"There's a serial killer in New York that is murdering nursery teachers", he quietly explained. Lucy stared at him while she tried to figure out what he was trying to tell her. Couldn't he just come to the point?!

"Nursery teachers...", Lucy murmured while she paced through the room. Tessa was a nursery teacher...Her eyes widened when this thought stroke her suddenly. She stopped in her moving and turned around to face Luke. He was standing there broken-hearted and seemed to not want to tell her what he just had to right now.

"I'm so sorry, Lucy. But Tessa-"

"No!", Lucy interrupted her brother and made a step back, away from him. "No", she whispered as she could feel tears filling her eyes instantly. She didn't fight when Luke came closer again and wrapped her up into his arms. Lucy buried her face in his chest and her fingers clawed into the fabric of his shirt. Her heart felt as if it had been shattered into a million pieces within seconds and when her knees started to get weak, not able to carry her any longer, Luke kept holding her tight. He brought her to one of the chairs so she could sit down. Spencer rushed over to them too, kneeling in front of Lucy. He had been waiting outside and when he heard Lucy cry, he just had to get in. Now he put a hand on her knee and rubbed it gently to console his girlfriend. He had no idea what he should say to her. She had just lost her best friend in the most terrible way. There were no words to say right now.

"Listen, we need to fly to New York to solve this case", Luke quietly told his sister. Lucy just nodded. She took some deep breaths and tried to calm herself down. All her tears didn't help Tessa anyway. She was...dead. Murdered. Murdered by some psychopath, by some serial killer that wouldn't stop murdering until the FBI caught him.

Lucy looked up at Spencer and then at Luke. Her eyes were slightly red, her cheeks wet from all the tears. "I'll join you", she quietly said, her voice shaking.

"Lu, you can't just come with us", Luke told her calmly. "We've got work to do there, we need to find that killer. I don't want you to be there."

"I know that you have to catch him, Luke. And you can't tell me what I can and what not. I'm an adult, I can decide myself. And I...I want to come to New York with you, guys. I need to be there; don't you understand that?" Lucy said, calm as well. She didn't have the energy to freak out more. But she was now standing up from her chair again. They would go on arguing while the rest of the team was watching them quietly, if Luke wouldn't give in anytime soon. But Lucy ignored the other team members, even Spencer. She needed to explain why she had to be there too and couldn't stay back here. "Tessa was my...my best friend and I can't just keep sitting around here and wait for you to finally come back! I need to be in the city!" Lucy's voice grew louder and new tears were now falling from her cheeks and Spencer went over to gently put a hand on her shoulder.

"Lucy...", he started, but she didn't listen. She pushed away his hand and kept staring at her brother.

"Please, let me come with you." She was begging now and sighting, Luke glanced over to Emily. The unit chief slightly nodded.

"Alright", Luke said, another sigh leaving his mouth. He had put his hands into his hips and came closer again. "But you have to promise me that you stay away from that case. You can visit our parents when we're there but you need to let us do our job and find the killer." His voice was calm as he talked and he cupped his sister's cheeks, whipping away her tears. She nodded.

"I promise." Her voice was shaking again and she felt so heartbroken, she had no idea how to hold herself together anymore at that point. Her best friend was dead. She had been killed for no reason. Tessa had been one of the best persons she had ever had the pleasure to get to know. She had been such a huge part of her childhood, of her teenage years, well of her whole life. And now she was gone just like that. Lucy swallowed hard and took a deep breath to hold the tears at bay this time.

"Lucy, are you really sure about this?", Spencer quietly asked. He was obviously worried about his girlfriend. She leaned against him and wrapped her arms around his torso. She needed his closeness right now.

"I am, Spencer." She looked up at him. Spencer kissed her hair and took her hand.

"Okay, I'll drive you home so you can grab some things. We might be away longer than just for one day", he explained as he dragged her out of the conference room. Before they could leave the office though, Penelope rushed over to them and threw her arms around Lucy.

"I'm so sorry, doll", she whispered into her ear and Lucy had a hard time holding back new tears.

"Thank you, Penny." She tried to smile at the blonde, literal human rainbow and sunshine, that didn't look like that at all right now. Then Lucy let Spencer bring her to a car and drive her home where she quickly grabbed some useful things like toothbrush, PJs, a book, her phone charger and so on.

They met the team at the jet and Emily pushed them to finally get in so they could start. They couldn't lose any more time right now or there would be more victims than there already were.

During their short flight to New York, the team concentrated on the case. First, Lucy wanted to listen to them discussing and bouncing theories back and forth. But soon she had enough of it, so she put in her earphones and listened to her favorite music, leaning her forehead against the small window next to her. She still tried to realize what had happened. This morning, when she had woken up, she had never thought this day would turn out like this. That she'd fly back into her hometown. That she had lost her best friend to some serial killer. Lucy swallowed hard and snuggled more into her seat, closing her eyes. She tried to shut out every thought that was running through her mind, no matter how hard it was. She didn't want to think anymore. And if it would have been possible, she would have wanted to not feel anything anymore as well.

The few tears Lucy couldn't hold back anymore, she whipped away quickly so no one might see them. But Spencer did. He was glancing at her literally all the time. He was worried, everyone knew that. And so was Luke. Lucy didn't want them to worry about her. She wanted them to find that killer so he could get the punishment he deserved for killing all these people. For killing Tessa.

"Darling, are you alright?" Without her noticing, Spencer had come over and sat down on the seat right next to her. Lucy put her earphones out and nodded. She leaned her head against Spencer's shoulder and he grabbed her hand, interlacing his fingers with hers. His thumb gently stroked her hand. "You know, you don't have to be strong", he whispered and as if those words were permission for Lucy, she could feel the tears streaming down her face. Spencer wrapped her up in his arms and just held her for the rest of the flight.

"I'm not sure this was a good idea", Rossi murmured to Luke when they left the jet after arriving.

Luke nodded. "I'm not sure neither." He glanced over to Lucy, who was walking close to Spencer. He had grabbed her hand and didn't look like letting it go anytime soon. He was protective towards her and Luke couldn't help but smile, no matter what. His sister really had found the right man. And still, Luke tried to shake off the concern about his sister being with them here in New York City. He wasn't sure if this would do Lucy any good.

But Lucy was glad that they had allowed her to come with them. She would have freaked out alone in D.C., even if Penelope would have been there to keep her company.

In the jet, Emily had parted the team into groups so everyone knew where they had to go right now. Luke and Spencer would bring Lucy to her parents first and then go and talk to the forensic doctor about the latest victim: Tessa.

While Spencer waited in the car, Luke joined his sister at the front door of their parents' house. Lucy rang the bell; her hands were slightly shaking and she wasn't sure if it was caused by her mourning or the fact that she had left her parents just like that months ago, without even letting them know where she went to in the first place. And they still didn't know the reason why Lucy had left Manhattan.

Mrs. Alvez opened the door and when she saw her children standing there, she let out a squeal before she pulled Lucy and Luke into a tight hug. "What are you doing here?", she exclaimed and told them to get in, she'd call for their father.

But Luke shook his head. "Mom, we're not here for a visit. Not really. Look, we have a case to solve here. And Lucy...wanted to see you." He quickly glanced at his sister. Lucy already felt like crying again and bit her bottom lip to not break out in tears once more. Her mother examined her carefully and of course, she immediately saw that something was wrong with her daughter.

"Baby, what's the matter?", she asked as she grabbed Lucy's hand. Lucy broke out in tears. Luke quickly explained their mother, that Tessa was murdered and they had to find out now who had killed her. Mrs. Alvez was shocked and brought Lucy inside while Luke hurried back to the SUV to drive to the forensic.

Lucy was led to the living room and sat down while her mother hurried to make some tea. It had always been that way, Lucy remembered: Whenever she had felt awful, her mother had brought her a cup of tea and it did make the whole thing at least a little bit better. But now, Lucy wasn't sure if tea would work this time. And she wondered, if her mother would start asking questions about her disappearance. Lucy would have to tell her the truth if that was the case. Could this day get even worse?