"Remembering is painful, it's difficult, but it can be inspiring and it can give wisdom." - Paul Greengrass
Erin Strauss arrived at work in the morning for her second day back from leave. She sat at her desk and began reviewing case files. After reading a particularly gruesome file about a serial killer who targeted 9-year-old girls, she felt the need for a drink.
Without thinking, she opened the desk drawer where she kept her private reserve of alcohol. Her face fell when she saw it was empty. She felt mildly violated that someone had been in her office in her absence. She reached into her purse for a breath mint to distract herself.
As she was digging around in her handbag, she touched a gold medallion. She pulled it out and remembered the conversation she had last night with Spencer Reid.
"You said you hope it gets easier. It does."
"I don't know if I'm strong enough."
"It's my one year medallion. It took me two and a half years to get it. I want you to keep it until you get your own."
"Why?"
"To remind you that it's possible."
She held the medallion in her hand and ran her fingers across it. She heard footsteps and quickly tossed the medallion back into her purse. There was a knock on her door, and she looked up to see her visitor.
"Agent Hotchner. What can I do for you?"
"I didn't get a chance to welcome you back yesterday. I trust you're settling in?"
Strauss shut her desk drawer. "It looks like you did some house cleaning in my absence."
"I figured you would need the drawer space for case files."
She was grateful that he allowed her to save face. "Of course. How thoughtful of you."
Hotch excused himself and Strauss went back to perusing grim files. Twenty two days sober. Only the rest of her life to go.
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. - Albert Einstein