Word Count: 489
Prompt: Super Bowl Party
The whole team had gathered at Rossi's house to watch the Super Bowl. On the surface, it seemed a typical Super Bowl party…the group (or most of it) gathered around the TV shouting when their team did something well, as well as when they didn't. There was a betting pool on the score at the end of each quarter, though the payoff wasn't huge, and they were basically having a great time. They had chips, dip, beer, and everything they could need for a great party.
One agent, though, was not enjoying himself. He sat quietly in the kitchen, away from the party, reminiscing over one of the worst times in his whole life. Super Bowl Sunday six years earlier had set in motion a chain of events that had completely changed his life…it had been the first time his team had heard about a seeming group of killers, called Tobias, Charles, and Rafael.
Dr. Spencer Reid generally used his intelligence as a shield to hide his emotions, even from himself—compartmentalize that which he couldn't deal with. But once a year the memories overwhelmed even an IQ of 187…some things you couldn't hide from, no matter how smart you were, no matter how hard you tried.
JJ ventured out into the kitchen. "Hey, Spence, come join us."
Reid shook his head.
"What's wrong?" JJ asked.
Reid sighed. "It's today…Super Bowl Sunday always reminds me of Tobias. The first time we heard of him was after he killed a couple leaving a Super Bowl party. That led to the worst time in my life."
JJ's face fell, and Reid remembered that she blamed herself for his capture. "It wasn't your fault, JJ."
Hotch poked his head around the entryway. "You coming, JJ? Reid?"
JJ and Reid looked at their unit chief. "You know, Hotch, I think Spence needs me more right now than the game. The game will go on whether we watch it or not."
Hotch pulled up a stool and perched on it next to his coworkers and subordinates. "What's wrong?"
"Henkel," was all JJ said.
Hotch immediately understood what was wrong. "I see."
Eventually, one by one, the rest of the team gathered in the kitchen, most of them out of curiosity about what was taking their predecessor so long to return. When they were all out there, the game forgotten, Hotch started to speak.
"Super Bowl Sunday six years ago we were handed a new case. Dave, Blake, you weren't here yet. This case seemed routine—a couple was murdered, just another day on the job. But the UnSub was calling 911 before he killed…it wasn't one person, but a group, we thought. Later we found out that it was actually one person with three personalities—Tobias Hankel."
Hotch told the story of Tobias Hankel, reminding his team that their job was not without risks and that even the best of them could fall prey to these risks.