AN: As anticipated, I'm going to break of this section of the story in several parts. So far I have over 14K words written for it and I'm nowhere near done yet. This is only the first part. The next part is mostly done and I will try to get that up by the end of the week.
Thanks so much to everyone reading this story as well those who have left comments, follows and favorite. It means so much. I don't want to give too much away by addressing comments directly but those interested in what happens between Haley and Hotch look for parts 3 and 7. For the talk between Emily and Hotch look for part 4.
Hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Actual dialogue from the show is in italics
After parking his car once he reached the parking lot, Hotch climbed out and grabbed his briefcase before heading into the FBI building. It was the first time that he had followed what had until two weeks ago been his usual routine. Generally he was optimistic about coming to work as well as pride in the work of his team.
But optimism wasn't where he was today. No, today he was meeting with Strauss about transferring out of the BAU. He had a couple of departments that he was interested in being considered for open positions. And today he would also need to tell the team that they would need to continue the work of the BAU without him.
He was doing it primarily for his family. While Haley still wasn't on board with him staying in the FBI, once his transfer was settled he was counting on her accepting that he was serious about his promise to be home more than he had been in the BAU. The tension in his marriage had been growing for months and if this was a step that would lessen it, than transferring is what he needed to do.
While his compromise with Haley was the main reason for his request to transfer, that wasn't what he would be telling the team because it wasn't the only reason.
After the meeting with Strauss that led to his suspension, there was no question that Strauss had a grudge against him. The suspension for dubious reasons and promises of further investigation derailing his planned promotion had clearly illustrated that point.
After he walked into the building and passed the security checks, he took the elevator up to the floor where HR was located. He noted that it was busier now than in the early morning when he generally arrived.
However today his arrival was determined by his appointment with HR since he needed to meet with them before returning to the BAU.
When he finished meeting with the representative in HR and was cleared to return to full duty, he headed up to the 6th floor. He used the brief time in the elevator to prepare himself for the upcoming interactions with members of the team. Fellow agents, most of whom he had worked with for a few years now and had established positive working relationships.
He had only taken a few steps off the elevator when he ran into Morgan who walked over and started to fill him in about the case they were taking.
Hotch quickly grew annoyed when Morgan then mentioned about things 'being shaky' while he was out. From what he heard from JJ, HR and a couple of other unit chiefs he had run into while waiting for HR, Emily had done a good job covering the team while he was out.
The biggest issue, other than Strauss keeping close tabs on the team, was push back from the members of the team with Morgan being the main offender. So for him now to comment that things were shaky was disingenuous given his role in it.
As Hotch was getting ready to step away from the BAU, he needed to know he was leaving it in good hands. Given what he had been told it was in Emily's hands that he wanted to leave the team.
He hadn't been sure two weeks ago but now he was confident that she could handle it. She had stepped up with no preparation and done good work. However if it was putting her at odds with Morgan, a permanent transition would be harder for the team.
After hearing Morgan out and saying goodbye, Hotch excused himself and went up to his office. As he entered his office, he noticed a large pile of files on his desk. He sighed as he considered that he needed to work on this pile or at least delegate each file before he left.
Sitting down at his desk, he looked through each files, surprised that most of the files were completed by Emily and he could pass them onto Strauss when she came by for their meeting.
There was a smaller pile that were all new consults that appeared to have been dropped off by JJ that morning. It seemed as if Emily hadn't had an opportunity to delegated them before the team was called to conference on the case Morgan mentioned.
As he closed the last file, there was a knock on the door and Strauss walked into the office. As she did, Hotch handed her the stack of completed files. Strauss nodded as she took the files.
They took the next few minutes discussing Hotch's plans now that he was returning to duty.
"I was hoping you'd do the right thing. Have you given any thought to what department you'll request?" Strauss stated as she stood across from him.
Hotch looked at her intently before answering cautiously, "I was under the impression that if I left the BAU I'd have my choice of posts." If he wasn't going to have a significant say in where he transferred to then he was going to have to reconsider his plans.
Strauss gave him a small smirk before as she was walking around his office said, "well, I'll consider it after I fully complete my investigation." before pausing as she stopped and looked back at him and stated, "you were a prosecutor."
Hotch nods as he critically assessed Strauss, not liking where this conversation was going before Strauss continued, "what about heading up a white collar crime task force? That'll get you home at night at a reasonable hour."
With that statement, Hotch could feel his stomach drop. White collar crime would have been one of his last choices. Yes it would give him the hours Haley wanted but the work was tedious and repetitive. It was certainly necessary work and the evidence discovered by these task forces by creating paper trails that were instrumental in presenting cases to juries but …
His thoughts were interrupted when there was a knock on his door frame. When he looked over, he saw Emily standing there.
He had been planning to talk to her this morning. From what Morgan had shared, it looked like this would be the only opportunity he would have with the team preparing to leave on a case. He just wished that Strauss wasn't in the room with them.
Before he could say anything, Emily had taken a few steps into his office as she said, "sorry to interrupt."
He saw her take a deep breath before she took another step forward as she continued, "sir, I've decided to resign from the FBI, effective immediately." as she placed her credentials, badge and gun on his desk along with a folded piece of paper which he expected was her letter of resignation.
Hotch watched as she placed each of the items on his desk and then murmured, "I don't understand."
The room was quiet and Hotch could feel the rising tension in the room. He silently noted that Strauss was yet to say anything about the resignation.
Not a word to this agent who she had unilaterally assigned to the BAU months earlier.
Not a word to this agent that she had appointed acting Unit Chief of the BAU two weeks ago.
Not a word to this agent that from all reports had done well in the position.
Not a word to this agent who would have been expected to lead the team on the case they were preparing for at the moment.
Not a word to a veteran agent that had been with the FBI for over 10 years.
Before he could process the unusual reaction, Emily stunned him with the next thing she said,
"I'm taking the foreign service exam. With my connections, I stand a good chance of landing in the State Department."
OK now he was positive that something was amiss. Emily in the State Department. No way. At least not by her choice.
He remembered Emily's unequivocal declaration when they were dating that she would never follow in her parents' footsteps. Since joining the team she had made statements about politics that made him doubt that her mindset had changed much on the topic over the years.
No there was something else going on here. And Strauss was somehow involved.
But he did not know what that was and since he and Emily weren't alone he wasn't going to call her out on it, at least not directly.
But he was going to try a different tactic as he tried to elicit a better explanation. Looking at her right in the eye, he said, "Prentiss, I think that's a mistake."
He couldn't say what he wanted to.
That he was transferring and wanted her to stay.
Needed her to stay.
To continue to lead the team if she wanted.
Or at the very least work with them.
If Strauss heard that he wanted Emily to continue to lead the team with how Strauss felt about him, he had been concerned that she would refuse Emily the promotion on those grounds alone.
Or if he was sensing the energy in the room correctly, there was already something going on between the two women. He didn't miss the glances they kept making to each other as they each gauge the other's reactions.
As his eyes rested on Emily again he could see the deep sadness behind the unshed tears in her eyes. She gave a quick shake of her head before saying, "well, don't try to talk me out of it. Garcia saw my name on the list and she already tried. If she can't talk someone out of doing something, no one can."
Damn now he knew that this was serious. Garcia wasn't one to give in easily, particularly in type of situation.
Before he could say anything, she continued, "sorry for the interruption" before taking a few steps back. He watches her as she moved towards the door and out of his life once again.
However before she reached the door, she looked at him and then over to Strauss and held her glaze for several seconds before saying as she turned back to him, "but, sir, it's good to see you back. The team needs you. Ma'am." before she nodded toward Strauss and then walked out of his office, down the stairs and quickly out of the bullpen.
He turned back to Strauss as she said resigned, "I'll be overseeing this case until I can assign your replacement." She stood up from where she had been sitting on the couch.
Hotch internally shook his head. While she may be Section Chief, Strauss was not a profiler or even a field agent. Except for micromanaging the team, he didn't know what advantage her traveling with the team would be. But now he had even less say than usual given the current uncertainty with his position. No matter what he said she would go with the team if she wanted.
Though he did decide to question her, "you don't have any field experience, do you?
Strauss huffed at him before shaking her head and saying dismissively, "my job is to protect the Bureau. If I have to hold the team's hand for one case, so be it."
"Ma'am, in order to function effectively, this team needs stability." Hotch pointed out. Going into the field for a case was not the time to reshuffle how the BAU was run.
With him transferring and Emily resigning, he was now attempting to make the case for Gideon to run point on this case if he was available. While the elder profiler had been struggling particularly since his friend Sarah's death, he did have a wealth of knowledge that Morgan and Reid would need.
However, that hope was also crushed when Strauss came back with, "the BAU has some very talented people and they're Bureau assets. And I believe it's time that they were out from underneath you and Jason Gideon."
The situation was worse than he thought. Not only was Strauss trying to separate him from the BAU but she was also attempting the same with Gideon.
Gideon.
One of the founders of the BAU and an internationally recognized expert in behavioral analysis. What was Strauss trying to accomplish? Why was she pushing out those that had the most experience? No matter where she looked, she wasn't going to be able to adequately fill the void she was attempting to create. And that was a victory for the type of criminals the BAU chased.
After Strauss quickly excused herself to meet up with the team, Hotch reflected the meeting that had just happened. In the span of 15 minutes the expectations of how he would step away from his position had been shot to hell. Strauss was trying to micromanage his next assignment. Emily had resigned. Gideon's future in the BAU now also seemed uncertain.
While he hadn't expected Strauss to completely go along with what he thought would be best for the BAU, he thought that most of what he wanted was logical and assured the easiest transition for the remaining members of the team.
As he continued to pack his office, the level of shortsightedness in Strauss' approach was glaring. The BAU was certainly a Bureau asset as was each agent that work with the team.
However, the strength of the team and the secret to their success was each of them coming together to solve cases. Each of them had strengths as well as weaknesses and those factors along with their shared experiences is why departments across the country sought them out. Or as Aristotle first put it 'the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.'
Removing three profilers from their team, particularly the two senior agents would permanently change team dynamics. And she wanted to make the changes all at the same time.
As he considered the remaining members of the team, Hotch focused on Strauss' characterization about them being Bureau assets and wanting them out from under him and Gideon.
As instrumental as JJ and Garcia were for the success of the team, they weren't profilers. While he and the rest of the team considered them part of the BAU, the Bureau did not in the same way as the profilers.
Both of their roles were considered support which meant that Strauss or one of the higher ups could reassign them at any time as needed away from the BAU and he would have had less pull to stop it than if it had been one of the profilers on his team.
And with Strauss' identification of them as 'assets' instead of people, Hotch didn't know what that indicated for their future with the BAU. Other departments had sought out both as various times. If Strauss found herself in a situation where it would be beneficial for her politically to transfer either or both of them, he anticipated that she wouldn't hesitate.
Then there was Morgan and Reid. Both of whom were considered assets though for different reasons. Morgan had extensive field experience both at the local level in Chicago as well as with SWAT and the BAU in addition to being a guest field skills instructor at the Academy within the FBI. He was also an accepted expert within the Bureau on obsessional crimes.
The Bureau considered Reid's greatest asset his intellect. That his published works were valuable examples of the work of the FBI. His abilities are what led him to be referred to Gideon when Reid was in college. Though over time, the team found that while his intellect was an important part of who Spencer Reid was, there was so much more to the man than that which made him a valuable member of the team.
As Hotch recalled what he shared about each member of the team with Strauss before his suspension. And as he thought about it, the way she was proceeding indicated that she hadn't heard anything he said.
As he had pointed out Morgan had trust issues. Hotch had worked with Morgan in various capacities for four years now and he was certain that Morgan still didn't completely trust him. And while Hotch was aware that Morgan has great respect for Gideon, two years earlier, he won't even go into the field with him on a bomber case, still having concerns about what happened with Gideon in Boston.
If Strauss now planned on bringing in several new people for the team, Hotch was confident that she would have Morgan's resignation or transfer request as well. If Garcia was still assigned to the team, hers wouldn't be far behind given how close those two were. Because if Hotch had learned anything about Morgan it was that Garcia was one of the few people who had gained his trust.
And it wasn't that Morgan didn't have other options both within and outside the FBI. It wouldn't surprise anyone that if he would leave the BAU that Morgan would head to Chicago to be closer to family. With Carl Buford arrested and years of misunderstandings cleared up with the local police, it would be a more favorable location than it was even a year ago.
Then there was Reid. As Hotch had shared with Strauss, while the Bureau considered his intellect an asset, for Reid, it was still under repair after a difficult few months.
Like Morgan, Reid had multiple opportunities outside the BAU in other areas of the FBI, other federal agencies, various universities and well as the private sector.
While he found the work interesting, he had commented on more than one occasion that he liked working with this team. After Boston when Gideon's future with the BAU was unknown, Hotch recalled even with him, Garcia, Morgan and JJ still there, Reid waffled about whether he was going to stay for weeks.
After many discussions and encouragement from all of them, he had decided to stay. However Reid didn't like change and he liked people leaving even less. With the starkly different team that Strauss was planning, Hotch could foresee the BAU losing Reid as well either before or at the same time as Morgan.
But Hotch thought as he sat at his desk for maybe the last time as he finished packing his boxes, there wasn't much he could do about it at this point. And as much as he hated the feeling of not being able to fix it, he didn't see how he could. He was transferring to another department. And ultimately, as Section Chief, Strauss was able to make these changes.