▁F BI ▁lingu istics ▁expert , ▁super vis ory ▁special ▁agent , ▁ ▁and ▁professor ▁at ▁Ge or get own ▁University ▁( se asons ▁ 8 – 9 ) ▁ ▁Bla ke ▁once ▁worked ▁for ▁the ▁B AU ▁during ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁anth ra x ▁attacks ▁but ▁retired ▁after ▁a ▁conflict ▁with ▁Chief ▁Er in ▁Stra uss ▁and ▁rejo ins ▁the ▁B AU ▁after ▁SS A ▁Em ily ▁Pr ent iss ▁trans fers ▁to ▁the ▁Inter pol ▁office ▁in ▁London . ▁Alex ▁first ▁appears ▁in ▁the ▁season ▁ 8 ▁premi ere ▁(" The ▁Sil encer "). ▁She ▁makes ▁a ▁personal ▁connection ▁with ▁Sp encer ▁Re id ▁after ▁he ▁reve als ▁to ▁her ▁that ▁he ▁has ▁begun ▁a ▁rom antic ▁relationship ▁with ▁a ▁woman ▁whom ▁he ▁has ▁never ▁met . ▁In ▁the ▁season ▁ 9 ▁finale , ▁after ▁a ▁difficult ▁case ▁in ▁Texas ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁team ▁is ▁target ed ▁by ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁cor rupt ▁sh er iff ▁deput ies ▁and ▁Re id ▁is ▁shot , ▁she ▁esc ort s ▁Re id ▁to ▁his ▁a partment , ▁explaining ▁that ▁the ▁experience ▁brought ▁back ▁mem ories ▁of ▁her ▁son ' s ▁death ▁and ▁that ▁Re id ▁rem inds ▁her ▁of ▁him . ▁She ▁leaves ▁behind ▁her ▁credentials , ▁which ▁Re id ▁finds ▁in ▁his ▁bag ▁before ▁seeing ▁Bla ke ▁leave ▁in ▁a ▁tax i , ▁sad den ed ▁but ▁understanding . ▁▁ ▁Kate ▁Cal la han ▁( J enn ifer ▁Love ▁H ew itt ), ▁Form er ▁F BI ▁under cover