Chapter 2: A Normal Morning

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The sun glared through the window as Hotch stared at the file in front of him, his eyes going in and out of focus for the third time in the past 10 minutes. He was riddled with fatigue and needed a vacation more than anything in the world. Coffee wouldn't do the job anymore and he had been basically sleeping at the BAU. He was caught up on all of his paperwork and had all of his files up to date, something that you could almost never find in the office of a Unit Chief. Ever since Hailey had been forced into hiding, he'd been so depressed that everything else was put on the backburner and doing work was the only thing that could keep his mind off of it. After she had left him, he'd done the same thing but he had gradually gotten better, sleeping at his apartment almost every night and only working about 10 hour days. Since she'd been transferred into protective custody, however, he'd fallen right back into his usual pattern of working 12-14 hour days and even sleeping at the BAU for a few days every week. They'd just gotten back from a case and he was almost happy that he now had some more paperwork to do. He was taking a lot of the load off of JJ, though, something that he was happy to do since he knew that she had a kid to go home to every night now. His team meant everything to him now, and he was happy to make any of their lives easier. Reminded of his team, he looked out his window into the bullpen and saw the assistants bustle around and his team preparing themselves for their reviews. Hotch was required to do reviews on each member of his team every year. This was something he enjoyed to do, as he rarely had something bad to say and this year he was even happier because it would give him more paperwork to do.

He shut the file that he had in front of him and got up. Making sure his suit looked fine, he adjusted his gun and made his way to the door. He opened it and stepped into the harsh fluorescent lights that illuminated the bullpen all day, every day. He walked over to Rossi's office to get him for his review. He was going to do them in order of seniority and Rossi was the first on the list. As he stepped up to Rossi's office door, he stayed back a bit and knocked as he'd been taught in the Academy. He then opened the door and stepped in. "Dave, you ready?" he said as Rossi looked up from the file he was going over. "Sure," Rossi said, getting up and walking to the door. He followed Hotch over to his office and got the school-age taunt from his co-workers. Morgan, Prentiss, Reid, and Garcia were all by Morgan's desk and they all gave him the "Oooooo...." as he walked by. "Someone's in trouble," Morgan added. Rossi couldn't help but smile and he thought he even saw Hotch smile a bit. "Don't think you're all off the hook. Morgan, your next," Hotch said with a slight smile as he stepped to the side and let Rossi head in before him.

"You're in trouble now," Prentiss said, turning back to Morgan and sitting back down in her chair. "Naaah, Hotch loves me, he'd never do anything," Morgan replied as he leaned up against his desk, getting a series of laughs all around. "So, Babygirl, what brings you out of the batcave," Morgan then said, turning to Garcia, who had a stack of files in her arms and a look of determination on her face. "Ok, first of all, it's not the batcave, it's my dungeon and I will torture all who enter, especially you," Garcia said, biting her finger and then touching Morgan on the nose. This got another series of giggles all around. "Your leg is finally better now right Reid, so you don't have to stay and annoy me on the next case," Garcia continued, now turning on Reid. "Well, in terms of it being healed, it is all right in the long term now but it'll be a few more years until the scar tissue is finally destroyed and it's permanently healed," Reid replied, motioning to his leg and trying to illustrate how the scar tissue would be destroyed. "Soooo, is that a yes?" Garcia asked, trying to decipher the Reid speak. "I'd just leave it alone before he starts trying to explain it in more detail," Prentiss said, causing everyone, even Reid, to laugh again.

Back in Hotch's office, him and Rossi were getting ready to conclude his review. "So Dave, in summary, you're doing a great job as usual but I have one more question for you," Hotch said, watching Rossi nod back. "As a whole, and as individuals, what do you honestly think of the team?" Hotch asked, awaiting Rossi's answer. "Honestly, this is one of the best teams I've ever been on. When I first started, we traveled as individuals or small teams but to work with people like this is amazing. The team is very balanced and if I do say so myself, they have a very good leader at the front," Rossi started. "You realize that you're review is already over, right," Hotch said, both of them chuckling and then Hotch motioning for Rossi to continue.

"As individuals, they are all great criminal psychologists and I can tell that they were trained by the best. Agent Morgan is very disciplined and although he can get a little hot sometimes and disobey orders, he'd protect this team with his life and he puts the case above his personal problems. Agent Prentiss uses what she's learned abroad to shine a new light on some different cases. She also knows a great deal and would put it all on line for the good of solving the case. Dr. Reid is the smartest man I've ever known or even seen and this team is like his family. He puts it all on the line wherever we go, evident by the bullet that was pulled out of his leg a few weeks ago. Agent Jereau is the hardest working person in the BAU. The kind of shit that comes across her desk is enough to break down any human being and yet she sits behind that desk and takes it every day. Even now, as she has a kid, she hasn't slowed down a bit, which can be worrisome but she's a vital member of the team. Agent Garcia is also invaluable. Without her technological wit, we'd be lost on every case that we've ever worked. She adds a vital element that I didn't have when the BAU first started." Rossi finished, prompting Hotch to lean back forward in his chair.

"Well Dave, thanks for your hon-" Hotch started before he was cut off by Rossi, "I wasn't finished yet. We still have you." Hotch gave him a hard stare and then blinked, "Ok, whaddya have to say?" "Well, you are the most vital member of this team. The team looks up to you more than anyone else. They all respect you for what you've done and the fact that you've agreed with Agent Strauss not to do much more. You are the stable head on this team and they need you. That being said, you've been different lately. Believe me, no one blames you for it. Hell, no one would be the same if they had been through half the shit you have. But, the team needs someone who isn't going to put his life on the line at every corner. They need someone who is going to lead this team from the front but not put themselves in some horrible situations. You could have easily been killed a few weeks ago. Then where would we be? The team could manage without you but none of them would ever be the same. That's all I had to say, but I felt like it needed to be said." Rossi finished, waiting for Hotch's response. Hotch just sat in silence, leaning back in his chair and staring at his desk. A few seconds passed and still nothing was said. Rossi started to think that he had really hurt Hotch's psyche when Hotch finally leaned forward to speak. "Rossi, I respect you more than any member of this team. I thank you once again for your honesty and I'll try to be a little more conservative in my decisions." Rossi felt a pit in his stomach. He could tell that he had really knocked Hotch down and now he had to pick him up. He started in, trying to build Hotch up a little more and explain why he had said what he did.

JJ sat at her desk, surrounded by stacks of files. She had just gotten off the phone with a Detective in Minneapolis who had a possible serial on his hands. The team had just gotten back and they wouldn't be happy, but she was going to brief everyone and off they'd go again. The only part of this that depressed her was the fact that she wouldn't have the time to run home and see Henry quickly. Henry was the best thing that ever happened to her and if she could, she'd spend every waking moment with him. Instead, her mother was at home watching him as she looked through some of the most gruesome files that had ever been put together. It helped that Hotch was starting to take some of the paperwork off of her hands, something that she hated doing to him but something that he constantly insisted on. Reid was also a huge help. He'd come over a few times a week to watch Henry with JJ or let JJ run out to get some errands done. He was the absolute right choice to be Henry's godfather and he had done a great job so far. It was a no brainer, however, as Reid had always been there for her. They had even gone on a date, which she had enjoyed greatly. She still had some feelings for him but now it was different with Henry and William in the picture. She believed that if anything were to happen between them, things would have to change in her life and she still wasn't sure if she was ready for that. Grabbing the stack of files that she had put together for the newest case, she walked across her crowded office and opened the door. "Time to go brief the team..." she thought as she started toward the bullpen.

The team went about their business, Hotch and Rossi talking in Hotch's office, Reid, Garcia, Prentiss, and Morgan chatting out in the bullpen, and JJ getting ready to brief the team on a new case. Little did they know that just a few miles away were a team of men in two black Suburbans. The team didn't say a word as they drove, all thinking about putting the team that occupied the BAU to their deaths.

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(Hope you've enjoyed it so far...)(I live on reviews so please leave one for me...)(I'll try to update as soon as I can but you can expect Chapter 3 to be up in about a week...)(Thanks for reading...)