𝙰𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝 𝙰𝚕𝚕 𝙾𝚍𝚍𝚜 | 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛 𝚁𝚎𝚒𝚍

Take a Leap

After what Aitana had gone through, and what she felt like she put the BAU through, she never expected to receive a call from the unit chief himself. She almost thought she was being pranked. When Hotch finally made her see it was not a prank at all, they were able to set up a meeting between the two. At least...Aitana had thought it would be just them. She was at the BAU pretty early and on a rare day that the team had a day off.

To her even bigger surprise, it wasn't just Hotch in his office, it was also JJ.

"Good...morning?" Aitana felt completely out of place upon entering the office.

"Good morning," they chorused together.

"Sit please," JJ motioned to the chair across the desk. Aitana nodded like a dutiful student following instructions. "You must think this is weird..."

"That...may have crossed my mind," Aitana's eyes were flickering from JJ to Hotch. "Am I in trouble?" Had they finally come to their senses and realized she was just a troublemaker who made their lives more difficult?

"No," Hotch told her. "We're actually hoping you can help us out."

"Seriously?" On the list of the possibilities this appointment could take, this was certainly not on the list. Aitana felt like she needed to take things slowly and review, just in case she missed something. "Why...why me? No, sorry, wrong question. What's the problem?"

Hotch looked at JJ for some reason which soon led Aitana to conclude that this helping out thing was more of JJ's idea than his. JJ definitely looked the nervous kind which just solidified Aitana's suspicions.

"I'm being transferred out of the BAU," JJ finally said something. "It's not my choice but it's final."

"Oh...sorry," Aitana said, holding that her next question didn't make her seem imprudent. "But, um, what does that have to do with me exactly?"

"We've been going over your resume," Hotch said, much to Aitana's surprise.

"What? But I never..." she started shaking her head, "...I didn't submit..."

"We know," Hotch told her as he pulled out just that sheet from a pile on the desk. "Given that you aren't in Witness Protection, we were able to request it from your Captain."

"You just..." Aitana felt like she was making herself look like an even bigger idiot asking half questions. Either she said something complete or nothing at all. "Forgive me but I'm not understanding the point of all this."

"I'm hoping that we can transfer JJ back to the BAU eventually but whatever happens we both agreed that we wouldn't want a stranger filling in her position." Hotch's eyes seemed to flicker over to JJ every now and then as if to make sure that was still what she agreed on.

It was a good idea that JJ came up with. He was so set on being able to keep her in the unit that he never considered he might actually lose the battle and her. But JJ had thought ahead in case that happened. She'd come to talk him the moment they wrapped up the Miles Holloway case. It was an odd request she made but at the same time logical once time passed to consider it.

If JJ was transferred - which she was - then there would be an open spot in the BAU that would no doubt have to be filled. Even if Hotch didn't hire anyone, Strauss would. One way or another, there would be someone on the team and it was at that point that Hotch came to agree with JJ. None of them wanted a stranger within their team. Even though they only knew a bit of Aitana, she was less of a stranger than anyone else who could be considered for the position. Aitana knew each of them, she definitely had rapports with Emily and Spencer. JJ personally liked her - she made it very clear to Hotch. The way she talked Miles down sounded almost like something anyone else on the team would say.' 'She put herself in front of the gun.' Not to mention, Aitana had a stellar background.