Hi Everyone! Hope you are all doing ok!

ILR:Thank you! Oh, that's a very good point! It didn't even click with me so thanks for pointing it out, I'll remember that for next time! This is why I like it when you review, you give me pointers! Oooooh that is an interesting fact! I usually google most of those things lol. I'm glad you are still reading and reviewing!

Lea: Hey! Thanks for reviewing again! I'm glad you're enjoying it! Hotch is a tough nut to crack, but as seen in the show he softens up... EVENTUALLY lol.

Chapter Ten.

"How was Clara in there?" Hotch asked Reid, his eyes darting to the agent in front of him to the agent sat in one of the interview rooms.

"She was fine, perfectly composed. She actually took the lead." Reid replied, holding the note pad in his hand. "Why? do you believe something is wrong?"

Hotch adjusted his stance, moving to cross his arms over his chest. "I'm not sure, I can't say it's interfering with her role as she's done some good work on this case..."

"But?" Reid questioned, looking over his shoulder at the newbie.

"But something is telling me that there is something else going on with her." Hotch looked down at the note pad, "You should go get that back to the team. I'll make sure the children's guardians come to get them."

Reid nodded slowly, tucking his hair off his face again, before walking away. Hotch turning shortly after him to gather the guardians.

I sat there, playing with Jessie's hair as she jumped onto my lap. "Clara?" She asked as she turned to face me, pulling herself up to sit on the table.

"Yes sweetie?"

She looked at me with her big blue eyes and she played with my lanyard around my neck. "What was your mummy and daddy like?"

She wouldn't have known it from my expression but my heart just sank way beyond my own feet and into the darkest depths of the Earth. Sarah and Henry moved to sit onto the table in front of me alongside Jessie.

"Yeah how did you lose them? Did they get taken away too?" Henry asked and I swallowed the growing lump in my throat.

"Well... I was around your age Jessie..." I shuffled in the seat, suddenly feeling well aware of the curious eyes on me. "We were on a road trip and someone was mugging a petrol station..." The images began flashing through my mind and I squeezed my eyes shut, my hands beginning to shake.

"Clara...?" Jessie said, Sarah and Henry joining in with calling my name.

"One second..." I breathed, my chest tightening and the feeling of control slipping away from my grasp. I couldn't get it out of my head, it was as if the sounds of the gun shots were ringing through my ears right at this very moment. I felt a small hand take mine but I jumped up, my chest just getting tighter and tighter as I struggled to control my breathing.

"W-what's wrong...?" Sarah asked as I backed away from her, my hand across my throat. I've let this build for too long and now the images... they won't stop. I stumbled out the room and past Hotchner who was walking past with the kids' guardians.

"Clara are you alright?" His eyes didn't leave me and I just shook my head, pushing open the door to the female toilets before I staggered into the cubicle and shut the door, sliding down the wall and bringing my knees to my chest.

"Clara what's wrong?" I could hear Prentiss now but she sounded faint. I couldn't focus on anything but that afternoon. "Clara open the door." She banged on the door but every time she did I flinched, the gun shots taking over.

"I can't..." I paused trying to take a breath, a small cry escaping my lips. "Emily..." I heard a louder bang and I flinched, my whole body shaking as I watched my parent's fall to the ground over and over. I felt hands on me and I opened my eyes, seeing Emily say something I couldn't make out.

"Clara you need to focus on me, slow your breathing down ok?"

I looked at her through my tears and I tried to concentrate on her. "Deep breath in, deep breath out." She said over and over and I managed to release a slow shaky breath. "That's it, you're doing really well." Her hands were gripping mine and I gradually managed to gain control back of my breathing, my head slumping forward.

"I'm sorry..." I whispered and Emily grabbed me a few sheets of toilet paper, handing it to me so I could wipe my eyes.

"What happened?"

"It was all fine, I was fine." I paused, lifting my head and wiping the tissue to dry my eyes. "But they started asking about my parents over and over and I lost it." I squeezed the tissue in my hand and I heard a noise outside the cubicle, causing me to get to my feet. "Whose out there?" I looked at Emily and she shook her head. "Everyone?" I mimed and she nodded. Great, now they all know. I composed myself and walked outside, seeing Hotchner, Rossi, Reid, JJ and Morgan all standing there with slightly glum looking faces.

"How much did you hear?" I asked, standing in front of them all like a suspect on trial.

"We heard enough." Hotchner said, looking at the rest of the team. "Can you all give us a minute please." He ordered and everyone filtered out the room, leaving me exposed.

"Sir..."

He held up his hand and I moved to the sink, a sigh escaping me as I ran the cold tap to splash my face with water. "Why didn't you mention anything? I had to hear what your problem was from Jessie." He removed a paper towel and gave it to me, I took it gratefully and dried my face and neck.

"I didn't make the best impression on my first case Sir, I didn't want you to think any less of me than you already do." I looked at him, scrunching the paper towel in my hand before throwing it into the bin.

"You think I'd think less of you?" He crossed his arms over his chest defensively and I brushed my fingers back through my hair.

"I didn't know exactly what you'd think but I couldn't take the chance. I don't know any of you enough to spill out my personal problems. This case is hard enough as it is without me being a liability to everyone." I rubbed my arm, looking up at him as he watched me. He had this look, not as stern as his expression usually is but it seemed softer somehow... Like if you sanded down the edge of a of a stone that had become worn and jagged over time.

"You aren't a liability Clara." He paused, moving slightly closer to me. "But I do think you're too close to the case, perhaps you should go back to the hotel and..."

I cut him off my head shaking. "No." I wiped another escaping tear and let out a small sniffle. "No, I am not giving up on those kids. I had a moment of weakness but I cannot stop now." I stood a little straighter and looked him directly in the eye, Hotchner doing the same to me.

"Alright, but if I feel you need to remove yourself then you will do so without question."

"Yes Sir but that won't happen." He nodded at me and put his hand on my arm, squeezing it a moment before leaving me in peace. I think that was probably the longest conversation I've had with him and after it, I have more respect for the man. He learnt to control his emotions and maybe I'll be able to do the same – but this case was just picking and picking at my protective shell and in that interview room it finally shattered. It was building up for a long time, the panic attack would've happened at some point on this case and now it's out... I've just got to try and focus on catching this killer and hope that those kids will turn out stronger than me.