delicate | criminal minds

Chapter 2

TRIGGER WARNING: THIS CHAPTER HAS BRIEF MENTIONS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND MURDER. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

She was back at the BAU within thirty minutes. Her apartment was barely two blocks away and she had been walking this route for nearly two years almost every day. The unit was empty and for a moment Toni thought the team had left her behind. However, she quickly spotted them in a separate room off to the side where they were all seating at a round table.

Agent Hotchner glanced through the glass and her eyes met his. Her heart leapt in her chest, but Toni pushed it down as simply just nerves. That's all it could be, right?

The team all stood to their feet as Toni reached into the room. She waved, and, God, did it feel awkward. "Everyone, this is Agent Hartwell. She'll be joining us on our case in Seattle. Agent Hartwell this is Agent Derek Morgan, Dr. Spencer Reid, Agent Jennifer Jareau, Agent Emily Prentiss, Agent Dave Rossi, and this is our tech analyst Penelope Garcia. Agent Hartwell is joining us from the sex crimes unit here in Quantico. Make her feel welcome. Alright, everyone wheels up in 20."

The blonde one--Jennifer--was the first to stick her hand out to Toni. She had kind eyes and smile that just made Toni feel welcome. "Everyone just calls me JJ. It's nice to meet you."

"Pleasure's all mine. Feel free to call me Toni. Agent Hartwell always sounds too...formal to my coworkers to me."

The rest of the agents all went around shaking her hand--except for Dr. Reid. He simply shared the same awkward wave Toni had greeted them with moments before. Agent Morgan called her 'baby girl' which normally would have made her severely uncomfortable, but Emily Prentiss assured her he did it with everyone. 

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The jet roared underneath Toni's feet as it pulled up into the sky. Her hands gripped the leather seats, and she focused on the smoothness of the fabric. She always hated flying.

"Nervous?" Agent Hotchner wondered, his lips seeming to try and form a smile.. "Never been a fan of planes," Toni laughed. He seemed to have a tough exterior, but Toni had a feeling there was more to him than the hard exterior he put forward to the team. "Catch me up. What's going on in Seattle?" Hotchner's dark eyes darted towards Agent Morgan. 

Morgan straightened up before handing a file over to Toni. She pulls the photos out to reveal multiple blonde women with their throats slit and a red 'X' drawn across their faces. "Is that--"

"Blood." Morgan finished.

"So, they're all blonde. Same age range it looks like, same sort of build. What do you guys call them--surrogates?" Toni didn't look up from the photos. It was a bit more shocking than she expected for her first case. "Why the 'X', I wonder? That has to have some sort of meaning to him. Any signs of sexual assault?" 

"Yes, but no penetration. Could mean he's impotent." Doctor Reid piped in. Toni folded the photos back inside before putting it back on the table. "When was the last murder?" Toni crossed her arms before sitting back in her chair. "This morning. Hartwell, you'll come with me to to the crime scene when we land. Prentiss and Morgan will go to the local PD. Reid and JJ will talk to the families to see if we can get a connection about these girls. Rossi, go to the medical examiner and get as much information as you can." Everyone nodded and a momentary silence fell on the team.

Doctor Reid--Spencer was his first name--broke the silence.

"So why did you come interview at the BAU?" Toni was waiting for the question, and she had rehearsed her answer thousands of times on her walk to and from her apartment after packing her go bag. She wasn't the best liar. That's what her dad always said, but he was trained to spot lies, and so where the agents in front of her. "It's been on my mind since I was a kid. I started at the Academy after I graduated from NYU. I had a degree in psychology, and originally I planned on coming here. Then I got a job working sex crimes. Sex offenders particularly. I never wanted to leave. Agent Rossi and I knew each other from previous work together and he gave me a call earlier today. Agent Hotchner over here gave me an offer I couldn't refuse. So, I get to hang out with you guys to see how I feel."