Chapter Text
Hotch leaned over the railing in front of his office and flicked his eyes over his team; Morgan, JJ, Reid and Rossi were all sat at their desks, Reid was hunched over a file and was scribbling in reports and notes, JJ was filtering emails brow furrowed slightly with concentration, Morgan was leaning back in his chair reading a report while one hand fiddled with his pen, Rossi was writing letters in his office. Hotch had texted Garcia so she was on her way too.
He caught their attention, "in the meeting room. I have news" he revealed nothing more.
Reid caught Morgan's eye and raised his brow, Morgan just shrugged and tilted his head to go. JJ stood up and followed her friends to the meeting room. Suddenly Garcia was next to her and bustling close to her. Rossi paced behind the team, he watched all their body movements; he noted Reid's slightly hunched shoulders, Morgan's hand clenched tightly into a fist, Garcia's lowered head and clenched files held tightly to her chest and JJ's downcast gaze. He himself knew he too was showing the signs of grief. Held in grief. He felt it aching in his chest, a hole. Barren and cold. It would be impossible to fully heal or fill.
Hotch looked up from the files scattering the desk and he too saw the dejected team trudge in. Rossi caught his gaze and blinked, he knew how they felt. They all felt it.
"Do we have a case?" Rossi asked, lowering himself into his seat
"Of a sort" Hotch replied
The others glanced at each other, confused.
"What do mean 'of a sort'?" JJ asked
Hotch sucked in a deep breath, "I know everyone is still mourning Emily" instantaneously Reid dropped his gaze to his white knuckled grip in his lap and Morgan's lips thinned, "I am too." Hotch glanced at JJ who looked glazed and distant, then she looked up a glitter of hope in her eyes, was he going to tell the others what they knew?, "but I have news."
"What is it?" Garcia asked
"We are a team member down and we cannot afford to be so. So I decided to bring in a new member"
All the eyes in the room stared at him, wide and shocked.
"Who are they?" Garcia demanded, her instinctive protectiveness for her family kicking in and wanting to shield them from any new intruder.
He stood in the elevator, gripping his few things tightly. His new suit was tight around his neck, shifting his grip so his arm looped under the box he tugged at the collar with his finger to no avail. Sighing he got proper hold of the box again and tried to stand still. However, nerves made that very difficult. He was finally in the FBI. He'd waited for years, gone through countless tests, trials and interviews. And it was the BAU. His stomach clenched at the very thought. A small smile flickered across his face, it vanished when the floor level dinged. He was here. He stepped out of the lift into a space corridor. The glass doors with the FBI logo stood before him, the hall was silent. He took a deep breath and shouldered the doors open. The bull pen was empty, scanning his eyes over the desks he tried to clam himself but his heart was racing with adrenaline and terror. Clenching his hands around the cardboard until it dug sharply into his fingers and palms he opened his eyes. His eyes were draw to some movement in the right of the room, a smaller room had six people inside. A tall man was standing with his back to him, arms held loosely at his side, he guessed that was Hotch. Three more men sat at the round table alongside two women. His team.
He kept hold of his box and walked quickly up the stairs to the door behind which stood his new team. The door was open and their voices carried out slightly.
"Who are they?" A woman's voice asked
"He's new. One of the Young FBI candidates-"
"Wait" a man's voice interrupted Hotch, he could tell it was joined by a hand gesture, probably a point with a pen or something, "you're telling me that we are getting a greenie. Completely new with no experience of what we do?" The voice was incredulous.
"He may be new but he was the best in his group, in the year in fact. He stood out in all areas. Also he has had experience of cases before, his dad is a sheriff-"
"There's a big difference between being a small town sheriff's kid and dealing with bodies." The voice huffed
A female added to that statement, "Morgan's right. He may have been good with the programme but it is very different out in the field."
"How old are they?" A softer male voice asked, he guessed that was the youngest man.
Hotch replied, "23."
A moment of silence. He could practically hear the eyebrows raising.
"That's young..." a male voice replied hesitantly, the older man
"I was only 22 when I joined" the young voice responded, he took a liking to the voice as he listened in
"You were an exception."
"He excelled in every aspect of the programme. Firearms, operational and tactical skills, leadership, physical. Overall he was outstanding."
A flush of pride made him smile, all his hard work and dedication had paid off.
"When are we going to meet him?"
He thought it was time he made his presence known, so straightening his shoulders he closed in on the door. His heart was racing and washes of adrenaline crashed through him. The backs of the agents came into view one by one. Last was Hotch who caught sight of him,
"Right about now."
"What's his name?" The young man asked
"It's Stilinski." He replied.
All eyes latched into him
He smiled slightly, "call me Stiles."