moonstruck//Aaron hotchner

ch.82

"How did he know Camilla was going to be in there?" Garcia asked while a few agents took a break from a long day's work, resting at their desk in the bullpen.

"Sometimes unsubs make the best profilers," Morgan replied.

"It was a three-man job," JJ added, taking a seat on top of her desk.

Reid rambled off the scenario, "Vincent Parker, the man who killed Camilla's mother was the one waiting in Hotch's room subsequently he had another man in Camilla's room and one following Camilla and Hotch. The man following Camilla and Hotch alerted Parker and the other man waiting in Camilla's room through small earpieces, similar to those we wear when we're in the field."

"Sounds like a lot of work," Garcia said.

Reid continued, "It was Rossi's persistence that ultimately lead to the fall of Parker's illegal adoption ring, but Parker's focus was on Camilla. Camilla was his first, his first abduction, his first successful adoption, his first paycheck, where it all began. Camilla was the start of his empire and the end of it, in Parker's mind the blame fell on Camilla and that's why he wanted to kill Camilla, for revenge. Not to mention he wanted to make her suffer, by killing her mum. Parker didn't confess to this but if you had a way of knowing, Parker probably was watching Camilla from the moment she found out about her mother's death.

There was a moment of silence. Morgan, JJ, Reid, and Garcia thought about how fortunate both Camilla and Hotch had been to survive, which bought JJ to ask a question. "For all this to be so planned, his execution wasn't even successful. I'm glad it wasn't, but you would think he would have had a full proof plan."

"When an unsub becomes emotionally involved in their kills, they tend to make mistakes, similar to an unsub who is devolving," Morgan explained. "It's likely once he was with Camilla, he wanted to spend time with her and thought he would get that chance."

"He didn't count on Hotch..." JJ said.

"I'm just glad no one was hurt," Reid said.

"You and me both." Morgan agreed.

"We all need a break and after the week we just had a long one," Garcia said.

Hotch stepped out of his officer, overhearing the last part of the team's conversations. "I agree. Go home, enjoy a three-day weekend. Hotch pulled his door shut and headed down the stairs of the catwalk with his briefcase.

"I'm waiting on one more report from the ME's office," Morgan said.

Hotch stopped and said, "It can't wait until Monday. Go home." He took off walking again and stopped one more time, "All of you did excellent work on this case."

The agents were brought to a humbling silence with Hotch's complement. Hotch didn't linger for a response. He only nodded in satisfaction. JJ could see it, the look on Hotch's face and the longing. He was distracted and his focus was on someone else. JJ watched as Hotch pressed the elevator button, his head hung low, staring at the floor. She couldn't let him leave without saying something. She excused herself and ran after Hotch. "Hotch."

Hotch turned at the sound of his name. He looked into those blue, understanding eyes coming towards him. JJ stopped just a few feet away, "Give her time."