A/N: Thanks again for such great reviews and support. I'm still sick so updates are coming a tad slower right now. Hopefully I will have another tomorrow night. As for this chapter, my big piece of advice is roll with it. It's all pushing us to where we ultimately need to go.
I don't own Criminal Minds
"Up so early Tabby?" Dave's voice held a hint of amusement as he watched the pajama clad brunette carefully preparing all three percolators of coffee over the fire.
She was a little startled but glad she wasn't the only one up anymore. It's been an hour and she already had made two loaves of banana bread in the Dutch oven since she was bored. "Yep, just getting a head start I guess. Coffee?"
Dave nodded and went to the kitchen to grab two mugs. He didn't bother with sugar or creamer; he knew neither of them took anything in their liquid black gold. When he returned she poured the cups and sat with him back on the sofa closest to the fire. There was still a lingering chill in the large room from the fire dying down last night. She had made sure the boys seemed warm enough inside the fort and then made the fire first thing.
She loved it here. This place was magnificent and the company was spectacular but that brought up a couple of things she needed to settle with the man next to her. She broke their silence. "Thank you for taking me in."
Dave took a sip, knowing how this woman works. She's much like a profiler in that she studies people's motives in how they interact and how those interactions mold people and their experiences. It's a little different from what he does but it makes her formidable nonetheless. "I couldn't very well leave you to freeze."
She nodded, taking her own sip. She knew this man better than she should both personally and professionally. But she certainly understood that while Dave might not have much respect for office politics, he does understand them. "I would be happy to repay the favor anytime." She really meant that too.
He read her honesty in the statement and thanked her quickly but noncommittally. She could give a whole lot in the area of favors, he might have to use that someday but he had questions. "So how long have you been with Morgan?"
She sighed as she reclined her head back against the sofa. "I knew you would be the person to see it. How did you know?"
Dave chuckled, quietly so as to not wake the boys. "I won't let it slip because with you, well I am sure there's a good reason you haven't told anyone. I knew for sure when Aaron and I tailed you guys from a coffee shop and I got a look at you through the binoculars. Aaron was driving so he couldn't see. But really I figured it out last month when we were talking about the bureau restructuring and Morgan got a far gone look of love in his eyes when I mentioned your name. I knew that look, I once had it myself if I am not mistaken."
Tabby actually snorted her coffee out her nose then stared down into her cup with distaste; she'd have to toss the whole thing now. "I'm quite sure when your eyes were tamed on me that look was mostly lust."
"Mutually" he asserted.
She shot him a look but conceded. "Mutually."
Dave grinned. Yes, he loves Emily but that doesn't mean the man can't have a little fun remembering one of his first encounters with the beautiful woman to his left. It had been a nice little affair between them. It was more than friends with benefits because they did like and care for one another as more than that but there weren't strings really. Exclusivity, yes. Neither can claim to be anything other than a jealous partner. But they both knew nothing was meant for them in the cards. It tamed to a fairly nice acquaintance after six weeks, but distant from the feelings they still shared nonetheless.
"I won't tell Morgan." He didn't want to face that wrath. Emily, well he told her long ago but she hadn't met Tabby until last night. She didn't really care even if he knew a small part of her was watching the two of them like a hawk. But he knew she could tell it was simply what it was, a good time a while past. Two years to be exact.
She shrugged impassively. "He knows. We did that whole laundry list of partners thing. When I got to you he did seem a little peeved, well a jealous lunatic would be more accurate. But that was before I pointed out that his list was considerably longer and that I hadn't know him back then. So, I think you are safe from anything there." Plus, no matter how jealous he could get, Derek's real concern in this situation is Emily. If Rossi even harms a hair on that girl's head, or Reid with JJ, or Hotchner on Penelope…. Well, he has instincts to deal with that.
"Uncle Dave?" A sleepy Jack was rubbing his eyes from just outside the fort. "I'm cold."
Dave patted the spot on the sofa between Tabby and himself and pulled a warm blanket off the back of the sofa around him. Tabby, relieved that this conversation was interrupted, got up to change the coffee in her cup and came back with some hot chocolate for Jack and Henry who she was sure was about to wake at any moment. He did, just before she set the cup on the coffee table.
"Hi Tabby." He shyly greeted her much to Rossi's amusement. The boy must have inherited his father's puppy dog awkwardness around his crushes.
"Hey cutie." Tabby patted the spot beside her and handed him his cocoa when he sat. He eagerly drank it with a smile on his face that fell a bit when Morgan came and sat on the chair beside him. He didn't like the smiles that Uncle Dave, Uncle Dereke and Tabby shared.
"Tell me Tabby didn't actually make hot chocolate!" Morgan's face was in mock astonishment. He had to bring some levity to the living room since he had the distinct feeling he and the boys were interrupting something. He was jealous per se, he knew Tabby loved him. But he wasn't exactly having a blast wondering what they were confiding in one another. There were still some feelings there that weren't a serious threat, but a small one nonetheless.
Jack looked at him, really trying to read the situation and wondering what was off about Uncle Derek today. "She has coffee. Why?"
Morgan accepted the cup of coffee that Tabby had gotten up to pour for him. "Well she must like you boys because as much as she likes chocolate she hates hot chocolate. Isn't that right Tabby?"
Tabby nodded, facing the boys horrified expressions that someone couldn't like one of their favorite treats. "I try to like it." She put her arms up in surrender. "Every year at Christmas I try it again. But I just can't get into it. Too sweet."
Rossi kept a comment to himself about her particular set of tastes in a totally different area of her life and instead instructed the boys to go wake up their parents since breakfast should be done fairly soon thanks to all of the prep work last night and Tabby's banana breads. All he needed to do was cook eggs to order. "Oh Jack, knock before you go in. I think your parents are awake but just… talking." He was glad he remembered that little warning.
With the boys gone Tabby felt decidedly awkward as she sat between the two men slightly glaring at one another in the living room and made a near run for her bedroom to shower and dress for the day. This left Rossi and Morgan staring at one another until they heard the click of her door.
"Don't you dare hurt her." Rossi warned with an odd sense of territory that is somewhat unfamiliar to him. He had hardly spoken more than ten sentences with her about anything non-professional since they ended whatever it was they didn't have. He respected her though, and she could seriously tear him a new one if he messed up.
Derek snorted and turned to him. "I was about to say the same thing about you and Emily. But come on man, you have to admit you wouldn't have agreed to have her here had there not been a history."
Rossi instantly agreed with him, but added a qualification. "I would not have welcomed just any old friend of Pumpkin's here this is true. But it was more in concern for her safety and your happiness that she is here. Whenever the family figures it out, I hope they like her as much as you, Pumpkin and I do." He slid across the sofa to talk more softly to him. "Did you by any chance ask her for help with…" he knew he didn't need to finish that question.
Derek nodded. He wasn't happy that he had to ask even if she was more than glad to do it for him. It still felt like he might be taking advantage of the situation which is not how he wants her to feel. Rossi of course could read all of that regret and worry cross his friend's face. "Hey, if she didn't believe in it she would have said no most likely, or at least qualified it. She might be loyal in her relationships but trust me when I say she wouldn't put her career on the line for just anything or anyone."
That actually did make Derek feel a lot better, and just in time because Tabby was coming from the back room with Jack in her arms. It was evident she saved Aaron and Penelope from being interrupted during a good moment by the sneaky look on her face.
-Criminal Minds—
"How long have you been staring at me?" Aaron's lips curved into a small smile. He had been awake for a couple minutes feeling the woman next to him staring and examining him. She was cuddled, naked by his side. It's definitely his favorite way to wake in the morning.
She had in fact been examining him for a good twenty minutes if she was honest. Sometimes when she had the time to just look at him everything became surreal. This had moved pretty darn fast in her book. She never expected it, or that she could handle it. But here she is with a whole new identity and even though it wobbled her sometimes to take stalk and realize that, she didn't feel unprepared. She actually was nothing but thankful for the pushes her family made for them to bring them as close as they are now.
Because really, this was years in the making if she admitted it to herself. This was years of envying Haley, hating that Beth woman, wishing Kevin were a totally different brunette in her bed. She loved this man for years. Jack loved her for years and wanted her as his mother long before this. He even said so. So, this isn't exactly out of the blue. It was just a long series of events finally taking place in just the right moment. It's certainly going to be a story she will love telling their grandchildren someday.
She pecked a kiss on his nose. "Just a couple minutes. Can you blame me my super hunky hubby?"
His smile grew even larger, heck he was beaming. "You know, every time you refer to me as your husband it is such a turn on." He purred as he rolled on top of her and gently traced the lines of her cheeks. "I just might have to show you how much it means to me."
God, she loves morning sex. Is there a better way to wake up than naked in the arms of your lover with a fire still slightly flickering? Does it get more romantic than a soft bed, warm blankets and feeling your fiancé 's fingers exploring his favorite curves of your body? Nope. "MMM. Right there." She moaned when his lips hit the juncture of her neck and his fingers rolled her nipples mercilessly.
He loved watching those bits of pleasure cross her face. This was his favorite part of sex with her, how she responds to him. Doing anything to make this woman happy is his life's number one goal, which is a staggering change of priorities but just so right. "Tell me what you want Penelope."
Oh, the way he says her name. It's like venerating a saint or something. "You, in me. Now." She ordered once she felt his fingers trace her outer folds. "Give me a baby."
He shot a quick look up to her and she really did want just that. He moved to settle between her legs but refrained from plundering her as she was trying to make him do with pulling his hips towards her. "I want you to know something."
She almost rolled her eyes, he always tells her important things during sex. "What is that?"
"That no matter how fast this might be going, how unbelievable it seems we are where we are. You could never be a mistake." And with that he thrust into her once again, nearly bringing them each to ecstasy from that action alone.
Her mind, or what part of it was still functioning at the moment, was whirling in the comment. Somehow he always seemed to pick up on her insecurities or what she was thinking on. Profiler or not that was impressive. As impressive as his ability to keep her on this edge of the abyss coherency with his thrusts and grinds. It was everything she had in her to not scream loudly in pleasure. She nearly lost herself and then, a familiar knock at the door.
"Daddy? What's that noise?" The sweet voice of their son asked from the other side of the door. Both froze, not wanting to end this moment but both still so unfocused from the pleasure they were just experiencing that neither knew how to handle the situation.
"Uh, Jack?" That was all Hotch could come up with. Damn it! He's glad he thought to lock the door last night for this very reason.
"Jack!" Tabby whispered loudly in the hall just loud enough for Aaron and Penelope to hear. She had heard the bed squeaks as she had descended the back stairs which ran right by their room. "Come on, let's give mommy and daddy adult time."
Hotch looked down on to Penelope with a large smile on his face. "We are going to have to thank that woman." He whispered as he started back up.
Oh, this was like tantric sex at this point. She had been so close before and now she was building again, and this time it was so good the only thing she could feel was a quick sense of gratitude to her newest friend and Aaron consuming her soul in their passion.
"Mm,mm more." She managed out of her breath. She needed him, god she needed him.
He wasn't going to last much longer if she kept being so damn provocative in her requests. It was maddening how one word from her lips could send him into such a frenzy that he could barely control his pace. He went to that handy trick and reached between them for her favorite bundle of nerves while maneuvering to take her nipples between his teeth at the same time.
Oh, now this is what she needed this morning. He hit her hot spots over and over until her body jerked itself in spasms of pleasure when she felt him pulse and empty into her. It was so good, so fulfilling to know that nothing was between them. It was her, him and the potential for new life and it made this blissfully satisfying.
He couldn't breathe for a few minutes, so consumed with his passion for her. It was amazing he could speak and still be practical a few minutes later. "We should really shower."
She nodded in agreement, unsure if she could even walk. He's the only man that made her feel that way. With him her whole body feels that pleasure of her nether regions. "Let's do it now before you can recover again."
He pouted and lifted on his elbow to look into her eyes. "What, you don't want to have sex with me again this morning?"
She giggled as they both pulled to a sitting position and towards standing. "Of course I do. I just don't think my body can handle it. Besides, I don't think Tabby can keep Jack occupied all that long."
Looking at the clock Penelope was pointing to he realized what she meant. They had been in there for half an hour since Jack's knock. Time flies when you are consumed in an undying passion for the woman you love. "Yeah, she might just be my new favorite person for that save back there."
Penelope agreed. "Definitely someone I want as part of the family."
-Criminal Minds—
Breakfast was a flurry of activity in the house as the boys ran around handing out food. Rossi did his job as host in preparing the eggs on a griddle heated by the fire and everyone else sat around the living room with loads of conversation. It was home to Penelope, in every sense. Even Tabby seemed to have a natural niche here as she sat next to Derek talking about his military career.
Aaron held her possessively and watched her gaze fix on Tabby and Morgan. "You're up to something." He whispered in accusation.
She turned just slightly to him, his lips just an inch from hers. "How could you possibly know that?"
Aaron snickered and stole a kiss before moving to smell her hair. "You have that look in your face. But isn't he seeing someone?"
Her features switched to derision. "Yeah, someone he won't have us meet. Someone he is hiding. At least we know Tabby, we know she's a good person and come on, look at that chemistry." she gestured to the sight of Morgan brushing a lock of hair out of her eyes before quickly retracting his hands to himself.
Hotch nodded, there was indeed a good deal of chemistry between the two. If he didn't know any better he would swear there was something going on. Then again, he thought there was a glimmer of that between her and his best friend Rossi earlier last night when he saw them quickly hug before she went to bed. He shook those thoughts from his head. "You wouldn't respect him if he cheated."
Of course Penelope knew he was right. "Yes, but at least I would respect his choice in women. I really like her and I am as protective of him as he is of me." Before he got a chance to ask her why she feels so strongly for Tabby she continued as if on the same thought. "You know the first time I met her she let me cry on her shoulder basically. And then she told me to not worry about Strauss because she has no idea what she is dealing with and Tabby does. She's just, nice. You know? It's like when I met JJ for the first time and one round of drinks we were sharing secrets about old boyfriends."
It always amazed him how easily she could open her heart to new people. "She is nice, I'll give you that. And absolutely Morgan's type." He paused when Emily put two plates in front of them on the coffee table. He thanked her and waited until she was out of earshot again to continue. "But tell me more about what she said on Strauss."
Penelope told him what they talked about when the first met, how they talked about her experience when Reid saved her and what she said about talking to only her and JJ. She noted he seemed puzzled by that but he remained silent and picking at his food while listening intently. When she told him about when Strauss came to ask if she talked to Tabby he tensed. Something wasn't right there. He knew the shrew was up to something, he knew his suspension being extended only by a week made little sense unless it was to give her time to figure out a course of action. "So did you talk to Tabby about it?"
She took a big bite of the banana bread Tabby had made. It was delicious and distracting for a moment in that fact but she turned back to her conversation. "I found her office on the third floor and she told me Strauss can't play with the big boys and that she is one. And honey, I think she was telling the truth. She has a corner on three."
That peaked his attention but he still couldn't pin point on exactly who she was. She seemed so familiar and Rossi was obviously well aquainted with her. Despite his recent growth in hospitality he wouldn't take just anyone in. Still though, he had to wonder what befriending her could mean for this group. If she really is that important she might be their advocate against Strauss. She might even have been hinting to Penelope that she is going to try to protect them from her. But why? What possible motivation could she have?
"Daddy I'm so bored!" Jack groaned, he wasn't having much fun yet this morning. All the adults were still eating and Henry was following him around looking for ideas on what to do too. "Can we go outside?"
Morgan overheard his plea and called Jack over allowing both boys to climb onto his lap as he pulled the emergency radio out for them to listen. "Sheesh." He moaned and got the attention of everyone there. Derek was never afraid of a good storm. He actually liked it so this was probably not the best news. "Sixteen inches fell so far in our area and it's not going to let up. We should have a little time to play in lighter snowfall in an hour or so but later on it will pick right back up. Its two storms, front to back."
JJ watched as Tabby, sitting next to her, tensed considerably at that news. Everyone was made aware of her fears so she felt bad for the woman. "Tabbs, it will be alright. I promise." She pat the woman's hand, aware that Emily stopped behind the sofa they were sitting on and began a gentle patting of Tabby's back. The woman was quickly becoming someone they started to care about in no small part because she seemed to care about them. "Just relax, breathe."
Tabby tried her hardest to do just that. She felt like an imbecile. She's looked murders, terrorists and politicians in the eyes and intimidated them to her will. She's climbed to the highest rank of the bureau for anyone her age and spent a year traveling every war zone on the globe studying leadership. But here she was, at the mercy of these people to forgive one of her most embarrassing weaknesses. It's just snow! Snow that makes roads slippery. Roads that cause accidents that kill men, men like her father.
Morgan had no idea what to do but he couldn't let her keep feeling as she did so he made a suggestion for the boys to go find some of the board games Tabby brought and took her into the kitchen to grab some more coffee. "Are you ok?" He asked once they finally seemed to be out of the death grip of everyone there.
Penelope seemed to have mastered watching them without their noticing so she whispered some of what she saw to Aaron. She loved that he was getting just as curious, sneaky and conniving. She brought out a side of him she only rarely ever saw before. "He's pretty close to her. Oh! He just put his arm around her side." Admittedly she did feel a sense of wonder at her dear Derek potentially cheating on a woman he loves. But then, if he loved her why hadn't they all met her? There has to be a reason and she knows there is a secret still out there. But in the meantime, until she can corner him she was content in watching Derek pat her new friend's hair and to see Tabby look around with suspicion before kissing his cheek.
Definitely something going on there.
-Criminal Minds—
"You know, Chionophobia is quite rare among our generation. In fact less than two percent of the population…" Reid was let to ramble for a while on the statistics of Tabby's snow phobia as the two watched everyone else building a snow fort from the safety (Tabby) and warmth (Reid) of the kitchen. "I am surprised that you are handling watching this so well."
Tabby turned to him, aware the conversation ball was in her court. She liked the genius just a year younger than herself. He was less innocent and helpless than the team treated him, especially her Derek, but he did have a youthful charm about him nonetheless. "I have been in therapy for it for years. I managed this whole winter to be alright, to not scream when the last storm hit. But this is sort of undoing me. Had you all not welcomed me here I really don't know what I would have done." She was abundantly grateful to Rossi, and a little surprised he hadn't yet asked her to return a favor. He was entitled and she had the ability, and was willing.
Reid shifted to lean more against the counter to prolong watching his son making a snow woman that looks like Tabby. "I think Henry has a little crush on you."
Tabby snorted. "He's adorable, really. You've really adjusted to fatherhood nicely." She could have slapped herself, she wasn't supposed to know about all that.
He eyed her curiously, wondering whether or not his parental skills have been making it to his personnel files or not. "Um, when you say—"
Penelope started flagging down everyone outside for attention while she clutched her open cell phone to her ear and caught Tabby and Reid's as well. "Everyone inside! We have a case!"
Everyone dropped what they were doing and turned to her. "A case?" Hotch asked, wondering if he was going to get in on this and just how they could do it being snowed in. It was still coming down pretty hard and they only managed to get outside for fifteen minutes solely for the purpose of giving the boys something to do. Poor Henry was about at his shoulders deep in the snow if he wasn't walking on the parts frozen solid.
Pen nodded and pulled Henry and Jack with her towards the house where everyone followed. After discarding boots and jackets, mittens and hats everyone gathered in the kitchen after shooing the boys into the play fort.
"Ok." Penelope started. "Strauss called me with the urgent news about my new team. She knows we are snowed in but we have to do as much as we can from here. Aaron, she gave you a temporary reinstatement of your position because this is all hands on deck."
Aaron nodded, glad he wasn't going to be cast to the sidelines like Dave right now. He didn't think he could handle inaction because he was worried at the look on his fiancé's face. Something is going on and he needs to solve it for her. "What's going on? What's the case?"
Penelope noticed Dave and Tabby stand back against the wall, watching but not interacting since neither was really supposed to be involved in this. She was sure Tabby had clearance and she knew for sure no one would tell Dave to walk away entirely in his own house even if he shouldn't be privy to any official business. "Since I haven't been cleared for field work again one of the other techs was taken with my team to Los Angeles. The problem is that one of the team stayed here as his wife just delivered their baby two days ago. He, his wife and child were shot upon returning to their home just a few hours ago. A note was left. This is the genius of Tucker Napoli. You should know, because I cut their tongues with a ten blade." She nearly vomited reading that. "Strauss tells me that Farnsworth Mental Health Penitentiary in Manassas reported that former unsub, Tucker Napoli, has escaped as of late last night."
Dave's gut was telling him that this team should run for the hills from this situation and he had no idea why. Also, he had no right to say anything. His resignation was finally processed and once again he is in retirement. He shouldn't even be listening but of course, he is.
Aaron noticed Dave's discomfort and decided he would look into that later. "Honey, could you access anything from here on that case? I assume the other team isn't available to comment?"
Admittedly, Penelope was nervous because she hadn't expected she would ever work on an active case with Aaron again. She was thrilled in some respects but terrified in others. What if their relationship did get in the way? What if he saved her when he should be saving some innocent child? She had to steel herself mentally for a few minutes so she took the opportunity while she popped open her laptop which she hadn't expected to need to use but brought anyhow just for iTunes.
She checked and had no signal from the wifi since most of the electric was dead but she was able to use her wireless LAN card and get remote access. "Half the team is in the middle of a murder trial and the rest are actively pursuing a serial child rapist. So, no they can't be reached as of right now. Just tell me what you need my dear, I am sure I can get the profile from before."
Tabby watched them carefully as the room suddenly grew cold. This was the perfect opportunity to observe them in the middle of a personal/professional crossover of their relationships. Perhaps after this weekend she could adequately pull her plan into action. That would be nice, she is sick of hiding Derek from everyone. They did actually have sex last night, but had to do it on the floor to avoid the creeks of the bed and with a sock in her mouth to stifle her overly vocal responses to his ministrations. Not being to openly cuddle with him or show any of the great emotions coursing through her when he is around was really starting to get to her. Not to mention that she could feel Emily's eyes on her and hoped that once the woman realized she was with Derek she wouldn't be worried about Rossi's past. They deserved to be together and she didn't want to ruin anything.
So she examined them, she watched as Penelope's eye bulged and set her fingers to work looking up every little thing she could find on Napoli. She watched Reid recite everything he could remember about the case, the interactions between him and JJ that spoke volumes both personally and professionally as they held hands for comfort out of JJ's obvious fear and yet vocally regarded the case with the same urgent and detached emotionalism which is the keystone of crime fighting.
"Here my well-endowed sex machine. Want me to read the profile off since you don't have tablets?" She said it all with a large smirk, now everyone knew that she called him that and that he was in actuality quite a lover.
Aaron licked his lips momentarily embarrassed and pleased that she actually crossed that line with him, even with Tabby here. "Sure. Reid, take careful notes."
Tabby appreciated hearing the explanation of the unsub and his former victims. She was never really a crime solver, always a structuralist… a bureaucrat through and through. Why she chose the FBI, well it was all because she could see just what monsters the people here put away and anything she could do to help that, she would.
Tucker Napoli was one of the other team's more complicated local cases, a genius almost approaching Spencer's IQ who had such an inferiority complex he ended up retaliating and killing anyone who served as a threat to what he regarded as his innate superiority due to his intelligence. This was particularly true of anyone with authority, and a family. All of his victims were parents of a young child, the father being the main target with their wives and child the objects which gave him the most value. He would kill him first and put the woman and child out of their misery after.
"It's not all that surprising really." Reid commented as he read the report Garcia found on how he likely escaped from the mental health detention facility. "He was an engineer and would have likely been familiar enough with the construction requirements on the facility to bore that hole in the library wall."
Hotch and Morgan were pacing the dining room where everyone was now beginning to gravitate to as a make shift conference room. "This is insane." Morgan complained. He didn't like this at all. His girl was going to have to see him delve into the mind of a serial killer and it was not something he wanted to subject her to. Yet, he knew it would have to happen and took a little comfort in that she was examining everyone as they worked yet he was the only one to notice. Maybe this will help speed up whatever it is she has to do.
Hotch agreed. "We certainly have restrictions in how to handle this. Let's just hope that the storm is slowing Napoli along as well. Breaking out took a lot of planning, careful timing and I am not convinced he wasn't waiting for a storm like this to paralyze us and the local police. But that doesn't mean he is going to fare quite well with the roads as they are."
Morgan looked to Rossi. "Do you think he is targeting only the team that put him away?"
Rossi shifted in his chair uncomfortably. "I um. I would love to talk about the case but you did already process my resignation. I'm not sure if I have clearance here." As he said it his eyes caught Tabby's and she understood at that moment she was about to cross a line she rarely does, especially as every eye slowly drew to her as they read the silent exchange between herself and Rossi.
Just great. He was calling in that favor. She was going to go over Strauss's head for a man she used to have a 'relationship' with in order to help the man she is in a real relationship with amongst the team that has crossed so many fraternization lines that even her astute ability to observe relationships is somewhat muddled.
She rolled her eyes internally and steeled herself. She wanted to just observe, she wanted nothing to do directly with the case or the personnel issues which are a part of her job she puts down. But, they did need this man to catch a killer. She took a deep breath to try to ignore the confused gazes of most of the group around her and in her most professional tone made her edict. "David Rossi, as of this moment I officially reinstate your status as Supervisory Special Agent. Penelope, could you please pull up his personnel records and indicate as much?"
Penelope was confused for a few moments. She knew very well that Tabby held a lot of power at the bureau but didn't realize that she had the power to bring Dave back to the badge so easily, without a disciplinary hearing or anything. She knew it had to be done officially though so that when they catch the unsub if there is any prosecution to take place it would be necessary for everything to be above board. Frankly, that should be going on anyhow, especially in light of everything over the last few weeks. "Um, sure." She went typing away. "Um, I am going to need your full legal name for this."
Tabby huffed. She enjoyed the single name experiment she had been running for over three years. It altered people's perceptions of her right from the get go, making some very uncomfortable and disarming others. That simple change of her identity had a vast array of effects which fascinated the psychologist within her. But, official paperwork still needs official signatures. "Alene Katz."
"Katz?" Emily quirked an eye brow before she snickered. "That's where you get Tabby? Tabby Katz?" She was actually, begrudgingly, starting to like her boyfriend's sort of ex as she nodded with a smirk of her own.
Aaron stopped in his tracks. He knew she looked familiar. "You mean Assistant Director Katz?"
Rossi, recognizing how uncomfortable this situation was for his former lover and how inopportune it was with the team finding this out when there was a case on the line and an obvious plan in action on her part interrupted, decided it was time he sway the focus back to the case. "Morgan, our unsub is highly intelligent and organized. I agree with Aaron that the snow should help in at least isolating the rest of the team that is in Los Angeles. The problem though is that our unsub obviously had a way to find the private addresses of those team members and worse, now that they aren't there he is likely to devolve."
Everyone in the room stopped when they heard that tone. Penelope looked to Aaron and she got that sinking feeling she never wanted when they were working a case. This was bad, very very bad. She raised her hand to try to jar everyone out of their sudden standstill as a realization obviously hit the profilers of the room. "Um, for those of us who can't read your mind. What does that mean?"
Aaron was stuck in an eye lock with Rossi. He didn't want to think about this, he didn't want it to be true. How could he cope? And on the first case everyone had since being open about their relationships! This was the worst timing. "Honey." He struggled to retain his calm because he knew full well what this meant. The unsub would have access somehow to figure out that their team had taken over. They were the authority which he must rebel against. And two of the male team members fit the description of his prime targets exactly. "If our profile is correct, Reid and I and our families are the new targets and this highly intelligent unsub is after us."
Tabby watched as everyone shared her same reaction, a large gulp. "Oh, shit."