Sorry for the delay in updating but my muse is playing up. Hopefully next month things will be easier. Reviews and suggestions always welcome.

An Honourable Man

Part Three

It didn't matter whether it was one am or one pm, when the BAU arrived in a town everyone knew about it. The first indication was the private jet whirring overhead then the black SUVs heading in convoy down the main thoroughfare. The vehicles, although less than discreet, were practical and allowed the agents to go anywhere they needed, which at a little after one am was to the hotel.

The Main Street Hotel looked very much like every other hotel they had stayed in, although as long as there was a bed and a working shower no one really cared where they stayed. The lobby was deserted at the early hour as the six agents made their way wearily through the doors.

"Get some sleep and we'll meet at seven," Hotch said, glancing around out of habit. There really was no one to watch their movements other than the young clerk, who looked like they had been dragged from bed to greet them. "There's a coffee shop next door so we can meet there."

J.J. continued to half listen as she filled in the requisite paperwork and answered what seemed like an endless stream of questions.

"As for vehicles, Dave, you have one set of keys, I'll take one and Reid, you can have the third. We're head straight out from here."

""We're on the second floor, out of the elevator ,turn right," J.J. announced, rejoining the group, handing out key cards. "Cassie said to call down if we need anything, but I think she was looking at Morgan when she said it." She smirked at her colleague and he turned to grin at the young clerk.

"Did you organize a wake up call?"

J.J. nodded. "Yes, for everyone, and the coffee shop opens at seven."

Hotch nodded and headed towards the elevator. "Get some sleep, everyone."

Emily pressed the elevator call button while she waited for the others to join her. The ride was silent as they all thought about the few hours of sleep and the day ahead. When the elevator pinged open, the team followed the dimly lit corridor to the six rooms at the far end. They said goodnight, their voices echoing as key cards opened doors and they disappeared inside.

Emily surveyed her room, much as she would the scene - the dark factory made mahogany bed, the small round hardwood table beside the window for cosy breakfasts that she would never have, the faux mahogany wardrobe she would never use, and the less than pristine white bathroom suite. After a while hotels became generic, which was probably why she preferred to spend vacations at home since joining the BAU. Emily dropped her ready bag on the floor and tucked her gun beneath her pillow before she stripped to her underwear. The bed yielded to her body and she was asleep seconds after her head hit the pillow.

______________________________

The pounding on the door dragged Emily her from her slumber and it took her a few seconds before she remembered where she was. Sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she stumbled from the bed and crossed the room. Shielding her body from view, she tentatively opened the door before she remembered where her gun was and the fact she could be dead before the others could respond to her screaming. The person she found herself face to face with was not who she expected.

"I brought you coffee, white, no sugar," he said, smiling despite the inconvenience. "The others have already headed out so I'll be waiting in the lobby." Rossi waited for her to say something, his smile widening as he realised why she was so coy. "Or I'll wait here."

Emily continued to stare at him, oblivious to her disarray.

"We're going to the apartment of the latest victim," he offered, his eyes drawn to her tangled mess of long dark hair and swollen bottom lip, as she nibbled it in confusion. His tongue darted out to lick his lower lip as if by it's own accord.

She silently swore. "I'll be ten minutes." She reached around the door and grabbed his wrist, turning it over to glance at his watch. "Damn."

"You slept through the wake up call," he offered matter-of-factly, inching his body sideways to peer around the door, hoping to finally reconcile his imagination with what the young agent really wore to bed.

Emily moved back behind the door, blocking his view and glaring at him. What she needed was strong coffee, a tepid shower and about twenty minutes to apply the make up that would conceal the dark circles she knew would be beneath her eyes. What she didn't need was the legendary David Rossi getting one up on her.

"Take as long as you need, I'll pick up a paper and wait in the lobby." David passed the Styrofoam cup through the small gap in the doorway and turned to walk away.

"Rossi, how much trouble am I in?" Emily asked, causing him to turn back. The last thing she wanted was to be in trouble with Hotch and have to face his wrath.

"You're not. I told Hotch you were making calls, locating keys."

She gave him a small smile. "Thanks, Dave."

"You can return the favour later," he said, his smile, she thought suggesting other ways she could make it up to him.

"In your dreams," she muttered as she closed the door and took her first hit of coffee of the day, wishing it was stronger.

_______________________________

Emily had managed to be ready and in the lobby in twenty minutes, only to find him engrossed in a newspaper, seemingly oblivious to how long she had taken. When he had finally noticed her, Dave had folded his paper and ushered her wordlessly to the car. The thirty minute drive had taken them to out of the small town, through the suburbs of Seattle to an area of development and high rise apartments. The doorman had been waiting for them.

"Do you need me to wait?" the elderly doorman asked, unlocking the door and stepping back to allow them access.

"We'll come find you when we're done," Rossi answered for them both, quickly moving back towards the door and edging the inquisitive gentleman out. The last thing Rossi needed was someone rushing to the press with a story. "We shouldn't be more than an hour at most."

Once the door was firmly closed, the two agents slipped on matching pairs of white gloves and began to move through the apartment. On first glance the large space told them little about who had been living there. The walls were painted in creams and mushrooms, the deep mushroom drapes making the windows seem much smaller than they were, sapping light from the one room apartment.

"Cold and emotionless," Rossi commented dryly, causing Emily a moment's discomfort.

"I apologised for that," she said, "and got a lecture for the privilege."

"And I apologized for that."

And he had, turning up at Emily's desk the next morning carrying fresh expensive Italian coffee and a pastry to die for. "But you're right," Emily conceded. "This apartment has the hallmark of someone distant, cold and whose home is somewhere to sleep." She moved around the small kitchen area, opening cupboards. The owner obviously had money, and wasn't adverse to spending it, and had a penchant for the finer things in life. The freezer was well stocked with ice, the bar with expensive blended scotch.

"He wasn't home much. He certainly didn't eat here. Maybe to shower and sleep," Emily commented, opening the small teak bureau. "Dave?" she called, when he hadn't spoken in a few minutes.

There was something uncomfortable about going through someone's personal belongings. It was a necessary evil about the job and something which could tell them a great deal about the person's behaviour. "I think he collects condoms," Dave said, holding up a handful.

"Careful and prepared. Says he's someone looking for no strings."

Dave continued to move around the bedroom area of the apartment. The bed was large, built of solid hardwood, and covered in pillows and a faux fur throw. He opened the closet and found it full of tailored suits and shirts still in their packaging. His eyes continued to search the room, falling on Emily as looked through his DVD collection. "What else strikes you about this apartment?" he asked, walking back towards the centre of the room.

Emily glanced around, her eyes taking in everything but unsure what he was angling for.

"Think of your own place for a minute." She considered the house she lived in, with it's panoramic view of DC. It had the same open space feel about it, the same empty fridge but it was cluttered with belongings. Every cupboard contained memories collected over her thirty five plus years, while the surfaces were filled with photos and ornaments. The apartment contained impressions of her.

"It's not a home. No photos, no papers, the bureau only contains the most recent bills. It's like a show home."

Dave nodded. "It's somewhere to bring the ladies. It says I have money, status, security. It tells them it's his bachelor pad and he's not looking for commitment." Rossi briefly wondered if his home said the same about him, although commitment had never been his problem.

"He's saying I have money, I can pull women, I'm a throw back to the sixties." Her lips twitched up into a smile and her eyes seemed to dance a little.

Rossi rose an eyebrow in confusion.

"The silk sheets," she stated, gesturing to the bed.

"You don't like silk sheets?"

"You have them?" She tried to hold herself in check but even she couldn't hide the hint of incredulity in her voice. It wasn't how she imagined his bedroom in those moments when she broke the cardinal rule and profiled her colleagues.

He looked almost horrified. "No, I thought women were supposed to like the feel of them or something." At the look on her face he could see she was unconvinced. "There's nothing here to tell us why or even how," Rossi said, glancing around the apartment. "We should probably head back to the station."

Emily removed her gloves and stuffed them in her pocket as they made their way out of the apartment, locking the door behind them.