Lights, Camera, Action!

Hey guys! I know I should be working on my other stories but this super awesomesauce idea popped on my mind yesterday and I just couldn't help myself. I hope you'll like it.

Summary: The BAU team is called in to help Folkston detectives with a hostage situation. The case seems to go just fine when Morgan does an unforgivable mistake that will put Prentiss into a serious danger. Hotch will have to take one of the hardest decision of his career that could cause serious consequences to the team's dynamic.

A/N: On a timescale, the story is situated between season five and six. The Doyle thing didn't happen yet but Haley is dead, JJ didn't receive her job promotion at the Pentagon and is still the media liaison to the BAU team and detectives. Hotch is the current leader of the team (Morgan took his place for few episodes after Haley's death).

Rated T but some chapters may be rated M.

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds, though I wish I do. I do own the original characters of this story that I've created.

Chapter 1

''You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality.'' - Ayn Rand.

(Emily's place)

"There you are!" Emily said while grabbing the bottle of scotch and raised it over her head. She then grabbed two glasses and made her way to the living room. She raised the bottle in front of her and grinned. "Want to drink?" She asked to her guest and the man nodded in a quick smile. Emily poured the gold liquid into both glasses then reached her male guest and handed one to him. As she sat down on her couch next to him, they clinked their drinks together and took a sip of their scotch. Emily let out a long low sigh as her eyes connected with him. "You know, this was one hell of a case." She said as the man's eyes were glued on his drink. "Derek? What's wrong?" Her voice filled with concern as she put one of her hand on his shoulder.

Derek took a moment before finally looking up and shot a worried look to Emily. "I... I really thought you were..." He put his glass down on a side table and turned to face Emily. "I thought you were dead and I just..." Emily was touched by Derek's concern. "I would never have forgiven myself if..." Emily took hold of Derek's hand and gave him a comforting smile meaning that he shouldn't blame himself. "Emily, it's all my fault! You almost die because of me. What happened between us should have never interfered with our work but it did and it's all because of me." Even though Derek' eyes were filled with tears, he didn't shed one. He was sad but was even more angry at himself for what he'd done to Emily.

The brunette pulled him into a comforting hug and squeezed her eyes shut. "You know, you weren't alone. We were two and we're both adult and mature. What happened was not just because of you, I was there too." She said trying to comfort her friend but didn't really succeed. Emily drank bottoms up her scotch and poured herself another drink. "To be honest, I blamed you at first but then I blamed myself." She said staring at her drink. She blew a sign and looked up. Emily took Derek's drink on the table and handed it back to him. "Bottoms up!" She exclaimed as both drank their scotch. Emily filled her drink a third time and drank it in one gulp.

As she was about to pour herself a fourth drink of scotch, Derek put his hand over her glass. "I think you should slow down on the alcohol, don't you?" He made her notice as the brunette rose one of her shoulder in a tiny shrug.

"I'll be fine." She answered and poured herself her fourth drink. "These last days have been pretty hard. Not just for me but for you as well!'' Prentiss bowed her head and let out a long sigh. ''I'm glad you came by, I really needed it." She said after taking a sip.

Morgan raised an eyebrow and stared the brunette with an amusing look. "Oh, so you need me?" He then gave her his flirtish smile.

Emily gasped a giggle and kindly shoved him. "Oh come on! You know exactly what I meant!"

Derek smiled at her remark "And I meant exactly what I said." He added and drank the rest of his scotch.

Emily froze in the moment not sure if she had understood her friend. She bowed her head as her eyes connected with her drink. How many did she drink? Was it six, seven or maybe eight. She looked up toward Morgan and noticed he was still smiling at her. She awkwardly smiled back at him and looked away. This had to be the alcohol. Was Derek trying to hit on her? Was he? Emily straightened her head and eyed Morgan. "What?"

(BAU - Two weeks ago)

"I bet you ten bucks that you can't do it three times in a row!" Prentiss challenged her teammate, Dr. Spencer Reid. The brunette pulled a ten dollar out of her pocket and showed it to Spencer before putting it down on her desk.

The young chestnut haired agent gave a smile at his partner. "Challenge accepted!" He said whereas he put one of his hand into his bag of skittles candy and pulled out three. Reid raised his head and stared the ceiling while throwing one of the candy in the air. It then fell down right in his mouth and looked at Prentiss with a look that said you're-going-to-lose-that-bet.

''Eh, still two!'' The brunette said as she rubbed her hands together. Spencer did the same process for the second one and once more it fell right into his mouth. As he threw the last one in the air, JJ who wasn't aware about Emily's and Spencer's bet, walked toward them and made lose Reid's focus. As the skittle fell onto the floor, Emily stood up and pointed the candy. ''Ah! Ten bucks!'' She shrieked and stretched her hand, palm up.

JJ looked her brunette's partner with a mix of confusion and amusement. Spencer threw an annoying look at the blonde who still had no idea of what just happened. ''Dammit JJ!'' He snapped at her as he put his hand into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. The chestnut haired genius handed the ten bucks at Prentiss and went back to his working desk with looking irritated.

JJ's eyes wandered to Reid to Prentiss. ''What... The... Hell... just happened?'' The blonde said not sure if she should laugh or keep her serious. She looked at Reid who clearly seemed annoyed and then looked at Prentiss who had a silly smile on her face. ''Did I miss something?'' She added with a little smile.

''Oh you made him missed his bet!'' Prentiss said chuckling, then noticed Morgan and Garcia coming into the bullpen. JJ blew a giggle just as Morgan went toward both female agents asking what was funny. '' Reid doesn't like to lose.'' Prentiss said and shared a laughter with JJ.

All five agents turned their head toward Hotch's office as they saw him stormed out and walked over Rossi's office. He exchanged few words with him and they both climbed down the stairs and reached the other FBI agents into the bullpen. ''Everyone get packed up. We're wheels up at Folkston, Georgia, in thirty minutes.'' The dark haired supervisor announced before leaving them and got into the elevator.

''We're not getting a briefing about the case before?'' Morgan asked to Rossi with a confused look.

''Hostage situation. An eleven year old girl held against her will. The police of Folkston doesn't know where she is held but they think they know who could be their guy. They want us to make their suspect talk by interviewing the guy.'' He filled them in. ''Oh and they also have three other killings each with a different MO.''

Morgan widened his eyes. ''Well, guess we're going to Folkston!'' The dark skinned profiler replied.

As the profilers started to walk out the bullpen, Garcia wished them a safe flight and exited the bullpen and reached her office. Prentiss shot a look at Morgan. ''Hope everything will go fine, so we'll be back for the weekend.'' She let out and Morgan asked her what was so important this weekend that she couldn't miss. ''It's my Atlantic City weekend!'' She exclaimed as he gave him a tiny smile.

''It's only Tuesday, Emily.'' JJ added with a tiny eyebrow-raise. ''We'll probably be back before Thursday.'' She noted as she got into the elevator with her teammates. She then shot a look at Rossi. ''Did they already have a suspect in custody or they just have an idea of his identity?'' JJ supposed that the UnSub was a man since female serial killer was extremely rare and in a small town like Folkston, chances to have one were very weak, though not impossible.

''They have someone in custody.'' He answered. ''They want us to lead the interview.'' Rossi stayed fuzzy about the details of the case since he too didn't know much about it.

(On the jet – Day 1 of case)

Prentiss who climbed last into the jet walked toward the team and sat next to Rossi, in front of JJ and Spencer. Morgan sat on the other seat row while Hotch was sat farther filling out reports before starting the briefing of their new case. Ten minutes after the lift-off, Hotch joined his profilers and remained on his feet. He spread few pictures and papers on the little table between the four profilers and took the speech. ''Six months ago, Karen Baker, an elderly homeless woman has been disemboweled in front of a Baptist Church. She was killed after midnight, no witness. The Father Bernardson found the victim around 6 in the morning.'' Hotch took a pause before getting to the next victim. ''About 3 months ago, a fortyish owner of a funeral home, Duncan Miller, got killed from a shotgun wound to the head in his funeral home. According to the legist report, he's been killed between eleven pm and one in the morning but his body has only been discovered three days after by one of his customers. Three weeks ago, the third victim has had her throat cut. Ellen Shepherd, a thirty-five year old spouse and mother. The suspect attacked in her home at daylight while her husband was at work and her child at school. The husband found the body around two in the afternoon.'' Hotch stopped talking when he noticed Morgan's surprised face.

The dark skinned profiler look up his supervisor then his eyes went back on the paper he was holding. ''The suspect ripped her heart off!'' Morgan exclaimed in a surprising and inquiring tone, though it was a statement. The fortyish male agent let his supervisor take the word again.

''Today around 9 in the morning, Ariel Prescott eleven year old, has been abducted when she was getting into her mother's vehicle to go to school. The suspect shoved the girl into the mother's van and got into the van as well. The mother who was at the front door saw everything but by the time she reached her parking, the man was already driving away with the stolen vehicle.'' Hotch finally finished his briefing and waited after his profilers to start elaborating some theories.

Reid creased his brow in thought then looked up with narrowed eyes. ''The crime locations are all scattered at different places of the town.'' He stated as his eyes went back on his paper.

''Are we sure it's the same guy for the killings and the abduction? I mean even the killings are way too different from each other. It's almost like if there was three or maybe four different killers in the same town.'' JJ began sharing looks with her partners. ''How the police of Folkston got to a conclusion of only one killer? And mostly how did they find the suspect?'' She wondered aloud as everyone gave a nod, except Hotch.

''They aren't sure that they're dealing with only one criminal that's why they requested us. Morgan and Prentiss I want you to go to the first scene and also the second one after. See if you can reconstitute the crimes. JJ and Reid, go to the third scene and interviewed the husband of the victim. Dave and I will go to the Prescott's house to talk to the mother.'' The supervisor ordered. ''Then Rossi and I will go back to the Police Department Center to interview their suspect.

(BAU, Hotch's office – Present day)

The agent Aaron Hotchner was sat at his working desk filling a report about their latest case. When he was done with it, he took another look at it then tore the papers and tossed his report in his wastepaper basket. As Rossi passed in front of his office, he stopped when he saw Hotch tearing something up. ''Still working?'' He said as he stood near the threshold. ''Have you spoken with Strauss?'' He then asked as he took a seat in front of his supervisor.

''No.'' He simply answered. ''I was filling that report but if I do it...'' He paused as he let out a long sigh. ''I don't even know if I'm going to tell her. I know I should but if I do this, he will be discharged and he doesn't deserve that.''

''What do you have in mind?'' Rossi asked him knowing that his partner had an idea.

''Remember the case in New York. They had offered him a promotion to go work there.'' He started as Rossi furrowed his brow.

''Are you really thinking about sending him away?'' The older agent demanded with a concerned look.

Hotch thought a moment then glanced Rossi with a convinced look. ''Yes, that's what I'm thinking. By the end of the week, Morgan will be transferred to the FBI New York Field Office...''

Okay so this was the first chapter. I'd like to know if I should continue this story and if you liked it so far.

CalleighJ