꘎♡━━━━━♡꘎
after joining the bau, madelyn mortier's hazy past clears--allowing her a fresh start. she endevers in this newfound family but will the demons of her past seep back in to destroy it? can she start anew and put aside her ghosts to focus on...
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╭──╯ . . . . . VIOLENT DELIGHTS ܴೈ
✧.* ONEERTAXEA . . . . . ╰──╮
november 7th, 2009
i hardly slept last night. i'd stare at the ceiling, drift off for a second, then jolt awake, my mind running through every reason why today might not happen. but then i'd check the clock, realize i still had hours to kill, and lay there, feeling the ache of just wanting to be back. the suspension had been brutal. not in the way i'd thought—no lectures, no dragging files around an empty office—but the silence, the way time just crawled by. i'd forgotten what it felt like to have nothing to do but stare out the window or read the same page of a book three times before giving up. i was restless, empty, like i'd been hollowed out and left to wait.
but today? today i'd finally get to feel like myself again. i took my time getting ready, savouring every little step. i brushed my hair, slipped into my suit, and ensured everything was perfect. i wanted to look like i hadn't missed a beat, like i was just as sharp as ever. when i looked in the mirror, i felt like i recognized myself again—a little weary, maybe, but steady, prepared, and finally heading back where i belonged. i get to the bau early, nerves humming under my skin. it's quiet this time of day, the stillness oddly comforting as i make my way to the bullpen. jj spots me first, a bright smile lighting up her face. "hey, you're back! you always miss the exciting news!" she says, her voice barely containing her excitement. "i'm pregnant! henry's going to have a little sibling."
i grin, genuinely happy for her, wrapping her in a hug. "that's amazing, jj. congratulations! i'm so happy for you." i say hello to the others as they trickle in. rossi gives me an approving look, clapping me on the shoulder. "glad to see you up and about." he says warmly. morgan fills me in on the latest cases, his animated retelling bringing a spark of life to the early morning.
as i'm getting settled, spencer approaches, his usual shy smile on his face. "happy belated birthday." he says quietly, almost like it's a secret just between us. i raise my brows in surprise, a soft laugh escaping me. "thank you, reid, but i didn't tell anyone. how'd you find out?" he shrugs, the hint of a smile deepening. "i, uh, read it in your file a while back. i know the time and weekday for everyone on the team." we exchange a small smile, the warmth from the team already easing some of the tension from the week. it feels good to be back— i'm home.
hotch strides in, his briefcase in hand, and as he passes by my desk, he stops. "agent mortier, my office." he says briskly before continuing without waiting for a response. i follow, my heart pounding with a mix of frustration and anticipation. as i step inside, he's already setting his things down, his movements precise and deliberate. he takes a moment to organize his desk, the silence stretching as i stand there waiting. finally, he nods toward the chair across from him. "have a seat."
