Disclaimer: I own nothing, except my own creations.
And now for something lighter methinks after those two very heavy chapters.
Enjoy.
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Halloween was coming, and with it came some very excited children ready for trick-or-treating come Friday night.
But on Tuesday, the BAU team receives a call out to a remote town in Kentucky. For the last two years on Halloween, the Sheriff has died. While this might be a joke, the way the bodies were found dismembered and distributed within a dozen or so jack-o'-lanterns was anything but.
The new Sheriff had received an ominous trick or treat bag – just like the two now deceased sheriffs before him – and worried that his days were numbered, had called in the BAU team.
The entire police department consisted of only three people – the sheriff and his two local deputies. The first sheriff who had died was replaced by an outsider. But when he died, one of the local deputies was promoted.
And so with a heavy heart and a furtive promise to both his current and previous wives to be back in time for Halloween for trick-or-treating with ten year old Jack, four year old Lexi and three year old Sax, Hotch ordered the team to Kentucky.
He's not the only one with orders. Garcia is hosting a Halloween shindig at Morgan's place, and Morgan's sisters, twin nephews and mother are in town. JJ has also had a few words with Rossi regarding five year old Henry's trick-or-treating.
Upon arriving in this tiny town, and with limited accommodation options, Hotch and Rossi share a room, whilst Morgan and Reid share another. JJ did not accompany them on this case, as she did very few away cases unless her services were vitally required, and due to budget constraints, Agent Prentiss' position had not been filled upon her departure from the team.
Sheriff Don Bradman greeted them with a firm handshake and a worried look. He'd cleared a tiny space in the corner of the station where they could work from. After introducing his two deputies – Benedict Browne, with his slight OCD tendencies, and the suave Damian Twickenham – he allows the team set up and start working.
Morgan established a connection with Garcia back at Quantico, where JJ has also set herself up ready to assist when the need arrives, as they get cracking.
After spending two days chasing down farmers, teenagers and outsiders, they are no closer to solving the case. Phone calls home that Thursday night weren't promising, as both Hotch and Rossi swore and prayed fitfully in their room that night that they'd get home in time.
On Friday morning, Sheriff Bradman goes missing. As Reid reads through each file and fact desperately once again, he struggles to remember a fact that he fears is on the edges of his mind, and vital to the case.
A throw away comment from Hotch about the sheriff's badge has him thinking at a mile an hour. There are numerous reports of the sheriff's badge being stolen dating years back. Deputy Browne had assured them that it was simply a rite of passage for their town's teenagers, but as he dates the thefts, Reid realised that the first date corresponded with the arrival of Deputy Damian Twickenham twelve years ago.
Flying through the papers in front of him, he finds what he is looking for: Deputy Damian Twickenham had been overlooked for sheriff twice. He'd also been the first on scene for both murders. This was a deputy with a grudge who was murdering the competition.
Racing on the back of this revelation, and with Garcia's technical help, the team arrives in time to prevent the first dismemberment of Sheriff Bradman. Taking in the crazed look of Twickenham, Bradman's sheriff badge skewed on his shirt, Hotch orders him to drop the axe. When negotiating fails and he raises his axe to swing, bullet holes riddle his body as Twickenham drops to the ground.
As he draws his last breath, he utters 'Sh ... sheriff T... Twi ... Sheriff Twickenham' as Don Bradman looks on in horror.
The team quickly wrap up the case, pack up, and get their plane in the air. They've got a place to be.
Arrival back at Quantico at 6pm saw a scramble for cars as everyone needed to get to the respective places they needed to be.
Hotch headed to his house with Rossi in tow to pick up JJ, Henry, Emily, Jack, Lexi and Sax.
Morgan drags Reid with him to head to his place, where he is certain that Garcia has gone all out with his sisters setting his place up for Halloween.
It was thought impossible, and even after Hotch had to spend time dressing his daughter who had refused to put on her costume until Daddy was here, they managed to all be present and accounted for by 7pm at Morgan's place ready for the trick-or-treat run.
The men were responsible for this, and so Hotch, Rossi, Morgan and an excited Reid decked out in a Frankenstein outfit head out with their charges, including Morgan's nephews Seth and Cade.
This leaves Emily, JJ, Garcia, Sarah, Desiree and Fran at the house to chat away and give out goodies to those who knock on the door!
When their respective men traipse back through the doors just under two hours later, Jack and Cade are bouncing off the walls, absolutely high on candy.
Henry is watching the world go by him from Rossi's shoulder, hand firmly on his candy bag. He's looking around owlishly, trying desperately to stay awake; as there was so much going on that he didn't want to miss!
Lexi is riding her Daddy's shoulders, a huge grin on her face, whilst Sax is in Reid's arms, happily pulling at the bits and pieces that made up Reid's elaborate costume.
Seth is on Morgan's hip chatting away furiously as his uncle tries to follow, and then just gives up.
Within two hours, all children are safely ensconced in their makeshift beds upstairs, as the adults' party continues on downstairs.
When a cry is heard from above soon after, all stop and listen.
Emily looks up from her perch on Hotch's lap – odds are that it will be one of theirs as they've got three.
Garcia returns from giving out treats at the door, stopping just short of Desiree with a raised eyebrow.
JJ looks up from her laughing conversation with Reid, meeting Rossi's eyes across the room, where he sits next to Morgan, opposite Emily and Hotch. Fran and Sarah share a couch close by.
All this happens in a second, and it is JJ who makes the move. Henry is crying.
She's back within minutes: 'Dave, he wants you to scare the monsters away.'
Rossi laughs and stands up. 'Monster killer to the rescue!' he laughs, as he heads upstairs.
Returning downstairs soon after, he rejoins the party which goes until the wee hours of the morning.
By 3am, Hotch and Emily are yawning and head upstairs to gather up their children, followed closely by JJ and Rossi.
Lexi is out like a light on Emily's shoulder, as Hotch carries the deadweight that is Jack. They'd roped in JJ to carry out Saxon, as Rossi coped with his own deadweight that was Henry.
Once all packed in, the families head to their respective homes to sleep.
The next morning is not a quiet one for any of them: children are up and running around, having delved into the candy stash their parents had neglected to hide the night before!