So sorry to the folks I wrote earlier last week about this chapter (lwilson1933, ColeMax, and arses21) my computer blinked and I lost this chapter! Thank god for the snowapocalypse – because I was able to kind of re-write it. apologies for the typos.

Enjoy and leave a review, pls :)

"Do you think I have time to change? And grab a bite?" Garcia said as the elevator arrived.

She twirled her shoes in her hand as her feet did a few feet stretches – she learned these at yoga, Aggghh it feels so good, she thought as she groaned and sighed at the same time. Her feet started to feel better.

"Baby girl, you didn't eat at the event?" Derek asked.

"Mmmmmm," she moaned as she rotated her ankle, "I had a bite but I was getting my Sherlock on? Sherlock never eats on a case."

She rotated her foot in the opposite direction, "can you lend me those magical fingers?" She rested her head on his shoulder, "I'm achy and sore – I haven't been this pooped since I had to take the physical assessment."

Derek wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her temple, Garcia went on to complain, "if I knew what today would have entailed I would have skipped the night of dancing and opted for movie night."

She groaned again as she rotated the opposite foot; She batted her eyelashes and said, "I need the Morgan special."

He squeezed her slightly and said in her ear "After we get settled into our room….If you're good, " he added teasing her.

Emily cleared her throat to bring them back to the present. Bruce was fixated on his phone but Emily could see their banter bothered him. His jaw muscle twitched slightly as he scrolled through his emails

"There's food in the conference room. Change quickly and meet us downstairs." Derek said in his professional Agent Morgan.

Her hand waved above her head in a small salute, "I'll be super quick." She hit the button for the penthouse.

As the elevator door opened, Penelope asked Emily to stay.

"Is everything ok Garcia?" Derek asked as his eyebrows drew closer together.

"Fine," Garcia replied with a shrug, "You know she's my bodyguard and all."

Derek and Bruce looked at each other and shook their head.

"That went smoother than I thought it would," Bruce said as they walked down the long hallway.

"That means just the unsub has had time to plan out every detail and knows most of the options before us. We have to figure out a way to get ahead of him." Derek said realizing his assessment wasn't uplifting. He grimaced to himself and then shook it off.

Bruce sighed, "I know it's not as simple as do what he says and get him back – it never is with the Joker?"

Derek looked up curiously, "Why do you think it's the Joker?"

Derek knew given their past history and the Joker's obsession with the two of them – any police officer would look at The Joker. But there was something about the way he looked at Penelope during her visit – he watched the footage several times with Reid. He saw the Joker as a delusional psychopath. He probably had these urges before his parents died but he was able to mask them. His parent's death became the inciting incident that lead him to become who he is. Penelope reigned him in or at least that is what The Joker told himself. She became his talisman an anchor that grounded him at that time – but he would have killed her. Derek was sure of that – there was no other ending for this story. She kept the inevitable at bay by giving into some kink, which satisfied the sexual sadist in him – but based on what he put Holly through – he was very PG with his desires in regards to Garcia. The Joker's hate for Bruce Wayne isn't as simple as he got the girl—but more because of their similarities… their parents both died violently. But instead of giving into grief and anger Bruce rose above it and mourned while the Joker held on to it and created a persona satiate his darker desires. But that didn't explain Bruce's fearlessness when confronted with Joker. Something didn't fit; he thought as he shook his head, the way The Joker antagonized Bruce that made Derek's gut tell him it was misdirection. But who could know them so intimately? He need to sit-down with Reid and walk him through his thoughts. What did he ask Bruce again?

"I'm sorry – I missed that—Why the Joker?"

"When he terrorized Gotham he gave the Batman riddles and tests publicly – I just recognize the MO." Bruce said, "My best friend died at his hands."

"Rachel Dawes?"

"Yes, the Joker trapped her in a warehouse and gave the commissioner and Batman a quasi riddle to solve to save her knowing that he was going to kill them both."

Bruce shook his head and instantly thought about Penelope and her safety.

"History won't repeat itself,' Derek assured Bruce as he approached the door. "My gut tells me that the Joker is involved but not in the way you think. The footage I saw today of the interview shows a man who is obviously mentally challenged, smart, and clever but he still needs Penelope's approval. I doubt he would put her in harm's way. That's why we can't follow the misdirection of the Joker – the unsub will expect that – which is why he is consistently referring to him. Your history with him… Penelope's history with him… the unsub knows it will impair your judgement."

"I'd never forgive myself," Bruce trailed off, knowing he shouldn't put his feelings into words.

"That's why we're here," Derek said patting him on the back.

Bruce looked over at Derek and wondered if he just charmed him - he smiled at the thought. Penelope's boyfriend is a great guy and a smart agent… I was hoping he would be more like Kevin… you know something fundamentally wrong with him… but alas that was not the case.

As they entered the room filled with 35 people Bruce felt overwhelmed – he was about to seek a corner when Lucius approached.

"How are you holding up, son?" Lucius asked as he pat his back.

Bruce looked up and in Lucius eyes he found comfort – Lucius rarely called him son but he, like Alfred, is family.

"Fine – I just wish it wasn't such a production."

Lucius looked out to the crowd of government agent, "I know but you did the right thing. I know this isn't your style – you're more of a one-man problem solver. But I don't think the cowl fits anymore." When Lucius looked at Bruce he saw the determination that was once cloaked in that cape and cowl.

"I've never felt this way before—been in this position before. It like the Joker is trying to taunt me through the people I love. Taking Alfred. Forcing me to be with Penelope and her lover. Putting both of their lives in danger because of me. I wish the cowl still fit – but that man is gone. He nearly killed me last time," Bruce whispered.

Garcia and Emily enter the room with a plate of snacks.

"So, of 'course I remember," He looked at her and gave her a tight smile as she cocked her eyebrow slightly and smiled back, " I promised her I – retired him and I did, Lucius."

"You promised her a lot of things, Mr. Wayne," Lucius said accidentally.

"She didn't tell them about me," Bruce said at the same time.

Lucius quickly followed up with, "When we lost you – we lost a part of ourselves—especially Lulu," Lucius waited a breath to continue, "and now is not the time for such a discussion but I am glad that you did the right thing. This is too big of endeavor to go at it alone – even with all the new toys in the basement."

Before he could find out what toys he was talking about Clancy called everyone to their seats.

"Agent Baratheon did some amazing work while the Alpha team was in the field. He was able to see that the gallery feed was being picked up by a private site. This site streamed to several different computers with addresses that hopped around the globe – even using our equipment."

"This means that you, Garcia, are going to have to take that breakfast meeting with Alex so we can tap into their server and see if we could back hack it." Clancy said.

"Well, not back hack it, sir. But we can read if anyone on their server has visited the site. Well, we hope," Agent Baratheon added, "see, it isn't an exact science," he murmured as he trailed off.

"Our priority is to follow the suspects digitally– because someone has to lead us to Mr. Pennyworth as well as solve the riddles. This is case has a dual mission since time is of the essence."
Clancy continues, "Homeland and the CIA will dedicate their energy to shadowing the possible unsubs while the FBI and BAU solve the puzzles."

"Any questions?" He asked and the room was silent. He looked around for several moments before he continued. "Great now on to the SD Cards."

Garcia and Robert insert the cards into the overhead display.

Once the cards are placed in the phone—the image is projected to overhead screen so everyone can see it. The screen flickers two times and then a video plays. The image displayed has an old school film quality with blips and over exposed film spots. An animated puppet of Alfred comes on the screen and his mouth has two buttons on either side like the knobs on Frankenstein's head. Animated Alfred starts to dance from one side of the screen to the other. These movements are stiff as if he… the animated Alfred is on marionettes. From the sky a protest sign appears and lands in his hand. The protest sign reads, Free Me.

He continues to walk back and forth across the screen calling for Mr. and Mrs. Wayne. The calls are actually Alfred's voice which instantly brings a tear to Penelope's eyes and Bruce's fist instantly clench. Alfred calls for them two more times before he asks for Mr. Wayne.

Mr. Wayne he calls scarily as Animated Alfred bites his nails. Next to everyone's surprise Alfred's real voice fills the room screaming Master Wayne in a blood-chilling cry as his head flies to the top of screen and blood burst everywhere. As the screen becomes filled with blood from Alfred's head… The blood get's darker and dark until the screen becomes black. A random gif appears on the screen of Haley Joel Osmond peering from the covers in Six Sense… I see dead people, he whispers scared. This gif repeats two more times before Alfred's animated head pops up and says, "Me too," and then giggles.

The screen goes black for a millisecond and then a chalkboard comes down and Animated Alfred paces in front of it.

Randomly, Animated Alfred stops, "Rule one," he says but it's not Alfred's voice it's a computerized British male voice. He clears his throat; "Rule One - Only those in the room can work on the case – With our lovely and stylish agent Garcia in the field. That's the proper terminology right? There can be an additional techie there—but that's it. Mr. Wayne 100 against one isn't really fair and this is about fairness. Balance. The rest of you must go home."

Animated Alfred turns to the board and writes CIA -Buh Bye… Homeland, Adios. He turns back to the screen and waves and starts saying bye in different languages. A clock appears on the screen you have 10 minutes to exit or the game is over before it begins.

"Thanks for playing," Animated Alfred says on a continuous loop.

"Well there goes that plan, thank you agents for coming out," Clancy says

The agent's quickly pack up and exit with a few minutes to spare. The BAU members come closer – "Ok, so that power play was to show us whose boss," Emily says to the reduced team.

"A narcissist with an axe to grind? That's too simple." JJ said shaking her head.

"The Joker wouldn't care who was on the team. He thinks he smarter than everyone and how could he do all of this remotely," Penelope asked

Animated Alfred interrupted the team's assessment, "Wow guys with 4 minutes to spare… let's all bow down to the powerful Bruce Wayne… I'm sorry Master Wayne.. We're not worthy." Animated Alfred continued do the Wayne's World we're not worth head bow back and forth across the screen for 40 seconds.

"Rule two – you must be right – any wrong answer results in …,"Alfred walks over to the guillotine and places his head in the space waiting for the blade to drop.

"Rule three you must be on time or…," Alfred gets on his knees and a samurai appears behind him about to chop his head off.

"Rule four—this should be rule one – follow my instructions to the," Animated Alfred writes T on the board. "This is not the time to grow a brain Bruce or ballz – I just said Ballz in Alfred's voice?"

Animated Alfred says ballz and does cart wheels in the air.

"Oh and Rule 5," he says as he lands on his feet, "Penelope is the keeper of the phone."

"Now, if I were you I would turn in. Tomorrow is going to be an exciting, explosive, engaging day. He giggled like the joker. See you at 8ish… same time - same place?" He laughs as the curtain fall from the edges and in classic cursive it says till tomorrow.

Everyone turned to each other. Penelope looked over at Bruce who for the first time looked like he scared. She walks over to him and says, "Hey," as she caresses his shoulder. He turned from the group and ran his fingers through his hair and said "who is this guy?" He whispered as a tear sits on his waterline.

"Hey Bruce," she said trying to make eye contact with him. She touched his face and he naturally leaned into her hand.

"I'm fine, Penelope," he said stepping back from her. He didn't want to be coddled or feel the fear surging through his veins. He wanted to go to the bowels of the building throw on his cape, hop on his bike, and tear apart the city.

"I'm not saying," she said noticing his defenses growing like Jack's beanstalk.

"I'm fine," he said more firmly taking another step away from her… as the phone rang.

The phone is ringing; Robert called as he walked double time to Penelope.

"Hello," she answered.

"Hello," the computerized voice responded.

'Hiya Pumpkin' the caller continued.

"Bruce as always you look debonair in your tux… I'm glad I could bring you out of retirement or the resurrect the dead." He chuckled.

"I was just checking that the phone worked and that it was charged. "

"Fully charged," Penelope replied.

"Are you guys heading out again? I think I liked the blue dress more but what do I know—I'm not a fashionista." Penelope looked down at her dress, "Nighty-night, pumpkin"

"Well there goes our plan?" Clancy said to the remaining folks in the room

"Wait," Penelope says and she takes the phone and ask Clancy's assistant to come with her.

"What's your name?"

"Sarah"

"I'm Penelope but you know that because everyone in the room knows that but I have a very important job for you to do. It won't feel important but it is," Penelope rambled.

"Ok, Mrs. Wayne," she said psyched that she was chosen for this special task.

"Wow, baby FBI agent—if we're going to be semi-friends you cannot call me that, Agent Garcia ok, or Penelope, or Mistress of the Universe or the Goddess of Everything but not Mrs. Wayne… it makes me sound like I am old with finger waves in my hair and a mole on my cheek – very 1940's movie star."

"Ok," she said.

Penelope explained to her without words to watch the phone in the hallway. She needed to find out if the unsub could always hear and track them or only when he called. The phone couldn't be in the room till then.

"What was that about?" Rossi asked.

"The unsub could see us and it reminded me of that sonar project you were working on a while ago Lucius with the sound waves and the imaging. He knew when everyone left and I thought maybe he uploaded an app or something on to the phone that could do that. I mean Robert and I have to find away to see what that phone does and if …" her thought were interrupted by a bouncing icon on the computer screen that matched the ringer on her alarm. "Geez," she said, "can I finish a thought?"

On the screen, a phone started ringing in the skype app and the caller was from Arkham. "This is what Grand Central Station must feel like– wait can we even talk to him?" Penelope asked

"We have to keep a line of communication between him and ourselves open he is the only one who knows the unsub," Hotch said.

"But does that mean the unsub knows we are talking to him? Does that put Alfred's life in jeopardy?"

"Yeah," Emily chimed in "does that break one of the rules?"

"We should just ask him tomorrow shouldn't we? I mean everything doesn't have to be cloaked in black does it?"

"We could ask for civilian help – and give no name?" Straus offered

"That just might work," Clancy, said feeling more apart of the team.

"Ok, so I'll answer the crazy on line one."

She clicked on the bouncing Skype icon and Jack appeared, "Evening esteemed public servants and Wayne enterprise staff."

"Hi Jack "

"Where are you?"

"Oh," she lifted the phone so he could see her face as she made her way to the camera on the computer, "Hi Jack."

"How did it go? "

"What do you mean?"

"I thought you would let me know what the real clue was – I'm pacing my cell waiting for a call when you," he says as he gets closer to the screen "diya change?"

He cleared his throat, "Pretty," he ran his fingers threw his hair, "you look pretty. It takes me 45 minutes to get to the phone or the computer in the main wing and the guards won't take me after 10—so I wanted to check in—make sure you were fine and because even when you're in the field you not really in the field you know kicking asses and taking names so… " He trailed off looking at her warmly, "wanted to make sure that Brucey Bruce is keeping his word" he added in a more aggressive tone.

She laughed to herself and shook her head—"no one has faith in my defense skills – It's gotta be the shoes," she says, "The only villain scary in heels is cat woman, I guess,"

Penelope cleared her throat, "We didn't get the clue yet? I said I would call you when – we get it and I will Jack—you don't have to worry. Why can't they put the computer and landline in your room?"

"Pennybear, I'm like in a submarine 1000 leagues below the sea… no Wi-Fi can reach down here."

She bit her lip, "they should give you a hot spot or something. I will look into it. But I gotta go.," she said turning back to the 12 people in the room.

"Wait, Wait," he urged "Hmm, the last time we spoke," he said trying to summon the strength to go on.

"Yes," she said wondering about the phone and the sonar—how could they test the phone and not tamper with it.

"I said several untrue things and I just wanted to make sure you," Jack continued.

"It doesn't matter, J," she said as she ran through the types of test she could do on the phone. Later they would both be surprised how quickly his knick name fell from her lips.

"Ajax," she said to her self as she thought of a program to run on the phone.

"I just," Jack began.

Penelope just needed one moment to think and she realized why she really missed her lair—just one minute of silence - "Jezus and Allah and all those in between…this isn't time for atonement – if it were that time and I was to entertain the idea like we were in a parallel universe of something – and you weren't Moriarty and I wasn't Sherlock. And we could be civilized, sit down at a table, and talk about life. There would still be 70 dead bodies between us and sorry doesn't resuscitate them. Alfred is out there and you say don't know where he is and you want to help but I don't trust it and I don't trust you. You want to show me you can be a good guy – wear the white hat—do it – help us find him without anyone getting hurt. But don't think you manipulate me Joker."

"Jack," he corrected.

"there never was a Jack – you told me he died with parents in the flames – elephants memory."

She sighed was she too harsh? "Hey. I'm punchy – I'm hungry and I'm tired. I will try and get you Wi-Fi tomorrow – know that it will be monitored – no funny business."

"Pennybear," she glanced at the screen.

"Sorry,"

"Ok," she said trying to find her smile, "Signing off."

She turned to the room and said, "Where was I?" As JJ brought Penelope a vegan wrap.

"Thanks and I forgot," she said taking a bite, "I can't believe this is day one."

"Ajax. We need to run that on the phone to see all the processes running on the phone. I assume GPS and digital imaging but we need to know the range. Rob can we find that program?"

"We need to revise the plan – we can't get a head of the unsub if we are always 5 feet behind," Clancy said.

Erin began, "We will have to do it on a smaller scale Agent Baratheon you will handle the tracking and providing the BAU with that they need."

"Wait, I can help Rob. Before breakfast we can come up with quick hacks to put on Alex and Charlie's phone Bruce can handle Miranda's phone. I was thinking that we should give Jack real phone and computer access since we would be most likely to track him – they could do that remotely – like Kevin," Offered Garcia.

"First we need to figure out the real identity of Edward Enigma?" Lucius asked

"I read the coded emails and he is highly sophisticated narcissist who was looking for a partner," Reid began.

"In the beginning of their correspondence – Edward said he was from the east coast and writing a piece for the Atlantic about serial killers. The Joker doesn't see himself as such – he thinks of himself as a prolific murder the precursor to the 99% movement. Liberating wealth and bring society back to it true animalistic form. The joker declined Edward's overtures. Edward however continued to pursue him. Antagonize him actually by highlight his mistakes. He told him his signature of fire was just a replica of Al Anderson."

Rossi, "the fire fighter in Seattle who raped drunk college girls. Held them for a week where he tortured them - then he'd put them in an abandoned building and start a fire."

"Yes," Reid said continuing his profile, "then his unit would come and extinguish. Edward said Jack did the same thing with his victims—rescuing these street girls who he would then change – dying hair, plastic surgery, but when the frustration with his creation overwhelmed him he then raped and killed them."

Reid continued walking the group down his primary profile "This is what angered the Joker—he finally replied denying the rape – explains in 15 pages total power exchange and how those women were his submissives."

"This opens the conversation and they begin discussing serial killers and signatures. This is where Jack tells him about his circus them signature. Circus in his mind represents true chaos so he always leaves a calling card."

Derek picks up, "But we know the joker's signature isn't the card or the fire. It's the smile he carves into them before their final dance."

Emily interjected, "Dr. Alice had a real fear of Jack and feared for Bruce's safety should we give him that much access. "

"Jack is involved willingly or unwillingly," Garcia continues, "—he knows that the unsub came to visit him and was snooping around his crimes – trying to find his signature. He gave him a false signature knowing whoever came to visit him he would have deniability. He didn't know it would be me. Or maybe he did and he wants to be the hero. The thing is with Jack is he's a wild card no matter what and we should do what's best for Alfred which is to track as many possible suspects as we can with the hope they will lead us to him."

"I disagree," Gordon states—"he's had years to come up with this plan knowing what buttons to push and we don't need him to solve the case. He should stay where he is without access to any one. He'll just use it to exploit an opportunity when it present's itself."

Hotch counters, "I know the devastation he put your city through but he is in a guarded facility in his own wing. I think he can help us and he has something to prove. We need him on this because he is the only one who has seen the unsub and like Penelope said he could up us even if he isn't aware of it."

Erin concurs, "I think we should work with Dr. Grey and give him the minimum amount of access needed to support the case."

Bruce clears his throat, "I don't think Lulu, I mean agent Garcia should have to should be forced to be the joker's wrangler – that's what he wants and -"

Penelope interrupts Bruce quickly, "I don't mind it – so depending on what we can negotiate with Dr. Grey. We have Jack covered. Like Clancy said I can have Alex and Charlie done tomorrow between solving the riddle and we the Luther tonight - but what about the Russians?"

"Your decision making always becomes cloudy when the Joker is involved," Bruce stated matter of factly, "and we don't want Alfred to slip through our fingers."

Emily jumped in when Penelope gasped at the accusation, "Garcia is a trained FBI agent and technical analyst—she will be able to remain objective. We are a team of experts," she added.

"I didn't mean to imply," Bruce started, "I just don't think she should be in the field with us. Why do we have to comply to the unsub demands."

"We've gone over this," Penelope said somberly, "but back to the Russians."

"I can tweak an old bug you created Penelope and see if I can send it via Wi-Fi? Alex is staying at the hotel maybe the Russians are too," Robert said following the conversation shift.

"Bruce you can get put a tracker on Miranda's phone?" Robert asked.

"Yes,"

"What about the coat check woman?" Gordon asked, "Were you suspicious of her?"

"No," Bruce said, "Lucius has been going through assistants since his moved and I thought she could be good. She's a techy."

"Always working Mr. Wayne," Lucius chuckled glad that the mood was semi-lightened.

Emily looked at her phone, "we should head out for the Luther Party."

Emily, Derek, Bruce, and Penelope return to the car in silence.

"Lu, I didn't mean to …"

"You don't have to explain – Let's just get Alfred home," she said looking at no one in particular.

As soon as the car pulls off one of Penelope's phones goes off.

Theo: I hope you have a formal dress in the 2nd bedroom you call a closet.

She smiled to herself relieved that out there in the universe someone was having a normal day. Being a normal person. Her smile widened as she thought of Theo - he was this best? Was- Is she corrected her brain as she wondered why her pain put him in her past.

Penelope: Why?

Theo: Can you talk?

Penelope: I can't & I'm not even supposed to text I think—I'm in the field on this one.

Theo: Well it must remain a surprise.

Theo: Why are you in the field?

Theo: like behind Derek kicking down door or like on site with your computer?

Penelope: Like in the field in the field – but don't worry – I'm safe and fine – and I will explain it when I'm home. I gotta go but I will call you tomorrow morning—after your 2nd class… or call me

Penelope: Don't worry - 3 U.

She bit her lip and thought no who says I love you for the first time via text… she deleted that and typed miss you instead. She would have to tell him about Bruce.

Theo: Miss you MORE! Then he sent her an emoticon that bounced across her screen pulling unicorns, glitter, stars, hearts and rainbows from his pocket.

She smiled – Penelope: better than a kitty video

Theo: be safe – I wish I could hold you.

She looked up to see Bruce looking at her most peculiarly. She cocked her eyebrow and he cleared his throat – "Agent Baratheon? Does he have news?"

She shook her head slowly, put her phone back in her bag, She looked at the window and said "geez, that was quick here we are."

After an hour, they were immersed in the party. But Bruce and Penelope could not figure out a way to get near a computer. Penelope and Bruce on the dance floor as the team talked in their ear.

Reid, "The nearest computer excluding this floor is above the atrium. Which is closed for the party."

Penelope rested her head on Bruce's shoulder, "Can we access it via the Wi-Fi server?"

"No," Robert said regretfully.

"What about downstairs?" she asked.

"Actually at the loading dock there are a few computers but there are cameras. They will see the hack and kick us out by the morning." Reid concluded.

"Lucius, what about using our mini EMP to dismantle the cameras for 3 minutes?"

"It can do that – but don't you need the device?"

"I never leave home without it?" Bruce added

Emily tilted her head from across the room, "He hates pictures and the EMP device sends out a wave freezing electronic devices… 30-60 seconds?" Penelope said in his defense.

"Let's test this device and make sure it works before we actually do it." Bruce said to the team.

"Sounds like a plan."

"Hold this," Garcia asked as she passed him her purse. "I'll be right back I have to go to the powder room."

"How long till the test?"

"10 minutes, Mr. Wayne?" Robert replied

"I'll be back before then," she said as she kissed his cheek.

Bruce walked to the bar with her purse, "mints?" he said aloud knowing she would reply.

"Under my phone in the purse."

He went in and took 3 mints and the thumb drive with out Emily or Derek seeing him. He wasn't going to let her get hurt. He could test the EMP now and then go to the bathroom. Use his cane to parachute out the window to the computer and then return before the toilet finished flushing. Boy was he glad he still had his old toys.

That was last thought he had before he made a seriously bad decision.

42 minutes later

"We'll take the next elevator up— Penelope said as she turned off her device. Bruce took his piece out of his ear as well. Emily and Derek boarded the elevator, which would take them to the war room aka base camp. Penelope gave Bruce the silent treatment since he went rouge agent.

"I'd hate to be Bruce right now," Rossi said to the team via the earpiece as Emily and Derek's elevator speed between the floors.

Derek felt bad for the man; "He kept her out of harms way – He just should have told us first."

"He put her in danger actually," Emily said.

"How by leaving her at the party and uploading the program himself?" Derek asked defending the man.

"He didn't do that to protect her – he did that to remain in control. We don't know who he…"

"Prentiss," Reid interrupted reminding her others where on the air.

In the garage Bruce waited for the elevator to come. He heard Penelope begin to speak and he cut her off.

"Don't," he said looking at her

"Don't what—don't call you out for being foolish and trigger happy? I mean what were you thinking?"

"What was I thinking?" He turned towards her extremely angry, "Would it make you feel better – knowing it is killing me – knowing that you being next me is in essence putting you in danger."

"Yes," she said not falling for his theatrics and matching his volume.

"Well fell better," he bellowed which echoed through the garage and shook her soul.

Surprised that he was screaming at her she said, "don't you yell at me mister. I didn't make you unplug the earphones and go all" (batman) she mouthed.

"I didn't go all …" (batman) he mouthed back pissed that he was actually mirroring her quirky behavior.

"You went to the bathroom with a fake cane that transforms to a device that allows you to scale buildings. The team thought you were taken and you do all this because you didn't want me to upload a silly program."

"It was 3 minutes, "he sighed.

"How are you going to explain how you got to the 2nd floor and back when Derek checked the bathroom and you were gone? Where is the cane? I don't lie to them – especially Derek –– we don't keep secrets we're a family."

"I get it," he said quickly before a new wave of emotions crossed over his eyes." Funny they didn't know I existed. Someone once told me a lie by omission is still a lie."

She remembers telling him that years ago and it hurt to have her own worlds hurled at her years later – "No one knew about Gotham, Bruce. Not every thing is about you."

"Fine tell your precious Derek - I have gadgets in the basement," he said snidely.

"Hey," she said grabbing his arm, "Hey! You are the one who caused this. We came across the country in the middle of the night to solve this case. We are here to,"

He leaned in to her, "I don't want you here," he growled at her.

She looked as if he slapped her, "I get that," she said as tears welled up in her eyes. She turned to the elevator and pushed the button.

"I meant," he began trying to fix the anger that was in his tone.

"You spoke in English," she said pushing the button again.

He turned her body so she faced him, "I don't want you here like this. Holstering a gun to your hip… putting your life in danger… meeting with the Joker...no, you're not supposed to be here – not like this."

"We don't have to beat the glitter out of the unicorn… I get it… where is the elevator? "She stepping out of his grasp and pushing the elevator button again.

He stopped her turn and leaned her into the poor elevator button she was abusing "I moved to DC to be closer to you!" he whispered passionately.

"Or Miranda Tate," she said trying to step out of his grasp, "it all depends on how you look at it."

"I didn't disturb your happy life because it is a happy life and I did not wish for us to have a reunion saving the only father I'd ever known. So please don't go all Penelope Garcia on me and try and tell me what I'm thinking, feeling, or lecture me about team work and protocol—"

The elevator dinged and the door opened.

He released her.

"I'm sure your agents are waiting to do that as soon as we get upstairs."

"My agents," she said finally letting the tiredness she was feeling hit her, "Bruce you are not Zorro, or Superman, or Batman. You called us because you needed help," she paused, "and you have the best team in the world upstairs yet you still think you're the smartest person in the room. I mean there is a freakin genius up there and," She sighed, "I get it… you're afraid and I would be too if I were you."

She took his hand, "we've been a lot of things to each other. We used to love each other and if there is anyone in world I could have the ability to profile… it would be you and maybe JJ and probably Rossi, but I digress. But the most important thing we ever were – was friends."

She looked up at him, "you used to trust me."

He raised his hands towards her face and searched her eyes for the proper words, "I "he began.

She saw the swarm of emotions cloud his eyes and she took a step back.

He cleared his throat, "I never stopped."

"Well these guys are my family and if I was stuck in an apocalyptic situation with zombies, unsubs, and madman running lose these are the guys I would choose to be in the trench with me. I love them, they are the best, and you shouldn't second-guess them – you have to trust them. They have your best interest at heart."

He took a deep breath, "I will," he said wavering—"for you, I will." he said definitively.

"Now I will hold your hand for the lashing Agent Hotchner is going to give you because on a scale of 1-10 you are like at 49."

"Oh you never had the pleasure of listening to Alfred give me a thorough tongue lashing."

"I have," she giggled, "and it's worse. Hotch does this thing with his eyes when he's angry with you that always turns me into a 5 year old who want to hide behind his mother's skirt," she laughed.

The elevator dinged, the door opened, and they walked towards the conference room.

"Wait," she said grabbing his hand before he opened the door, "we are in this together and we will bring him home safe and sound but you have to trust us. You have to trust me."

"Always," he said kissing her hand.

She smiled and said "always."

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