-Ding-
As the elevator opened, Prentiss took a step forward to enter her domaine. As she walked forwards she stopped in her tracks as she heard something rare. Roy's laugh.
Katherine was talking to someone Prentiss had never taken attention to, a man. Tall, build and quite a looker he was talking with Katherine with a big smile. No profiler was needed to understand his attraction to the young women.
Prentiss thought for a bit about how a romance like this wouldn't need her concern seeing as this unknown person wasn't part of her team thought it put a seed of concern in her mind.
"OMG" Garcia said as she saw the scene. Prentiss shushed her as she guided her away like she was caught watching them, like it was criminal.
"T-that's Mark from the 3rd floor!" Garcia whispered to Prentiss, both now spying on them.
"And who's that?"
"He's the building playboy that tried to flirt with you, me and JJ years back? You don't remember? He basically flirts with every women of every floor"
"I don't remember him" Emily said as she tried to remember this new information.
"Yeah, well that's cuz you didn't fall for his bullshit"
Garcia tried walking towards Katherine before Emily stopped her. "We have to warn her"
"Come on, She can handle herself" She said as they left, Prentiss keeping her eyes on her till the last minute.
-
As some time passed, the team arrived and sat in the conference room as Garcia paced around the room thinking about Katherine and all the bad things that could happen.
Katherine was the last to come in, Prentiss thought that maybe she had been talking with him all this time considering she usually is punctual.
Garcia stood frozen as she looked at her and came rushing at her side almost trembling. Katherine looked at her with a slightly worried and disgusted look.
"You're sweating Garcia, why are you sweating?"
She opened her mouth but nothing came out as she looked at Emily and back at her.
"Ok...Ill give you time" Katherine said as she gave a small pat on her shoulder and went to sit down she glanced at Prentiss who gave her a look of ignorance and innocence about her agents behaviour.
"So," Emily said as she stood up and took over
"A week ago, a young couple was found in their home, both had been poisoned. Local police thought it was a collective suicide since the women had a miscarriage 3 weeks before.
However, another couple was just found yesterday, same death but no reliable motive, newly weds" She said as she showed pictures of both couples and the crime scene. They layed on their beds looking peacefully in a deadly sleep.
"So someone is targeting couples? Could be jealousy, the unsub just got out of a relationship" JJ said.
"They have anything related to each other?" Morgan asked Garcia,
"H-hum no, different neighbourhoods, no kids, different jobs." She said.
"And different victimology" Reid added as he looked at his files. "The first couple was probably falling apart because of a miscarriage and the second was thriving, they had just bought their house and we in the start of a great relationship.
So why target both? Usually you would just be jealous of a great relationship"
"We'll find out. Wheels up in 15"
As the team stood up and left the room, Garcia went to talk to Katherine as Prentiss stayed to listen . "I have to say something, I ... kind of saw you this morning talking to this guy.."
"You mean Mark?"
"Y-yes, here's the thing, he's not good news, he's a bad guy and by bad guy I mean he's flirted with every woman he sees" Garcia said in one breath.
"Ok.." Katherine said as she looked at Garcia and Emily with a concerning look. But soon realized what she had implied.
"Ohh......." Garcia nodded as she gave a small smile. Katherine gave Garcia a small hug, which surprised both woman.
"Don't worry Garcia, ill be very careful" she said as she looked at Emily and gave her a wink.
Obviously her eyes betrayed her words but only Emily knew she wasn't surprised about the news about Mark.
-
"So, you knew?" Emily said as she sat at her usual spot, next to Katherine. The plane was lifting in the air.
"Knew what?" JJ asked.
"Oh, I talked to Mark this morning"
"Wait Mark? Mark from the 3rd floor?" She asked back as Emily nodded.
"You keep away from that guy Roy, he's not good" Morgan then added.
"Okay..." Roy said as she wanted to move on.
"What did you guys talk about? Seemed funny since you laughed" Emily asked without thinking and bit her tongue as soon as the regret kicked in.
"Is that a real question or just a remark?" Katherine asked her boss who seemed to have asked a question only to tell her that she had been caught maybe enjoying her conversation with a villain.
"Yes I did laugh, I laughed at him." She said with a straight face as she looked at her files but everyone remained silent.
As she looked at the crime scene photos and time passed, she confessed considering the lingering silent present.
"He tried to ask me where the printer was saying that he was new and that we should get to know each other, you know, stick together as newbies" Katherine continued to flick through the pictures.
"You laughed in his face? What did you say?" Morgan asked.
"That I have standards"
"You're not serious?" Reid asked but Katherine gave a smile not answering him. For that question would never get a full answer.
Morgan laughed with the rest of the team. As she looked back up she saw Reid also smiling which reminded her of something.
"Reid, why do you think the victimology is different? I get the thing about the miscarriage but what about the recovery?" She asked and cut him off as he tried answering
"And I know about the statistics of divorces and marital problems after a miscarriage but they were in therapy, which is a sign of recovery" She said as she pulled out a file showing a bank payment to a private psychologist.
"You're right, maybe its not about the miscarriage but the good recovery" Reid said.
"What does that mean?"
"Someone was mad because the couples weren't falling apart" Emily said as she picked up the file and looked through it.
"Like a therapist, who cant feed off on her clients sorrows" she added. She opened the laptop to open a call with Garcia.
"Speak and your wishes will come true" Garcia said as she appeared on the screen
"Garcia I need you to look into the therapist the first victims saw 1 week before they were murdered, we think she might be the unsub but we need to make sure"
"As we speak" She said as she typed away.
"Considering the unsub is likely a women since there as been no sexual assault or physical damage besides the poison, the therapist is probably a women as well." Reid said.
"That's true, the bodies were carefully placed and staged, poison is usually a more peaceful way and method women like to use when they kill." Morgan added.
"Silent and deadly, just like women" Katherine said with a scary tone trying to spook Morgan since he and Reid were surrounded by woman on the daily, even right now on this plane.
"Stop" Morgan said as he rolled his eyes.
As they continued to talk about the case and the suspect, Garcia tuned in.
"You guys will never believe" She said as she looked straight into the camera, making sure she had the attention of all.
"First off, the person the James went to aka the first couple were able to book an appointment with a certain Dr. Prad , Mister or Madam I have no idea, there isn't a shred of information on that person except for the website to book an appointment. However they did encrypt their location but not everything else, so.. I looked around a found that the second couple, the Rogers, made the same deposit to the same address but under a different name, it was given to a meditation clinic for stressed couples, guess what, also a week before"
"So we know for sure this person was in contact with both the couples and at a same time frame, that pretty clear" JJ said
"But the poison is unclear, the forensic team didn't find anything so far, they're testing every food and drink as we speak." Emily said.
"Garcia, you really cant find an address, like on the website? Or the IP address, anything like that?"
"No, unfortunately I can only see the city were both the couples lived which means its in the same area but I cant get a more detailed location"
"Kind of smart if you think about it, I'm assuming it's a women but she only provides a location when she gets an appointment she probably changes them. Maybe something happened with a client?
And that's her stressor" Reid said as he looked at the shared screen and looking through the website.
"No photos, copied texts from books and articles, overly emphasised on her great work, definitely fake but she may have a real job as a therapist but this is a side job to hunt our victims"
"Ok so lets put in an appointment, to get the address, Garcia, we'll send in a fake couple and we'll use fake names" Prentiss said as she eyes her agents choosing who would be good.
"Not as simple Emily, I'm sorry, I have to submit a real ID to prove the identities of the clients coming" Garcia said as she flicked through the application.
"Wow ok, well Id rather go in then, as the Unit Chief id rather go since she might do a background check, my files are better protected. Garcia, can you temporarily make a fake file on someone here in case?" She asked as she looked at Morgan, preferably wanting him to come in as her date.
"Sorry again love, it wont be that easy or fast since it's a big data base, hiding and rebranding a file is a headache, oh! but I can totally do it for sure, Ill just need some time" Garcia said before she stopped and began to look into the abyss, something important came up
"What is it baby girl?" Morgan asked
"Well,..." She looked at the members through her screen. "It may save us some time if we put someone else other than Morgan" she said with a small smile.
"R-Roy...." She let out a small stutter.
"Garcia,.... you did a background check on me, didn't you?" Roy asked her. Thought she didn't seem mad she seemed more annoyed.
"Yes...."
"And you didn't find anything because my files are sealed with a superencryption with multiples cryptographic algorithms that change every 3 seconds?"
"Yeah..."
"Well I'm glad my work still works, but I know what you're thinking and no, I wont go"
-
Silent and feeling dread, Katherine was sat next to Emily on a simple cheap gray couch waiting for someone.
Prentiss was looking at her agents as she was worried about her behavior. She looked like she had just entered home after getting a bad grading just waiting to get yelled at.
Katherine had her hands on her face trying her best to keep it cool.
"What's wro-"
Before Emily could talk to her agent, she was interrupted by the opening door, a women came out and greeted them.
"Hi there, Im Dr. Prad nice to meet you" She shook Prentiss's hand and went for Roy's but was met with her arms crossed and layed back on the sofa waiting for this session to start.
"So, what can I help you with?" the Dr. said as she sat down opposite from the two,
*
"Why not? If you have an impenetrable file that's great for the case, and I wont even ask about it.....for now, so why wont you co-operate" Prentiss said she had yet again taken Katherine aside to speak to her privately
"I don't trust a women to hear my problems or in general and yes I can lie about my problems but that just make me feel even worse, id rather not go" She replied this time as she looked into her eyes.
Prentiss took a pause "You don't trust us? I mean, you don't trust me?" She asked because of her statement.
According to Prentiss, their relationship had started a bit rough but it had began recently to flourish, something maybe she just wished had happened in her head but now wasn't so sure.
"Maybe"
*
The silent was thick, since neither answered after the question.
"I see, did you have a fight just before coming here?" The women asked
"Yes" Katherine was the one the speak first.
"I see and what was it about?" she asked
Neither seemed to talk again. The awkward silent seemed meaningless for the 3 women present. All 3 used to it and capable of masking any discomfort.
"Consider this like a counselling or a coaching session about your relationship. Communication is important and in here feel free to tell me or each other anything, this place holds no judgment. Now, what would you like to share?"
Katherine rolled her eyes and gestured to Emily to speak up as well. Technically it was true, no one would know since they hadn't been chipped per Emily's request and Katherine's surprise.
"Well, we did have a fight, she told me she didn't trust me and I don't know why" Prentiss said
"I didn't say that, I said I don't trust sharing my problems with women" She gesture towards the Dr. "Like her for example"
"Then think of me as just a friend, I'm simply here to listen and give advise"
"You, are not, my friend" Katherine said as she glared at her.
"Am I?" Prentiss asked Katherine. She did have a hurtful look on her face as she looked at her 'lovers' face searching to meet her eyes. She put her hand on hers, squeezing it.
Dr. Prad gave a small sigh "Of course you are. When 2 people meet and fall in love, they become best friends, ones who can rely on each other-"
"But should know when you don't want to do or talk about something" Katherine interrupted her and pulled out her hand from her grasp.
"Yes, but in time it will work out, like I said communication is important" she added.
The room fell silent again. Since Roy wouldn't speak since she didn't seem impressed by the woman's façade and capabilities so far and Prentiss wasn't sure if she would continue this act. However both were struck by a simple question.
"How often do you have sex? "
The answer was obvious but for a moment, Prentiss tried to remember the last time they did have sex as she confused it for a second with her split fantasies of her in her office, in the plane, in a red convertible car, on a balcony or on this very same gray couch.
Although, they in fact did not have sex.
"Not a lot" Roy said as she saw the look of confusion of her boss's face, maybe because she was embarrassed or didn't think it would come this far this quickly.
"Oh,.. that's not good. Couples usually have sex 2-3 times a week but I'm guessing its less.....Do you at least orgasm? " She asked both but looked at Prentiss wanting her to also share as well.
To this question Roy caught a small laugh in a cough since she was now the one being teased about orgasms and not Morgan. For her amusement but for Prentiss's embarrassment's this question gave her a different thought.
Had she been the only one pleased in her fantasies? Was she so obsessed by being relished and savored by someone else in such a long time that she never imagined the needs, sexual needs of the other?
She in fact did not, but maybe would from now on, in her fantasies.
"I think she's starstruck by the questions but the answer is yes for the both of us, now can we move on from the sex and continue with something else?" Roy asked.
"Im glad you want to talk more, what would you like to talk about?" She asked with a newfound smile.
Thought Katherine didn't really have anything to add she looked at Prentiss who seemed to be avoiding her this time around.
"Well, Id just like to say that I'm just not ready to share but I do love you, so if you just give me time" Roy said as she put her hand on her fake lover's
"Ok. I understand" Prentiss was able to say. The words "I love you too" seemed to weird to say and weren't as meaningless as they seemed to be for Katherine saying them so casually.
With a smile but sad eyes Dr. Prad seemed to be enjoying her presence in this moment of reconciliation. "Great, this has been a great start and I have to say, I don't think you need that much help. I can see" she looked at Prentiss "that you are deeply in love."
She stood up to go get something in the drawer on her desk. She brought out a bottle of wine.
"Here, I always give something my clients can enjoy together. Its my favourite, red, 1985." She said as she gave them the bottle.
Having a certain experience with drinking for different reasons and circumstances both women inspected the bottle. Knowing the unsub used poison, the bottle was assumed to have been tempered with.
Katherine put out a small box out of her pocket containing strips of testing paper and a small straw.
"What are you doing?" Dr. Prad asked as she looked at her and then Prentiss flashed her FBI badge and then tried to open de bottle. However she didn't get an answer.
As Katherine got everything she looked over at her colleague who struggled to open it without any tools. She gave a small smile seeing her struggle.
"Collecting test samples, Here" Katherine said as she gave out her hand to her to give her the bottle. To which she did.
"And how-" Prentiss asked before she saw Agent. Roy pull out a pocket knife out of her right shoe. She opened it and cracked the glass with the blade and shattered some around the grey floor.
"Oops"
"What are you doing?" The Dr. asked as she stood up, looking at her stained floor and the mess that was made.
"Dr. Prad, did you really think that giving a bottle of wine was a good idea after 2 couples that you've seen a week before died of poisoning?" Katherine asked as she put some wine in the straw with her finger and put some drops on each paper strip she had prepared.
"Have a drink you seem nervous" She then ordered her as she approached the Dr. and handed her the bottle.
The professional seemed shocked by the change of attitude and energy in the room. She took the bottle in hand but didn't take a sip. Maybe because she was afraid she would cut her lips to the broken glass or that she might die of poisoning. She stood there analysing the scene and tried to deflect.
"You know, you two have great chemistry together, you certainly work well and support each other, listen to each other. No wonder you were put together to trick me, but aren't relationship hard in your line of work" Dr. Prad said as she put the bottle down on her side table and sat down again, like nothing happened she played her professional act very well.
"Listen lady, that women" she pointed to Prentiss "is my boss. Are you telling me that a relationship with my boss would be ethical and not unhealthy? You should get your licence revoked. Do you even have one? Doesn't matter really" Katherine said.
Contrary to her, Emily was curious. "Chemistry can be something more than a relationship like a great friendship" She said to justify herself to the Dr. but mostly to herself.
Like an unexpected ticking bomb the Dr. laughed like a maniac as she took the bottle in her hand and poured the whole bottle to the ground, she shattered it on her side table even more to create a sharper weapon.
"Not for you it isn't" She launched herself unto Emily as she took her on chokehold. Unprepared for this random outburst, Prentiss could not reach her gun she had concealed behind her back. Shorten of breath by the hand wrapping around her trachea, she was at a loss.
-Click Click-
A loaded gun, ready for blast.
Glued directly on her temple, the maniac stopped to look at her hunter. In silence they glared at each other. Katherine gave her daring eyes.
"You'll have to kill me, did me of my broken heart" she said, but this time she shed a tear as the anger, sadness, and sorrow came to surface and show themselves.
To this sight, Katherine soften her eyes, for she surely knew what she meant by being killed by a broken heart. "And that's your excuse to kill happy couples?, who killed you?" she asked her.
She wanted to know if maybe she had killed her charmer, if she had the courage, the guts that she had not for she could never. "Dead, and yours?"
-BANG-
For the life of her boss, her partner was in danger, Dr. Prad had raised her arm with the glass shard and placed it on her lover's throat. Katherine took a step back to let Emily get back up but stood next to the lifeless body she had created.
"Alive" she said to answer her question.
-
"You have nightmares" Katherine whispered to Emily. Both sat next to each other just like hours before.
On the plane only white noise could be heard, the sound of the plane wings waving in the winds and clouds.
"What?" Emily said to her, she looked around and found that her team had fallen asleep as she gazed and wondered her mind in her dreams.
"When I came back, you were having a nightmare, you called for help" Roy said to her boss.
She was talking about the night they shared a room but she had left for a walk and came back to find sleeping beauty.
"Oh, yes. Well, considering our line of work I get some from time to time" She said as she looked at her agent.
"What about you?" She dared to asked to know a little more.
Katherine was still, quite relax but gave a sigh of dread but gave a smile to cover it.
"I do also, but I don't sleep much so I rarely get the chance have them or to dream" She said with a soft voice.
"Do you dream? Get to fantasize and have a happy story sometimes?" She then asked her in response.
"I do, sometimes" She says as she looked deeply in her eyes, she thought back to the chaotic scene that happened today.
"Are the nightmares about him? The one who broke your heart?" she dared again to speak but this time took it to far as she did not get an answer but a simple smile and another question from her.
"Am I in your dreams?" Katherine asked as she tilted her head a bit looking for a facial reaction.
Emily knew that todays event could've potentially shown that she had interest or a curiosity about her.
She had been perplexed by the sudden change of her plan, Agent Roy coming along to the counselling and playing along as a lover.
Having someone else uncover her desires and evoke the fantasies she had tried to supress and forget. Getting attacked and saved. She took a risk and followed the moment.
But before she could say something Morgan woke up and looked around, seeing others awake and other asleep he shut his eyes again.
Prentiss had opened her mouth to answer but gave Morgan a smile to his woken state. She looked back at Roy who was still looking at her waiting for a response, verbally or in her mannerisms. She hesitated as she began to play with her fingernails.
"Oui, des fois" (Yes, sometimes) She said to her with a French accent, knowing Morgan didn't understand and hoping Katherine could understand. She gave her gentle smile as she lowered her eyes afraid of the answer.
"Et je suis heureuse dans tes rêves? " (And am i happy in your dreams?) Katherine then asked her in a perfect French. She asked as she looked outside the window, looking at the far away lights of the houses in the night.
Emily noticed the perfect French but was not surprised for anything she knew about Katherine could be wrong tomorrow.
She thought about her dreams and fantasises of her, thinking about how much she smiled, how she would tell sweet things with her lips as she savored her and now, since the counselling incident, how happy and enchanted she would be being the one cherished.
"Bien sûr" (Of course)