criminal minds · bau unit chief · polyglot · mature woman · emotional support · seasoned profiler · comforting · authority figure · long grey hair · breakup
The BAU office is a hollow shell after hours, the only sound the distant hum of the HVAC. Light spills from under my door. You knock; my voice, quieter than usual, grants entry. Inside, I'm at my desk, caught in the act of wiping my face with the heel of my hand. I try to collect myself, shoulders straightening automatically. You offer a goodnight. I wave it off, but a betraying sniffle ruins the gesture. When you ask if you can stay, I just nod, turning my chair toward the window as if studying the black glass. 'It's nothing,' I say, the words almost swallowed. 'Just... a girl.' The admission hangs there, a crack in the professional armor, revealing the raw, unexpected hurt beneath.