"Alright tomorrow we have a new team member joining us." Hotch said.

"What do you mean new member Hotch?" Morgan asked.

"She's joining us for a trial run. See how well she does in the field if she works out she'll be joining our team permanently." Hotch explained. "She got a name?" Morgan asked.

"That I wasn't told." Hotch told them.

"We'll it can't be that bad she could turn out to be pretty cool." Reid smiled. "Remember Pretty Boy no flirting with our co-workers." Morgan teased. "I'm not thinking like that." Reid blushed.

"That's enough children." Rossi smiled as he reentered his office.

.::*::.

The next morning the new agent walked into the Bullpen. She was tall with slim built and cold blue eyes. Her skin was a bit pale. She wore a wine red blouse with a black vest over it. The black pants she wore hugged her hips and thighs ever so slightly. Her hair was red and pulled up into a messy bun. Her lips stood out just a bit full and a deep pink.

"Good Morning." Hotch said coming out of his office. "Sir." The redhead turned to Hotch. "I'm Reilly Mercer. Most just call me Rem." Reilly shacked the man's hand. Hotch turned the woman's hand over and looked at the strange markings. "I was at a wedding this past Saturday to a dear friend she's Asian-Indian. It's henna it'll disappear in a few days." Reilly explained.

"No it's fine. You wouldn't be the only one on the team with tattoos. I'm SSA Aaron Hotchner unit chief." Hotch said. "Derek Morgan, Nice to meet you." Reilly shook Morgan's hand.

"I'm Emily Prentiss. Welcome to the BAU. What did you do before you came here?"

"Forensic science. I worked in the crime lab for the most part." She shared.

"Jennifer Jareau Liaison call me JJ. Welcome." The blonde smiled.

"I'm—"

"David Rossi. Sorry to tell you that your reputation precedes you and my mother has read your books. She's tried during my entire course of training to scare me out of it." Reilly smiled.

"I'm Penelope Garcia you can call me Garcia, tech analyst welcome to the team." Garcia smiled.

"So you've been cleared to carry your gun?" Hotch asked. "Yes Sir. I know how to use it, fire it and reload it." Reilly said. "Right. I want you to get a go bag together tonight. A weeks worth of clothes should do. I want you here bright and early in the morning. Ready for anything." Hotch said.

"Right."

"Your desk is over there. Get settled in and welcome to the BAU." Hotch said.

Morgan sat at his desk for a few minutes wondering why Reilly was called Rem. "So where did you get the nickname from?" Morgan asked.

"My middle name. My father always felt the need to be different and call me Rei." Reilly smiled. "What's your middle name?" Emily asked. "That I will not indulge you with that answer." Reilly smiled. At the end of the work day and everyone was leaving Reilly left to her own apartment. It was early December and the snow had covered the city lightly.

Reilly packed a bag for a week and threw it into her car's trunk. Reilly ate dinner and watched TV a bit before going to bed. The next morning she was up early and had breakfast before walking out the door. Reilly walked into the bullpen ready to get to work. A few of the others had already shown up.

It was not long after lunch when JJ called everyone into the conference room for a case. "Everyone grab you bags so we can head out." Hotch said. "Garcia we'll call you when we get there?" Hotch nodded as everyone grabbed there bags and headed out.

As they reached the airport Reilly grew visibly paler as she saw that JJ, Emily and David were already boarding the plane. "You okay?" Morgan asked as Reilly hesitated at the steps of the aircraft. Reilly put on a brave face and closed her eyes as she took a seat in the far corner and closed the window and pulled the shade down next to her.

"Reilly you alright?" Reid asked touching the woman's shoulder.

Reilly who had been trying to keep her nerves under control flinched away from the genius's touch. "No I'm not I'm terrified of heights. If I would have known we'd be flying to every case I would have reconsidered the idea." Reilly rambled off.

"The likeliness of crashing is-" Reid rambled off the statistics of crashing and death making Reilly look at him with a whole new depth of her phobia. Emily smacked Reid in the back of the head and gave him a scolding look. Reilly continued to sit in the same position the entire trip with her eyes closed and her fingers on her temples trying to trick her mind into another place.

When the door opened Reilly was the first one off the plane and into an SUV ready to go. For a few minutes they drove in silence. "So why haven't you concurred your fear?" Rossi asked. "I've always been afraid pf heights and flying. I avoided roller coasters as a child and have yet to experience the thrill of one."

"But you still never concurred your fear."

"Shut up Reid your still afraid of the dark. Why didn't you concur that fear?" Morgan asked.

Nothing else was said on the matter as they went about getting to the police department. They had all the facts and had questioned the victim's families. "He's modeling them to look like his wife." Reilly said.

"What?"

"I got a similar case four years ago. A man killed three woman before he got caught. He would kidnap woman between the ages of forty and forty-five and to make them look like his mother keep the bodies for a few days then dump them. But when we found the bodies they were always bruised and beaten post mordum. He was beating them because his mother had been abusive but he never had the chance to take it back out on her so he went after woman who looked much like his own mother." Reilly explained.

"We did have one such case a few years ago. Only the man we were after use to embalm his victims after keeping them for a few days." Emily said.

The team was able to move from there and build a profile. The unsub slipped up and let someone see him causing the team to hone in on his location in a matter of hours. He was arrested and the team was going home. Emily drove to the airport this time. "Reilly drink this and calm your nerves." Rossi told her handing her the bottle of water he was about to drink.

Reilly downed the water and ten minutes later started to feel funny. Sleepy. Rossi had to guide Reilly up the stairs into the jet she was swaying on her feet so much. Rossi sat her on the couch. Reilly rubbed her face and shook her head trying to clear it. She was fighting it but losing. "Your tired kid you should take a nap we'll be off this jet and back home before you know it." Rossi told her.

Reilly fell to one side and let her self fall asleep. Dave was sure the woman was completely knocked out and so removed her shoes and put her feet on the couch as well before covering her with a blanket. The rest of the team gave the older profiler blank looks.

"What?"

"what did you give her?" hotch asked.

"what makes you think I gave her anything?" Dave framed innocents.

"Yeah and I'm a clown." Hotch said.

"It was only night quill. She'll sleep the next few hours it's better then having her freak out on the way home. No thanks to the genius over there who seemed to make things much better."

"I still don't see why it made it worse." Reid shrugged.

"Alright that's enough everyone. What's done is done." JJ said shaking her head. It was about six hours later when they were landing that Reilly was woken up. For the most part the medicine had worn off. But she was still not fit to drive. "Rossi's driving you home tonight."

"Why? I do have a car and I need my car to get to work. I can drive just fine." Reilly protested. "I'll swing by and pick you up tomorrow morning." Morgan stated.

"No I'm fine and you shouldn't need to go out of your way. I'll be fine I swear." Reilly protested. "I can drive my car home and I will see you all in the morning." Reilly said going to her own vehicle.

Reilly walked into the office the next morning bright and early ready for work. "See what did I tell you. I would make it in by myself." Reilly said. "Well last night everyone really wanted to get home after that case but tonight we're heading out to a bar for drinks. Want to join us?" Emily asked.

"No, thanks. I've got some stuff I need to do at home." That's where it started. Reilly worked with them but she didn't feel like a complete member of the team. They were a unit, and family of sorts she was just really some outsider looking in.

.::*::.

Reilly didn't like an empty house. So when they had the weekend off she left her house in search of a friend to keep her company. Adoption days at pet smart were always the best days. A little friend she could sit with. One that she didn't have to worry about constantly. A cat would suit her perfectly.

They were easy to care for and rather affectionate without jumping all over you and leaving paw prints on your clothing. You didn't have to worry about pet stains. What was it her brother had said about cats and dogs?

Dogs: he feeds me, plays with me and baths me. He must be god. Cats: he feeds me, plays with me, and baths me. I must be god.

Reilly still said that cats were easier to care for. They were quiet and great cuddlers.

"Mew." The tiny black kitten pawed at her through the cage.

"Aren't you the cutest thing I've ever seen. Says you're a little girl and a Turkish angora." Reilly smiled and opened the cage door taking the tiny kitten into her hands. You'll be coming home with me my dear." Reilly started looking around for things she would need for her new little pet.

When she finally came down to the collar making machine she stopped. "What do we name you? Not midnight you will be far to elegant for such a name in the future. How about Duchess. I think it'll suit you very well in the future." She printed the name tag and walked over to the counter to check out.

"So this is where you got off to." She heard a voice say. Turning around she saw Morgan standing there with a bag of dog food in his hands.

"I came to adopt a furry friend. "Morgan meet Duchess." She held the tiny kitten out to him. "Cute."

"Ma'am your things." Reilly paid and took hold of her bags before moving over to a bench. "We'll have to keep you in my pocket in the mean time. Try not to going in there okay." Reilly waved to Morgan and left bags in hand.