Author's Note: My sincere thanks to everyone who has been reading and reviewing, and my sincere apologies for the long delay since the last update – my enthusiasm and resolve waned big time. I will try to do better, but I make no promises. Tracia and Tonnie have been real helps!

As soon as Dave left her to go work on the profile for the unsub with Hotch and Reid, JJ pressed the button on her Blackberry that would let her read Kent's text. She didn't want to, but she had to. What could be he possibly want?

"Good seeing u earlier," it read. "Can get tix for us 2 see the Nutcracker Fri nite if you'll be back. We'll do dinner b4. Let me know. Talk soon."

JJ closed her eyes briefly, fighting for control. She couldn't let Dave or anyone else see her so shaken. Kent had an evening all planned out, and he wasn't likely to take no for an answer. JJ scolded herself for hoping that the team would be a few days in Cincinnati, and told herself that if she could handle the media, she could handle Kent.

She got on the phone to Garcia anyway.

~*~

"Talk, Jayje," Garcia said by way of greeting. "You're not calling to tell me that you and Rossi are the newest members of the mile high club, are you?"

Under any other circumstances, JJ would've laughed, but this was no time for jokes. She only hoped no one was "listening." "Start snooping, Pen," she said quietly, seriously. "I want to know everything – everything – about Jeff Kent."

She could tell that her friend was upset. "Uh-oh. What's he done now?"

"Sent me a text ... has plans for us for Friday night if we're back in town .... Maybe I'm being overdramatic, though I've never been overdramatic before, but he- he's scaring me – "

"JJ!" Garcia said forcefully. "Stop! You're rambling. You're starting to sound like me. Hang up the phone, take a deep breath, close your eyes, and try to relax. I'm on it. I'll call you back."

~*~

"Hurry, hurry, hurry," Garcia said under her breath as the computer searched for Jeff Kent. She didn't want to keep JJ waiting any longer than necessary. She was known throughout the entire FBI for being calm, cool and collected in any situation, but she had been anything but calm, cool and collected when she'd called. Why, oh why, was her usually superfast computer being so slow?

When the search finished, Pen skimmed the computer screen, not believing what she was seeing. Where did the FBI find this guy? More important, though, why did it keep him? Two complains of harassment and violence from female agents and/or staff, one complaint of insubordination from a male superior, one suspension, an anger management course, all over the past three years ....

~*~

JJ picked up as soon as her phone rang. "What have you got for me?" she asked.

Garcia sighed. "Your woman's intuition is in perfect working order, JJ – he's bad news." Briefly she told JJ what she'd found out. "Why he's still here, I have no idea, but, as our profiler pals say, he could be escalating. The last complaint resulted in the suspension. I wish I could tell you more, but it'll take time, and I doubt I'd be able to keep it under the radar."

"It's okay," JJ replied. "You've told me everything I need to know."

"I'm glad I could help, sweets," Garcia said sincerely, "but I'm worried. For you. About you. I'm with Emily – I wish you'd go to Rossi."

Again, JJ refused. "I can't and I won't. What if he confronted Kent? Where would we be then? I don't want to turn a private matter into grist for the office gossip mill."

Garcia gave JJ points for stubbornness, but tried to reason with her anyway. "Jayje – consider who we're talking about. Rossi could take on Kent and Strauss on his worst day and win, and, as for the grapevine, he only cares about it if it affects you – it's been clear from the get-go that he isn't overly concerned with what people think of him or his methods. It's the one thing we sort of have in common."

JJ managed a slight smile; his commanding presence and his security in his own self and abilities were just two of the qualities she had come to love about him. When she was weak, he was strong; when she was confused, he was sure. "I know, but still ... I want to work this out on my own if I can. Please give me your word that we can keep this between us for now. If anyone asks about your snooping, I'll go to Hotch or Strauss, explain why I asked you to do what you did. Just don't tell Rossi. Please."

Against her better judgment, Garcia agreed, but as she disconnected thought, Oh, JJ ... I hope you know what you're doing.