Thank you to all who liked and followed 'Yellow Ribbons'. I really appreciate it, I'd love to see some reviews. Don't be shy! Chapter 4 will be up soon, it'll be a bit of a filler right before the S1 finale.

JJ went to go tell the Sheriff that it's better to use the locals to search for Cherish Hanson. After a while, Reid decided to join her. I stayed and discussed the case with Elle, my eyes every now and then trailing to Morgan.

I kept wanting to talk to him, but we never seemed to be alone together. I adjusted my light weight jacket and watched Elle bend to tie her laces.

"Are those cold weather boots? Didn't bring hiking shoes?" I asked her.

"Yeah, I don't have any," Elle laughs standing up, "These were the next best things," she kicked her foot out.

"We've got to get you better shoes. Running shoes would have been better,"

"A shopping spree after this trek in the woods, I'm game,"

Eventually, the locals showed up and we were split into groups.

"Alright, if you see anything suspicious, please bring it to my attention. Be thorough and don't rush," I shoved my hands into my pockets and turned to lead my group.

Keeping an eye out for anyone suspicious and anything suspicious was a bit difficult. I didn't stay in the front, mostly because I didn't know the land, but my group was mostly men and high schoolers. I didn't want to be caught off guard if anything went south.

One of the jocks came up to me, I noticed the way he smiled and by the quick look over his shoulder that I already knew how this conversation was going to go, it's how all these conversations go.

"So, you're an FBI Agent?" He asked.

"That's what my badge says," I replied, trying to keep my voice light.

"Think we're going to find Cherish?" He looked down at me, his eyes swimming with worry.

"I hope so, just keep your eyes out for anything that could help,"

"What happens if the guy who did this, attacks here?"

"He won't,"

"How do you know?"

"If he's here now, which he might be. He's not looking to start something he wants to interject himself into the investigation. It makes him feel in control. He won't try anything, but if he does for some odd reason, I'm here and so is Officer Stanley," I reassured him as I checked in a bush.

I heard him scoff, "I'm sorry, but you're going to protect us? I'm bigger than you,"

I rolled my eyes. Ah, there it was, "I also have hand to hand combat and I have a gun. Now if you don't mind I'm going to go back to searching for your friend and not worry about what I can and cannot do,"

I walked away picking up my pace. Ahead of me I could see Morgan's group and took this opportunity.

"Hey, Morgan," I called to him hiking up the slight hill.

He gave me a quick look over his shoulder before turning his attention back to the trail ahead, "Flynn, what can I do for you,"

"I just had a conversation with one of the jocks he surprisingly didn't hit on me," A nervous laugh escaped my lips, "but did question my, how would I put this? He wondered how intimidating I could be,"

Morgan looked down at me, I couldn't see his eyes behind his dark sunglasses. Why would he be wearing shades when it's overcast?

"Was there a question in there?"

"Oh, know any way I could be more intimidating?"

"Flynn," He stopped and turned his attention to me, "You're a 5'2" female who carries a gun and can read body language like you would a Dr. Seuss book, you're already intimidating,"

I stared up at him for a few seconds a bit nervous that I couldn't see his eyes.

"Is that why you don't like me?" My voice dropped and I cursed, what happened to my confidence? I was so scared to hear his answer. I didn't want to be disliked by anyone.

Morgan let out a laugh and he smiled at me, "You're serious? Flynn, I do like you, I don't have a problem with you I just-,"

"Just what? See me as someone smaller than you that you need to protect, like you are with Reid? I don't need your protection, granted it may be needed in some situations, but don't look at me like I'm somebody weaker than you, based off my size. Like you said, I can read body language pretty well, and I figured you out from the get go," My anger took ahold of me and didn't let go until the last word left my lips.

"Don't profile me," Morgan threatened, his lips thin and his jaw tense.

"Oh, it isn't just you, it's everybody. It's what I do, Agent Morgan. I observe everybody 24/7," I knew I needed to walk away and I quickly turned away from him, hiking up the hill.

After no luck with the search except a bloody note Elle found, the locals were sent home and we all gathered at the station. It's been hours now and the chances of finding Cherish alive were quickly diminishing. I tried not to let my annoyance with Morgan get the best of me, but Gideon picked up on it rather quickly.

He handed me a cup of coffee and I looked up at him. I was reviewing the case to help come up with a profile.

"What's bothering you?" Gideon asked sitting down in front of me.

"I don't want to talk about it,"

"If this was too early-,"

"No! It's not that. I have no problem being here, Gideon," I sighed and pushed the file away, "It's just I've gotten along with everybody, but Morgan. I'm not sure what I did to make him dislike me,"

"Flynn, you worry too much about a lot of little things and I know you've been trying to figure us all out since you joined. Morgan is a very straight forward guy, who feels the need to protect his friends,"

"Did I overreact when I scolded him earlier?" I grimaced now worried he really didn't like me.

"You scolded Morgan? Is that why he's been quiet? He's a big guy, don't worry about it, just get ready to help us solve this case," Gideon patted my shoulder as he walked away and I snuck a look at Morgan who was on the phone, his back to me.

I know now why Gideon kept me out of the field for so long, I worried about everything at once and if I didn't learn to silence this worry it was going to cause problems.

I sipped my coffee and looked over the case now trying to come up with best apology ever.

"They're ready," JJ announced.

I perked up and stood next to Reid as Hotch began with the profile.

"Contrary to popular belief, there has never been a proven case of satanic ritual killing. Never a verified human sacrifice. Having said that, there have been isolated cases of animal sacrifice…and many, many cases of vandalism in the name of Satan."

Morgan spoke next from his seat on the desk near Elle as I listened to him explain it to the room I looked over at our audience. The Sheriffs boy was still here listening intently. Reid did say he was interested in becoming a profiled. I moved onto to a few of the other men until Cory spoke up.

He said he knew somebody who fit our profile.

The music was loud and clear when we pulled up the house. Cars blocked the driveway and trees moved about in the wind.

Flashlights up and guns out we ventured into the property. It wasn't even a house really, there were so many mismatched pieces that it looked rundown.

I got into position by the second front entrance next to Morgan who nodded, and I pulled the door open following him into the house.

"FBI! Don't move! Where's Zizzo?!"

"Hey, keep your hands up!" I hollered at one of the male teens.

The Sheriffs took point on the teenagers and we followed Morgan past a beaded archway to find the man we were looking for.

Zizzo was the epitome of the punk ass kid in high school. Dark kohl liner rimmed his eyes, his black painted fingers were held up high as he raised his arms, a weird menacing smile spread across his face as he looked at all of us.

Morgan detained him and Elle and Hotch hauled him off to the SUV. I holstered my weapon and wiped my hands on my jeans. The drugs in the air were beginning to cling to my hair.

"Send the kids home, we don't need them," I told one of the deputies.

"But-,"

"Hey, we got our guy. Send them home like she said," I could feel Morgan's presence behind me.

The man looked between us two before telling the teenagers to go home. Hotch needed us to stay here until they came bank.

As the house grew quieter I walked around. It was such a cliched hangout. All the writing on the wall, the booze and drugs strewn about started me thinking that these teenagers and this Zizzo guy were all talk and no bite. There'd be some signs of satanic rituals or sacrifices somewhere. So far there was none of that. Just poorly vented house with odd sayings written about. After about ten minutes I headed back outside.

"Guys, I don't think Zizzo did this. He's just an obsessor of this satanic bullshit. We missed something," I explained just as a car came fast down the driveway, and Cory ran up to us asking about Cherish.

My hand immediately went to my weapon just like Morgan's did and as we listened to him speak, I began to suspect him. He fit the profile and has been involved from the beginning.

"Did you check all over?

"We searched the whole house," Reid answered.

"What about the outbuilding?"

"Outbuilding?" Morgan repeated his brow furrowed as he watched Cory.

"Why didn't you mention this before, Cory?" I asked.

"I thought Cherish would be here with Zizzo. It's like a sluice structure or something. He took me there once. It's this way," Cory bolted past us into the woods.

All three of us exchanged looks and followed. It was a short hike up a hill towards the back.

"Morgan-," I began.

"I know," He cut me off.

I nodded and followed him through the trees, Morgan pushed branches out of our way until we reached another trail.

"It's up here. This is their secret place." Cory announced almost happily.

I watched him closely, taking in his back and forth teetering on his feet and the way his tongue had licked his lips four times already, his eyes darting back and forth between us like he was anticipating something, or was excited. I stayed close to Reid as Morgan turned on his flash light pointing it towards the house.

"Reid, Flynn, check this out."

In large spray painted letters was LOD along with a pentagram.

Morgan checked underneath the stairs before walking up them, I followed leaving Reid outside with Cory.

"Stay here."

Once we were far enough away that I knew I wasn't going to be heard clearly, I spoke, "It's him,"

"I know," Morgan agreed after checking the other side.

"She's in there," sadness creeped into my voice, I hate when kids were killed.

He nodded and followed me inside, the door was conveniently left open. I shined my light inside landing on a pair of sneaker clad feet. There before us bloody and beaten laid a dead Cherish Hanson. Morgan seemed bothered by the dead body. I knew I was going to see her in my nightmares. I quickly jotted down her name in my journal for later.

"Why didn't we see it earlier?"

"I think we weren't expecting it to be him, but the minute he drove up he all but told us," Morgan said.

"She looks to be dead for a few hours. He must've killed her right away. Probably right before we met him," I stood up from examining the body. Her poor mother, I thought shaking my head, "Ok, how do you want to play this?"

"Just follow my lead,"

Morgan walked ahead of me, leading me down the stairs to an over dramatic, frantic Cory.

"She in there? Is she alright?"

"She's inside," I spoke up sitting down on the stairs and rubbing my temples. Morgan simply walked past the boy and Reid.

"Was she dead?"

Morgan ignored him and tried to get a signal on his cell. Cory looked at Reid then at me, I almost believed the hurt and devastating look on his face.

"Reid, I want you to go to the house and see if the deputies have come back."

"What?"

"We need the Sheriff and the crime scene team here." Morgan didn't take his protests and ordered him to go back. I kept an eye on Cory who was frowning, scrunching his face up, but not actually crying.

"I can't-I can't believe- Cherish." Cory muttered.

"I'm sorry about your friend."

"I saw her the other day. It was a pep rally." Cory told Morgan who looked up at me when Cory looked back down at his feet.

Morgan sat down next to me on the stair case, a bit in front of me, his feet wide and his body not fully relaxed as he turned his attention back to Cory.

"Reid tells me you've read all the profiling books," Morgan began.

Cory actually smirked, "I'm actually kinda hoping to be one of you guys someday," He looked at us and Morgan laughed.

"Are ya? So, then you know what profilers do? You know that we look at a crime scene from a different perspective than regular cops, right? We look for more than just the evidence,"

I spoke up, leaning forward, "We try to pick up on the behavior of the killer. Like with this particular UNSUB would be classified as a disorganized killer,"

"Sounds like Zizzo, doesn't it?" Cory was trying so hard to have Zizzo take the fall, but there goes his tongue again darting between his lips. He was getting anxious.

"It does, but sometimes a disorganized killer only looks disorganized. Sometimes it's actually an organized, and smart person. Somebody who can manipulate a crime scene to make it look like somebody else did it," I explained to him.

"Based off that, we have to look for someone who might put themselves right in the middle of the investigation so he can influence things,"

Morgan stood up, "Especially if he knows exactly what it is we're looking for," Speaking directly to Cory.

Cory moved from the tree and Morgan threw a quick glance back at me before turning towards the boy. I stood and I unclipped my gun, ready to draw if needed.

"I mean, he wants to control this, right? Hmm? And that would extend to discovery. Wantin' the body found when and especially where he wants that body found."

Cory's back was to Morgan, but that last sentence got his attention and he turned to look him in the eye, "You mean me?"

"This was more than just a lucky guess, wasn't it?"

Shaking his head as if to convince us of his innocence, "I knew about the building,"

"You also knew about Zizzo and the satanic rituals," I told him.

"I was only trying to help," He shot back.

"Well, you did that. We couldn't have found this place without you,"

The air was tense and my body hot as I watched him realize we figured it all out. My hand was still on my gun.

"Hey, Morgan, Flynn, no one's up there." Reid announced coming from the tree line, he didn't even observe the tense situation beforehand just walked right in the path of Cory. Everything happened in a split second.

"Reid! Reid!" Morgan hollered as Cory pulled a gun and grabbed Reid.

I moved closer, gun raised, to stand by Morgan.

"Cory! Put the gun down!" I demanded.

"This got all messed up,"

"Don't be stupid."

"She wasn't supposed to be with him. It was his run. He runs it every day, not her,"

"Cory, listen to me. We can fix this," Morgan said.

"Just let Reid go, Cory," We began to inch closer as he inched back.

"I never meant to hurt her. But make no mistake, I will shoot your boy right here,"

"No, you won't," Morgan deadpanned. I glanced at him, my heart was beating a mile a minute and he seemed so calm.

The sound of the gun cocking had me gasp. Seeing Reid with a fully loaded gun to his head was one thing, but hearing that gun cock was drastically worse.

"Tempt not a desperate man. Put the gun down!" He screamed.

"Ok, alright you win," Morgan raised his hands taking his gun off Cory.

"Morgan!" I exclaimed.

"You too, lady!"

"Do it,"

I obliged and slowly began to lower my gun.

"Drop it. Drop the gun!" Cory was desperate now probably trying to figure out how to get himself out of this or how to charm his way through the trial either way, he was becoming more desperate and unorganized with every second.

"Ok. Ok. You win. I'm putting the gun down," I watched Morgan's gun fall to the floor and I reluctantly did the same. Here we stood with our hands up and I hoped this was a part of his plan.

"You're in control, Cory. Let him go,"

"For the evil is man's best force. Man must become better and eviler," Reid who was silent this entire time rattled off a quote.

"What?"

"That's what it's about, right? Zarathustra? The Superman? There's no moral obligation for killing someone if you're superior to them? But Nietzsche was speaking metaphorically about evolving as a species," Reid rambled.

"You're just a horny kid who wanted to get rid of the cheerleader's boyfriend," Morgan spit at him, his voice filled with a tone of fact.

"No."

"Yes."

"That was never my intent-,"Cory was angry now to be belittled into just a horny teenager lusting after a girl, made him turn his weapon to Morgan and Reid took his opportunity.

There was a struggle and Morgan tackled them both, a gunshot firing off as Cory hid the ground. I rushed over to Reid while Morgan struggled with Cory before decking him hard across the face.

"Are you alright?" I asked him. Reid smiled at me and nodded.

"What happened?"

"Him bringing us down here was way too much of a coincidence," Morgan responded.

"No, I got that. Did you have to tackle us both?"

I laughed. A loud boisterous laugh, "Scared your soft skin is going to bruise?" I asked Reid taking his arm to help him up.

"You're welcome, Reid," Morgan chuckled looking over his shoulder at me, "Good job, Flynn."

"I'm just glad it wasn't me in Reid's spot, he would have had a better grip on me that's for sure," I glanced at the resident genius, "How are your knees from bending down? Any muscle spasms?" I asked trying to hold in my laughter.

"Shut up, Flynn,"

Cory was taken into custody and we all said our goodbyes and we were up in the air within the hour. I was so glad my first case was only a short trip back to Quantico.

With heavy feet, we all went our separate ways to our vehicles.

"10 am tomorrow!"

"Thank God," Morgan hollered raising his first high in the sky with triumph. I laughed at him stopping at my vehicle.

He placed his duffel bag on top of his car and turned to me, "Flynn?"

"Hmm?" I frowned seeing the seriousness on his face, "Morgan, what's up?"

"I'm not trying to make you feel weak. You're not in any way weak. You're a strong woman with a strong mind and I don't want you to think I think less of you,"

I stared at him as he stepped closer to me, "I've known you for years now and I respect that you want to be in the midst of everything, I just don't want to see you hurt," his voice was soft and his body language was relaxed.

"I should be apologizing to you, Morgan. Not the other way around," I smirked up at him.

"It's no sweat,"

"No, I'm really sorry for how I spoke to you, it was uncalled for,"

"It was a defense mechanism," Morgan said.

"What?"

"You always assume people will say something to you because you're smaller than everybody else, you've probably been self-conscious of it your whole life, so you get defensive right off the bat," He explained.

"Now who's profiling who? Just accept my apology and go home, it's almost 03," I laughed hitting him playfully in his arm.

Morgan smiled down at me, chuckling, "Apology accepted, Miss Elise,"

"Oh, first name basis now? Wow, and all I had to do was get tough with you," I smiled, trying to stifle a yawn noticing we were the only two in the parking lot.

Morgan leaned into me nudging me with his arm, "Too tired to drive?"

"I should be fine," I responded pulling out my keys and trying to fit them into the lock, "My darn contacts,"

"Ah, ah, ah! Give me those, get in the passenger side. I'll drive you home," Morgan said, taking my keys from me he guided me over to the passenger side of my car.

"Fine," I mumbled grabbing his duffel off his car and climbed in after he got in and started the engine.

"Sleeping over, am I?" Morgan wiggled his eyebrows at me as he pulled out into the road.

I rolled my hand to look at him, "Ha, ha, Derek. Now, drive and take me home, if you're too tired I have a couch, we'll get breakfast or something in the morning before work. I know this great place off the corner of my street, they make the best buttermilk pancakes. Even have the best homemade jam too-,"

"Elise,"

"Hmm?"

"You ramble when you're tired," he laughed.

"Sorry, I'm just really looking forward to breakfast,"

"Let me get this straight, we're on a first name basis, and now we're driving back to your place for a sleepover and there's a guaranteed breakfast in the morning? Woman, where have you been all my life,"

"Shut up, Morgan," I sneered before laughing, "Just drive,"

"Where to, Miss. Daisy?"

I smiled at him and stayed awake to give him directions to my apartment. Once inside I found him some sheets, blanket and a pillow, gave him a mini tour, said goodnight, and nearly passed out before I was fully dressed in my pajamas.

Being in the field was such an exhilarating rush, but I did know one thing: I'd have to up my caffeine intake.

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