I don't know why I wrote this, but I hope you enjoy.

I don't own Criminal Minds.

"Emily Prentiss!" I hear the voice exclaim.

I curse to myself. Of course she would catch me. The first time in three months I give in, and I get caught. This is just my luck.

"Are you joking?" JJ asks angrily. She motions aggressively to the cigarette I'm holding.

"You want a drag?" I reply, instantly regretting my deadpan joke.

"Uh uh, Emily, what have we talked about?" JJ's voice rises the slightest bit as she reprimands me like a child.

"Jesus, JJ, calm down, it's just a cigarette. Just one."

"What did we talk about?"

"Not hiding behind vices," I recite dully, rolling my eyes.

"And what were you doing?"

"Hiding behind vices."

"What were you hiding from," JJ softens her voice now.

"Oh come on," I whine, trying desperately not to look into her eyes. She doesn't give me and option though as her strong fingers pull my chin up so I look at her. Her startling blue eyes were filled with worry

"Baby, what is it?" Her voice is firm, but retains the gentle tone.

"It's nothing. Just… I don't know. Their eyes were so far away and their bodies were so torn. They won't ever get better," I say, casting my own eyes downward. The girls, all about twelve to fifteen years old, held captive in a basement. Of course I had to go in first, effectively being knocked unconscious and thrown into the basement with them.

They all just looked at me when I woke up. I told them I was FBI. It didn't matter to them who I was. I couldn't save them, they thought. Staying in the room with them while the others had to shoot the UNSUB, was the worst. I tried to help them, they shuddered away, barely acknowledging my attempts. Some of them had been there for months. He kept them four months, before killing them.

They were dead inside.

Sure, we saved them, but they can't really be saved from the memory.

I take another drag from the cigarette, getting lost in my thoughts and forgetting JJ was there. She snaps it out of my hand.

"Come inside."

"What's inside?" I ask, not really wanting to leave the cold outside air.

"Me."

"Eh," I joke. She scowls at me. I lightly offer her a smile and take her extended hand and let her pull me inside.

"It'll be okay," she whispers, bringing our bodies close, letting me feel safe.

Maybe it will be.