✓ 𝐑𝐄𝐈𝐃'𝐒 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋, 𝘴. 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘥

CHAPTER ONE.

"Um, thank you?" I almost laughed again, but it still seemed to put a nice smile on my face from the kindness she was showing for hardly knowing me.

"It's a compliment, silly!" Claire's quite adorable laugh echoed throughout the hallway, waving her hand gently for exaggeration.

I shifted a bit while looking down to my hands, feeling a bit awkward since I am completely tired and haven't had the chance to wake up quite yet; especially to be my usual, cheery self.

"Well I should probably get going since Agent Hotchner is waiting," I stated, flashing another polite smile as the strawberry blonde nodded repeatedly. But before I started to walk away, I quietly whisper to her. "And congratulations on the engagement."

Her mouth falls ajar, and she looks completely stunned. "H-how'd you know? I haven't told anyone..."

"You do work with profilers," I smiled, almost feeling like I was to laugh but I didn't mean it in a harsh way, so I didn't. "You were smiling while looking at your hand in I walked in, and once I was close enough I saw you had a ring and it looks basically brand new. Plus, you keep playing with it which means you're probably not used to having one of your finger. But thank you for the directions, Claire."

Before she could say anything else, I whipped my head around towards the set of elevators I spotted walking in, and I left her to be surprised by herself.

I took a step into the elevator, and clicked the big button that had the number six written on it, and impatiently tapped my foot. But at the last second, someone stuck their lanky arm in between the closing doors before they had a chance to fully close, and they opened back up to allow a rather young man in.

"Uh," he stared at me, and that was when I took in his beautiful giant puppy-like chocolate eyes and brown shaggy hair. For a few seconds, the man stood in between the doors while staring deeply into my emerald eyes as I gapped a little at his facial features. "Sorry, I-I didn't mean to stare."

He swiftly stepped into the elevator and I moved over a few inches so he had more room. I closed my pink lips back shut, mentally scolding myself because truthfully I stared at him just as much as he stared at me.

He wasn't wearing a suit, which was surprising because every other man in the building she had saw so far was, but rather a tan sweater that also went to about his wrists, with a dark brown vest over it. His pants were a dark brown that matched his sweater vest, and he looked to dress like a grandfather but he couldn't be over twenty-five.

"Six please," he interrupted the awkward silence, just as soon as the elevator doors close softly.

"Looks like we're going to the same place, um," I started, but I didn't know his name to finish the sentence, so I pathetically cringed up my face in hopes he'd finish it for me.

"Dr., uh, Spencer Reid. You don't have to call me Dr., you can call or Spencer, or Reid, or whatever you want..." he stuttered a bit on his words, hardly forming one word without rushing to the next one.

"I'm Theresa Carter," I smiled, flashing a bit of my white teeth, and hold out my hand for him to take it in. "You can call me Tessa, though."

The man's eyes hover a bit as he switched from staring at me to my hand, and he slowly stretched his out to meet mine. His palms were slightly sweaty, but I didn't mind since mine were probably the exact same way with how anxious I was feeling.

I wanted to start small talk, or get to know this rather cute man, but I don't say anything. Since either I was too nervous to form words or I didn't even know what we would talk about. We sat in an awkward silence for a minute or two before we reached the sixth floor, and I frown upon myself for not trying to make friends at this new potential job.

Spencer allowed me to go first, and I breathed out a 'thanks' and took a few steps and searched the floor. I easily recognized it as a bullpen, that consisted of several cubicles, and a small set of stairs that lead up to offices, probably for the more official leaders. Everyone was busting around, and it was only six in the morning, and I wondered what it'd look like in the middle of the day.

Spencer walked out of the elevator too, and headed over to a group of three people standing next to or sitting on their cubicles. Watching Spencer come towards them, eventually their eagle eyes fell on me, and they started whispering in hushed voices. My cheeks turned a little red because I knew they were so obviously talking about me, and I was a bit embarrassed.

"Agent Carter?"

I spun around fast on my heels from the unfamiliar voice, and spotted a tall, black with a tint of gray haired man with a very stern face on behind me. He looked more agitated than friendly, and the same anxiety rippled throughout my body, but straightened this time.

"Dr.," I correct softly, a mouse could probably talk louder than me. "Dr. Carter, sir."

"I'm Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner, but you can call me Hotch," he spoke quickly and firmly, not a split second of hesitation in his tone, his expression not shifting even in the slightest way. "Shall we go to my office?"

"Of course, sir."

I hated adding 'sir' to sentences, but with this scary man in front of me, I didn't want to disrespect him in any way possible.

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a/n: thanks for choosing to read this story!!