"What's your problem?" ~ Aaron Hotchner

rough beginnings

Kay's legs flinched with first day jitters as she sat in the office of SSA Aaron Hotchner. She hadn't expected that her application for the BAU would even be considered let alone accepted, these guys were the best there was. Sure enough, Kay had some great experience up her sleeve - working with the military as a behavioural consultant - but her qualifications couldn't hold a candle to the team's.

Kay looked around the office, out of habit indulging and analysing the information that the photos and decor gave her. She knew it was wrong to profile her potential boss but if she was going to ace the trial this week she needed some personal leverage to help build relationships with the team. After all who wants to be in a team with someone who doesn't get you, that wouldn't be trustworthy at all.

Kay noticed a couple of photos of her boss's wife and son. His son couldn't be more than 3 and he looked so adorable. His wife was beautiful, they looked like a great couple - she couldn't imagine being able to hold a steady relationship in this line of work but he must've made it work somehow.

The office door opened to Aaron Hotchner and he greeted Kay with a very professional handshake.

"Ms Davis, how are you?", he inquired.

"Fine, ... well very nervous actually but fine. And please, call me Kay." Kay stumbled, laughing reservedly to ease her nerves.

Agent Hotchner was very serious in replying, "I want you to know that I'm aware of your particular circumstances and I hope you understand that you won't get any special treatment because of them. The team works as a second family and respect is offered when deserved. The details of your family are of no concern to the BAU, understand?"

Kay was taken aback by the blunt warning, she certainly hadn't expected to be treated any differently. In fact, she loathed her relations and would've preferred that Agent Hotchner were not aware of such matters. Her father, the legendary Hal Davis, was, to her, just an absent memory of pain and pressure. She'd successfully made her way in the world without his help and she didn't intend to need it now.

"Agent Hotchner, I can assure you the work I do will earn your respect regardless of my father. Please don't assume that I am here today because of him - I worked hard to get to this place.", spat Kay with a newfound confidence, spurred on by the man's blunt ignorance. Agent Hotchner did not seem convinced, however.

The two discussed the logistics of her transfer and the basic expectations of a field agent. Snide comments laced with tense bitterness signified the beginnings of a toxic rivalry. Her mind slipped to her boss's right hand where she noticed he didn't wear a ring - perhaps she'd been mistaken and the two weren't married yet, it wasn't uncommon where she came from for couples to have children before marrying. Anyway, she couldn't imagine anyone wanting to marry such a disgustingly rude man, despite him being very attractive.

"I'll have to introduce you to the team before we're all called out and we can't do it properly. Follow me.", instructed Agent Hotchner authoritatively.

Kay tailed the man out of his office and into the now bustling work pen she had come through just half an hour ago, where Agent Hotchner addressed the team, "Everybody, can I have your attention please. Morgan, off of the phone for just a minute please. Everybody, this is Agent Katherine Davis our trial recruit this week."

"Please call me Kay, it's so nice to meet you all", Kay greeted.

Agent Hotchner continued, "Katherine, this is Agents Derek Morgan, Emily Prentiss, Jennifer Jareau..."

"JJ, please.", Jennifer interrupted.

"...Dr Spencer Reid and Penelope Garcia."

Kay shook hands with the team and exchanged a few greetings before Agent Hotchner announced that Agent David Rossi was just coming out of his office.

"Rossi! This is Katherine Davis, new recruit"

"It's so great to meet you, I admire your work so much!", Kay mentally reprimanded herself for being such a fangirl.

"It's always great to meet a fan. I'm glad you'll be joining the team, I have a feeling we'll get on very well.", replied Rossi in surprisingly soothing tone. Thank god he had some semblance of empathy unlike his almost robotic coworker.

"Guys, we've got a case.", announced JJ after getting off her phone.

"Briefing room. 10 minutes.", instructed Agent Hotchner.

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"The most recent victim is Jackie Niven, age 23. Jackie's college roommate Emily reported her missing when she didn't return home last Thursday. Her body was found on the banks of the river a mile from their campus.", began JJ

"Are those... chunks of skin missing?", inquire Reid hesitantly, as if it disturbed him enough just to say the words out loud.

"Yes, it appears the unsub is taking patches of skin from the victims - to what end, we don't know yet.", JJ confirmed.

"Have their been similar cases?", prompted Hotchner, seemingly unaffected by the grotesque images on the screen.

"Yes, 21 year old Callum Fox and 23 year old Leona Duggan.", JJ listed, pulling up the victims images as she did so.

"Different genders and ethnicity, that's highly uncommon, isn't it?", mused Kay as the team rallied in agreement.

Hotchner looked unimpressed when he stated that he had dealt with numerous unsubs that varied gender and ethnicity when choosing their victims, much to Kay's annoyance.

"At the same time? Both gender and ethnicity, sir?", stabbed Kay, catching the man off guard.

"Well not usually together but definitely unsubs can vary their victims." scrambled Hotch.

"But that's not the point, these killings seem to be far more about the individuals themselves rather than a preference for a certain group, sir."

The team noticed the subtle competition beginning to form between the two coworkers and filled up the tense room with varying theories of the unsubs background and trauma. Hotch and Kay just sat back, refusing to make eye contact, barely acknowledging the discussions around them. They were both sick of one another already and it had only been 1 hour and 17 minutes.

This week was going to be a long one...

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A/N: Hey guys, new HotchxOC fic, hope you enjoy! Here's a little snippet from next Saturday's update:

NEXT SATURDAY: "yes, he's my father."

On her first case Kay is confronted with her legacy and tensions continue to rise with her boss. Morgan has some advice.