Family isn't Always Blood (A Criminal Minds fanfic)

Chapter 15: New Case

Rossi's POV:
I sit impatiently at my computer, tapping the desk with my index finger. I stare at the cursor, trying to think of how to start. My phone buzzes, I reach over and grab it, checking the message. Penelope Garcia: Avengers assemble!
Thank goodness, I sigh and shut the lid of my laptop, grabbing my phone and walking out the door.

I walk into the round table room and take a seat. "You have no idea what pain you spared me from" I say, "What kind of pain are we talking about?" Garcia asks, "The kind of pain that generally comes with writers block" I reply. Hotch walks in with Prentiss and they take their seats. We sit around for a a few minutes when JJ finally walks in, followed by Reid. "Reid, you're back already?" Morgan asks, "It's been three weeks since I got out of hospital" Reid says as he takes a seat, "Yeah, but I didn't think you were cleared to fly yet" "I'm not, that doesn't mean I can't help from here" "Reid, you don't have to be here, if you still need some time off that's okay" Hotch says "Hotch, honestly, sitting around at home all day was killing me, I'll be fine" Reid replies before turning to Garcia. "Alright crime fighters, this is an interesting one. Last night the body of a girl was found in a small park in McAlester, Oklahoma. Her face had been burnt so badly that she was unidentifiable, they only ID'd her via a tattoo that she had on her arm. Her name is Talulah Baits" Garcia clicks a button and the picture of a beautiful brunette girl pops up on the screen, next to the horrific photo of her body. "She was only 23" Reid points out, Garcia nods in agreement and continues, "Last week the body of 19 year old Brianna Watson was found in an alley, she had been stabbed multiple times in the stomach and chest" I look over to see Reid absentmindedly reach down and touch his stomach where his scars are. "The week before that, 32 year old Rebecca Michaels was found in a parking lot outside of a supermarket, single gunshot to the head" "The COD on all the victims is so different, how do we know that they're by the same unsub?" JJ asks, "Because they all had this" Garcia says and a picture shows up of a bird tattoo with an "x" sliced through it. "All of the victims had bird tattoos and they all had exes sliced through them antemortem" "Well typically the bird tattoo symbolises freedom, so maybe he's symbolically taking that away from them just before they die" Reid says, "Yeah, but how would he know who had tattoos of birds? Brianna Watson's tattoo was on her back, you wouldn't notice it unless she took off her shirt" Emily says, "Let's discuss this on the plane, wheels up in 30" Hotch says and we all get up and leave the room.

Hotch's POV:
As the jet takes of I look over at Emily, "Em, you okay?" I ask, noticing how pale she looks, she takes a deep breath, "Yep" she says, closing her eyes and putting her head back, "Mourning sickness?" I ask, "Mhm" she answers, taking another deep breath. I hand her a plastic bag, she shakes her head and gets up, walking to the bathroom and closing the door. "How's she doing?" JJ asks, "Good, apart from the mourning sickness" I answer, "How far along is she now?" Morgan asks, "5 weeks" Emily walks out of the bathroom and sits down, "Sorry" she says, "Don't be sorry Em" JJ tells her. "Hey guys, I have some more information about Brianna Watson" we turn to the computer to see Garcia and Reid sitting there, "What is it Garcia?" Rossi asks, "Okay, so it turns out that Brianna was a bit of an athlete; gym three times a week, pool twice a week and her boyfriend said that she went jogging every Saturday morning" "Wow, that's a lot" JJ says, "That would explain how the unsub could've seen her tattoo; if she wore a bikini at the pool, training tops at the gym or when she went for a jog" Emily says, "Did any of the other victims visit the same gym or swimming pool?" Morgan asks, "No, sorry" "Alright, thanks Garcia" I say and she hangs up. "Maybe the unsub saw Brianna when she was jogging" JJ suggests, "Yeah, that seems most likely at this point" I say. Emily leans her head on my shoulder and closes her eyes, I put my arm around her and kiss her on the forehead, "Feeling better?" I ask, "Yeah" she nods and looks up, returning my kiss.