Desiderium: longing for something that has been lost

chapter 2

knowledge is power.-- thomas hobbes 

O.o.O.o.O.O.o

Quantico, Virginia: Behavior Analysis Unit

February 14, 2008

9:24 a.m.

O.o.O.o.O.O.o

Supervisory Special Agent Derek Morgan was late, again. He bounced up and down on the balls of his feet and frowned at the slowly descending elevator. 

"C'mon, c'mon." He muttered under his breath, casting a quick glance at his watch. Technically, he didn't have to be in until 10:00, but he had so much paperwork to catch up on, and Hotch was this close to grounding him to desk duty for a solid month if he turned in any more consults late. 

The doors finally oozed open with a ding and he edged inside, slamming the close door button. He settled himself back against the wall and watched the numbers flick from the lobby to the second floor to the third floor to the... he sighed. 

When they finally dinged open, he jumped out, startling a young agent. "Oh, my bad, sorry." He called back over his shoulder, throwing open the BAU's glass doors. 

He attempted a slow professional walk that stank of I'm here on time, all of y'all are here early, but hearing Prentiss's amused laugh told him he definitely did not accomplish the look he wanted. Sighing he settled down at his desk, cursing under his breath when he noticed the extra case files piling up on the desk. Swiveling around to look at his colleague, he threw a pen at her. 

"Prentiss?" 

"Mmm?" She was writing furiously, one hand holding back her black hair. "What?" 

"Are these all mine?" 

She turned and looked at him, then at the pile of case files. "Yeah, Morgan, they are." She shrugged. "Shouldn't have cut out early Friday. Was it really worth it?" 

Memories of a weekend gloriously spent in New York, with his new girl rose unbidden. He smiled. "Yeah, it was. But c'mon Prentiss, you're like halfway through already, help a poor soul out?" 

She laughed, and turned back to her work. "I'll help you Derek Morgan, when pigs fly." 

He slouched back in his chair, chewing on his lip. Looking up he caught Hotch's eye, who pointed at the case files, then at his office. Message received. Sighing loudly so as to heap as much guilt as he could onto Prentiss he cracked open the first one. 

They worked in quiet comradery for a while, Prentiss taking pity on him and grabbing a couple of his files. 

As JJ walked through the bullpen, Morgan tossed a pen at her. "JJ, please tell me we have a case?" 

She gestured to the stack of files in her arms. "I'm about to go over some potential cases now, Morgan don't worry." 

He grinned at her. "So field work?"

She laughed, and threw his pen back at him. "Do your paperwork, Morgan." Hurrying up the stairs towards Hotch's office, she knocked on the door, coming in when she heard his distracted come in. 

"Hey Hotch, I've got some urgent cases that I wanted to run by you, see what you thought." 

He nodded, laying down a paper. "Go ahead." 

"First case is in New Mexico, we have a murder that may be connected to the killings around the border." She handed the file to him. "Second case, Vermont. They're dealing with a serial rapist." He flicked through the file. "And third. Nevada. A cold case that's gone hot. Family annihilator wiped out a family, local PD believes that the Unsub is the same guy from twenty years ago." She slid the file over.