Hidden Pain

Author Note: This is completely AU set after falling in love and assumes death trap never happened. Some plot points taken from Criminal Minds. Hope you enjoy!

Michael, Robbie and Stuart had been at the crime scene for a few hours, Stuart had been interviewing various neighbours and watching the evidence collection. Michael and Robbie were searching the bedrooms upstairs "Where's Jackie?" Robbie asked.

"on her way!" Michael confirmed as he looked in the wardrobe looking for any clues or insight to the couples life.

"Mike, you noticed anything different about her lately ?" Robbie asked trying to act nonchalant

"maybe a bit quieter than normal why ?" Michael shrugged.

"I don't know, she just seems a bit withdrawn maybe" Michael nodded and went to the window noticing her parking her car on the street. He watched her thinking about what Robbie was saying. He had noticed that she was distant. They barely socialised anymore often she would go straight home or Brian would pick her up. He had made peace with the fact that now she was married she wouldn't be socialising with a bunch of single men as much as she used to. As she got out of the car, he noticed she winced holding her side stopping to take a deep breath. Michael went to meet her as she was signing in and putting her gloves on. "Morning Jackie, you ok?" he pointed to her side.

"oh yeah" she smiled "I started a new exercise class last night guess I'm using muscles that I forgot I had" he smirked. "so what we got?" He lifted the police tape for her to enter the crime scene

"it's pretty open and shut case, wife Alice Grace killed the husband Mark Grace and were in luck as she has already confessed. She was the one to call it in, and was sat waiting on the stairs covered in blood when the officers arrived."

"that's odd" she noted as she followed him into the living room, the husbands body on the floor, obvious head trauma, red marks on his knuckles but no blood splatter marks on the wall, she thought to herself. "Have you spoken to her?"

"yes, very clear that she did it!" He shrugged. "so will be an easy prosecution and not big investigation!" He smiled. She walked passed the body looking at the walls closely and the floor around the body.

"yeah just some wacko finally topped her hubby!" Robbie chirped in as he came down the stairs. Jackie nodded to him but wandered into the kitchen opening the cupboards door and drawers, then went to the cupboard under the sink. She motioned to the photographer to take photographs of the kitchen area as she walked back to the living room "Michael I need to make a quick phone call!" he nodded as she slipped out to the back garden.

Michael stormed into the bull pen "Jackie, did you ask the Police Doctor to look at our suspect?" Michael was obviously annoyed. Robbie and Stuart looked on, they rarely seen Michael lose it with Jackie in the public.

"yes I did!" she stood stoic, waiting to be yelled at, she had been anticipating this conversation.

"care to explain yourself?" he stood so close to her but she avoided looking at his face staring straight in front of her.

"any officer with concern for a suspects health or safety has an obligation to call for medical assessment" she replied the stock answer she had been rehearsing all morning, since she called the police doctor.

"don't give me a policy, why didn't you just discuss your concerns with me,… with the team?" he quickly covered the fact he was more annoyed that she hadn't spoke to him, about whatever concern she may have had.

"I saw your attitudes at the scene, I felt best to ask for forgiveness than permission!" she shrugged as if his anger just washed over her but he could see she was biting her lip a sure tell that it didn't.

"in future you run anything like this by me, I shouldn't have to say that to an officer of your experience" she swallowed hard and he could tell she was holding back.

The tension in the office was evident for anyone to see, neither Jackie or Michael had spoken for several minutes. Robbie and Stuart didn't know where to look. "Afternoon All" Dr Young walked in to the pen sensing the tension but heading straight for Jackie anyway. "Jackie, Good call on Mrs Grace!" She smiled in response, taking a deep breath relieved to know she was right.

"Alec?" Michael enquired obviously still annoyed to have been cut out of the loop.

"signs of long term abuse I'm arranging for her to be sent to the hospital for thorough examination and documentation of her injuries. I don't think many people would have noticed it, lucky we have Jackie here!" He smiled.

"how did you know?" Michael asked Jackie, his demeaner had completely softened.

"I just had a feeling!" Jackie shrugged slightly blushing.

"I'll catch up with you all later, after her solicitor is finished with her I'll be accompanying her to the hospital" He nodded to Jackie as he left the room.

"solicitor ?" Michael could feel his blood pressure rising again "she not been here long enough to arrange council" he looked to Jackie who was desperately trying to not to look at him. "you called a solicitor for her!" He was flabbergasted. "Since when do provide the defence strategy for murders?"

"I'm sorry!" she offered but they both knew she didn't mean it.

"you're off the case!" he seethed. She simply nodded in response as she sat down.

A few hours had passed since the altercation, the bull pen had been eerily quiet. Robbie and Stuart had been walking on eggshells all day, going out of their way to get Jackie cups of tea and biscuits. Michael, Robbie and Stuart were having a briefing on the case, she was listening to them of course but biting her tongue as not to provoke Michael further.

A tall man with dark hair, brown eyes wearing a very expensive suit wandered into the pen. "Which one of you is DS Reid?" he looked around the office.

"that would be me!" She smiled, she couldn't help but notice he was a very attractive man.

"you have me at disadvantage!" he told her.

"do I?" she raised an eyebrow.

"well you obviously know me, and I haven't had the pleasure of making your acquaintance" he reached for her hand.

"Jackie!" she shook his hand.

Michael stepped in "and you are?"

"I'm Charles Baker, I am representing Mrs Grace!" He shook Michael hand. "DCI Jardine I presume!" Michael nodded but Mr Baker immediately turned to Jackie, dismissing him entirely "how exactly did you get my name DS Reid?"

"perhaps we have met before!" she teased.

"not possible" he stopped to look her up and down "I would have remembered you!" He smirked, the charm just oozed out him she thought to herself. Michael was not happy watching this interaction.

"I know Tracy-Lynn! She told me you are the best! Of course she would say that being your sister!" She smiled sweetly.

"Ah…your that Jackie!" he smiled remembering all the times his sister talked of the her. "well I appreciate you giving me the chance to prove her right !" He smirked. He snuck a peak at the incident board in to the room to which Michael motioned to Stuart to turn it away. "of course it is highly unusual for an investigating officer to call the enemy!" he perched on the edge of her desk. "Why exactly did you call the police doctor and my office ?"

"Well, she was obviously traumatised!" She brushed off his gaze all too aware that Michael was still angry with her.

"and you knew that how?" she looked at him puzzled. "I checked the log in sheets, Frazer was there for three hours, Ross and Jardine for two, and you signed in at 10:01 and called your doctor friend Alec at 10:12" Jackie squirmed. "so DS Reid was did you see in ten minutes that this lot didn't see in the several hours they were there!" The others looked on dumbfounded.

She smirked "wow, you have done your homework!" he beamed to dashing smile awaiting her answer. "However, as I am no longer on the case, I have no comment for you!" she noted.

"well in that case, perhaps we should go for a drink to get to know each other?" She blushed.

"I'm spoken for!" She pointing to her wedding ring..

"find that hard to believe!" she looked at him puzzled.

"that anyone speaks for you!" she chuckled avoiding his gaze but she did catch sight of Michael's smirk.

"don't you have a client to represent!" He smiled, conceding there conversation had ended. He moved to the door.

"Mr Baker, in answer to your question" she paused "ask your client about the cleaning supplies in the kitchen" He nodded.

"thank you!" she nodded in response. She could sense Michael presence next to her.

"What did we miss in the kitchen?" Michael asked her, but he could tell that she was in no mood for sharing.

"I'm off the case remember!" she responded flatly.