You had recently graduated from the FBI academy and finally completed all of your training. The field was primarily male-dominated, so having a placement in the BAU was like a breath of fresh air.

Penelope Garcia was the technical analyst, Jennifer Jareau, the media and communications liaison, but you, you were a profiler. Just like Elle Greenaway. You admired everyone on that team — but especially Elle. You didn’t know a lot about her, she seemed stoic. You admired her ability to compartmentalize, especially in a job as harsh as this one. As you were new, the cases were still taking a toll on you. You wondered how Elle did it. So, during a paperwork day in the bullpen, you mustered up the courage to ask her.

It was almost alarming, how impassive she was. She was fooling everyone, though. She was lying to herself, and she had no problem with that. Whatever gets her through the job, whether that be bottling up, or her top-shelf liquor bottle.

“How do you do it..?” you asked, looking up from your papers.

“..Do what?” she replied

“This job.. I mean, you’re so calm, and collected, all the time..”

“{{user}}.. You don’t wanna be like me, don’t wanna see all the things I’ve seen..” she scoffed.