Clock's Ticking

Chap 6 "International Case #1"

Simmons' POV
"The case is in Stockholm, Sweden," I nodded. "I learned that Swedish is one of the languages you are fluent in."
"Yeah," Tiffany nodded. "I am."
"Simmons, can I talk to you?" Hotch asked.
"Yeah," I sighed. We walked out of the conference room and Hotch closed the door. "What is it?"
"Just take care of her, okay?" Hotch asked. "She's going to do everything she can to hide her emotions. Blake English just recently broke up with her." I looked at him. "That's why she was all up for the transfer right now."
"He broke up with her?" I asked. Hotch nodded. "Why would anyone want to breakup with her? From what I know she's beautiful, intelligent, and definitely has a strong head on her shoulders." Hotch raised a brow. "But yes, sir. I will watch her sixth." We had boarded our plane and headed to Stockholm, Sweden. Tiffany was given her assignment and she was sitting in a corner looking at the case file. "Tiffany?"
"Let me get this straight," Tiffany sighed as we landed. "I am to play bait as an American cheerleader?"
"Yeah," Garrett nodded. "That's not going to be a problem, is it?"
"Just - do I look like the person to pass as a sixteen year old?" Tiffany asked as she looked at us.
"Just wear a vest," Garrett replied. "And Simmons will play the boyfriend."
"Nowhere did I read that the unsub takes couples," Tiffany looked at me.
"No, but he attacks couples," I replied. "If I'm there, we could catch this guy than have him take you and dismember your body."
"I'm going to go change," Tiffany replied. "Just figure out where he's hitting."
"I don't know," I sighed. Tiffany went into the bathroom. "This unsub seems to be uncoordinated."
"Meaning he's smart to change up his course but he didn't change up where he hits," Tiffany replied as she was wearing a cheer uniform. "We have to walk that road and see if he approaches us."

"That's dangerous," I replied.
"If you don't have your back turned towards me, we should be fine," Tiffany replied as we landed. "Now, let's go." Tiffany and I started walking around Stockholm. "This place is just too public. Why didn't anyone notice?"
"Maybe we'd be able to find him if we acted like a couple," I replied.
"Maybe the unsub attacked because the victim said something to offend them," Tiffany replied. She turned around and looked at me. Apparently, I had a look in my eyes because she asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Like what?" I asked.
"You're looking at me like you feel sorry for me," Tiffany replied. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Hotch told me what happened with you and your ex, Blake," I replied.
"Why should you feel sorry?" Tiffany asked. She sighed and we stopped walking. "Look, you didn't know. It's alright. Blake and I have been together for four years, on and off." She looked at me and smiled. "What?"
"Just wondering why he would let a girl like you go," I nodded. She smiled and blushed a slight shade of pink. We started walking around. "Did I make you speechless?"
"Blake said the same thing and look where our relationship is now," Tiffany sighed. "But I had problems before Blake ever came into my life. People had said I was a gold-digger. I was with a guy who was in the Navy but he was KIA. Two years later, Blake came along. We were on and off for four years." She shrugged. "People still say that stuff about me. The comments never stopped. I always carried name brand stuff no matter what. I even got them on clearance but they don't believe me." She looked at me. "It's nothing new but it still hurts. What if someone I get with in the future thinks that of me?"
"What if you dated someone in the same job as you?" I asked.
"Nobody knows I have this job but my brother's fandom," Tiffany replied. "No one can know I'm an agent. Then people will say this job was handed to me and I barely work. I can't have a different rumor go around."
"No matter what people say, Tiffany, I'm going to stay by your side."
"Thanks but not very many people stay around a gold-digger long enough anyways." Tiffany was grabbed from behind by a mad-man. "Hey, get off of me you dirt-bag!"
"Tiffany!" I exclaimed. I pulled my gun and pointed it at them. The guy got out a gun and pointed it at Tiffany's neck. "No!" She was struggling. "I don't suppose you have any tricks up your sleeve, do you?"
"I got one."
"Can you guarantee that you won't be shot?"
"No," she nodded with fear in her eyes. "But I'm willing to try."
"Drop the gun!" I nodded. He started talking but I didn't understand a word he was saying. "What's he saying?"
"That I deserve to be punished," Tiffany stated. "Because being greedy is one of the seven deadly sins."
"Tell him to drop the gun," I responded.
"Gör som han säger," Tiffany nodded. He kept talking over her. "Oh, enough of this shit. Matthew Simmons, are you ready?"
"I don't know what you're doing," I looked at her.
"When I'm out of the way, take the shot," Tiffany nodded.
"Not if there's a chance that I'd hit you."
"Wow, Agent Derek Morgan wouldn't have hesitated," she tempted me. I nodded. "Here we go." She hit him in the gut with her elbow. She kicked her right leg up straight and managed to kick him in the head. She quickly knelt to the ground and covered her head. "Now!" He pointed the gun at her and I shot mine. He fell back. "Did you get him?"
"Yeah," I nodded. "Come here." The rest of the team took him as I holstered my weapon and put my left arm around Tiffany. "Well, at least you didn't have to speak much."
"Which language are you actually referring to?" she asked as she put her right arm around me.
"Swedish," I sighed. "But you know, be glad you know the languages that you know." She looked at me. "I took two years of Spanish and I still don't know how to speak the language."
Tiffany chuckled. "Maybe because you just learned it to graduate," she smiled.

"When we get back to DC can I take you out on a real date?" I asked.
"I actually have to have dinner with Morgan," she sighed. "I kinda promised him a dinner on Sunday but since we had to fly here, we postponed."
"Yeah, no," I nodded. "I understand." We closed the case and boarded our plane home. I let Tiffany sit in the corner as she read her book. I sat next to Mae on the ride home. Clara Seger sitting in front of me. "It's good to be heading back."
"Just go and talk to her," Mae looked at me.
"What are you talking about?" I asked.
"Matt, it's obvious you have a thing for Jacobs and it's obvious she has a thing for you," Seger replied. "Why don't you just hang out and get to know each other a little better?"
"You know what? I tried that," I replied. "She shot me down because she has to have dinner with Morgan." Mae looked at me. "Like they made a promise to each other or something."
"She's single and will be for a while," Mae nodded. "At least make the effort to hang out with her as a friend before taking things to the next level."
"I'll try," I sighed. "But I can't make you any promises."