Chapter Text
Lucy watched helplessly as Piper packed her bag. It had barely been a month since Piper had come out of her induced coma. “You know, Theo hasn’t approved you for work,” Lucy pointed out, only receiving a pointed glance in her direction.
“That’s why I got a second opinion. Theo’s biased,” Piper retorted while picking out a small airtight canister of tea leaves.
“Your boss doesn’t approve of this either,” Lucy continued, “Or that twink you tried to save.”
Piper chuckled to herself as she threw the canister at her. “Don’t call him that. It’s mean.” Lucy sighed, tucking the canister into the duffel bag. “It’s only 3 or 4 days and I won’t even be in the field.” Piper sank into a seat beside Lucy, taking her hands in her right hand. Her left shoulder was still encased in a navy blue brace, one that she was running out of outfits to match. Lucy’s hands were callused just like hers, but longer and much more nimble.
“No, you’ll just be in Montana with a bunch of FBI haters,” Lucy said petulantly, bringing her knees up onto the couch. Piper pressed a soft kiss to Lucy’s temple.
“I’ll be okay, I promise.” She tucked a strand behind her little sister’s ear, watching as her petulant pout melted into a soft smirk.
“Will you bring me back a cowboy hat?” Piper grinned while two knocks rapped at their door.
“Sure,” Piper said, chuckling as she took a look through the peephole and opened the door. “Hey, Grant, you’re a little early.”
Grant was just seen as the office desk jockey, doing quick errands for the team and after two and a half months of bribing him to bring her things to do, Piper liked to think they had grown close.
“JJ said they wanted to start the briefing as soon as possible,” Grant answered, stepping inside to see Piper’s luggage lined up in the hallway. “Hello, Ms. Bishop.” He waved cheerfully at Lucy curled up on the couch with a cup of tea.
“Hey, want a cup of tea? I make a mean peppermint,” Lucy offered.
“By mean, she means you’ll die because she makes it too strong,” Piper scoffed, grabbing her crossbody leather bag and a coat for the road. She slipped her badge into a trouser pocket and hooked the holster of her gun onto her belt, a strange new ritual this job had introduced. She never left home without either anymore.
“Next time, Ms. Bishop,” Grant said, smiling as he took the suitcase in one hand. Piper flashed him a smile while keeping the door open. She glanced back at Lucy, about to wish her goodbye.
“He’s cute,” Lucy mouthed, giving Piper a thumbs up. The latter rolled her eyes, wishing her sister goodbye before closing the door behind her.
“You’re too nice to her,” Piper chastised Grant, following him down with a coat draped over her duffel. Grant gave her a helpless side-eye as he put her suitcase in his trunk.
“I can’t help it. I’m a people pleaser. Your bag?” Grant held his hand out for the duffel she was carrying before patiently waiting for her to don her coat. It took her a moment, even after a month of practice, to carefully slip her left arm through the sleeve before shrugging the rest of the coat on.
“Ready to go?” Piper smiled broadly as Grant unlocked his car for her to slip in. The seatbelt took another moment. Just another two weeks and the brace comes off.
The car ride was comfortable enough with the both of them discussing Doctor Who and Grant offering to drop off Piper's things in the jet for her while she headed inside for the briefing. Piper dumped her bag by her desk, finding it strange that the other three weren’t occupying their seats. Assuming the trio headed in for the briefing, she hopped up the stairs to the catwalk and hurried past Hotch’s office only to find them in Rossi’s new office.
“Whatever happened to the moratorium on inter-team profiling?” Spencer complained as Piper ducked her head in.
“What are you guys doing?” Her voice made Spencer physically jump, sending his heart rate racing. Piper held out her good arm, almost as though she was about to brace him.
“Trying to figure out why Rossi came back out of retirement,” Emily provided absently, glancing around the room. “Taupe walls. That's a negative color. Cold, distant. You know, emotionally, Taupe is linked to loneliness and the desire to escape from the world.”
“It’s also the color most commonly used as a base coat,” Piper added dryly, leaning against the door frame.
“I just figured the guy's walls would be covered with plaques and commendations,” Derek offered, fingering the paint-splattered tarp and lifting it to take a peek.
“Huh,” Emily mused, “Maybe he doesn't want to be reminded of past victories. It's a new chapter for him.” Spencer still looked fidgety, standing in the middle of the room and desperately avoiding eye contact with Piper.
“Doesn’t seem like the ostentatious type to me,” Piper offered before straightening and gesturing towards Morgan, “Besides, aren’t you the one who hates profiling each other?” Derek made a sour face. “Weren’t you the one who told me to give him a chance? To let him find his place on the team?”
“Team?” Derek scoffed, “I don’t think this guy knows the meaning of the word.” Piper shook her head, strands of hair falling into her field of vision. Spencer watched her try to puff it out of her face before relenting and just tucking the strand behind her ear. He was so fixated on her that he didn’t hear Derek calling his attention. “Reid?” Spencer jerked to attention, stepping over to Morgan’s side. “We found some kind of art.”
“Looks religious,” Emily pointed out, her smile creasing dimples into her cheeks. Curiously, Piper stepped inside, shuffling over to Reid’s side to get a better look.
“It’s renaissance art,” Spencer mused, his bottom lip jutting out adorably as he tried to ignore the scent of Piper’s perfume.
“It does look from the 15th century, doesn’t it?” Piper asked, “Could he afford an original?”
“Kinda hard to tell,” Spencer said absently, turning the frame of the painting over. “Means he’s into the classics. Uh, Italian, strict Catholic upbringing. Probably believes in redemption.”
“Well, I believe in a lot of things,” Rossi announced loudly, walking into the room with a cavalier attitude. Spencer immediately handed the painting over to Piper who almost dropped it before hugging it close to her chest and glaring at Reid. David leaned back against the doorframe, addressing the four profilers squarely. “Italian-American, 52 years. Strict upbringing, not so much.”
Derek glanced over at Emily awkwardly as she kept her eyes on the artwork that Piper carefully set onto the table. “The artwork, that’s a 15th-century original. Costs more than my first house. And as for the wall color, it’s just a base coat. Painters will come in and finish tomorrow. Now, if you’re all finished, I think, uh, JJ and Hotch are ready for us.” David pointedly glanced at Derek. “Isn’t that how a team works?”
Piper stifled a small smirk while backing away immediately, Spencer following her cue with an awkward, polite smile. Derek unashamedly walked away from the older profiler in spite of his crooked smile and Emily followed him out. Rossi took one last look at the painting before leaving after them, closing the door behind him.
JJ was already standing in the conference room in front of Hotch, the others taking their seats around the table as they walked in. Piper didn’t bother shrugging off her coat, opting to simply take her file instead. Derek was in the corner, swirling a stirrer through his mug of coffee. Spencer had taken his usual seat between Piper and Derek while Emily flanked Piper’s other side, leaving only one spot open between Derek and Hotch for Rossi to take.
Piper skimmed her report quickly as JJ briefed them all before instinctively glancing at Reid curiously. She was so used to both of them realizing things at the same time that she had never had to vocalise her concerns until someone from the team sought them out. But he was resolutely focused in his report that he didn’t look up. Piper cleared her throat instead, looking at JJ. “They didn’t find the bodies?”
“They’ve all been presumed dead,” JJ answered, referring to the 4 images on the board. Michelle Lawford, Jennifer Hillbridge, Darcy Cranwell, and now, Angela Miller. All of them caucasian brunettes. “This morning, she and her car went missing from a local grocery store while her husband and son were still inside.”
“Ballsy move,” Piper murmured under her breath, writing her notes up.
“Montana’s requesting our help?” Rossi asked in disbelief, avoiding both Derek and Piper’s quick glances.
“40 minutes later, Angela’s car was spotted on the highway by state troopers,” JJ added, “And when troopers tried to apprehend the driver, he blew himself up with a grenade, putting one of the troopers in the ICU.”
“Angela wasn’t in the car?” Emily presumed, her gaze lingering on JJ’s figure longingly.
“They went through the wreckage and it appears she’s still missing,” Aaron provided.
“Troopers get a look at the guy?” Derek prompted and JJ obliged.
“Caucasian, stocky, brown hair, mustache,” JJ started listing, “Early forties and he had a scar on the left side of his face.”
“Since the other missings were never found,” Aaron added with a sense of finality, “We don't know if she’s still alive, but he only had her for 40 minutes, so we have to assume she is. We’ve got a four-hour flight ahead of us, so let’s get going. Bishop, I need a word with you.”
Piper flashed an awkward smile at her boss, closing the file and her notebook. She tucked both safely under her right arm before following Hotch out and into his office. “I don’t approve of this,” he started immediately, not even waiting to get back to his desk. “Your shoulder isn’t even out of the brace yet, and even then you’ve still got physical therapy to get through.” Piper sighed softly, closing her eyes.
“Hotch, I can’t not work,” Piper said slowly, “I need to be doing something.”
“Bishop,” Hotch interrupted decisively, “You threw yourself in front of a gun. Clearly, your judgment is compromised.”
“My judgment is fine,” Piper insisted, slapping her files on top of the desk, “I couldn’t shoot the guy and if I hadn’t jumped him--”
“Then Rossi would have had a clear shot--”
“And he would have shot Spencer!” Piper cried out, her voice cracking just enough to betray her. “It would have been him with the shattered shoulder and me desperately trying to keep him alive. Again.” Aaron stared at Piper, trying to profile her as much as he could without giving any emotion away.
“Your sister is concerned,” Hotch continued despite Piper’s heavy groan, leaning on the top of a seat with one arm, “And so was your assigned therapist.”
“Look, you can’t bench me based on Lucy’s concerns,” Piper protested, “Or the therapist you assigned me because I already have a therapist and Hartley cleared me for work.” Piper searched Aaron’s eyes for some kind of emotional foothold. “Hotch, if you send me home, I will go out of my mind. My sister is living with me. I need to be out there, helping those women.” Aaron clenched his jaw, turning the idea over in his head.
“Fine, but we’re going back to probation restrictions,” Hotch relented, “You’ll stay with an agent at all times. You’ll stay at the precinct unless directed otherwise. And you will stick to working hours so if I see you working after sunset, I will detain you to your motel room.”
“Jeez, okay, fine,” Piper sighed aloud, “I’ll be your probie, whatever.”
“Oh, I’m not even close to done yet,” Aaron continued, “You will update me when you’ve taken your meds, you will come to me if your arm hurts in any way and--” Piper stared at him, trying to desperately hide her smirk.
“Yes, sir,” Piper said, her voice soft and genuine, “Was there anything else?” Aaron sighed, leaning on the desk.
“Please don’t make me regret this,” Aaron asked her, “Go, get your things. The car’s coming around in 5 minutes.” He watched her take her file and notebook, using her foot to pull the door open. He shook his head helplessly as he started grabbing his files and laptop.
Derek was already waiting for her with a cheerful smile, both his and her bags in his hands. “Shall we?” he asked, offering her his free arm.
“Can’t go anywhere without a girl on your arm, can you?” Piper asked, a lopsided grin on her face as she looped her good arm through his.
“What can I say, it’s an addiction,” Derek said chuckling, escorting her to the glass doors and opening it for her. “So, you’re really cool with Rossi on the team? After what happened with Poole? You would’ve crucified Gideon if he did that.”
“Yeah, but I would’ve been the only one,” Piper replied, backing into the elevator. “It was his first case back with a full team.”
“I still don’t understand why he’s here,” Derek proposed, staring at the silver doors as they descended.
“Maybe he got bored,” Piper offered, “Does it matter?” Derek glanced over at her uncertainly before staring at the doors again. Piper nodded slowly. “You don’t trust him.”
“Gideon was asked to come back. This guy just shows up out of the blue not even a month after Gideon leaves?” Piper knitted her eyebrows.
“You know, he asked Reid where we keep our files when we went to the disposal site,” Piper pointed out, leaving out the bit where Spencer almost landed face first in the dirt. Derek glanced at Piper curiously, “Hey, I never said I completely trust him either,” Piper said, almost laughing a little as the doors slid open for them. Derek made a beeline for the nearest SUV, dumping their bags in the back. Piper chose to slide into the passenger side seat, slowly pulling the belt over her brace. Two more weeks. Derek took the driver’s seat, waiting patiently for Spencer and Emily to join them before they set off. Although, strangely, Emily was the only one joining them.
“Where’s Reid?” Derek asked, surprised by not seeing him in the backseat.
“Probably sucking up to Rossi,” Emily answered vaguely, putting her seatbelt on. “Can we go? I don’t wanna be the last one there.” Derek shrugged, turning the ignition while Piper leaned back in her seat uneasily. Reid always rode in with them. It gave him a chance to get in on the office gossip and the four of them had formed a tight friendship.
“So, I heard you came in with Anderson?” Emily prompted her with a swift kick to the back of Piper’s seat.
“Yeah, he offered to give me a ride,” Piper answered absently.
“I heard a rumor he’s got a crush on Gina from forensics,” Emily said, grinning devilishly, “Penelope wants to set them up.”
“Really?” Piper asked, glancing up at the rear-view mirror to meet Emily’s gaze. “Gina thinks he finds her weird.”
“Why? Did he walk into her cracking open a human rib?” Derek scoffed, receiving a retaliatory poke in his ribs. “What? I’m just saying it can be a little unnerving.”
“Gina deserves someone who’s as enthusiastic about things as she is,” Piper said, pulling one leg up so the knee hugged her chest.
“It’s hard to find someone enthusiastic about dead bodies,” Emily scoffed, picking at her nails.
“She’s hardly enthusiastic about people being dead,” Piper retorted bluntly, “She likes pulling things apart and figuring out how they work. She hates not being able to understand medical marvels. It just so happens that they’re people.”
“And Grant likes paperwork,” Derek joked, taking a left before driving the long stretch towards the airport. Piper shook her head, chuckling lightly. “What, I thought the point of this was to poke fun at people?”
“Anderson’s into jazz,” Emily voiced, remembering snippets of conversation, “And Star Trek which is apparently different from Star Wars.”
“And he’s shit at cards,” Derek added with a grin, pulling up to Stafford Airport. “Not that you would know,” he said pointedly at Piper, “You never play cards with us.”
“Because Reid cheats!” Piper said, pouting as she carefully pulled off her seatbelt. “Emily’s the only one who comes close at counting cards.”
“You’ll never know if you never play,” Emily sang, slamming the door behind her and opening Piper’s for her.
“I can open my own door,” Piper protested while Emily let out a sarcastic laugh.
“Yeah, yeah, we all saw you trying to open Hotch’s office door with your foot. Come on.”
Piper stepped out with a petulant pout while Derek kept his gaze on Rossi as he stepped out of his SUV. Piper never got used to this strange feeling of being more than just a civilian. She always felt awkward skipping the lines and rushing through the waiting lounges. Spencer looked awkward too, but he always looked like that. Rossi seemed perfectly at ease which was fairly predictable.
As usual, Derek and Emily crassly threw their bags in the back of the jet while JJ and Spencer kept theirs under seats and tables. Rossi kept his briefcase close to him while Aaron tucked his bag neatly next to the couch. Piper sank into her usual seat in front of Emily by the window seat while the others started piling in. JJ made her usual beeline to the coffee machine in the back of the jet while Rossi took a solitary seat beside the quadruple seat.
Spencer shuffled in behind Hotch, opting for the seat beside Emily instead of his usual seat next to Piper. Even Derek found it slightly off but didn’t complain as he took the seat next to Piper. He simply struck up a casual conversation with Emily, something about a Kurt Vonnegut series, while Spencer pulled out his map and few colored markers. With nothing to add to the conversation, Piper just turned to her notebook, neatly transcribing her shorthand as the plane got ready for takeoff.
“You know, I could’ve gotten you a coloring book at the airport,” Emily pointed out to Spencer, smiling as he stuck out his tongue. Piper glanced up, watching him mark a geographical area with careful deliberation.
“I'm creating a topographical map,” Spencer explained absently, oblivious to the strand of hair that threatened to fall into his field of vision. “Weighing down and geocoding all key locations, looking for algorithms.” Piper smirked softly at the confused look on Emily’s expression.
“Yeah, that’s exactly what I thought you were doing,” Emily quipped self-deprecatingly.
“It’s called a jeopardy surface,” Aaron offered patiently while sliding Piper a cup of tea and taking his own mug to his seat on the couch with JJ. “It's a way of narrowing down where the unsub could reside.”
“And by default, where he may be stashing Angela Miller,” Spencer added absently while Piper sipped her tea, coming to the realization that sipping and writing could not be done simultaneously.
“Now, it says here that he had a loaded gun, so we know he had other options,” Derek voiced, glancing around their abnormally-shaped circle, “Why a grenade?”
“He wants to be remembered,” Rossi answered, unabashed by Derek’s untrusting looks. “And he wanted to be sure to take out as many cops as possible. He knows he’s outgunned. So he waits, times it to the last second, and then boom.”
“That takes a seriously low-level of empathy,” Piper noted, “Montana may distrust the government, but they respect their local police.” She paused to take a sip of sweet black tea before continuing, “The government is faceless and ambiguous. But for a place that values the local community, this kind of behavior stands out.”
“There are some very committed people in those parts,” David said pensively, jabbing a finger towards Reid’s map.
“Who loves their firepower,” Aaron added dryly.
“Almost as much as they hate us,” David said immediately, pointedly glancing at Aaron which the rest of them caught. Derek and Piper shared a small glance, as though checking the other had caught it too. He leaned back against the seat as Piper shifted, one leg propped up under the other.
“Militias,” Derek sighed.
“And they’re heavily armed,” Reid added, looking over his map to double-check his work. It wasn’t perfect, Spencer noted, calculating a 30-mile radius. Hopefully, with more data, he could narrow it down. He looked up, instantly catching Piper’s gaze and looking away immediately.
“Thing about militias is,” Piper said hesitantly, confused by Spencer’s behavior, “Most members are psychologically healthy. The ones that are on the fringes are the ones most likely to commit violence.” She glanced back down at her file. “But this guy’s gone well beyond the fringe. I wouldn’t be surprised if the militia kicked him out.”
“Really?” JJ asked, glancing up from her phone for a moment.
“Guys who have a strong network of people don’t just blow themselves up,” Piper remarked, almost mournfully. “Besides, something had to precipitate this.”
“It’s not uncommon for militia members to have military experience,” Spencer added, using his map as a way to avoid eye contact with Piper. “Oftentimes they resent the structure and they get discharged and they form their own paramilitary organizations.”
“Well, dental records are on their way to Garcia,” JJ announced, “But the DA’s gonna want more concrete evidence even if she can get a match.”
“Agent Sharpe has the software to engineer a facial reconstruction,” Piper offered, “I’d just have to send her an osteometric profile.”
“Right,” Aaron said with uncertainty, watching Piper and waiting for an explanation.
“It means I need the skull, some bugs, and markers,” Piper said, a small smile curving her face as she pulled out her phone. Hopefully, she still had some influence with the University of Montana. She hadn’t been in Montana since she was a researcher.
“Alright,” Hotch announced, “Prentiss and I will go meet the husband.”
“I can walk the other abduction sites,” Derek offered, receiving acknowledgment from Hotch.
“Everyone else, set up base, work on geographic profiles, establish contact with the locals and tread carefully,” Aaron directed, glancing around at his team before moving to a seat to settle in for the rest of the ride. Rossi rotated his seat so he was facing a desk and JJ was starting to make a list of potential pools of information while Piper made arrangements for a makeshift lab to be organized.