Something's Gotta Give (Jemily)

Chapter 30

*TW- Mentions of drug use and overdose

"It wasn't Emily, but we did find another note. It says, 'Second is the best'." Derek said on the phone with Hotch. He was thankful that it wasn't Emily, but he wanted to find the killer before he or she killed another person. Nala ran out to Hotch, turning around in circles before sitting right beside her leash. He knew that was her signal to him that she needed to use the bathroom. He grabbed her leash and attached it to her collar. He walked her outside and let her lead him because he didn't know her route. As she was peeing, there was another person walking their dog. 

"Hey, you're agent Hotchner, right?" the woman asked. 

"I am." he replied. 

"It's really nice to actually meet you. I'm officer Marihugh. Or Vanessa if you like." she said. 

"Nice to meet you, Vanessa." he said. 

"Likewise. So I have to ask, are you always this serious?" she asked. 

"Not always, but when I'm on a case I take serial killers very seriously." he responded. 

"I didn't think this killer was a serial killer." she said. 

"Not yet since there's only two victims, but my best bet is that they aren't going to stop until we stop them." he said. 

"Do you guys have any leads?" she asked. He shook his head 'no'. "That's so unfortunate. I know JJ is so devastated right now. The poor girl looks like she hasn't slept in days." she said. 

"Yeah. We're doing our best to find whoever is doing this." he said. 

"I know you are. You guys are the best there is. Well Victory needs to move onward. But if you'd like to get dinner sometime, here's my card." she said, handing him the little piece of thick paper. 

"I do have a girlfriend." he said, taking the card. 

"Oh no worries. It's just as friends. In fact, why don't we go on a double date sometime when my husband and I are in Virginia. We are going there on vacation in about a month." she said. 

"Okay. As long as I don't have a case we can." he said. She nodded her head, and her and Victory left to go to her next spot. Nala lead him to her next destination around the block before leading back to the station. 

~Month 4~

It's been yet another month, and still no leads. There were two more bodies found. The first being a blonde, the second being a brunette. Same thing as the first two victims. The note placed in the blonde had said, 'Third time's a charm'. The note placed in the brunette had said, 'Are you looking?'. It was confusing for everyone, but it seemed like the messages written were for one specific person. 

"Jayje, I think these are supposed to be for you. Think about it. Emily is kidnapped. Then our first victim is blonde. Second victim is brunette. Now the third victim is blonde and fourth victim is brunette. It's a pattern. And each of the blonde's eye color is blue. The brunette's are brown. You have have blonde hair blue eyes. Emily has brown hair brown eyes. These are surrogates for you and Emily. Which means that you guys are the real targets." Reid said. 

"If whoever took Emily wanted both of us killed, then why haven't they done so?" JJ asked. 

"I'm not sure. Maybe it's because Emily is pregnant, and they want you to find her before killing you both." he said. JJ was getting even more stressed out. She already was burnt out from working to training Nala to trying to find Emily to trying to find time for herself and eat and sleep. She was getting maybe five hours of sleep per week, and it was taking a toll on her body. She didn't know what she was going to do. She was becoming more stressed, irritable, tired, and she felt like nothing was working.