"Special Agent Hotchner?"

A very imposing, cold looking man looked up from his desk.

"Yes. How can I help you?"

I took a step into the agent's office awkwardly, extending out my hand for a handshake. Just as awkwardly, SSA Hotchner extended his, still not rising.

Seeing I would not be getting the usual formalities of a guest, I cut to the chase and did what I came to the BAU to do.

"This is from SSA Willington in Kansas City," I said as I handed him a large, overly stuffed manila folder.

SSA Hotchner took it quickly, opening it without saying thank you. Now that my hands were free, I adjusted my suit jacket, placing my hands in front of myself, resting them together.

The SSA carefully dumped the contents of the envelope onto his already cluttered desk. Papers and photographs spilled out. He examined them carefully, sure to leave each page as crisp as he found it.

"And what am I to do with this?" he asked, not looking up.

That caught me off guard… I had been told to bring this here… I didn't even know what it was. I was uncomfortable but I didn't want it to show in front of this man.

"Sir, SSA Willington expressed that this material was to be brought to you immediately and expressed concern that you would find it as important as he did."

"Then why didn't he call to inform me himself?" SSA Hotchner asked with an ounce of annoyance.

I tried not to let it get to me. I answered just as abrupt as he retorted. "He did try, sir. 15 times exactly. Since his calls were unanswered and unreturned, he didn't want this envelope to be lost in the stack. He ordered me onto a plane and to bring this here to you immediately."

The SSA remained quiet, still looking through the papers. "Have you been briefed on this case?"

"No, sir. I was not informed and I didn't think I could re-seal the envelope effectively."

SSA Hotchner laughed under his breath. It was strained and sounded like he didn't do it often. I relaxed just a little, knowing that even this cold, business-like man could understand an easy joke.

He put the materials back into the envelope carefully, not attempting to reseal it. He handed it back towards me.

I took it, still standing in my place, waiting for his response to the material I'd flown hundreds of miles to deliver.

"Take this to SSA Jennifer Jareau, she will review it quickly and put together a briefing."

The SSA looked back at his desk, picking up papers and reading. I understood that he was done with me and that I should follow his directions. I nodded his way and turned to see myself out.

Walking back out into the BAU's main office, I felt eyes on me and knew that I was being watched. Surely the SSA's here gossiped about who went into their bosses' office just like they did at home. Walking quickly and with purpose, to avoid being run over by passing suits, I started out to find SSA Jareau's office.

Of course SSA Hotcher didn't give me directions. I was expected to find her myself.

Figuring that her office was along the same walkway as SSA Hotchner's, I looked at the offices near the one I had just left. Three of them were not Special Agent Jareau's. I continued to walk, determined not to ask anyone. The minute that you show that you're uncomfortable and unsure, the minute that you lose your confidence.

Finally, I found an office across the way and read the label. 'Aha, finally,' I thought to myself.

Upon entering, I knocked on the doorframe. A beautiful woman with long blonde hair raised her head.

"Special Agent Jareau?"

She smiled. "Yes, how can I help you?"

"Hi," I said informally, feeling more comfortable with her than the previous SSA, "I'm SSA Lauren Scott. Agent Hotchner asked me to bring this to you."

I handed her the envelope just as I had to the first agent.

"SSA Willington in Kansas City passed it along to him for review. I personally delivered it."

SSA Jareau looked up at me with raised eyebrows. "It must be really important then…"

She emptied the envelope quickly and looked back up at me. Realizing I was still standing, she grew a look of shock. "Please sit!"

I smiled graciously and slipped into a chair opposite her desk.

"Wow…have you review this case Agent Scott?" she asked, her brow furrowed and eyes glued to the papers.

"Um…briefly. I told Agent Hotchner I was not informed and didn't look in the envelope."

Agent Jareau looked up at me, surprised.

"But I did." She laughed. "I couldn't help it, 2 hours on a plane and a mysterious envelope that had to be hand delivered!"

Agent Jareau looked back at the contents, still smiling. "I have a million cases in my head right now, give me the details."

I straightened up, recalling what I had read and examined. "So far four victims, varying ages and race. They were in a twenty-mile radius of each other, all killed in their homes. Same murder weapon, a .38 handgun."

"Good. That looks like the basics… I'm going to get this presentation ready and we should have a briefing within the next 20 minutes."

I smiled. "That's impressive."

She shrugged, still grinning at her own success. "You can wait in the lounge and have a cup of coffee until then."

I frowned. "I'm sure I'm expected to be back in Kansas City soon. I was only told to deliver the package."

"No," she said matter-of-factly, "You're going to stay. You're doing the presentation. I don't have time to read through this case and you had two hours on it. I'll call your superior momentarily."

I nodded, not sure what to say. I started to turn to leave.

"Agent Scott?"

I spun on my heel quickly. "Ma'am?"

"Why was it so imperative that this package be hand delivered? Nothing about it seems urgent or out of the ordinary for a murder investigation…"

I shrugged. "The only thing that I can think of is what's not in that file… a Kansas City newspaper called the unsub "The Bedtime Killer." People are getting frenzied. The media is creating a social panic and starting to label areas as "potential zones" for the next victims. It's not sitting well with the FBI and if we bring it in as a working BAU case, we can shut them down as interfering with the investigation."

"I see. Thank you, Agent Scott, I'll see you soon. Oh and Agent Scott, please call me JJ. Agent Jareau is so stifling!"

I smiled at her and left her office, heading down the hallway in search of the lounge and a good cup of coffee.

As I walked, it finally hit me. I was in Quantico at the BAU…and about to give a briefing on a case that I shouldn't have looked at and was just supposed to deliver. And now Agent Jareau, er, JJ was going to call my boss and tell him that I'm staying here… that should go over well… I shuddered at the thought.

Walking into the lounge, I got an overwhelming feeling of homesickness. I wished I was back in Kansas city, with my own desk, and my own stack of paperwork. I sighed as I poured myself a cup of coffee. Why did Willington send me? I was quietly working away as usual, getting twice the amount of work done in nanoseconds and he tears me away from it.

"Here, take this," he said, "You're ahead of your work already. Take this to Quantico. Aaron Hotchner is too busy to pick up a damned phone!"

So that's what I get. Working hard and I get to be a courier. And now I have to give a brief about a case. Geez. I was not thrilled at the thought. Public speaking was not my cup of tea. I hated it.

I sat at a table alone in the empty lounge and timed the clock for twenty minutes. I sipped slowly, trying to gather my thoughts and not sound like a complete idiot at my first, and hopefully last, briefing.