S.S.A Herrmann (Criminal Minds / One Chicago Fanfic)

Chapter 21

Boulder City Police Department, Boulder City Nevada

The team had been in the desert for almost a week and their unsub already killed and discarded another 3 victims ranging in age and gender showing the agent he had no gender preference and the MO was consistent each time. 

Nikki wondered how people were so creatively sick when it came to murdering each other. She thought what she saw as a Ranger was bad jeez did some of the sickos the BAU track take the cake for most disturbingly repulsive. Nikki sighed looking over the photos of the victim of the board in front of her as she took a sip of the coffee she was drinking. 

The sound of her phone pulled her from her thoughts, Nikki pulled her phone out noticing the caller ID said 'Mom' With a smile the brunette accepted the call holding the device up to her ear. "Hey Mom, how's your morning going?" Nikki asked, "It's going," her mom replied before she started coughing. "How are you feeling? It sounds like your cough is getting worse, Have you called the doctor yet?" Nikki asked her mom worried. "I feel completely wiped out the last couple of days, your dad called the doctor a few days ago and I have an appointment tomorrow. No need to worry it's probably just a cold. You know how the boys bring home the cold like clockwork," her mom replied. 

"Well let me know how the appointment goes, I can come home after we wrap up the case to help you and Dad for a few days- No Nikki it's okay we have everything handled. and it's just the flu I'll be up and about in a couple of days, I just wanted to call and see how you were doing," her mom said before starting to brutally cough uncontrollably. "Mom that doesn't sound like just a cold- Nicole I'm fine stop worrying about me. Plus it's my job to worry about you." Her mom said cutting her off. Nikki sighed, "I worry because I love you, mom, let me know what the doctor says please," Nikki said noticing Spencer walk in the room with a coffee in hand. 

"I love you too Nikki, there's no need to worry though. I'll let you know what the doctor says after the appointment. Be safe sweetheart," her mom replied with another coughing fit. "I will mom, send my love to everyone," she replied. "I will sweetheart," her mom said before she hung up. "Everything okay?" Spencer asked walking over and taking a seat in an office chair next ti Nikki. 

The brunette shrugged, "My mom hasn't been feeling 100% lately and I'm just worried about her is all," Nikki said before taking a sip of her coffee and trying to read Spencer's face. It held understanding as he nodded. "Do you think she's downplaying how bad it is?" he asked, "Well she sounded exhausted and her cough has gotten a lot worse, she's got a doctor's appointment in a couple of days. So hopefully it's nothing serious and I'm just giving myself anxiety for nothing, sorry... You didn't need to hear me ramble on like that," Nikki said awkwardly scratching the back of her neck before she stood up and walked over to the whiteboard holding the partial profile of their unsub. 

"There's no need to apologize, I think it's really sweet how much you care about your mom and your family. and if you ever want to ramble on, my ears are all yours princess," Spencer said softly. Nikki looked up to meet his gaze as he said the word 'Princess' softly, causing her to grin possibly because she kinda liked it when he called her that. Especially if anyone else called her that she'd probably knock them out because she was the furthest thing from a princess. 

Nikki and Spencer went back to working on the geographical profile which in turn helped Garcia narrow her search parameters between a certain radius. This left Garcia with a few suspects ultimately leading to their unsub Travis Hayes who was beaten as a boy by his father in the name of 'God and Gods Will' 

What took the team and Garcia a while to figure out was where Travis was held up and with his latest victim. It have been almost 3 days before JJ and Morgan figured out that the 1st victim was their unsubs long time girlfriend and fiance. Garcia started looking into properties and addresses in her name and found a family dairy facility that got foreclosed shortly after Travis' fiance Victoria was murdered. It did take the team long to find Travis and his victim Carol alive and arrest Travis. 

BAU Private Jet

Nikki sat on the plane staring out the window wondering about her mom's appointment went. She tried calling her earlier but never got a reply, Nikki even messaged her mom when they boarded heading back to the office to let her know and it was still radio silence. "You look exhausted, when was the last time you slept?" Spencer asked as he took a seat at the table she was sitting at and set a mug of tea down in front of her and himself. 

Nikki could tell it was chamomile by the smell alone, "Thanks, and a day maybe two. I'm not really sure," she replied sending him a forced and tired smile. "Still worried about your mom?" he asked as she nodded taking a sip of the tea. "Have you heard from her?" Spencer asked as Nikki shook her head no. "I messaged her before we left Nevada to tell her we wrapped up the case, but I haven't heard anything from her yet," Nikki said looking back out the window. "She's gonna be okay she probably just got caught up with your siblings. I'm sure she'll call you soon," Spencer said as Nikki stayed quiet the rest of the flight back to Virginia. 

Instead of heading home, the team went back to the office to finish their write up on the case before calling it a day considering they actually returned at a decent time. Spencer drove Nikki back to the academy the entire time she was checking her phone hoping to see a message from her mom but didn't. 

BAU Office - FBI Academy, Quantico Virginia

Nikki and Spencer arrived in the parking garage at the same time as the rest of the team. The agent took their go bags carrying them across the garage and over to the elevator. On the walkover over Morgan and JJ noticed Spencer had his hand on Nikki's lower back as they walked into the metal box before heading up to the 6th floor where the BAU office is. 

Nikki kept checking her phone every minute getting more worried when she didn't have a message. "You expecting a call?" Morgan asked her, "Something like that," Nikki replied before putting her phone back in her pocket as the elevator doors slid open and the agents filed out. "Ouu does, someone have a secret someone?" Morgan asked with a grin as he nudged her arm. "NIKKI!" The sound caused her to look up right as she was tackled into a hug by her youngest brothers taking her by surprise. "Max, Luke, Kenny, how are you boys doing? " she asked looking up and being greeted by her mom, dad, Annabelle, and Lee Henry. 

"This is where you work?!" Kenny asked her wide eyed as she nodded. "Yea, this is it buddy. Pretty cool huh?" Nikki asked him earning a nod as she smiled at her brother's before walking over to her parent and pulling her mom into a hug noticing she looked really pale and tired. "How are you feeling? How'd everything go?" Nikki asked letting go of the hug to read her mom's expression. "I'm feeling okay, how do you feel about going out for dinner tonight?" her mom asked changing the subject rather quickly which instantly made Nikki worry more. 

"Um- Agent, I'm sure we can manage without you for the day. Go, enjoy your dinner with your family," Hotch told her. "Thank you," Nikki said with a smile as her team made their way into the office after saying goodbye to Nikki and her family. 

The Family Place Diner, Quantico Virginia 

The entire family sat at the table quietly after they asked Nikki how work was and how the case was and where the case took her team this time before the conversation went quiet other than their mom who still had a pretty bad cough. 

"Alright, we got some stuff to talk about," Her dad started saying as she looked at their mom as Nikki's gut turned with a bad feeling instantly. "Um so you know your mom hasn't been feeling well and that she's going in for a procedure in a couple of days at the hospital," her dad said mentioning this surgery for the first time to Nikki who was more worried the more her dad talked. "We um didn't wanna tell you what for, because we didn't want you to worry," he said trying to keep the emotion out of his voice but Nikki could hear the sadness, the fear she could read it on her dad's body language. 

"But we want you to know why I'm a little extra stressed," their dad said looking at the younger Herrmann siblings. "I have a tumor. In my lung, and the doctors need to remove it. To keep it from spreading to other parts of my body," Their mom's words paralyzed her. A tumor? "A tumor? As in Cancer?" Lee Henry said more than asked their mom shocked. Nikki looked at their mom feeling like her entire world was crashing down on her. "Yes, it is cancer. But hopefully, they've caught it early enough and it's nothing serious," their mom replied trying to mask her sadness but Nikki could see through it.