Gentle Epiphany // Criminal Minds

Chapter Three - Caves

🪐 Daphne 🪐

We spent time going through the list of suspects, Gideon was very firm in who he believed our unsub was. But honestly something was bugging me about this case, there's too many arguable differences that make me question if we have an unsub with DID or we are looking at partners. Hotch and Gideon make quick work setting up a sting operation to catch Slessman our person of interest, someone suggested they needed a woman to pose as someone house sitting down the street to lure Slessman into our set up. Gideon didn't end up choosing me which frustrated me. 

You can do anything for a minute, in this case I could fake confidence for 60. I could have done the job, if only given the chance. Instead I was standing between Morgan and Spencer while we waited for an Agent Greenaway to give us the sign. Morgan tilts his head down to look at me noticing my shift in mood.

"What's wrong Scoob?" His deep rich voice questions.

I let out a frustrated sigh, making him smirk. I don't exactly get worked up like this very often and for some reason he finds my anger, adorable. "I'm not incapable of luring a man into a home."

"He was just being protective...." I cut him off from finishing that statement.

"All you need is 20 seconds of insane courage. Just, literally, 20 seconds of just embarrassing bravery." I quote, standing just a bit taller to make my point.

A knowing smile tugged at the corner of Spencer's mouth, "Did you just quote We Bought A Zoo?"

"The heck I did!" I answer him before looking back at Morgan squaring my shoulders, "I might seem meek and timid.....which I can't argue against that, normally I am. But there is a reason I joined the FBI...why I chose to come to the BAU. I have better aim than you, I got top marks in interrogation, and I can be cute...what serial killer passes up on cute? Not many!"

Both of them start laughing, Spencer at least has the decency to try and cover his mouth to hide it. Morgan pulls me into a hug which I slap him for being a jerk. "You're right Scoob, serial killers would definitely find you cute especially when you're trying to fight them."

I pull out of his hug, putting my hands on my hips. "I can be intimidating when I need to be!" I state.

His smile is wide which made me even more irritated, "Of course you can." He chuckles slinging an arm over my shoulder. "But seriously, I'm sorry that you are upset with Gideon's decision." I lean into him my frustration slowly disappearing.

"I think you would have done great." Spencer speaks up, my head whipping towards him as our eyes meet. I bite back a smile getting a tad excited at his admission.

"Thank you!" I beam, his dimples pop when he smiles making my heart stutter. That couldn't be healthy.

We get the call to make our way inside Slessman's house as we clear the home. We look top to bottom with no signs of Heather. My heart sinks, we are running out of time and I'm not really sure we have this profile down correctly.

I hear Spencer from the other room telling someone that there is no sign of the girl here, I assume it must be Gideon coming back from arresting Slessman. Their footsteps walk towards the formal dining room I'm currently searching with Morgan and Elle Greenaway, she was really pretty and a bit intimidating. Morgan seemed smitten which tells me I was right about her being pretty.

"We can arrest him with probable cause, but we won't be able to hold him." Spencer continues to explain to him, "Slessman's been at the top of the suspect list."

"Is that the mother?" Gideon questions. Elle steps out into the hall to answer him, "Grandmother...."

"The mother died in a fire when he was 13!" I speak up loudly while going through their mail.