Case by Case

Wheels up

Oh god, oh god, where did I put my keys? And my jacket? Oh my god I start tomorrow and I am the most unorganized person on the entire planet! Oh there it is.

~

"Flight H115 to Virginia is now boarding. Please have your boarding pass on arrival at the gates, thank you"

With my bags all checked in, my ice blue laptop case in my hand is the only thing I can hold onto without my hands breaking into the shakes.

"Boarding pass, ma'am" the attendant said in a very monotone voice, clearly Sarah didn't want to be here anymore than I did.

Handing her my boarding pass, scribbling a black mark over it, I was allowed to proceed to the plane.

Why do they make the walk so long!?

36B, 36B, 36B, I repeat to myself as I mentally prepare myself for the 5 hour and 25 minute flight.

Sitting comfortably in my seat, I finally have the time to open up the envelope that Andy gave me. A notebook. Seriously? I open the first page of the book and there is a note in cursive writing;

"Never lose the one thing that you worked so hard to get: yourself"

Smiling, I put the notebook in my back pocket and prepare for takeoff.

~

6:10am Wednesday morning

When I arrived at the temporary hotel, the lady at the front desk handed me a sheet of paper that said

"Looking forward to meeting you, please make sure that you have arrived here by 8am sharp.

Regards, SSA Aaron Hotchner"

So here I am standing in front of my crappy mirror in the bathroom of my relatively livable hotel room deciding what to wear to my first day. At this point in the morning, I had only gotten 3 hours of sleep before I was woken by the screeching noise of my alarm. Never again.

Why is deciding what to wear such a difficult task? I'm sure they aren't going to mind, but looking professional is what I do best, perhaps maybe a little too professional.

Pulling my wavy brown hair into a loose ponytail, I decided on a navy blue pantsuit, and black heels. Surely I wont be doing any fieldwork today. But just incase, proper shoes are also on hand.

7:15am

Collecting my box of things I decided to take to the office, I head down the lift to the lobby where my driver is standing very patiently to take me to the most intimidating job I have ever had.

~

"Hi, I'm looking for SSA Aaron Hotchner's office?" I say to a lady sitting at her desk, I feel awful in interrupting her job, she looked so concentrated on her wor- "Just right through the doors up the steps" I smile at her, thanking and apologizing for interrupting.

As I walk past a large number of desks I feel eyes on me, 4 sets of them. But I don't look, I continue my way to Aaron Hotchner's office, just praying for the best.

3 simple knocks are all that takes for me to hear a faint "come in" from the other side of the door.

"SSA Hotchner? I'm detective Lester, the transfer from the Los Angeles Field office" I say extending my right hand for him to shake. Taking my hand in his, he sits back down in his chair and I follow suit, sitting across from him.