VIOLENT DELIGHTS, aaron hotchner

fortuitous family

As spring blends into summer, changes in Aaron and Juliette's life are more gradual. Jack adjusts to the move well, a new Star Wars bedroom and the old Playstation occupying any longing feelings for their old apartment.

He adjusts to Juliette even better. He starts requesting her to put him to bed and help with his homework, making her cry tears of happiness into Aaron's shoulder one evening.

At the end of March, they slowly begin to train for a marathon again. It's almost nostalgic, running in the same loops around the park yet much closer together, conversation unrestricted.

It's one week from the next Bureau marathon, and after seeing Jack off on the bus, the couple sets off to the park. Aaron has almost caught up to Juliette's speed, even with his surgical setbacks. Their races become more challenging for each other, hoping to beat their personal best rather than simply make it past the finish line.

Alone on the shadowed path, Juliette speaks into the silence, "I was thinking of calling my mom."

"What's stopping you?"

Juliette takes a moment to think of the right words. "She's barely looked in the direction of a man since père died. I'm not sure I'm ready for her judgement."

"From what I've heard, you're not your mom." Aaron says, earning a small smile from her. "You don't have to make the same decisions as her, even if she thinks it's the wrong one."

Rationalizing the idea of just getting it over with, Juliette nods. "Thanks."

Their run's cut short after a call from Cruz with a series of murdered young women in Los Angles, racing against an actual serial killer back to the townhouse and to the nicer shower. Though not in record time, they arrive at the BAU only to part ways as Aaron meets with the section chief.

The case lasts a long four days, ending with a standoff with the UnSub who manages to graze a bullet across Blake's arm before Rossi and Spencer take him down. She's alright, already joking about being bulletproof before the EMT's leave, but a call from her father just after seems to faze her more.

She sits in the corner of the jet in whispers with Hotch, leaving the team to make guesses until he stands, "All right, can I have your attention everyone? Go ahead, Garcia."

She pops up on the jet's screens, "Last night in Kansas City— well, technically super early this morning— 50-year-old David Morrison was beaten to death when he was out jogging. Info's on your tablets right now."

Juliette pulls out her tablet, sharing the screen with Spencer. Photos of a lifeless man, wearing hot pink underwear, lying in the street pop on the screen, having been ruthlessly beaten. "Classic overkill." Observes Rossi.

"He was found stripped and wearing women's underwear that I'm assuming weren't his." Blake adds.

"I'll second that." Garcia says. "All of his clothes were found nearby, his skivvies included."

Morgan asks next, "Any other victims?"

"That's a big maybe." She audibly presses a button, more photos loading onto their tablets. "Meet Tommy Barnes and Melissa Hawthorne. A year ago, they disappeared from a house party and were found beaten in much the same fashion."

"There were two of them and they're considerably younger than this most recent victim." Spencer says.

"Yeah, and what about the women's underwear?" JJ adds. "That's a pretty specific ritual aspect. Are we sure it's the same UnSub?"

"My dad thinks it is." Blake says.

"Your dad's a captain on the Kansas City police force, right?"