No-one had seen Annabel Bradey in a decade, that was until she resurfaced in SSA Aaron Hotchner's office in Quantico. She was carrying scars both physical and mental, but wouldn't share her story. Or at least not until everyone she loved was in dang...
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Derek Morgan was laughing with Annabel as they sat on the plane, having already discussed the victimology and previous profile with the rest of the team. Normally, he would have been attempting to remain focused and professional, but he had made casual conversation with the women which led to the laughter from both of them. She was telling him about the time that Jack had asked her to dress him up as the Phantom of the Opera, after she had shown him the film and he had grown obsessed, and she then pulled her phone from her pocket to show him the photos. The woman went on the recount the time that she had come back from the store to see Aaron and Jack covered in flour as the latter tried to teach his father how to bake the cake that he had made with her so many times before. Each time she spoke about the young boy a grin would fill her face that caused any pain or tired expression to leave it. Derek was glad that Annabel had found something to keep her from becoming isolated from anyone who tried to get close.
Somehow, this had been the most Derek had heard about Jack, with Aaron being overly private about his family and how they spent their time. While he couldn't blame him, their work already taking up a large percentage of their time, he had become newly aware of the fact that Jack was a light in the life of the two team members who had gone through so much in such a short space of time. He could see Aaron withholding a smile from where he sat, his lips twitching every time Annabel laughed about something his son had done, her eyes lighting up in a way he had never seen nor expected. Derek was now well aware of the joy their little family brought the two of them, no matter how unconventional the living situation was.
Derek shook his head as Annabel made a joke about how Aaron was a different person in work, stating, "Lil Red, if you can prove to me that Hotch has any other mode than the serious boss man, I'd give you anything you a trunk full of money. Hell, I'd buy you your own jet."
"Seriously, Eyebrows, you shouldn't promise things you can't afford." She smirked, having leaned back in her seat. "I have videos from twenty years ago that would shock you."
Derek furrowed his brow, not at all being concerned about her latter statement, he simply asked, "Eyebrows?"
"If you're going to call me Little Red, then I deserve to give you a nickname of my own." Annabel explained, winking at him before she excused herself.
Derek watched in shock as she crossed to the back of the plane, her face falling before she was even a few steps away. He turned to Aaron, catching his attention worry painting his face, but the Unit Chief simply shook his head allowing the woman to enter the small bathroom. The younger of the two Agents was shocked at his superiors ability to remain in his seat as Annabel took her moment away from the team, for the past few months he had been fussing over every action she did and calling her almost constantly. Now, he was allowing her to separate herself while visibly upset.
Minutes had passed before she left the room, grabbing a bottle of water as she passed the small fridge. Derek noticed how, since she had entered the plane her steps had become heavier. It worries him that there could be such a sudden switch in her behaviour, especially considering she was their link with families and victims from this point onwards. If she were to suddenly lose focus while in an interview, then they could miss important elements of the profile. There was a chance that Annabel could be a liability to the team.
He watched as Aaron caught her hand, stopping her before she could reach her seat. Their conversation was short, but Derek understood the topic. Annabel nodded her head at Aaron, ensuring him that she was okay, muttering something about the nerves of flying suddenly hitting her. However, Derek knew from his boss' face that he did not believe her.
Annabel took her place once more, smiling at Derek as she pulled her legs underneath her. He was about to question her, in a similar way to Aaron earlier, but Emily joined them before he could. The brunette sat beside Derek, making a comment about Spencer having fallen asleep midway through a conversation, the genius clearly having spent far too much time reading the night before.
Noticing the look on Annabel's face, the brunette took her hand asking sarcastically, at an attempt to create a smile, "Is he bothering you, Annie?"
"Honestly, Emily," Annabel started, her face remaining serious in a way that, when mixed with her tone, made Derek wonder if he had asked the wrong question or said the wrong thing. However, she soon began to smile, unable to keep the humour out of her voice as she added, "He's being such a nuisance. And, for some reason, he's decided to call me Little Red. He could have at least been creative."
"What, like eyebrows is creative?" Derek question, folding his arms as Emily rolled her eyes.
Shaking her head, the brunette beside him declared, "You know, now you said that I can't seem to concentrate on anything but your eyebrows."
"Okay, what name could I have used that was more creative, Prentiss?" Derek question, challenging the woman loud enough for the rest of the plane to hear.
"Ginger Spice," Emily stated, raising her shoulders as she gave the most obvious answer to herself.
However, behind her, Spencer, who had been woken by the sound of laughter from the trio, offered, "Weasley or Tintin."
"I approve of those two," Annabel called out to the younger man, him waving as a sign of recognition.
Besides her, David offered, "Soulless. Or Cheeto-head."
"I like the second one," the woman in discussion announced, chucking at the fact that she hadn't heard that form before. "I used to get called Carrot-Top a lot, which always confused me because carrot tops are green."
Having laughed as the woman's face contorted in confusion, the team turned to Aaron, awaiting his contribution, but he remained fixed on his tablet. Noticing how he was avoiding the conversation, Derek smirked stating, "Come on Hotch, there must have been something you called her to rile her up."
Annabel smiled into her lap, recalling the first time he had called her anything to do with her hair colour. She had been rambling on about something she had become inhumanly obsessed with, and he had begun to laugh at her. Of course, at the time she hadn't realised how much she was rambling, so she had taken offence to it. Despite her reaction, the name had stuck.
"Seriously, Hotch, you've gotta tell us." Emily laughed, having seen Annabel's reaction and becoming intrigued.
He didn't look up from his tablet as he stated, "Ginger Nut."
"Like the biscuit?" Emily questioned, a slight chuckle on her voice.
Aaron shook his head, "No, as in she was being a nut and she was ginger."
"As I recall it you had started the conversation," Annabel declared, in an attempt to clear the air. "I didn't just start randomly rambling."
"Sure, Cheeto-Head," David laughed, returning to his book as the rest of the team laughed.
