how to save a life, criminal minds [ 1 ]

001. extreme aggressor

Madelyn finishes washing the dishes, sticking them all in the dishwasher as her phone rings.

"Hello?" She answers. "Yeah. Yeah, all right." She hangs up. "Damn it." She sighs. She calls the nanny and while waiting for her to get here, Madelyn gets dressed and gets what she'll need.

There's a knock on the door and Madelyn answers it, the nanny walking in.

"Hey. Sorry I had to wake you up." Madelyn apologizes.

"Oh, no, no worries. Kind of my job, right?" Jasmine chuckles.

"Right. I just know you wanted a few days at your home and I was supposed to have the next few days off, I just--"

"My dad was a doctor. I get it." Jasmine assures.

"Okay. I'm gonna go say bye and then I'll be gone." Madelyn says and Jasmine nods.

Madelyn quietly goes into her children's room, softly smiling at their sleeping faces. Lanie has a stuffed turtle that Penelope gave her tucked safely under her arms.

Madelyn kneels next to the bed and brushes some hair away from Lanie's face. She presses a gentle kiss to her cheek.

"I'll see you later, baby. I love you." Madelyn whispers. She quietly moves over to Reese's bed and brushes some of his hair back. She kisses him forehead.

"I love you." Madelyn whispers. She quietly gets up, walking out of the room, leaving the door cracked open.

+++

"I looked the case file over. I'll get some thoughts to you ASAP." Gideon says.

"You're gonna be with us in Seattle ASAP." Hotchner counters as he, Derek, and Madelyn walk in. Madelyn sends a small smile to Spencer who gives his usual awkward smile back.

Derek shows Gideon a picture.

"22 year old Heather Woodland." Derek informs as Gideon takes the photo.

"Before she left for lunch, she downloaded an email with a time delayed virus attached." Hotch explains. "The killer's virus wiped her hard drive and left this on the screen." Hotch hands Gideon a photo of what the computer says.

""For Heaven's sake, catch me before I kill more. I cannot control myself."" Gideon reads as he walks over to a frame on the wall that holds a photo of the same thing written on a bedroom wall.

"He never keeps them for more than 7 days, which means we have fewer than 36 hours to find her." Hotch says.

"They want you back in the saddle. You ready?" Derek asks.

"Looks like medical leave's over, boss." Spencer comments.

"They sure they want me?" Gideon asks and Hotch nods.

"The order came from the director." He states.

"Well, we'd better get started." Gideon says.

+++

"His first victim was 26 year old Melissa Kirsh. Stab wounds, strangulation." Spencer says as the five are on the jet and going over the case.

"Okay, wait, wait, wait. Back up." Derek says. "He stabbed her... and then strangled her to finish her off?"

"Other way around." Gideon says. "Why do you think he started using the belt with the second murder?"

"Strangulation with your bare hands is not as easy as one would believe." Spencer says. "He tried, probably found that it took too long..."

"So he stabbed her instead." Madelyn concludes, Spencer nodding.

"And realized it would be hours cleaning up the blood." Hotch says.