A/N - I should really not being doing this, starting another story but this is what has grabbed my muse at the moment so I'm running with it, please let me know what you think and if I'm heading in the right direction, eventually there will be mentions of JJ/Rossi and an emerging H/P relationship but to start with things are a little heavy. Chapter 1 -
JJ had just sat down with her coffee, sipping it slowly as she made a mental note of all the things she had to do. Her solitary thoughts soon disturbed by the all too familiar tone of her cell phone.
"Jesus, is it too much to ask for one weekend?"
JJ put her coffee down and reached across the counter for the offending item.
"Agent Jareau."
An hour later JJ walked around the round table, placing fresh pads of paper and the relevant case files around as Morgan and Reid walked into the room.
"Sorry about this guys, I hope I didn't ruin your weekend too much."
"I was in the middle of re-reading Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series but..."
"Hold it right there Reid, you have an eidetic memory you do not need to re-read anything!"
"I know Morgan but it was my weekend treat."
JJ laughed as she looked towards the door to see Hotch and Rossi walking in with Garcia following quickly behind them, JJ waited until everyone had taken their seats before she looked at Hotch.
"Ok then JJ."
"What about Prentiss?"
JJ rolled her eyes at Morgan's question as she then looked at Hotch who smiled as he shook his head from side to side.
"She's at her mother's for an important family gathering, as much as she would love me to call her back in I for one do not want to upset the Ambassador, and as I recall Derek you and Emily had a long conversation about her plans before you left on Friday."
Hotch looked across at Morgan who grinned as he shrugged his shoulders.
"Well anyway guys back to business."
JJ stood up and flicked the screen so that it showed the photos of two young women, both with blonde hair and blue eyes.
"Phoenix PD have requested our assistance, in the last week two young students have been found beaten, raped and then strangled on Tempe Campus at Arizona State University. As you can imagine the student population is getting a little on edge and after yesterday's discovery of the second body the media is causing a whirlwind. The first victim, Kaley Marshall aged 19, was found on Tuesday morning behind the Law library, post-mortem tests found two male DNA samples. The second victim, Sarah Kelmore aged 20, was found yesterday morning by the campus children's centre."
"Ok then wheels up in twenty minutes. Garcia?"
"I know bossman, I'll run the DNA and check for any links."
"Thanks Garcia."
The two of them walked past the bookstore, smiling and laughing at their little 'in joke' before a campus security guard walked past on the other side of the road.
"No worries mate maybe we'll just have to have ourselves a little fun a bit earlier than what we thought!"
"Yeah that sounds like a good idea, burger?"
The two friends patted each other on the shoulder and walked away from the security guard.
"Hey guys?"
"Hang on Garcia."
Reid turned the laptop round so that everyone could see.
"Right then guys, I ran the DNA sample through all known databases and zilch I'm afraid. The two girls lived in different dorm buildings but they did take a Corporate Strategy class together. I ran the list of students in that class, they all came back clean but I'll send them over to you anyway but...I did come across something that is a little bit strange."
"Go on Garcia."
Hotch sat down, trusting the analysts instincts.
"Well one of the students in that class lives on a corridor that was subjected to a burglary ten days ago...the hinky thing is that the student was the only one that didn't have her room ransacked...in the whole corridor."
"Thanks Garcia we'll check it out, what's the student's name?"
"Natasha Hersfold, 20 years old, lives in Burnett Honors College. Garcia out."
"Ok when we land Reid and JJ can you go and speak to this Natasha Hersfold, see how well she knew the victims, Morgan and Dave you check out the latest victim and I'll make a start on victimology."
JJ was quiet as they stopped outside the dorm building, Reid looked over at his friend.
"Everything ok JJ?"
JJ blinked her eyes as she came out of her reverie.
"Yeah sure, sorry Spence. You know how some cases get to us more than others...well it's ones involving college students that get to me."
JJ offered a small smile as she climbed out of the vehicle and made their way up to Natasha's room. JJ banged loudly on the door, waiting impatiently for a response, she gave it about forty seconds before she rapped her knuckles once again.
"She's not here I'm afraid."
Reid and JJ swung their heads around and looked at a pink haired student standing by her open door.
"Sorry?"
"Tasha. She's not here she's gone for the weekend on some family gathering, she'll be back tomorrow. Can I help?"
Reid walked towards the woman and reached for his credentials.
"Hi, I'm Doctor Spencer Reid with the FBI Behavioural Analysis Unit, this is my colleague Agent Jareau. We're here regarding the murders of two students found on campus."
"Yeah it's pretty scary at the moment, but why did you want to see Tasha?"
"Umm?"
"Sorry I'm Ali, Ali Saunders. Do you want to come in?"
"Thanks Ali."
Reid stepped into the small room and waited for JJ to join him, they both looked around the room before Ali gestured for them to take a seat on the bed whilst Ali pulled up the chair from the desk. JJ took a quick look around the room before she spoke.
"Did Tasha say anything to you about knowing the two victims?"
"No, she did? God that's freaky."
"They were both in one of her classes."
"Oh. It's no great surprise she didn't say anything, Tasha hasn't said a lot to anyone lately."
JJ looked at Reid and then back to Ali.
"Did something happen?"
Ali shifted uncomfortably in her seat, silently cursing herself for opening the door and allowing herself to get stuck in this situation.
"I...she..."
"Please Ali, we need to know any information that may help."
"I don't see how it could."
"Why don't you let us decide if it is relevant."
JJ smiled sympathetically at the student, breathing a sigh of relief as Ali relaxed her shoulders slightly and looked intently at them.
"There was a break in on the corridor the other Thursday night, most of us had gone out to a party...well everyone apart from Tasha. When we returned all of our rooms had been ransacked with stuff like Ipods, laptops and cameras taken, all except Tasha's room. We tried to talk to her, find out if she knew anything but she just said that she had slept through the whole thing."
"You don't believe her?"
Ali brought her head up as she looked at JJ before shaking her head from side to side.
"She's been strange since that night, refusing to talk to anyone, she just goes to classes and trains."
"Trains?"
"Tasha is a runner, the university's track star, but now she is training harder than ever."
"Ok well thanks for the information, if you think of anything else then please let us know."
JJ smiled as she stood up, placing her card on Ali's desk before she and Reid silently left the room.
"What now?"
JJ stopped at the stairs and looked at Reid.
"Not a lot. Go back to Hotch and fill him in and find out what he wants us to do next."
"How about getting a contact number for Natasha?"
"Not a bad idea Spence, we could arrange to meet her when she's back, I'll ask Garcia to do some digging."
They had finished their burgers and were busy checking to see who else was around on a quiet Sunday afternoon, picking up their trays before quickly empting them and walking out into the sunshine.
"Not much doing around here at the moment."
"Game of golf to pass the afternoon?"
"Sounds good, it's best to hunt at night anyway."
JJ and Reid had filled the team in on the fruitless afternoon as they sat and worked through the victimology, the table cluttered with takeaway boxes and files. Morgan and Rossi had spent the afternoon with the ME, an unpleasant but necessary task.
"So we are definitely looking at two unsubs, the ME found two samples of DNA again. In all likelihood two students on campus."
Hotch looked around the table as he finished and saw the tired looks on everyone's faces, the shrill ring of a cell phone broke the mood as JJ quickly answered it.
"Evening Garcia, you're on speaker."
"Well I hope you guys are having a relaxing Sunday evening. I've got that number for you JJ."
"Ok Garcia what is it?"
"Yeah umm, well there's a slight problem."
Garcia went quiet as Morgan looked at JJ a confused look on his face.
"What is it babygirl, spill."
"The number it's..."
"It's mine."
Garcia turned around in shock and saw Emily standing in the doorway of her office, her mouth stayed open as Emily slowly walked over and took a seat beside Garcia and put the phone on speaker.