Change My Mind ~ Criminal Minds (Aaron Hotchner x OC)

77.0: Valentine's Dance For Lost Time

A/N: Continuation of 7x14 Closing Time

WARNINGS: SWEARING

TRIGGER WARNING: MENTIONS OF CHEATING AND DIVORCE

"The struggles we endure today will be the 'good old days' we laugh about tomorrow."
― Aaron Lauritsen

It was the next morning and Crystal smiled at Morgan's shocked face, "And you told me last? Again?"

"Derek, you're just not here when I need to tell someone." Crystal answered as she made herself some tea, she tried to keep her face from getting red again.

I gotta work on that before Hotch takes me out on Friday night.

Morgan chuckled and sighed, "You're already overthinking, aren't you?"

"No.....maybe," Morgan gave her a look and she sighed, "Yes." Morgan smiled, "Thought so. Listen Crystal, everything is going to be fine. The hard part is already over with, the hard part was trying to make you two ask the other one out and Hotch took care of that. The next part is easy, you go out and enjoy yourselves."

Crystal took a sip of her tea, "I wish it was that easy, but it's been awhile since either me or him have been on a date." Morgan shrugged, "That's not a big deal, you've basically gone on dates already. You two are just to stubborn to admit it."

I wish I could disagree...

They walked back over to the board room and Morgan patted her head before they walked in, "You'll be fine Archer, let your mind stop filling itself up with negativity and worries. Let yourself enjoy the moment."

Crystal nodded and smiled at him, "I will, promise." Morgan gave her a reassuring smile before opening the door for them to walk in, Crystal took a seat and shook her head at Reid's offer of his fries.

Rossi looked up from his file, "The murders started nearly two months ago, but the time in between kills has accelerated over the past week. Why?" Emily took a sip of her drink, "If the unsub suffered a loss, we could be looking for someone who was fired back then and struggling to pay his bills now."

Morgan shrugged, "Or divorcees currently undergoing custody hearings." Reid nodded, "Most likely he's operating in one of the coastal cities. The victims were all staying in the metropolitan area, but their bodies were found near the ocean."

Parker sighed, "Do you know how big the California coastline is?"

"840 miles," Reid quickly answered which made Crystal bite her lip to stop herself from laughing, JJ sipped her drink with a smile, and Morgan let out a quiet chuckle. Reid looked down at his files, "Fortunately based on the unsub's comfort zone, we can narrow down the area between Santa Monica and Redondo Beach."

"And the paper trail shows each of the victims in the downtown area until about 9:00 PM the night they disappeared, after that they go off the grid." JJ stated and Morgan leaned forward on the table, "So how are the victims ending up in the South Bay?"

Crystal took a sip of her tea, "We haven't found any of the missing cars." Emily nodded, "And we know he's probably nonthreatening, what if he asks for a lift and then kills them en route?"

"But how does he know that his victims fit his emotional criteria?" Hotch asked, he put his file down. "There's no common denominator outside the loss that each has suffered."

JJ frowned, "Sean Taylor did look pretty distraught before storming out of the gym." Hotch gave a nod, "Elaine Kraus said that her husband would often go to the beach to clear his head." Rossi raised an eyebrow, "What if they're all doing that? Maybe he's not taking them to the beach, maybe he's hunting them there."