Disclaimer: Criminal Minds and all its characters belong to CBS. I own nothing. I do not own anything you recognize.
AN- Just a heads up. I have a black belt seminar Saturday and then testing the Saturday after that so updates may be a little slower.
Previously on Criminal Minds- Frowning, Rossi turned to look out the window. He'd let that revelation go for now. But once this case was finished, he was sitting down with Aaron and getting him to talk.
CM
Hearing the ding of the seatbelt sign, Hotch sighed. He was more than ready to get out of the cramped space and into somewhere a little quieter. Their trip had been anything but. As soon as the seatbelt sign had gone off, Morgan had pulled out a ping pong ball and tossed it to Reid. The two had happily played catch, or more like fetch since Spencer rarely ever caught the ball, for a good while. In fact, they would probably still be playing if one of Reid's throws hadn't gone off course and bounced off Prentiss's head. Emily had pounced on her tiny attacker setting off a round of wrestling which eventually devolved into a tickling war. JJ had joined in at that point and the four federal agents had rolled and wrestled on the floor like little kids until they were all breathless from laughter. That's when Derek had gotten the idea for a new, slightly calmer game. He'd grabbed an empty coffee cup out of the cabinets and set it on the floor at one end of the cabin. The four had then started taking turns attempting to bounce the ball into the mug while doing whatever they could to psych the other players out.
Turning in his seat, the BAU leader looked back at his agents, who were still engrossed in their made up game of hole in one. He hated to break up their fun but he had no choice. "Seatbelts, people" he called.
"Coming Hotch" Morgan hollered back. Grabbing the cup and ball, he walked over to his seat and sat down. He helped Reid climb up into the seat beside him and then fastened both their seat belts. "Just so you know, Pretty Boy I expect a rematch on the way home."
"You'we on!" Spencer agreed, holding onto the arm rests as the jet began its decent.
"Count me in, too" Emily chimed in. "I'd love another chance to whoop your ass."
"Hey, you just got lucky." Morgan pointed out, pointing an accusing finger at the young woman.
"Luck had nothing to do with it." Prentiss countered. "I'll have you know I was the ball toss queen at every little two bit carnival that rolled into town."
"Weally? What did you do wif all the goldfish?" Reid curiously questioned.
"I gave some away to friends and traded others for stuffed animals other kids had won." Emily casually explained. Seeing her friend's surprised looks, she shrugged. "What? It's not like I could keep them all. There's only so much room in a fish tank, you know."
Derek nodded. "We know, but that's not what threw us off." He replied with a wicked grin. "We just never pictured you as the stuffed animal type."
"Oh shut up" Emily groaned, throwing a crumpled piece of paper at her tormentor. Seeing the glint in the muscular man's eyes, she groaned, knowing she was in for it.
"Alright children, break it up." Rossi instructed. "Playtime is over. It's time for you to act like the grown federal agents you are."
"Yes dad" Morgan and Prentiss chorused before bursting out laughing.
"Ha ha" Dave grumbled. Wanting to get everyone back on task, he turned to Hotch. "So, what's the plan, boss?"
"Well, considering the fact that it's almost eight at night and we still have at least a half hour drive ahead of us, I'm thinking we'll get set up, talk to the lead detective about any new developments, and then head to the hotel." Hotch informed the others. "We can go over the information and start working on the profile from there."
"Hotch is right. The town we're going to is very small. They probably roll up the sidewalks at dusk." JJ added.
"What about supper?" Morgan asked, snickering as Spencer's stomach chose that moment to growl.
"We'll stop at one of the restaurants in this city before driving to our destination." Aaron declared as he unfastened his seat belt and stood.
"That's the best idea I've heard all day." Dave stated. Grabbing his file and one of the blankets from the long couch in the front of the cabin, he walked through the curtain.
"Me too" Spencer echoed. The tiny agent threw his diaper bag strap over his shoulder and hurried after the older man.
Smiling at the rambunctious toddler's actions, the team of profilers quickly gathered their things before following the boy off the jet.
CM
The BAU strode into the old brick building that housed Sanders City's police force. Spotting a lone officer sitting behind a desk, they walked over to the young man.
Officer Stubing glanced up as the door to the station squeaked open. He gasped as he took in the group of well-dressed strangers. Deducing that they were the FBI agents his boss had told him about, the new recruit swiftly jumped up and stood at attention. "S-sirs, ma'ams" he nervously greeted. "You must be the BAU team. Captain Bellows has been expecting you. He had Earl and me set up a room for you earlier. I'll just go tell him you're here."
"Just a minute" Hotch called, putting out a hand out to stop the twenty-three year old from leaving. "How about showing my colleagues to the room first? Then Agent Rossi and I will accompany you to the Captain's office."
"Oh okay, right this way" Hal replied before turning on his heel and hurrying down a dimly lit corridor.
Shaking their heads at the officer's behavior, the team of profilers followed the rookie through a short hallway and into their temporary headquarters. The room they stepped into was a far cry from what they were expecting. Given the size of the station, the group had assumed their room would be no bigger than a postage stamp. Thankfully, that was not the case. The officer's lounge was spacious. They had more than ample room for their work.
Nodding his approval, Hotch glanced at his team. "Rossi, come with me." He ordered. "The rest of you set up the room."
"Yes siw" Reid answered. He took the blanket from Rossi and scanned the layout of the room before scurrying over to a battered, leather sofa. Unfolding the cover, the tiny agent carefully spread it over the floor beside the couch. He smoothed it out and then tottled over to the box Morgan had brought inside. Reaching in, he pulled out a cylinder shaped object and rushed back to the couch. Plopping down on the blanket, the toddler unrolled the puzzle mat. He patted it down before arranging his map and markers on top of it. Pushing himself up, Spencer took a step back and surveyed his work. Satisfied with the placement of his things, he went over to JJ and Emily, who were placing victim photos, stats, and crime scene pictures on the board. Picking up a handful of photos, he started handing them to Prentiss.
Twenty minutes later Hotch and Rossi walked back into the room. "Have you gotten everything set up?" Aaron questioned.
Prentiss nodded. "We just finished."
"Let's call it a night then. I told Captain Bellows we'd be in first thing in the morning." Hotch informed the others.
The team quickly made their way out of the police station and to their waiting SUV. Climbing inside, they fastened their seat belts and started for the hotel.
CM
A short time later, the weary team trudged down the hotel corridor to their homes for the next few nights. Stopping at their respective rooms, the profilers used their key cards to open the doors and then walked inside. After dropping off their go bags in their rooms, they gathered in Hotch and Reid's room to go over the evidence and begin work on a profile. Sitting on the queen sized beds, the group opened their folders and set about their work.
Catching Reid knuckling his eyes, Hotch glanced down at his watch with a frown. It was more than an hour past the boy's bedtime. Sighing, the surrogate father dropped his folder on the bed and shuffled into the bathroom. He plugged the tub and turned on the taps before setting out everything his youngest agent would need. Going back into the main room, Aaron sifted through Reid's go bag. After pulling out the toddler's pajamas and a pull up, he walked over to the bed. "Bath time Spencer" he announced, handing the boy his night clothes.
"What?" Reid squeaked. "Hotch, I tan't…" The expression on his boss' face immediately silenced him. "Yes siw" Sliding off the bed, he trudged into the bathroom and shut the door.
"You need any help in there?" Morgan called out.
"No fants!" Reid hollered back.
Grinning, Derek turned his attention back to the case files. They had a killer to catch.
CM
Spencer shuffled into the room and slowly climbed onto the closest bed. Pulling his folder towards him, he opened it with a yawn. The youngster startled as a plastic cup filled with a red colored liquid appeared in front of him. Looking up, he saw a stern faced Hotch staring down at him. "What's fat fow?" he curiously asked, reading the label on the bottle in the BAU leader's hands. "I don't haf a told."
"I'd like to keep it that way." Aaron softly replied. Seeing the boy open his mouth to protest, he shook his head. "Just humor me, alright?"
"O *yawn* tay" Spencer reluctantly responded. He took the measuring cup from Hotch and quickly gulped down the medicine, sticking his tongue out at the nasty taste.
"Here Spence" JJ offered, giving the toddler a bottled water. "This'll help."
Grabbing the bottle, Reid took a huge drink. "Fants JJ" he gratefully said.
"You're welcome, Sweetie" JJ replied, taking the water and setting it on the nightstand. Seeing the littlest agent focus his attention on the folder in front of him, the media liaison went back to her work.
"Alright, what do we know so far?" Hotch asked several minutes later.
"We have four victims, different ages, races, and genders. There are also four different causes of death. The only things tying them together are the scrawled note at each scene and the fact that they were all teachers." Rossi recited.
"But none of them taught the same grade. And they all taught at different schools and in different districts." Prentiss brought up.
"Considering the message at the scenes and the changes in grades, it sounds like a disgruntled parent or student." Morgan theorized. "Especially with the teachers being at different schools. A peer wouldn't be moved that many different places but a child might."
"True, but what would be the motive?" Rossi questioned.
"Maybe they're blaming the teachers for something that happened to their child." Emily theorized.
"Could be" Hotch agreed. "What else?"
"Ahh Hotch, I think we need to end our research for the night." JJ suggested, pointing to the bed.
Looking down, Aaron found Spencer sacked out on top of his case file. "I think you're right." He said with a smile. He turned down the covers before gently picking the toddler up, settling him in the bed, and tucking him in. "We'll finish this in the morning."
"Night Hotch" Rossi whispered as he gathered up his papers. He stuffed them into his folder and then crept over to the bed. Leaning over the sleeping toddler, he kissed the boy's forehead. "Night buddy"
After saying their goodnights to Hotch and Spencer, the rest of the profilers filed out of the room.
As soon as the last person left and the door was locked, Aaron swiftly changed clothes and slid into bed beside his sleeping charge. Smiling when the toddler snuggled into his side, he threw an arm around the tiny boy. "Sleep tight, Spencer" he whispered before shutting his eyes and drifting off to sleep.
AN- That was a little on the boring side but its setting up the case and the next chapter. Hope it wasn't too bad.