Between Dr. Spencer Reid and Jennifer "JJ" Jareau and Emily Prentiss and Dave Rossi and Penelope Garcia and Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner and Original Character: Dr. Elizabeth "Liz" Harmon as siblings.
The morning at the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit started like any other. The hum of the coffee machine filled the break room as agents filtered in, badges glinting, murmurs of the previous night's football game or the latest office gossip weaving through the air. But today, an undercurrent of anticipation buzzed—Dr. Elizabeth "Liz" Harmon, the new cognitive psychologist and profiler, was due to arrive.
Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner stood at the head of the conference table, his gaze surveying the room as the last of his team trickled in. "We have a new member joining us today," he announced, his voice steady, devoid of what might pass for excitement in any other environment. "Dr. Harmon comes with an impressive record, and I expect everyone to bring her up to speed."
Just then, the door to the conference room swung open. Liz Harmon stepped in, a mix of confident strides and slight apprehension coloring her posture. Her eyes, a vibrant shade of green, scanned the room as she made her way to the table, her handshake firm and her smile reserved.
"Welcome to the BAU, Dr. Harmon," said Emily Prentiss, offering a warm smile. Penelope Garcia followed suit, her greeting an exuberant burst in stark contrast to the morning's sobriety.
Dave Rossi observed the newcomer with curiosity, nodding his acknowledgment while JJ exchanged a knowing look with Spencer Reid. Reid, however, seemed distant, absorbed in thought, his eidetic memory suddenly replaying every dossier he'd reviewed the night before—none mentioned a Dr. Harmon.
"Thank you," Liz said, settling into an empty chair. "You can all call me Liz. It's an honor to join such a distinguished team. I'm here to learn and hopefully contribute to the great work you're doing."
Hotch nodded, gesturing to Reid. "Dr. Reid will be your point of contact should you need any assistance navigating our procedures."
Reid met her gaze, his eyes betraying none of the quiet storm her sudden appointment stirred within him. "Of course," he responded, his tone even. "Happy to help."
The meeting shifted to the day's agenda—a case involving a series of abductions and murders with an unnerving commonality; all victims were once part of a sibling duo.
As the details unfolded, Liz listened intently, absorbing the morbid nuances. "Could the unsub have lost a sibling?" she postulated. "The trauma could have created a dissociative response, leading to a cycle of reenactment. We might be looking for someone attempting to recreate or rectify their loss."
Prentiss raised an eyebrow, impressed. "That's a solid angle, Liz. Reid, what do you think?"
Reid hesitated for a brief moment—Liz's analysis was sharp, mirroring his own thoughts. "It's possible," he conceded. "Siblings share a unique bond, its breach can be cataclysmic."
The room fell silent as the weight of the case settled over them, each agent grappling with the human tragedy at its core. But for Reid, the idea of sibling bonds churned deeper waters, waters he sensed were about to surge into his meticulously compartmentalized world.
Liz caught Reid's gaze again, this time a hint of something unspoken passing between them, a ripple in the veneer of professionalism that neither could quite identify. It was going to be a day of revelations, not only for the BAU as they apprehended another shadow but perhaps for two of its members whose paths had intertwined long before they stepped into the conference room under the watchful eyes of Quantico’s finest.