"It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are thoroughly alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger after them." George Eliot
Exactly thirty minutes later, Penelope Garcia and Aaron Hotchner were ready, waiting at her car. Alex, smoothing the bun she had just produced, walked up to them. Relax, be professional, she thought to herself. The meeting with Strauss had at least solved some of the feelings of having to tiptoe around him after yesterday night. Maybe she really was reading too much into their interactions. Well, he almost kissed you, and you keep thinking about repeating said occurrence. Alex sighed internally. Just focus on the case.
"Punctual as always," she remarked in their direction, opening the car. Garcia, a notebook clutched in her hands, slipped into the car behind the driver's seat. Hotch only gave her an amused look that she didn't fully understand.
"What?" she asked but received no answer. Shrugging, Alex got behind the wheel. Pulling out of the parking lot, she felt Hotch's eyes on herself.
"Your hair is almost regulation, I'm impressed," he said to her, leaning comfortably against the headrest. He looked as if the meeting with Strauss had solved some of the tension for him, too. Alex couldn't hide a little grin.
"I learned something overseas, not just not to listen to you."
She was still surprised to hear him chuckle a little.
"You do excel in it though," Hotch gave back.
Humming, Alex threw him a short look. "I might've been born with it, it's just too easy for me."
He only shook his head good-heartedly. Noticing the silence behind her, Alex looked at Garcia in the rearview mirror.
"Are you okay back there? You've been very quiet," she asked the other blonde. Garcia met her eyes, nodding choppily.
"Tyler told me how many cars you crashed this year, this is all, Ma'am," she said quickly, avoiding her eyes again. Stunned by her response, Alex was quiet for a few seconds.
"To my defense," she gave back, "I crashed two cars and no one in it. Our suspects would've gotten away otherwise. Everyone is fine. Tyler is just pissed about the paperwork."
Deliberately ignoring the reproachful look Hotch gave her, she pulled into another lane.
"And I thought we were past the Ma'am," Alex continued, her tone teasing. She didn't miss Garcia's "If I get out of this car alive", but only chuckled. The analyst really did wonders for breaking any ice.
"Is Henley going to be there tonight?" Hotch asked.
"No, fortunately not. She is somewhere else, but Major Barnes from Homeland will probably show up," Alex gave back with a sigh, her eyes on the road. "So I would be more than happy if we can catch this Unsub tonight."
"Or else your tomorrow starts with a shouting match?"
Humming, Alex nodded. I need my morning tomorrow to be not case-related, she thought to herself. This case was becoming overwhelmingly exhausting. Pulling into the parking lot, Alex stopped the car.
"See, we made it safely," she said to the two, unbuckling her seat belt.
"I'm very proud," Hotch only said. Giving him a smirk, Alex got out, smoothing out her white blouse.
"As you said, today I'm as close to regulation as I can be. So prepare yourselves."
She grabbed the form-fitted black blazer from the back, her bag, strapped a knife to her ankle, and turned to look at the two FBI agents.
YOU ARE READING
And If I Fall, Let Me Part I: At Your Service - A. Hotchner x OC & Jemily
Fanfic"Look who the cat dragged in," she directed at Hotch, smirking. To her surprise, Emily watched as her boss' lip twitched in what was suspiciously close to a smile. Now that was unusual. She had never seen that woman before. "Surprised they let you w...
