Change My Mind ~ Criminal Minds (Aaron Hotchner x OC)

41.0: Reputations

A/N: Continuation of 6x11 25 to Life

"When she transformed into a butterfly, the caterpillars spoke not of her beauty, but of her weirdness. They wanted her to change back into what she always had been. But she had wings."
― Dean Jackson

Crystal looked up to see Morgan in front of her, he gently ruffled her hair. "Hey, don't worry about it to much. Strauss thinks she can try and get to you, but she has to go through us to do that." Crystal relaxed and smiled at him, "Thanks Morgan, are you going to talk to Sanderson again?"

"Yeah, we need answers and I can't wait anymore." Morgan stated before walking out of the room, Rossi patted her shoulder. "Are you going to call Aaron?"

"No, we got this and I'm not about to be a pawn in whatever Strauss is trying to do." Crystal stated firmly and the team smiled at her, Rossi chuckled. 

"Atta girl."

___

Seaver and Crystal walked in with boxes in their hands, "This is the last on Wittman's apartment." Seaver stated as she set her box down on the table, Garcia walked in with her laptop quickly. "Okay, so Derek said that the Sanderson's got into a fight the night of the murders so I did a background check, there's no history of abuse, domestic violence, or therapy. From the outside in, they looked like the perfect family."

"Nobody's perfect," Seaver stated and Garcia shrugged, "Married right out of college, medical school, two kids, house on the hill, dog. Pretty damn close, right?" 

Emily hummed, "So one night they argue, he takes the couch leaving the wife and kids vulnerable." Crystal nodded, "He claims that they broke in through the basement and there were security bars on the window, but they were pretty old and broken." 

Reid looked over at them, "That's such an obscure fact though, someone with immense knowledge of the house would have to know that." Emily sighed, "That would mean that three people walked past Sanderson while he was sleeping on the couch, why wouldn't he wake up?"

Rossi tilted his head, "Why would they walk right past him without subduing him?" Garcia cleared her throat, "Because their goal was upstairs," Garcia showed them the laptop of crime scene pictures, "She had a stuffed animal, who does that to a 5 year old?"

"Monsters," Crystal stated and Reid picked up a file, "The child seems to be an afterthought, the overkill was on Mrs. Sanderson." Seaver cringed at the photos, "That's an understatement."

"He was sending a message." Emily stated and Seaver looked over at her, "Like what?"

"He's in control, he has all the power, and he hates her." Emily answered and Crystal nodded, "If there were three people that night, we've got two more to find."

___

Rossi and Morgan had taken Sanderson back to his house to see if he could remember anything, Strauss was not happy about this. "Did Agent Hotchner approve of this?"

"I wouldn't know, I didn't call him Ma'am." Crystal stated as the team awkwardly looked at them, Strauss had come into the conference room in a rage. "I thought I told you to call him? Let him know that his team is a wreck without him?"

"You suggested I call him and I decided not to because Agent Hotchner is taking a few days off, we are perfectly able to handle this case Ma'am."

"That's where you're wrong Agent, there is no case. I want this room cleaned up and I want you all to stop trying to cover for Agent Morgan's mistake." Strauss stated as she motioned around the room, "I would be careful how you act Agent Archer, Aaron isn't here to protect you." With that said Strauss left the room and Crystal clenched her jaw, she took deep breaths to calm her anger.