A remake of the episode of "What Happens at Home" and Ashely's first appearance, plus a surprise appearance from someone we love.

Again, remember, some dialogue in the first part of this comes directly from the episode and is NOT MINE :)

The case started out just like any other one. Without JJ there to present the case, Aaron was the one to do it, standing at the front of the room as everyone filed in. Spencer took his seat at the table, eyes on their Unit Chief as the man explained what was going on. "Three women were murdered inside a gated community in southeastern New Mexico in the last two months." He told them, clicking his remote until pictures of the women came up.

"All three inside." Derek said.

Aaron nodded at them. "Marjorie West was strangled in her home in the middle of the night while her family was out of town. They found her the next morning. Jill Long was strangled in the laundry room while her husband and sons were camping in the backyard. And last night, Aubrey Jacobs was killed in her home office while her daughter and husband were asleep in the house."

"Occupied dwellings is as high-risk as it gets." Derek pointed out.

"And he's fearless." Spencer said. The Unsub had to be, to attempt kills like these.

"Proximity, the chance he might get caught…" Emily shrugged, tilting her head a little. "That could be part of it for him."

"You said gated community. I'm assuming that means security?" Spencer asked. Most gated communities had some form or another of security. It was part of the appeal.

Again, Aaron nodded. "A small security staff and perimeter cameras. Everything's recorded 24-7 and no one has entered or left the compound since last night except residents. It looks like the Unsub is part of the community. The local Detective says that demographics, general makeup, and socioeconomic status of the residents is essentially the same."

That brought out more than a few winces. "That's going to make a profile difficult." Emily pointed out.

"Unless we examine a different set of parameters." Aaron said.

Three heads turned towards him. Derek was the one to ask what was on everyone's mind. "Different parameters?"

"Rossi's working on that right now." Aaron said.

The way he said that left Spencer feeling just slightly nervous.

They didn't have to wait long to find out what those 'different set of parameters' was. Spencer was making himself a cup of coffee when he saw a new woman walk into the BAU. Young, blond, carried herself like an agent, yet nervous too. He hadn't seen her here before. When he saw Aaron and Dave coming down from their offices and heading towards her, he felt no shame whatsoever in using his grace to extend his hearing just the slightest bit and listening in while he stirred sugar into his coffee to make it extra sweet.

"Ashley." Dave called out in greeting. When she got close, he smiled at her and then turned to gesture to Derek and Emily, both of whom had risen when she'd come over. "Agent trainee Seaver, Supervisory Special Agents Prentiss and Morgan."

Ashley was polite, smiling at them in greeting. "I've heard a lot about both of you."

"Well, I hope it was all good." Derek flashed her that charming grin of his and Spencer smothered the urge to snort. That would look a bit strange to those near him who didn't know he was listening to someone. He really didn't need to add to the image people had of him. They already thought he was strange. Standing by himself in a kitchen and snorting randomly would only cement that image even more. Pushing it down, he focused again, just in time to hear Ashley say "Very, sir."

"Anything specific?" Derek asked, sounding so serious and yet looking playful, all at the same time. "I mean about me in particular."

Though Spencer couldn't cut his friend off, Emily was there and she did so without hesitation. "Oh, please, don't encourage him."

Any more playfulness was cut off by Aaron. As always, he brought them back on track. "Agent Seaver is on loan to us from the academy while she's in remedial training with an injury."

"Concussion." Ashely explained when all eyes turned to her. "Hand-to-hand got a little out of control."

Finished preparing his coffee, Spencer gathered up his cup and started to make his way over to them. Standing on the sidelines and listening in was all well and good but he was curious about this woman and why she was here with their team. Did she have something to do with what Dave had been out doing earlier? As he got close, he heard Emily ask "How's the other guy?" which had Ashley making a mock sympathetic sound and answering "Don't ask."

Well, time for him to join the conversation. "I was remediated in the academy also." He said as he joined the group.

Humor curved Dave's lips. Still, polite, he held a hand out Spencer's direction. "Agent Seaver, Dr. Reid."

Ashley was more polite than most people. She didn't automatically assume anything at Spencer's statement. She was a little nervous, but nice, when she asked him "Um, what was your issue?"

More than one of his teammates' faces showed their humor at what they knew was coming. Grinning, Spencer shifted his cup in his hands and pretended to think about it. "What was my issue? Marksmanship, physical training, obstacle course, Hogan's alley, you know, pretty much everything that wasn't technically book related. They ultimately had to make exceptions to allow me into the field."

She hadn't looked worried before; she definitely did now. No one wanted to hear something like that about a person they might be working with.

Again, Aaron drew them back on topic. Only this time, his words stunned them all a little. "Agent Seaver's going to accompany us to New Mexico."

Surprise lit up Derek's face. "She is?"

"As a consultant." Aaron clarified.

"On?"

It was Dave who fielded that one. "She has a unique perspective."

This time it was Ashley who looked surprised. "They don't know?"

Shrugging, Dave gave her an apologetic look. "Well, we weren't sure how you wanted to, uh…"

A sigh slid from Ashley and her surprise faded to resignation. When she turned back to look at them, her face very clearly said she was prepared for just about any reaction. Spencer quickly understood why, before she even opened her mouth. It was screaming in her thoughts so loudly there was no way he couldn't hear it. Oh, wow. Okay. Things suddenly made a lot more sense. It did for the others, too, as she explained "Seaver's not my original last name. It's my mother's maiden name. Mine used to be Beauchamp. My father is Charles Beauchamp."

He couldn't exactly give away that he'd read her mind or anything like that, so Spencer played his part, something he was becoming scarily good at. "As in the Redmond ripper Charles Beauchamp?"

"That's him." Ashley said.

Spencer cast a look at his teammates. "He killed twenty five women over ten years in rural north Dakota. I think that you caught him, right, Rossi?"

"Hotch was on that team, too." Dave said modestly.

Aaron picked up the conversation before anyone could say anything else. "Based on her life experience, we were hoping that Agent Seaver might recognize something in the family dynamics inside the community that could be helpful." He gave them no time to question it, just gestured for them to move. "We have a plane waiting."

Oh, this was going to be interesting.

Aaron pulled Spencer aside just before he would've got on the jet. Ashley and Dave were already on there and though Derek and Emily hesitated briefly, a look from Aaron had them heading on as well. Whatever his boss wanted to say to him, he obviously wanted to say it alone. Spencer stayed silent and waited until the others were on the jet. He didn't have to wait long after that. Almost immediately, Aaron started to speak. "I know this situation is uncomfortable to you, Reid. It's not ideal to have someone new on our team right now. But Agent Seaver's only going to be here for this one case, as a consultant, and then she goes back. Do you think you can handle her presence for the duration of the case?"

The obvious concern there warmed Spencer inside a little. Though Aaron's words seemed a bit gruff, maybe even harsh to someone that didn't know him, Spencer could feel the worry underneath it, and he knew that if he said 'No', Aaron would find some way to make it work, whether that be sending Ashley back, or having Spencer sit this case out.

A ghost of a smile touched Spencer's lips and he couldn't help the way his grace leapt out a little. It brushed against Aaron, invisible and yet felt, a warm press of emotions that showed his gratitude. The gesture was one that Spencer was surprised to find his team didn't ever seem to mind at all. After the first time it'd happened and he'd explained that it was just sort of habit, an angelic way of communicating emotion, they'd all assured him it was fine. Aaron didn't even blink under it now, though some of his tension did fade away. "I'll be fine, Hotch." Spencer reassured him verbally. "I can treat it like I do when we're around other officers."

"Good. And like normal, if you find something or need something, let me know. She doesn't understand our team and she won't question if you pull me aside to talk. Anything else, I can explain away."

Spencer was smiling as he followed his friend onto the jet.

Getting through the case was much simpler than Spencer had anticipated. So long as he treated working with Ashley the same that he treated working with any local law enforcement, it wasn't any real hitch at all. It wasn't like Spencer could talk about the things he saw or felt or heard right out in the open anyways. He could've spoken directly to the minds of his friends, but he doubted they'd be all that comfortable with it.

Unfortunately, a side effect of Spencer and Ashley being kept apart was that the archangel wasn't there when the young agent pulled a stupid move and went off alone to return a laptop to a victim's husband—a husband who just happened to be their killer. When she became trapped in there, when the husband finally snapped a little and trapped her in his house, there wasn't really anything that Spencer could do. Not with officers all around watching. It wasn't until they were in the SUV on their way to the house that Spencer could do anything. He'd made sure to ride with his teammates and no police officers, and to ride in the back where the tinted windows would hide him. As soon as they were on the way, he told Derek and Emily—the two in the front seat—"Be right back" and then he was gone.

It took only a thought to make himself invisible. When he landed in the house, no one could see him, nor could they hear him as he moved silently to where the voices were coming from. What he found had him grimacing. Ashley was backed up in a corner, the Unsub right in front of her with a knife to her throat, while all the while his little girl watched on. Spencer couldn't help himself. He wrapped one side of his wings around the child in an invisible protection she wouldn't even know was there.

Spencer hated standing there and just watching. All it would take was a bit of grace and he could have this whole thing taken care of. He could have the Unsub in cuffs, the child and Ashley downstairs, and memories wiped so that no one would remember him doing anything. Hell, he could even make it so that everyone thought Ashley had done it. But he wasn't about to do that unless it proved absolutely necessary. He had to trust his friends. His team. Even if it made his grace ache to stand here and watch as the Unsub fought between his urge to kill Ashley and the urge to shelter the daughter who was the only thing in the world he cared about.

Luckily, things didn't get too far. The team showed up soon enough and Spencer moved himself in just enough time for Aaron to come in the room and for Dave to take the little girl out. No longer needing to protect her, Spencer was free to spread out his wings and invisibly protect the ones he cared about the most. In the end, he didn't have to. Aaron did his job and when the Unsub moved towards him, he took him down.

Though he didn't know her well, there was no way Spencer could leave Ashley as the girl fought back her grief and the pain inside that threatened to claw its way out of her. He followed her outside as she made her way to the SUV's. It was easy to make himself appear in the back of the one just before she got to it. He debated only a moment before he let himself be visible. She didn't notice him at first when she sat down inside. Her grief and shock were too strong. She just stared at the seat in front of her as her breath shuddered in and out of her and a few tears escaped.

Long after Dave had shut the door behind her, long after she'd given in to the tears and let them silently stream down her face, Spencer stayed there. He stayed quietly in his seat and stared out the windows as she grieved, as the cocoon of shock slowly started to fade. He stayed there as she finally noticed his presence and as she tried to gather her composure.

Though she didn't know what it was from, Ashley found herself calming, found the pain fading little by little until the world finally stopped trembling around her. Until she felt like once more everything was steady underneath her and not threatening to pull her under. She never knew just how much of that she owed to the being beside her.

A few of them went out for dinner together when they got back. Mostly, Spencer knew, they were taking Ashley out. They all had their ways of coping after a case and this was one of them. Derek and Emily had cornered Ashley and Spencer both once they got off the jet and pretty much insisted that they go out. So, the four of them piled into cars, and they headed to the bar they all favored when it was the group of them. It was one that had music and dancing, which made Derek and Emily happy, as well as JJ and Penelope sometimes, but it also had plenty of seating for the others who liked to sit and chat and drink, and they also had a small menu with some pretty good food. All in all, it was the kind of place that catered to the likes of each team member in different ways, so it had sort of become the one they'd go to when together.

Only, when Spencer walked through the door tonight, there was something immediately different. Spencer wasn't sure what it was at first. Just, an energy in the air. Something that seemed only vaguely familiar. It wasn't angels. That was something he would've recognized right off the bat. But there was something here tonight. Something that was pretty damn good at masking its power. There weren't many things out there that were strong enough to even come close to hiding their power from an archangel. Spencer clamped down on his own shields that he knew kept him hidden, even from his family, and at the same time tried to reach out a little to search around him.

He'd gotten sucked into his search and hadn't realized that he'd literally stopped in place. He came back to himself a little when Emily's hand curled around his inner elbow and she tugged a little. The trust he had in her enabled him to just follow her lead and move his feet, knowing she'd get him safely seated somewhere. Sure enough, a moment later his legs were bumping against a chair. Spencer blinked his eyes clear and looked over to find that Derek was engaging Ashley in conversation, keeping her distracted, but his eyes kept sneaking looks at Spencer and his thoughts were fully of worry, and Emily was still right at his side watching him with a worry she carefully masked from Ashley.

Spencer drew in a breath and steadied himself. Then he gave Emily a small smile. Old manners came to the forefront and he pulled out a chair for Emily, offering her the seat right beside him. As she moved to take it, he leaned in enough to murmur to her "There's something here, I'm not sure what. Keep on alert. I'll let you know if we need to leave."

The light brush of her fingers against his arm before she let go told him that she'd heard and understood his message.

To the others, Spencer smiled, no signs of his worry showing through. "I'll go up to the bar and get our drinks. Morgan, Emily, the usual?" At their nods, he turned to Ashley. "And for you?"

"Oh, ah." She hesitated only briefly before he could actually see her make the decision to relax. "Long island iced tea."

"Delicious choice. I'll be right back with those."

He was halfway to the bar when he felt a tiny little change in that faint presence. It wasn't much, just a small flare of power, yet it was enough. It was more than enough. All of a sudden the familiarity of what he'd been feeling became clear. It hit him, hard enough to actually make him stumble, and he knew his eyes were wide as they darted around the room in an effort to locate that presence, to find…there! Spencer had to fight not to let his shields slip. His grace was dancing inside of him with a joy he hadn't felt in so, so long. There, seated at a stool at the bar, was someone who Spencer hadn't seen in a long, long time. Someone he would recognize anywhere, though the body was different. It was a trick, he could see as he got closer, just a bit of power used to change the shape of the vessel, change the body, the gender.

Spencer didn't hesitate to walk right up to her, him. The woman was small, a petite thing with bright eyes and a flirtatious smile all framed by a cloud of brown hair, with pale legs that her miniskirt showed off perfectly. She was dressed to entice, most definitely, and entice she had. There were more than a few men, and even a woman or two, that were paying her attention, though all of her focus was on the man beside her. To the others, it probably looked like she was interested, like there was nothing she wanted more than this man. None of them could see what Spencer saw.

There were a few ways that Spencer could do this. He could be discreet, reach out in ways that no one else would even know were happening. He could move up and talk to her, let just a hint of his true self show so that the other would know. He could reach out, mind to mind.

But he had something else a bit more appropriate in mind.

With a thought, he locked down the bar, put a quick shield over the place so no one would be getting out, but no angels or anyone else would be able to see in. The one he was watching snapped to attention almost immediately at that, though they kept it well hidden. Then, as bright eyes were scanning the room, attempting to discreetly search out the one who had done this, Spencer lifted one hand and used a move he'd picked up from one of his favorite siblings. He snapped, and the whole room froze.

Instantly he felt the press of power against his when the other attempted to leave. It didn't work. There were very few who had the power to outmatch him and two of them were currently locked in a Cage while the other had vanished a long, long time ago.

Spencer strolled around the frozen bodies in front of him. His footsteps made a soft sound on the ground and it drew the other's gaze immediately. Spencer felt his lips curve up into a smile. He walked right up to them, stopping right in front of those pale, crossed legs, and looked down into a pair of eyes that were the same as they'd always been, no matter the vessel they were in. They weren't afraid, rarely ever had he seen them afraid, but they were wary. It was a look he didn't like seeing there.

Very carefully Spencer let his grace swell just enough to let himself be identified. He saw the shock hit and he smiled. "Hello, Gabriel. It's been a long time."