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- Amber
Chapter Two: Photographs
Ashleigh didn't feel welcome in Jill's office.
Jill Goodwick hurried through the orientation procedure like she had better things to do. She spoke so hurriedly and coolly; Ashleigh knew she didn't have time to comprehend half of it.
Ashleigh focused on the information that was important, but felt like a student in the principal's office being reprimanded for bad behaviour. She had been in the BAU office for barely ten minutes; she didn't even have time to break protocol yet.
She could feel the nervous warmth in her stomach; with unease and anxiety that perhaps Jill didn't like her.
The many plaques and awards on the wall burned over Ashleigh's back in utter intimidation like they were watching her. She hadn't been recognized in her field, yet, not in the way Jill obviously had. There was even a framed photo on the desk of Jill shaking hands with the mayor of N.Y.C.
"Ma'am, I am sorry that I was late" Ashleigh tried to apologize, "My email definitely says I was reporting to you today at 10:30am".
Jill ignored her; while she poured out the contents of her purse. The thick black straps of its fabric stretching to its maximum as she shook it in a hurry. Everything from stationary, note books, shopping receipts, a small chocolate bar, some makeup, even some small wads of chewing gum wrappers rolled across the desk.
Jill ripped out whatever small page of her notebook she was looking for, folded it neatly and tucked it in the pocket of her pants. Then, she tidied up her desk just as quickly, wiping everything back into its place in her handbag.
There was a beat of silence before either of them spoke again.
"Ma'am?" Ashleigh bewildered.
Jill sighed, and sulked down in her chair. Her lips pursed, her laptop beeping a multitude of notifications with little ding, ding, dings. The pen in her hand twisting through her fingers. She dropped the pen and it made a soft thud on the desk surface.
"Ashleigh, I owe you an apology. I am just having a chaotic morning. I can promise you that this isn't like me".
"Oh, okay" Ashleigh realized.
"I received some bad news earlier today" Jill explained, "It's no excuse for how I greeted you this morning. And, I am sorry".
For the first time today, her words were soft and kind.
"For what it's worth" Jill continued, "It's an honour to have you on the team with us. I didn't work with your mom, but I knew her. She certainly made her mark on this place".
Jill reached into the third drawer of her filing cabinet and pulled out a framed photograph.
This one was certainly older and dustier than the other ones around the room, but when Ashleigh looked at the frame, she instantly recognised Jill and the other woman in the picture. Ashleigh had the same hairstyle and the same eyes.
"When she worked here, your mom was a legend" Jill smiled in reminiscence.
"I want to make a difference like she did" Ashleigh smiled before her lip lines curved into seriousness, "I want to make it clear, ma'am, that I don't want any treatment because of who my parents are".
"I would never" Jill was firm, "but I do respect that".
Jill's phone buzzed on the desk for the twentieth time as Ashleigh passed the frame back and it was quickly popped back in its drawer.
Jill reached her hand across the table and shook Ashleigh's determinedly, "Welcome to the BAU. If you go out to the bullpen. Agent Olivia Merit will show you around".
"Thank you ma'am" Ashleigh grabbed her briefcase and turned to the door.
"You can call me Jill'.
Ashleigh smiled again and left the room, closing the office door behind her. Jill was already in the middle of a phone call before the door had even clicked shut.
Olivia met her at the top of the stairs, "Would you like to meet everybody else?"
"That would be great".
Ashleigh and Olivia walked down the stairs together, and Ashleigh's nerves had completely melted away.
When Olivia showed her to her own desk, and she put her briefcase on top, beside her own little plaque with her own name, Ashleigh felt as if she had just come home.
The metal of the plaque felt cool under Ashleigh's fingertips, and she couldn't believe she was actually here.
"Okay, Ashleigh, I will keep it quick" Olivia pointed at the other agents itching closer.
Ashleigh took in the group again.
"Jack Hotchner, or HJ we call him, for Hotch Jr."
"We already met" Jack grinned.
-0-
"This is our technical F.A, Zanthe Wyeth".
Zanthe had so many colours in her hair, Ashleigh couldn't even count them all. The rainbow pigtails with the scarlet ribbons reminded Ashleigh of Dorothy's character in 'The Wizard of Oz'. It was a very old movie, but she had grown up watching it over and over again because it was a favourite.
"So, technical analyst?" Ashleigh wanted to check.
"Technical Field Agent" Zanthe corrected, "The bureau changed the name of my role in 2042. I take my laptop everywhere with me, but I get to come on location just as much as you guys".
"She usually gets stuck in the field office, with me" the blonde man in the nice suit with the iPad added.
"This is Michael LaMontagne, our media liaison".
"Are you related to Henry LaMontagne?" Ashleigh shook his hand knowing that his surname sounded very familiar.
"My big brother" Michael nodded, "He's a beat cop in New Orleans. My dad grew up there, you see, and that's where my parents are currently enjoying their retirement. Your mom and my mom used to be really good friends".
"Oh my goodness, I remember you" Ashleigh realized, "You were studying criminal justice at Penn State".
"I did media law at Berkeley" Michael corrected, assuming that perhaps Ashleigh had gotten his degree mixed up with Jack's, "but it's a pleasure to have you on the team. I need to tell my mom that you are here".
Ashleigh agreed.
-0-
Emily Prentiss and Jennifer Jareau hadn't spoken in many years which seemed really surprising to those who knew them. Somewhere along the way, Jennifer knew that Will had made so many sacrifices for their family over the years, that as a compromise, they ended up relocating to New Orleans.
Jennifer became a news reporter for 4WWL before eventually retiring with Will who went back to work. Years later, he finished out his career in the same station he was once a rookie.
Emily and JJ really didn't mean to grow apart, but time and distance got to them.
Ashleigh grew up better acquainted with the Hotchner family, but was excited that working with Michael now meant that perhaps her mom could reconnect with JJ.
And so, they should.
To Ashleigh, it felt like her mom hadn't smiled in a long time. She worked too hard. Even though Emily had accepted retirement, she didn't spend her time standing still.
In fact, she started writing non-fiction novels.
Emily told Ashleigh that she felt inspired, and that a hobby in writing had worked out for someone else she had known.
-0-
Ashleigh felt a pang of guilt that she didn't remember Michael's name, but he didn't seem phased. After shaking her hand, he excused himself to go and answer a phone call on his cell.
"This is Hunter Fisher" Olivia introduced the final member of the team.
The one with the coffee cup whom Ashleigh nearly side-swiped half-an-hour earlier.
"Nice to meet you, Agent Prentiss, and I promise that I will try not to spill coffee on you again today".
Ashleigh smiled at him, "Ah, please, no need to call me Prentiss, calling me Ashleigh is fine".
Hunter had very abstract fashion: his socks didn't match, his hair was very messy, and the coffee stain on his pressed white shirt indicted that spilling coffee was a regular occurrence for him. His tie was nearly as multicoloured as Zanthe's hair. Maybe it had been a gift from her?
Still, he had bright eyes and a nice smile.
Also, his name was Hunter Fisher, which Ashleigh thought was kind of a silly name.
She of all people knew you couldn't choose your name. The legacy that came with being Emily Prentiss's daughter made her who she was today, and no way was she going to change it.
Ashleigh could feel that she and Hunter would be fast friends.
"Did your parents like hunting?"
"Surprising, no. I've got a sister named Finessa. So, I think they just liked fishing themed names" Hunter chuckled.
"And Olivia, of course" Jack added, to finish the set.
Olivia curtseyed at her introduction, and gave a twirl.
Meanwhile, Zanthe was grabbing a polaroid camera out of her own go-bag.
"Do you mind if I take a photo of everybody to celebrate Ashleigh's first day?"
Everyone agreed.
They all stood together and took a quick photo, even though Michael and Jill were not in the snapshot.
Ashleigh felt the pang of guilt again, leaving them out of shot, but she also wasn't going to question it.
Zanthe must've realized what Ashleigh was thinking and explained that she would take another photo later.
Zanthe put some blue-tack on the polaroid and pinned it to Ashleigh's new desk, while Hunter went to the common room to quickly clean his coffee mug.
Ashleigh fiddled with all the drawers and knobs on her new desk and she tidied up some stationary she felt was out of place.
Jill and Michael walked down the stairs together, "Sorry, to interrupt the party. but we got a case".
"I will give you the day to get settled here Ashleigh, I've got agents who can show you how to complete admin reports. You can join us on the next one" Jill directed.
"I am ready to go, ma'am, if that changes anything" Ashleigh opened her briefcase to show a bag within a bag. This was her mini go-bag, and she had enough to get through a case or two.
"I can show her some admin on the plane if we had time" Olivia assured.
"In that case, let's go to Chicago. The jet will leave in eight minutes".
Jill stormed out of the room, closely followed by Michael who was giving her details from the iPad.
Everyone else quickly scattered to grab their things.
"Hey, Ashleigh," Jack blurted, in the middle of grabbing what he needed.
Ashleigh looked up from her desk, "Yeah?"
"Wheels Up, do you remember?".
"How could I forget?".