"You don't like me, do you?"
"Wow. Nothing gets past you, Sherlock. Do you keep one of those magnifying glasses tucked away in that little vest of yours?"
•••
Lydia Beowulf works for the Hostage Response T...
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"You're off the case." Hotch ordered as he slammed the door to his office behind them. The impact was so forceful it caused the blinds on his windows to slightly sway.
"Excuse me?" She coughed out, feeling perplexed. Every single decision made in regard to Anna's case had been wrong, but this was an entire step too far.
She could excuse Hotch's hesitation to making final calls with this particular case, as it was larger than them and multiple teams were in on its confidentiality. After all, the bureau didn't want everyday citizens to know that the most powerful women on the east coast, each with their own secrets unraveling, were dropping like flies. It was simply bigger than the BAU.
But it didn't make sense to remove her. At least not rationally. With the things that happened within the team's past and having personal involvement with cases, every single one played their hand in including themselves into the investigation. Why was Lydia the exception?
"You're too close. I should've benched you a while ago but I let I gave you the benefit of the doubt because you're my friend. I can't anymore. I don't want you anywhere near this investigation, do you understand?"
She scoffed, baffled by what was unfolding. "No. No, I don't understand. Hotch, this is bullshit. You wasted my time and emotional energy on my mother, now you're just throwing me away? If you think this is the correct way of handling this, you've lost all of my respect."
Hotch crossed his arms and she felt his eyes getting subtly narrower. She could see his guard coming up as the moments passed. However, his next words were unexpected. He let out a frustrated sigh. "You're right."
She couldn't stop the humorless laugh that left her lips. What was he playing at?
"It was a bad decision and I didn't have a clear plan. And that is why, Im taking you off this case. We will find Anna, rest assured. You just cannot be part of it." He confessed, looking guilty for his actions. He had pressure from people even above Strauss, and he wasn't thinking clearly on what needed to happen. It was a bumpy start to a case they didn't fully understand, but he was thinking clearly now. Letting Lydia on was a mistake, especially after finding out just how involved she was.
Lydia stood her ground in front of him, letting her arms cross over her chest. Her mind raced with any convincing reason she could give for many moments, until she cleared her throat. "We still don't know what he wants from me. Rachel clearly didnt help us, but—"
"Lydia, you need to leave." Hotch pinched the bridge of his nose, irritation building more and more.
"You need me for this investigation, Aaron." They had a staring match, his dark eyes bore into hers below furrowed brows. He wasn't convinced.
