When they reach their room for the night JJ falls face first onto the bed. Emily pats her leg sympathetically and heads into the bathroom first. When she comes back after showering, JJ still hasn't moved. She lies down beside her and starts to rub her back.
"Baby, why don't you take a shower? It might make you feel better," Emily suggests.
"Nothing will make me feel better. I think I'm dying," JJ mumbles.
Emily chuckles. "You're not dying. Look, take a shower and I'll give you a back rub until you fall asleep. I'll have some Aleve and water waiting for you when you're done in there, okay?"
"Okay." JJ takes a deep breath and sits up. "Em, how long do you think it would take to drive home?"
Emily bites back a laugh, seeing that JJ is serious. "Days, sweetheart. Lots of days."
"Fuck." JJ pushes to her feet and stumbles to the bathroom.
Emily can only shake her head. When JJ comes out she looks like she's feeling a little better. She takes the Aleve and drops down onto the bed. Emily turns the lights out and crawls in beside her lover. JJ moans as Emily begins to rub small circles around her back. Feeling the tense muscles, Emily sits up and deepens her ministrations. After 15 minutes Emily leans down and whispers.
"Jennifer?" No answer. Emily smiles and kisses JJ's neck. "I love you, Jennifer."
The next morning Emily is finishing her coffee when Morgan arrives. Pulling her jacket closed she heads out and climbs in the SUV.
"Does it ever get warm up here?"
Morgan glances at her. "Do I look like Reid?"
Emily laughs. "Not last time I checked. How was bunking with him?"
"Do you know that guy spouts stats in his sleep? Bet you didn't know that the fourth Dr Who was—"
"Tom Baker, 1974-1981," she answers without thinking. Morgan's voice stutters to a stop and he slowly turns his head to see Emily blushing and scrunching up her face in embarrassment.
"My God, Emily, you really are a nerd!"
"I swear, Morgan, you ever breathe a word of this to anyone I will deny it."
Morgan busts out laughing, "Oh, Princess, this is way too good to keep to myself. It's just a matter of using it at the right time."
Emily just stares out the window knowing that someday Morgan will make good on his threat. They finally reach the parking area for the second overlook. They are the second vehicle to pull in. After a long hike they make it to the top. They had scanned the path on the way up and it didn't appear as trampled as the one they had seen the day before. Emily glances over the edge.
"Looks to be about a 20 foot drop into the river. No major rocks or anything that I can see." She turns back to Morgan. "It's a good place to drop someone."
"I wish that were a comforting thought. Let's check out the paths along the edge."
They head to the left first. Nothing jumps out at them as they scan the trail. They head back and take the second path. As they walk, Emily glances to her left and sees something that makes her stop. She bends down as if retying her hiking boot.
"Morgan, we're being watched from across the river."
He casually glances around, seeing the man across the way with the binoculars. When Emily stands, he pulls her close, as if they are a couple out for a romantic stroll.
"Isn't that where Runningwater said no one would want to go?"
"Yep."
"Then I think we have another place to check out."
"Definitely. Let's just see this to the end anyway."
"Okay."
The two continue along the path, keeping up the "happy couple" ruse since the man never stops watching them. Satisfied there are no clues to be found, the two head back down to their SUV. Emily pulls out her satellite phone.
"Hotch. No luck at the second overlook but we did see someone watching us from one of the places Cheryl said no one would go. We're going to check it out before coming in."
"Okay. Be careful, Em, this is the day he grabs someone and all the women have disappeared while out on a hike."
"Yeah, but they were all alone. I'm with Morgan. I'll be fine."
Emily disconnects, obviously angry. She stares at the phone. "Not to mention I'm a fucking FBI agent, Hotch, and I know there's a sicko out there hunting women."
"Good thing you hung up first, Prentiss," Morgan says.
"I'm just sick and tired of being treated like I need to be protected. It's insulting!"
"Hey, now, it's not like that. We all know you can take care of yourself. But we're a family. Tell me, if the guy was hunting black men would Hotch throw extra words of caution at me?"
Emily sighs. "Probably."
"He says it because he cares. We all do. Just forget about it for now and let's find the bastard," Morgan encourages. Emily just nods and stares out the window.
It takes them a little over an hour to reach the third place they want to check out and they realize they are going to have to hike some pretty rough terrain to get where they need to go. Morgan looks at Emily.
"It's like Cheryl said, no way you could drag a woman from here up to where we saw that guy."
Emily tilts her head to the side considering another option. "What if…what if he stalks from this side, later follows his prey, then dumps them on the other side."
Morgan considers it, then nods. "If that's the case, then Emily, he could have focused on you."
"If that's was the unsub we saw. Besides if he sticks to his schedule this is the day he takes someone. He hasn't had time to stalk me."
"Maybe. Look, let's just get up there and see what we can find."
The two head up the hill. About 20 feet into the brush they discover a wildlife trail that has been widened by man. Ax marks show where branches have been trimmed away. A machete had been used to cut back some of the brush.
"He could get a woman up this way," Emily points out.
Morgan nods. Thinking they may have found the unsub's trail, they move on with more caution. Emily snaps a couple pictures of the path to share with the team. When they finally reach the top they find a large cleared area. Morgan and Emily stare at the altar in front of them.
"This can't be good," Morgan mutters.
Emily snaps some more pictures then steps towards the altar. There is a book lying on top of it. She pulls off the leather gloves she had been wearing and pulls on a latex glove. She opens the book and starts to read.
Morgan walks around the perimeter of the area, looking for anything that points to the missing women. He is about to give up when he sees a piece of cloth under a small bush. He slips on a latex glove and pulls the cloth out. It's a tee shirt with the logo for a local bar and grill.
"Prentiss, I found a shirt. I'm pretty sure one of the victims was last seen wearing it." She doesn't answer. Morgan turns and sees her staring in horror at the book in front of her. "Prentiss?" He stands, putting the shirt in an evidence bag. He walks over to Emily. "What are you seeing?"
Emily slowly turns and looks at him. "He thinks he's saving someone, Morgan. He has killed these women to save someone else. He's delusional and he's on a mission."
Morgan takes a deep breath. "He's not going to quit until he feels he's finished his mission."
"We need to get this to back. He has notes on other people he is hoping to save. We need to figure out who these women are and who they need saving from."
Morgan nods. Emily takes the book and they quickly head back down to their SUV. Once they are on their way, Emily calls in with what they have found.
"I'm telling you, Hotch, it's his target list if we can just decipher it. It's a lot of rambling but I think some may be religious quotes."
"Then we better hurry. Another woman was reported missing an hour ago."
"We'll be there soon." Emily hangs up the phone and looks at Morgan. "He's already taken someone."
Morgan slams the steering wheel in frustration and pushes the gas pedal down a little more.