"We have them in custody. Your job is to get the story from the girl. I think we'll be able to get her to talk easier than the brothers."

"And what exactly were they doing when they were arrested, Sir?"

"They tried to assassinate the President."

---

Hotch nodded to me and I dialed the number. It had been a few weeks since Lexi had been released. I felt bad that I hadn't been able to find her son for her. When the team had gotten to the lakehouse where the power outage had originated from, the place was empty and abandoned. Anyone who had been there previously had hightailed it before we arrived.

"Agent Morgan. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"We back to using formalities, Lexi? I thought we had gotten past that during your time in Quantico," I responded.

"What do you want Morgan?"

I sighed, realizing I wasn't going to get anywhere taking the friendly approach. I briefly glanced at my team that was working on tracing the call as we spoke.

"Hotch wanted to talk to you again," I informed her. "We think we're closing in on the Winchesters and we need your help."

That and I wouldn't mind seeing the woman again. I didn't want to admit how attached I had grown over the nine months she spent in Quantico telling us her story. From the way she responded to each member of the BAU, it was clear the attachment was mutual as she had gotten to the point where she wouldn't say anything unless I was the one sitting across the interrogation table from her.

"You can tell Agent Hotchner that I'm done helping you," she spat. "I'm back home and I got my son back, no thanks to you I might add, and I'm staying right where I am."

"You got Milo back? How did that happen?"

I couldn't keep the surprise out of my voice. If she had her son with her, that would mean our suspicions were correct about the Winchesters being close to wherever she had returned home to. We had assumed that the Winchesters had gotten to the lakehouse and cleared it out before we arrived, which meant that they had Milo.

"If that's all you called for, then I'm going to hang up now, Agent."

She was still sticking to the formalities and had yet to use my first name like she had started doing the last month of her time in Quantico. My heart was pounding as I looked to Garcia. She shook her head, letting me know they hadn't quite pin-pointed a location. I had to keep her talking just a little while longer.

"Wait. Wait, Lexi, wait. Um..."

"I'm waiting, but you're running out of time before I hang up this phone and lose this number."

"We think the Winchesters are staying near Lebanon, Kansas," I said quickly, glancing over at Garcia again who spun a finger to tell me to keep it going. "If we're off, can you just tell me? If you hang up, I'll take it as a 'we're close'. I swear I won't ask for anything else."

I held my breath then, waiting to see if there was a response. Garcia gave me a thumbs up, telling me they had finally gotten a location. However, I still had to finish the call.

"You still there, Lexi?"

"I'm here. Keep looking, Derek. And don't call me again."

There was a click from her end as she hung up and I felt myself physically relax. She had said we were off. To keep looking. And she had finally used my first name. However, as I walked over to Garcia and looked at the screen, I knew she had lied to me. The location on the map, clear as day, was Lebanon, Kansas.

---

"You wanna explain why I'm here?" Lexi asked as we entered my home.

"Well, did you really want to spend any more time in that cell?" I shot back.

She hummed noncommittally, not really giving a proper response to the question. Her blue eyes were taking in the scenery, mapping out my house where she would be staying.

"Would you like the grand tour?"

"I suppose," she muttered, following me deeper into the house.

It didn't take long to show her the basic layout of my place. Living room, kitchen, dining area, one bathroom on the main floor, bedrooms and two more bathrooms upstairs if you counted the en suite master bath.

"You can pick either of the spare rooms. I don't care," I informed her.

"How long am I staying in Quantico exactly?"

I hesitated from the question. I didn't want to lie to her, but I also didn't want to give her the wrong impression. I honestly didn't know how long Hotch would want to keep her around. We were still trying to find out where the Winchesters had disappeared to and she was key in figuring that out.

"As long as necessary," I chose to reply.

It was clear from the way her blue eyes, already dull, darkened even more that she didn't like my answer. I didn't blame her. I'd want to go home if I'd been away as long as she had, too. Especially since it wasn't her choice.

"Listen, Lexi, I know you don't want to be here anymore, but---"

"No. Don't you dare try to act like you understand what I'm going through. I spent nearly a month telling you and your team my life story, and when I was done, I was thrown in a cell because you couldn't keep my boyfriend and his brother locked up properly. And now you're telling me I have to stay even longer. So, you know what? Fuck you!"

All 5' 3" of spunk pushed past my just-over-six-foot frame and a moment later one of the bedroom doors slammed shut. I was left with wide eyes and mouth slightly agape as I stood in the hall. I had to give it to her, the woman didn't let anyone push her around. Normally people would be intimidated by my height and stature, but she wasn't. Granted, I was about the same height as the Winchesters and she lived with them, so it shouldn't have really surprised me.

---

I whistled as I made breakfast for Lexi and I. I was hoping the smell of the eggs and bacon along with fresh coffee would coax the woman from the room she had been in since yesterday evening. She hadn't come out after shutting herself away and I was sure the hunger of skipping dinner would be catching up to her.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, I was rewarded with the sight of her leaning against the doorframe. Her eyes watched me as I worked.

"Hungry?" I inquired.

"A little," she muttered, but a loud growl from her stomach betrayed her.

I chuckled slightly as a nice blush colored her cheeks from embarrassment.

"Plates are in that cupboard if you want to set the table," I nodded to the cupboard in question.

Wordlessly she got out the plates, and with a bit more direction, the silverware and cups as well, setting them on the dining table. I brought in the food as she finished straightening everything out.

"How do you take your coffee?" I asked her.

"Just cream for me."

"Alrighty."

We ate in silence after that. It wasn't awkward, but there was definitely an underlying tension from our little exchange the evening before. I took the time to take in her appearance. She had on a turquoise dress with a plunging neckline. A gold chain hung around her neck and she had curled her auburn hair. She had gone natural with her makeup for the day.

"You do know how to stop profiling people, don't you, Agent Morgan?"

My gaze snapped to her eyes at her words. Her eyebrow was arched in question as she waited for my response to her inquiry. It was true that with my job, it was really easy to just slip into profiling mode when observing people. However, I was capable of keeping the ability in check, and I informed her as such.

"Could have fooled me," she shrugged, going back to her breakfast. "So what's the plan for today? I assume I'm coming in to work with you?"

"Yes, you are. Hotch has some more questions for you."

"You guys aren't going to take no as an answer, are you?"

"We need to figure out where the Winchesters went, Lexi. You have the information that could help us figure that out."

"Yeah... Right."

---

"We made that call weeks ago, Hotch. Why the hell have we not acted on that information?!"

"We have other priorities, Morgan. Other cases that have more immediate need for attention."

"THEY ARE PSYCHOPATHIC SERIAL KILLERS THAT WE HAVE A LOCATION FOR! HOW DOES THAT NOT WARRANT OUR ATTENTION?!"

I was causing a scene. I knew that much. But nearly a month had passed since Hotch had me call Lexi and in that time, we had lost ourselves in other cases. I didn't understand how we could focus on other things when two serial killers who we had caught mid-assassination attempt of the President were just going about their lives. We knew where they were, we needed to act before they went on another murder spree.

"Derek, you need to calm down. As of late, there are no fresh murders or crime events connected to the Winchester Case. The things we are working on do. We are going to catch them and put them away for good. For now, though, we need to focus."

I glared at the Unit Chief, knowing he was right. Everyone was on edge in light of more recent events. Not only were we still dealing with the aftermath of the Winchester Case, but a killer Hotch had arrested years ago had resurfaced recently. I opened my mouth to speak, when a disturbance distracted us from our current situation.

"Look, if you're going to arrest me, arrest me, but I need to speak to Derek Morgan. It's urgent!"

Furrowing my brows, I followed Hotch in the direction of the voice. Reid, JJ, Prentiss and Rossi were also headed in that direction. When we got to the area outside the elevator, I couldn't believe my eyes. Four security guards were restraining none other than Dean Winchester. How he had managed to get this far before getting stopped was beyond me. A crowd had formed, including the members of my team, to see what the disturbance was about.

When the man's green eyes found mine, they immediately softened briefly before hardening once more.

"Derek Morgan?"

I felt all eyes turn to me as the Winchester said my name. Even the security personnel had relinquished their hold slightly when he spoke.

"How'd you get up here?" my voice came out sounding more confident than I felt.

"We need to talk. I wouldn't be here if I thought I could handle it myself."

"Handle what?"

"It's about Lexi..."

My heart dropped in my chest when he said her name. If he had risked coming to Quantico and entering a building full of feds and security to talk to me about her, then it had to mean something really bad had happened. I didn't doubt the validity of his statement about not being here if it wasn't absolutely necessary.

"Okay, let's talk."

I nodded at the guards and they let the flannel-clad man pass. He followed me to the debriefing room where we got our cases. The rest of the team followed us in.

"I'm not talking in front of them," he said, referring to the others.

"They're my team, so you either tell all of us, or none of us. And if it's as urgent as you're making it sound, I suggest you start talking soon."

He glared at me and it struck me that we were about the same height. The only reason he could seem intimidating to me was because of his build. His shoulders were broader than mine and he used that combined with the height thing to his advantage. He was used to towering over people, making them feel small and pathetic. Giving an aggravated huff and glaring at the other members of the BAU, he took a seat at the conference table.

Once seated, his shoulders slumped and he suddenly didn't look nearly as intimidating. Running a hand over his face, he looked up at me with tired eyes.

"I think Lexi was kidnapped. A few weeks ago she was treating herself. Sam and I were home with the kids and she went out shopping and stuff. She didn't come home that night. And before you say anything, Sammy and I tried our way of finding her. What... Whoever took her... They're not our kind of thing. They're human. Which is why I'm here. I need you to help me get her back."