"A mother's joy begins when new life is stirring inside...when a tiny heartbeat is heard for the very first time and a playful kick reminds her that she is never alone."-Author: Unknown

Korra's POV

I smiled as I opened the door to find Asami and Henry. Mako and Iroh had gone out to get stuff for the barbecue while my best friend and nephew came over. Jack smiled when he spotted his cousin and I lifted him up, giving Henry a kiss before they both ran off to play at the older boy's room. I chuckled and shook my head. My stepson was often lonely and although Mako and I played with him, he wanted the company another kid, even if he was three years younger.

My best friend closed the door and handed me a bag. I opened it and smiled, asking her to follow me to the kitchen as I poured us both a cup of leechi juice. I told her I had been craving it and I guess she'd picked some up on the way.

"How's the baby?" she asked reaching out to rub my more visible bump.

"Echo is starting to move," I informed her. "I guess that's what happens around the twenty four week mark."

"Reading baby books again?"

I nodded as I took a drink. "Very informative but I also remember how your pregnancy with Henry went."

She hummed in response. "Do you know what you're having yet?"

I sighed and shook my head. "Two more weeks and I'll know. I'm kind of nervous."

She reached out to squeeze my hand. "You have nothing to be nervous about," Asami tried to reassure me with a smile.

I returned the gesture just as our husbands came in. Mako immediately walked over to me, giving my bump and I a kiss. I watched Iroh roll his eyes and I scowled. Like he didn't use to do that when his wife was pregnant. Soon they both decided to set up the stuff in the back and Asami got up to help them cook while I played with the boys, teaching them how to catch.

Henry eventually got tired of it and raised his arms and I lifted him up and brought him inside, asking Jack if he wanted to take a nap. The older boy shook his head and went to Mako who looked at me with a concerned gaze. He didn't really want me to carry heavy things but Henry was my nephew.

"Your belly is big Aunt Korra," the little tyke said as tried to make himself comfortable on my chest.

I chuckled and nodded, leaning back against the sofa and covering us up. "It's a little bigger than last time," I agreed. "Now go to sleep, I'm right here."

I ran gentle circles on his back and soon he was asleep. I looked down at him, his face nuzzled against my shoulder, his little hand making a fist in my shirt. Iroh always complained that was the only way they could put him to bed but I had read somewhere that this was the way a baby bonded.

I smiled and gave his forehead a kiss. In just a few months I'd be able to hold my own baby and as scary as going into labor was, I couldn't wait.

Mako came inside, telling us the burgers were ready and Asami gently unclasped my nephew from me, placing him against her chest and we followed her out to the backyard. My husband served me my burger, cutting it into pieces like he did Jack's so that I'd eat it slowly. I rolled my eyes but have him an appreciative kiss. I served the six year old a cup of juice an grabbed a bottle of water for myself as I began to eat, Mako's arm securely wrapped around my chest. I smiled as I looked up at him, rubbing my bump as I continued to eat.

Mako's POV

I sighed as I sat down in the conference room. Couldn't even have a barbecue without being called into the office. At least this time we had eaten something. Most of the team was gathered here and they all looked as upset as I was. I mean, really? Couldn't serial killers take a break or something? Korra and I hadn't been able to spend much time together since last month and we both hated it. Ever since she found out she was pregnant she wanted to be around me more and we just couldn't because she was no longer allowed to crime scenes.

I watched as Asami looked up from her laptop, a small smile appearing and I looked towards the door to see Rossi walking in with a suit. "Wow!"

"Sorry to ruin your night," I apologized.

"What are you working on wife number four?" Korra asked smugly.

"I spend to much time with you people."

I chuckled before briefing the team on the present case. There had been three murders in just six days in the South Pole, which according to Korra was significant given the population there. Every other day a person was being killed which is why we had been pulled from our day off, there was only an amount of time before the unsub killed again.

To add to the confusion the first two victims had been shot dead with a rifle and the latest one had been killed with two arrows. The unsub was using different methods to kill which was either to throw us off or they were experimenting.

Once everyone was debriefed on the case we grabbed out bags and headed straight to the airport. Korra and I called Jack who would be staying at her parent's home along with Henry, assuring him we'd be back soon. We went inside the plane and as soon as it took off my wife curled up next to me and I draped my jacket over her form. The nightmares didn't happen as often as they used to but she was more tired than usual and it was understandable. She was six months pregnant.

"I thought Korra was going to be staying at headquarters," Zuko commented as he sat in front of me.

I sighed and nodded. "Do you know who my wife is?" He chuckled and I did the same, kissing her forehead. "There's going to be someone with her at all times, either Asami or me. I'd say Iroh too but-"

"Don't even think about it."

I laughed and Rossi grinned. "See what I mean."

"How do you want us to proceed?"

"Everyone is going to meet Chief Detective Jareaou and Detective Rhodes-"

"Rhodes is a detective?" Howl asked, brow raised. "Must be short on man power, guy isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. Not to mention incompetent."

"We're going to meet them and then we're splitting up into groups," I continued. "Rossi, you and Howl are going to go with either detective to see the bodies, Asami you and Korra are going to stay at the hotel and brainstorm there, Iroh and I will walk through the crime scenes."

They all nodded their heads and a few hours later we finally landed. Both detectives met us at the airport, and I could see their look of surprise when they noticed Korra's bump. I didn't really blame them, sometimes I had a hard time believing it myself. Howl and she went up ahead to meet them just as we followed behind. The blonde, who Korra referred as JJ gushed over her pregnancy and how happy she was to see her after so many years.

The other detective who I assumed to be Rhodes smirked at that. "I knew you and Howl would end up together," he commented.

My eyes narrowed and I watched as Howl rubbed the back of his neck. "Um, actually-"

"The baby is mine," I said, standing next to her. She wrapped her arm around me and I knew she didn't want me to get upset. "Korra and I married last year."

"Ah." He nodded. "Just as well. Always thought you could do better."

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," the Chief Detective began. "I'm Jennifer Jareaou, but you can all call me JJ. I'll be leading you to where you'll be staying."

"A hotel is fine," I answered.

She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "We kind of don't have any openings."

Korra hummed in response. "The Southern Lights Fair," my wife pointed out. "Busiest time here in the South Pole."

I sighed. Great. Just what I needed.

Howl's POV

Rhodes just couldn't help himself, could he?

I could tell Hotch was less than pleased. After finding out we'd have to share the house we found we also had to share the rooms, meaning we'd have roommates. Rossi and I would be sharing seeing that four out of the six members were married. I dropped off my bags in our room and we each chose a bed and we were off to the morgue. JJ was going to let us borrow a patrol car which would come in handy seeing as how parking sucked this time of year.

"Good to have you back, Howl," Dale, the coroner, greeted as we came inside.

"What do you have for us?"

"Brenda Gales, twenty three years old, was stabbed with an arrow. She's the latest victim."

"What makes you think she was stabbed and not shot?" Rossi asked.

"Upward angle at the point of entry," the coroner explained. "He would have been shooting from beneath her."

We nodded our heads as we studied the report and looked over the bodies. The first victim, Howard Cale, was shot three times before the forth bullet went into his head. The second victim, Alice Swanson, was stabbed multiple times before being shot in the head. My brow furrowed as I continued to read the report. There had been urine found on Howard but not on the women. Why?

"The unsub is progressing quickly," the older agent noted.

"The cuts on Brenda's torso are shallow and non penetrating," I added. "He's playing with the bodies. Explains the change of MO."

Rossi looked up at me. "We're dealing with a psychopath."

Just what the South Pole needed. A serial killer psychopath roaming the streets while there was a festival going on. Just perfect.

Korra's POV

I chuckled as mom and dad fought over the phone. They had wanted to come along but my dad was stuck training rookies. A lot of agents were going to be retiring soon so he had to make sure the new batch had what it took to catch the bad guys.

I felt Echo move and shifted uncomfortably. Kid had a way of getting into my rib cage which hurt like hell and I had to push them down a bit. Earlier Asami had taught me how to use an analog phone since the house we were staying at was about half a mile from the main city so the signal sucked. There were a few huts down from the home and they weren't too happy about having the Feds here but they also knew we were trying to help.

"How's the baby?" Dad asked.

"Good. Moving a lot more."

As if to confirm that, Echo moved again and I sighed. The time zones were getting to them.

"Make sure you're nice and warm," Mom said.

I smiled. "I'm wearing a parka so I'm toasty warm."

They chuckled and I heard the phone click. I frowned and tried to see if I got an answer but nothing. I made my way upstairs to call Mako but stopped. He had to get up early in the morning to get back to the case and although I was helping I wasn't allowed to do a lot now.

I sighed and grabbed a flashlight, figuring there was something wrong with the antenna and made my way outside. I was just going to the back when I heard a grunt. I immediately turned and looked around trying to find the source. My flashlight landed on a figure hovering over another and they quickly took off. I started to scream for help, going over to the man that was bleeding out on the ground, applying pressure and trying to keep him alive.

The next hour was a blur.

Hotch wrapped his arms around me, trying to soothe me as they took away Craig Murray's body. He had been a local that wanted to relocate after the killings started and was headed to the city. He had a wife and two kids.

I took in a shaky breath and buried my face against his shoulder. He was dead, he had died on my watch. I had seen the murderer. My husband kissed my forehead, his hand going to my bump and I placed my hand over his, taking deep breaths. Stress wasn't good for the baby and I knew I had to relax.

"He was still alive," I whispered to him.

His hold on me tightened and I nuzzled my head under his neck. "Hey, there's nothing else you could have done."

"I felt him leave." I shook my head. "He was there one second, and then... just a body."

Mako placed a kiss on the top of my head. "I'm really sorry that you had to see all of that."

"I tried applying pressure but...there was so much blood..."

I felt him rub gentle circles on my back and I felt myself relax slightly. "Why didn't you go and find someone before you ran out there?" he asked.

"Because I didn't want the last thing he was ever gonna see in this life to be the man who killed him," I answered before looking up at him. "He couldn't go that way."

My husband nodded his head and pressed gentle kisses on my temple, assuring me we'd find the killer. I knew we would. We always did. I just hoped he didn't kill anyone else before he did.

Asami's POV

After Korra witnessed Craig Murray's murder Hotch asked me not to let her out of my sight, not like I wasn't going to. He was worried that because she had gotten a glimpse of the unsub he might try to attack her. My best friend started to carry a gun again just as a precaution and she was never alone. Today she wanted to go to the mall in town and I had tagged along with my laptop, working and keeping an eye on her. I told her I'd be in the courtyard and I'd watch as she went from store to store.

Howl had suggested that perhaps the son of the woman whose house we were living in could be a suspect seeing as the murders started when he got back to town. My best friend didn't agree, stating that Josh knew she wasn't armed because of her pregnancy and if it had been the killer she might not have made it.

The mere thought infuriated me. If anyone laid a hand on her or Echo...they'd be taking their last breath.

I sighed and let out a frustrated sound. Nearly all the people here owned a hunting license, something the team thought would be relevant but I was coming up empty handed. I looked up to see my best friend coming towards me and I raised a brow as I noticed the bags she was carrying.

"I know. Don't say it," she said when she reached me. "But when you see what's in here, I mean...I just... Henry doesn't have anything from the South Pole. Or Jack."

"Yeah, please tell me all of those aren't for my son." Had she actually gone on a shopping spree?

"They're not."

"Good."

"These are for Echo and Jack," she said lifting her left hand that had two medium sized bags, compared to the five giant bags in her right hand.

I sighed shaking my head.

"What? Its my duty as a godmother to spoil the child. And Henry is finally old enough to be fun while opening presents." A pause. "Plus I've only gotten Echo a jersey. My parents think they should have something from the place where I was born." I simply stared at her. "Just help me with the bags and get me a hot chocolate please."

I chuckled and did as she said. I handed over the cup of hot chocolate as she looked over the case and I could practically hear the gears turning as she did.

"Craig Murray pretty much voiced out that he was leaving, right?" she asked. I nodded. "Check if the other three victims were going anywhere."

I hummed as I started to get hits. She was right, as always.

"Alice was going to move to Florida, Howard had just gotten a divorce and was leaving to California," I stopped until I got another hit. "And Brenda accepted a job offer in Seattle."

"Is anyone else planning to leave town? They need to be out in protective custody."

I searched and nodded my head, Nancy Poyt. I immediately called Hotch and let him know what we had found and we made our way back to the house. I pulled up the driveway when I saw the front door opened and I stopped the car. The team was at the police station and Carol, the owner, was meticulous about closing doors especially with a serial killer running around.

I asked Korra to lock the car and stay inside until I got back, taking out my gun as I headed inside. I called out her name and didn't get a response and I carefully started to check every room. When I didn't see anything I noticed the door to the basement was slightly open and I went downstairs. My eyes widened when I saw the woman's insides splattered all around the basement.

He had struck again.

Mako's POV

As soon as I got Asami's call I immediately asked the team to go back to the house. I arrived to find my wife in the car with the tech and I asked if she was okay. She assured me she was and I asked them to stay there, leaving a pair of officers with them as we went over to look at the crime scene.

Based on what my wife's best friend had told us and what I was seeing I realized we had been going about this the wrong way. The former victims had been surrogates for his real target which was here, Carol. Her son, Josh had been at the station when we got the call and we tried to see if he knew anyone who would have a grudge against his mom and he said he didn't though his behavior said differently and I had JJ assign someone to follow him.

I went back outside and I started to talk to the team about what we had and to think about what we were missing. Asami pointed out that while she had been looking into Josh's background she had noticed something that was odd. When he applied to the Seattle University he had written an essay on the hardships of being a big brother although he was an only child.

The Chief Detective took a deep breath and shook her head, as if realizing what we were missing. She said that Josh and a younger boy, Owen Porter, had been practically attached to the hip and the younger of the two had been getting into trouble since he left which happened to stop when he got back. He had to be our guy.

"We get called out to the Porter's often," she explained as we drove over to their house. "Either because of Owen or for domestic disputes. I can't believe I missed it."

"We all did," I answered. "None of us thought a teenager could be capable of his."

"Mr. Porter is your son home?" JJ asked as we arrived.

"What's it to you?" He snapped.

Oh this was not going to end well for this man. "Did you know?" I asked his wife, seeing the look of panic on her face as the team searched their home.

"Not for sure," she answered letting out a sob. "Until last night when he came home covered in blood."

"He's not here but the window is open," Iroh informed me.

"It's not the first time you washed blood off his clothes, is it?" I questioned again.

She opened he mouth but her husband cut her off. "Don't answer that!"

I'd had enough. "Sit down and shut up!" I ordered. He looked taken aback but did as was told. I turned my attention back to the wife. "I promise he will never lay a hand on you again, just answer my question."

She shook her head, tears falling down her cheeks. "He's never been like us. When he was a little boy he used to go out and come back covered in blood."

"How did Owen react when Josh left?"

"He wanted to leave too but I couldn't let him."

"Mrs. Porter do you have any idea was social isolation does to a child?" Rossi asked.

"I couldn't let him leave," she answered. "We knew what he was. We knew."

"JJ I got bad news," Detective Rhodes interrupted. "Josh managed to shake off the officer we sent to follow him and there's a reported hunting party heading to the woods."

I cursed at that looking at the Chief Detective. "They're hunting Owen."

Asami's POV

After seeing her old co-workers and having everyone gush over her pregnancy, Korra was irritable. Hotch and Iroh had gone to follow some leads and our supervisor had asked me to stay with his wife. She was four months pregnant and he wanted her to be safe. Being pregnant was still new to her and she still seemed slightly detached from the little life inside of her though I had seen her talking to the baby a few times. I watched as she paced back and forth, waiting for her husband. Korra didn't really like when Mako was away and he had mentioned she got anxious. This is where I came in.

I watched as she rubbed her torso, looking at the door and I sighed before getting up, grabbing her hand and leading her to the bed. "I'm not tired."

"Yes, you are," I countered. "Besides, you and the baby-"

"Echo," she corrected.

I rolled my eyes. "You and Echo need rest. Mako told me your lungs have been acting up."

"Just at night. I have to sleep with the neutralizer. My little Echo is fine though. They're developing normally."

"Well that's good to hear."

Korra nodded before letting out a sigh and laying down in bed. I grinned and covered her up, rubbing her bump causing her to smile. I knew she was both excited and scared of having a baby, but I also knew Hotch and I would make sure they were fine.

"Were you scared when you were pregnant with Henry?" Korra finally asked quietly.

"A little," I admitted. "And it might feel a little odd sharing your body with someone else but you grow attached to them without even knowing it."

She nodded and rubbed her thumb up and down her tiny bump. "I used to call them Echo because I knew the chances of miscarrying were high. People have them all the time, some without knowing and I didn't-I didn't want to feel sad if I lost them." Korra bit her lip looking up at me. "Now I'm just scared something can happen. I could've lost my Echo when that guy beat me and I remember I wasn't even worried about me but...about...the baby."

I placed a hand over hers, gently rubbing her belly as well. "It can be scary, but we're all here with you. I've gone through it and so has Hotch. You're going to be fine."

"Spirits Asami. I've never been so anxious."

"Shhh. Don't worry. You and Echo are going to be fine. I'll always make sure of that."

She sighed and nodded before turning to face me, an arm wrapped around her midsection. I smiled and wrapped my arms around her back, watching as slowly she drifted off to sleep. She looked so at peace, and I recalled many nights like this in the past, just me and her against the world... I shook my head and turned to lie on my back.

It wasn't long after that I heard the door open and I sat up in bed before manauevering myself away and out of bed. I let Hotch know that she'd just fallen asleep and I saw him go over to her, kissing her temple before giving her bump a kiss as well. Korra shifted, her eyes opening and she smiled at him, bringing her hand up to his cheek before he leaned in for a kiss. I looked away and closed the door behind me, seeing my husband opening the front door. He turned to look at me and smiled and I did the same with a heavy sigh through my nose.

Korra's POV

I was more than happy to be home.

Josh and a couple of his friends had gone out to hunt Owen but thanks to the boy's mother we were able to get to him before they did. Josh was not happy and Rossi actually had to shoot him to get him to drop his gun after he tried using his gun on the sixteen year old.

It was hard to believe that Owen was so young and yet he was already going to be sent to prison for the rest of his life.

Soon after the case was closed and JJ asked us to stay and enjoy the festival. The team agreed and Hotch called up Beifong, telling her we would be staying another night and she allowed it.

Mako and I walked around the fair, buying things here an there. He was very attentive and carried any bags that I had and it reminded me of how we were when we were dating. Once we had gone around the festival a couple of times we decided to call it a night and we went back to the house though I'll admit I was a little uneasy, the owner dying there and all.

Next morning I got up early to do some yoga and we were off to the city again. I said goodbye to JJ and she asked that I let her know what the baby was so she could send a little something.

Now two weeks later, my husband and I were sitting in the waiting room to get an ultrasound done. I was beyond nervous, moving around and then there was my leg that kept bouncing up and down. Mom, Dad, and Mako had been anxious for this day and although I wanted to know what I was having, I was also a little nervous.

My name was called and I took a deep breath as I stood, heading into the room. Mako helped me lay down, holding my hand as he did. The nurse rubbed a warm gel on my lower abdomen and started to run the scanner against it. I smiled when I saw my baby's figure and felt my husband plant a kiss on my temple.

"How's my little Echo?" I asked.

"Just fine, but I think you will be happy to know that you can stop calling her Echo and start picking names," the nurse began. "Congratulations Mr. And Mrs. Hotchner, you're having a girl."

I blinked and heard Mako chuckle. I looked up at him and he gave me a chaste kiss, not missing the look of happiness and excitements in his eyes. I managed a smile as well, looking at the screen once more. A girl, I was having a baby girl. I felt this bubbly feeling inside me but at the same time I couldn't help but worry.

I was having a girl.

Ralph W. Sockman said, "Nothing is so strong as gentleness, and nothing is so gentle as real strength."