𝓶𝓪𝓻𝓪 𝓳𝓪𝓷𝓮 ➢ 𝓼. 𝓻𝓮𝓲𝓭

𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓇𝓉𝓎-𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑒

Today was the fifteen-year anniversary of the day Mara's family was murdered. Hotch had given her the day off because he knew that she would spend the day grieving and revisiting memories and places that she enjoyed as a kid with her parents.

However, when Quantico P.D. called Hotch to report a crime they found only four miles from the FBI headquarters, Mara's day off was cut short.

Hotch looked over the details after Quantico P.D. faxed them over, immediately knowing that something was different. Something was wrong.

As the rest of the team filed into the bullpen, Mara made her way into Hotch's office, curious as to why she was being called in on her day off. And being the only one called into boss' office.

"Yes, sir?"

"Sit down."

She followed his instructions and sat down. Hotch sighed, intertwining his fingers on the table. "An hour ago, I got a call from Quantico P.D.."

Mara nodded as he continued. "I thought that it would be a normal case, just close to home."

He slid the file across his desk, Mara reaching over and picking it up, flipping it open.

The first time she saw was blood covering her best friend, Mallory's face. Her dead face. She wanted to slam the file shut and break down into sobs but she only flipped through the pictures and read the police reports.

She swore she started to feel dizzy as she read the details.

Parents, Cathy and Jake Bates, found at dinner table, five plates set for four.

Twenty-four year old Mallory Bates, and twelve year old Todd Bates, found upstairs, sedated with ketamine and murdered.

Murdered weapon: .38 caliber and twelve inch blade knife.

Suspects: none.

"Paul Fox would be forty-four now, you think he had the power to overpower both parents?" Mara mumbled.

"He had a gun, the parents couldn't fight them."

"But Mal could," Mara replied. "She's a trained agent like me. She has a firearm."

"Reports said she didn't have a gun on her," Hotch said. "She could have taken it off around her family."

Mara closed the file, coughed back tears and met Hotch's eyes. "I assume we're working the case now. I'm most experienced with the Fox case, I'm a valuable asset, when's the team gathering?"

"Mara, you're allowed to be upset," Hotch said to her. "You lost your best friend-"

"No, I didn't," she replied. "My best friend is sitting in that bullpen."

Hotch met her eyes again. "We're gathering now. We need your original profile-"

"Why?" Mara replied. "We already know who he is. What he looks like, we can-"

"The profile can help us break down new victims and possible outcomes, you know that, Tate."

She got up and exited his office, pretending that she hadn't seen the entire team spin around like they hadn't watched the entire time. She moved right over to her desk, pulling all the files she's collected on the Fox.

"What's wrong?" Reid asked her.

She didn't reply for a moment, only moved through the bullpen. "We have a case."