Gravitational Constant

Chapter 1

Emily's first day at the BAU isn't quite what she expects, but when the team deals with a terrorist threat, she finally gets her shot. Follows S2E9, "The Last Word," and S2E10, "Lessons Learned."

Emily Prentiss tugged nervously at her blazer and sat up a little straighter as she looked around the Section Chief's office. Section Chief Erin Strauss was a middle-aged blonde woman with a stern, detached, perfectly composed demeanor that reminded Emily of her mother, but that wasn't the only thing that made her anxious to earn Strauss' approval. This interview with the Section Chief was the last hurdle before she could join the FBI's elite Behavioral Analysis Unit.

"Your file is certainly impressive, Agent Prentiss," Strauss said, "I see you were posted to Interpol for three years...but then you spent the past year working a desk job in the Chicago field office. That's an interesting career move."

"After my last Interpol assignment I needed a change," Emily said, "I needed some time to process and decompress, and working a desk was good for that. But now, I'm ready to get back in the field. I think I'd do well in the BAU."

"Well, you're certainly highly qualified."

"Thank you."

"Some might say over-qualified..."

"Ma'am?"

"Well, with your skillset, you could go anywhere," Strauss said, "Why do you want the BAU so badly?"

"I need a job where I know that I'm helping people," Emily replied honestly, "I need to know that what I do every day is actually saving lives and making a difference. The BAU profiles and catches some of the worst offenders out there. The work they do is important. It's noble. I would be honored to be a part of that work."

"I think you know how competitive these openings in the BAU are."

"Yes, ma'am."

"We want to make sure we get the Bureau's best and brightest in this unit," Strauss continued, "Especially now. The BAU has had a bit of an...unexpected turnover. I'll be keeping an eye on the entire unit, not just you."

"Does that mean..."

"You will report to Agent Hotchner on Monday morning," Strauss said, "Congratulations, Agent Prentiss. You're now a member of the BAU."

Emily knew Agent Hotchner by reputation. He was known to be a smart and levelheaded team leader, but cold, shut off, and intimidating. Certainly his resume would be enough to intimidate: Georgetown Law graduate, former prosecutor, quickly climbed the ranks of the FBI, took over for Jason Gideon as unit chief following the Adrian Bale case in Boston. But Emily wasn't intimidated by powerful men. She could hold her own. She was smart, capable, highly qualified—and she knew it. And so she arrived at the office on Monday morning feeling confident and eager to get to work. She strode through the BAU bullpen carrying her cardboard box of office supplies, and she walked up to Agent Hotchner's office and knocked on the door.

"Come in," a man's voice said.

She awkwardly pushed the door open with her elbow while holding onto her box and stepped into the office, where a stern-looking dark-haired man was seated at his desk.

"Hi," she said, "Agent Hotchner?"

"Yes."

She put her box down on a chair and extended her hand to him. "I'm Agent Emily Prentiss."