𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞
˗ˏˋ ꒰ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

IF THERE WAS ONE THING that Valerie Romero loved more than anything, it was the thrill of surgery.

The great fight against death.

She loved the pressure that she faced in the operating room, the precision that was needed to navigate the human body, and the challenge to save lives. Valerie, notably one of the youngest doctors in the medical field, was known for her exceptional skills and dedication to her patients and their progress. As a doctor of both medicine and psychology, she had an insatiable curiosity about the connection between the mind and body, not only making her a brilliant surgeon, but a person who understood her patients. Her professional experience with human behavior left her colleagues in awe at her ways, from calming the most anxious patients with just a few words to offering to stay with them throughout their care.

Valerie walked out of her successful six-hour surgery, a thoracic aortic dissection repair, leaning her head against a walk with a long breath. She wiped a layer of sweat off of her forehead with the back of her hand and closed her eyes, sliding down the wall until her bottom reached the floor.  The steady hum of the hospital surrounded her, but for a moment, all she could hear was her own heartbeat. She let her eyes slip shut, just for a second, allowing the exhaustion to settle in before she forced herself to move again.

"Dr. Genius, wake your ass up!" A voice called, making her eyes flutter open. Adjusting to the harsh fluorescent lights, her eyes softened upon seeing her best friend and fellow doctor, Cassidy Easton, standing over her with crossed arms and a teasing smile. Loose strands of dark hair framed Cassidy's face, her scrubs slightly wrinkled from her long shift. Despite the exhaustion pressing down on her, Valerie let out a tired chuckle, shaking her head as she braced her hands against the cold tile floor. 

Cassidy had been Valerie's partner-in-crime since med school, the only one to recognize that she wasn't just another brilliant student, but someone truly exceptional. She was only three years older, yet she had the energy of a teenager. The two of them spent countless late nights together, cramming for exams and bouncing ideas off each other, leading to their extreme success in their field. By the time they both matched at Everard Memorial, their bond was unbreakable, and the chaos of the hospital only made it stronger.

"Give me a break, Easton. It was a tough one," Valerie muttered, pushing herself up from the tiled floor. She wiped the sweat that beaded on her forehead, the fabric of her scrubs taking on the stain. Her hands trembled slightly, still jittery from the adrenaline rush that had carried her through the six-hour operation. Despite the weariness that clung to her every movement, there was a flicker of something else in her eyes, a quiet satisfaction that came from knowing she'd pulled someone back from the brink of death.

"Yeah, yeah, tough one for you," Cassidy teased as she linked her arm with Valerie's. "But seriously, you were incredible in there. How do you stay so calm?."

Valerie grinned at her best friend's infectious energy. "Just doing what I love, Cass. Saving lives is the best."

As they strolled down the hospital corridor together, Valerie watched their shadows and the light dance across the tile floor, different from the sterile, white walls around them. The two doctors made their way to the breakroom, where they planned to check their schedules for the remainder of the day and maybe, just maybe, catch a few minutes of rest before the next wave hit.

With a burst of excitement, Cassidy pulled her unruly dark hair into a messy ponytail, her fingers moving quickly as she tried to wrangle the stray hairs into place. Once her hair was secured, she bounced over to the large scheduling board, scanning it eagerly. "I hope I got scheduled for the Richter surgery," she said, quickly looking back to Valerie. " I heard he has a cyst as big as a softball—can you imagine?"

"Hate to burst your bubble, but you're not scheduled for Richter." A voice entered from behind them. The two women spun around to see Dr. Winnifred Duvall, their respected chief of staff, casually leaning against the doorway. Winnifred, an exceptional woman who commanded respect from everyone who set foot inside the hospital, held a special affection for Cassidy and Valerie, treating them with the care and guidance of a mentor. However, the sight of concern flickering in her amber eyes sent a ripple of apprehension through the two friends. "I've been looking all over for you two."

Valerie and Cassidy exchanged uneasy glances before turning their attention to Dr. Duvall. Cassidy raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Sorry?" she questioned, taking a step closer to the woman. Valerie's stomach tightened, and her mind began to spin with a dozen potential scenarios that could explain the urgency in Winnifred's voice. "Is there something we can do for you, Winn? We were just looking at our schedules for the rest of the day."

Winnifred expression hardened with a roll of her eyes as she nodded toward the empty hallway behind her. "Your shifts have be covered for this afternoon. I need you to follow me. Now. Both of you."

The two doctors exchanged worried glances as they hurriedly trailed behind the brunette quickly. The woman's pace suddenly stopped abruptly in front of her office, glancing over her shoulder like she was expecting someone—or something. "Listen, you two," she said, her voice lowered to a near whisper, her dark eyes darting briefly down the hallway before locking onto the two girls. "I don't know what they want with you. They haven't told me anything yet...but so help me God, if either one of you has done something stupid—"

"Okay, Winn, you're freaking us out. What the actual hell are you talking about?" Cassidy cut in, her brow furrowing as she glanced around the hallway, her gaze searching for any sign of trouble.

"What's going on?" Valerie asked next, her voice a little shakier as she felt her heart begin to race. Something was off—this wasn't just about their schedules. Winnifred's expression shifted, the concern morphing into a brief flicker of confusion. She let out a nervous laugh, tapping her foot in rapid, almost erratic patterns against the cold tile floor. Valerie's eyes widened at the sign of nervousness, meeting the woman's eyes. "Winnifred, are we in trouble with the board?" 

"With the board..." Winnifred muttered under her breath, almost amused by the suggestion. She shook her head, the motion slow, deliberate. Taking a deep breath, she locked eyes with both of the doctors in front of her, her gaze heavy with disbelief. "You mean to tell me you have no idea why two people from the FBI are sitting inside my office right now, asking for the both of you?"

Before either of the women could process what Winnifred had just told them, the door to her office suddenly swung open revealing a tall, commanding figure. Dressed in a perfectly -tailored suit, the man stepped into the hallway, a small, calculated smile tugging at the corners of his lips. His effect was immediate as both Valerie and Cassidy fell silent, their thought momentarily frozen. They exchanged curious, uncertain glances, unsure of what this FBI agent had to do with their hospital.

As the man moved further into the bright hospital corridor, Winnifred greeted him with a quiet nod. "Ah, Dr. Duvall, you found them," the man before them spoke, his voice smooth and measured, almost too calm for the unsettling situation. "Perhaps we can sit down now and discuss our situation?"

Without waiting for a response, the man moved back into the office, his expression unreadable. Winnifred, her own demeaning shifting to one of careful professionalism, ushered the two doctors inside. The second they stepped foot into the office, the door clicked shut behind them, sealing them into the space.

As they took their seats, both women noticed a third person in the room, standing quietly against the wall. The woman had a subtle, almost invisible presence, but something about her made the hairs on the back of Valerie's neck stand up. She didn't speak, but her gaze was sharp, observant, and calculating. 

After a beat of heavy silence, the woman finally spoke, her voice cold. "I'm sure you all have questions, we'll address them shortly," she said, her eyes scanning each of them with an intensity that made Valerie feel like she was under a microscope. "My name is Erin Strauss. I'm the Section Chief of the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI. This is Agent Aaron Hotchner, leader of the unit."

Cassidy couldn't help herself. "Why are you here?" she blurted out, the words hanging in the air like an uninvited guest. Valerie shot her a quick look, her lips pressed tightly together. Winnifred's expression darkened, and Cassidy's shoulders tightened as she felt the weight of the reproachful glares aimed in her direction.

A faint, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corners of Aaron Hotchner's lips before his feature quick returned to their usual stoic calm.

Strauss cleared her throat, an unmistakable sign of disapproval, and Cassidy immediately shifted again, sinking in her chair from embarrassment. The doctor folded her hands into her lap, her gaze dropping to the floor. Valerie suppressed her urge to laugh, biting the inside of her cheek to keep herself in check, her eyes flicking over to Cassidy. "As I was saying," Strauss resumed, her voice still calm as she gave the girls a brief, pointed look. "We'd like to offer both Dr. Cassidy Easton and Dr. Valerie Romero a position on the BAU team."

The words dropped like stones into the quiet room. Winnifred's face shifted from confusion to something bordering on disbelief. Her mouth opened slightly, her jaw slack as her eyes widened in stunned surprise. "I'm sorry? Both Easton and Romero? To join the FBI?" She reiterated, her voice faltering with incredulity.

Aaron Hotchner nodded, his gaze briefly meeting the two doctors to ensure they understood they were still part of the conversation. His eyes, sharp and assessing, lingered on each of them for a beat before he spoke again. "We're in need of medical expertise on the team," he began to explain. "It's a perspective that's currently missing but could be crucial in solving some of our cases. Beyond that, we're aware of Dr. Easton's background in communication and pathology, and Dr. Romero's dual expertise in psychology and sociology."

A heavy silence fell over the room as as Cassidy sat frozen, her mouth slightly agape in stunned disbelief. Valerie, meanwhile, stared blankly at Winnifred's chestnut desk, her mind seemingly elsewhere. The idea of joining the BAU, of becoming part of the FBI—it felt like something out of a dream. What did they know about crime, about hunting down killers?

Absolutely nothing.

"We understand that you have no prior field experience, especially in this line of work," Agent Hotchner's calm voice broke through the silence, pulling them back into focus. His gaze remained steady, unwavering, as though he had already anticipated their doubts. "But we're willing to work with that. We know you both have excelled in your fields—psychology, pathology, and medicine. Each of you will be assigned an agent on the team who will train you in the necessary skills and refine those you already possess."

Valerie glanced up, meeting Hotchner's steady gaze, sensing the sincerity in his tone. This wasn't a random pitch. He meant what he said. He wanted them. They were being offered a chance to become something they never could have imagined—a part of a team that hunted down some of the most dangerous criminals in the country. Two ordinary doctors, thrust into a world they knew nothing about.

"It sounds...intriguing." Valerie said slowly, her voice quieter now, her mind already running through a thousand different scenarios. It aligned with everything she had ever wanted, to save lives, even if it meant stepping into a different realm entirely. The possibilities, the challenges, they all felt both terrifying and exhilarating. "But if we accept...we'd have to move, right? Leave everything behind. Is there even enough time to find a place to live? And what about our jobs here? What happens to that?"

Her words hung in the air, unanswered, as the weight of the decision began to settle in. Would she really be able to leave the life she knew behind?

Valerie exhaled slowly, fingers tapping against the armrest of her chair as she exchanged a glance with Cassidy. There was something electrifying about the offer, the sheer weight of the opportunity pressing against her ribs like an unspoken challenge. Her entire life had been dedicated to saving people—but now, the scope was shifting. It wasn't just about fixing the broken bodies that arrived on the operating table; it was about stopping the damage before it even happened.

Cassidy, on the other hand, still looked as though she was processing. Her brown eyes darted between Winnifred, Valerie, the agents, and the folders sitting ominously on the desk. "You're asking us to leave behind everything we know. Surgery, our residency, our plans. That's...not a small ask," she admitted, though there was no real rejection in her tone—just hesitation.

Hotch nodded, his expression understanding yet unwavering. "I know. And I won't pretend this is an easy decision. But I also know you both have the kind of intelligence, adaptability, and instinct that we need. You'd be making a difference on a larger scale."

Valerie inhaled sharply. A larger scale. The words lodged themselves in her chest, igniting something inside her—curiosity, excitement, maybe even fear. This wasn't the path she had envisioned, but who was to say it wasn't the right one?

Strauss leaned slightly toward Winnifred, handing her two small manila files.  "If they agree, we just need you to sign these documents here and they're on the team."

Winnifred hesitated, her fingers tightening slightly around the files. The weight of the decision wasn't lost on her. She had watched these two grow from ambitious students into remarkable doctors, and now, in the span of mere minutes, their careers—and their lives—could take an entirely new direction. Her expression softened slightly as she exhaled, leveling a knowing look at them. "You're two of the smartest people I've ever met," Winnifred said, her voice quieter now, tinged with something between pride and worry. "But intelligence won't mean much if you don't come back in one piece. Stay sharp. Trust your instincts."

Cassidy smirked, unable to resist the urge to lighten the moment. She rolled her eyes in amusement. "Okay, Mom."

Winnifred shook her head, but a ghost of a smile betrayed her fondness for them.

Hotchner turned his full attention to the doctors now, smiling. "Doctor Easton, Doctor Romero, how do you feel about joining the team?"

Valerie looked at Cassidy, searching for confirmation, for any sign of uncertainty in her best friend's expression. Instead, she was met with Cassidy's signature smirk, the one that always meant Well, why the hell not?  

A quiet laugh escaped Valerie as she shook her head, the reality of it all finally sinking in. This was insane. Terrifying. Absolutely reckless.

But maybe, just maybe, it was meant to be.

She exhaled, meeting Hotch's gaze. "Guess that means we're in."

Cassidy grinned, nodding in agreement. "What time do we leave."

Hotch's lips twitched slightly in approval before he glanced at his watch, his demeanor shifting back into command mode. "Doctors, you better get packing," he advised, his tone firm yet undeniably encouraging. He straightened, standing up from his seat. "Wheels up in four hours."

A thrill shot through both of them.

This was really happening.

And there was no turning back.

𝘼𝙐𝙏𝙃𝙊𝙍'𝙎 𝙉𝙊𝙏𝙀 . . .

first chapter!!! how do we feel about valerie and cassidy? i wasn't sure about adding duvall to the actual story (she was in the original script as a villain actually), but i'm pretty happy with her motherly nature. next chapter we'll meet the team, how do you think they'll react? anyways, thank you for your reads, votes, and comments, they mean the world to me! it helps when i can interact with my readers. take care!!