.
Penelope nodded as she took a sip of her tea. "Derek, Rossi, and Elle are headed out to the scene at Zacker Road and Route Seven."
Zoe nodded as she followed Ashley to take a seat at the table just as Hotch entered the room.
"Sorry to have to call you all in early this morning." Hotch apologized as he took his seat at the table. "Virginia State Police believe they've uncovered a serial killer. There was a one vehicle accident. The driver died at the scene, but the bodies of an unknown male and female were discovered in the trunk. Dave, Morgan, and Elle are meeting each other out at the scene. They'll call us to let us know what they find and we'll go from there. I want us ready to hit the ground running as soon as we have something."
Everyone seated at the table nodded and then rose to begin getting ready for what was sure to be a long and busy day.
Penelope headed back to her lair, sure that Derek, Rossi, and Elle would be calling her to see what she could pull-up once they were on the scene.
"I have some things to square away in my office. Let me know if you find anything." Hotch said as he watched Reid and JJ roll the case board out so it could be easily accessed and seen by them all at once.
All five agents nodded in acknowledgement as they worked to begin putting the case board together so that it would be ready for their first details and evidence.
"Okay my lovelies we have IDs on our victims. Jake Wattay, a junior at Arizona State and Paige Hawley, hailing from the Buckeye state." Penelope said as she breezed into the round table room and handed the photos of their victims to Emily.
"Is this the same Jake Wattay that…" Emily started to ask as she looked at the photo in her hands.
"Who's disappearance we consulted on over Christmas?" Penelope said finishing Emily's question. "It is. I sent their missing persons files to your tablets."
Emily closed her eyes for a moment, upset that they hadn't been able to save this young man from the fate his abductor had planned for him. Then she opened her eyes and put Jake and Paige's photos on the case board. "Thanks PG" Emily said turning to look at Penelope.
Penelope nodded and reached out, rubbing Emily's shoulder. "I wish…"
"Trust me PG, we all do." Emily said as she glanced around at Reid, JJ, Ashley, and Zoe. "but the best we can do now is figure this out."
Penelope nodded. "I'm going to go give this information to boss man. You guys let me know if you need to put my babies to work."
"Thanks Pen" JJ said smiling at Pen and then turning back to study the case board with everybody else.
Penelope nodded and then turned and headed out of the round table room for Hotch's office.
"The only reason we have this case is because of an accident." Ashley said as she stood looking at the board where Reid was placing a pin in the board for the accident site.
"Do you know the odds of that?" Reid asked as he glanced over his shoulder at everybody.
"Is that rhetorical?" Ashley asked.
"Combined with chance that this is his first time dumping bodies?" Reid said as he turned from the board to face them.
"You think he's working alone?" Ashley asked.
Reid shook his head. "What do you think?" he asked reflecting the question back at Ashley.
Ashley shook her head. "Unlikely. Its high risk to move one body out of state; but two?"
"Or more" Zoe added.
"You think there are more victims?" Ashley asked as she turned to look at Zoe.
"I think it's highly improbable that someone who's done what this person did to Jake and Paige would have only had two victims in all the months that he's had them both and with all the distance he's travelled with them." Zoe replied as she looked down at the missing persons files and then up at case board.
Reid nodded his head, "You know Paige was abducted months after having Jake in captivity and Zoe's right he travelled with both, which means he's criminally sophisticated." He said tipping his head to the side in thought. "It seems more like an organized operation as opposed to an individual offender."
"Then he's probably done this before." Ashley replied.
"Oh shit" Emily said as the pieces started to fall into place in her head. "You don't think it could be human trafficking do you?" she turned to look at JJ and then at Reid.
JJ bit her lip as she thought over everything they knew so far. "It's a good possibility. What do you think Spence?"
"It's impossible to say until we know how those two were targeted." He replied as he pointed at Jake and Paige's photos.
Penelope knocked on boss man's door with a copy of Jake and Paige's file for him as well as an update on everything they'd found so far. She turned the knob and pushed the door open at the sound of Hotch's 'Come in.'
"Hello," Penelope said as she stepped in and closed the door behind her. "Oh, I'm sorry sirs," She said as she noticed Gideon leaning against a low bookshelf, his arms and legs crossed. "I didn't mean to interrupt. I can…"
"Penelope," Hotch said interrupting the technical analyst. "It's fine. You have something?"
"Oh... right. Here's the information I have on the casualties from today. I'm running open cases from last year now. Is there anything else you'd like me to do?" Penelope replied, handing Hotch the files and then watching as he perused the information.
"No, that's all. Thank you." Hotch said as he continued to look at the files.
"Okay, I'll just be…" Penelope pointed over her shoulder with her thumb and then turned on her heels and headed for the door.
"Penelope, wait. You need to widen this search. Go back two years." Hotch replied as he picked up his pen and began making notes.
"Really?" Penelope asked. "That's a lot of people. Is there any parameters to narrow that down?" she asked as she gestured with her hands.
"No not yet. Unfortunately transporting victims across state lines is not an issue for this group." Hotch replied as he glanced up at Penelope.
"Group?" Penelope asked in disbelief. "How do you know it's a group?"
"We've got different genders from different parts of the country. This is not a traditional unsub." Hotch replied, looking up at Penelope again.
Penelope noticed Gideon nodding out of the corner of her eye and before she could reply, a knock came at Hotch's office door, causing her to turn around.
"Come in" Hotch called out.
"Hey Andi" Hotch said as Andi Swann entered his office. "Um, Penelope," Hotch said as he stood up from behind his desk, "this is SSA Andi Swann; she's the head of the Domestic Trafficking Task Force. Andi this is…"
"Penelope Garcia" she said giving her professional name as she held out her hand. "I… I… I went to your online trafficking seminar last fall. You terrify me."
"Sorry. I do remember you." Andi replied with a smile and a nod at Penelope.
"Uh uh, really?" Penelope asked.
"You asked great questions." Andi replied. "I thought you nicked my PowerPoint."
Penelope enthusiastically shook her head no. "I didn't, but I could."
Andi smiled. "So I've heard." She replied as she glanced at Hotch.
"I will get you that list." Penelope said to Hotch. "Let me know if you need anything else. Very nice to see you again." She said to Andi and then turned to head out of Hotch's office and back to her lair.
"You too." Andi replied as she watched Penelope leave the office.
"She's not easy to forget," Andi said as she turned look back at Hotch.
Gideon smiled as he watched the team's very own Pollyanna walk out the door. Then he stood up and held his hand out. "No she is not. Good to see you again Andi."
"Gideon, good to see you too." Andi said as they shook hands. "I just wish it was under better circumstances."
Hotch tipped his head as he studied his fellow Unit Chief and friend. "How are you?"
"Tired. Human trafficking is a growth industry and I've got half the agents I had last year." Andi replied as she looked at Hotch.
"How can we help?" Hotch asked.
"I get notifications on body discoveries of 18 to 24 year olds."
Hotch looked down at his desk at the files that Penelope had brought him. "Paige Hawley and Jake Wattay." He said as he looked back up.
"I've got a theory on what happened. Can I fill you in?" Andi asked.
"Sure, we've got a case board set up in the conference room." Hotch replied and stepped around his desk to lead the way, pausing to glance at Gideon. "Joining us?"
"Right behind you." Gideon said with a nod.
"Any chance we'll be passing the coffee pot?" Andi asked as they reached the door of Hotch's office.
"Yeah" Hotch said as he opened the door for her and then followed her out with Gideon right behind him.
"We've also recently established an undercover unit." Andi explained as she filled them in on the human trafficking organization she and her team had been tracking for three years.
"Wait, how can you infiltrate them? Wouldn't your agents have to commit a crime in order to be accepted as a customer?" Reid asked.
"Exactly, that's why we can't pose as buyers." Andi said as she crossed her arms. "The entire system is set up to protect the customers. There's no way we can trace them from that end."
"What if you could?" Emily asked.
Everyone on the team turned to look at Emily trying to figure out what she was suggesting.
"We can't. It's just as Agent Reid suggested. The agents would have to commit a crime in order to be accepted." Andi replied in confusion.
"Not if you had an agent with a cover as a career criminal already created." Emily replied.
You could hear a pin drop in the round table room as Hotch glared at Emily. Emily looked unflinchingly back at Hotch, not backing down.
Hotch's hands clenched into fists at his sides as he attempted to maintain a calm, collected presence. "Agent Prentiss, a word please. In my office. Now." Hotch said calmly and tersely, the authority of his position laced in his voice.
Every member of the BAU winced, knowing exactly what that tone foretold, all of them having heard it at various points over the course of their careers with the BAU. Woe betide to anyone it was directed at.
Emily sat in shock for a moment that she hadn't been allowed to finish her idea; then, angrily got to her feet to follow Hotch to his office.
As Emily followed Hotch out of the round table room, the team all exhaled a breath they hadn't realized they were holding at the thought of Emily resuming the role of Lauren Reynolds, even if it was only for one case.
Gideon cleared his throat. "Sorry about that. You were saying Andi?" he said, attempting to move past the scene they'd all just witnessed.
"I…" Andi attempted to pick up her train of thought, thrown at what she'd just witnessed.
Ashley jumped in. "Since you can't go undercover as customers your agent go in as targets, don't they?"
"Do you have anybody under now?" Gideon asked.
"Locally a few." Andi replied. "They're still establishing their backstories."
"They might be able to help." Gideon said.
"I'll call." Andi said as she picked her cell phone up and stepped away to call the agent in charge of her undercover unit.
"What the hell was that?" Emily asked heatedly as she spun to face Aaron once they were behind the closed doors of his office.
"I could ask you the same thing." Aaron replied, an angry scowl on his face at the thought of Emily ever having to play the role of Lauren Reynolds again. "Clearly you haven't thought this through."
"And how would you know since you didn't give me an opportunity to explain what I was thinking?" Emily asked angrily crossing her arms. "Since when do you not trust my judgment?"
"It's not about not trusting your judgment Emily." Aaron said his voice rising.
"So then why exactly would you undermine me in front of the whole team and Agent Swann?" Emily asked.
"The victims are assets. Why would the unsubs kill their profit?" Reid asked as the team and Gideon discussed the case further with Andi Swann.
Gideon took a deep breath. "Either the victims are escaping or the clients are adapting." He said as he stared at the case board.
"Adapting?" Ashley asked.
"These clients are extremely depraved." Gideon explained as he continued to stare at the case board. "The worst of worst hiding behind veneers of normality, when the sex act stops being enough for them, they'd ask the unsubs to go farther, to push the limits, for more extreme forms of release."
JJ shuddered next to Spence at the thought of the sickness and depravity required for what Gideon was describing.
"Which was my fear," Andi said as she glanced at the happy photos of Jake Wattay and Paige Hawley, "and these two just proved it." Andi looked down as her cell phone began to ring. "Swann" she answered as she stepped away from the group.
Aaron pinched the bridge of his nose as his argument with Emily continued on. "It's not happening Emily. No way in hell am I letting you go undercover in a case we've been working on for less than a day. We don't know enough about the unsubs or the operation in order to be able to ensure your safety. It's too big a risk."
"Aaron, what if it was Avery… or Jack, or Seth? Could you rest if it was Chloe, Henry or Jake or Chloe? Could we live with it if it was Billy or Joshua? Why should we use a cover that's already set up and reliable if it helps save one victim then won't it have been worth it?" Emily said.
Aaron took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "First of all has it occurred to you that Lauren Reynolds is dead and that some lead time would be required to bring her back from the dead in a believable manner? Also all the kids you listed off? They all need you alive. This isn't three years ago or seven years ago… you can't just volunteer yourself to be the risk taker anymore… it isn't just about you anymore. It stopped being just about you a long time ago." Aaron replied the anger dissipating from his voice.
Emily's shoulders sagged as the fight left her. "How did I miss the problem that Lauren being dead could have caused?" she asked half out loud and half to herself. Then she looked at Aaron. "Sorry, I just… this year and reliving everything with Doyle has been rough…"
"Emily, I know it has, but you don't need to prove anything to anybody. We'll solve this case the way we always have, by building a solid profile and using our reasoning skills to find the unsub." Hotch said as he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her pulling her close. "I know you want to find these unsubs as quickly as possible, but setting up an undercover op on short notice with little planning isn't the way to do it. Justice at any cost isn't Justice Emily."
"I hate you sometimes." Emily said as she looked up and mock glared at Aaron.
A smirk crossed Hotch's lips in understanding that their fight was over. "I know, I hate me too sometimes."
Emily swatted his shoulder. "I love you, but when we get home, we are going to have a discussion about appropriate ways for you to flex your authority as the Unit Chief over your wife."
Hotch winced. "I did handle that rather badly didn't I?"
Emily nodded.
"Alright, we'll discuss it when we get home; but for now, we need to get back and help figure out how to best crack this case… and I love you too." Hotch replied leaning down to kiss her quickly before they left his office.
Hotch and Emily stepped out of his office only to run into Gideon headed directly towards them.
"Did you two kiss and make-up?" Gideon asked.
Hotch and Emily nodded.
"Good, because the situation just got more dire. One of Andi's undercover agents missed her last two check-ins." Gideon explained as he turned and headed back to the conference room. "I think the two of you should go with Andi to check out the agents apartment. Emily has a unique insight into what might have been going through this agents head."
"Here are the missing co-eds since 2009" Penelope said as she sat a large stack of files on the table in front of JJ, Ashley and Zoe.
"Wow" Ashley replied as she looked at the stack of files. "Okay, uh… we still need to narrow this down. Let's look at last known locations… maybe there's an overlap?"
Penelope shook her head. "They're from all over the place."
"These guys hunt in target rich environments." Ashley said thinking out loud.
"Right… clubs, malls, that kind of thing…" Penelope replied.
"What did Morgan, Elle, and Rossi find?" Reid asked as he walked into the room.
"A lot of mud on the car and the victims." Penelope replied.
"Mud, did it rain here?" Reid asked.
"No, not here. South. Roanoke. Derek had a theory that based on the gas mileage they must have filled up within 70 miles of the accident." Penelope replied.
"How many gas stations did you find?" Reid asked.
"42" Penelope replied, "but I was able to narrow that down to seven that were in the area where it rained. Then I was able to isolate the gas station where the unsub stopped based on the egg and cheese sandwich wrapper and the cup of coffee that was in his car."
"That's brilliant Pen" JJ said.
"Why thank you." Pen replied. "I suppose that you are used to recognizing genius when you see it since you're married to our good Doctor here."
"A genius break-through in how to narrow down these files would be terrific." Ashley said as she looked at the large stack of files sitting next to her.
At that moment Elle entered the room. "Sometimes you just have to read the files… granted our resident boy wonder can read them all several times faster… but sometimes the fastest way to find the needle in the haystack is to just jump into the haystack instead of trying to throw the hay out of the stack." She said as she sat down at the table and grabbed a few files. "Morgan and Rossi are headed out to the gas station that Pen found as being the one where the unsub stopped. I thought I might be more help back here."
JJ grinned at how good it felt to be back with the team as she grabbed a few files for herself and a whole handful for Spence and sat them down on the table next to her.
The afternoon wore on as the team continued to turn up and pull new pieces of evidence together as they now worked against the clock to find Renee Maitlin who'd gone missing after a run with her training group.
Morgan and Rossi had checked out the gas station where the unsub had stopped that morning and discovered that the organization used the pay phones to contact each other, meaning they were in the local area and not just passing through.
Now the team was sitting together in the round table room with Andi trying to pull the pieces of what they knew together into a way to find Renee.
"Renee's done a lot of homework. These people have all been to clubs over the weekend and then vanished within three days including this morning's victims." Reid said.
"So why didn't she share her theory?" Ashley asked as she turned to look at Andi.
Andi leaned against the table. "She's a perfectionist. I'm sure she wanted to gather enough intel to prove it."
"Using the clubs as a template, there are potentially 63 others who were taken by the same offenders." Reid added.
"There's no way to know which ones are still alive." Andi said standing up and crossing her arms.
"What about Renee? Had she been to any clubs recently?" JJ asked as she leaned back and rested elbow on the back rest of her chair, twisting to stretch her back in an attempt to release some of the tension resulting from their progressively growing longer day.
"She went to the local clubs. She'd report back if anyone suspicious approached her." Andi said with a nod. "We followed the leads; nothing panned out."
"What was the last club? Maybe whatever happened there is what triggered everything." Elle asked as leaned forward in her seat and rested her arms on the table.
"Scotties in Georgetown." Andi replied.
JJ nodded, having gone to Georgetown, she was familiar with the club. "Target rich environment filled with exactly the types they would have been looking for." She said with a nod.
"If they find out she's an agent, she's dead." Andi added solemnly.
JJ nodded in understanding. "What do we know about the clubs? Why is it always a club? They could scope out malls, gyms, college campuses. There are several other ways to select their victims, but it's always clubs. Why?"
"Penelope," Hotch asked "Do we know who owns the clubs where the victims went missing?"
"Bruce Harmon owns the club in Arizona."
"And in Ohio?" Hotch asked.
"Bob Moore."
"And Scotties in Georgetown?" Andi asked.
"Bob Moore is a partner in that."
"Do either of them own property in Virginia?" Hotch asked as the rest of the team waited on the edge of their seats.
"Moore also is a partner in the development of a private facility" Penelope said as she squinted at the screen.
"What happened to it?" Hotch asked.
"Looks like bad guys go through hardship too." Penelope replied as she studied the information on the screen. "Financers pulled all of the money out in 2009, so it's not anything."
"What was it?" Andi asked.
"It was supposed to be a tough love rehab center." Penelope replied as she read from the screen. "but now, now it's just an abandoned factory in the middle of nowhere."
"With a lot of acreage and mud." Rossi said as he glanced over at Morgan.
"It's the money trail." Emily said. "The club owners are silent partners and provide a discreet location for the events. It's their contribution that allows them into the club."
"Fine upstanding business owners by day, deviants by night." Elle added.
"With that level of wealth they could pay the group to see whatever they wanted…" Rossi said as he looked around the table at the team.
"Mutually assured destruction." Emily added. "It's what keeps the network in place."
"Mutually assured destruction?" Zoe asked.
"Everyone in the network has dirt on everybody else. If anyone develops a conscience and thinks about turning the others in, they don't get away clean. They're destroyed in the process as well." Reid explained.
Zoe nodded in understanding.
"How far from the gas station is it?" Morgan asked.
"Eight miles west." Penelope replied as she looked at the maps on her screen.
"Let's go." Hotch said as he headed for the door followed by the rest of the team.
The caravan of black FBI issued SUVs stopped for nothing as they proceeded at full speed towards the compound. Andi, the team, and SWAT had geared up before they left Quantico. They blasted full speed through the gate just as it was being closed behind a car that had just entered.
A pair of SWAT agents hopped out of the last vehicle and secured the man operating the gate. A pair of SWAT agents approached the vehicle that had entered the gates just before them and apprehended the well-dressed driver.
The team, Andi Swann, and the rest of the SWAT team swarmed the building in front of them, moving as a solid force through the doorway and quickly fanning out.
Andi Swann and Hotch led several agents towards the sound of yelling and rattling chain link fencing coming from down one of the hallways.
As Hotch followed Andi down the dark hallway lined with chain link fence cages, it gutted him to see the faces staring back at him as they were wondering if he too was here to hurt them. Some clasped the links of the fencing, struggling to stand up; some lay lethargically on the ground incoherent due to being drugged; some curled up in a ball protecting themselves in the shadows; but one, one stood rattling the fence that made up her cage and screaming for them to bring back Lucy.
"Renee? Renee, it's Andi."
Renee nearly broke down in tears at the sight of her Unit Chief standing on the other side of the fence from her. "Oh thank god." She sobbed. "You have to find Lucy. They took Lucy."
"How long ago?" Hotch asked as he looked around the hallway, his back to Andi's as he covered her.
"M…may… maybe a half an hour ago." Renee said as she clung to the fence in relief.
"We'll find her." Hotch said with a nod. "Andi," He said with a glance over his shoulder. "We've got incoming."
Andi turned and stood shoulder to shoulder with Hotch as she pulled her weapon, aiming at the two men at the end of the hall from where they stood in the shadows.
"She's quieted down, is maybe no longer problem." One man said to the other as they paused just beyond the corner, unable to see the agents.
The other man shook his head. "Something isn't right. As loud and as much of a pain in the ass as she's been the whole time and now she decides to be quiet? We better go check it out just to be sure or the boss will not be happy."
The first man sighed as they stood silhouetted in the doorway. "Damn it you are right. But after, I win back my money from you in our next hand."
"FBI FREEZE AND GET DOWN ON THE GROUND!" Hotch yelled once the two men were able to see them.
The first man pulled a gun from the waistband of his pants, but before he could raise his gun, a shot rang out from down the hall, hitting him square in the chest; he sank to his knees and then slumped to the side as he bled.
The second man lifted his hands in surrender as he dropped to his knees.
"Face down on the ground and hands on the back of your head." Hotch instructed as he moved towards him.
JJ winced at the sound of the beating taking place as they moved down the hall. At the sound of someone being beaten to what sounded very much to be death, she, Morgan, Rossi, and Emily picked up their pace as they and the SWAT team with them.
"Pretty impressive. He's still standing." The female the front of the room dressed like one of the victims said as her large partner in crime continued to give the first of their client's entertainment for the night a bare knuckle beating.
"FBI. EVERYBODY DOWN ON THE FLOOR NOW!" Morgan yelled just as the large unsub wrapped his hands around the victim's throat. "Let him go or I will shoot you."
The large man took his hands off of the neck of the man he'd been beating, letting him drop to the ground and turned to face the agents. He stretched his neck, creating a loud cracking sound as it popped. He reached for the gun beside him on table filled with various instruments of torture.
He was dead before his hand fully closed around the gun.
"Oh thank god… I thought I was going to be next." The woman at the front of the room said, attempting to mask who exactly she was in the situation.
"Not buying it sister." Emily said as she moved to grab her. "We heard you talking about how impressively he was taking a beating." She said with a nod of her head to the victim lying on the floor, gasping for breath as JJ knelt over him calling for a medic and checking his vitals.
"Well it was worth a shot, wasn't it?" the female unsub replied snarkily as she moved to reach behind her.
Emily's boot connected to her ribcage before she could pull whatever weapon it was she had behind her back out. She'd have preferred to shoot her, but considering that by all appearances this appeared to be the leader she didn't want her getting off easy. They'd never get answers on all of the potential victims if everyone involved in the actual trafficking died. "Naughty girl." Emily said reaching down the female unsub's back and pulling the gun out of the waistband of her jean skirt as she hunched over clutching her abdomen.
"This is the last of them." Ashley said, nodding behind her where JJ, Dave, Morgan, and Emily each escorted the last of the prisoners out of the building.
"How many arrests?" Hotch asked.
"20" Ashley replied and then moved forward, maintaining a firm grip on the suit clad business man who's head hung low in disgrace.
"And 8 victims rescued." Andi replied thoughtfully and then turned to Agent Renee Maitland who stood next to her in an oversized pair of BDU pants and FBI jacket that had been in the back of one of the SUVs. "Good work Agent."
Renee Maitland smiled at her superior tiredly. "Thank you. Did you find Lucy?"
"She's here somewhere and you can look for her once you get checked out yourself." Andi replied nodding to nearby row of ambulances and medics that were processing the victims.
Renee shook her head. "I promise I'll get checked out once we find Lucy. The last I saw her they were taking her… I need to know she's okay."
Andi sighed and then nodded. "Okay, let's go look for her." She replied, knowing just how determined her agent was especially with everything she'd been through.
Renee nodded and turned to follow Agent Swann, but stopped cold as an agent walked towards them with Lucy.
"Lucy!" Renee called out to get her friend's attention.
'Lucy' lifted her head to look up at Renee. As she did so, she jerked forward slightly.
Renee gasped as seeing Lucy's hands were restrained behind her. "What's going on you have Lucy…" Renee gasped as the pieces fell into place.
"You know her?" Emily asked as she kept a firm grip on the female unsub's arms.
Renee nodded. "This is…was my friend Lucy. We were abducted together… it was all a set up wasn't it?" Renee asked, getting in Lucy's face.
"Good guys aren't the only ones who go undercover." 'Lucy' sneered.
Renee's world reeled for a moment that someone she'd trusted as a friend had turned out to be anything but a friend. She turned her back on 'Lucy' and faced Andi. "I'm ready to get checked out now."
Andi sized up the woman that had been the leader. Then she looked at Renee. "Good choice." She said wrapping her arm around Renee's shoulder and leading her over to a waiting ambulance. "By the way, your Mom called." Andi said as she pulled Renee's cell phone out of her pocket. "You should call her back." She said with a smile as she handed the phone to Renee.
"So how was your first raid as a profiler?" Spence asked JJ as elevator headed towards the sixth floor and the BAU.
JJ turned to look at Spence who stood next to her in the elevator full of profilers and agents. "Exhausting."
"Oh come on now JJ is that because of the being a profiler, the raid, or the fact that it's well after midnight." Morgan chimed in from his spot in front of the doors.
"D. All of the above." JJ answered causing a laugh to go through the cabin of the elevator.
The elevator opened on the sixth floor to a smiling technical analyst greeting party of one.
"Hello my doves." Penelope greeted chipperly. "Hello my chocolate God." She said as Derek stepped up in front of her.
"Hey baby girl." Derek greeted his wife.
Penelope smiled unable to resist a little teasing to lift her husband's spirits. "I keep telling you we don't get to choose." She said with a smile and a week.
Derek let out a hearty laugh and then leaned down to kiss his wife.
The rest of the team smiled as they moved past Pen and Derek in the elevator lobby and through the double glass doors into the bullpen.
"What is it kid?" Rossi asked as he watched the team taking about the case board and filing things away, noticing that Ashley was especially bothered by something.
"We only rescued 8 victims today." Ashley said as she looked sadly down at the stack of files in her hands. "What about the rest of these?"
"It never ends." Rossi replied.
"But today I think we did good." Morgan replied.
"Yeah we did." Rossi agreed.
"Yeah, if I weren't so exhausted, I would toast us." Penelope replied.
"Good work everybody." Hotch said as he joined the team in the conference room. "Let's all go home and get some rest. This can all wait until tomorrow. Nobody needs to come in until 10."
"I'm not going to argue with the man." Rossi said as he headed for the door of the round table room. "Have a good night everybody. I'll see you in the morning."
"I'm with Rossi. It's been a long ass day." Morgan said as he looked around at everybody.
"Hey is anybody hungry?" Spence asked as he slipped his messenger bag over his shoulder and wrapped an arm around JJ.
"I'm starving." JJ replied as she rubbed her hand up and down Spence's side where her arm was wrapped.
"Me too." Ashley replied.
"Me three." Emily added.
"Me four." Zoe said with a grin.
"I could definitely eat." Elle said with a tired nod of her head.
"There's this super good Indian restaurant. It's a little ways away, but its open 24 hours and they have amazing chicken tandoori."
JJ smiled as she listened to Spence start to tell the Ashley and Zoe about his favorite Indian restaurant, knowing that the rest of the team except for Zoe and Ashley had been there before, as they team started to move for the elevators.
"What do you think Mama? Does baby Morgan number two want Indian food?" Derek asked as he and Penelope followed everybody else to the elevators.
"Oh my God yes, baby boy that sounds amazing!" Penelope answered her eyes lighting up.
Derek chuckled. "Somebody keeps tellin' me that we don't get to choose if the baby is a boy or a girl." He teased as he leaned down to kiss her.
"Awwww" was chorused by all their female team members just as the elevator dinged.