This is a CCAC Writers for the Silver Screen Challenge #12. Main characters are Aaron Hotchner and Ashley Seaver, and the Silver Screen prompt is 'The Day the Earth stood still'.
I do not own the show Criminal Minds and its characters.
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The Day the Earth Stood Still
The BAU unit was almost empty for a change. The team was on a stand-down and everyone but two members had opted to 'disappear' from the unit, lest Section Chief Strauss saw their idleness and would distribute duties for them. No one liked her 'duties'; they were absolutely menial ranging from making copies for their reports to assisting other teams with their paperwork. No one liked paperwork; it was bad enough they had to do theirs much less others? No, thank you very much.
Dave, Morgan, Emily, Reid and even Garcia quickly scattered far and away although each was able to be reached by their cell phones if ever, heavens forbade, an emergency case came by the desk of Hotch.
The only ones left were Aaron Hotchner and Ashley Seaver. Hotch was 'flooded' with his portion of paperwork, consults and reviews. As there was no one to go home to at the moment, he opted to get them done as quickly as possible. Jack was beginning preschool and enjoyed every minute of it. To pick him up early would earn him a deathly glare from the little boy who had inherited that trait from him.
As Jack would be done with school in three hours, Hotch figured he could squeeze in a couple of reports for the moment.
Of course, nothing worked the way he wanted when he received a phone call.
Ten minutes later, his face slightly pale, he began to search for the new graduate, Agent Seaver. The last time he saw, she was in the bull pen working on her thesis on the evolution of serial killers and the preferred methods used from the first century to the present.
Spotting the top of her light blonde hair, he unconsciously sighed in relief. Stacks of books checked out from the Academy Archival Library almost buried her. It was a wonder her desk did not collapsed from the groaning weight of the hard cover text books, each at least 3 to 4 inches thick.
She has to be told, naturally. Hotch thought.
He wished Dave was around, he would be the more calmed one to comfort her when the news was imparted to her. After all, his friend was much closer to the young woman, having worked the case resulting in the capture of her dad, a serial killer. He made sure she was well taken care of, and even though he was willing to pay for a psychiatrist, she had refused but had gotten on with her life on her own but she did keep in touch with Dave every now and then. And when she had decided to join the FBI, he was thrilled. He preened for a while as if she was his kid who had decided to follow his footsteps. He made a point of checking in on her every once in a while and was very pleased with her progress in the academy.
Now, the mentor was absent.
Hotch had to do this without the assistance of Dave.
He frowned as he was not looking forward to this but time was of the essence.
Placing the long neglected folder back on the in-tray, he stood up and walked out of his office and leaned against the railing.
"Agent Seaver," he called out to her.
No answer.
Raising his voice slightly louder, he repeated, "Agent Seaver."
Finally, a confused and bleary eyed Ashley Seaver popped her head up and looked around for the voice and her eyes widened when she saw that it was Hotch who had called her.
If the situation was that serious, Hotch would have laughed at the way Seaver had popped her head up, like a prairie dog coming out of its hole.
"I need to talk to you in my office," he turned and walked back to his office without waiting for her reply.
Ashley frowned at the books and she stood up and straightened her suit and went up the stairs and to Hotch's office, her mind whirling like a windmill, only a little faster.
What does Hotch wanted? Was there a new case? That couldn't be as he'd recall everyone before he broke the news. No, this seemed a little more personal judging by that look; oh yeah, Emily had been giving her tips on how to read Hotch's frowns.
This one looked as if someone's relative had passed away. She hoped it was him.
That would be wonderful as she had always feared that he would be released from prison and she also knew that she would be the first person he would try to get in contact.
"Hotch?" She stood by the door frame, looking around into his office. For a moment, she panicked, fearing to find him sitting across from Hotch, looking as if he was the most innocent man. Yeah right.
"Close the door and," Hotch indicated one of the guests' chairs. "have a seat."
She was about to nod when the implication to the first request hit her.
Oh no! What now? Was she going to be 'riffed'? A reduction in force because of budget cuts?
Apprehensively, she sat on the edge of the seat, just in case she wanted to flee.
"Agent Seaver," Hotch began but stopped. That title was too professional at this time. He had to be a little more personable.
So he tried again, "Ashley."
At this, Ashley did want to run; Hotch changed the greeting to a more personal base, and that was not good. Hotch was not one to be this personable at this juncture of her start at the BAU.
Craps! That was a mistake! Hotch thought as he saw her face paled. She knew something was wrong.
"It's about your father," he began.
"My fa…you mean Charles Beauchamp? He lost his 'dad' privileges when he began his killing spree." She said vehemently.
Hotch curved his eyebrow at that pronouncement; she had every right.
"Right, Beauchamp escaped."
"What?" She stared hard at Hotch, she couldn't believe what he had just said.
Escaped.
She knew then that his next move would be her.
"How?" She asked.
Could she take another surprise?
He began to tell her what was told to him; Charles Beauchamp was being transferred to another prison facility. The one he was in presently was not safe for him as he was getting old and the other violent inmates took advantage of that. After three fights where in Beauchamp suffered three cracked ribs, dislocated shoulder and two concussions, the guards felt that it would be best he was transferred out.
"Which shoulder?" She asked.
Hotch frowned; strange question.
"The right. Why?"
"That shoulder had been dislocated so many times that he no longer feels the pain and could get it back in place without going to the hospital."
Taking in that implication, Hotch began to see that Beauchamp had once again played the system.
"I see. I will inform…well, as soon as he is caught again, wherever the facility he is heading will be informed of it."
Seaver nodded but she was not comforted at all; he had escaped. He was on the loose.
"Where is he heading?" She asked.
"Signs indicated he was headed east from Colorado." He watched her reaction.
But all she could say was, "Oh."
"Agent Seaver," he had to know what she was feeling.
"I guess I'm in danger. He's coming for me."
Hotch nodded sadly.
Then he said, "Ashley, the Director of Operations is making some arrangements as we speak."
The Director of Operations? That serious?
Hesitantly she asked, "What arrangements?"
"Just as you said, you are in danger and we must move you out of here. Out of Virginia."
Eyes widened, "Out…my home…I…where?"
Hotch looked down on his blotter, "I don't know. I cannot know."
Damn! This is like Haley and Jack all over again!
"A protection program?" She asked. She had been in one once, when she was little, until the trail was over.
Not again!
When will I ever have peace?
"Yes." He answered simply.
Her eyes were looking around wildly as if Beauchamp would appear at any moment. Not that she was afraid of him.
No. She was not afraid of him at all. He was not her father anymore but a serial killer.
If not afraid, then why the nervousness?
She knew him. She was the only one alive now that knew him.
He did not like that. He wanted to be his own man and until she was out of his life permanently, he would come after her until she was no more.
It was that simple.
And at the same time, it was that complicated.
So…it was time for another round of 'hide and hide'.
Hotch was gauging her emotions and reaction and they were resigned; resigned to doing this all over again.
How much could she take this?
Hotch's desk phone rang and shook both out of their reveries.
Ashley watched Hotch as he spoke softly in the phone, his frowns changed from regular Hotch frowning-at-everything to a this-is-not-want-I-wanted Hotch frown.
A few minutes of him listening to what was said on the other end, he nodded and placed the receiver back to its cradle firmly; it was no use venting his anger at an inanimate object.
She continued to watch him, letting him began.
"That was the Director," Hotch said. "US Marshall will be arriving shortly."
And it hit her.
She would be leaving her new family. She was finally beginning to feel 'at home' here. They had accepted her just like that and it meant a lot to her. They knew who her father was and had not been prejudiced to her.
Another wave of raw emotion hit her right away. It felt as if this day had stood still.
She was leaving the best thing that had ever happened to her.
How long would she have to hide?
Would she be able to come back when it was over?
As if sensing her question, Hotch said, "No matter how long it takes, we'll get him. And if you wanted, you can come back here to the unit."
Well, it was not a promise but an affirmative action. Besides, this was from Hotch who she knew had the tenacity of a bull dog. He would keep his words. She knew that he couldn't make any promises but he could assure her.
And it made her felt a lot better.
A knock on the door and Hotch called out to whoever it was that was knocking to come in.
Ashley turned around and saw that it was an FBI agent who told Hotch that the marshals were here.
Hotch stood up and Ashley did as well.
"Ashley, be careful. No matter that we cannot know where you are but know that we are with you and again, when this is over, you are welcome to come back." He held his hand out.
Ashley was trying her best to not tear up but her throat was suddenly clogged. She couldn't reply as tears began to pool around her eyes.
The only thing she did was nodding her head as she shook his hand.
It felt final.
Then again, it felt as if he was giving her hope. The hope to go on.
Charles Beauchamp would not get to her, not if the BAU team could help it.
She now knew that she was in; she was a BAU agent.
Temporarily 'reassigned' but she would be back.
Hotch saw the determination and acceptance and smiled at her.
Ashley smiled back watery and after another nod, she turned to follow the agent out of Hotch's office and out of BAU.
As the heavy double glass doors closed she turned around to look into the bullpen that was her home away from home and smiled at the empty desk that was hers, still stacked with the text books, her work waiting for her. She smiled as if she was telling it that she would be back … soon.
And turned away and continued her way down the hall and towards the elevators.
The earth that stood still evolved again as she stepped into the elevator.
All would be well again.
…The End…
So…please let me know what your reactions!
Not much is known about Ashley Seaver but what we can glean off from her parts in the series. As you can see, I made up a lot about her father trying to imagine that this could be as close to what she would go through if it was the real thing.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and I do hope you'd review this story!
Lizzie