Criminal Mind Beach Party
Title: Criminal Mind Beach Party
Author: tafidadarling
Fandom: Criminal Minds which belongs to CBS. Psycho Beach Party which belongs to New Oz Productions.
Character(s): The entire BAU team. (Hints at Morgan/Reid) Detective Stark, Cookie, Starcat, Mrs. Forest, Lars and Chicklet.
Rating: FRT
Summary: The BAU is called into Malibu to help solve the case of a killer who is going after people who are different. Are the victims the only ones who are different? J.J. sees into a part of Hotch's past he tried to keep secret.
Story Notes: This story goes out to rowena_dawson for mentioning a CM/PBP crossover. For those who don't know, PBP features Thomas Gibson (Hotch) and also Nicholes Brendon (Kevin) in it's cast. I obviously took some liberties with the plotline of the movie. There was no way I could rewrite the whole thing and not have a whole new movie on my hands. It does contain spoilers to major points in the movie. Also, this was written as if it is a serious CM case fic. If you've seen the movie though, you'll get the jokes. This is a long note, so I'll end with it's a total crack!fic written just for fun.
Author's Note: I had so much trouble posting this for some reason. My dang computer spazzed out. Now I still get even get it behind a cut. I give up for now. :D
Cross posted to bau_fic, cm_slash and morganreid_cm.
J.J. looked over the case file carefully. There were currently only two victims, but this UNSUB did have a distinct signature. He was attacking people with a disability of some sort. This would become a field day if the press got a hold of it. She raced to Hotch's office with the file still in hand.
"Hotch, we have a case."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On the jet, the team began bouncing ideas off of each other.
"First we have to determine whether the UNSUB is killing because e believes he is saving these people or because he has a hatred toward people who are different," Rossi said.
"I doubt this is an angel of mercy," Reid said. "A hair lip, psoriasis... These are conditions people can live with relatively easily."
"Maybe he's saving them from ridicule," Morgan suggested.
"That would still warrant a different profile," Reid continued. "That doesn't really fit with an angel of mercy."
"My money is on the second possibility," Emily said. "We have someone who has a God complex. Thinks he's better than these people."
J.J. watched as the team argued the UNSUB's motives as Hotch remained silent. She moves closer to him on the couch.
"Are you alright?" she asked. "You've been quiet the whole flight."
"What?" Hotch started as if he had been deep in thought. "No, I'm okay."
"I know I'm not a profiler, but I can tell something's bugging you."
"It's just that... before I went to law school, I worked as a cop in Malibu for a year."
"You never told me that."
"It's a year in my life I tried to forget," Hotch muttered as he absent mindly went to turn his wedding ring that was no longer there.
J.J. nodded understanding all too well, even if the action wasn't meant to be deciphered by her.
"Morgan, Rossi you go to the station and get set up," Hotch said speaking up. "J.J., Emily, go to the last crime scene. They're holding it for you."
"Where are you going Hotch?" Morgan asked.
"I have something to do. We'll meet at the station in an hour."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hello, I'm Detective Monica Stark," said a tall woman with fire engine red hair that was in tight curls.
"Hello Detective. I'm Agent Jareau. We spoke on the phone," J.J. said as she shook the detective's hand. "This is SSA Emily Prentiss. The rest of our team went to the station to get set up."
"Alright. Well, the faster we get started, the closer we get to this son of a bitch. Shall we?"
She led the two agents to the scene where what was left of the second victim had been found. She held the crime scene tape up for them as she began speaking again.
"The victim was known as Junior to his friends. They're the ones who found his hand. We discovered the rest when we were called in."
"The file says T.O.D. was around 5:00 PM right?" Emily asked.
"That's correct."
"Public place in the daylight. It's an escalation from the fist kill. He's getting bold. It also suggest he's familiar with the area."
"I did question his friends," Detective Stark said. "They're beach bums. Delinquents who think they own the beach. Plus one of them was connected to the first murder as well."
"Really? Well, we'd like to speak to him again."
"Her, actually," Stark corrected.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The only link, and our possible suspect, between these two victims besides their conditions is high school student Florence Forest," Emily said.
The team had met back up except for Hotch who was still in the wind. J.J. was beginning to worry.
"No sexual component and no preference in male or female victims could suggest a female UNSUB, but the odds are low," Reid said.
"You don't have to give us specifics Reid," Morgan said with a chuckle. "Okay, where's Hotch? We need to start work on the profile. Rossi?"
"Hey, don't look at me," said the famous agent throwing his hands up in mock defense. "I can't babysit all of you."
Just then, Hotch entered the station.
"I know I'm late," he said. "I'll explain later. Where's Detective Stark?"
J.J. was about to direct him to her office when Stark came out.
"Hello Monica."
"Aaron, I didn't think you would come with your team."
"I can work the case with you. No grudges, right?"
"No, of course not. I'm glad you could make it."
"How do they know each other?" Morgan whispered to no one in particular.
"We didn't work a case in Malibu while I was still here," Rossi said.
"Hotch worked on the force here for awhile," J.J. muttered, Hotch's discomfort on the jet all too clear now.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
J.J. was woken in the middle of the night by her cell ringing.
"Agent Jareau?" It was Stark. That was never a good sign.
She roused the rest of the team and went to the crime scene, the home of actress Bettina Barnes.
"Do you think I could get her autograph?" Reid asked excitedly as they entered the house. "I just loved Three Headed Pizza Waitress as a kid."
"You need a girlfriend Pretty Boy," organ said in jest. He winked at the flustered genius.
"Reid, Morgan. You two go interview Miss Barnes," Hotch said.
"Aaron, I think you and Agent Jareau should talk to Florence," Stark said.
"Please, call me J.J." Se felt weird as the detective continued calling Hotch by his first name. The only person who did so, besides Rossi on a few occasions, was Hayley.
"Okay Monica," Hotch said. "We'll see if she fits our working profile."
J.J. and Hotch approached the young girl and man Stark had indicated. They were seated on the couch looking like they wanted nothing more than to get of the house as fast as they could.
"Florence?" J.J. asked as she sat down on the coffee table across from the girl.
"Oh geez, don't call me that. I go by Chicklet."
"Okay, well I'm Agent Jareau with the FBI, but you can call me J.J. This is SSA Hotchner. We'd like to ask you some questions."
"Hotchner? As in The Great Hotch?" the young man asked.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Hotch said bluntly. To anyone else he would seem as emotionless and detached as always, but J.J. could see him sweating.
The young man smiled. He could see it too. "It's Starcat man. I was just a kid back in the day, but it is because of you I wanted to surf. You are a legend!"
"What were you two doing about an hour ago?" Hotch asked ignoring Starcat's outburst.
"I... I can't remember," Chicklet said frightened. I keep having these lapses. I was with Starcat one minute and the next... Bettina is screaming."
Thank you. If we have anymore questions, we'll call you."
"Hotch, is there anything else you should tell me?" J.J. asked as they walked back to the entrance way.
"J.J. look! Bettina Barnes signed a picture for me," Reid said. He held out the photography of the actress for her to see.
"That's nice Spence."
"What did you guys find out?" Hoch asked as Rossi and Emily joined the rest of them.
"Officer Cookie verified that the victim T.J. had a, uh, condition," Reid said.
"What was it?" Emily asked.
"Well, uh... he..."
"He had one testicle," Morgan said as Reid blushed.
"Yeah, that's it."
"Well, our UNSUB has to know these kids," Emily said.
"Or be one of them," Hotch added.
"What about Florence?" Rossi asked.
"Memory loss," Hotch said. "I think she is more victim material than our UNSUB. I'm ordering a psychological analysis for her."
"We should ask the others if any of them have a condition too," Emily suggested.
"I'll have Monica bring them in for individual questioning," Hotch said. "I guess we might as well get to the station at this point."
J.J. was quiet on the ride. She was seeing in snippets this whole other side of Hotch that none of them had seen before. Something had obviously gone on between him and Stark. Now he was a legendary surfer. If he was trying to hide all of this, why had he come to Malibu?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Well, Starcat, Yo Yo and Provolony all deny having any sort of condition," Stark said as she excited her office.
"If they are telling the truth, then one of them could be the UNSUB," Emily said. "A "normal" person killing off those who are different."
"I'm putting every one of those beach bums under surveillance."
"Although you shouldn't call them that, it's a good idea," Reid said.
"I don't think it's Yo Yo or Provolony," Morgan said.
"Why not?" Rossi asked.
"Well, they are different. They just aren't saying anything. They're either in the closet or hiding their relationship."
"Now why would they possibly do that?" Reid huffed.
"Okay, let's focus on Starcat then," Hotch said moving on.
"He fits the profile," Emily said. "White male early to mid 20's."
"He thinks highly of himself," Hotch said.
"And he is in with the group of kids," Rossi finished.
"So do I make an arrest?" Stark asked.
"We wouldn't have enough to hold him," Rossi pointed out.
"I could get a confession, no problem."
"Then go ahead Monica," Hotch said. "Would you mind if I went in with you?"
"Actually, I was going to ask if you would lead."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stark and Hotch had been in the interrogation room for an hour. Reid and Morgan had gone to get lunch and left Emily, Rossi and J.J. to twiddle their thumbs.
"Do you think Starcat did it?" Emily asked.
"Not really, and I don't think Hotch does either," Rossi said. "I'm thinking he wants to find out more about Florence since their close."
"He wouldn't have told Stark arresting Starcat was wrong due to their... "history", would he?" Emily asked.
J.J. was contemplating if she should mention what had happened on the plane, even though it wasn't her business, when her phone rang. It was Reid.
"J.J. we stopped at a diner and now there's a D.B. here!"
"Spence, does it fit the M.O.?"
"She was in a wheel chair, though, witnesses say she wasn't very nice and alot of people would want her dead."
"Okay, I'll tell the others. We'll have to see if it's a copycat or if we got the wrong guy. Thanks Spence."
"Another kill?" Rossi asked.
"Yeah. I'll go tell Stark and Hotch."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starcat didn't say much as he was bombarded with questions. He couldn't believe a cool cat like The Great Hotch would become such a bureaucratic monkey. Yet, he could almost swear Hotch didn't think he did it. He focused more on everything else that happened at the party besides T.J.'s death. Suddenly the blonde haired agent came in, whispered something to Hotch and all three left the room.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"You're saying Starcat didn't do this?" Stark asked.
"Not entirely Monica," Hotch reassured her. "He does fit part of the profile, but we don't think a copycat killed Rhonda."
"Profile? You haven't even given us a profile yet!"
"He's highly sophisticated but also child-like," Emily said quickly.
"He's highly intelligent but is suffering a break from reality," Rossi continued. "Some stresser recently has caused him to start killing."
"He'll try everything in his power to act normal because to him that's everything," Hotch finished.
"And that can't be Starcat. He isn't "normal" he's a beach bum," Stark realized.
"The UNSUB is still out there, but we've ruled out everyone in the group," Emily said hading over a file. "Florence's psych eval came while you were with Starcat. She's schizophrenic. We have her under strict protection."
"Then who else would know these kids so well?"
"The families," Rossi suggested. "Kids tell their mothers and fathers about their friends. The parent is psychotic and doesn't want his child hanging out with "freaks" and begins killing them."
"Most of these kids sort of disowned their families," Stark said. "We only have Florence's mother."
"I still think no sexual component does suggest it could be a woman," Reid said.
"I'll release Starcat and go arrest Mrs. Forest." Stark quickly walked off as the BAU stared after her.
"Well, she's impatient," Morgan muttered.
"And very strong willed," Rossi added.
J.J. cringed. Stark was like Hayley in so any ways. It was starting to get to her. She went to the break room to refill her coffee cup. She didn't hear Hotch follow behind her.
"I never cheated on Hayley J.J. if that's what you're thinking."
"Hotch! Don't sneak up on me like that!" J.J. said as she jumped. "And I wasn't thinking that."
"I wouldn't have blamed you. I acted like I had. The tension between Monica and I is because we didn't have an affair. She didn't know about Hayley when she asked me out."
"You two seem to get along despite all that."
"Well, I am good at putting things aside to work a case."
"I'm sorry that this side of you freaked me out a bit. I never thought..."
"What? That I'd surf?" Hotch laughed.
"Pretty much. Live in Malibu period."
"I do know how to have fun. Okay, "used to know" is more accurate."
"Maybe when we solve the case you can go surfing."
"Oh, no. It's been too long. I'd fall off within seconds."
"It still would be a good way to unwind. You might even remember how to have fun."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ruth Forest sat in the interrogation room as Morgan and Reid studied her behavior through the two-way mirror.
"Reid, I know you think the UNSUB could be a woman, but I don't think she did it."
"Stop bashing heads with me Morgan. You haven't laid off since we got here. It's starting to get annoying."
"I'm not doing it to annoy you!"
"Stark letting her stew?" Rossi asked walking up behind the two men.
"We're waiting on Garcia's background check," Morgan explained. He looked happy to have any excuseto get out of that conversation with Reid. His phone rang and he went to talk to Garcia.
"He'll come around," Rossi said to Reid.
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Uh, look. Here come the others."
"Garcia couldn't find anything on Ruth Forest," Morgan said. "She did eventually find that she changed her name. Forest, or Ann Bowman, used to live in Ohio. Her son died young. That's when she became Ruth Forest and moved to Malibu with Florence."
"That couldn't be the stresser, could it?" Stark asked. "Or has she been killing all along and I didn't see it?"
"No, that could be big enough for a stresser, but it's too long ago," Rossi said. "The UNSUB leaves bodies in the open. She wouldn't just change her M.O."
"If the loss of her son didn't drive her to kill, what else would?" Morgan asked. "I still think we're wrong."
Reid glared at him. "Maybe she noticed her daughter was ill and the idea of losing her too was enough to send her over the edge."
"Well, we won't know if she's our killer or not until we talk to her," Stark said and walked into the room with Hotch not far behind.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I didn't kill those poor kids!" Mrs. Forest cried. "You can see my daughter is sick too. If anything I would want to help them."
"If you didn't do it Mrs. Forest, you have to help us who else would know?" Hotch asked.
"The only person I can think of is Lars. He's the exchange student from Sweden who's living with us."
Morgan went to call Garcia and have her check out Lars. J.J. sighed. She hoped they were on the right track this time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When Garcia was unable to find a file on Lars, she ran his I.D. photo through face recognition software and got a hit. His real name was Larry. He disappeared after the death of his family who just all so happened to have disabilities. That was all the BAU needed to hear before they were donning Kevlar and heading back to the Forest residence.
"Is there anyone in this town that isn't using a fake name?" Morgan asked in a whisper as they circled the house.
"No one is what they seem," Rossi said cryptically. He smiled at Reid.
The team cleared the whole house and met back in the living room.
"Okay, he knows we were coming," Hotch said. "That means it's an end game. Where would he go to find a victim?"
"Hotch, I just got a call from Cookie. Florence's detail lost sight of her," J.J. said.
"Oh no," Emily said worried. "He's got Florence."
"What do we do now?" Stark asked.
"We'll split up and hit spots he might have taken her," Hotch said.
They left two to car and began searching the streets of Malibu. Emily and Rossi headed to Miss Barne's house where Larry had grown up. Morgan and Reid went to a party that was being held on the beach. Stark and Hotch with J.J. tagging set off for the drive in that was popular with local kids.
The enormous screen loomed in front of them and they could almost make out two figures up there.
"He's got her trapped by the screen," Stark said. "There's a ladder on each side. I'll climb up one and you the other. We'll corner him."
J.J. watched from the SUV as the tiny outlines above struggled. Shortly after she heard two shots ring out and Larry fell to the ground. Stark was helping Florence down the ladder as Hotch stayed, staring blankly into the distance.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I just want to thank you again for helping," Stark said. "I couldn't have done it without you."
"You're welcome Monica," Hotch said with a small smile. "I'm sure you could have, though. You're a great detective."
"Aaron, why did we never keep in touch?"
"I was stupid and pretended my time here never happened."
"You weren't stupid. It was only the second time you just did what you wanted."
"When was the first time?"
"When you went after Hayley. Now go. Your team is waiting. And Aaron? Call me sometime."
"I will Monica. Goodbye."
Once Hotch was on the plane J.J. went to tell the pilot to take off. As she walked down the aisle she smiled. Emily and Rossi were debating a passage in one of his books in good spirits. Morgan was listening to music and Reid was reading as they usually did yet they seemed to be sitting closer together. Even Hotch looked content as he laid back in his seat to take a nap. Everything was perfect.
That is until one of the engines gave out during take off and the entire jet blew up.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
J.J. woke with a start. She eased out of bed and got a glass of water. That dream had seemed to real, but she knew it couldn't have happened. Hotch would never surf.
Or would he?