Thorns

Chapter 2

Trigger warning: mild panic attack

Penelope looked at the email once. Then again. That couldn't be right. Not only did Gideon officially leave the BAU, they were supposed to get a new team member. She might've hacked Hotch's email, but she needed to know what was happening. After everything that's happened to them, she just wanted to be safe. But it came as a surprise as the background check she ran on Catalina Smith, the woman that was originally mentioned in the email chain between Hotch and Strauss, came back, Hotch got another email: they were supposed to get two team members? That never happened before. Ever. It's enough they have to adjust to losing Gideon and gaining a new member, but two. No. What if they weren't nice? What if they broke the team up? What if they did something to harm the team, the very people she considers her family? Quickly she started to run a background check on this new guy: Oliver Shaw. He was good looking, but Penelope learned after doing what she does for so long: don't always trust a pretty face.

Garcia decided that while she waits, she'll look into what she found about Catalina Smith. She pulled up her file: first in her class at academy, she had a masters in psychology and a bachelors in nursing: she worked in a hospital for almost 2 years, she got a job straight out of nursing school. She was top of her class in everything, even in high school. Now Penelope might not be profiler, but isn't a high achiever, a recipe for disaster. What if Catalina is not the one to solve the case, or she gets overshadowed by one of the members of the team? Will she try to enact any sort of revenge on them, like purposefully giving them food poisoning or trying to make them look bad in front of Hotch so they get fired? Oh no no no, she definitely has to tell the team about what she found. She has to warn them of this impending disaster.

Grabbing her computer she hurried towards the bull pen. Seeing the team stare at the two new, empty desks, she knew this was her chance to butt in on the conversation.

"We need to seriously be concerned over our new team member," Penelope started.

"What is it now baby girl?"

Penelope faced Derek and said, "she's going to break this team. Isn't a high achiever, arrogance, and a need for attention signs of narcissism?" Penelope continued, "It is, isn't it, well our new team member has these qualities. She was top of her class in everything since highschool- high achiever right there and I'm willing to bet that's because she had a need for attention: another quality of narcissism. Remember that sniper we dealt with, the angel of death, the nurse who shot people just to save them, well guess who else was a nurse - our new member. I'm calling it now, she's not going to be good for us."

"Baby girl, calm down, you're overthinking this. Maybe she just wanted a change in career path. Just because she was top of her class it doesn't mean she's a narcissist. Look at pretty boy, he was top of his class, and he can't hurt a fly."

Spencer nodded, agreeing with Derek, " He's right, I wouldn't touch a fly. Flies and insects are actually how many diseases are transferred–"

Derek cut him off, "Don't worry about it too much Garcia."

Emily cut in, "I agree with Penople, we should be cautious around her, we don't know her."

JJ decided to speak up after watching the exchange silently, "Well how are we supposed to get to know her, if we don't give her a shot?"

"I'm not saying to not give her a chance, but we should be careful" Emily responded.

"But, bu-but what if she's not nice? What if she's an evil witch? What then?"

Just as Derek went to respond, a voice spoke up, "I promise I'm not evil. And I've been told I'm pretty nice, but everyone has their own opinions about that." She smiled, an awkward one, but a smile nonetheless, "Uh, I'm Catalina Sing-Smith, nice to meet you."