CHAPTER FOUR: THE BASEBALL GAME !

8x06

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"WAIT, SO HOTCH DOES KNOW?" The answer came out as a question as JJ spoke to Casey. The two were currently in the office, getting coffee. They had been the only few in besides Rossi, Hotch, Blake and Garcia.

"He knows but he likes to pretend he doesn't know." Casey told. They were currently talking about Hotch knowing about Casey and Reid's relationship. He was the only one that didn't say anything to them when they pretty much revealed their relationship.

"So, you guys have never actually admitted to him that you're together?" JJ asked. Casey shakes her head. "No, we haven't told him." JJ furrowed her brows. "So how does he know?"

Casey nods, matter-of-factly. "He knows," She tosses her thumb over at the coffee machine. "The other day, Spencer and I were standing over at the coffee machine and he cuts right in between us."

JJ chuckles, "He is such a dad." Casey shakes her head. "He's a dad I don't want. I already have one of those." She joked as JJ playfully rolled her eyes at her friend. The two walk up to the round-table room as everyone joins them for the next case.

       "Last night in Miami, the body of Amanda Lopez was found in an alley. She had been brutally beaten and suffocated." Garcia explained. "Twenty-three years old, originally from Tampa, ran away from her foster home when she was 16 years old." Morgan added. "Runaway, prostitute. She couldn't be more high risk." Alex stated.

      "And there was evidence of sexual assault, a lot of it." Garcia added. "Occupational hazard," Rossi told. "No way to tell if our unsub is responsible for that." Casey looks at the file and her eyebrows raise. "Beating and suffocation. So, he's a sadist." The girl concluded. "A lot of violence. Were there any other victims?" Reid asked as he looked over his girlfriend's shoulder at her folder.

      "Uh, actually, yes, but not the human variety. In the last month, six puppies have been suffocated and beaten, and thank God there are no photos, because I draw the line at dead dogs." Garcia explained.

       Casey furrowed her brows as Rossi speaks,
"We sure it's the same guy?" He asks. "Identical DNA samples were found at all the crime scenes, but no match in the CODIS database." Hotch explained. "Even if there was a match, it might not give us an ID." JJ told.

       "That sure is a lot of rage." Morgan says. "I wonder why he's so angry." Rossi shrugs, "It's about the power. Suffocation takes work." Casey nods in agreement. "He likes it up close and personal. It's what gets him riled up." The girl told.

       "This unsub's just graduated from animals to human victims," Hotch told as he closed the file. "We need to stop him before he goes serial. Wheels up in 30."

       With that, the team heads to the jet and debriefs about the case. "Amanda Lopez has no next of kin and no one reported her missing." JJ told. "She was an easy target. The unsub probably hoped for that." Blake told.

       "The animals were all killed in a relatively small geographical radius, in a mostly middle-class suburban area." Reid stated. "But Amanda's body was found the other side of town in Miami's skid row." Casey added.

       "So he left his comfort zone to kill his first human." Rossi told. "A choice he probably made out of necessity." Hotch tells as Casey nods in agreement. "It's hard to find easy targets in middle-class residential areas." Morgan stated.

       "He may be young. Typically you see violence to animals in children and teens." Reid tells. "So, we're dealing with a young psychopath." Casey states. "But the jump to humans is usually made in their mid-20s." Rossi tells and Blake shakes her head, debunking the theory. "Mm-mmm. Thomas Dillon started killing at 39."

       "Joseph Duncan was 43?" JJ guesses and Casey nodded along, "Albert Fish was 54." Rossi gives in, "Alright, usually." He corrects himself as both Casey and JJ smile.

       "Well, either way, this guy's moving fast," Morgan says. "His animal kills were only days apart." Rossi nods, "He enjoys it. And now that he's gotten a taste for humans, he's gonna need another fix soon."

      Hotch separates the groups. "Dave, you and Blake go to the ME. Morgan and Reid to the crime scenes. JJ, Willows, you're with me." Casey looks over at JJ and raised her eyebrows as she turned back to her file.

       After discovering that their unsub may have been a teenager and another body being found quickly, the team knew they had to move fast. Casey had finally gotten an opportunity to talk to her boyfriend as they got coffee from the machine in the PD. "Hey, when we get back, we should go on a lunch date again. I liked that place you found with the salad bar."

       "I would," Reid smiled. "But... I can't. I have a softball game I have to make." He revealed and Casey furrowed her brows. "For who?" She asked. "For me." This had gotten everyone's attention next.

        Reid had realized that maybe he needed to explain more to the girl and his friends. "I owed Morgan a favor when I drove him to the airport and he said I could pay off the debt if I was an extra body for softball. I might not even go in." He revealed. Casey was shocked to say the least - she'd never expected Reid to be involved in sports.

        Blake had gotten the coffee pot to fill up her cup. "I didn't even know the Bureau had a softball team." She told. "Since when do you play?" JJ asked. "Since Morgan drafted me." Reid turned over to the man responsible.

       "Really? Why?" Rossi questioned Morgan. "Don't let the skinny geek thing fool you." Morgan argued. "Well, didn't you do T-Ball when you were younger? It's basically the same thing." Casey shrugged. "Yeah, but my dad practically forced me to join the team because he coached. I never ever made it pass first base." Reid told.

       "Oh, come on, I know the good doctor's deceptively athletic." Morgan told. "Oh, it's deceptive, all right." Rossi stated sarcastically. "Ye of little faith," Casey told Rossi and then looked back over to her boyfriend. "I know you can do it, Doc." Casey told as she kissed her boyfriend's cheek, making him go pink in the cheeks.

        Hotch had walked in the room and looked towards the latest member of the team. "Blake, what did you find out?" He asked. "None of the pet owners had much. Each of their dogs just disappeared from their yard."

       "But he did get into their yards unnoticed, so that means he stalked them and knew their patterns." JJ told. "What about the list of juvenile offenders Garcia sent us?" Morgan asked. "Local PD's checking out a few names that caught my eye." Hotch told.

       "Excuse me. Agent Hotchner," The team looked towards the lead detective in charge. "Another woman's body was just found." He told and everyone looked at one another as Rossi spoke. "That was quick."

       After discovering the next body, they had discovered that they were now looking for two unsubs. Someone older and someone younger. A mentor and a mentee.

       After delivering their profile, Morgan had found a man by the name of José Aguilar and he had been attacked by a man with a hammer and he refused to make a police report. (i just wanted to add in: that's my last name😛) Reid had successfully gotten through to the man and he decided to help give a sketch of the young guy's face.

         At the end of the day, the older unsub had been guilty of killing the younger unsub and before he could kill the next victim, Morgan shot him, which killed him instantly.  

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       The team had decided to go and support Reid and Morgan for the softball game. Casey had been all decked out in her BAU merch, happy to support her boyfriend. "Go, team!" Garcia cheered as the team walked up in a group. JJ held onto Henry's hand as she smiled. "What are you guys doing here?" Reid questioned.

       "Oh, we were not gonna miss this for the world." JJ told. "Yeah, it's not everyday that you play a sport. Wanna make this moment count." Casey smiled as she kissed him on the cheek.

        "So, the Secret Service, huh?" Blake asked. "Yeah, yeah. We haven't beat these chumps in five years." Morgan revealed. "Five years?" Casey questioned. "They've got nothing to do but practice." Rossi stated. "And party." Garcia said as she put a hat on top of Reid's head and everyone cheered. "Let's go, baby. Let's get ready."

         The team made their way to the bleachers and the game was a good one. Morgan made great swings but Reid on the other hand — not so much. He kept getting strikes no matter how many times his team cheered for him. Casey had even decided to stand over at the fence, hoping that maybe she could help him by cheering him on. It helped, just not the way he hoped. This had been his final swing and Morgan called a time-out.

        Morgan had rushed over to Reid and talked to him- man to man. "Come on. Listen to me, kid. Look at me." Reid nodded. "It is the bottom of the ninth. There's two outs. And we are losing by one run. Okay? You are the guy, Reid." Reid immediately shook his head 'no'. "No, I'm not."

        Morgan disregarded him and nodded. "Yes. All you have to do is get it over their heads, and I will score, and then you run like hell." Reid began to overthink it. "I've been doing the calculations. Force equals--" Morgan shook his head. "Reid, stop. Stop. Get out of your head. All the physics in the world will not work unless you just let it flow."

        "I don't know if I can." Reid shook his head. "You remember all those unpleasant childhood sports memories?" Reid nodded at Morgan's words. "Okay, right now, you can erase them, all of it for good. Kid, stop thinking. Just feel it. Okay. You got this."

       Morgan could tell that Reid was still doubting himself and Morgan looked over at Reid's supporting girlfriend at the fence. "If it helps, think of Casey. Okay? She's your good luck charm right now. Think of making her proud." Casey waved at the two and Reid's heart warmed as he looked over at the girl and smiled. "You got it?"

        Reid looked back over at Casey and excused himself from Morgan. As she did, Casey had to deal with a heckler from the other team — yelling about how Reid couldn't hit to save his life. "Hey! One more word out of you, I'll plant evidence in your car to make it look like you hid a body. Believe me, I know a guy!" The heckler shushed up and Reid went over to Casey.

         "What is it? What's wrong?" Casey asked. "I don't... I don't know if I can do this." Reid stated and Casey immediately shook her head. "That's crazy-talk. You got this." Reid looked back over at the plate and Casey got an idea. "Hey, if it helps... picture me." Before she go back to her bleachers, she stopped and whispered: "Naked."

         With that thought in Reid's head, he smirked and headed back to the plate, ready to swing and everyone cheered.

        Unfortunately, he didn't get the first swing, causing him to get a — "Strike one!" Which made Casey mutter: "I said 'picture me naked', not 'picture me in a clown suit'!" JJ looked at the girl, confused on what she just said. "What?" Casey's eyes widen. "Nothing."

        "Come on, babe! You got this! Believe in yourself!" Casey shouted from the stands. Reid swung again and got a — "Strike two!"

        "This guy's got nothin'." One of the opposing team yelled. "Hey, he's got a girlfriend! How about that?" Casey shouted. "Man, you should go to Henry's soccer games more." JJ chuckled.

        Suddenly, Reid looked ahead and noticed the love around him and decided to picture Casey clearly in his mind. What she said definitely helped him out. But not well enough because he wasn't picturing it clearly and now, he had the image in his mind and once the ball was thrown... a swing was made and ball was hit.

        "Run! Go! Go! Go!" Everyone yelled once Reid hit the ball. He stayed there for a hot minute before making a run for it. Successfully, he made it through all of the bases and was safe, causing Casey to scream loudly for her boyfriend. The BAU team had finally won a softball game against the Secret Service. The baseball team lifted Reid up like a king.

        Casey made her way towards the gate entrance and immediately rushed over to her boyfriend and practically jumped on him and she kissed him on the lips and she could feel him smile as she did so. Casey wished the moment could last forever.

hey, lovelies!
i totally rushed this but thank you for reading!
casey and reid being the cutest couple ever >>
and casey being a supportive gf🫶
-mya </33