A/N: Before the one-shot begins, I want it to be warned that I wrote the R-slur once. I do not condone the usage of this word but for character reasons I had written it, it IS however censored, but I wanted to put a trigger warning, and I would like to preference that, you, the reader (Y/N) are a Sign Language interpreter assigned to an FBI case! That's it, let's go!
Quantico, Virginia home base of the FBI headquarters, and the home of a new serial killer. The bull-pen was cluttered with new file cases as JJ led the team into a new discussion.
"Three people killed within two weeks of each other, first one white male: blonde and balding, John Magnus, forty-four, found bludgeoned with a blunt object against his head, right behind his left ear, and he was last seen at the gym. Second victim, Mexican, Juniper Wick, twenty-nine, her hair was dyed black, last seen leaving her work place as a secretary. She was also bludgeoned however, this time at the mouth, dislocating the jaw and breaking the cheekbones. Lastly, Thai man, Jared .R. Boon, nine teen last seen at a skateboard park in Quantico, found with his eye sockets smashed in, died within minutes after initial impact. Only common wounds were that each victim's hands were horribly deformed, or even sawed off." The blonde woman slid the pictures of the bodies to her team.
"Nearly matching M.O, but completely different socio-economic classes, clearly showing this isn't a hate crime against a certain race or gender. No signs of sexual assault, so either we have a sexual sadist, or someone who is just craving power. However, despite not being a hate crime, the post mortem destruction of the hands show that this was a personal attack." Spencer Reid, resident genius speaks up.
Prentiss shifted uncomfortably in her chair, "However, eyes, mouth and ears? Those are rather specific spots, almost replicating those 'hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil, do no evil."
Morgan crossed his arms over his chest. Scanning his own eyes over the image. "What's the plan Hotch?"
"Spencer and Morgan, you head down to the morgue and check on final details of the bodies, Prentiss and JJ, you head out to the body retrieval sites, David, you're with me, and we are going to the places they were abducted." Hotchner stood from his seat. "Garcia, I need you to start working on a geological profile using your satellite maps."
"On it Hotch-Botch!" The excited woman headed back towards her bat cave, right after sending a few flirty comments towards Morgan.
"See you later baby girl." He then clambers into the SUV and starts the engine.
"I cannot tell if having a killer in Virginia is actually a blessing or a curse." Spencer joked. Long flights, of course, were a bore, but the team forgets that killers can exist even in their own town.
"It's a mixture of both pretty boy, more like a Blurse." Derek wits back. "Actually that's not a wor-" "Shut up Spence I know." Derek shakes his head as he parks outside.
Walking in both men adorn gloves before getting the updated autopsies from the coroner.
"John Magnus," The coroner starts, pulling out the drawer that holds his body, "Had a Cochlear implant on the ear that was smashed into his head, we ended up pulling out the broken implant pieces." The woman hands the bag of shattered metal to Morgan. Derek then looked to Spencer, "Pretty boy get Garcia on the phone." They then thanked the coroner and exited back the SUV,
"Goddess of technology and adorable fashion speaking." The familiar tone of Penelope rings through, a small smile crossing Derek's face. "Hey angel face, I need you to look into medical records of all three victims, did any of them go to audiologists?" There is a pregnant pause before Penelope speaks again. "Actually all three did, and all three were declared profoundly deaf, and our Johnny-Boy here ended up getting a Cochlear implant by age eleven by his parents." She spoke, her hands still going a mile a minute.
"Thank you angel baby, call Hotch, we may have a lead, keep looking into their medical histories." "Of course chocolate thunder." The line drops, and Spencer shakes his head with a soft laugh as he car comes to a stop in front of the federal building.
The team regroups back in the bull-pen, Spencer writes on the board, updating the geographical map and writing the newly formed information. "Each of our victims were declared profoundly deaf at a young age, and I think this is the uh lead we can take on why they were killed. The unsub has a violent streak towards Deaf people." He then draws four monkeys. "Prentiss, you weren't off earlier, this unsub is in fact suggesting that because they cannot hear, speak, do or see evil they are cleansed."
"He sees them being Deaf as a curse?" "Well, more as a disability. We also notice there wasn't any defensive wounds, meaning this unsub knew his victims, and well enough that they'd trust him." Spencer turns back to the board again. "Penelope, run all doctors that see Deaf patients within this geographical triangle, and uh, well." Spencer looks to the team. "We are going to need an interpreter, we usually contact families, but seeing as no one on our team knows enough sign language to hold a conversation, I'd see it best to provide us with one. I also suggest going to some of the majorly Deaf populated area with the interpreter, try to see who these victims knew, and who knew them." He caps the marker, and with a brisk nod from Hotchner, the team set off. Within an hour, a new person entered the BAU's branch of the FBI.
The (E/C) eyes searched around before JJ walked to the entrance. "(Y/N) (L/N)? I'm Agent Jareau, or JJ." She smiles politely, extending her hand towards the interpreter.
"Just (Y/N) please, I'm excited to get started, where do you need me?" She rakes a hand through her hair nervously.
"Ms.(L/N)," A stern voice spoke, "I am SSA Hotchner, you've met JJ; the man with long brown hair is Doctor Reid, following is Emily Prentiss, Penelope Garcia, David Rossi, and Derek Morgan." He introduces each person. Spencer gives a small wave, while Emily and Penelope gave you small and excited handshakes. Lastly Derek started with a wink, "Well, knowing your career, I'll be calling you angel hands." "Morg-""Actually (Y/N) is perfectly fine to call me, thank you." You give a happy look to Hotch, who was ready to reprimand Derek for his outward flirting.
Derek's eyes widened before he let himself settle to a confident smirk. Two can play at this game. The team enters the bull-pen again, briefing their new partner on the case at hand. Morgan quickly noticed that the interpreter grew white knuckled and she had to steady her breathing when the pictures were brought out.
"(Y/N), you and Morgan need to head out and begin talking to the families, after that, check in with Garcia and give her any information you have. Finally, head to the heavily Deaf populated area of Quantico and interview anyone who's willing." Hotchner turned to the others. "The rest of us have a profile to give."
Morgan escorted the interpreter outside to the SUV, opening the door for her and closing it after she settled in. He heads over to the first address pinned. "So why can't I call you angel hands? Would you prefer something else? How about twinkle fingers?"
The interpreter couldn't help but laugh, point one to Morgan. "I don't actually mind angel hands, just, not in front of not only your boss, but also the head of the BAU."
"So, formal in public, flirty in private, I like that Angel Hands." A smirk found its way back to Derek's face as he merged into the left lane.
The interpreter stuttered out, what could she say to that? It didn't matter, she had a job to do.
Ten painful minutes later, they pulled up to the parents of John Magnus. Derek opened the door for (Y/N) and then proceeded up the driveway. Agent Morgan then knocked on the door, and rang the doorbell a few times.
An angry eighty year old man opened the door. (Y/N) lifts her hands up, beginning to interpret for Derek. "My name is Derek Morgan I am with the FBI, we are h-" "Knock that dumb shit out, I can hear you just fine I ain't dumb." The man cuts both of them off. (Y/N)'s eyes widened as she looks to Derek. "You aren't deaf sir?" He asks.
"Could you not hear me the first time, I told you I ain't dumb, no one in my family is, well, until John showed up, but we fixed that. He heard perfectly fine, it just took his mom a while to agree." The elder man crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"Sir." Derek's jaw was clenched, nearly angry, how could this man think so poorly of his son?
"Morgan." (Y/N) placed a gentle hand on his bicep, she understood his anger and frustration, this was her career after all.
"-Sir- We found your son dead, his implant bashed into his head. We need to know everything you can tell us on your son."
"It ain't my damn business, if John wants to be a r*t*rd and make his son one too, He ain't my son-"
Morgan chewed the inside of his cheek, and despite his urges to absolutely deck this guy, the smaller arm wrapping around his completely stopped him.
"Let's just go talk to his wife Morgan, I think were done here." She gently pulls Morgan back to the SUV.
The amount of frustration in the car was apparent. (Y/N) eventually decided to clear her throat. "You know Morgan, this isn't the first time, I mean, there's more people out there who share his opinion, but you find the good ones, that's all that matters."
"You really are an angel, huh." He takes a small glance to the girl in his passenger seat. Then, he pulled the SUV back onto the road, heading to John Magnus' own house. The two found themselves praying that maybe the wife of the deceased would be more reasonable. It was (Y/N) who pressed the doorbell, there was a small flash of light inside, one that made (Y/N)'s heart happy. The door opened and a wild flash of hands came to the door. (Y/N) smiled beginning to interpret for Derek. "My name Angus, my mom is upstairs she'll be down in a bit." She smiles signing back, repeating in English for her partner. "My name is (Y/N), we just have a couple questions for your mom alright?"
The young boy beamed before a woman came to the door. Derek flashes her his badge and she signs to the boy. "Head upstairs I'll be back up to play." The woman smiles sweetly to her son before facing Derek and (Y/N).
"Hello, how may I help you today?" She looked nervous. Derek explained that we found her husband dead, and that they needed to know what they've done in the recent months.
Back in the SUV Derek recalled Garcia. "Hey babykins what's crackalackin?"
"John's wife had mentioned something about a new doctor they started seeing about six months ago. His prices for his clinic are relatively cheap, besides that, their schedule hadn't changed."
"Do you have that name for me hot pocket?"
"Doctor Nathaniel Jameson." Derek was turning back into the BAU.
"I got him, and he has a connection to all the victims."
"What is it?"
"He's a primary care doctor who recently placed out an ad claiming to have on staff interpreters."
"So, this doctor puts out an ad to specifically target Deaf people, to lure them in, and kill them?"
"Well, not until he establishes relationships with them, that's how he's able to see them after hours without them being scared, thus why there is no defensive wounds." Spencer says, clicking his pen.
"The only question left is why?" Agent Rossi brought up, arms coming up and over his chest.
"That, my Italian friend, is what I know!" Penelope turns her laptop around. "This doctor growing up was in competition with another doctor, one who was profoundly deaf. I assume the grudge has gone on so long he's decided to kill them all."
"Let's go, vests on, we can only bring him in for questioning, and remember, we need a confession. JJ work on getting a warrant please." "Of course sir."
The team broke off again, this time, the interpreter wasn't needed. (Y/N) turned to Hotchner. "Sir?"
"If you want and stay to finish the case, you are free to, but you can also go home, choice is yours." The older man gave her a soft smile.
"I would like to stay sir, I have to understand the why, why someone would just, do this to people."
"Then finish the case with us, we'd be happy to have you."
(Y/N) peered through the double sided glass. She watches as Reid and Prentiss question the doctor. The doctor, however, doesn't even flinch. He just sits there, smirking at them.
Morgan noticed the body language of the interpreter, he is a profiler, and he noticed how each time she got frustrated she would pick at her knuckles, or how she would angrily bite her bottom lip.
"Why are you fighting so hard for people who can't even hear you?" The doctor stands from his chair, pacing around, smirking still.
"How come they are born to be lesser because of their lack of hearing, and then they get handed everything?" The suspect was losing it, Morgan was excited.
"They are nothing but a bunch of dumb, BRAINLESS, NOBODIES! WHO CARES IF THEY DIE? WHO'S GOING TO MISS THEM?!"
There it was the confession, and the snap. Wait, Morgan sensed something wrong, the interpreter by his side begins nearly charging for the handle into the interrogation room, she's fuming, and she's screaming curses at him. In a flash of panic, Morgan's arms wrap around (Y/N)'s waist, pulling her away from the door, and dragging her outside to the elevators.
"Come on angel hands, you got to cool it, it's not worth it-""It IS worth it Derek! How could he say that?!" She had stopped struggling against him, and Morgan eventually clicked to enter the elevator.
"Morgan- I, I want to go home please." She's sniffling.
"Let me drive you, and maybe I can convince you to let me stay for a drink, at least, maybe?" Derek's eyebrows rose in hope.
"Cool it engine arms, we will see how the ride home goes." She laughs through the sniffles.
Derek one, (Y/N) one.
"Engine Arms?" He smirked, turning off the engine and opening the doors to the car.
(Y/N) leads her to the front of her apartment complex, heading up to the sixth floor. "You can, uh, stay for a drink Derek."
And stay for a drink he did.
They were both one to two glasses of wine in, giggling softly at each other, and asking each other questions. It started off in little questions like 'What is your favorite color' or 'when did you cut your hair last?' Derek, however, seemed to sober up a little, asking you a question you were all too familiar with.
'Why do you do what you do?'
(Y/N) took a deep breath in, gently scrunching her nose, which Derek picked up as a tell that she was thinking.
"I do it because it makes me happy Derek, I enjoy their culture, I enjoy being able to share myself in a group."
"But, don't you get tired of being their ears, and their voice."
She stiffened up at that. "That's not what I am Derek. I am the eyes and heart if the hearing world, deaf people don't need to be spoken for, its hearing people who just have to listen."
Huh, Derek seemed to need to chew on that for a while. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before finally speaking, "Would you be willing to teach me, I may be muscular, and god knows I can't read twenty billion words per minute, but I am willing to learn."
"I can't teach you culture, that's learned by experience. How about, next weekend, you uh, come to the Renaissance Fair. They have a deaf event this weekend and I know almost every worker...
I'd be willing to interpret for you."
Dalai Lama once said: "Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions."