Keeping Her Safe

Catching a Killer.

Food spread over the table as Sera stepped back and let everyone start eating. Burgers and fries littered the table, along with drinks and coffee cups with the names of the team on. 'Hey, where's Agent Hotchner?' She asked when she looked around and counted heads.

'I thought you made a deal to call him Hotch,' Prentiss hummed.

'Only to his face. Is he still in the observation room?' Sera asked.

Nods returned and Sera furrowed her brow before turning on her heel and walking towards the small room. Clive had followed her through the door, but didn't bother eating since he already ate lunch. 'Thanks for your help today. But don't worry about us, we can take it from here,' Rossi prompted, subtly dismissing him.

After nodding and awkwardly waving, Clive stepped away and he caught sight of Sera stepping into the observation room. Her arms were folded behind her and her head tilted. 'Hey, food's here,' she informed him.

'I'll meet everyone soon. Radcliff is still going,' Hotch mentioned.

'Has he said much?' Sera asked as she turned to examine the notes being taken.

'Said nothing. But he has been writing this entire time. The chief text the officer to scan the paper and report back what he's talking about. It seems that he's going into a lot of detail,' Hotch answered.

Nodding slowly, Sera pulled her hands out from behind her, and her open palm propped up a burger while her other hand clasped Hotch's coffee order and a carbonated drink. 'I didn't think you'd leave. You looked a little miserable after the interrogation, is everything okay?' She asked while handing the food over. His drinks were planted on the table in front of them.

Hotch unwrapped the burger and took a bite, nearly groaning as he ate for the first time that day. 'I'm fine,' he replied.

'If you're upset about my interrogation technique, it's not FBI certified, but it is SBS basics,' Sera reassured. 'But if the issue is something in here,' she breathed before nudging his head, 'then maybe you want to talk about it,' she offered.

'My colleague keeps nudging me,' Hotch dryly responded. 'And she hasn't eaten yet. Despite nearly dying this morning,' he complained.

The burger in Hotch's hand was offered, and Sera stood on her tiptoes before taking a small bite from the side. 'Happier?' She asked.

Hotch shrugged as he took another bite from the other side. 'I would prefer it if she ate more,' he confessed.

'Maybe she couldn't carry two meals at once and was waiting for you to join the team,' Sera responded.

'I thought you would have wanted to eat with Clive,' Hotch responded once he swallowed his mouthful. He once again offered his burger, and she got to her tiptoes, leaning against him while grabbing the back of his jacket to keep her stable as she took a slightly larger bite.

Sera shrugged as she chewed. 'I think he's being sweet because he likes me,' she admitted after fighting to swallow the large chunk she'd taken.

Hotch glanced at Sera and arched an eyebrow, baffled by her tardy realisation. 'And that's a problem because?' He asked, probing into how her mind worked.

'Well, I might not know American Geography, but we are at least six states away, and the hours it would take to publicly fly makes my eyes water. Not to mention, no, that doesn't matter,' Sera responded, cutting herself short as she grabbed the cup of Fanta from off the table in front of her.

'What doesn't matter?' Hotch asked as he took a large bite, leaving a small bite for Sera who hesitantly took it from him.

'He told me that he likes to be,' Sera paused for a moment and then shoved the remnants of the burger into her mouth. 'He likes to be dominated. And we just aren't compatible,' she eventually confessed.