With all due respect sir

Trust me and I might trust you sir

"Hey, new kid what is going through that head of yours," Derek looked in the rear-view mirror "something is bothering me about the crime scenes," "what is it," Emily continued "If this is really their honeymoon the amount of liquor is quite a lot. I mean, personally, I don't mind getting drunk every once in and awhile, but that is a lot, even if they are stretching it out over a few days." varya rambled, "you might be on to something"

Vayra, Derek, Emily step into the primary crime scene. "They hear each other's stories and develop a bond because of their similar backgrounds." "Makes sense. People typically drink to excess because they're unhappy with themselves or their past. Either way, they don't want to deal with it," varya got looks from the team like they were crazy "From the looks of it, at least one of the unsubs shot from upfront," "Well, if the meeting started at 8:00, and this happened at 8:45, they were probably in the sharing portion of the meeting" varya continued. "So maybe they didn't come in here to kill," Derek added on waiting for varya to bring their thoughts from the car out.

"You know, what if they really are struggling with sobriety? If they're really working the program, they could be working on the hardest steps." "Which are?" "7, 8, and 9. Acknowledge your shortcomings, accept responsibility, and make amends. The trouble is, these unsubs already broke one of the most important steps. What's that? The thirteenth step. Members aren't supposed to enter relationships with each other while trying to get sober. I've known people to separate for a bit while one or both gets sober," "people take it to that extreme," "if they are that dedicated, then yes"

Vayra stayed quiet through the delivery of the profile but after their boss had something to say to them.

"Holland, can we talk?" Hotch called from the group "yeah," "we need to talk about some things you brought up the information on the 13 steps and meeting. Is there something I should know," "no," "then how did you know the information you did," "so you're saying that it was a problem that I knew some information but Dr. Reid it is okay if he did," Hotchner stayed quiet. "Okay, then I'll keep that in mind. But if you have to know a few years ago a friend hit rock bottom, his husband said sober up or I'm leaving. When that didn't work, he forced his son to guilt his dad. Same time I was using alcohol to cope with some crap, I went though. I had become a high functioning acholic. nearly lost my job and some friends. We went through the program together. But I sobered up 3 and a half years without a drinking binge," "I know the team like to celebrate will that affect you," "no sir," "good "

"Garcia, get us the address of the foster home. Somebody there might know something," varya heard the end of a conversation between Hotchner and Garcia. "Sure. Give me a sec," "if that was about one of our unsubs. Their foster parents will not be at the root of this. We need to find the root of their drinking and we find the ones the surrogates are for." Hotchner listened to what they said, but brushed them off a bit.

At the latest crime scene, varya looks around the room while Derek and Prentiss talk. "All right, so Ray must have been sitting right here, playing Russian roulette with his dad." " Mr. Donovan got shot from across the room. Ray couldn't have done it sitting there." "Maybe he got mad, went over by the door, shot him from there"

A cellphone beeped, causing the flow to break. "Prentiss. You all right?" "Yeah. It's nothing." "holland" Derek call out to the agent smelling the room. "What are your thoughts on this?"

"Well uh," Varya looks around the room, "what if Ray didn't do it at all? What if the girl pulled the trigger?" "Well, why would Ray let her do that? He was the one with the grudge." Morgan counters them. "Maybe she's the one calling the shots. She's the psychopath," Emily backed them up.

"Well, if she did do it without his consent, they're going to be at odds." morgan tacked on "The first marital fight is supposed to be the worst." "Well, it just might be the wedge that we need."

Part of the team regrouped in the house, shared information, and called Garcia. "Ok, so, no Ray Donovan filed for a marriage certificate. However, I looked at that list again, and there's a Sydney Manning of Washington State who filed for a marriage certificate 2 days ago in Montana," Garcia relayed over the phone

"Washington State? We profiled North Dakota," Hotch responded and varya kept many comments to themself. "Yes, she's lived in North Dakota for the last 4 years, and it gets better, or worse, rather. It turns out that Sydney was sentenced to mandatory rehab after serving time for a hit and run, during which she was under the influence of alcohol and heroin," and the plot thickens "Oh, so she didn't volunteer for alcohol support," varya added

"Oh, so she didn't volunteer for alcohol support. No, they placed there her as part of her parole. Alcohol and heroin," "Isn't that the same combo that Ray's ex O. D. on?" dots started adding up

"Yes, it is, my friend. So both Syd and the ex have the same vice," " Garcia, check to see if there's a juvie record of the ex we can access," " they pulled Amy out of High School so she could go to rehab for alcohol dependency."

"But no mention of the heroin?" "What are you thinking?" Hotch questioned the new agent. "Psychopaths will destroy anything in their path, right?" they got nods. "What if Amy was in Sydney's way?"

"Garcia, where is Sydney Manning's biological family?" " Spokane, Washington." "And why was she pulled out of her home?" "Her father was molesting her."

"So Ray and Syd met after sharing similar backgrounds in alcohol support." "And if they're sticking to the pattern of making amends, Sydney's father's next on the list." "Reid holland, you stay at the command center in case they double back. The rest of us are gonna go to Spokane." Hotch gave orders to the group

"sir I feel like my talents will be better used in Washington" "now what if they double back that means your 'talents' will be in the wrong spot" "now we both know that they are most likely going to be going to Washington" "well I don't know your talents and how to plan with them so for the time being trust my decisions as supervisor of this team" "trust is a two-way street trust me and I may trust you sir" Hotch and varya have a staring contest neither of them breaking.

"Fine, you can come with us to Washington"

The unsubs were laid up in the gas station for hours. Syd was shot and slowly bled out. Ray ultimately killed her and then died by a cop. The plane ride was quiet for everyone. Once back in Virginia, everyone went their separate ways. Varya drove to a gas station and picked up junk food and some other things. Finished the drive home and carried everything up to their apartment in one trip. Put things where they belong.

Loved on their animals. Hunted down for a quick, easy dinner. Carried their dinner to their balcony along with a file. 'Operation clover'. They light a cigarette and open the file.