𝙰𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝 𝙰𝚕𝚕 𝙾𝚍𝚍𝚜 | 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛 𝚁𝚎𝚒𝚍

In A Blur

"𝘎𝘖!"

"𝘠𝘖𝘜'𝘙𝘌 𝘕𝘖𝘛 𝘋𝘠𝘐𝘕𝘎 𝘛𝘖𝘖!"

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

The days after Emily's death passed by like a blur. The BAU seemed to sort of shut down for a while. They worked cases almost monotonously because it was their duty, but they weren't always together. Taking a few days had almost been a requirement for everyone, just not at the same time. Spencer and Morgan were the ones to take the most days out. No one batted an eye at the fact. Being short-handed wouldn't be a problem until later, but later was now.

Aitana didn't mind coming in early when Hotch asked her to. She'd taken it upon herself to work extra hard in the last week to cushion those who didn't have the energy to. Hotch, however, was the only one whose schedule hadn't changed. She admired him for that because she herself was struggling. He was the boss. He couldn't afford to do the same. He had to keep working.

"You understand that you were hired as a part-time liaison for the situation, right?" Hotch decided to start with first. It seemed so long ago now the day JJ came to him with the idea of who should take her job after she was gone. Aitana unknowingly thought of the same thing.

"Yeah," she whispered. "JJ gave me a landline. It's the first job after WP that I've been able to hold onto."

"And you've done it well. Not everyone has the skills to be a liaison. That's why it's a specific position." Hotch wanted her to understand that before he went into his next point. "You've been here a little bit more than 6 months now so you know that you're up for your probationary evaluation."

Aitana nodded. "I know."

"With Emily's passing, things have gotten a little backtracked but I need to warn you that it is happening."

"I figured," Aitana said. Strauss has already told her that the first time they met and she was not looking forward to having the evaluation if it was with her. "Is, uh, Strauss going to be—"

Hotch shook his head, a faint smile marking his face. "No, that's my job." He almost laughed when Aitana audibly exhaled. "She'll just see the paperwork."

"Okay." Aitana couldn't help the smile that made it to her face.

"As policy, the others are going to be subjected to a therapy session to see how they're handling Prentiss' death. You, however, as well as Seaver, are exempt due to your short term at the BAU."

"I sense a 'but' coming in soon..."

"Yes. I'll do the evaluation when I do the grief therapy. Give you time to process along the way."

"Thank you," Aitana said. She eyed Hotch curiously, trying to figure something out that she wouldn't exactly be hiding either.

For that matter, Hotch would move straight into the real reason she was called in earlier. "Strauss wants me to hire a new profiler, preferably an experienced one. Seaver is just about to graduate and having a probationary Agent wouldn't exactly be ideal under these circumstances. I am going to see my options but being frank, I would rather take over as a part-time Liaison with Garcia and simply change your position to a full time profiler." Aitana's eyes widened but she didn't say anything straightaway. "Strauss won't get off my back until the position for a profiler is filled and, thinking like JJ, a familiar face is always better than a new one. Especially when that familiar face does her job well. Is that something you would be interested in?"