A/N: This chapter spans from 'True North' to 'Red Light' of CM, and while I tried to remain true to specific parts of the show's storyline, I did play around with most of it a bunch. This chapter isn't too heavy on JJ/Street, but it sets the scene for the next few. You guys have probably figured out where I'm going with some of this… maybe. If not, just keep in mind that Prentiss is not in this story, so obviously, she can't be a target for Mr. Scratch. Anyways, I hope you enjoy, and please let me know what you think. Thank you!
…
Street entered the house with his head on a swivel. From what 20-Squad was told, they needed to be prepared for anything.
It was after three in the morning, and the house's interior was pitch black. The team entered with their NVGs, taking cues from the agent in charge.
In this case, they were working with the FBI's SWAT team, as all available resources were required. Peter Lewis was notorious for his detailed and, in most cases, deadly traps. The teams needed to make sure this safehouse was clear before the BAU could even come near it.
The house was small, not much area to cover, and for a moment, Street wondered if they were at the right address. It didn't look like something Lewis would choose to place a trap, but then again, Street wasn't the one that had been relentlessly pursuing this man… so he didn't know all of his capabilities.
20-Squad swept the rooms as they normally would, having no issues working with the other team. It didn't take long to realize the house was empty… no signs of Lewis, or that he had ever been there.
Hondo flipped on the lights. He and the other team lead discussed possible reasons for Lewis' absence, but ultimately they knew the BAU would have to figure that out.
Speaking of which, Street assumed they were waiting outside for the signal to move in. The two teams filed out into the yard, but there was no sign of the BAU. Shouldn't they have been there by now?
Street shared a concerned look with Hondo as the lead agent tried contacting the BAU.
He turned to 20-Squad. "I'm not reaching them through their comms. There doesn't seem to be any signal."
Street grabbed his phone, knowing JJ should be at the office waiting on intel, as she wouldn't be out in the field. "I can call Agent Jareau. Maybe she can get through to them." Hondo looked a little confused at that, but nodded nonetheless. Just as he was getting ready to dial though, Hondo's phone rang.
He stepped aside to answer, but returned a minute later with a grim look on his face. "We need to go check out the route the BAU was taking here. That was Hotch, he said all communication with them was dropped a little while ago."
"What does that mean? Could it just be bad reception? I mean, we are surrounded by woods." Street hated the thoughts of something happening to anybody from the BAU. They had become his family as much as 20-Squad had.
Hondo shook his head at Street's question. "Hotch doesn't think so. He's worried it has to do with Lewis. He's coming to check it out too, but we can probably find out sooner." He and the agent quickly debriefed the rest of their teams, then they all headed to the vehicles.
20-Squad piled into Black Betty, and Hondo's eyes immediately sought out Street. His grim look intensified.
"What aren't you telling me, Hondo?" His heart was beating a little fast as he anticipated more bad news.
"Hotch said I needed to let you know, JJ was with them."
"No, that can't be right. She wouldn't have been." His throat felt dry as he answered his boss.
"Kid, I'm just repeating what Hotch said. I thought she was with them anyway."
Why would she be with them? She wasn't supposed to be in the field.
He didn't have long to process those thoughts as Black Betty screeched to a stop.
"Guys," Luca called from the front seat, "We're going to need medical."
45 HOURS EARLIER
JJ was already up making coffee when the alarm went off at six. She heard Street groan and shut it off. A few minutes later he came trudging into the kitchen, his hair mused and only wearing a pair of sweatpants.
JJ smiled at the sight and walked over to kiss him. "Good morning," she murmured against his lips.
"Good morning, babe." He wrapped his arms around her, deepening the kiss. "How long have you been up?"
"Just long enough to fix the coffee. You ready for some?"
He nodded emphatically. "Yes, please."
JJ chuckled, handing Street a steaming cup. "Here ya go. Now, I've got to be in a little early today. I've got a few meetings this morning to discuss new security policies… and I need a shower."
A sly grin spread across Street's features. "A shower, huh? I think coffee can wait."
"Oh, I thought you were so desperate for that coffee."
"I just happen to be desperate for something else… and I think it'll do a better job of waking me up." He sat the cup back on the counter, then quickly lifted JJ into his arms.
Surprised, she let out a squeal then started laughing. "I should have seen that one coming, Officer."
He carried her to the bathroom, before stripping her of her T-shirt and shorts. He fused his mouth to hers, eventually traveling down her neck.
She pushed him back long enough to work on his sweat pants, then turned the shower on hot. "I think it's safe to say I'll be a little late to my meetings."
The sound of his husky laugh was music to her ears.
…
As JJ figured, she was a little late to work… but when she got there, the BAU received a breakthrough in Reid's case.
The day before, she had contacted Dr. Tara Lewis, a forensic psychologist for the FBI. JJ had brought her in to conduct a cognitive on Reid. She thought maybe the woman could get more answers out of him than she and the rest of the BAU could.
As soon as she got in today, Tara had called her saying that some more memories resurfaced for Reid. He remembered seeing a woman in the motel room with him and Ramos instead of Scratch… but that a method consistent with Scratch's M.O. was used to drug him.
Now, the team had a new angle to work with. Who was this woman, and how was she involved with Peter Lewis?
JJ canceled her meetings that she was already late to, instead calling the team into the conference room to debrief them on the latest situation. She had them scouring countless databases in hopes of finding any indication on who Scratch would recruit to help fulfil his mission.
JJ couldn't deny that the thoughts of Scratch having a partner set her on edge. He was dangerous enough on his own… partner him with someone else willing to mess with a federal agent, and there was no telling what all they were truly capable of.
The BAU didn't have to wonder long about the mystery woman's identity. Several after her call from Tara, JJ received another call saying Reid needed to meet with her immediately.
Concerned by his urgency, JJ rushed to the prison after giving the warden a heads up that she was coming to see her agent. She got there as soon as she could, secured her weapons, then was taken back to wait with Fiona for Reid to be brought in.
JJ's heart clenched when she first saw his disheveled appearance and haunted eyes, and she knew whatever was happening was major. "Spence, what's going on?"
"It's my mom, she's in trouble."
"What are you talking about?"
"JJ, I know who framed me." His eyes locked on hers as he took the seat across from her. "It was Lindsey Vaughn."
JJ repeated the name, running it through her mind. It took her a moment, but then she remembered why it sounded so familiar. "From ten years ago? Wait, what makes you think it's her?"
"She was here, just a little while ago. She posed as a nurse, and she brought my mom in. After I saw her, I remembered her being the one at the motel." His words came out in a rush, and the frantic look in his eyes made JJ's heart drop.
"Spence, slow down and start from the beginning. Tell me what happened and how this ties in with your mom."
He took a breath, and JJ could tell he was agitated. "My mom was brought in for a visit, but I didn't even know we were scheduled to have one. When it was time for her to leave, the nurse came in… but it wasn't Cassie. She introduced herself as Carol Atkinson, and after a minute I recognized her. JJ, it's Lindsey Vaughn and now she has my mother."
JJ mentally ran through the case from ten years ago. Why would Scratch recruit Lindsey?
"You have to believe me, JJ, I'm not making this up." He was pleading with her at this point, and JJ believed him. There was no way, even under all of his current stress, that his mind would conjure this up without there being truth to it.
"I do believe you, Spence. We just have to figure out how to proceed."
Fiona was sitting quietly beside of JJ, but the agent could see the skepticism on her face.
"Jennifer, you have to help my mom."
"We will, I promise." She asked him a few more questions, then left after assuring him that she'd be in touch as soon as they found anything.
What they did find was terrifying. Lindsey was back in the picture, and it didn't take long to realize she had abducted Diana. This new development changed everything. Now, on top of piecing together Reid's case, they had to find his mom.
Telling him about the abduction nearly broke him, and JJ knew if they lost Diana, they would lose him too. She couldn't let that happen… she wouldn't.
Right now though, she knew Reid's life was in a lot more danger than before, so she tried everything possible to get him into protective custody. The warden wasn't budging on the issue, and the higher ups had made it an impossible task anyways.
JJ's final words to Reid before leaving the second time were to "keep your head down… isolate yourself as much as possible."
She was pissed that the BAU was still on their own, and now it was time to take drastic measures. She was taking the new case before a judge, even though that was a very unprofessional idea. It was the only option though, even if it could have repercussions against herself. That didn't matter right now… all that mattered was protecting her agent.
She managed to secure a meeting with a judge first thing in the morning, but that didn't leave the team a very long time to find evidence. Knowing they would be pulling an all-nighter, JJ texted Street before gathering everyone in the conference room.
After a while, the BAU did start making progress. They found new information on Lindsey and the alias she had been using. Unfortunately, she had already killed Cassie, Diana's real healthcare worker.
JJ's heart broke with that revelation, even though she had prepared herself for that possibility. Cassie had been amazing for Diana and Reid, and the sweet woman didn't deserve her tragic fate.
The BAU tied Lindsay to multiple other murders as well, some even across the U.S.-Mexican border. JJ knew that would help prove their case, but there was still a long way to go.
Her phone rang just as she was going over a new plan. She spoke for a moment, then turned to face her agents.
"Well, even from prison, Reid is still good at following orders. I told him to isolate himself… and he managed to get into solitary."
Rossi's surprised gaze met hers. "How'd that happen?"
"I'm not exactly sure, but he got into it with Shaw and ended up stabbed in the leg. He's okay, but they put him in solitary for now." JJ felt some relief with that news, as maybe he bought a little time for the BAU to come through for him… and she would make damn sure that they did.
"Okay, guys.. Let's get back to work. We can't miss anything. Spence and Diana are both counting on us." She passed out another stack of case files, then took a seat at the table. This was going to be a long night.
…
JJ still wasn't completely sure how they had done it, but she and the team managed to secure Reid's release from prison. She had gone before a judge, and a pain in the ass AUSA, pleading her case against Lindsey Vaughn. It seemed hopeless at first, but then Garcia sent over the necessary evidence, and the judge ordered Reid's release immediately.
It was still early, not even completely daylight, and JJ had just arrived at the prison to pick up Reid, while the team was on their way to a possible location they found for Lindsey. Tara Lewis, experienced in the field, was going with them to provide back up, and JJ just hoped they were able to find Diana.
She was led back to Reid, and her expression must've given something away because his eyes filled with hope as soon as he saw her. "We're taking you home." Words she had been longing to say for the month that he was incarcerated, were finally made possible.
His expression, pure joy and relief, filled the blonde's heart. She wasn't sure who moved first, but they were suddenly crushed against each other in a tight embrace. It had felt like a lifetime since she had been able to hug her friend, and now it was finally happening.
JJ squeezed him tighter, feeling him reciprocate just as eagerly. Tears filled her eyes and when they pulled back a long moment later, his eyes matched her own.
"Jennifer, how… Thank you."
JJ just nodded, too overwhelmed by emotion to speak. The guard took her back to the front while Reid got changed, but he was soon brought out to her.
Reid hugged her again, then kept his arm wrapped around her shoulders as they made their way to the SUV. "Any word on my mom?"
"The rest of the team is following a lead to a possible location on Lindsey. I should be hearing from them any time now."
They were halfway back to the BAU when JJ did get a call from Rossi. "Yeah, Rossi. You're on speaker, what've you got?"
"Where are you?"
"About fifteen minutes from the BAU? Why?" She didn't like his tone... Something wasn't right.
"Do you have mom?" Reid spoke up from the passenger seat.
"No, she wasn't here. Neither was Lindsey. We've got something you need to see though. Meet us at the office." With that, the senior agent hung up.
JJ and Reid exchanged a worried glance. What could it possibly be now?
…
Turns out, they weren't really prepared for the answer to that question. Scratch didn't have any involvement in Reid's imprisonment. They were dealing with Cat Adams again. She had been behind it the whole time.
Now, JJ was watching from the monitors while Reid was in the interrogation room playing one of Cat's sick games. They were at the prison where she was being held, while the rest of the team was working from the BAU.
To make things worse, Cat was pregnant… and she claimed it was Reid's child. After a while of the two going back and forth, Reid managed to convince Cat to call Lindsey for proof that his mother was still alive.
That didn't turn out well. Gunshots could be heard on the other end of the line… and Reid lost it. He pushed the table out of the way and started towards Cat.
JJ rushed in just as he had her up against the wall, his hands tightly wrapped around her neck.
"Spence, stop!" JJ yelled his name, but he wasn't backing down. She grabbed hold of him, pulling him by the shoulders. "Spence, outside, now!"
He was still threatening Cat, accusing that she had killed his mom and it had been her plan all along… and that he was going to kill her.
"Spence, she's pregnant!" It took a lot of effort, but JJ was finally able to pull Reid off of Cat. She kept her arms around him for a brief moment, trying to calm him down.
Their heavy breathing was the only sound that could be heard before Reid eventually turned and walked out the door without saying a word.
JJ glanced at Cat before taking the same path her agent did. If she was being completely honest, she didn't blame Reid for his outburst. Actually, she had felt like doing it herself a couple times since they arrived at the prison… but Cat really was pregnant.
There was no way JJ could stand by and watch something happen to a woman that was carrying an innocent child… even if that woman was a sadistic sociopath. She subconsciously rubbed a hand over her stomach as she thought about her own baby… and the crazy world she would be bringing he or she into.
JJ shook her head. That was a thought process for another day. Right now, she needed to focus on Reid and the situation they were currently in. She gave him a moment to himself before going to find him… but once she did, she nearly cried at the state she found him in.
He was sitting up against the wall of an empty corridor, his knees pulled to his chest and that same haunted look in his eyes that she had become so familiar with over the past little while.
JJ slid down the wall, taking a seat beside of him. They spoke for a moment, JJ trying to reassure him in anyway possible. Within a few minutes, they had managed to put together the last piece of Cat's puzzle.
The team also was able to track down Lindsey, and rescue Diana because Reid had gotten some valuable information from Cat… without her even knowing it at the time.
JJ was thrilled when she got to walk in and tell Reid that his mom was safe. Once again, he had beaten Cat, and JJ was more than ready to get him out of prison… again.
It was already past nightfall, and the rest of the team was meeting them at the BAU with Diana, so JJ and Reid once again found themselves in the SUV. The first few minutes of the drive were completely silent. JJ knew Reid needed to process certain things on his own, so she let him be.
Eventually Reid spoke up, barely above a whisper. "Jennifer, I'm sorry."
She glanced over at him before turning back to the road. "Why? You have nothing to apologize for, Spence."
"I do." He kept his gaze focused on his lap. "I shouldn't have reacted like I did back there… and I should have listened when you told me to back down."
"Spence, with everything you were dealing with, it's understandable. There's no need for you to apologize."
He didn't look like he believed her, but nodded nonetheless. "You're going to be a really great mother."
JJ wasn't expecting that comment. "What?"
"Sorry, maybe I shouldn't have said anything until you did… but I just wanted you to know that."
She stopped the vehicle at a red light, and turned to fully face her friend. "How did you know?"
"Well, before I went to prison, I was suspicious of why you weren't going with us in the field. I know how much you've always liked the action, so it didn't seem right for you to just quit that… especially with the promotion. You also didn't drink the last times our team got together, but what really gave it away… for the last few months, whether it was on a case or when you would come visit me in prison, I noticed you rubbing your stomach when things got too stressful or any time a child was mentioned. I didn't know if you even realized you were doing it, but once I saw it, I couldn't help but notice you do that every time."
JJ, though she knew she shouldn't have been, was surprised that he had figured out her secret. She should have known she couldn't have hidden something from her best friend… especially when he was such a great profiler. He was right though, she hadn't really picked up on her new habit. Sure, she caught herself once or twice and knew that would be a quick giveaway, but she didn't realize she did it that frequently. She chuckled and squeezed Reid's arm. "I wanted to tell you, but the timing always seemed off."
He gave her a soft smile. "I understand. I'm happy for you, JJ."
"Thank you, Spence."
They resumed their drive to the BAU, and before long, Reid was reunited with his mother. The sight warmed JJ's heart. She, and the rest of the team went to the bullpen, giving Reid and Diana a chance to talk. She knew Reid would want to see for himself how his mother was really doing.
JJ thanked her team for all of their hard work. She spoke with Tara for a moment, telling her how grateful she was for the assistance on this case, and that she really helped by performing that cognitive on Reid. She hoped to work with the doctor in the future… just under much different circumstances.
Now, it was time for the mountain of paperwork that would accompany this whole situation. JJ was definitely getting the overtime hours.
As she walked up the steps to her office, JJ could see the overhead light on. The door was slightly ajar, and upon further inspection, a familiar figure was seated in one of the guest chairs. "Derek!"
The former agent stood and wrapped JJ in a tight hug. "Hey, blondie. I hope you don't mind, Anderson let me in."
They let each other go, but JJ didn't stray far from her friend. "No, that's fine. How are you and the family doing?"
"We're all good. Hank's walking now if you can believe it." The pride was evident in the man's voice, and JJ smiled at the thought of his adorable little boy.
"Wow, Street and I will have to visit soon. Now, what's going on? Something tells me you didn't stop by just to catch up." As much as she wished it was the case, she knew Derek wouldn't have come here this late, or early, for a friendly visit. Something was going on, and judging by the change in his demeanor, it wasn't anything good.
"What's this about Reid being in prison? Why wasn't I told about it?"
"I'm sorry. Spence wanted you to focus on Hank and Savannah instead of worrying about him.. And he didn't want many people seeing him in that state. It wasn't good."
Derek nodded. "Okay, but what about this?" He held up his phone, with a text from Garcia displayed on the screen. It was talking about a safehouse that Reid wanted Derek to meet him at.
JJ grabbed the phone, reading over it a second time. "That's not right. I didn't put Reid in a safehouse, neither did Hotch."
"I didn't think it sounded like Garcia, so I brought it to you first thing."
"We need to get this to Garcia. Someone, and I'm willing to bet on who, is trying to set a trap."
Thirty minutes later, Garcia had confirmed that someone cloned her phone, and she was able to get an address to go along with it. Everyone gathered in the conference room and was informed of the latest on Scratch.
JJ spoke up from the head of the room. "Let's get ready to head out. Derek, thank you for bringing this in." She gave her former agent a squeeze to the shoulder. "We miss you with us out there."
"I do too, blondie. Stay safe out there, all of you."
JJ walked out with her team, but branched off to speak with Hotch. She filled him in and he said SWAT would meet them there. "Okay, I'll call you as soon as we know something."
"You're going with them?"
"I'll hang back outside the perimeter, but I'm going to be there when this son of a bitch is brought down."
He nodded, knowing how much this arrest would mean to her. "Okay, be careful. Keep me posted."
"I will," she was already jogging out the door. She met her agents by the elevator and did a double-take at the smile Alvez was giving her. "What?"
"Nothing. Just good to have you rolling with us, Chief."
She nodded. She was glad to be rolling with them too, but she would stay on the sidelines once they got there.
The team split up into two SUVs… JJ and Alvez in one, Rossi and Walker in the other. They would use their comms to communicate.
JJ hopped into the driver's seat, needing to be in control right now. She desperately prayed this would be the end of the fight against Scratch, but she had her doubts. Something about this just seemed too easy.
As she drove along the old backroads, the darkness heightened the ominous feeling she'd developed since talking to Derek. She knew Peter Lewis was capable of more than she ever wanted to admit, and there was nothing to prove that he hadn't gone all out for the BAU's expected arrival.
JJ tightly gripped the steering wheel, vowing that if she had anything to do with it, this bastard wouldn't take anything else away from her team.
Uniformed officers were meeting them at the house, along with two different SWAT teams. The first would be the FBI's own SWAT team, then the other would be from DCPD.
JJ wasn't yet sure if it was 20-Squad, but she knew they were currently on shift. She trusted 20-Squad more than any others, but the thoughts of sending Street into a possible trap made her blood run cold.
She couldn't focus on that though. Street would be fully debriefed before going in, and she had to put her trust in his capabilities.
They were almost seven miles out when JJ spoke up to her team. "Remember, we have to wait on SWAT to clear the building. Scratch has pulled out all the stops before, let's not go in tonight thinking anything less."
She was about to say something else when a rough jolt caused the SUV to swerve. She jerked the steering wheel to the left, trying to keep on the road… but they were now spinning and JJ leaned the vehicle into it, hoping to correct.
After a terrifying moment, it slowed to a stop. Breathing harshly from the shock, JJ looked over to Alvez. He seemed to be okay, so she directed her attention to her agents in the other SUV. "Are you guys alright?"
Rossi came over her earpiece. "We're fine." She was thankful for that, but she knew the tires had been blown in both vehicles… spike strips.
Before anything else could be said, a set of headlights pierced JJ's vision. They were intensely bright, and she didn't have time to react as she realized they were already right on top of the other SUV.
As if it was happening in slow motion, JJ watched in horror as a semi slammed into the rest of the team, knocking their SUV backwards before coming right for hers.
The truck was on JJ's side, and the only thought that crossed her mind was to protect her child. She barely had time to turn her body, wrapping her arms around her midsection, as the force of the impact sent the SUV off of the road.
JJ's head hit the steering wheel… and everything went black.