A/N: Hello, hello! Welcome to my very first Criminal Minds fanfiction. Thank you for choosing it to read out of the hundreds of other amazing stories. A few side notes before we begin: For all you David Rossi diehards, I'm terribly sorry but he is not included in this story. I'm writing with an OC and I felt that there were already so many characters to juggle, that I didn't think I would be able to include Rossi and give him the attention he deserves. Also, the Section Chief in this story is also an OC (risky move, I know) because I didn't want to villianize any of the characters already created by the amazing writers of CM. Which brings me to say that I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR ANY ORIGINAL CHARACTERS DESCRIBED. Reviews, like tips, are always appreciated but never expected. Thanks again for reading, and I sincerely hope you enjoy!


Joey sighed as the elevator doors pinged open. She waited for the rest of the team to file out before following them into the bullpen. Everyone was quiet. It had been a hard case of a child abduction followed by a long flight back from San Diego.

"Alright everyone, go home and get some rest." Agent Hotchner said as he ascended to his office. "You've earned it."

Joey watched as Morgan, Prentiss, and JJ all dropped paperwork off at their desks and headed back toward the elevator. "Goodnight Ryan." Reid gave a little wave as he shouldered his bag. Joey gave a slight wave and a smile in return. As Reid pushed his way out of the bullpen, Joey dropped herself into her chair.

She let out another sigh and held her head in her hands. Eight months into working with the BAU and Joey was still unsure of her position. The team had been warm and welcoming from Garcia's bone-crushing bear hugs to Morgan's witty quips, but still Joey doubted if she was right for the job.

Running a hand through her unwashed hair, Joey glanced down to find a plain envelope sitting on her desk atop her pile of paperwork. It read "Agent Josephine Ryan" in typed lettering. Joey felt her heart sink as she closed her eyes bracingly and unsealed it. Inside was a single piece of paper simply read "As soon as you return" in the same typed lettering that was on the envelope.

Joey gazed at the paper for a moment, steeling herself. She briefly glanced up to see Hotchner at his desk, leaning over a stack of papers. Neatly returning the paper to its envelope, Joey stood and crossed the bullpen to the paper-shredder. She quickly dropped the envelope through the shredder and pushed her way out, shouldering her bag as she did.

Joey patiently waited for the elevator doors to open two floors up from the bullpen. She stepped out to find a deserted hallway. Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, Joey strode down the empty corridor, twisting and turning until she found herself outside a door that read "Aidan Pearce." She paused momentarily before softly knocking on the door.

"Come in." A voice answered from inside.

Joey gently pushed the door open. She stepped in and quietly shut the door before turning to face the handsome mahogany desk that sat in the middle of the room. "Chief Pearce." She nodded once, looking down at her shoes.

"Ah, Josephine, I see you got my note." A well-aged man with graying hair smiled warmly up at her. "Please," Pearce gestured to an empty seat in front of his desk. "Won't you sit."

Joey hesitated before moving to take a seat, her eyes not leaving the patterned rug.

"Just give me a moment to finish this and then we can chat." Pearce nodded before leaning over his paperwork. As they sat in silence, Joey sat with her hands in her lap, subconsciously scratching at her thumb.

Pearce finally signed the bottom of the paper with a flourish and dramatically set his pen down. "Now, down to business." He folded his hands on the desk. "I need you to run a job tonight."

Joey closed her eyes. She had been afraid of this. "Please." She said quietly. "We just got back from San Diego and it's been a long couple of days-."

"Need I remind you," Pearce cut her off "who is in charge?" Though his smile never wavered, his tone had suddenly turned icy.

"No." Joey muttered hastily. "Of course not."

"Good." Pearce's smile widened and he leaned back in his chair, his folded hands resting just above his belt. "Pick up is at one, so that gives you about forty five minutes to get ready if you need to."

"Where will I be taking them?" Joey asked her shoes.

"They'll have all the information for you when you pick them up." Pearce regarded her for a moment before standing and stretching. He slowly paced around until he stood behind Joey, who stiffened instinctively. "You know, Josephine." Pearce placed a hand on her left shoulder. "I'm so glad you joined the BAU. You've been such an… asset." Pearce's hand slowly slid down Joey's back.

Joey clenched her jaw and made to move away from him. Pearce's other hand clamped down on Joey's right shoulder. "Ah, ah, ah." Pearce said in a sing-song voice. He moved so he was standing directly in front of Joey, his belt inches from her face. He reached down for her chest, his clammy fingers brushing her skin as he fingered the necklace she was wearing.

"What a lovely necklace." He said softly. "Did your father get it for you?" When Joey didn't reply, he smirked. "You know, I could have sworn I saw your father the other day." He let the necklace fall. "In a neighborhood that's known to be home to some suspected terrorists. Certainly a few of the residents are on watch lists."

Joey felt her heart drop. "Please." She whispered as she sat frozen to the chair. "You don't have to do that."

"No, I don't." Pearce leaned down so his face was level with Joey's. She could see the salt-and-pepper stubble forming on his jaw. "Because you're a good agent who does what she's told." He stood back up and moved to return to his desk. "You now have forty minutes until pick up. Don't be late."

Joey stood, clutching her bag to her. She moved to the door and as she turned the knob, Pearce spoke out again. "I heard you were able to return the child safely and catch the culprit." Joey turned to him. "In San Diego." He continued through a pearly smile.

"Yes, that's right." Joey replied.

"I'm glad to hear it was a success." Pearce sat down again and folded his hands over his stomach. "Keep up the good work, agent."

Joey nodded once before exiting Pearce's office. She sped-walked back to the elevator and pummeled the 'down' button. Her heart was pounding in her throat and she clenched her shaking hands into fists at her sides. Taking a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself, Joey stepped into the elevator and pushed the button for the parking garage.

Joey was so caught up with her thoughts that she hardly noticed the doors opening two floors down until Garcia's cheerful voice pulled her out of her reverie. "Hi Joey!" She chirped. Joey gave a slightly-breathless smile in return. "You're here awfully late, aren't you? Everyone else has gone home, well except Hotch, but I think he lives here." Garcia whispered the last part like it was a secret to be kept.

Joey smiled. "I just had some extra paperwork I wanted to get done tonight rather than deal with it later."

"Are you alright?" Garcia asked, leaning in slightly to get a closer look at Joey. "You seem a bit pale."

"Yah, yah." Joey chuckled. "Just uh…travel weary I suppose." She nervously adjusted the straps of her bag on her shoulder. "I don't sleep very well on planes so it was a long flight back. Plus sleeping in a different city in a different time zone isn't always easy to adjust to for just a few days."

Garcia smiled warmly and patted her on the arm. "Well, now you get to go sleep in your own bed!"

The elevator doors dinged open and the two women stepped out. As they split off to head toward their cars, Garcia waved. "Have a good night, Joey, and sleep well!"

"Thanks, Garcia. You, too." Joey waved her away and pulled her keys out of her pocket as she made her way to where she had parked several days ago. She unlocked it and heavily sat down in the drivers seat, tossing her bag behind her. She grabbed the steering wheel and rested her forehead on her knuckles for a moment. Taking a deep breath, she sat up, adjusted her mirror, and started the car. She now had half an hour to get to Pearce's designated pick-up location, and knowing the consequences of being late, she didn't have any time to lose.