**Chapter 1: The New BAU Agent**

It was a normal day, June 18, 2025, at the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) headquarters. The team was bustling with activity as they prepared for another day of profiling and hunting down the most elusive and heinous criminals in the country. Aaron Hotchner, the leader of the team, stood in the corner of the room, deep in conversation with Jason Gideon and David Rossi. "I'm telling you, Jason, we need to re-examine the evidence," Hotchner said, his eyes narrowing as he studied the case files. "There's something we're missing." "I agree, Aaron," Jason replied, his voice low and thoughtful. "But we need to look at it from a different angle. Maybe there's a pattern we're not seeing." Meanwhile, Derek Morgan was chatting with Emily Prentiss and Jennifer "JJ" Jareau. "So, have you guys heard about the new agent?" Derek asked, a hint of excitement in his voice. "Not much, just that she's new," Emily replied, raising an eyebrow. "What's the scoop?" JJ smiled mischievously. "Penelope's got the inside info. Let me go see what she says." JJ walked over to Penelope Garcia, who was sitting at her workstation, tapping away on her computer. Emily followed close behind, curious about the new agent. "Hey, Penelope, what's the story on the new girl?" JJ asked, leaning against the cubicle. Penelope looked up, a smile spreading across her face. "I heard she's from Texas, and her name is Alexis McQuaide. She's got brown hair and blue eyes, and she's 26 years old." Emily's eyes widened with interest. "That's a pretty specific description. What's her background?" Penelope nodded. "She's a Christian, and she didn't attend college. But here's the interesting part - she's Aaron Hotchner's niece." The room fell silent as the team digested this information. JJ raised an eyebrow. "No wonder Aaron's been acting so strange lately." Penelope continued, "I also heard that Alexis has PCOS, and she's not much of a driver. Her father, Steve McQuaide, is actually driving her to work today." As the team continued to chat and speculate about the new agent, Tonya McQuaide was busy unpacking boxes at the new house, with her daughter Ava helping her mother. Steve McQuaide was on his way to the BAU headquarters, eager to drop off his daughter and make sure she was settling in okay. Alexis McQuaide, the new BAU agent, was about to embark on a journey that would change her life forever. Little did she know, she was walking into a world of danger, intrigue, and a team of brilliant and dedicated agents who would become her new family. As the morning wore on, the team continued to buzz with excitement and curiosity about the new agent. But one thing was certain - Alexis McQuaide was about to become an integral part of the BAU team, and her presence would be felt for a long time to come.