Keeping Her Safe

Interrogating the Enemy.

The team were split up, not like in Scooby-Doo, but then again, exactly like in Scooby-Doo. Pairs were bunched off, and Hotch was keen to see what Sera was capable of. She hadn't been cleared for field work, but she didn't seem too eager to get back in the streets. And he wasn't eager to get in a car with her again.

Instead, Sera stood, staring at the board and biting her bottom lip as she intently studied victimology. 'Why these women? Can Agent Garcia not find any overlap?' She asked.

'For the fourth time, no,' Hotch responded tiredly. How had she not listened to the three previous answers?

'Agent Hotchner, for the fourth time, I'm not talking to you,' Sera sternly responded.

Silence settled through the room as Hotch realised that he had been the one not paying attention. He was too transfixed on the file in front of him. It was a fitness test done less than a year ago with her name on top.

Why had she lied?

'Vilein?' Hotch called, sure that their circle of question and answer wasn't helping with the case, and wouldn't until the others returned.

Glancing up, Hotch was shocked to see her staring down at him. He had expected her to hum like she always did while refusing to look at him. 'Agent Hotchner, are you trying to waste my time?' She sharply asked.

'Not at all. I was thinking, I've got your physical exam here, you're cleared to work,' Hotch explained, slipping his tablet over the table and showing the screen to Sera who was growing uncomfortable by the topic of conversation.

Careful. One wrong word and I am in for a very uncomfortable conversation. He can't know. I'll be off the team after four days. A day and a half of those days were spent at home.

'That is correct, but I got hurt. Nothing too major, but enough to warrant another physical test. I'll book it along with my gun certification and all that jazz,' Sera lied.

Hotch paused for a moment. He didn't believe a word she said. It was bad, and he didn't think she would be booking that test ever if she could help it. Perhaps it had links to the scar he saw a sliver of when she was dressed in her shorts. It was still a little red, and the skin looked sore around it.

'Maybe you'd like to take a day to rethink your answer. I'll have Garcia book your tests when we get back,' Hotch responded, not giving her any room to try and wiggle from.

Sighing, Sera sat down and flicked through the reports in front of her. 'It was bad, but it is nothing to worry about. Just some sensitivity,' she lied again.

'You're almost being honest,' Hotch hummed.

The attempt to avoid the question had failed, so Sera ended up falling back on her hopes of him forgetting all about it. A day wasn't long, but it was long enough to make a scene and distract him. She hoped it was anyway.

'Why do you keep prying into my past? I don't pry into yours,' Sera defended.

'That's because Strauss has already told you everything. And I'm sure you've heard a lot of background chatter,' Hotch defended as he turned his attention to evidence related to the case.

Sera got to her feet, tapping her toes against the carpet and the board pen against her palm. 'Actually, no she didn't. And you are deluded if you think everyone in the FBI sits and chats about the BAU all the time. I don't know anything about anyone. You have one unknown, I have seven,' she defended.

Hotch scanned Sera, but her back was to him and he couldn't see her features. Something told him that she had walked over to the board intentionally. 'You don't know anything?' He asked.