I love writing for you guys!! I also love writing this story. Sorry it's been so long. But you guys know what to do. Read and review.

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"Hotch, you wanted to see me?" Mac knocks on his door and Hotch looks up and waves her in.

"Yes Mac, come in. Close the door." Mac walks in the door and closes it behind her before walking further into Hotch's office. Hotch looks up to see Mac standing before him. Looking a bit nervous. Standing in a black v neck, jeans, and her classic faded red leather jacket. Her hands shoved in her pockets. Hotch couldn't help but to smile and offer her the chair in front of his desk.

"You're not in trouble. We have a case." Mac sits down and squints her eyes at Hotch.

"Isn't that usually for Garcia. And the rest of the team." Mac laughs lightly and Hotch hands her the file.

"I brought you in first." Mac opens the file and then looks up.

"Oh." Mac says and closes the file. "My mom called you in."

"She needs us in San Diego." Hotch stops and Mac chews on her cheek for a second before she catches Hotch staring. "I wanted to bring you in. See what you thought."

"But not because we aren't taking the case. You just want to know if you need to take me off the case." Mac says and Hotch stares for a second.

"Your mother is a good captain, and you're an excellent agent-"

"Hotch." Mac stops him. "She's a good captain. Having me there will not interfere with the case." Hotch nods and Mac hands him the file.

"Ok, let's bring the rest of the team in." Mac nods and stands up leading them both out of the room.

xxxxx

The team gathers in the round table room as Mac walks in slowly. Anxiety starts to build in her chest. She has to tell JJ... she needs to call her mom..

"Oh god." Mac runs her hand through her hair. Her family doesn't know that her and JJ's relationship has been a secret. She HAS to call her mom, but she needs to warn JJ before the briefing. As she walks into the room, she immediately sees JJ and takes a seat next to her.

"Hey." She greets quietly. JJ smiles and looks up from her tablet. JJ looks around before looking back down at her tablet.

"I missed you this morning." She says quietly and Mac also looks around before giving her a small smile. After Mac was hurt, JJ got used to staying at her apartment, falling into a nice routine. Work, Dinner, wine, sex, wake up and start it all over again. She loved every moment she has been having with her, every time consuming, breathtaking, sweaty moment with her.

"I had my check up." Mac reports and JJ looks up, her thoughts being cut short. "Arm is all good." Mac reports with a smile and JJ nods her head happy to hear that her girlfriend was cleared but also a little disappointed that their time living together was coming to an end.

"Hey I'm, about the case.." Mac starts but is interrupted when Hotch and the rest of the team start to file in.

"Ok everyone, let's get started" Mac leans back in her chair and let's out a breath.

"We are headed to San Diego. The San Diego police department has had a series of murders. All women, all mothers of two." Garcia clicks the slide show.

"Different races." Reid points out.

"He doesn't seem to care about race or age. The only thing these women have in common is they are married with kids." JJ points out.

"How many victims so far Garcia?" Rossi asks and Garcia clicks the slide show again.

"7." Garcia answers.

"Why did it take local law enforcement so long to reach out?" Derek asks.

"The captain.. captain Foster.." Garcia looks up at Mac.

"Oh my god. Mac, the captain is your mom?" Everyone looks over at Mac and she gives a tight smile.

"Yea, my mom." Everyone smiles and Mac looks at JJ who is giving a worried smile. JJ can hear her heart beating in her chest. Their worlds were colliding. Something they took into consideration when they started their relationship but ultimately felt it wasn't a huge risk.

"Wow, I haven't seen Stef in a while." Derek smiles and Mac looks at Hotch, her eyes pleading for him to move the conversation back to the case.

"As excited as we all might be to meet Mac's family, these women need us. Wheels up in 30." Hotch stands up and the rest of the team follow his lead.

xxxxxx

"Hey mom... it's me... again. I really need to talk to you before we land. Please call me back." Mac hangs up the phone and sighs. She walks over to her seat on the plane and sits down. She stares out the window and listens to the team talk about the unsub.

"This guy is organized. Local law enforcement didn't even know these crimes were connected until the 5th victim. That tells us something." Prentiss says.

"Killers who are organized tend to have a plan. Its possible he stalks these women. Possibly for weeks at a time. Knowing their every move." Reid chimes in.

"Any signs of sexual assault?" JJ asks.

"No, but the amount of anger taken out on these women could be frustration due to impotence." Derek says.

Mac starts to tune them out as she thinks about her two families being together. She has her work family. The team, they are there with her most days and even most evenings. She shares meals with them. Her partner is her best friend and after work drinks when they don't have a case, is basically a tradition.

But then, she has her family. Her parents, siblings and the people who have been there from the beginning. They know more intimate details including her relationship with JJ. She feels the anxiety build in her chest thinking about her two worlds colliding. Her mother loves JJ just as much if not more than her and she knows her mother will be excited to see JJ. Usually, that's not a problem, but after this, after today she knows there will be disappointment on both sides. How would her team feel? Betrayed? Lied to? And her family, what would they think of her living in the shadows, hiding her love.

"Mac?" Dereks voice brings her out of her thoughts and she looks over at Derek.

"You excited to see your mom?" He asks again and Mac looks at the rest of the plane. They are all catching sleep while they can. Mac's eyebrows raise realizing she was spaced out longer than she anticipated.

"Yea.." Mac trails off. Derek looks around before dropping his voice to a whisper.

"Your mom is going to spill the beans." Derek says simply and Mac looks at him. Her face surprised.

"You didn't think I wouldn't notice how freaked out you are?" Derek laughs and Mac sits up in her seat and takes a drink of coffee.

"This is not the time for that bomb to be dropped on the team. Especially Reid." Mac looks over at Spencer who is napping peacefully on the couch.

"There is no way your mom even checks her phone before we get there." Derek smiles and Mac looks at him.

"What you didn't think I wouldn't remember how your mom is?" Derek laughs and Mac shakes her head and looks over at JJ. She was looking down at her phone smiling softly. Mac couldn't help but to smile at her, the anxiety starts to simmer as she takes breath. They are here for a case, they will work the case and be in and out. No time for socializing.

"Mom will be professional at the station." Mac thinks to herself. Her mom is a professional.

"Thanks Garcia." Mac tunes into Hotch as he hangs up the phone.

"Garcia is meeting us in San Diego. Two more victims have been found." Mac closes her eyes and breaths out. Garcia... this is going to get personal.

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"Agents, I'm glad you could come." A woman with long blonde hair, blue/green eyes, fair skin, and a smile greets them. She stands before them in a black t-shirt and jeans and her badge around her neck.

"Oh my goodness! You look just like your mom Mac!" Garcia exclaims as they approach the captain. Garcia looks at everyone and clears her throat. "I'm so sorry. Penelope Garcia. Nice to meet you ma'am. Your daughter, she great." The captain smiles and shakes Garcia's hand.

"You must be captain Foster. Hello." Hotch says with a smile, after looking away from Garcia as he shakes her hand. She smiles and nods before looking on the rest of the team.

"These are agents, Prentiss, Morgan, Rossi, Jareau, Dr. Spencer Reid." She smiles and gives them all a wave.

"Hello, thank you all again for coming. Captain Stef Foster. You can call me Stef." Stef makes eye contact with Morgan who smiles immediately.

"It's so good to see you Derek." Morgan steps forward and gives her a bear hug before stepping back.

"I'm sorry it's not under better circumstances." Derek says and Mac finally steps forward and greets her mother. Stef cups her face lightly doing a quick inspection before Mac turns and looks at the team.

"As everyone knows by now, this is my mom but she's an amazing captain and wants nothing but to solve this case. So let's get started." Mac starts to walk towards the conference room and the rest of the team follows.

They all pile into the conference room and start to go over parts of the case. All they had was this unsub was going after mother's of two. All different ages all different races.

"It cant be a surrogate. The crossing of racial lines clearly supports that." Morgan says out loud as he puts down a file.

"It could be. They are all mothers of two." Rossi points out.

"Or maybe it has nothing to do with them being a surrogate and everything to do with them being mothers. It could be a statement." Mac says running a hand through her hair. "It has everything to do with them being mothers. But why." Mac says out loud.

"Agents." Stef walks into the room with a concerned look on her face. "Another body was found." The entire team looks at each other before Hotch picks up his phone.

"Mac, Reid. Go to the new crime scene with the captain and see if you can see anything. Prentiss and JJ go to the ME see if they can tell you anymore about our body. The rest of us will stay here and comb through everything local PD has." The entire team nods in understanding before they all split off to do their tasks.

xxxxxx

As they arrive in the crime scene, Reid gets out of the car quickly and with a purpose but Mac stays behind and meets her mom at the front of the SUV.

"Go ahead, I'll be right there." Mac says to a waiting Spencer. He nods and makes his way into the house and Mac turns to face her mom. Stef looks at her daughter with a smile.

"If you're going to yell at me for not answering my phone, you could at least tell me why you were calling. You're voicemails were cryptic." Stef says and Mac sighs.

"Mom-"

"If you're going to tell me not to treat you like my daughter while we are on this case, then you must not know your Mama. She told me I better make sure I keep her baby safe." Mac couldn't help but to smile at the mention of her mom. Being raised by two moms is everything you think it is. Fun, goofy, emotional, and also very protective. You think one mama bear is scary, try having two and one is a cop.

"Mom it's not about-"

"If it's about your brother-"

"Mom, what if I just told you and you don't have to guess." Mac says quickly and Stef raises an eyebrow at her daughter.

"Ok, what's going on." Stef says, the playful tone in her voice gone.

"I'm sorry ok. I just..." Mac sighs and looks back at the house before looking at her mom.

"I know you want to talk about me to everyone but please.. what is going on between JJ and I.. only a few people know. And the people who don't know.. they can't hear it from anyone else.." Stef stares her daughter down for a second before sighing.

"What's going on with you and JJ? This isn't some fling you are having. You two are in love. You plan to marry JJ. And they don't know?" Mac closes her eyes when she hears the slight disappointment in her moms voice. It was a poor choice in words and she knows that. Her mom takes commitment and communication so seriously. She values honesty and she knows this isn't going to go over well.

"Mom.. I know what you must think..."

"Mackenzie.. what I must think is that these people are supposed to be your family and you are keeping a huge secret from them.. and I think that's your choice. But don't ask me to be complicit in your lie. I've taught you so much better than that." Stef says quietly before walking away from her daughter. Mac stands there for a second before following her mom up to the house.

xxxxx

"So, how does it feel working with Mac's mom?" Prentiss asks as her and JJ walking into the building. JJ smiles and pushes the elevator button.

"It's weird. Definitely weird to see her and not give her a hug." JJ laughs and steps back to wait for the elevator. They are silent for a moment before Emily looks at JJ.

"Can I ask..." Emily trails off and JJ looks at her. "How did it start? Did you guys plan to keep it a secret?" Emily asks. JJ gives a tight smile and looks away and at the elevator.

"Too much?" Prentiss asks but before JJ could say anything Hotch joins them at the elevator.

"How was the ME?" Hotch asks and JJ quickly fills him in. The ME determined the cause of death was strangulation, which means this unsub is strong and taking a small bit of time with them before killing them and letting their bodies be found. He wants them to be found. He wants his work to be seen. His message heard.

"Unfortunately the more bodies the more answers we will have. None of this is adding up." Hotch says as they all walk out of the elevator. Emily and JJ follow Hotch to the conference room to meet up with the rest of the team.

After hours of going back and forth they all decide to head to the hotel and change and grab food before hitting the case even harder. Mac makes her way out of the station by herself, everyone had already made their way to the hotel but Mac stayed back. Her moms words were ringing through her ears and she couldn't focus. Her mom was right, she always was, but she doesn't know how to explain all of this. Two years of just lying to the people closest to her. Derek and Emily took it well.. but Spencer... he was JJ's best friend. The betrayal he would feel, the way he would pull away from JJ, it would destroy her. As she makes her way out to the parking lot and to a government SUV, she sees a figure leaning up against it. As she gets closer she notices it's her mom and she slows down. She pulls her keys out and unlocks the door before stoping in front of her mom.

"I didn't say any of those things to upset you." Stef says and Mac sighs.

"I'm not upset." Mac says and Stef raises an eyebrow and shakes her head.

"I know my daughter." Stef says. Mac yanks the drivers side door open and tosses her things inside.

"You're right ok. I should've... we should've been honest from the beginning." Mac says with a defeated tone. She's so tired. Tired of hiding, tired of lying, just tired.

"Hmmm." Stef says before stepping forward and hugging her daughter. "There's something more here. But you will tell me when you're ready." Mac relaxes into the hug and allows herself to become completely vulnerable for a minute, before pulling away and looking at her mom.

"I need to get to the hotel, I need sleep." Stef smiles and cups her daughters face.

"Did you really think your Mama was going to let you sleep in a hotel when you're home. Come home, eat some food, let us spend time with you." Mac smiles and shakes her head.

"Ok." She gives her mom a small smile before she climbs into her SUV.

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Upon arriving to her childhood home Mac takes a minute to study the outside. She hasn't been home in almost a year. The last time she stood in this spot, she was celebrating 2 years with JJ. Everything feels so different. She feels different. Her love for JJ was the same if not more, but she felt different. Felt different about being back here, being back here and not with JJ. The next time she was planning to be in front of this house was on one knee in front of JJ and everyone they loved. Then she shot that boy, she got hurt and now they are working a case trying to pretend they aren't together.

"Planning to come in." It wasn't a question, more of a playful statement. Her thoughts are cut short and she can't help but to smile. Before her stands a slightly older woman. Caramel skin a little darker than her own, Long brown curly hair, brown eyes, and a smile just for her.

"Mama." Mac says simply. She quickly walks up the stairs and onto the porch and into her mothers arms. As soon as her mothers arms wrap around her, the overwhelming urge to cry becomes too much to hold back and suddenly she's sobbing.

As Stef climbs the stairs she slows when she comes across the scene. Her instinct is to rush forward but her wife holds up her hand and Stef stops in her tracks. She waits and watched as her wife, Lena, continues to console their daughter in silence. Ever since she could remember Mac would hold on and fight back until her Mama would hug her and it would all come up. In a dam breaking type of way, and Lena was the only one who could repair the dam.

The sobbing continues and she feels her knees give slightly and Stef steps forward as Lena catches her, slowly moving to the ground. Lena holds her daughter and shoots a worried look to Stef who stands just feet away, unsure of what to do. Stef turns her head to see JJ walking up the driveway and she turns to look back at Lena and her daughter. Stef starts down the stairs to meet JJ. JJ offers her a smile as she continues up the stairs.

"JJ-"

"I was hoping I would find you guys here. I went to the hotel but-" JJ stops as she comes across the scene. Lena looks up and sees the concern and pain in JJ's eyes.

"Mac." JJ breathes out. She drops her bag and rushes forward. She sits beside her girlfriend, her hands hovering around her not sure what to do, not sure where or if she should touch her. Mac's sobs fill the air and JJ shares a concerned look with Lena.

"Mac.." Lena whispers and she feels the sobs start to subside. They all wait in silence as Macs sobs turn into slow breathing. Eventually Mac pulls herself off her mom. Her usual bright green eyes, a dull emerald. She brushes her hair back and wipes her face. She is silent for a moment. Stef joins the three of them on the ground and they all watch as Mac does her best to pull herself together.

"I almost died." Mac says, her voice flat and matter of fact. Lena and Stef's eyes shoot up in concern. They both look at JJ, who's eyes are trained on her girlfriend. The Mom's look back at their daughter.

"I almost died and I didn't call you." Mac repeats. Stef places a hand on her daughters shoulder. She knows it's the job but in that moment, she hated that the job almost took her daughter.

"I didn't call you because I shot a boy." Lena studies her daughter and feels the guilt radiate off of her.

"Mac.." JJ starts but Mac cuts her off.

"I shot a boy, and that is what makes this job so hard." Mac finishes and JJ leans her head on the back of Mac's head. Lena cups Mac's face and offers her a small but comforting smile.

"But you do the job right Mackenzie. You shot that boy because you HAD to. Because that is the job. Getting home alive to be able to save the next one." Stef says before kissing the side of her daughters head. She knows what she's going through. She remembers the first time she shot a teenager. Mackenzie and her siblings were all teenagers, and when she looked down at that boy, she saw their faces. It haunted her and she remembers the pit. The pit in your stomach that never really goes away.

"You.. my love." Lena gathers her daughters hands into hers her warm brown eyes meet her daughters. "Call.. you always call. There's never anything you can't say to us." Lena reassures her daughter. They all spend a moment longer on the porch before Lena offered food and wine to them all. They all eventually stand and Mac watches as her parents walk inside. She waits a beat before touching JJ's arm, stopping her from continuing inside.

"We will be there in a minute." Mac says to Stef before she nods and shuts the front door leaving it unlocked. JJ watches before turning to her girlfriend.

"Are you ok ?" She asks immediately and Mac allows a small smile before nodding.

"Yea, I just… I'm sorry." Mac says simply. JJ steps forward and brushes hair away from Mac's face. She offers her a small smile before leaning her head forward so their foreheads were touching. They stand there for a minute, Their arms around each other's waist, almost re-centering each other.

xxxxxx

After a while, Mac and JJ make it inside and join Mac's parents for dinner. They share a bottle of wine and plenty of laughs. Catching up over the last year. Mac grabs the bottle and fills her glass slightly. Stef and Lena share a look before looking back at the couple.

"So.." Stef starts and JJ and Mac look up at Stef.

"When are you guys moving into together?" Stef asks.

"Mom." Mac says in a shushing tone.

"You've been together for two years Mackenzie. It's not a bad thing I asked." Stef says going to take a sip of her wine. Lena intervenes and grabs Stef's glass before she can take another sip.

"She's asking because she's had too much to drink." Lena laughs and everyone laughs with her.

"We did invite everyone over for dinner after you're finished with the case." Lena says. Her voice still filled with a slight laugh. Everyone gets quiet and Mac and JJ share an uncomfortable look.

"Ok, what is it." Lena says picking up on the uncomfortable vibe in the room. Mac looks at her mom before looking back at her girlfriend. She picks up her wine glass and downs it before looking back at her mom.

"That sounds great." Mac smiles and Lena gives her skeptical look. Mac stands up and offers her hand to JJ. "We need to get to bed. Have to be out early tomorrow." Mac states. JJ finishes her wine and they both say goodnight to the moms before heading up the stairs. Lena waits to hear the door close before turning to her wife.

"You wanna tell me what that was about?" Stef smiles before grabbing her wife's wine glass. "What a day I've had with our baby." Stef laughs.

xxxxxxxx

Her alarm goes off but it's not what wakes Mac. JJ's soft lips on her neck is what wakes her. She could help the moan that slips for her lips as JJ's hands start exploring her body. She smiles before turning her body to face her.

"Snooze the phone." Is all Mac says before capturing JJ's lips. JJ laughs before moaning and running her hands down Mac's back. She grabs the bottom of her shirt and pulls it up and over. Mac's lips land back on JJ's before kissing down to her neck. Her hands slide down to JJ's waistband.

"Mac." JJ breathes out but before Mac could kiss down her body, JJ's phone starts going off. Before Mac could tell her to ignore, Mac's phone starts ringing and there's a knock on Mac's door.

"We got a body." Stef says through the door. Mac turns back to JJ and groans. JJ brushes Mac's dark hair from her face.

"I need you." Mac says and JJ feels her center throb.

"I know." JJ gives her a fiery kiss before Mac jumps up and out of bed. They both get dressed quickly. Max in blue jeans, a black shirt, and a black leather jacket. Her hair pulled back in a neat ponytail tail. Her fun and badge holstered on her belt. JJ in a white blouse and black dress pants. Her gun and badge also on her belt. She leaver her hair down in a slight hope it would drive Mac crazy all day, so when they were back here in this room, there would be nothing stopping her gorgeous girlfriend from showing her exactly how much she needed her. Mac pulls out her phone and opens her door to a smiling Stef.

"I hope I didn't interrupt." Stef smiled and Mac starts walking out the house as she replies to Hotch. JJ offers Stef a shy smile before following in suit.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Reid." Mac says as they approach the crime scene. Spencer was standing of the tape and turns to see Mac, JJ, and Stef approaching.

"There you guys are, we were looking for you at the hotel." Spencer says.

"Stayed with my parents last night." Mac responds and Reid looks to JJ. "Where are we?" Mac says taking Spencer's attention away from JJ.

"Another Mom of two, but he seems to be devolving. The kills are getting more violent." Spencer's fills them in as they walk over the crime scene. They are there a few hours before they head back to the police station. Stef watches her daughter in her element and can't help but to be in awe of the woman she became. Smart, precise, quick on her feet, and even funny. As they are heading back to the police station, Stef chuckles looking over at her daughter biting her lip and reading a file.

"You know. I wasn't trying to pry last night." Stef says and Mac lifts her head and gives her mom a confused look.

"What?" She says before looking back at the file.

"Hey did you see this?" Mac says. She notices one of the moms pointing at something. "Her body was staged. We thought maybe he just killed then dumped but what if.." Mac trails off and pulls out her phone.

"Hotch.. are any of the other woman pointing… yea pointing…" Mac stops and listens "ok thanks Hotch." She looks at her mom. "We need to get back to the station fast." Stef nods and steps on the gas.