FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit

Quantico, VA

July 23, 2013 1:35 PM

A cab pulls up in front of the Quantico offices of the FBI. The weather has been much warmer than normal. A woman in emerges from the cab, pulling out an ABU camouflage backpack. Her auburn hair in a bun, with a few strays accenting her face, sporting her black tank top, tan tactical cargo pants, with matching tan boots. She stood 5'3", athletic build. She paid the driver and began to head to the front door.

Aaron Hotchner was sitting in his office going over paperwork from their most recent case. It was their week of rest until something comes along. He stands up to take some files to Rossi to go over. As he exited his office, he spots a woman clear across the bullpen. They make eye contact and they smiled at each other. He walked over to the woman, which caught the attention of the rest of the team.

"As I live and breathe, Agent Hotchner!" she called.

"Agent Stansen, wow you look great!" he smiled.

"Can it, boss! How have you been?"

"Can't complain and busy as ever."

She raises an eyebrow, "Busier than Paki?"

"In its own way."

"Understandable," looking around, "So this is the infamous BAU you bragged about?"

"Yeah," motions for her to follow, "Come on, let me introduce you the rest of the team!"

She picked up her backpack and she followed Hotch, she took notice of the eyes staring at them as she followed a few paces behind him. "Can I drop this somewhere without lugging this everywhere?" They begin to pass by his office. "Sure," he replied, "just drop it in here." She placed the bag in a chair and continued to follow him to the conference room. As she entered, five pairs of eyes trained on her presence.

"Guys, this is Agent Kira Stanson from the Air Force Office of Special Investigation. She worked for me while I was in Pakistan. Kira, this is Agent Emily Prentiss, Agent Derek Morgan, Agent Jennifer Jareau, or JJ, Agent David Rossi and Agent Alex Blake." She shook each of their hands. Behind her she heard a thud, startling her. She spun with her hand on her thigh, to see a colorful blonde hair woman. She let out a sigh of relief.

"Jumpy are we?" Morgan asks with a smirk. Hotch shot him a look that took the smirk off of his face.

"I am so sorry, but I was rushing to get here when I ran late from checking on Reid."

Kira quirked her eyebrow. "Dr. Reid is on leave right now after seeing his girlfriend get murdered." Hotch explained.

Kira nodded. "I understand that. Is that the genius you mentioned to me about?" He nods. "Oh."

"Garcia, this is Agent Kira Stansen from Air Force OSI, she and I were stationed in Pakistan together. Kira, this is Penelope Garcia, our technical analyst."

They shake hands. "Fancy title for a hacker." Kira jokes. Garcia's jaw drops. "Don't worry love, how did you think I got into the Air Force Cyber warfare Division? I'm familiar with your skills."

"I like her," Garcia smiles. "You two are two peas in a pod, trust me!" Hotch said shaking his head.

"Come on, Hotch, she can't be that much like Garcia?" Morgan asks.

Kira and Hotch looked at each other and grinned. "Let's just say if you were to say 'Bite Me!' I would reply with 'When, where, and how hard?" Morgan's hands fly up in the air. "I'm done!"

Looking at her watch, "Damn, 2 seconds, I didn't think I was THAT good! But I will take it as a compliment. Hehe." Morgan shakes his head, and the rest of the group cracks up laughing.

J.J. speaks up. "So what brings you here?" Kira shrugs. "Finished my work overseas after six years mostly. I am almost out the door with OSI, but I am going undercover with a couple FBI agents in a day or so to finish up some loose ends before I say I am done. Plus, this is more of an evaluation to see about coming into the FBI."

"Wow! Six years is a long time." Rossi states, "You spent all that time overseas without a break?"

"Not really, I have no family other than who I was deployed with. I want to stay stateside for a while. Hotch was like a father figure to me there. However, we go further back than that. But that's another story for another day."

"Where you staying at?" Hotch asked. "Lodging on the Marine Corps side of Quantico, since I leave in a couple days for my last case."

Garcia's eyes light up. "You can stay with me, we can go shopping before you go?"

"I don't know, I don't want to impose!"

"Don't be silly! I wouldn't ask if it was."

"Ok I accept, but I am not going clubbing anywhere until I get back. I've been sober and dry for six years and I have an early morning meeting at the Hoover Building first thing in the morning."

"Deal! Hotch, you mind if I take her to the apartment and help her get settled in since there isn't anything pressing?"

"Sure. Go ahead. It's good to see you Kira. I hope to see you when you get back. Hopefully, Dr. Reid will be around when you come back into town and you can meet him."

"Good to see you again, boss. Don't worry, I will call rather than drop in all of a sudden next time. Who knows, maybe I will work here." She follows Garcia out the door to retrieve her things.

Blake walks to his side. "How far back?"

Hotch grinned. "I first met her when I was a District Attorney when her parents were alive. They were cops. She went down the wrong path because of their choices. She got worse after they died and she finally got pinched. I was the prosecuting attorney. I made a deal with her, go to rehab, get clean, do good in school and maybe you will be like her parents like she originally wanted. She did, and ended up in the Air Force, then to the OSI, been like that ever since. I guess you can say I was responsible for that. Haley thought I was crazy for helping her like that, but I am glad to see her grown into the woman she is today."

Morgan nods. "I bet! What was her poison?"

Hotch looks at Morgan. "Diluadid and the occult."

Rossi's jaw dropped, "So that's why…."

"Uh huh…..she's been off the stuff for about 15 years now. I am thankful for her military training to subside the PTSD, so she never goes back to it."

JJ shakes her head. "Oi, that has got to be rough," Hotch nodded before he spoke.

"I kept up with her before after she left for the military, however I was pretty shocked to see her in Pakistan when I went. I guess I kept up her father figure type. I'm glad with how her life had turned out for the better somewhat, but she has more demons to deal with."

The rest of the team's eyes fell back on her and Garcia as they head out for the day.

**Authors note** Her story picks up in Interesting Trip in the X-Files archive, which I am in the process of finishing. Please read that before moving on to the next chapter when I pick this back up. This chapter was a prequel before moving on.