Bookstore Girl, 𝘴. 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘥

xxi.

✧.* season two, episode 15

Portland, 2000

The Portland Police Bureau was it. 

This was it. 

The young woman stepped victoriously into the building at precisely half past five a.m., just as the letter of acceptance had stated.  

Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself as she was immediately under the gaze of approximately a dozen young men - all two years older than herself. 

Some of them glared at her, probably wondering why some girl was here. Other, well, they looked at her like she was a meal. 

A loud banging of a door hitting a wall gained all of their attention, hers included. 

The man who'd pushed it open - their commanding officer, she realized - scanned the crowd of trainees with discontent plastered plainly on his face. 

What a ray of sunshine, she thought dryly, watching him start pacing in front of them. 

She could practically smell the toxic masculinity, not that she'd tell anyone that. 

The man finally paused, his legs now shoulder-width apart. Typical military stance. 

"Cadets!" He bellowed, and she shifted herself to stand taller. "Welcome, to the Portland Policing Academy. I'll be overseeing your physical training. My name is irrelevant, you will call me sir. Do I make myself clear?" 

The cadets faced forward. 

"Yes, sir!" The men to her left echoed, and their commanding officers gaze zeroed in on her. 

"I didn't hear you, Cadet." 

(y/n) swallowed, tilting her chin up. 

"Yes, sir." 

✧.* (ꜰᴇʙʀᴜᴀʀʏ 2007. )

'This was always about you'. 

His words reverberated within the agent's mind as she tried to figure out what in the hell he meant. 

"I don't-" she cleared her throat "I don't understand." The man in front of her sighed heavily - again - and loosened his tie. 

"It's been a long couple of days. You should go home, get some rest." (y/n) felt a very inappropriate laugh bubbling inside her chest, and she managed to tamp it down - just barely. 

"Uh, where is that, exactly?" He frowned, not understanding her question. "I mean, do I go back to Oleksyn's bookshop or-" 

A knock on the door interrupted them, and (Y/n) swiveled in her chair to see who it was. Hotch called them in, and Emily Prentiss gave her a little wave. 

"Sir?" she said, stepping into the room. "Sorry, I know I'm interrupting." 

"No, that's all right Prentiss. Go ahead." 

The black-haired woman nodded, smiling warmly at (y/n).

"If you need anything, I'm here." (y/n) paused, realizing the words meant more than the fellow agent led on. 

"Thanks, Emily." 

The agent nodded, before leaving through Hotch's office door. (y/n) blew out a stream of air from her mouth, letting the reality of what was going on sink in.