Author's note: Hi all! this is my first fanfic that I'm confident enough to publish, so I'm posting it before I have a chance to change my mind! I hope everyone enjoys and please, please review :) I value constructive criticism and would love some suggestions in later chapters so I can please everyone that takes the time to read my story. I hope you enjoy!

(Oh and I unfortunately do not own criminal minds or any of its characters.)

Let's begin!

"Uuugghhh." Reid groaned and rubbed his tired eyes as his cellphone rudely announced he had received a text, interrupting his already fitful slumber. The young genius had dreamed of Maeve again, they were in the library as usual, but instead of dancing together, Maeve stood just out of Spencer's reach and he couldn't get to her. Reid shook his head to clear his mind and reached out to grab his phone, The Narrative of John Smith clattering to the floor as he retrieved the small electronic device. Spencer had managed to fall asleep on the couch yet again. The clock on his cell phone read 6:52 A.M. This early on a Saturday? This case had to be bad. Well, worse than usual.

A simple message from Hotch was on the screen, 'Pasadena. Wheels up in thirty. Will present on the plane.'

As Reid forced himself off the couch and stretched on the way to his bedroom, he received another text, this one from Morgan. Hey Pretty Boy. Need a ride?

Reid quickly typed back, Sure. Thanks.

Moments later Morgan's message came up, No problem. Be there in 15.

Reid turned his phone off after that, knowing there was no need to respond to the last message. Reid set his phone down on the bed before getting dressed. His outfit was typical, black slacks, white button down shirt, purple sweater vest and perpetually crooked brown tie. He fastened his watch over his left shirtsleeve and tugged on his converse high tops before heading to the bathroom.

Reid's hair was getting shaggy and he had a severe case of bedhead, but the brunette mane was no match for a comb and some water. The young agent splashed some cold water on his face in an attempt to lighten the dark purple circles under his bloodshot, chocolate eyes, but the cool liquid only succeeded in shocking the young agent awake.

Looking at his watch and seeing that Morgan would be there in seven minutes, Reid grabbed his messenger bag, go bag, cell phone and locked the door on his way out.

CMCMCMCMCM

"Thanks." Reid smiled up at JJ as she set a fresh, hot, overly sweet cup of coffee in front of him. The jet had been in the air for ten minutes, and Garcia was about to present the case. It had to be pretty awful for them to be flying out at 7:25 in the morning, not even knowing what they were facing.

Suddenly, Garcia's bright face popped up on the laptop screen that the BAU team was gathered around. "Hello my lovelies, and note how I didn't say 'good morning'." Garcia's usually peppy tone was slightly off kilter, most likely from exhaustion and a gruesome case. Pictures popped up on the screen as Garcia resumed her fast paced speech. "Three weeks ago, seventeen year old Jesse Moore and thirty three year old Tom Adams were reported missing by family members. One week later they were discovered dead in an alley, stripped down to their boxers. They were raped, beaten and had some… parts removed."

"Bicep muscles and genitals." Reid furrowed his eyebrows as he read from his case file. "That's an odd combination."

"Yeah. Cause of death was strangulation." Garcia's face popped up again momentarily before more pictures covered her face. "Nine days ago, eighteen year old Mallory Campbell and twenty six year old Amanda Stevenson went missing. They were found two days ago again in an alley, this time completely naked, also raped, also beaten. All of their nails, finger and toe, were removed, their teeth were broken, noses almost completely missing, hair ripped out, and eyes and breasts were stabbed but not removed. Cause of death for them was blood loss."

"Why do the police think the murders are related?" Blake asked from her spot across the aisle from the booth where Hotch, Morgan, Reid and JJ were seated. Rossi was perched next to Blake, concentrating hard on the crime scene photos on his tablet.

"Because the same message was left at each scene." Two photos of brick walls appeared on the screen, both walls had identical messages neatly written in cursive on them.

"'Nothing.'" Hotch stated simply, reading the carefully painted script.

"Some message." Rossi scoffed, clearly slightly baffled in his sleep deprived state.

"It could mean a number of things." Reid stepped in, talking to himself more than anyone else. "He left the bodies in an alley, not posed, undressed, near dumpsters. The unsub could think of his victims as useless, worthless, trash, and therefore, nothing."

"We'll have to go over victimology and visit dumpsites and possible abduction sites to be sure." JJ said, turning off her tablet.

"His MO is all over the place. So is his victimology. It points towards the unsub being young and inexperienced." Rossi says.

"But the fact that he abducts two people at once suggest he's experienced." JJ points out.

"Which means we hardly have anything to go on with this profile so far." Morgan was clearly frustrated with this fact, as was everyone on the plane.

"When we land," Hotch began, "Morgan and JJ I want you to go the coroner. Dave and Blake, you two go to the latest dumpsite and see what you can find. Reid and I will go to the station and get set up. For now, everyone should try to get some sleep." Nobody argued with Hotch's final order.

While the rest of the team settled down for rest, Reid feigned sleep and balanced a file on his knees. He had taken the seat in the very back of the plane, facing the back wall so nobody could see he wasn't resting. After dreaming of having Maeve just slip between his fingers every time he reached for her hand made him unable to resume his less than peaceful slumber that this case had interrupted, so he just stared at his file, feeling as though there should be an obvious answer that they just couldn't see. Something that should pop off the page and tell him exactly why this unsub was using different methods of torture and killing his victims in different ways. The fact that the pieces wouldn't just fall into place frustrated Reid more than anything. The knowing and not knowing at the same time; having his brain betray him.

After what seemed like only minutes but was clearly several hours, Reid was startled by the hand on his shoulder. It took the genius a moment to hear Morgan's voice.

"…five minutes." The older agent said. "Kid, did you hear me?"

Reid looked up at the man that had come to be like a big brother to him. "Uh, sorry no. what was that?"

Morgan chuckled as the young agents eyebrows furrowed. "We're landing in five minutes. Get ready." With that, Morgan went back to where he was sleeping on the couch, slipped his leather jacket on and slid his go bag over his shoulder.

Reid watched his best friend go, then slid all of the case papers into the paper file before sliding the sheets carefully into his messenger bag and slipping it over his shoulder. He knew the team was missing something that would make the entire case click, and he was ready to find out what that variable was.

I really hope you enjoyed my first chapter! Please review! I will update in two days for anyone who wants to stick around for more! till then, 3 3 bye!