A/N: * indicated I am making things up. I know next to nothing about computers, so bear with me when it comes to tech stuff, please.
I do not own Criminal Minds.
"Have you had any luck with the other techs?" Hotch asked her, taking the seat across from her in the plane as she typed away rapidly on her laptop.
"None. I might have to request some extra equipment to see if maybe I can blindly clone all the files in the system when we get there. It will take at least two hours, if I get all the sets of equipment I need."
"Just give a list to JJ when we land and I will make sure she gets everything you need." He looked around, noting that everyone else was either engaged in conversation or pouring over the case files so he leaned in to speak over her laptop screen. "How are you handling this?"
She looked up at him. "I'm alright sir, really. It is disturbing to see a person's whole blood supply caked up at the kill site but at least I don't have to see the bodies."
Reid had pointed out earlier that the amount of blood at each site had to be at least near the quantity of a full draining, and postulated that due to the 'neatness' of the pooling it likely originated from one site… his best guess was through exsanguination. This would indicate an organized, ritualistic unsub. As such, he might have taken great pains to remember or catalog his victims in the computer system that Garcia would have to try to crack.
He was thoughtful for a moment. She was always the most sensitive of everyone on the team but always managed to handle it in her own, sunny fashion. He remembered more than a few times she kept him grounded just by being who she is. "Just don't let the details get too much for you."
She closed her laptop, an idea occurring to her. "Was the semen that was found in the presence of vaginal fluids?"
"I'll have to check. Why?"
"Well I was just thinking that if it was, that would indicate rape, correct?"
Hotch nodded, reading the CSU report indicating vaginal fluids were indeed found. "We would expect that anyhow."
"Ok. But, well—" she felt herself out of place. She wasn't a profiler, she's the tech queen.
Hotch reached across for her hand encouragingly. "Please, what is it?"
"If he is highly organized in the kill, ritualistic, it makes a little less sense to me with the rapes. I mean, ok bear with me. We have seen rapes and kills before but those usually involve torture and/or punishment correct?"
"That's how we would profile it, it's complicated without the bodies."
"Right. But, if the kills are clean, likely from a neat cut to the carotid artery as Reid suggests wouldn't that imply mercy? It's sort of like Halal meat—though that's a terrible example I'm sorry. But the point in either case is a sharp knife, little pain and a quick death."
"That's an interesting point." Rossi came up behind her and took the seat next to her. "If the unsub is raping them, why the mercy?"
"Well, there have been a few cases," Reid began as he too moved into the conversation. "Where an unsub feels a sense of responsibility over his rape victims and then offers them a way out of the misery of it."
"Whoa." Garcia waved her hands in front of her. "Don't build a profile on this. I was just thinking is all."
"But it's a good thought." Hotch assured her before turning to the rest of the team, JJ and Emily now standing by to listen in as well. "The only part of this that's missing is a trigger. Why this is now occurring? We have seen no other evidence of this type of kill site."
"That is true." Reid conceded, then pulled out his printed copies of the photos. "However, for such a ritualistic killing there appears to be no patterns in where they took place that have any symbolic value. The only significant item I have noticed are these hay bundles in each frame."
Prentiss picked up two of the photos. "Are those make shift pillows and bed rolls?"
Garcia pulled up the digital versions and enhanced the images, nodding her agreement in the idea.
"But there appears to be no blood on any of it. Could our unsub want his victims comfortable during the rape?"
"The CSu report states the semen and vaginal fluids were found on them." JJ responded.
"It doesn't seem like comfort is something a rapist would care about." Morgan cut in.
JJ sat on the arm of Reid's chair. Everyone pretended not to notice the look they exchanged. "But that's the point. If he wants his victims to be comfortable does that mean he has a personal relationship with them?"
"I would think it would be the opposite actually. Generally rapes of that sort are more punitive or do not end in murder but rather an ongoing power-hold relationship."
Garcia was watching the exchanges going around the table all centered on her idea and she really had to try to not have a panic attack. What if her wayward suggestion led the team down the wrong path? What if by her mentioning something to Hotch that she was simply curious about (and admittedly trying to make conversation that wasn't about them) landed the team on the wrong track and meant another victim would be murdered before they had a chance to reconsider everything? Her phone vibrating shook her from her panic. It was from Hotch. Stop worrying. This is a huge break for us.
She text him back. But what if it is a mistake?
He shook his head as he typed back. It's not.
His confidence in her both scared and elated her. She was only thankful that the pilot chose that moment to announce the final descent to Dallas.
-Criminal Minds—
She took her spot at the back of the conference room where the local homicide department assembled to hear the profile. She looked on, watching each of her team members take their place at the front of the room all flanking Hotch.
As she watched them begin she couldn't help wonder why she never saw the relationship between Reid and JJ before. It was obvious even from the slight glance from the corner of his eye that there was an undeniable something between them. Knowing it all from Aaron made it easier to pick up on and she almost allowed herself to get caught up in the romance of the possibility of Reid being Henry's dad. It would make everything complicated, for sure. But then, if JJ did leave Will for Reid part of it would just be easier.
She really didn't know what to think anymore.
Hotch began delivering the profile. "We believe our unsub is male, likely between the ages of twenty and forty five. He is intelligent and has an understanding of human anatomy. He is ritualistic, but his killings represent a type of mercy."
One of the homicide detectives interrupted. "How is that merciful?"
Rossi spoke up. "Judging by the bleed patterns we can say it was a clean cut, the victims most likely died within seconds in a painless death. Additionally, there is evidence that the unsub had made attempts to make the women comfortable using a make shift bedroll."
Hot Sugar then stepped forward, only glancing at her curiously before continuing to deliver his part of the profile. She knew that look, he was onto something being up with her and wasn't going to live it down. "CSU determined that the smear of new blood that was found on site was from yesterday and likely from someone being caught on a nail. Tracks discovered leading from the house indicate our latest victim may have escaped and ran from the house before the rape could occur—officer Bertram confirmed a similar bedroll tucked into a corner and unused in the third bedroom."
"We need to start an immediate search within five miles of the kill sites to look for a potentially surviving victim. Be aware that our presence in this territory may prompt our unsub to devolve. I have appointed agents Morgan and Jareau as point for the search parties. In the meantime our technical analyst will attempt to assess the computer system on site. Thank you."
With that, the officers scattered to Morgan's area where he and JJ assigned stations and instructions for the search. She noticed Hotch looking at her from the corner of his eye as she packed her belongings, noting a smile tug on his face. It almost stopped her heart, he was proud of her. She never felt like that could matter more than now.
"Are you ready for the field?" he asked, leading her to the SUV out front, taking and loading the rest of the equipment into the back seats. There was so much of it just she and Hotch could fit in the SUV, forcing Rossi and Emily to take another car as Reid fielded further questions from the homicide detectives.
It was a little awkward at first, the last time she had been alone with him in a car it was at the end of a valentine's date last night. She laughed nervously and had to cover quickly when he asked her what was funny. "I was just thinking how true to the FBI you are, always driving a black SUV."
She was glad when a smile grew on his face and he didn't think she was making fun of him. "I am pretty obvious aren't I?"
"No." She shook her head in disagreement. "Hotch if there is anything about you its not that you are obvious. You lock yourself down like a prison wall, most of the time. Its always nice when you finally smile."
Is that what she saw of him? Did he smile so rarely it was a special event? He had noticed his cheeks hurting from all the smiles she prompted of him the last two days. "I guess I am just good at hiding things, even from myself." And that was the truth, he was still running through all the times he chose to not recognize her presence causing a little tightness in his chest from happiness.
"So you ever—" she stopped herself.
"What?"
"Well, you tell me I can talk to you about anything. But who do you talk to sir? I mean, I know you and Rossi are friends but do you ever just let go?"
He thought on that for a minute. "I did with you last night."
She turned her head out the window to hide her blush. "Well I'm happy to spend lots of time with you Hotch, you know, having fun?" Oh Lord that could be taken so many ways.
Hotch found his smile increasing. At least she enjoyed his company. He was afraid he was boring her. "If the case allows for some down time tonight, maybe dinner?"
"If the case allows." She agreed as they pulled up to the abandoned house.
Rossi, Prentiss and Hotchner helped her carry in the incredible amount of equipment after they did their own sweep of the place. She knelt in the room with the computer, noting aloud that there was an independent power source and postulating that the unsub likely connected wirelessly through a removable wireless LAN card that was currently missing.
"Can you hack into it?" Rossi asked, looking over her shoulder.
"No, this is remarkably stable for a system in the sticks. But if you help me set all this up I can attempt a blind clone, copying the documents and files of the sub processor onto this hard drive here, without accessing a login. The files will be fractured but I may be able to repair from my set up in the field office."*
Hotchner watched her as she instructed everyone including himself. He was used to being the boss but this was clearly her territory and she protected it like a huntress. She was fantastic to watch, making quick work of it, but still asking questions about how the search party was faring.
She could feel him come close behind her after Rossi and Prentiss left to join the search party. She swore she could feel his warmth on her back and had she not been rapidly typing away on her own system when she felt him press gently behind her, she might have lost all coherent thought.
"Penelope." He whispered in her ear, aware that the hair on her neck was at a stand. He enjoyed knowing he could get a rise from her, but now was not the time. Lives are on the line. "How much longer do you expect to be?"
She nervously pulled herself forward in her seat and saw Hotch's reflection stand up in her monitor, thank God. "I would say half an hour before its complete. Is there something we should work on in the mean time?" She turned in her seat to him.
He was scrambling to think of things she could search for, aware that she brought her own source of an internet connection in her equipment. "Perhaps we should begin identifying potential victims."
She thought on it for a moment. "Did the Dallas PD attempt a trace on the anonymous tip?"
Hotch shook his head with regret. "The tip line is actually for wanted suspects and it is against the law to trace those from the start."
"But if that call wasn't of that nature could one maybe do it later?"
"You can do that? I don't know how helpful it will be, it was garbled according to the operator, a simple static address and the word 'find'"
Garcia immediately set to her key board starting by cracking into the call center's files and finding the log for the operator. Sure enough the only things logged were duration of the call and notes on content but that's fine, she has the line's extension and turned her focus to the phone service.
"What are you doing?" Hotch asked, watching her work rapidly and with complete focus. It almost turned him on, would have if circumstances were different.
"Every call is logged somewhere. Ah hah! It came from a cell phone owned by one Stephanie Griffin of-Tucson?"
"Can you at all try to find where the cell was located at the time of the call?"
"Already on it." After a few seconds passed, "oh no."
"What is it?" he hated hearing the worry of her voice.
"The call was placed at the same coordinates the phone is now, right here in the woods." she pointed to a map on her screen.
Hotch got out his cell to dial JJ. "Garcia has located the origin of the tip call to be a cell inside our search zone. She will send coordinates to you now."
A few minutes passed where Hotch and Garcia mainly tried to look anywhere other than one another. She needed comfort right now and he wanted to give it to her but it would cross far too many lines. Morgan's call was almost a relief. "Hotchner." He answered before putting the call on speaker phone.
"Hey Hotch. We found a body, killed in the same method. She's blonde, thirties, and her pocket held a hotel key card."
"She was a tourist?" Garcia asked.
"Was that baby girl? Yeah, it looks like she was staying at the Marriott down town. Listen we are going to run to the morgue but I can tell she was killed yesterday and in this spot. Our unsub might be devolving already, having had his ritual interrupted by her running off from the house."
Hotch agreed, this would surely be a trigger. "Have JJ finish wrapping up the search parties and we will meet you all back at the office after we finish here."
Penelope finished up her work and she and Hotch packed everything back up in the SUV, leaving her laptop to bring up front with her.
"You find anything on her?" he asked as they made their way onto the highway.
"Her reservations were for a full week ending tomorrow; she wouldn't even be missing yet."
He could hear the pain in her voice when she said it. Cases become more real when you have an identified a victim. He pulled to the shoulder and unbuckled himself, reaching over the console to wrap her in a hug. She hesitated at first, shocked it was happening but then leaned into it, fighting back the tears in her eyes unsuccessfully.
He noticed and pulled a tissue from his pocked to wipe the stray tears.
"I'm sorry sir, I don't know what's come over me." She straightened from his embrace taking the tissue with her, less she lean in more and kiss him.
"You need to stop apologizing Pen. And please, call me Aaron when its just us." He wished could tell her to call him that all the time, but the team would notice the change.
He flipped open his phone as he got back on the drive, calling everyone under the sun to make plans for Garcia's space, fill in everyone on all the details including the victim's identity. It was helpful that his responsibilities as unit chief also meant he could use the excuse to not think about his odd comforting act with Penelope. She broke him down far too easily in mere moments. Had he not harnessed control of himself his whole life he definitely would have kissed her. It was bad enough in the moment he wiped her tears and she offered him a sad smile he realized he had feelings for her far deeper than he cared to catalog at the moment.
She watched him as he did his boss man thing. She never got to see this before. He had so much on his shoulders. He had to make big calls, keep everyone informed, manage relations with the locals and avoid assigning Reid with JJ on anything at the moment. It took a little convincing with Morgan to believe Reid would be the best partner for calling the victim's family in Tuscon.
"It makes it harder on you, doesn't it?" she asked once he hung up, before he could make another call.
"What makes it harder?" he prayed she wasn't referring to his feelings for her, prayed she couldn't read them so easily on his face.
"Knowing about Reid and JJ."
"Yeah. Its not that I don't trust them to do the job, because I do. I don't even really think that they would get distracted by anything but I know JJ is having a hard time dealing with this basically about to end her marriage. I've been through divorce, she doesn't need the reminder of why it is happening thrust in her face at every spare moment when she is just trying to work."
She removed his phone from his hand and took his hand in her own. "Will she move on?" she asked in concern for JJ, but also wondering if Hotch had moved on.
"I did. Of course I still love the mother of my child and had she not died so soon after it probably would have been easier to move on. But she wasn't fully the right woman for me all those years. I don't regret it, and I don't regret Jack. But I've moved on and I think JJ will just fine. She already found Reid."
That was much more than he wanted to share, but he thought it was a good opportunity to get that out in the open. He didn't want any hesitation on her part to come from the fact that she might not think he is over his dead ex-wife.
That was more than she expected, so she decided to lighten the mood for the last few minutes of the drive. "Good. But I still can't believe our little genius has been gettin' his funk on all these years without us knowing."
Hotch laughed shortly. "Neither can I. He's got more action than me." 'Why the hell did I say that?'
"Me too, at least in the last two months." She laughed before exiting the SUV as they arrived at the station.
-Criminal Minds-
She continued to work her magic, tirelessly trying to break through and repair the files on the hard drive so she could read them. She hadn't realized she fell asleep on her key board until Hotch shook her shoulder.
He repressed a laugh at the keyboard marks on her face and offered to drive her to the hotel. She fought him, insisting to keep working until he agreed to let her do some from her hotel room if she could find a secure connection.
"You really are stubborn, you know that?" he chided her as he helped her carry the hard drive to her room, her arms full with her laptop and equipment she didn't want to leave in the field office.
"That's the pot calling the kettle black." She snorted, unlocking her room with her key card. An idea arose from her someone where but she couldn't latch onto it so she trudged onward.
"Only an hour. Promise me. You need to eat and rest and come at this with fresh eyes in the morning." It was already 8 o'clock and the rest of the group was downstairs in the restaurant decompressing to allow themselves to do the same in the morning.
"And are you going to be doing the same?" he had no right to lecture when he over worked himself beyond exhaustion all the time.
"Alright, fine." He hated that look she gave him, it reminded him of a mother scolding a child. "Work a little and I will be back with take out." Though, admittedly he was glad he would be keeping his dinner plans with her.
She gave a satisfied grin as her parting gesture while he left the room. She set everything up but couldn't focus, she knew she wasn't going to get any work done when Aaron Hotchner was about to have dinner with her yet again, the second time in two days.
She hadn't had a real chance to go over everything from last night, how she felt, how he reacted to her. One thing was for sure, she was falling and it was more serious than she expected. And there was so much physical contact between them now. He was hugging her, they held hands twice, he sort of hovered around her at the kill sites. Even working with him seemed more congenial, while their private conversations… 'did he purposely tell me he is over his ex?' she could only hope. And if it was the case… she dashed to her closet to find something to change into. She was getting a little stinky from the day. She quickly gave herself a little sponge bath, refreshed her make up, deodorant and fixed her hair before pulling on a new shirt similar to what she was wearing, hoping he wouldn't notice or think anything of it. She wanted to look good, but not be obvious in her preening.
She finished just in time to hear his knock and after looking in the peep hole she let him in. She noticed he ditched his jacket and changed his shirt as well, and he noticed the same on her. But neither said anything.
She cleared a space for the food on the small table by the window, each silently arranging the settings as if it were clock work and they did this routinely.
"Smells great, what did you get?"
"I was going to get Chinese but when I spotted an Afghani place I got a craving back from my time there. I hope you don't mind." He opened the containers, offering her bread first.
"Of course not, I really wanted to try some. I was supposed to go to the new place on a date in downtown Arlington but canceled."
"When was this?" he was curious that she was dating.
"Two weeks after Kevin. My therapist suggested I agree to the date and try and see if I was really interested. Obviously I wasn't since I cancelled." She shrugged, feeling keenly aware of her embarrassment rising on her face.
"Oh. So you aren't up for dating then?" he knew he failed at sounding casual, he almost sounded hurt in fact.
"Its not that. I just need a different type of man. Someone strong, able to understand why my job takes up so much of my life, not threatened by Morgan. A good head of dark hair wouldn't hurt either." She tried to cover that last part with a chuckle. "Kevin was starting to bald."
She really loved this food. It's amazing Hotch managed to pick something out she would like and she told him as much. "I didn't make it to unit chief without being observant."
"Yeah, that's sorta freaky to me. I know you guys try to not profile but I always feel like you sometimes do."
"Don't worry, you're hard for me to peg down even when I try."
"Why's that? Morgan seems to just fine."
Great, now this could really get embarrassing. "I'm not so good at separating myself when I am close to the subject at hand." He stabbed a section of his lamb to distract from her gaze.
"Hotch, when this case is over I think we need to talk." There, she said it. Time to face the music, at some point.
He nodded. "Alright. But aren't we talking now?" he asked, playfully trying to steer the topic away.
She flung a piece of her bread at him and he returned the gesture. "Stop, I don't wanna waste food!"
He laughed, gathering their now empty plates (except the left over bread) and helping her clear the table before walking to the door. "Get some sleep tonight, ok?" he couldn't help but cup her cheek, though at least he managed to keep his body at arm's length.
"I promise." She was surprised to sound so collected when she was screaming inside at the adoring look on his face. "Good night Aaron."
He let one corner of his mouth rise. "I'm glad I didn't have to correct you. Goodnight Penelope." And with that he walked away, leaving her to run back to her computer and bury herself in work to escape thoughts of her incredible boss.
Up next: a break in the case, but its not how anyone would have liked it to happen. Also, we get a little smutty again.
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