Chapter Text
“Flying isn’t just for birds”
~ John Grayson
“I want to see everyone in the conference room in five minutes,” Hotch called down to the agents, then knocked on Rossi’s door.
“Is there a new case?” Morgan asked.
There was no reply. Hotch was almost in the conference room.
High heels clicked as Penelope hurried after him.
Reid, JJ, Morgan, and Prentiss followed, but they exchanged glances. Either it was a bad case—which, in their line of work, was saying something—or it was something else. Something that had put Hotch in a bad mood.
The worse his mood was, the less you could tell from his face.
Rossi just shrugged when they met at the staircase landing.
One by one, they took their seats in the room. Only Hotch seemed to know what was going on.
“Did you cut our coffee budget?” Prentiss asked, trying to lighten the mood. Besides, she seemed to be the only one who remembered that Hotch had come straight from a meeting with Strauss.
“They've increased it,” Hotch said with deadpan seriousness.
“Seriously?” Reid perked up. That sounded like good news.
“Oh oh,” Rossi said. There were definitely advantages to having been around for a while. You knew exactly how things worked.
“Why ‘oh oh’? What do you mean, ‘oh oh’?” Garcia asked, concerned.
Hotch sighed: “We’re getting more money for coffee because the budget is calculated per person. And we’re getting a new team member. That’s non-negotiable, and no, we don’t get to choose the new team member because the agent in question is going to show up here in ten minutes.”
The team stared at him in disbelief.
Garcia was the first to react, pulling out her laptop: “Give me a name, Boss, and I’ll find out everything you want to know about the new guy or girl.”
JJ gently pushed the device down and shook her head. “We don’t profile our own team. Let’s play by the rules and let the person introduce themselves first.”
“Why so suddenly?” Morgan asked, ignoring the conversation. “We’ve been keeping up with the paperwork just fine lately—which wasn’t always the case. Why has Strauss now decided that we absolutely need a new member, without delay?”
Hotch nodded gratefully at him, as if he’d been waiting just for that question. “Ronald Gray is an expert in forensic science and the morgue. He previously worked in the Laboratory Division. According to Strauss, the transfer wasn’t her idea, but it was suggested to her that we need an expert in this field.”
The mood darkened. It would have been bad enough if the transfer had come from Strauss. Strauss often went over their heads. But they had all heard what Hotch meant by “suggested.” Someone even higher up was pulling the strings here. Things could quickly get uncomfortable if someone who had no idea what they were doing meddled in the structure of their team.
It didn’t help that the reasoning didn’t sound all that bad.
Before anyone else could say anything, there was a knock at the door.
The man who entered couldn’t have been any older than Reid. In other words, he was in his mid-twenties. He had black, styled hair and brown eyes. His smile was extremely friendly, but none of the profilers failed to notice that his demeanor exuded confidence. He felt secure in his role and wouldn’t hold back just because of his age.
Garcia thought to herself that, judging by his appearance, he’d be better off as a model. It was hard for her to see him in the morgue.
“Nice to meet you all. I’m Ronald Gray. Feel free to call me Ron. Starting today, I’ll be joining your team. May I sit down, or is there anything else you’d like to discuss without me first?”
Ron sounded sincere. Prentiss immediately wondered whether it was important to him that people liked him or if he simply didn’t want to mess up his start in a new department.
Hotch didn’t smile, but then, he never did.
“Please have a seat, Gray. I was just telling the team about your transfer.”
Gray laughed nervously: “It was a big surprise for me, too, but I’m excited to be working with such brilliant profilers in the future.”
Rossi raised an eyebrow: “The transfer wasn’t your idea?”
The young man immediately raised his hands dismissively: “Oh, no, sir. Someone higher up decided that. At least, that’s what my former supervisor told me. To be honest, I thought the request for someone from the Laboratory Division came from your team.”
“It didn’t,” Morgan replied honestly, but then smiled, “But that doesn’t mean you won’t fit in well with us. I’m Derek Morgan.”
One by one, the others introduced themselves as Gray took a seat.
Despite the surprise, it was a warm welcome.
Still, Hotch had the feeling that Gray knew more than he was letting on. But then again, it wouldn’t be the first time he’d shown signs of paranoia when it came to his team.
Dick Grayson was in Special Agent Aaron Hotchner’s office. He was very pleased with how the meeting with the team had gone. Dick had expected significantly more hostility.
But he wasn’t fooling himself. Now the real test began. Over the next few days and weeks, he would have to prove his abilities to fulfill his mission. In doing so, he couldn’t arouse suspicion or reveal his true intentions.
Dick wasn’t looking forward to it at all. The only thing that comforted him was that it was worth it.
“I wanted to talk to you alone, Gray, because I wanted to find out how much you know about our work,” Hotchner explained.
Ron smiled broadly: “Of course, sir. Very thorough of you.”
Hotchner didn’t even begin to smile. Dick knew someone who would like that. Batman, after all, wasn’t one for smiles or small talk either.
“How deeply are you involved in profiling?”
Ron pretended to think it over, bobbing his right foot up and down as he did so.
“I passed the required course at the Academy with a good grade. Since then, I’ve expanded my knowledge as far as corpses are concerned. I’ve gotten good at figuring out, based on injuries, what the perpetrator wanted and what the victim was planning. I’m sure I still have a lot to learn in that area, but it’s the part of profiling where I feel most confident. I’ve only scratched the surface of the other areas.”
Hotchner nodded as if he hadn’t expected anything else.
“Does that disappoint you, sir?” Ron asked, while Dick rolled his eyes inwardly. Why could he never get nice bosses?
“No,” Hotchner replied, “that’s better than I expected. But I want to be honest with you, Gray. I don’t see a need for you on our team right now. My people can do their jobs, and the local forensic team usually gives us the finished reports before we even arrive. They’ve always been very supportive, and I imagine your presence would make things worse, if anything, rather than better.”
Ron nervously bit his lower lip. That meant he agreed with Dick. That was bad. He hadn’t even been here a day, and already he was being considered useless. He could hear Jason laughing his head off.
“I understand, sir,” he said honestly, “but the order came from above, so there’s nothing we can do about it. I can only imagine that they were perhaps concerned the local forensic experts might lie, which is why an expert needs to be present. It wouldn’t be the first time a serial killer has disguised himself as a law enforcement officer.”
Hotchner didn’t let on what he thought of the answer. He simply changed the subject. Yeah, Batman would really like him.
“Are you allowed to carry a gun?”
“Yes, sir,” Dick replied honestly, “but I’d prefer not to, if I may.”
“Is there a reason for that I should know about?”
Ron gave his best innocent smile and shook his head: “No, sir. It’s for personal reasons.”
Hotchner nodded again with his poker face, and slowly it was starting to make Dick nervous.
“Do you think you can keep your cool during an active shootout?”
“Yes, sir,” Ron replied, “I’m originally from Gotham. Shootouts were part of everyday life there.”
The guy didn’t even flinch at the mention of “Gotham.” Agent Hotchner might have been even stiffer than Batman. Tim would never believe that.
“Are there any other skills I should know about?”
Ron paused to think again, while Dick mentally listed his hand-to-hand combat skills, hacking abilities, and network of friends.
“Not that I’m aware of, sir. But it’s all in my file, too.”
Hotchner’s expression changed for the first time, becoming more sullen.
“I haven’t received your file yet.”
Ron grimaced: “I’m sorry, sir. If it’s any consolation, this came as a surprise to me, too. I only found out about the transfer yesterday.”
Hotchner nodded and pointed to the door: “Let JJ show you around.”
“Thanks, sir,” Ron jumped to his feet energetically, “I won’t let you down.”
JJ was already waiting on the other side of the door and smiled politely at Ron.
She tried not to let on how much she hated upper management was meddling in her team’s affairs. After all, it wasn’t Ron’s fault. He was just another pawn on the BAU’s chessboard.
“Thanks for showing me everything,” Ron said.
He seemed relaxed. Not like JJ had been on her first day. She’d been so nervous that she’d gotten off on the wrong floor and hadn’t realized it until fifteen minutes later.
“You’re welcome, but there’s not really much to see.”
First, she showed him the desk leaning against Prentiss', from which Ron could see both Morgan and Reid.
Ron just glanced at it and nodded.
“Don’t worry, it won’t stay empty,” JJ joked, “There are more than enough files to work on.”
Ron’s gaze wandered to the other desks, and his face twisted into a sympathetic expression: “Whoa. You guys really have a lot piling up here.”
“And more keeps coming in,” Prentiss laughed.
JJ grinned: “Unfortunately, that’s become your problem now, too.”
Ron shrugged: “It wasn’t that much different before. I guess all FBI departments are pretty much the same.”
“Yeah, but what most departments don’t have is a private jet,” Prentiss winked conspiratorially.
JJ appreciated that she, too, was making an effort to welcome the newcomer.
However, he didn’t seem all that impressed. He just nodded politely.
“I’ll show you Garcia’s hideout, in case you ever need anything from her.”
It was a bit of a walk, and JJ was desperately searching for a topic to fill the silence when, luckily, Ron had already found one.
“I’m guessing that in this line of work, you often end up scattered across the country for several weeks at a time?”
JJ nodded: “Yes, unfortunately. It’s very hard to balance that with a personal life. That’s why most of us have found people who can water our plants or feed our pets on short notice. And of course, our love lives suffer as a result, too.”
“That’s not a problem,” Ron replied calmly, “but I have to be careful not to neglect my family. Luckily, because of the distance, almost all contact with them consists of phone calls.”
JJ was surprised. Given his looks, she’d somehow expected him to have a girlfriend. It just went to show once again why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.
“That’s how it is for most of the team. I’m pretty far from my hometown, too, but I had to get out of there as well.”
An expression crossed Ron’s face that JJ couldn’t quite read. It was almost resigned.
“I’m from Gotham. Somehow, Gotham always pulls you back into her clutches.”
Garcia had just received a call and was trying to see if they could speed up the file transfer from a certain Ron Gray. She’d clearly heard how Hotch didn’t like the fact that he knew nothing about the new guy.
The others surely felt the same way.
Garcia took a more relaxed view. Ron seemed like a nice guy, and she was already looking forward to becoming friends with him.
There was a knock at the door.
“Come on in,” Garcia chirped cheerfully, swinging her laptop around. She activated the screensaver with a quick keyboard shortcut as she turned.
JJ stepped in with Ron.
“I’m just showing Ron the way to the most important places.”
Garcia grinned: “Great! This is where I conjure up any technical support my team might need. So if you need help getting information, hacking a bank account, or just chatting, I’m your girl.”
Ron’s eyes widened: “Is that legal?”
“Garcia was just joking,” JJ laughed nervously, “She’d never hack into a bank account without permission.”
Garcia bit her tongue.
Ron nodded uncertainly, but then distracted himself by looking around.
“That’s cute,” he finally said, pointing to a bobblehead dog, “My little brother would definitely like that.”
“Does he like cute things?” Garcia asked immediately. It was a miracle. Finally, someone had joined the team who was willing to share details of their personal life on their own.
“No,” Ron replied, “but he loves dogs. He’d probably curse me out, but he’d still like the gift. That’s just how he is.”
Garcia nodded: “Ah, yeah. Brothers. You’ve got to love them.”
She could see exactly how JJ’s thoughts were drifting to his sister, so she pulled out a sweet treat and offered it to both of them.
JJ reached out, but Ron shook his head.
"Athlete," she rolled her eyes inwardly, but there was no malice in it.
In the end, the guy seemed really nice.
“What do we think of the new guy?” Prentiss asked as soon as JJ and Ron had left the room.
“Very polite,” Morgan replied, “almost too eager. It’s important to him that we like him.”
Reid nodded: “Could be because of the transfer. He’s handled it much better than he’d like to show. He referred to his ‘former supervisor.’ So he’s already accepted that he’ll be staying here. It would take me longer to come to terms with an involuntary and sudden transfer.”
Prentiss frowned: “Do you think it was a punishment?”
Reid shook his head: “Then he would have ended up in the archives, or they would have told us so we could make sure the same mistake didn’t happen again.”
Morgan agreed: “Yes. That’s what I was thinking, too. So there’s still the possibility that he transferred voluntarily.”
Prentiss couldn’t refute the theory, but she sensed it wasn’t the truth. Something was definitely fishy about the whole thing, but she didn’t doubt for a second that Ron would rather be somewhere else.
“I guess we’ll only find out more if we go on a mission with him,” she muttered, “and we should definitely stop profiling him. That’s the rule.”
“We always break the rule at the beginning,” Morgan waved it off, “That’s part of putting a new guy into a tight-knit team. It’s not like we’re prying into his personal life. We just need to get a feel for Ron so we can adjust our behavior accordingly.”
Before Prentiss could reply, Rossi cleared his throat.
They all flinched.
“From experience, I can tell you it’s no fun to witness the profiling process. Go ahead and think about it, but do it in private. Ron will be back soon, I’m sure.”
They all thought back guiltily to how they’d looked around Rossi’s office back then.
His little speech was more effective than Hotch’s stern glare would have been.
Their group quickly dispersed, and everyone went back to work.
When Dick arrived at his rented apartment at the end of the day, the smell of food greeted him.
“I love you,” he blurted out as he climbed onto the kitchen island and watched his brother work.
His brother didn’t turn around or return the words.
So he was still angry.
“It wasn’t my decision, Jason,” Dick tried again.
Jason sighed, “But you’re going along with it, aren’t you?”
Dick could hardly argue with that. But he hated it when his family was mad at him. Luckily, this time it was just Jason and not the whole family.
Jason turned around, anger flashing in his eyes, though his posture remained relaxed.
“We shouldn’t drag the FBI into this. We could handle it on our own. They don’t even know what’s in store for them.”
Dick shook his head: “I met them today. They’re really good people and damn good at their jobs. Sooner or later, they would have come across the same cases. It’s better if we work together, even if they don’t know about the collaboration.”
Jason turned back to the stove and divided the soup between two plates.
“I still don’t like it.”
“I know.”
Dick also knew what Jason wasn’t saying. Jason didn’t like the whole case. But that wasn’t hard to figure out. After all, it was personal.
Dick accepted the meal as the peace offering it was.
“Thanks.”
Jason nodded: “You must never doubt that I’ve got your back. I may not like it, but I’m still your partner in this.”
Dick smiled. After watching the perfectly coordinated team all day, it was nice to know that he, too, had a partner. A partner to whom Dick would entrust his life time and time again.
Hopefully, they’d still be able to complete the mission faster than expected. There had already been too many deaths.
“You never fly alone, my Robin.”
~ Mary Grayson