KATHARINE SLAMMED HER HEAD DOWN ON HER DESK, groaning out in discontent as JJ came by with another file for her to sort through.

There was no way in Hell that Katharine had managed to amass more paperwork than both Derek and Spencer combined in the two cases she had gone on with the BAU. 

As she flipped through the pages, she had noticed that the bureaucracy had spared no time in drafting up documents for her to read through and report on because she used her abilities in the field.

"This feels more like punishment than routine," Katharine complained, leafing through yet another folder that required her to detail how she utilized her ability in the field.

Derek looked up from his own folder, though the content was vastly different between the two agents.

"They're just trying to figure out the best way to handle having Inhumans working legally within the government, Kit Kat," Derek said, a frown on his face as well. "But you're right, you shouldn't have to be filling out more than one sheet stating how you did your job."

Katharine scowled, watching as Derek closed up what seemed to be his last folder for the day.

"I declare this bullshit," she said, scribbling her signature on another line. "With SHIELD, as long as I caught the dude I was home free. Everything could be written on the preliminary report and I could go home before lunch even started."

"They'll figure it out soon," Derek tried to comfort, standing from his desk. He pocketed his keys and pushed his chair in, coming around to her side of the desks. "In the meantime, do you want anything from the cafe down the street?"

"Could you just get me another coffee?" she asked, rubbing circular motions into her forehead. "Five sugars?"

Derek kissed the top of her head, saying that he'd be back in ten before leaving the offices.

Katharine flipped another page, reading through its contents before scribbling in what she needed to. She closed the folder and decided to take a mini-break from the words that now seemed to jump out at her.

She turned her head to see Emily working on her own paperwork, although she looked a lot more relaxed than Katharine did. 

Across from the brunette sat Spencer, who was breezing through his reading like it was nothing which it probably was. Twenty thousand a minute was impressive and wholly unfair to those who had to read at a mere five-hundred.

Spencer, sensing that someone was looking at him, looked up to meet Katharine's gaze. He smiled, taking his attention away from his paperwork for a moment to ask her what was up.

She squinted at him. "Are you sure you're not like... a robot or something like that?"

Spencer's grin widened, if possible. He chuckled before returning his gaze to the paperwork in front of him. He scribbled something down before looking back up and the girl.

"I can promise you that I am not a robot," he said, amusement playing across his lips.

Katharine balled up a scrap piece of paper and threw it at him, laughing as it bounced off his head and into the trash can that rested next to his desk. She raised her arms in a mock cheer, equally surprised that the ball of paper even landed in the bin.

"You're an actual child, Morgan," Emily teased, looking up from her paperwork to spare the girl a bit more attention.

Katharine provided her with a goofy-looking smile and a laugh. She turned her seat so that she was looking at the older agent dead-on before snapping and sending her two finger guns.

"But that's why you love me," she said, winking at Emily who scoffed. A smile spread across the woman's face, letting Katharine know that her antics had won against the ever-serious mood of their business place.

Katharine returned back to her work when her phone started to ring, scaring her and causing her to jump what seemed like a foot into the air.

She heard Emily snicker behind the folder she had held up in front of her face. Katharine flipped the woman off before picking up the handheld on her desk.

"Morgan," she greeted, glaring at the still laughing older woman. Spencer, on the other hand, kept his amusement under wraps. He kept his head down and out of Katharine's direct aim even if they both knew that would do nothing.

"Hi, Agent Morgan. This is Melinda, front desk."

"Hi Melinda," Katharine replied back. "What can I do for you?"

"I have a man here saying that he knows you? A Brett Dalton?"

Katharine frowned. She didn't know anyone by the name of Brett Dalton.

"Send him up," she said against her better judgment. Best case scenario, it was a victim she had helped wanting to visit and thank her. Worst case scenario, she just invited a serial killer into the FBI. "Thanks, Melinda."

"No problem, Agent. Have a good day!"

Melinda of the front desk hung up, leaving Katharine with the dial tone and more confusion than she should have had to deal with on a Monday morning.

"Who's coming up?" Emily asked, pushing aside another report. She had a few folders left but her pile still looked to be less than Katharine's.

"Brett Dalton," she replied, confusion still written across her features. "No clue who he is but I guess he knows me."

Emily smirked, most likely inferring that Katharine had gone home with a mystery man the night before.

Katharine balled up another piece of scrap paper and tossed it at Emily, who dodged the airborne object.

"Not like that!" Katharine protested, getting ready to toss another paper at her friend.

Derek walked between the two feuding women, dropping Katharine's coffee off on her desk before turning to hand Emily hers. He dropped the third cup off at Spencer's desk before settling into his seat with his own cup.

"Not like what, Kit Kat?" Derek asked, a smirk playing on his lips.

"It's nothing," Katharine started. "Emily just--"

"Your baby cousin went home with a mystery man last night and she doesn't remember it!" Emily cackled as Katharine's cheeks burned. She thanked melanin that the redness didn't show up on her cheeks.

Katharine spared a glance in Spencer's direction. The genius had gone quiet at this point, smirking silently to himself.

If possible, she felt her cheeks burn hotter as the doctor spared a glance in her direction. She had definitely not gone home with a mystery man the night before.

Dr. Spencer Reid had driven her home like the gentleman he was, kissing her on the cheek before returning to his car and driving off once Katharine was locked safely in her own home. The next morning, the same doctor had appeared with her car as her chariot and a coffee in hand. He kissed her cheek again and then drove them to work.

That was it.

"Well if that's not the case," Emily stage whispered across the aisle between their two desks. "Then who's mister tall, dark, and handsome?"

Katharine whipped around to face the unmistakable features of Double Agent Grant Ward. He had the same brown leather jacket on and he looked a little rougher than when she had last seen him.

As far as she could see, he was unarmed, but she's learned over the years that looks can be very deceiving.

"Oh," she frowned. "It's you."

She turned away from him and opened another folder. Maybe, if she just ignored him, he'd go away.

Unfortunately, that wasn't how life worked. Grant Ward, the freelancer, as he last described himself, approached her desk. He sat on the edge of it just as Spencer had done the night before and pushed her report off to the side.

"Not happy to see me, Songbird?"

Now before anyone could judge her for what she had done next, Katharine Morgan would very much like it if people would acknowledge that she tried extremely hard to prevent herself from committing to her next act.

Like lightning, her hand shot out and struck him across the face.

When she realized what she had done, she held her hand to her mouth and gasped, eyes wide. She stifled a laugh when she looked at Ward's own wide eyes, his head still turned to the side with the force of her slap.

She looked behind Ward to see Derek and Spencer trying to hold back their own laughs while Emily looked completely mortified.

"Why did you just slap him?" Emily hissed at her, glancing between the childish men of their team and the man she had just attacked.

"I don't know!" she hissed back, looking between Emily and Ward. "I--Fuck!"

She grabbed Ward's arm and marched him into their kitchenette area.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" she asked, turning his face to check on his quickly reddening cheek.

She bit her lip, walking around him, and opening the office freezer. She took out an ice pack and handed it to the man.

Ward pressed the ice pack to his cheek and chuckled, amused at how Katharine had reacted to his presence.

"You know, I didn't expect you to actually hit me, Songbird," Ward said, wincing as she elbowed his side.

"Don't call me that," she grumbled, crossing her arms and moving to stand in front of him. "What are you even doing here? I don't know if you realized, but you're currently one of SHIELD's most wanted. In fact, I've got half a mind to call Coulson myself--"

"Coulson's dead."

Before she knew it, Katharine lashed out and slapped Ward again. She gasped, eyes wide yet again as she apologized profusely for attacking him again.

"Fuck," she cursed. "I swear, that was on instinct. I really didn't mean to--"

"He's not dead," Ward chuckled.

Katharine suddenly felt no remorse for anything she had done to the man. She raised her hand again but Ward was ready this time, grabbing both her arms and forcing them down to her sides.

She wriggled in his grasp before giving up, slouching over and grumbling about how she absolutely hated Grant Ward's guts.

"But he is missing a hand."

"What?" she blanched. "And they decided that you would be the best person to deliver this news to me."

Ward let go of her. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Well..."

"They don't know that you're here, do they?"

Ward shook his head.

Of course, they didn't know he was here. If they had, she'd have received a call ten minutes before his arrival if not an hour before he even made the decision to come and visit her.

"I also wanted to make sure you were okay," he said, displaying an uncharacteristic amount of empathy toward the girl.

"What?"

Ward ran a hand through his hair. It was no secret to any SHIELD agent that Katharine and Ward had at one point been a thing. But that was five years ago when she was on her year of mandatory leave. He had romanced her for a solid six months before she was allowed to return to duty, effectively ending their relationship.

"Just because you shot me doesn't mean I don't still care about you," Ward said.

Katharine made a face, pushing him away from her. Somehow, during their chat, they had gotten closer together and Katharine wasn't sure she was too comfortable with the distance he was trying to close.

"Ward," she said firmly, pressing her hand against his chest. "You also betrayed me and your team. Double Agent Ward, remember that?"

He stepped closer to her again and suddenly she felt very trapped. She technically wasn't on the field at the moment and use of her abilities could result in her suspension. After all, she had signed the Accords. Violation of those rules could get her a one-way ticket into the nearest holding cell.

"Look," he sighed, "I made some mistakes but, Songbird, you gotta--"

"Don't call me that!" she looked up at him defiantly. She took a step back, furthering the distance between the two of them. "I think you should leave."

"Baby, don't be like this..." Ward reached for her. She slapped his hands when they came in range.

Furious, she took up the ice pack she had given him and tossed it into the trash bin. "Leave, Ward. Before I do something I might regret."

Noticing her hand on her gun, he took a step back. "Katharine, listen--"

"I think she told you to leave."

Stood in the doorway of the office's little kitchenette was Spencer Reid. He had his office mug in his hand and a look of severity on his face.

Despite the fact that Ward had at least an inch on the man, he backed down. He held his hands up in surrender, backing away from Katharine.

"I'll see you later," Ward said, looking between the two federal agents.

"I hope not," Katharine grumbled, relaxing only once he was out of sight. She redirected her attention to her hero. "I could have dealt with that on my own, Spence."

Spencer snorted, moving past her to access the sink. He turned on the faucet and rinsed out his mug.

"I could see that," he teased, looking from her to the weapon on her hip. "How long until you shot him?"

Katharine crossed her arms. "It wouldn't have been the first time."

Spencer laughed. He put his mug upside down on the drying rack, using the clean towel to pat his hands dry.

"Who was he anyway?" he asked. There was a hint of something behind his voice, but Katharine couldn't decipher what it was.

She shook her head, frowning as she assured Spencer that Grant Ward was no one. After all, he was no one. At least to her, he wasn't. Grant Ward was a mistake, a mistake she was sure she wouldn't be repeating anytime soon.

"I wouldn't worry your pretty little head about it," she said as they walked back to their desks together.

Emily had gone off somewhere and Derek had his headphones on, most likely playing his music on high.

Spencer stood next to her as she took up her seat again, reopening the folder that Ward had so rudely closed on her.

"If you're sure," he said with worry coating his voice. She took his hand in hers, squeezing slightly in reassurance.

"I promise, he's not someone to be worried about..." Katharine furrowed her brows. "Unless he has a gun. If he has a gun, I'd suggest you run away in the opposite direction as fast as possible. Or just don't encounter him when he's wielding."

Spencer's eyes widened. "That sounds like someone I should be extremely worried about, Katharine!"

Katharine hushed him, glancing over at Derek, whose ears were covered with his headphones, thank God.

"It's fine," she said. "Just... you won't see him again, I don't think. He'd never risk coming into a federal building again."

"None of this is reassuring," Spencer shook his head. "What is he? A serial killer or something?"

"Or something," Katharine muttered as Emily returned to her desk.

Spencer returned to his desk, head down, and a frown on his face. Emily pointed at him and looked at Katharine, mouthing What's wrong?

Katharine shrugged, looking at the Boy Wonder in discontent.

"WE HAVE A CASE," were the first words out of Hotch's mouth upon leaving his office for the first time that day. Katharine looked up from her last report, finally signing her name and the date for the last time.

She groaned, just thinking about the paperwork she'd have to complete yet again. She had barely survived her first paperwork day with the FBI, how did they expect her to do this after every single case they went on?

Katharine got up from her desk, making her way to the round table with the rest of her teammates. As usual, she sat between Spencer and Derek, Spencer on her right and Derek on her left. She accepted the file she was handed by JJ, opening it to see a woman that looked like the carbon copy of her best friend.

"What the...?" she trailed off, flipping to the next page and revealing another woman of the same features. From the brown hair to the fact that they were all Hispanic in heritage with common Irish last names, these victims spelled Nina Hayes to a T.

"Maria Walsh, twenty-five, was found dead behind her apartment building in Triangle, Virginia two weeks ago on a Saturday," JJ presented, clicking a button on her remote to reveal the gruesome details on the screen in front of them. "She had her throat slit, accompanied by several post-mortem stab wounds to her chest."

JJ clicked another button on her remote, revealing their next victim. "Camila O'Connor, twenty-six, was found in the same state as Maria this past Saturday. This is when Triangle PD realized they had a serial killer on their hands."

"This is so close to home," Katharine observed, reading up on the details of the case. "Also, that's an excessive amount of overkill on these two women alone."

"Yeah," Spencer said, looking at the photos a bit closer. "That much overkill signifies a large amount of anger, either toward these women or who they represent."

"Any signs of rape?" Derek asked, looking up at the screen.

JJ shook her head. "No, there was nothing to signify that these girls were sexually abused in any way. But what we know is that this particular unsub takes the women on a Sunday, kills them midweek, and then disposes of their bodies the following Saturday."

"It's good the Triangle PD called us in as early as they did," Hotch spoke up. "Usually we'd have three or four victims by now but with two, we can start at the beginning. This unsub is just starting out, it'll be easier to catch them as soon as they make a mistake. We leave in thirty."

Hotch wrapped up their extremely short briefing, standing from his chair and leaving the room. Katharine pursed her lips at their boss's behavior but chose not to say anything about it.

"These girls..." Derek trailed off, looking up at Katharine. "They look an awful lot like your friend Nina."

She sighed. "I know, but Nina is in Queens right now... at least I think she is."

"What do you mean you think she is?" Emily asked, closing up her own file.

Katharine shrugged. "She just wasn't answering her phone when I needed a ride home but I figured she was asleep or something. It wouldn't have been the first time she slept through my calls."

"Have you called her since last night?" Derek asked. He had met Nina Hayes once before but the woman had grown on him in the three hours that they spent together.

Katharine shook her head. She could feel the bile start to rise into her throat. "I tried earlier but it came up voicemail."

Derek and Emily shared a look.

They didn't have to say anything for the dread to start to fill the younger girl. There was a very large possibility that Nina had been taken by the unsub at the beginning of the week and Katharine had been none the wiser. She could feel the pressure boxing her in as the countdown started. All they had were two days and in Katharine's mind, that wasn't a lot of time. 

The clock was ticking.