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

Like...good cop, bad cop?

Emily raised her eyebrows, looking at him. "And she knows it, Derek. That's the reason we're here."

Humming, her colleague only slightly shook his head.

"He rarely critics other law enforcement when on a case. That's not productive," she threw in. "Or is your problem that Hotch actually seems to like her? Or that she seems to hate basements? Because let's be honest, I do too."

He looked at her, the crease in his brows deepening. "I don't trust her."

Patting his shoulder, Emily leaned in, sympathy written over her face.

"You don't have to, but he does. And knowing Hotch, that's a badge of honor in itself."

Both of them had been oblivious to Reid, sitting on the desk behind them.

"It's because he likes her more than all of us," he grinned, sipping on his coffee. Morgan only groaned in annoyance.

"Because Reid is right, all of us are going to keep on working now," Rossi reminded them, killing their discussion. Emily grinned to herself. He was very probably right.

****

Like Hotch had predicted, and to his immense relief, Garcia had dug up something.

"Alright my beloved, I do have three people fitting this profile. One dishonorable discharge from the US Navy, now working in catering, and two bartenders who used to be in the US Army. I send the current addresses to your phones," Garcia smiled up at them.

"Wow, you're fast. Ever interested in joining the Secret Service?" Alex chuckled, winking back at her. Clearing his throat pointedly beside her, Hotch thanked her.

"Stop compromising my people," he mumbled under his breath when they walked out again. Not that he meant it, he knew Garcia wouldn't just trade her home to work for Alex. He was just glad not to see her beating herself up. As challenging, unpredictable, and nerve-wracking he found the blonde beside him sometimes, as uncomfortable it made him to see her look this torn. Hotch had seen the look before, overseas. Right after he yelled at her for not telling him the second grenade was already disabled. It had made his anger dial down a lot quicker than had been justifiable, probably.

She looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "I wouldn't dare."

"Yeah, you would," he gave back, waving his team over. "We have a few names."

****

Interrogation room 1

One of the names had been Julie Andrews, and she had been at work, prepping for the event on Friday. How ironic, Alex had thought to herself, when Emily and Morgan had asked her to come with them for an interview. She was now on the other side of the one-way mirror, staring straight ahead. David Rossi looked through the glass, while Alex beside him studied the file.

"She looks relatively unfazed," he commented, "But that might be the training."

Humming, Alex closed the file beside her. "You're the profiler, what do you suggest?"

He turned to her, a mischievous smile on his lips. "How good can you act?"

****

When Alex said yes to Dave's plan, she had been curious, to say the least. Now, sitting in the interview, it wasn't hard to get angry, very, very angry. And at the same time, admire the plan he had come up with, just looking at her behavior, her file, and the way she had acted when Morgan and Emily had asked her to do an interview.