Elijah was adjusting his shirt, looking ij the mirror as his phone rang. It was Rossi.

"Dad? What's up?" Elijah answered.

"Just wanted to give you a call on my way to get coffee." Rossi hummed.

"Coffee this early?" Elijah raised a brow.

"You can't speak."

"You're older, you need to look after yourself."

"I'm great for my age." Rossi chuckled.

"Well, coffee won't help that." Elijah shrugged.

"Speak for yourself, ragazzo." He hummed.

"I'm just trying to be a good son, vecchio uomo." Elijah rolled his eyes,"You've only got one."

"Do you want anything while I get coffee?"

"Just my usual, if that's not a problem." He nodded.

Rossi was silent for a moment, Elijah could just hear the radio in the background.

"Papá?" Elijah raised a brow,"Are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here..I've just had some woman following me for a while." Rossi sighed.

"A woman? Is it an ex?" Elijah questioned.

"Elijah."

"Wh- That was a valid question."

"No, it is not an ex. She is way too young." Rossi told him.

"Why would a woman be following you?" Elijah furrowed his brow.

"I don't know. I'm going to figure it out."

"Be careful." Elijah sighed.

"Always. I'll be at work soon." He assured him.

"I'll see you then." Elijah nodded,"Ti amo."

"Ti amo, figlio." Rossi hung up.

*********************************

"Three bodies have been found in Reston, Virginia, each violently stabbed, then posed, a week apart. The first two, Kevin Brown and Rick Mendoza were murdered in their homes. The third one, Jessica Randall, was killed in her hair salon last night." Garcia told them all as they sat in the Conference Room

"Bold and brutal. So what did the first two victims do?" Kate asked.

"Kevin worked at a hardware store, Rick was an auto mechanic." She answered.

"Maybe the Unsub's a customer. We should check appointment logs." Reid pointed.

"Already did that." Garcia nodded.

"Well, gender isn't a factor. They could all be victims of opportunity." Morgan sighed.

"Did they live near each other?" JJ raised a brow.

"Three miles apart." Garcia nodded.

"They still could have been strangers." Rossi shrugged.

"Both homes were broken into through a back window. Washington Field isn't sure how the UnSub got into the salon." Hotch explained.

"It's high risk. Maybe we're looking at a drug addict." Elijah suggested.

"But nothing was stolen. And he took the time to redress the victims." Fleur tilted her head.

"Strange. The Unsub stabbed the victims in their original clothing and then found clean ones to put them in." Reid commented.

"Yeah, they fit well. Maybe he brought the new ones with him." JJ pointed.

"Or he could have taken them from their homes." Hotch added.

"So the UnSub took the clothes the victims were wearing as trophies." Morgan nodded.

"They weren't found on the scene, it could be a ritual." Htoch agreed.

"Or our UnSub gets high on the kill, then comes down, feels remorse." JJ continued.

"The time between kills is decreasing, suggesting the Unsub's emboldened and getting better at victim acquisition." Reid told them.

"Then the after-effects of the killing would either exacerbate his guilt or cause him to strike out again soon." Hotch sighed.

*********************************

"Alright, victimology. From what we can tell, the victim's lives didn't intersect." Hotch began.

"Since one worked at a hardware store and the others at a body shop and a hair salon, maybe he's targeting local businesses." Morgan suggested.

"Or our Unsub's the common thread." JJ added

"I cross-checked patrons. There's no overlap." Garcia typed.

"He might have paid cash." Elijah told her.

"We should check security footage." Fleur sighed.

"There's no obvious vulnerability or desirability component to the Unsub's selection criteria." Reid pointed out.

"But the brutality was the same. Over a dozen stab wounds in each victim. This feels personal." Kate nodded.

"Yeah, there's definitely overkill and rage." JJ agreed.

"Well there wouldn't have been time between the kills for planning or surveillance." Hotch shook his head.

"Maybe our Unsub knew the victims and this was a vendetta?" Kate raised a brow.

"If that's the case, we must find the nexus between these victims. There'll be a Washington Field Agent to meet you when you arrive." Hotch hung up.

*********************************

"Penelope, I need you to get some intel." Rossi told her as he, Elijah and Kate got out of their SUV.

"Oh. Like Nancy Drew style, or Jason Bourne? Or I can do a ratio. I can do like, 27% Nancy, 53% Jason, or-"

"Well, whatever you think is appropriate. I'm being followed." He sighed.

"What, like a stalker?" Garcia blinked.

"No, PI. I just have to find out who she's working for. Maybe someone I out away or.. She could be a crazy fan." Rossi shook his head.

"OMG, you have a groupie. You're officially a rock star." Garcia gasped.

"Yeah, right. I'll send you her license plate."

"And I will start spelunking. Goodbye. Garcia hummed.

"PI? Maybe you've got an admirer." Kate suggested.

"She had a file on me this thick." Rossi gestured with his hands.

"You'd be surprised how much you can print out from Google. I'm sure it's nothing." Elijah assured him.

"Well, I hope you're right. This is why I don't get remarried. I struck put three times. I'm better off just doing my job, writing my books and living alone." Rossi pointed, walking into the house.

"Hey, SSA Norwood." The field agent introduced himself as they entered.

"SSA Rossi, Deans and-" Rossi began.

"Callahan." Kate hummed.

"It's kind of a strange scene. There's no real evidence of a break in." Norwood nodded.

"Looks like our Unsub's highly slilled." Kate looked around.

"Still frenzied. Body was found here?" Rossi pointed.

"Sitting up." Norwood added.

"But it was dragged from over there." Kate nodded.

"If the Unsub were a fit guy, he'd probably be able to lift her completely off the floor." Elijah crossed his arms,"This person couldn't, which suggests he may be weak or injured or possibly a woman."

"So the UnSub again put her in something new. There are no perforations." Kate looked at the file.

"So where's the vic's original clothes?" Rossi asked,"It seems like a lot of effort to expend for trophies."

Kate wandered back to the cleaning cupboard, opening the dryer and pulling out a shirt,"Bingo."

"So the Unsub cleaned them. Probably washed the other victims stuff as well." Elijah sighed.

"We'll check their homes." Norwood sighed.

"Washing could be a forensic countermeasure." Rossi pointed.

"A male offender would have destroyed the clothes. Our UnSubs a woman." Kate realised.

"Let's get CSI to sweep all the other lint filters for trace evidence of the killer." Rossi added.

*********************************

Kate, Elijah and Rossi got back to the BAU, exiting the elevator as Rossi's phone rang.

"Hey Rossi." Garcia hummed.

"We just got back. You got something?" Rossi asked her.

"Not about the case, but I found something mysterious. I ran that license of the car of the woman that's following you. It turns out it's a rental, and she is far from a PI. She's actually a TV crime reporter in San Francisco. Her name is Joy Struthers." Garcia explained.

"Wait- Crime reporter?" Rossi blinked.

"Yeah. And she writes her own blog, and last year she self-published a novel about the Zodiac Killer." Garcia hummed.

"Stop. I've heard enough." He shook his head.

"I think she's a fan girl."

"Is that another word for crazy person?" Rossi moved the phone away from his ear,"It's a psycho fan who thinks I'm Comic-con "

"Rossi, I think she just wants a blurb for her next book. Which she needs, because the last one only sold 385 copies- 387, I bought two cause I felt bad." Garcia admitted,"You can't diss a girl for trying."

"Oh, yes I can. Thank you, Penelope." Rossi hummed as he hung up.

"So you have a sycophant who wants a mentor." Kate chuckled.

"Do you believe this?" Rossi asked.

"Hey- Look on the bright side. It's not one of your exes looking for more money." Elijah told him.

"No, it's a weirdo looking for tutelage. I tried that once. The woman left her manuscript all over my house." Rossi shook his head.

"Wait, she broke in?" Kate raised a brow.

"Six times." Rossi recalled.

"Well, where is she now?" She asked.

"She's doing five to ten." Rossi shrugged.

"Ooh, classy." Elijah chuckled.

"Anything?" Fleur asked as the three of them walked in.

"Lots of long brown hairs in the dryer. They don't match the victim." Kate told her.

"We found hair, too. Maybe the UnSubs losing it." JJ sighed.

"Or our victims yanked it put while fighting for their lives. Clearly she's not forensically sophisticated." Reid suggested.

"We should run it for DNA. We might get an ID, or at least ethnicity and an age range." Hotch nodded.

"Because of the one neat aspect, we had Garcia check out people in regimented institutions, but she came up empty." Morgan told them.

"Did she check DC, Maryland, and Virginia?" Rossi suggested.

"The whole DMV." JJ nodded.

"Washington Field found the clothes our first two victims were stabbed in neatly folded up in their respective closets." Kate added.

"Well, at least our Unsub's considerate." Elijah hummed.

"We should keep searching. Clearly her desire to kill is unbated." Hotch finished.

*********************************

"We believe the Unsub we're looking for is a Caucasian woman between the ages of forty and fifty. We think she's suffering from what we call Intermittent Explosion Disorder." Hotch began the profile.

"This disorder usually occurs after a traumatic event. It involves repeated acts of impulsive and aggressively violent behaviour." Rossi continued.

"It involves angry outbursts, where the sufferer reacts in disproportion to the situation." Kate added.

"In this case, the UnSub lets her anger fester, then later lashes out. We believe she had prior confrontations with all the victims." JJ crossed her arms.

"After she kills or is thinking about killing, we believe she's pulling her own hair out." Elijah told them,"It's called trichotillomania, and it's a way that she relieves stress."

"She'll appear rational at times but be triggered by external disputes or confrontations." Rossi sighed.

"Her anger and remorse will make her feel like she has two personalities. And we believe she was hospitalized for her mental issues but she stopped taking her medication since being released. And since she's no longer in the environment that helped her control her urges, she's been triggered to start killing." Reid explained.

"We see no indication that these homicidal feelings in her will subside. We believe she will continue to kill as long as she encounters stressors that set her off." Morgan continued.

*********************************

"Okay, I know that we said we weren't looking for an addict. What about somebody who was in rehab, is off drugs and out?" Kate suggested.

"Theory?" Fleur asked.

"Same structured behavior. Similar routines to being institutionalized." She told them.

"No. There's no one who fits the profile in any drug rehab center." Garcia shook her head.

"Can you check surrounding areas?" Hotch questioned.

"I checked every state." Garcia sighed.

"What else could have caused her IED?" Elijah raised a brow.

"Frontal lobe damage from a head injury of some sort." Reid pointed.

"Then maybe she had to undergo inpatient physical therapy." JJ suggested.

"A rehabilitation program would have exposed her to regimented behaviour." Morgan agreed.

"And the moment she was released or started driving her car, her rage could have been triggered." Kate nodded.

"And check phsycial rehab centers as well." Hotch pointed.

"On it." Garcia began typing.

"You're kidding." Rossi cursed.

"What?" Elijah looked over at him.

"..Nothing, I'll be right back." Rossi walked off.

The group tried to continue on but Elijah kept thinking about Rossi and who, or what, he might have seen.

"Hey, I'll be back soon." Elijah pointed before hurrying after him.

Elijah caught up with Rossi, seeing him talking to a younger woman before he turned around.

"Security- Escort her out." Rossi began.

"Please- I'm your daughter!" She pleaded with him.

Rossi slowly turned around, looking at the woman.

"She's.. What?" Elijah blinked.

"Elijah." Rossi looked at him,"Let's.. All go to my office."

"Yeah, because there is some explaining to do." Elijah pointed.

The three of them walked into Rossi's office, closing the door.

"My mom is Hayden Montgomery. You married her in '84 in Paris." The woman sighed.

"I know who Hayden is." Rossi told her.

"She was a diplomat, you were on temporary duty with the FBI." She nodded.

"Hayden would have told me if she was pregnant." Rossi pointed.

"My dad, my stepdad told me about you when he was dying of cancer, and it forced my mom to finally come clean."

"How can I believe you?" Rossi questioned,"First you tell me you're a Pl, and now this?"

"Okay, I was scared. You can even call my mom. She's still in Paris." She pointed.

"Hey Rossi, Elijah, we've got to go." Kate walked in.

"We'll straighten this out later. Leave your info at the front desk." Rossi warned and walked out with Elijah.

"..Which one's Hayden again?" Elijah asked quietly,"Two or three?"

"Second." He sighed.

Elijah looked back at his office,"And she's got a kid?"

"Apparently so." Rossi nodded.

*********************************

After managing to apprehend their Unsub, a woman named Ellen, Rossi and Elijah drove to the airport where Joy had headed.

"Joy?" Rossi walked over.

"What.. What are you doing here?" Joy turned to them.

"You flew all the way out here to meet me. I figured you had a few questions. I know I do. And if your first question is, 'will you please just leave me alone?' I respect that." Rossi sighed.

"Why didn't you stay with her?" Joy asked.

"Your mom and I had a complicated relationship. It was a whirlwind summer in Paris and when it was over, the reality was I was moving up in the FBI and she was a diplomat." Rossi explained.

"That's not good enough." Joy shook her head, glancing over at Elijah.

"Look, I wanted to take over the world, and she was already doing it. She was meeting with dignitaries, traveling to different countries. And I couldn't handle it. And instead of manning up, I pushed her away. I told her I wasn't sure I wanted to be married. But honestly, I just wanted to catch up." Rossi sighed.

"You were the love of her life." Joy told him.

"I didn't believe that. I know what I said to you earlier, that if your mom was pregnant, she would have told me. But the truth is, she wouldn't have said anything. I was in no position to have a family, and she knew it. I was running away." Rossi looked away.

"Had you known.. Would you have stayed?" Joy bit her cheek.

"I can't speak for the David Rossi of thirty years ago. I'd like to think I would have." Rossi took a sharp breath,"But I'm standing here right now. Look, can you just stay a little while longer? I'll pay for the change of the ticket."

"Oh, no, actually I've got to go. Uh.. You have a grandkid who's running a fever." Joy turned from them.

"A grandkid?" Rossi stopped, looking at Elijah.

"Yeah, a two year old boy, Kai." Joy nodded.

"You're killing me." Rossi teared up.

"And you'd love my husband. He's Italian." She smiled.

"Husband?" Elijah blinked.

"Look, if you don't mind having some company this weekend, I'd love to meet them and.. Get to know you." Rossi smiled.

"Ma'am, we're about to close the door." The flight attendant spoke from behind them.

"Yeah.. Yeah, I'd like that.. Dad." Joy nodded.

Rossi cupped Joy's face and pulled her in for a hug.

"Well, enjoy your trip." Elijah hummed, taking a step back.

"Joy, this is Elijah. My.. Son." Rossi gestured.

"It's uh.. Well, still a bit of a shock but it's nice to meet you." Elijah held his hand out.

"Don't worry, he's adopted." Rossi joked towards Joy.

"Nice to meet you." Joy chuckled, shaking his hand.

"Thanks for the reminder, dad." Elijah sighed.

"He's not a actually adopted- He's just like a son." Rossi sighed.

"Great, I've been demoted." Elijah shook his head,"The plane's gonna leave without you."

"Right." Joy nodded,"We better go."

"Come on." Rossi grabbed Elijah's arm.

"Hey- Only if she's comfortable with me asking her husband at least fifty questions." Elijah pointed.

"You're family." Joy chuckled.

"I like that." Elijah smiled.

"I'll buy our tickets." Rossi assured him.