Disclaimer – I'm a poor student therefore I own nothing!

Thanks to imnotjkr for beta-ing this first part a while ago now. Seeing as I'm now finished my exams (WOOOHOOO) I thought I'd post this. This is team centric and I think it happens in a year from season five's finale. I don't think there will be any pairings and seeing as I was kind of in a conflicty mood when I was writing I hope someone out there likes where I'm trying to go with this. Let me know what you think : )

Opportunities

Strauss looked up at the man standing in front of her, his eyes scanning her office warily. She was tapping her pen on her desk in a fluid, repetitive movement. Leaning back in the high backed, black swivel chair, the ambitious Section Chief inhaled sharply before continuing with the reprimand. "In light of what happened, you should be grateful that I'm letting your team have this opportunity Agent Hotchner. If Doctor Lauder finds your team to be inoperable together there will be no second chances, am I understood agent?"

Solemnly he nodded, "Yes Chief Strauss"

"Dr Lauder has requested a one on one meeting with everyone during the week and at the end of the week there is going to be a group meeting. Everyone will attend both meetings. Failure to do so will mean instant transfer, no exception" She scowled meeting Hotch's eyes almost daring him to object.

Unfortunately for Strauss he didn't retaliate. He looked tired and solemn, needing to escape the situation he found himself captive in. "Yes ma'am"

"Brief your unit Hotchner and get me the final timetable of the meetings. I'll be keeping an eye on the goings on. I was worried keeping you on as Unit Chief after everything was going to be damaging to the progression of the BAU. I could have predicted that David Rossi coming back to the unit wasn't going to help matters but I wasn't expecting this." She looked down at the file in disgust. "You can leave now" She looked towards the door.

He bid her a fairly pleasant yet non heartfelt goodbye and shut the door behind him. Once he made it into the security of an empty elevator he closed his eyes and let out the air he had been holding as he wished that he was the leader of any other team at the present moment in time.

The team of jaded agents were waiting for their unit chief in the briefing room on the sixth floor, where the BAU office was located. The briefing room was uncharacteristically silent. Eye contact was brief and all of his colleagues looked worn and tired. Hotch determinedly strode up to the informally called round table room, whilst scanning its occupants. He saw Garcia helping JJ make some coffee as her right arm was still in a sling. Morgan lay on the couch in the corner of the room with his injured leg raised on top of some fluffy pink pillows, deducing Garcia had yet again been fussing, the Chicago born agent was reading a case file blissfully ignorant of the others in the room. Rossi was seated at the table, stabbing a file with his pen whilst keeping a space the size of the Grand Canyon between him and Prentiss who was still sporting a faded black eye and entwining her fingers nervously, while Reid was sat on the other side of his brunette colleague, his darkened baggy eyes contrasting against his pale, skeleton like face implying he hadn't slept for some time.

Hotch cleared his throat making sure that all of his teammates were focused on him. Rather stoically he stepped towards the TV screen being aware of how all eyes followed his movements. "Strauss has ordered mandatory psych evals for us all, including a group evaluation at the end of the week. Everyone will attend. If you don't you will automatically be transferred"

There were insignificant sounds of displeasure from all of his subordinates, but Rossi was the only one to say something, "Let me talk to her, I'll be able to change her mind"

"I think you've done enough talking Agent Rossi" Hotch sternly cut him off gracing him with a notorious Hotchner glare.

"Garcia, you and I are going to talk to Dr Lauder tomorrow, JJ, you and Morgan will go the next day. The rest of you will go Thursday and everyone will meet at Lauder's office on Friday. Am I understood?"

There were a collection of 'yes sirs' before Hotch nodded. "I'll email everyone with their times later. Please go home and get some rest."

They all watched as he swiftly left the room heading towards his office where he had barricaded himself in since they got back. As they all met each other's eyes there was an air of uncomfortableness hanging heavily in the room. Rossi was the first to leave the room quickly followed by Reid who was avoiding the watchful gaze of everyone in the room. Prentiss attempted to help Morgan up off of the couch but he shrugged her off when Garcia came to his side instead, the red head warmly told Prentiss she'd help him and she should get herself home. As the disappointed brunette turned, she caught JJ's eyes, no words were exchanged, instead JJ simply put her coffee mug down and concentrated feebly with one free hand, on clearing away the mess that was left on the table.

Hotch watched as his colleagues left one by one through his office blinds that overlooked the bullpen. Looking down at the paper work that was accumulating on his desk his attention briefly turned to the computer to email Lauder's office for everyone's appointment times. He wasn't looking forward to the rest of the week. He was angry, frustrated and confused. He thought he knew and trusted his team. Evidently he didn't. Suddenly his uncomfortable musings were interrupted by a familiar knock at the door. He glanced towards the opening door tiredly as JJ entered looking somewhat serine, considering what she had been through.

JJ stopped at the side table under the window, noting how drained and odd Hotch looked. Normally he came across as strong and in control but now even his usually fitting suit looked as though it smothered the man who was sitting behind the Unit Chief's desk. "I'm off home, do you need anything before I go?"

Granting his communication coordinator a slim smile, he shook his head, "No thank you JJ, I'm fine. Are you going to be alright getting home?"

The blonde looked down to her arm wincing in pain before addressing his question. "Gina is going to drive me"

"Okay then, I'll see you Friday" She nodded offering him a professional but sad smile.

As JJ left him to his own mind again, rather apprehensively troubled thoughts drifted to the case files in front of him. All the documents related to their last case, yet the most captivating folders were in a neat pile to the side of his desk. Seven different perspectives on one horrendous mess. Strauss had sternly spoken about granting his team a possibility to show that they could still perform successfully together. Looking down at the photo of their last victim smiling innocently at the camera, his thoughts came to an alternative conclusion.

They shouldn't be allowed the opportunity.