"Hey, Diana." Elijah hummed as he sat down on the sofa,"Have you been doing alright?"

"Oh Elijah, you're always such a sweet boy, caring for me." Diana hummed.

"You're my mum too, now. Of course I'm going to look after you." Elijah smiled.

"Oh I love that accent of yours. Do you think Elizabeth will grow up with an English one or an American one?"

"I'm not sure." Elijah tilted his head,"Maybe it'll be a mix of both."

"I do hope so." Diana nodded.

"I hope she gets Spencer's brains." Elijah told her.

"We'd be lucky if she did, wouldn't we?"

"So lucky."

"Hey, everything okay?" Reid walked in.

"We're doing great, just talking about Lizzie." Elijah looked back at him.

"She's just away to bed. I'll be here with you today, mom, while Elijah works." Reid reminded her.

"Oh, does he really have to go?" Diana asked.

"Unfortunately so." Reid nodded.

"Hey, I'll be back before you know it." Elijah assured them.

"Do be safe. I hate it when both of you are out." Diana sighed.

"Don't worry, I'm always safe." Elijah told her.

"You better." Diana pointed.

"I promise, Diana." He smiled softly.

"I'll see you soon then." Diana squeezed his hand.

"I'll see you soon.. Mum." Elijah squeezed back.

"See you soon, my boy." Diana chuckled.

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

"Palm Springs, California. Playground to Hollywood, currently a horror scene. Enter one male torso, unidentifiable. If it wasn't for a woman having car trouble, no one would have ever found the body. And the coroner on site said 'The dismemberment probably happened post-mortem." Garcia told them.

"Now, the 2004 torso murders here in D.C are still unsolved." Emily walked around.

"We profiled the Unsub in that case removed body parts as a forensic countermeasure to prevent ID'ing the victims." Rossi recalled,"We figured he must have gotten locked up on another case."

"Now he may be back and taunting us. Any potential victims on the local missions persons list?" Fleur asked.

"So far there's been no reports of a missing male there in the last month." Garcia shook her head.

"So, no missing persons and a chopped up body we can't identify, is Robert Durst in town?" Tara asked.

"Nope, he's serving seven years on a weapons charge. Sorry I'm late, guys. Traffic was bad." Reid told them as he walked in.

"And ID on the torso victim?" Fleur asked Garcia, giving a small wave at Reid.

"Uh, they don't have enough of him to do a query with the Nation Missing and Unidentified Persons Database." She sighed.

"He made a real effort to pull off permanent concealment." JJ pointed out.

"Well, that could indicate a known link between the Unsub and the victims." Elijah nodded.

"Or he hoped the fact that a killer had just arrived in town."Stephen shrugged.

"It strikes me that he must be famiar with the area. I mean, you don't murder someone out in the desert and then bring the body back into a populated area." Emily commented.

"So the UnSub was skilled enough to hunt, kill, dismember and dispose of his victims, all within city limits." Reid blinked.

"And escape without being seen." Alvez added.

"And his trade craft was on point too. He brought an effective cutting tool and had a secure location or vehicle to do the deed." Stephen mentioned.

"That kind of planning could indicate he's been fantasizing about something like this for quite a while." Tara contiued.

"And if the reality didn't live up to the fantasy, he'll keep at it until he gets it right. Wheels up in thirty." Emily clapped.

"The nurse arrived for mom." Reid turned towards Elijah as they got up.

"Oh, that's great." Elijah cupped his cheek,"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just.. It's like being away from Lizzie all over again." Reid chuckled.

"Well, just like with Lizzie, this will get easier and it'll all work itself out." Elijah assured him.

"Hopefully." Reid held his hand that was on his cheek.

"It will." Elijah smiled,"I promise."

"Come on, we better go." Reid nodded, walking out as Emily called on them.

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

"The victim in the dumpster was Paul Mastriano, twenty-eight year old real estate agent. When he didn't come and pick his daughter up and take her to school yesterday, his ex-wife immediately called the Palm Springs police department. I'm sending you the deets now." Garcia told them over the call.

"We can rule out DC torso case. He only killed prostitutes. How did the ex-wife I.D this victims?" Emily asked.

"She had his DNA profile when the did a genealogy study together before they broke up last August." Garcia explained.

"So they were married seven years, had a six year old daughter. Did the wife say why they divorced?" Foeur raised a brow.

"No, but let me look at records." Garcia hummed as she typed,"Well, he had a domestic abuse complaint and two DUI's last year."

"Could the wife have had something to do with the murder? Didn't your buddy Judd Ray barley survive a hit his wife out on him?" Alvez recalled, looking to Rossi.

"Yeah, she hired a hit man. But this? I mean, I've had cases where husbands dismembered their wives, but rarely is it the other way around." Rossi shook his head.

"And she came in to I.D them. In those cases, the guilty spouse didn't want law enforcement to know that their other half was dead." JJ nodded.

"Says here 'He was last seen at a strip club about a mile away from where his body was found'." Stephen noted.

"Well, a lot of creeps and criminals in a place like that." Tara shrugged.

"We'll have to check that out." Emily nodded.

"This story is blowing up the news, this guys gotta know we found the body." Fleur sighed.

"It could cause him to accelerate." Elijah pointed.

"Penelope, any similar cases in the area?" Emily raised a brow.

"Well, I can check ViCAP, in neighboring states.." Garcia hummed as she typed,"Jeepers. Another body, and by body, I mean torso was just found ten blocks from the original one."

"Was it found in a dumpster?" JJ looked.

"Uh, no, a pedestrian spotted it in a parking lot."

"It could be an acceleration, or the UnSub was interrupted." Emily pointed out,"We are twenty minutes out. Notify Chief Bailor to leave the body and crime scene undisturbed until we get there."

"Consider it done." Garcia nodded.

"JJ, why don't you, Tara and Luke go to the newest disposal site. Dave, Fleur, Stephen, find out what you can about the first victim from the club. Spencer, Elijah and I will go to the Palm Springs PD and talk to the chief. He's got his hands full." Emily ordered.

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

"We're very sorry about the officers you lost." Emily told him.

"Worst thing in the departments history. But right now we have to focus on this case. I've got a conference room set up for you right over here with everything We've got so far." Chief Bailor sighed.

"Any ID on the second victim yet?" Reid asked.

"No. But I've got 50,000 residents worried we may have a serial killer on our hands." He shook his head.

Elijah looked into another room,"Is that the first victim's ex-wife and daughter?"

"Madison was supposed to see her dad yesterday." Bailor sighed.

"Do you mind if we talk to them?" Emily asked and Bailor shook his head.

"Thank you." Reid nodded.

The trio then walked into the room where Madison and her mother, Angela, were sat.

"Hi." Elijah waved at her.

"Oh, if you're from social services, I haven't told her yet." Angela looked up.

"Are you gonna take me to my daddy now?" Madison looked up at them.

"Not yet sweetie." Emily sighed.

"Actually, we are from the FBI." Elijah told them.

"What's FBI?" Madison blinked.

"Woah! That is a cool doll. What's her name?" Reid asked, kneeling down.

"Sally. She has the same hair as you." Madison pointed at Reid.

"Do you mind if my colleague Dr Reid takes Madison to get a snack and we can chat for a few minites?" Emily asked.

"Maddie, you be a good girl and you get something nice and you come right back, okay?" Angela hummed.

"Yes, mommy." Madison smiled.

"After you." Reid held Madison's hand.

"What's FBI?" She asked again.

"FBI? You know we're kind of like the police. Let me ask you this have you ever had a peanut butter and jellyfish sandwich?" Reid hummed.

"Ew!" Madison stuck her tongue out.

"That's what he looked like. Paul and I were happy then." Angela handed over her phone, showing a picture of her, Paul and Madison.

"We're so sorry for your loss, Mrs Mastriano." Elijah nodded.

"Thank you." Angela tried to hold back her tears,"I always thought Paul's drinking would kill him but I didn't think it would be like this."

"Did he typically go drinking with anyone in particular?" Emily asked.

"No. He always drank alone. I mean that's how bad it was. How am I gonna tell Maddie?" Amelia sighed.

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

"Thanks for meeting me outside. I don't want the girls seeing me with cops. It makes them nervous." The security guard, Dwayne, told them.

"We appreciate you calling us. When you called, you said, 'Paul Mastriano came in the night before last'. Is this him?" Fleur handed over a picture of Paul.

"Yeah, came in all the time after the divorce. Tell you the truth, he came in a bunch of time before that, too." He told them.

"How much did he drink the other night while he was here?" Stephen raised a brow.

"Five, six drinks. Paid his tab and left." He nodded.

"Did he piss anyone off while he was here, maybe get frisky with one of the dancers?" Rossi asked.

"Nah, no way. He wasn't that type of customer. He was a quiet guy, just drinking by himself." Dwayne answered.

"What time did he leave?" Fleur raised a brow.

"Candi was still on stage, so.. Around midnight." He nodded.

"Anyone leave right before or after he left?" Rossi crossed his arms.

"We're open 24/7. I got guys coming and going all day and night.:

"Any security cameras inside?"

"They make our customers nervous. Besides.. We got 24-hour live security." Dwayne crossed his arms.

"Thank you for your time, Dwyane. You've been a big help." Fleur smiled.

"The Unsub couldn't have known Mastriano would leave early." Stephen shook his head as they started walking,"Makes him a victim of opportunity."

"Unless the UnSub did something to make him leave." Rossi pointed.

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

"The second victim is Brent Miller. Date of birth, May 15th, 1982. I've asked Garcia to find out what she can about him." Reid told them.

"How'd they make the ID?" Bailor asked.

"Oh, he had an ICM." Reid explain,"Uh, an Internal Cardiac Monitor with a transmitter linked to the patient's medical file."

"Our agents are headed over to the coroners to see if he's determined an official cause of death." Emily told him as Elijah's phone rang.

"Hey, Garcia, I'm going to put you on speaker phone." Elijah told her as he answered.

"Okay, there's no connection between the victims, and there doesn't seem to be anything on Brent Miller. He managed Downtown Bagels. He has no criminal record. He has no DMV infractions." Garica listed.

"Any family in the area?" Emily asked.

"Never married, no kids. He did just go through a recent breakup, so his credit card recipes have quite the bar tabs." Garcia explained.

"The first victim, Paul Mastriano, went through a divorce a few months ago." Elijah recalled,"Garcia, do you have any information on Brent's relationship?"

"According to social media..Ouch. His girlfriend of three years just moved to Alaska with her new beau last month." Garcia sighed.

"You think that's significant?" Bailor asked.

"Both of our victims had relationship issues and were apparently drowning their sorrows. It's the best lead we have. It'd be a good idea to canvass all the bars in town." Emily told Bailor.

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

"We're looking for a local man in his thirties with control issues. He may be gay or bisexual, and he has been harboring a kill fantasy." Emily began the profile.

"Serial killers exist along a continuum just like anyone else. This one happens to be gay." Rossi nodded.

"Until now, he's been able to sublimate his homicidal urges by controlling either his work environment or his relationship." Tara told them.

"He may not be phsycially imposing himself, so he drugs his victims to paralyse and control them." Fleur continued.

"He then chops off their limbs as a method of torture before he removes their heads because this gives him the ultimate feeling of power." Elijah added.

"It's also an act of depersonalision meaning he's intensively negating the characteristics that make them uniquely human." Reid pointed.

"We haven't found any of the body parts in dumpsters. Do you still think that's his disposal method?" Bailor asked.

"It's either that or he digs shallow graves in the desert. It's easier to dig five one foot holes than it is to dig one five foot hole." Alvez explained.

"The torso he displayed are his trophies. He wanted them to be found." Stephen nodded.

"They're also targets of opportunity but they're all blond, healthy and slim. So he has a type." Alvez added.

"Which means his victims are most likely surrogates for a current or ex-partner, even a spouse who he controlled with non-violent manipulation." Elijah crossed his arms.

"We believe he may have been rejected recently, causing the UnSub to escalate to murder in order to regain a sense of control." Fleur continued.

"You should increase your nightly patrols of alleys and lots near bars and clubs. We will keep the community apprised of any new information. Thank you all." Emily finished.

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

There had been a third victim, another unidentifiable man, and now the team were at his memorial. They figured the Unsub would probably be there.

"Can't get more public than this." Emily cursed.

"Can't get any angrier than this either." Alvez shook his head.

"No question this is meant to check and terrorise the gay community." Rossi sighed.

"But he still keeps coming back to this same area despite increased patrols." JJ pointed.

"To justify that risk, he must have a very personal target in mind." Emily nodded.

"Someone who's connected to this neighborhood and this victim, and that's why he deviated from his preferred physical type." Elijah agreed.

Luke and JJ looked around where the body had been left and picked up dog tags.

"Dog tags. So he's not even trying to hide the victims identites anymore." Fleur sighed,"He wants the target to know who he killed."

"Yeah, Wesley Parham." Alvez nodded.

"I'm sending this to Garcia." JJ agreed.

"Penelope, we need an address and next of kin on.." Emily began.

"Hey guess what. I'm already doing a military archival search, so you are welcome." Garcia hummed, "Sargeant Wesley Parham, honourably discharged two years ago, 45 Palm Canyon Drive."

"What else do you have on him?" She asked.

"Thirty-one years old. Did three tours in Afghanistan. Super secret security clearance. And he was an army Intelligence officer. I'm sending pic and bio now." Garcia nodded.

"Moved here eighteen months ago. No relatives in the area." Rossi checked his bio.

"No, but his partner, Nick Goode, uh.. Works out of town and comes home on the weekends. He will be landing at Palm Springs International Airport in thirty minutes." Garcia hummed.

"Dave, you and Stephen bring him in for an interview. In the meantime, we need to build Wesley's timeliness through the community. JJ, pull together a press conference. We'll set it up near the memorial." Emily instructed.

"Sure." JJ nodded.

"Spencer and Tara should keep photographing the crowd, Fleur and Elijah, you stay with me. This is exactly what he was looking for, attention and fear.. Unless he's already started stalking his next victim." Emily sighed.

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

The team arrived at the apartment complex where Mark Tompson had tied up his partner Bill. Mark was the UnSub and was going to kill his own husband.

"FBI!" JJ yelled as they burst into the apartment.

"Drop it and show me your hands." Reid pointed the gun.

And Mark did drop his blade, Bailor hurrying over to cuff him as Elijah knelt beside Bill.

"It's okay, it's over. You're okay." Elijah assured him.

"Oh my god- He was.. Oh my god." Bill shivered.

"Okay, is there someone we can call for you?" Elijah asked.

"We're still married. You can't say a word to them." Mark threatened,"They'll never prove anything!"

They freed Bill and brought him outside as they lead Mark away to the police car.

"Your husbands wrong." Reid walked over to Bill,"Martial privilege only applies to words spoken between spouses."

"So I can testify against him?" Bill asked quickly.

"Legally you can describe every detail of what Mark did to you. You just can't say what he confessed about other victims." Reid explained.

"Thank you.. I want to make sure he never hurts another person. I knew something was wrong, but.. I never suspected anything like this." Bill sighed.

"You shouldn't have."

"But I thought that I had found true love.. I was so happy to get married. Now this.. I'm such a fool." Bill started tearing up.

"Bill, we see in others what we want to see, and you trusted him because you're a trustworthy person." Reid sighed.

"I tried so hard to be a better person, to make it work with Mark."

"That's the insidious nature of coercive control. Victims oftentimes don't even realise they're being manipulated and they blame themselves." Reid sighed.

"I'll never feel safe in there again." Bill shook his head before spotting his two friends and hurrying over to them.

"How you doing?" Fleur walked over.

"Bill thought he found true love, but it turns out he didn't even really know the person he was married to, which got me thinking, do we ever really know anyone?" Reid questioned.

"Well that, my brainiac friend, is the question that keeps us in business." Fleur pointed.

"I suppose it does." Reid nodded.

"Spence.. I know you've been under a lot of stress with your mom living with you, Eli and Lizzie. But..I've known you long enough to know there's something more going on."

"I really thought that bringing her home with me was the best plan, but I don't know.. I feel like now I made a mistake, it's not really working." Reid told her.

"People and circumstances change unexpectedly. We need to learn to adapt and regroup and go on." Fleur explained.

Reid sighed,"..I might need to take a few days. I'm going to fly to Houston and talk to Dr Stanfield."

"Sounds like a plan." Fleur smiled.

"Thanks, Flo." Reid smiled back.

"Hey Spence?" Fleur looked at him,"I'm proud of you."

"Why?" He blinked.

"Because it's difficult caring for family. But it takes tremendous strength to ask for help." Fleur gave a small smile.

Reid nodded, smiling slightly as he walked off.

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

Later on that night, Elijah woke up during the night and didn't feel Reid's warmth beside him.

"Baby..?" Elijah mumbled as he looked around.

Maybe he was in with Lizzie? Yeah.. Yeah, that had to be it. Elijah rubbed his eyes and forced himself out of bed, wandering out of his room to Lizzie's. Although Lizzie was peacefully sleeping in her cot. Reid was nowhere to be seen.

"Where the.." Elijah began before he wandered out into the living room, looking around.

That's when he saw a note laying on the kitchen counter. Elijah furrowed his brow and walked over to the counter, picking up the note. Reid's handwriting..

'I'm away for a few days. Sorry for not waking you. It's short notice, I'm sorry. I love you and I'll see you soon.
Love Spence.'

"Of course." Elijah sighed, running a hand through his hair,"That's- No, that's fine."

Rigatoni jumped up on the counter and purred.

"Well, at least you won't leave me, Toni." Elijah scooped him up.

Rigatoni purred and leaned against Elijah.

"I know, you're such a good boy." Elijah kisses the top of his head.

And..Another meow. From Horatio.

"I know, I didn't forget you." Elijah looked back at him.

Horatio loudly meowed and jumped into Elijah's arms.

"Okay- Okay, I get it." Elijah chuckled softly.