A/N: Okay, the story's chapter are going to start off kind of short, and progressively get longer. Just an FYI. Sorry it took so long to get this first chapter out. Please lemme know what you think! 3 RA
Chapter One - Back to the Old House
Like all good stories, it started at a party. Aaron Hotchner's return to the Behavioral Analysis Unit was very well-received. His team decided to throw a small party in his honor. They also hoped that it would bring up his spirits a little bit after his wife's untimely passing. That night, the room was filled with cheer, the holidays partially being the reason. Every single one of the nine people in the room had smiles on their faces.
The party was taking place at David Rossi's home in DC. His living room was elegantly decorated and large, leaving everybody with enough room. In one corner, little Jack, Hotch's five year-old son, was playing with Jennifer "JJ" Jereau's two year-old son Henry as their parents watched on. Hotch's usually melancholy face was painted with happiness, and JJ's bright, innocent face matched. In another corner, Derek Morgan spoke of Kurt Vonnegut with Emily Prentiss, his thousand-watt smile flashing every few seconds. Rossi was on the couch chatting with Penelope Garcia about random trivia.
One lone person stood by the large, open window that fed a small amount of light to the dimly-lit room. He was a tall, slender young man, no more than thirty years old, with hazel eyes and hair the color of milk chocolate. He stared out of the frosty window, taking in the peaceful night. Bright headlights came closer to the house, causing the young man to wince. He regained his sight just in time to find a figure walking up the path to the front door.
After a couple of seconds, the doorbell rang. Rossi stood up, excusing himself from his conversation with Garcia, and answered. Nothing could be made out, but a female voice could be heard whispering. Not even a minute later, Rossi re-entered the room with a beautiful young woman on his arm. No one seemed to notice her, so Rossi turned to the young man by the window first. "Reid! I'd like you to meet my daughter, Roxanna. Roxanna, this is Dr. Spencer Reid."
Spencer, who normally didn't shake hands with people, couldn't refuse the girl's dainty hand in front of him. He took it and smiled as she shook his hand firmly. "Doctor? Interesting. I think I remember you from the stories dad's told me." Spencer was intrigued by her already. She had an English accent, but only on her "o's". He gave her a silent nod, his smile remaining on his lips as he took her in.
She stood at about five foot six in flats, and she had a thin frame, but wide hips. She was very proportioned, though. Out of her head grew dark, beach-waved hair that extended to the middle of her back, and her bangs were side-swept, showing off her sepia-colored eyes. "Roxanna, is that you?" Hotchner asked, finally noticing her presence.
"Aaron!" Hotch smiled as he traveled toward embrace was tight and loving, almost like a father would give his daughter. "I haven't seen you ages! You look well."
"You don't look too bad, yourself. How's your mother?"
Over the next half hour, everyone in the room quickly became acquainted with Roxanna Rossi. They learned that she grew up with her mother in Surrey, and she spent summers with David, that she went to college at Oxford and was the Valedictorian of her class. Spencer watched from afar as everyone gushed over her. JJ soon joined him in the corner. "Something about her just doesn't seem right."
Spencer didn't respond to her statement. He simply slid his right arm around JJ's waist. She wriggled herself into him, smiling. She and Spencer had been dating for about four months, since she and her ex-boyfriend Will had split up. Neither of them could be happier. JJ cocked her head to one side to further examine Roxanna from a distance. Spencer looked to JJ, then back at the group in front of them, finally ready to answer. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know. I can't put my finger on it." Spencer couldn't see what JJ saw, and he was thankful. A part of him secretly wanted to know more about her.
The night kept on, and within two hours, Spencer found himself by the window again. He could hear JJ playing with Henry and Jack. He could hear Hotch, Prentiss, and Rossi discussing the case they'd just finshed. He could hear Morgan and Garcia's usual witty banter. The only voice missing was Roxanna's, but her footsteps could be heard approaching him. She then appeared by his side and sighed. "Back to the old house," she whispered loud enough for Spencer to hear. She rested her forehead on the cold window with a beautiful smile that lit up her face and forced Spencer to smile as well.