Hey Readers!,
I haven't written a Criminal Minds Fic in soooo long. But the current season just made me want to write. So here it is. Hope you like it, let me know. X
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Hotch sat in his office staring out the window. He was called in at five this morning, by the new section chief. It was another women. He was supposed to meet her in ten minutes and all he could think about, was walking back in that office and it not being Erin.
He looks at the clock sitting on his desk that read 6:15. He stood and buttons his suit jacket before walking out of his office. No one was in yet, and the place seemed very erie. Though he was here often after hours, when no one was present, the morning just seemed different.
He stops in front of the closed door and takes a breath. Perhaps this women would be an improvement from Erin. Though he cared about her, she was not the woman for the job. He knocks and gets a fant, enter, from inside.
He opens the door to reveal an office that looked nothing like when it belonged to Erin. The walls had been painted a light purple. Flowers cluttered the window sills. However, the desk was very neat. Everything was in it's place. As was everything else in the office. The filing cabinets were now silver and set far away from the desk. The new chair was high backed and leather.
The women whose office this belonged, was staring out into the dark, rainy morning. She seemed depressed, no smiled barred her face at her new promotion. As one might assume. Suddenly, she turns her head to face him. Her bright blue eyes shown clearly through the darkness of the room. Only a dim desk lamp lite it. A curl from her dark brown bun, placed on the top of her head, had fallen into her face, which she tucks behind her ear.
"Ah, Unit Chief Hotchner." She states, before turning her wrist to look down at her watch. Which matched very well with her black skirt suit. "Right on time."
"I strive for punctuality."
"Ah, a trait I love." She comments walking toward her desk. "Please, sit." She motions for the fluffy light blue chairs that sat in front of her desk.
He walks over and sits down, trying to act as dignified as he could in the puffy chair. "You have me at a loss, you know my name and I don't know yours."
"So the bureau was successful at keeping me a secret."
"Why would they wish to keep you a secret?"
"Because of who I am." Hotch notices there is no nameplate on her desk. As well as no pictures of family or friends on her desk. "My name is Hazel Jarvis."
"Jarvis, as in the Secretary of the Navy?"
"The deceased, yes." Hazel looks down at her folded hands.
"I heard what happened, I am very sorry for your loss."
"Thank you agent Hotchner."
"It's only been a few months." Hotch starts, letting his father and profiler
sides mix. "Are you sure you are ready to begin this new job?"
"Thank you for your concern, but getting back to work will do me good. And since this is such a big job, one that will keep me very busy. It will do me very good."
"I understand."
"Now, I asked you to come in so early because I wanted to meet you before I met your team. Which I would like to do today, if that's alright."
"I have no news of a case. So I wouldn't see why that would be a problem."
"Great. How does nine sound?"
"Sounds great."
"Well," Hazel stands and extends her hand. "It was nice meeting you Agent Hotchner."
"You too Agent Jarvis."
Hotch was waiting at their desks as the team filed in at eight. "Do we have a case?" Reid asks stopping at his desk. J.J, Morgan, Alex, Garcia and Rossi stop around him.
"No, today you will finish the Twin's case paper work. But we do have a new Section Chief."
"Already? I thought they were still deciding on that." Rossi comments.
"No. I think she has had the job for a while, based off the state of her office."
"So, it's a woman?" Morgan asks moving to set his stuff on his desk.
"Yes. You will meet her at nine. So I want everyone in the conference room at least ten minutes before that."
"Yes sir." Garcia saluted him and then hurries off to her office.
Morgan laughs after her. "I wonder how the new Section Chief will take Garcia."
"Will be an adjustment for everyone." Rossi says before heading to his office, Hotch following.
"I hope this one is less intense than Strauss." Alex adds sitting down at her desk. Reid and Morgan follower her lead, and J.J sits at her new desk. The fourth made up their little square.
Morgan smirks and leans back in his chair. "I hope she's younger." J.J throws the pencil she was playing with at him. "What? I'm just saying. When we have to see the Section Chief it is never a good thing. It would be nice to have something good to look at when those times come." This time Alex was the one to throw a pencil. "Hey." Reid opens his case folder and laughs at his co-workers. Silently agreeing with Morgan.
Nine O'Clock
The whole team sat in their chairs in the conference room, waiting. It had just hit nine. "Here she comes." Hotch says seeing her from the window. He stands at the doorway to greet her.
"Moment of truth." Morgan says rubbing his hands together.
"Man I wish I had a pencil." J.J states glaring at him across the table.
Alex sits up and says, "This works." She slaps him in the back of the head. Reid laughs from beside J.J.
"Hey, don't hurt my chocolate thunder." Garcia chides from his other side.
"I think he can take it Garcia." Alex jokes.
"Shh, she's here." Rossi says.
"Hello everyone." Hazel greets walking into the room. They all greet her with a mumble of hello's, and hi's. She smiles and walks to stand at the front.
Morgan closed his mouth after an elbow from Garcia. He was joking about the hot thing, but he got his wish. The girls stunning blue eyes could be blinding, though they seemed out of place with her brown hair, she was very beautiful. Reid, however, still looked like a deer caught in the headlights. His eyes were wide and his mouth was a straight line from him clutching his jaw tight.
"My names Hazel Jarvis-"
"Jarvis, as in Clayton Jarvis?" Rossi cuts in.
"Yes-"
"The SecNAV?" Morgan asks, sitting up straighter.
"The deceased, yes. Before you give your condolences, thank you." She says waving them off. "I would like to start this job off right. Though it may be a little high school, can we go around and introduce everyone?"
"Do we have to say our favourite color too?" Alex jokes, getting a laugh from everyone.
"Well, I'll start. I'm Hazel Jarvis. You can call me Hazel and my favorite color is purple." Everyone laughs at her joking. Maybe this would be a lot nicer than Strauss. Hazel sits in the empty chair and motions for Reid to go.
"Um, ah." He mutters coming out of the trance he was just in. Not that the beautiful woman who was now completely focused on him was helping him talk. "I'm Doc-" He coughs to lower his voice from the high pitch it started as. "Doctor Spencer Reid."
"I've read a lot about you Dr. Reid. The team is lucky to have you."
"We are lucky to have him for many other reasons besides what you could have read." J.J praises, patting Reid on the back affectionately. Reid smiles embarrassed and looks down at his hands.
"I'm Jennifer Jareau. You can call me J.J and my favourite color is teal."
"Oh yea." Reid exclaims. "You can call me Spencer and my favorite color is green." Hazel hides her giggle with her hand and nods to Reid before moving on to Rossi.
"I'm David Rossi. You can call me Dave and my favorite color is blue."
"Blue, really?" Hazel stops them. "I didn't peg you as a blue guy, too cliche."
"Actually, the idea that men should like masculine colors and woman should like feminine colors is actually very different than it used to be-" Reid starts but is cut off by Hazel.
"Because Pink used to be considered masculine and blue more of a feminine color." Hazel finishes, earning her a few dropped jaws around the room, but one cute smirk from the Doctor.
"I'm Aaron Hotchner, you can call me Hotch and my favorite color is orange." Breaking the silence and trying to move on the conversation. But everyone was still focused on the two young people who were still looking into each others eyes.
Hazel shakes her head to bring her out of her trance and turns her attention to Hotch. "Orange? Most adults don't choose such a vibrant color."
"Jack's favorite color is orange right now."
"The things we do for our kids." Rossi states smiling into his coffee mug.
Hazel turns her attention to Alex to move the conversation on. "I'm Alex Blake, the newest member of the team, you can call me Alex and my favorite color is purple as well."
"I love color buddies."
"I'm Derek Morgan, you can call me Derek and I'm 'color buddies' with Reid." Hazel smiles at his use of her phrase and moves to the vibrantly dressed woman beside her.
"I'm Penelope Garcia, you can call me Penelope and I like too many colors to narrow it down."
"Why did I know that would be your answer?" Hazel asks smiling at Penelope. The girls giggle before Hazel turns back to everyone. "I just want to let you know my office is always open if you need anything. I seem to have a very busy schedule but I would like to get know each of you."
"Even if we're just bored?" Morgan jokes.
"Depending on what I am working on, or what you should be working on. And just to say Hi is better than just because you're bored." Hazel stands as does the rest of them. "Well, I will let you get back to work. Have a good day." Everyone starts to exit the room with smiles on their face. "Oh, Penelope." Garcia turns back to her new boss. "Could you come and take a look at my computer. It doesn't want to connect to the wifi."
"Of course!"
Reid and Morgan were watching, yet another well dressed man walk up to Hazel's office. "That's like her fifth appointment." Morgan says, throwing a paper airplane at Reid's head.
"Sixth actually." Reid says taking the airplane off his shoulder and refolding it.
"Sixth what?" J.J asks walking up beside him with Blake. They both carried a large brown paper bag.
Reid throws the paper airplane back at Morgan, it circles his head and lands on his desk. "Alright genius, how did you do that?"
"A magician never divulges his tricks."
"Sixth what?" J.J. asks again as she hands Reid his foil wrapped grilled cheese.
"Sixth meeting Hazel has had today." Morgan answers taking his hamburger from Alex.
Garcia comes rushing up to them. "Ooo, you have my veggie burger?"
"Yes ma'am." J.J states pulling out a foil wrapped burger for her.
Alex pulls out three salads from her bag and says, "Hey, we went ahead and bought a salad for Hazel. Think she would want it?"
"I'll bring it to her." Reid exclaims standing quickly, pushing back his chair in the process.
The girls just stare at him open mouthed. "Woah, there loverboy." Morgan states, pointing over to the door. "Doesn't look like you will have to take her anything." Hazel was saying goodbye to the last man that had gone in, by the door. When she turns to walk back to her office, she sees everyone watching her.
She waves awkwardly and J.J waves her to come join them. "Hey, what'cha doing?" She asks smiling.
"Here, we got you a salad. Just in case." Alex says handing her the clear container.
"Thanks!" She takes the container and bounces from foot to foot. "I should get back to work." They wave goodbye to each other and to everyone's surprise, Reid turns and watches her go.
7 That night
Reid had just finished all his paperwork and consults. Even some that the other slipped to him. "Night pretty boy." Morgan says patting him on the shoulder and walking back to get Garcia from her office. J.J, Alex, Rossi and even Hotch had already left.
Reid sat at his desk for a few more minutes, tapping his foot. He could just bring his paperwork up to Hazel himself. Why should Hotch have to take it all. He grabs it off his desk and rushes to her office, where he stills. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. After fighting with himself a few more minutes, he knocks on the door.
"Come in." He hears from inside.
"Hey." Reid says entering the office. Inside, Hazel sat at her desk with both her legs pulled up to her chest. She had one arm wrapped around her waist and the other held a pen that was scribbling on an open case folder in front of her. The salad from earlier sat next to the folder with a fork sticking out of it.
"Dr Reid." She greets him with a smile, setting down the pen. "You should be home, what can I do for you?"
"I was just…" He holds up his stack of folders.
"Ah, more work." She sticks out her hands like a child would stick out their hands for a present on Christmas. He hands them over while keeping his messenger bag from hitting anything on the desk. She sets the folders in a marked tray atop many other folders.
Reid points to the salad and asks, "You're only getting to that now?"
She looks down at the now wilted salad. "Yea, ah, had quite a busy day. Didn't have time to eat it."
"Well, I haven't had dinner yet. There is this great pub just across the street if you wanted…"
"I would love to Dr Reid, but I have so much work to do."
"Then how about I run and get us a few things and bring it back."
Hazel looks up to him with a smile, "You would do that?"
"Of course."
"Thank you Dr Reid."
"Please, call me Spencer. Didn't we go over this this morning?"
"I believe we did." She nods in agreement before closing the salad and tossing it in the trash.
"See you in a bit."
Reid was headed back up in the elevator, even more nervous now than he was before. Where did the confidence come to ask her out like that? Did she think of it as an ask out? Or just a co-worker being nice. Maybe he didn't come off that way. The door dinged open on his floor to be met by Morgan and Garcia.
"Reid, I thought you left man." Morgan says before taking him the younger man. "You brought food back? Are you staying longer? Man let it go until tomorrow."
"Oh no, I finished with my work. Hazel is still working and I offered to go get her something for dinner."
Garcia and Morgan exchange a look before turning back to him. "Offered to get her food, or offered to eat with her. Because that bag looks like there is more food in it than just for one." Garcia says, peering into the bag.
Reid smiles at them and says, "See you tomorrow." And walks up to Hazel's office.
"Spencer, you're back. That was quick." Hazel greets, sitting in the same position she was before.
"They know me there." He explains walking over and setting down his bag, before taking off her messenger bag.
"So," Hazel says leaning on her desk to try and peer into the bag. "It smells amazing. What did you get?"
"Well," He pulls out a foil container and sits it in front of her. "Delmonico Steak, with a side of asparagus." He pulls out another container that contained the vegetable. He pulls out another two containers with the same meal. Only to stand awkwardly without a place to put it.
"Oh," Hazel moves the things on her desk until there was enough room for him to eat.
"Also," He pulls out a bottle of white wine and two glasses.
"How did you get that past security?"
"Easy magic trick." He explains before popping open the bottle and pouring them each a glass.
"Well Dr Reid, you have made my first day on the job very memorable… and wonderful. Thank you." She takes a sip of the wine before digging into her steak. "Mmm, that's good." She groans.
"I told you." Reid cuts his own steak before looking back up at Hazel. She was back working on the open folding, the steak forgotten beside you. "I can't imagine that is so important you can forlorn your health."
Hazel smiles up at him, then writes one more word before closing the folder. "So Spencer, tell me about yourself."
"I have an IQ-" Reid starts his normal speech but Hazel cuts him off with a hand.
"No, I know all that. Tell me about something I can't read in a file."
Reid focuses on his food, his brain was working though so many options of what to say to her. He could talk about his mother, but that seemed a little too personal. "I love to do magic."
"Oh, I love magic." She takes a bite of steak before talking again. "You said something about that before. Will you do something for me?"
As he chews a piece of his steak, he pulls out a quarter from his pocket and holds it up for her to see. "Hold out your hand, palm up." She moves her chair closer to the desk and holds out her hand. He lays his left hand on top of hers, Reid pretends to not notice the shiver that runs through her as their palms touch. "Now with one slap, this coin will go from my hand." He places the quarter on top of their hands. "To yours." He locks eyes with her and then slaps the top of his hand. He thought she would pull her hand away and look, the second she felt the coin fall into her hand. But she held his gaze for longer. She lets out a rush of air and pulls her hand away and staring down at the coin in her hand.
"Wow." She states breathless. Reid clears his throat and sits back down.
"Your turn."
"Ah, I love to paint. My mother gave me the house after my father died. She wanted to go and live with her mother for a while, she's pretty sick. So I have started painting each room a different theme."
"I'd love to see that sometime."
"You should come over and see it… when your not busy."
"I'd love to." Hazel takes another sip of wine and watches Reid and he finishes his food. She wasn't good at reading guys interests, but this amazing guy seemed interested in her. She smiles and looks into her glass. Wasn't she lucky.
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Alright so if you do not watch NCIS, Clayton Jarvis was the SecNAV ln that show until this season when he was the target of a bomb explosion and then was killed. Well, there is chapter one. Let me know what you think. Shalom