Disclaimer: Criminal Minds and all its associated characters are property to CBS and no profit is being made from this story.

Author's Note: This chapter focuses a little more on the actual case, so it's a little slow on the action. But next chapter more than makes up for that, I promise.

Also, IMPORTANT, is there anyone interested in beta-ing this story? As I look back I find I've made mistakes that I didn't catch, despite reading the chapter several. And it's only after I've post them that I notice a mistake's been made. So if you're interested just send a PM. Thanks!

Chapter Four: More or Less

'The real difference between men is not sanity and insanity, but more or less insanity.' -Austin O'Malley

JJ smoothed out the wrinkles in her blouse nervously as she sat in the waiting room with her team as Reid finished up with his discharge forms. She had been anxious all morning about facing him again after having fallen asleep beside him in his bed. A nurse had retrieved her sometime in the early morning and so she left, not even waking him to say goodnight. Or apologize for sleeping beside him without his knowledge.

Perhaps he wouldn't remember. He had been asleep, right? Still, her stomach was jumping all around, setting her on edge.

She couldn't help it though. She was so tired and she didn't think it was a good idea for her to drive. Her eyes were falling with sleep and when they were open, everything was blurry and obscured by her fuzzy mind, unable to concentrate. It was a wonder she was even able to read! Her book was just so interesting, she had to keep going. But then when she rested it on her lap to look at Reid, to see if he was sleeping, it suddenly dawned on her just how exhausted she was! And she knew she couldn't stay awake a second longer...

She coughed uncomfortably as she continued to fiddle with the hem of her shirt.

Hopefully, Reid was fast asleep and would have no memory of it.

"So," she started, trying to forget about her embarrassment, "What are we doing once we pick Reid up?"

"We're going to head back to the station and go over the case, create a profile for the UnSub. Start there," Rossi said, rubbing his face tiredly as he held a magazine held open on his lap. She nodded before looking down at her hands. With Reid in the hospital, they hadn't quite been able to focus on their case as they would've liked to. The first day, the day of the accident, they hadn't done anything once they got the call from Morgan. The second day they had interviewed several relatives of three victims. The third day they had Garcia look for any crimes in the past that might have resembled the ones they weren't currently investigating and spoke to some relatives of the other two victims. And so now they all collected themselves in a waiting center of the hospital.

"Special Agent Jareau?" a voice called.

Startled from her thoughts, JJ turned to the voice and smiled at a doctor with a strong, tall body and a kind face. He looked to be in his late forties, with wrinkles forming deep creases around his mouth and eyes and streaks of gray battling the dark brown of his hair. He wore a long white doctor's coat, with a badge on it that read Dr. Andrew Wright.

"Yes?" she answered.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Wright, Spencer's discharge doctor. You were in his room last night, right?" he asked, smiling playfully at her. Heat rushed to her cheeks, forming a scarlet blush over her normally clear skin. Well, that was blunt and to the point.

She stammered slightly before responding, "I ugh...yes I was." Her voice was small as she avoided eye contact, but Dr. Wright simply chuckled, unfazed.

"I heard he was a Special Agent as well. He seems far too young, especially for the BAU. How is it that he got in?" the man queried.

JJ, thankful that he turned the conversation away from her, said, "Yes well, he's really smart. He has an eidetic memory, stuff like that. He also has several doctorates." At the man's incredulous look, she added, "He went to college at twelve. He's really smart." She laughed at his expression now, his eyes wide and his mouth dropped open. It really was quite impressive, and she was sure reaction wasn't quite so different when she first learned of him.

"That's...truly amazing," he said quietly, more to himself than to her.

She smiled. "Yeah it is."

After a second, Dr. Wright then asked, "How did he respond to this? At such a young age he must've been ostracized by his classmates."

JJ shifted in her seat, uncomfortable with sharing such private information with this man. But, he was a doctor, Reid's doctor to be precise. Besides, it wasn't as if she would explain the more traumatic things that occurred to him because of his classmates bullying him. Slowly, carefully choosing her words, she said, "Well, he didn't really get along with them from what he tells me. He's kind of...awkward around people. You know, he's an-"

"Observer?" he questioned, raising his eyebrow.

Smiling, she nodded. "Yeah, exactly. But he's really sweet, once you get him talking."

Dr. Wright smiled, nodding. "Yes, I spoke to him briefly. He'll be out in a moment by the way. He's simply being given some last minute instructions from a nurse regarding medicine to use and how to work around his injuries safely."

"Thank you," she said as he turned to leave.

The man turned around to face her and added, "My pleasure," before heading back into the center of the hospital.

xXx

Reid quickly signed the end of the discharge form, celebrating in his mind that he was finally leaving. Laying the pen down, he nodded his thanks and goodbyes to the nurse before practically rushing out of the unit of the hospital. His foot tapped annoyingly as he stood in the elevator, regretting his decision to not take the stairs. Even though he rediscovered a new love of walking, he had thought that flour flights of stairs would not do his damaged body good. However, he was growing impatient and unhappy with the elevator as it quickly became crowded with more and more people.

When it finally let out at ground level, he headed to the direction of the waiting room he knew his team would reside, ignoring the way his stomach wrenched violently with every step he took. When he woke up that morning, JJ hadn't been there. When he asked a nurse who came into his room to bring him his breakfast, she explained that she had been woken up by one of the night nurse's and asked to leave. Though he was upset that she had gone- and more importantly, without saying goodnight- he was happy that he at least didn't have to deal with the awkward morning they would've had.

"Oh, Spence, I'm sorry but I was so tired. I hope you don't mind."

"I was awake the entire time!"

Yeah, that seemed like an accurate idea of what would've happened. With nothing else to say, and with the guilt of having pretended to be asleep in order to have JJ lie with him, he would have revealed his secret in a loud outburst that would surely have sent her running. Oh yes, he was smooth that way.

But now he had to face her. Perhaps he would just pretend it didn't happen? Yeah, that seemed like a good idea. After all, she did think he was asleep. He would just act like he was.

He entered the waiting room and was immediately surrounded by his friends and teammates. He smiled widely at their concerned and loving expressions. Through his entire, young life, he never thought he would ever have the love of anyone other than his mother. And yet, here was a group of people who cared for him and worried about him and truly loved him. It was better than he ever could have imagined. Even JJ was acting normal around him, as if she was unaware of just where and with whom she spent her night with.

"How are you feeling, Kid?" Morgan asked, clamping his hand softly on Reid's shoulder.

"I'm fine, thanks," he answered with a smile.

"Garcia sends her love to you, Reid," Rossi said, chuckling slightly.

"Actually," Emily started, a wide smile on her face, "she sends her 'undying, everlasting love to the fountain of unnecessary knowledge that holds this team together'." Reid blushed at the compliment that Garcia had given him, but everyone else simply laughed about her extravagant speech.

"Come on, let's get you back to the station and work that brain of yours for all it's worth," Morgan chuckled and Reid gratefully followed them out the door, leaving the hospital behind.

Xxx

"Okay, so what do we got?" Hotch asked, placing his coat neatly over one of the large, swivel chairs sitting around the table as the others sat down.

"Let's bring Reid up to date, first," Rossi suggested as he looked over at Emily and Morgan expectantly. "Why don't you tell us what Angelo King's family said in the interview."

Emily nodded as she grabbed the folding, containing the specific account of Angelo King, murder victim number three. "We spoke with his mother and father. They told us that Angelo was a college student, spending his summer vacation with his family. He was a chemistry major, working on getting his masters before he was kidnapped by the UnSub. He was last seen alive on July twenty-eighth. He told his mom he was going down to Esopus Creek to go fishing and brought his dog, Gizmo with him. That night, Gizmo returned and Angelo didn't. His body was found on the outskirts of Phoenicia in February of the next year."

"His parents said that there was no one who seemed to have taken an unhealthy interest in their son, and even though he didn't have many friends, he didn't have many enemies either," Morgan said with a shrug. Reid nodded as they continued to give the background to all the victims, each with just as little to go on as the next.

It seemed nearly hopeless. All the victims were kidnapped when they were in an extremely secluded area, with no witness to provide even an account of them arriving at the destination they had described. None had any enemies- they were all too laid back and introverted for that to happen. They seemed so...normal. Nothing special, nothing remarkable. They sunk into the background, forgotten by many.

He sighed in thought as the door opened, with Officer Varney walking through.

"Dr. Reid, glad to see you're out of the hospital and doing well," he said, taking a seat beside JJ and Rossi.

He nodded, too focused on the case to really give any more formalities. His mind worked in overtime as he struggled to connect each victim with the UnSub, drawing imaginary lines of thought from here to there as he attempted to fill in the missing pieces. A dull throb began to form at the top of his head, and he knew his concussion was not as fully healed as one would hope. But really, a headache was the least of his concerns at the moment.

"There's nothing," he said finally, admitting defeat. At the questioning looks from his team, he added, "There's nothing to bring the victim and the UnSub together. No one of particular interest, no potential witness."

"If we don't know enough about the victims," Hotch began, "then let's start with the UnSub."

Emily was the first to speak. "He thinks whatever he's doing is righteous. He has an 'ends justifies the means' way of thinking. Whatever he's trying to do, he believes his medical exploration is worth it. It's not for sadistic purposes, but necessary purposes that he harms his victims."

"That would eliminate most pathologies," Morgan reasoned. "If it's not power or sexually release he's trying to get, than it's possible he has a disorder that would cause him to view actions, good deeds and bad deeds, differently. He has a level of respect for his victims, but not at the same time. The fact that he treats them indicates his respect, while leaving them naked when he dumps the bodies gives evidence to the opposite."

"He's conflicted," Rossi noted, biting his lip in thought.

Suddenly, JJ jumped and turned towards Varney, a look of instant realization overcoming her features. "In the report we received, it mentioned he left his notes with the bodies, but they were confusing and couldn't be decoded. Where are they?" she asked.

"In forensics. We had them shipped out to see if any evidence could be found," he answered.

"Can you get them back?"

He nodded. "I'll call the lab and see if they can expedite it back to us." He stood from his seat and left the room, leaving the team to go back to their profile.

"It's possible he has some sort of cognitive or personality disorder. Clearly, he is submitting himself to an extreme cognitive dissonance as it is, balancing between his Hippocratic Oath and what he's doing to his victims," Reid suggested.

"Whatever he has, it's making him extremely unstable. At least when he's working on his victims. It's possible he's able to alternate between two separate ideas and thoughts, much like someone with Dissociative Identity," Hotch added.

"It's more likely, actually," Morgan said. "Clearly, he's aware that others might see his ideas and his procedure as unethical, otherwise he wouldn't be so discreet about it, so he understands the social norms and how to adjust his behavior accordingly. He's probably someone you would never expect. Someone who's of good moral character and is kind and polite."

"He definitely has to have medical training in order to do what he's doing. It's so precise and exact," Emily, receiving a nod of agreement from her colleagues.

"Should we check the hospitals? Question the doctors? The victims have all been dumped within twenty feet of each other and so it limits it to local practitioners," JJ suggested, but Reid shook his head.

"The UnSub has medical theories and practices that put his Hippocratic Oath at jeopardy. He was most likely kicked out of medical school once it was revealed just how unhealthy his ideas were, even though he still believes he was justified. He was probably close to receiving his doctorate, he seems too good at what he's doing to have been kicked out earlier than that," he explained.

Rossi grabbed his cell phone and flipped it open, looking at the team before saying, "I'll have Garcia find locals who started medical school but never finish." As he went to hit Garcia's speed dial, Reid stopped him.

"Also, tell her to cross-reference that list with morticians and artisans in the area. The UnSub most likely does a job that incorporates either his medical training or his hands. Even though he was kicked out of school before becoming a qualified doctor, he's probably tried to hold onto his dreams, distorted as they are, in his field," Reid explained.

Rossi then called Garcia to give her the profile.

xXx

"You have reached the wonderful and glorious embodiment of knowledge, how can I help you?" Garcia said as she smiled to herself, knowing that Rossi was doing the same.

"We have a profile for you," he said, his voice coming into her ear through the ear piece she was wearing.

"Lay it on me, Baby," she said as spun over to her computer set up, preparing to search for whatever they requested. The second Rossi gave her the list to search for, she was typing away, finding the information in less than a minute.

"I've got a list for you. There's a total of twelve people who match that description and live in the area. A surprisingly large amount considering the low population," she said, adding the last part as a side note more made for herself than Rossi. Shaking her head, she said, "I'll email the names, addresses and information regarding their expulsion to you right...now." She paused in between the two words as she sent the file to him, ever the one for accuracy in timing.

"Thanks, Garcia," he said, preparing to hang up but was stopped by her question.

"How's Reid? He was released today right?" she asked, leaning back in her chair as she clicked a pen idly in her right hand.

"Yeah, he seems to be doing well," Rossi said.

She hesitated for a moment before asking, "Even though he matches the victims so closely?"

There was a pause.

"I don't know what you mean," he said, before he hung up and Garcia's ear was assaulted with a loud and dismissing beep.

Part of her wanted to call Rossi and yell at him for his lack of manners, but the other part of her was still and overpoweringly worried about the young BAU member. When she first read the victim profiles, she felt her heart sink and her jaw drop. It was as if she had sent one of her brothers away to be tortured and murdered by an insane serial killer! And she could tell from Rossi's behavior on the phone that she wasn't the only one who felt that way. She was just the only one who voiced it, apparently.

But still, Reid was in capable hands. If the others were aware of how close he was to the UnSub's preferences, than they would guard him with their lives, even without discussing it. There was no way they would let Reid come into harm.

And with that thought, she submitted to her impulse and sent Rossi a very angry, very chiding text message.

'Serves him right,' she thought, clicking her cell phone shut as she returned to her work at hand.

xXx

Author's Note: So what do you think? Next chapter is the start of it all, yay! Send a review my way with your thoughts and opinions. Now, present!

Chapter Five: So Afraid of That (Preview)

'Loose association,' he thought to himself, adding it to a mental checklist he was creating in his head. He shifted slightly on the rock he sat on, pushing his foot even deeper into the chilled water as he ran through the list once more. 'Cognitive dissonance, aware of how others perceive him, yet not aware of the true unethical actions he partakes in, conflicted ideas...black and white thinking? Would that apply in this situation?' he was sidetracked by his list as he began to wonder about just how bizarre this case was. It was more like there were several UnSubs, each with their own pathology instead of one. He never heard of a psychiatric case like this, and wondered if it were possible if the UnSub had several mild disorders working in comorbidity.

His thoughts were interrupted as a family voice broke through his mental barrier.

"Dr. Reid, how good it is to see you up and about," Dr. Wright said as he walked down the sloping rocks to join him.