Cruel - Criminal minds enemies to lovers

The yacht

"Hey Athena- can I have a word?" Emily walked over to Athena who was sat throwing scrunched up paper into the bin opposite Morgan's desk- missing it almost every time.

"Sorry, I'm swamped over here- super busy, important stuff" Athena said dismissively- clearly not busy. She was waiting for Morgan to finish an interview with potential new members for the team since JJ left on a 6 week leave a week after everything blew up with her, Reid and JJ. Will had made her choose, either she take a break from work and help work on their relationship or he would divorce her and take full custody of Henry.

Hotch spent a week trying to convince the board to let her have the time off, trying every trick and loop hole to make it work for her so that she didn't have to lose her job but nothing worked- that was until Athena went in there. He didn't know what she said to them but after 30 minutes of her talking at them, JJ was given 6 weeks paid leave.

"You don't even like JJ- how did you do that?" Hotch asked her as they walked back to the office after the meeting,

"I don't dislike her, I just think she's boring" Athena laughed "well, I guess she's not super boring anymore given the whole 2 affairs thing- she's gone up in my books."

Hotch gave a stern look at her.

"I'm kidding!" Athena laughed.

"I tried everything I could think of to get the leave- seriously, how did you do that? Did you blackmail them? You can't do that Athena."

"You think so lowly of me" Athena mocked with a chuckle "no, I didn't blackmail them- I'm just really good at negotiating."

"What did you given them in return?" Hotch turned to her before they entered the building.

"I just gave her my vacation time and any mandatory leave time. Oh yeah, I also kind of agreed to work as a CIA operative for them like they've been asking me to for weeks which I think sold the deal- I'm not leaving the BAU, I'll just signed a contract saying that for the next 10 years if they need me for a case, I'll do it for free" she shrugged.

"You did what?!" Hotch paused in shock "Athena, you can't just sign a contract with the FBI and CIA writing away your rights to drag you onto any possible case. The CIA cases are very dangerous and they've been known to just use agents as pawns on suicide missions. You especially can't sign a contract that says you'll do it for free over the next 10 years if they need you!"

"Jokes on them, I don't have 10 years left to live" Athena chuckled before seeing his serious face and rolling her eyes.

"Oh come on Hotch- you really don't think that I didn't do something sneaky to cover my ass? There was a reason I sent you out the room and waited until 2 members of the panel went to the toilet- that contract is void. There was not enough people present when I signed it and I dated it wrong. I know how to get things without giving anything back- you're not the only one who knows the law, my experience with it just happens to be from the other side of the bar."

He smiled with relief.

"You tricked the FBI again" he chuckled and walked into the office with her.

"And I'll do it again so watch out" she laughed.

"Come on Athena, please?" Emily knelt down beside her at Morgan's desk "I just- you haven't let me apologise."

It had been a week since the incident and the case where half the team ended up having to work it whilst JJ, Reid and Emily were sent home. The team were struggling as it was to keep up with paperwork so Hotch called in Emily and Reid to come back to work as well as starting interviews for a temporary replacement for JJ just to take the pressure off the team.