anything

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a soft light filtered through the window, the sun barely starting to rise. i stood in front of the mirror, carefully applying makeup. my fingers moved deftly, not a single stroke out of place. mascara, eyeliner, foundation—everything had to be perfect. my mother always said that first impressions were everything, and today, that lesson rang especially true. it wasn't about vanity, it was about respect—respect for the job, for my father, and myself.

i pulled my hair back, ensuring not a strand was out of place. my father had raised hannah and me to be on our best behaviour and to present ourselves with poise and professionalism. even if i wasn't planning on getting too close to my new coworkers, i had a legacy to uphold. my father's legacy. i took a step back from the mirror and nodded to myself. i looked the part, at least.

by the time i grabbed my bag and headed out, the morning sun was already creeping higher into the sky. the drive was short, just a few minutes, and i thanked god my apartment wasn't far from the office. as i pulled into the parking lot, i grabbed my badge from my bag, flashing it to the man at the gate. he smiled at me and waved me through.

i parked my car, taking one last sip of coffee before stepping out. my paper, the case file from strauss, was clutched tightly in my hand. i took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and headed toward the building.

"hello, ma'am, which floor is the bau on?" i asked the receptionist. "the sixth," she replied with a smile, "you should see the bullpen as soon as you step out of the elevators."

"thank you." i responded, trying to keep the nervous energy from my voice. i stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the sixth floor, praying that no one would join me before the doors closed. thankfully, the elevator stayed empty. but the ride-up felt like an eternity, the kind of silence that only heightened nerves.

when the doors finally dinged open, i was greeted by large glass doors. through them, i could see dozens of people working away, busy and focused. i straightened my shoulders and stepped forward, opening the doors to my new life.

almost immediately, a young blonde woman met me. she looked to be about my age, maybe a bit younger. "hello, i'm agent jennifer jareau, jj will do. you must be agent mortier. hotch told us all about a new team member." she extended her hand. "yes, that's me," i said, shaking her hand. "could you point me to agent hotchner's office?"

"just up those stairs," she said kindly, "first door on the left." "thank you." i replied, feeling the weight of everyone's eyes on me as i walked through the bullpen. my box of personal things seemed heavier with each step up the stairs. when i reached the door, i knocked lightly.

"come in," hotchner's voice called from the other side. i opened the door to see him standing behind his desk. "it's wonderful to meet you, agent. welcome to the team." he said, shaking my hand. "thank you. i assume you have some papers for me to fill out?" i asked, cutting straight to business.

"yes," he said, gesturing for me to sit. "strauss gave you most of it, but i have a few forms on benefits and routine paperwork templates." i nodded, sitting down and pulling out a pen. as i signed the papers, i could feel his eyes on me, assessing, measuring.

"we brief new cases at ten a.m. weekdays, and paperwork tends to keep our agents here until around seven p.m. any questions?" "none at the moment. strauss covered a lot when we met." i answered, finishing up the last of the forms.

"right. well, if you'd like, i can introduce you to the team." hotchner offered. "i'd appreciate that." i said, standing up and following him down the stairs. as we entered the bullpen, i could see the agents hard at work—some chatting, others completely engrossed in their tasks.

"everyone, this is ssa madelyn mortier. she'll be joining us." hotchner said, introducing me to the group. he pointed to a tall, lanky man in a cardigan. "this is dr. spencer reid, our expert on, well, everything." "great to meet you," reid said, shaking my hand. "if you have time later, i'd love to discuss some of your previous work with the international operations division."

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