Accidental Attractions

Chapter three

Thirty minutes after allowing JJ to win our little race to see who could get to the office first, I am still finding myself thinking about vwhat my feelings mean after my night/morning with my best friend. I think that I am coming to a conclusion, a conclusion that could mess with everything. I think, I think I might, love her. I don't know I could be wrong but I feel  that that is the only explanation. I'm hoping against it because it could change everything; but like I say, you can't choose who you fall in love with.

It's around 9:15 when the team is called to the round table for briefing. I walk into the room and find that Reid and Derek are already seated arguing about something unimportant. Garcia is standing by the tv with her octopus mug looking just as unhappy as she does any time she has to present a case.Hot h was still in his office when I passed it and Rossi is right behind me while entering. I sit down in my usual spot and try and get comfy and mentally prepare myself for whatever horror we have to face today. JJ arrives just on time almost 3 seconds before Hotch, who had arrived a minute prior, was about to give Garcia the ok to begin presenting case.

She takes her seat next to me as always and Garcia begins. "Today we are going to a small town in southern Louisiana called Thibodaux." She pronounce the town name wrong but who am I to correct her at this moment. " they so far have found three caucasian men floating dead in the bayou. COD seems to be asphyxiation. Each victim has been found three days after the last and the most recent body was retrieved last night. Each body also seems like they have a couple bite marks assumably caused by alligators." Everyone in the room winced. We have never had to deal with alligators before so this was pretty new. But also because of what Garcia said next "The thing is. The alligator bites were pre-mortem." She said with an expression of disgust and pity. "Are there any leads Garcia?" Morgan asked. "So far they have a suspect in custody but it's not looking promising." She said unhopeful. "Ok team, wheels up in thirty." Hotch said with a blank face and monotone voice.

I walk over to my desk to retrieve my go bag and a book and some case files with paperwork I can finish on the ride. "Hey." "Oh!" I said in shock "Hi. Sorry you scared me a bit there." I said while dramatically grasping my chest near my heart. JJ let out a small giggle, "oh sorry I was just seeing if you would be up for some scrabble on the ride. It'll be around a two hour flight." She said still smiling from the start she caused me. I look down at the things in my hands I had for the ride and placed them back on my desk. "Of course, I would love to play some scrabble Cheeto breath" Cheeto breath being the nickname she had chosen for online scrabble while I was, not in the country a couple years back.

Usually I either sit on the couch in the back of the jet or one of the two seater rows near the back. Today I chose the two seater since it has a table to play scrabble on. I settle in, grab a blanket and another cup of coffee and wait patiently for the rest of the team. Rossi and Reid are already seated and playing a game of chess. Rossi almost always wins and it kinda fun to watch Reid get so frazzled by the outcome of the game he thought he had mastered. One by one Derek, JJ and Hotch filed onto the plane and we were off.

JJ and I played scrabble for about an hour before we hit some turbulence and all the prices kept falling off the board. "Hey by any chance would you want to watch a movie on my phone? I have the original "It" mini series.I know we won't be able to finish it all today but maybe we can later at the hotel." I said hoping she'd say yes as an excuse to sit close to each other. "Sure but if I scream like a little girl don't be making fun of me." She said through a smile. "I promise I would never." I winked.

We got not even half way through when it was time to go to our respective assignments. Rossi and Reid went to the crime scene of the latest victim, while Derek and Hotch went to the police station to set up shop and interview the families of the victims. JJ and I headed to the morgue to meet with the ME.

"COD was asphyxiation and all the infection reallly didn't help." The ME said with a frown. "The alligator bites caused blood loss and infection which weakens the immune system of the victims causing them to not be able to fight back against their attacker." "Does that mean that they weren't tied up or restrained" I asked. "Exactly. It seems as though he somehow got an alligator to attack them probably right after abduction. As to weaken them most likely."

After visiting with the ME we went back to the police station to catch up with the team. "He is definitely a satist with homicidal tendencies. He first abducts his victims somewhere public where he could easily slip into the crowd." Derek said in an attempt to make the team really think about his possible abduction sites. "I saw a banner for a local fair going on this weekend. He might try and abduct someone there" Reid said. "That's probably where he will strike next and tonight is the first night it's open. Everyone pair up with your partner from earlier and we will go undercover so wear casual clothes and if you have a holster discreet enough you may wear it. If you see anything suspicious report back immediately or if things get serious use the coms or text if you have to chase or apprehend someone. But most importantly protect yourself and civilians. Understood?" Hotch said with a straight face and furrowed eyebrows. Everyone nods and walks with their partners to the black suvs headed for the hotel to get ready for tonight's assignment.