And If I Fall, Let Me Part I: At Your Service - A. Hotchner x OC & Jemily

Unrest

"I accept chaos, I'm not sure whether it accepts me." Bob Dylan

The streets were about as busy as to be expected, as Alex pulled into the right lane. Morgan was sipping on some coffee in the driver's seat, while Emily sat behind him, busy with her phone.

"So how long have you known Hotch?" Morgan asked as she had to stop in the middle of a traffic jam. Alex shot him a grin. She had wondered if their unit chief would've said something beforehand. Apparently not.

"I like how you cut right to it, Agent Morgan."

Grinning back, Morgan leaned into his seat, ignoring the snort that Emily had shot from the back. "What can I say, I like to know what's up."

Or maybe he did know, and this was a test. Alex hummed, changing lanes. "Eight years. We were on an assignment overseas together."

Putting her phone away, Emily leaned forward.

"How long have you been back? Hotch never mentioned being overseas for long," she asked. Their eyes met in the rearview mirror, and Alex had to suppress a smirk at the fake innocent expression on Emily's face that both women knew wasn't real.

"He was there for the protection of some diplomats, and I was still in the army. He went back to the US, and I stayed...uh, seven more years, give or take. Maybe that's why," she explained. The brunette leaned back, processing the information.

Morgan had followed the exchange, his eyes settling back on the road. "Why out now?"

It was the first time she couldn't hide something real passing over her features, something besides either amusement, stress, or professional thoughtfulness. Judging from the face Emily gave her in the mirror, she had given the two a full house. Alex tried pulling herself together quickly, but she knew it was already too late.

"Fighting wars and not even knowing why lost its appeal," she said, her voice carefully neutral, "And at least now I get to pretend I take care of people's safety. In the end, I wasn't so sure anymore over there."

Morgan nodded slowly. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

Stopping the car, Alex raised an eyebrow in his direction. "Ex-military, ex-navy?"

Morgan shook his head and opened the door.

"Ex-cop," he said, "Sometimes telling yourself to hunt really bad guys is all you got left."

Alex looked at him for a second, taking in the other man. Yeah, and trying to forget about everything you lost, she thought to herself but kept quiet. This was neither the time, nor the place, and Morgan might be trustworthy, but this was not enough. Never enough, she mused to herself.

"Right," she said, setting up an easier smile again, "Welcome to gala venue number one."

****

Alex leaned against the wall, watching the two FBI agents take a tour through the main room. Every room, every air duct had once been searched by the Secret Service, to make sure nothing was out of place. She still, and always did have the feeling they missed something. And with three dead people, Alex realized those anxious feelings had their justification. No matter if there had been nothing she could've done.

She sighed, rubbing her face. It was already Tuesday, and Friday was the next gala. Another dead government employee and this was going to turn from worse to absolute hell.

"Agent Evans, is there a basement?" Morgan asked, walking back to her. Alex shook herself out of her gloomy thoughts. Pulling up the plan on her phone, she nodded.