Chapter 1: FIRST DAY
A week and a half earlier
Mackenzie woke up to the blaring sound of her phone's alarm on the bed side table. It was 6:00 in the morning and despite the fact that she didn't want to get up, she knew she had too. It was her first day at the BAU and she couldn't let the expectations the team had of her be disappointed. Switching off the alarm, she tried to untangle herself from Dante's arms which were around her waist.
"Dante," She said quietly. "It's time for us to get up."
Mackenzie felt Dante stir and his grip loosen. They had become accustomed to sleeping in each other's arms since the events that had occurred eight months before. Mackenzie was comforted by it because it made her feel safe from her past and knowing that Dante was still there by her side. Dante on the other hand was just comforted that Mackenzie was safe and his arms where she should be. Not in some dark, damp basement facing pain and death.
"Mmmm," Dante mumbled loosening his arms even further.
"Wakey, wakey mister sleepy head. Time for work," She said turning in his arms to face him.
Dante opened his eyes groggily and looked at his fiancée and smiled.
"Morning beautiful," He said pecking her on the lips lightly.
"Good morning," Mackenzie smiled, kissing him. "And as much as I would like to stay here in your arms kissing you, I do need to get up and get ready for work. It is my first day after all."
"If you say so," Dante said releasing her waist but not before kissing her again.
Mackenzie smiled again and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She got up and walked over to the closest and pulled out a pair of running leggings and t-shirt for her morning run and started to get changed.
"Are you nervous about today?" Dante asked pulling himself out of the bed and walking over to the closet too, to look for a shirt and jeans.
"If I said no would you believe me?" Mackenzie said quietly.
Dante sighed. "Why are you nervous? There is nothing to be worried about, Kenzie. It's practically your dream job."
"It's just, the last time they saw me I could barely walk because of what Shannon did. One of their team members was being released from hospital also due to Shannon. If I had told them sooner about our past, none of that would have happened. And there's also the fact that the only reason I even have a new job is because of Shannon," She whispered. "I shouldn't have this job. I shouldn't be benefiting from such a devastating event."
Dante turned away from what he was doing and pulled Mackenzie into a hug. She had been battling with that issue since she had gotten the job BAU and it was killing Dante to see her this way. Instead of opening up after what happened with Shannon like he had expected, Mackenzie had put her defences straight back up. Her nightmares had started getting worse and it didn't help that Shannon had died in a prison riot four months before.
"Mackenzie never tell yourself that you don't deserve to be in this job. Yes a series of terrible events led you to this point but they do not dictate what you take from them. You have fought long and hard to get yourself to where you are today. You have trained. You have studied. You have struggled. You have survived," Dante said. "Shannon might be dead but it's time to start a new chapter. Turn over a new leaf. Yes you went through hell but you can't let that define you. You deserve this job Mackenzie. You deserve this."
Mackenzie looked up and saw that Dante was telling the truth from the look in his eyes. She kissed him lightly before looking into his deep green eyes again.
"Thank you," She whispered.
"For what?"
"For just being you."
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Two hours later, Mackenzie was walking into the BAU. She had gotten her pass and security clearance and was nervously making her way into the bullpen. Glancing around she gave a sigh of relief when she saw JJ sitting in a cubicle looking at a case file.
"JJ?" Mackenzie said trying to get the blonde's attention.
JJ looked up and smiled when she saw the young women in front of her who was fiddling with the pass around her neck nervously.
"Hey Mackenzie, I wasn't expecting to see you for another half hour! You're here early," JJ said still smiling.
"I thought I should have got here early this morning because it's my first day," Mackenzie replied.
JJ nodded and then gestured behind her. "I'll show you to your desk."
JJ got up and Mackenzie followed her to a cubicle a couple behind from where JJ's was.
"This used to be Morgan's but he's got his own office now. Which is down the corridor and to the left. Over there is Spence's desk and over there is Blake's. Hotch's office is up the stairs and to the right and Rossi's office is up the stairs and to the left. The conference room is up the stairs and straight ahead but you already know that. Then Garcia's office is in the same direction as Morgan's but to the left," JJ said pointing to the places as she said them. "Hotch is already here, so I advise you should go and talk to him before you do anything else."
Mackenzie nodded. This was a lot to take in and she had only been there for less than twenty minutes.
"We're glad you took the job Mackenzie. We're glad you're here," JJ said with a smile.
Mackenzie appreciated the comment. JJ and her had become good friends over the past eight months, even more so when she moved to Virginia. Mackenzie had already met Will and Henry along with Dante who was just glad she had friends to support. Dante had quickly become friends with Will too.
"Thank you, that means a lot," She said giving JJ a small smile.
"Now not to push you but you should probably go talk to Hotch."
Mackenzie nodded and said a quick thank you before making her way up to Hotch's office. She knocked twice on the door and opened it when she heard a 'come in'. She walked in and stood in front of Hotch's desk, waiting for him to tell her what to do.
"Evans, thank you for coming to see me. I take it JJ told you to come here?"" Hotch said to the new agent.
"Yes sir," She said.
"As it's your first day, I will have one of the team show you the ropes but that will have to wait until later. We just got a case. I'll see you in the conference room in twenty minutes," Hotch said. "That pile is the first group of case files you'll be looking over but that's usually done in between cases."
"Thank you sir," Mackenzie said, picking up the pile of documents.
"See you in twenty minutes, Evans. And if you don't mind, can you round up the team?" Hotch said.
"Of course sir."
Mackenzie went to leave but stopped when she heard Hotch speak again.
"I'm glad to have you on the team, Evans."
"Thank you sir."
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An hour later the team were in the SUVs making the two hour drive to Charlestown. They were on route to investigate a group of bombings that had been happening and were still occurring. The body count was already high and the attacks were coming more and more frequent. The police had no leads and were at a complete loss at how to proceed. So they called in the BAU.
And the BAU had no idea what was going to hit them.
