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Chapter Nine

"Nothing is as frustrating as arguing with someone who knows what he's talking about." ~ Sam Ewing

Hours later…

"Dani, you still with us? Dan, wake up."

Dani opened her eyes, blinked a few times and glanced around the squad room. Recovering quickly, she lied, "I wasn't sleeping."

Mickey chuckled at her said, "You haven't slept in so long that you don't even remember what sleeping is."

Leaning over her desk, she asked in a low voice, "Did I snore?"

Throwing a balled up piece of paper at her, he joked, "I'll never tell. But you might just want to wipe that drool off your lip."

Her hand instinctively went up to her mouth and Mickey laughed even harder when his partner scowled at him.

Coming up to Dani's desk, Isaac Kellerman sat himself down on a stack of her files and teased, "I've just been informed that you're spending too much time here. The Commissioner has decided to charge you rent."

"Tell him to take it out of my overtime pay." Dani shot back, trying to pull a file out from under his butt, and then added sarcastically, "Oh wait, I forgot there is none."

Lifting up one cheek so that she could retrieve the file she was after, he looked down on her and asked, "Rough interrogation?"

Groaning, she opened up her file and muttered, "Not you too, Kellerman."

"Don't worry," he said defensively, grinning at her, "I'm just saying…I'm surprised you didn't pull your gun on him."

Dani opened her mouth to answer quickly, but then stopped to think for a moment. Finally, she cocked her head to the side and told him, "You know what…me too."

And then, unable to help himself, Kellerman asked, "You sure you're okay, though? I mean…you dropped him before he was able to touch you, right? You're not hurt?"

"Do I look hurt to you, Isaac?"

"No." he answered quickly, getting off her desk and backing away with a smirk, "Unless I'm mistaken, that's your angry face."

Shaking her head at him, Dani opened the file on her desk and tried to ignore Mickey's concerned gaze. Looking over at the conference room where the BAU was working, she stood up and headed in their direction.

"Have a nice nap?" Rossi asked when she appeared in the doorway.

She scowled at him the same way she had just scowled at Mickey as Hotch said, "You really should go home and get some sleep. I don't think that Matthews' is going to change his mind anytime soon."

"Two girls are dead, I'm not going anywhere." Dani shot back, moving over to the table and looking over Morgan's shoulder at the file he was looking at.

Grinning up at her, he asked, "You're kinda pushy, aren't you?"

"You'll get used to it."

"Actually, I'm glad you're here," Rossi said, looking up at her. "I want to ask you a few questions about the notes in these files."

Glancing at the file he was referring to, she told him pointedly, "You already know everything in these files. Ypu've practically studied them as much as I have. What do you need from me?"

"What I have access to in these files are the words you put down on paper." the older agent informed her, "What I need is access to is what you were thinking when you wrote them down."

"Well, I was thinking it sucks that Allison's father isn't going to be able to walk her down the aisle." Dani told him, crossing her arms over her chest and leveling Rossi with her eyes, "And I was thinking that there's no mortician on the planet that could make Carrie Ann's 48 stab wounds disappear so she could have a decent funeral. I was also thinking that they were both probably alive long enough to watch him pull out their insides!" Realizing that her voice had gone up a few octaves and not caring, she continued, "And you know what…nobody cared about access to my thinking when the FBI yanked this case from me!"

"We didn't take this case away from you," Prentiss reminded her quietly, "You're still the primary."

"Well, a lot of good that did me today! I went into that interrogation room with someone who wasn't my partner!" Dani raged, looking pointedly at Hotch. "You don't mess with partners, you know? We have a rapport…"

"That interview would have gone the same way no matter who was in the room with you." Reid told her, glancing at Hotch…who never lifted his eyes from his work. "Vincent Matthews wasn't going to confess."

"Well, I guess we'll never know."

Rossi allowed her to calm down for a minute and then simply deduced, "You're just pissed. And that's okay, because you're not angry at us. You're pissed at Casanova. And probably at yourself because you haven't been able to catch him yet. So it's just easier to take it out on us because to you…we represent your failure. If you had caught Casanova after the first woman was taken, your lieutenant would never have had to call us in. But we're not here because you're not good enough…we're here because he's too good. And you need to remember that or none of us are ever going to catch him."

"I really hate profilers." Dani muttered. She then took a deep breath and pursed her lips as she looked around the table at all of the agents who were trying so hard not to look at her before she added, "I mean it, I really don't like you. Any of you."

"Yes, you do." Rossi said with a chuckle.

"Okay, so maybe I do." Dani relented, avoiding looking at Hotch. "But don't let that get around…I have a reputation to protect."

Before anyone could say anything else, Mickey appeared at the door and said apprehensively to his partner, "Jacobi wants to see you upstairs. And he doesn't sound happy."

Letting out another deep breath, Dani swore incoherently under her breath and headed upstairs without looking back at any of them.

"Was she always this way?" Morgan asked Santos as he turned to leave.

Tearing his worried gaze away from the door to his lieutenant's office, Mickey turned back to them and confirmed, "Always. But this time…" He shook his head as he added, "This is not going to be pretty." Looking back at the BAU, he got back to business and told them, "Can you guys come on out to the bullpen? The uniforms brought some interesting stuff back from Vincent Matthews' apartment and you might want to take a look."

Upstairs in Lieutenant Martin Jacobi's office, Dani opened the door and braced herself for the inevitable. She felt like she was seven years old all over again and being called in to the principal's office. Lt. Jacobi was on the phone when she entered and he motioned for her to come all the way into the office.

Hanging up the phone, the seasoned police officer gave his prized detective the once over before he informed her coldly, "I just got off the phone with Vincent Matthews' lawyer. Did he or did he not request to speak to his attorney at any point during your interview?"

"I…" she began, but Jacobi quickly cut her off.

"And remember, before you say anything, I have a recording of the entire interrogation at my disposal."

Licking her lips, Dani replied, "I know I went a little too far…"

"A little too far?" Jacobi raged, his cool and calm demeanor gone out the window. "You had a suspect who had already lawyered up on the floor! If this son of a bitch decides to sue the department…"

"Oh, cut the crap Marty!" Dani burst out, stepping forward to meet his tirade, "This is unbelievable! You're worried about Vincent Matthews' rights now? He has murdered two women…"

"You don't know that!" he yelled back and then slammed his hands on his desk. Calming himself down, he sat back in his chair and told her, "Ever since you were a kid, Mary Daniella, you have been cranky when you haven't slept."

"Mary Daniella?" she asked, referring to her given name. "You haven't called me that in a long time"

"That's because I haven't needed to." he told her, looking at her through the wire rimmed glasses that were perched on his nose, "You've behaved yourself since transferring down here from New York. Did your job, closed all your cases…"

"And now?"

"I fought for you, Callahan," he warned her, taking a professional tone once again, "This guy is threatening to take this to the Commissioner's office, but I think I talked him down for now. This could have been a lot worse than it is, but next time I might not be so lucky."

"Okay…"

" No, Dani," he told her coldly, "the correct answer is 'there won't be a next time.'"

Dani shifted uncomfortably as Jacobi continued, "I get up every day and have to believe that I do what I do better than anyone in the world. That's why I'm sitting in this chair despite living over a heroin dealership in South Central L.A. for most of my youth. But you, little one, you demand perfection of yourself like no one I have ever seen. And there is not a damn thing that anyone can do to change that for you."

"I have never claimed to be a perfect person." she told him, his even tone making her uneasy.

"I know you don't want to be a perfect person," Jacobi answered, "You want to be a perfect cop. And you're not. Because there is no such thing. But, even if you were, Dani, you'd still feel bad right now."

When she looked at him with uncertainty, he explained, "I know that you identify with these women and I know that you would go to the ends of the earth to find them. Which tells me that you are too close to this case. You made a rookie mistake today and I had to clean it up. Now, I can do that. I can clean up any mess that you make, because I am good at my job. But I can't have my lead detective getting personally involved in this case. Some people might find your compassion to be your greatest strength, but I am not one of those people. Because I know that in this job…it will lead to your greatest downfall."

"Look, Marty…"

"No," he interrupted forcefully, "I am tired of having this conversation with you. You think you're safe out there because of that gun on your hip? Or that extra one you've got strapped to your skinny little calf." When she blinked at him in disbelief, he added, "Oh yeah, I know you're packing. There is a psychopath out there that has murdered two women that we know of and I need you on top of your game."

Dani opened her mouth to protest, but the lieutenant was not done yelling at her.

"You wanna work yourself into the ground…fine. You wanna sit home every weekend…fine. I might think it's sad and stupid, but that's your business!" Jacobi was up out of his chair again and Dani actually had to take a step back because of the force of his rage, "But this case and this squad…they are my business! You are my business!"

"You are not my father!" she shouted back at him, frustrated beyond the breaking point.

"No, I'm not your father," Jacobi agreed in anger, "But I was his partner. And I'm not about to call that man and tell him that you're dead because you were too exhausted to do your job! I made a call like that to him once already on the night your mother died and I am not doing it again!"

Realizing that he had backed her into a corner while yelling at her, Jacobi took a step back. The pair stared hard at each other and this time it was Jacobi who was the first to look away. Going back behind his desk, he told her firmly, "Look, you want to get yourself killed, you do it on somebody else's watch. I am still your lieutenant…your boss. Which doesn't always mean a whole hell of a lot to you, but it's going to this time." Shuffling some papers on his desk, he finished with the final blow, "You are relieved of duty, Detective Callahan."

"You're pulling me from this case?" she exclaimed incredulously.

"For the next 12 hours." He said matter of factly, "Go home."

"That is not fair…"

"I'm done with fair." Jacobi interrupted without looking up from his computer. "Get out of my squad room."

"No, No!" She protested, her eyes wild in anger. "You can't do this to me!"

"I can," he reminded her, "and I have."

"I have done everything you asked of me!" Dani shouted at him, enraged that he was doing this to her. "I followed all the rules…I played nice with the BAU. Hell, I've even been profiled by two of them already…which is not as much fun as it sounds. I went into that interview with Hotchner instead of Mickey and I…"

"Go home."

"I'm not tired!"

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that." Jacobi shot back. Finally turning back to look at her, he stated, "Honestly, I don't care what you do. Have a glass of wine…or two. Take a hot bath. Have some hot and crazy sex, if that will help you decompress. But do it somewhere else. You are not to set foot in this building until your shift begins tomorrow at 9:00 a.m."

Dani simply stood there, dumbfounded. When her lieutenant looked up at her again, he said quietly, "You're dismissed."

If looks could kill, Lieutenant Martin Jacobi would be dead right now. But, without saying another word, Dani turned and left his office. As she was headed down the stairs to a bullpen full of cops and FBI agents who had clearly heard the entire encounter, the defiant detective heard her boss call out from behind her, "And don't you dare contact any member of this squad for updates on the case." When she turned around to give him an icy stare, Jacobi simply stood his ground and repeated one last time, "Go home!"

Mickey was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs, the concern shining in his eyes. He put his hand on her arm and said quietly, "Dan, let me drive you home…"

But Mickey was not the man she was looking for at that moment. Stepping past her caring partner, the redhead marched right over to Hotch and asked angrily, "You sold me out?"

He narrowed his eyes at her and said slowly, "No…"

"Well *someone* told my lieutenant that I needed to decompress," Dani interrupted hotly, gesturing around the squadroom, "and I know it wasn't any of my guys."

"He asked me about your behavior during the interview…" he told her carefully, but apparently he chose the wrong words.

"So you sold me out." she concluded, interrupting his explanation again. Now it was Dani's turn to narrow her eyes as she hissed, "You son of a bitch."

"Dani…"

"I trusted you!" she spat out, her voice tinged with hurt and anger. "So everyone's concerns about me must be justified…my judgment must be seriously impaired because I thought you were one of the good guys."

Mickey was quickly at her side, trying to help her avoid a scene by whispering, "Dani…come on. You're just tired. Why don't you let me take you home…what do you think is going to happen here while you're gone?"

But Dani wasn't worried about avoiding anything. Still glaring at Hotch, she added meanly, "You're nothing but another self-absorbed FBI suit."

Without giving him another chance to explain, she slammed over to her desk and grabbed her keys before heading out to the locker rooms. Hotch hesitated for only a moment before he put down his file and walked out after her, not caring who saw him.

He caught up to her in a few long strong strides, calling out, "Hey!"

Hotch reached out to take her arm, but she spun around and shrugged off his advances, hissing, "Leave me alone!"

"You want to take this out on me? Fine. I can be your punching bag, if that's what you need." The handsome agent told her forcefully, causing her to stop for a minute. When she looked back up at him, he continued in a softer tone, "But you were not wrong in trusting me."

"Why should I trust you, huh?" Dani challenged him. "Despite what you may think you know about me, I don't even know you!"

"No, you don't," Hotch informed her calmly, "because if you did, you'd know I am not giving up. I am just getting started. I have as much invested in this case as you do."

"No. You. Don't." she returned angrily.

He didn't answer her that time because in truth, she was right. So he simply reached into his jacket pocket and took out a card. He turned it over to write something on the back before handing it to her. "Here," he said quietly, "Take this."

"What is this?"

"My cell number." Hotch informed her. When she raised her eyebrow at him in confusion, he explained, "I know you're not going to make it 12 hours without wanting some information. So if you call me, you aren't really going against Jacobi's orders…"

"…because you're not a member of *this* squad." she finished for him, looking up in relief.

"Go home." Hotch told her, but not with the same force as Jacobi had, "Have a drink. Take a hot bath. Get some sleep. But don't have any hot and crazy sex, because I might get jealous. And then I'll get sent home for not being able to focus on my work." When she looked up at him and smiled at his teasing, he actually returned her smile with one of his own. A true, genuine Hotch smile. Trying to ease her mind, he said reassuringly, "We'll hold down the fort till you get back. And if we get a break, I'll let you know."

"Thanks, Hotchner," Dani told him earnestly, but the glint was back in her eye instantly as she added sarcastically, "But for the record, I still think you're a suit."

"And I still think you're a pain in the ass." Hotch shot back before turning to walk back to the squad room. But he paused momentarily to see that she was still watching him, so he winked at her and teased, "Apology accepted."