Chapter 1 –

Friday 12th November 2010

Emily sat on the sofa, Sergio curled up in a tight ball beside her, and the music was playing softly throughout the apartment as she reached out and picked up the glass of red wine. Garcia had wanted her to go out with her and JJ but Emily had cried off, wanting a night alone, to relax, to gather her thoughts after getting back from yet another horrific case. The glass had reached her lips as slowly she opened her mouth, closing her eyes as she let the smooth red liquid slip in, but then the shrill ring of her doorbell followed by a loud knock drew her out of the reverie she had put herself in.

"Can't I just have one night?"

Emily sighed as she put down her glass of wine and walked towards the door as the loud knocking continued.

"Ok I'm coming!"

Instinctively Emily stopped and looked through the peep hole, immediately her head dropped as she unbolted the door and opened it.

"Colonel."

Emily stood to one side as her tall imposing father filled the doorway.

"Emily."

"Do you want to come in?"

Although this was the last thing that Emily wanted, her upbringing took over as she made the polite remark.

"Sorry I can't stay Emily, I just need you to..."

Emily sucked in her bottom lip as she watched her father's strong arm reach behind him and push forward a young girl that was the spitting image of Emily, just a little shorter.

"...look after her for the weekend, I've got some business to attend to in D.C and I know that you are not on call."

Emily smiled as she reached out to take the girl's hand but she kept her head bowed low and refused to take it.

"Of course, go on in Milly and make yourself comfortable."

The girl walked past Emily, a small bag slung over her shoulder, Emily waited until she was out of earshot before she moved in front of her father, an eyebrow raised as she lifted her hands and waited for an explanation.

"It's just for the weekend Emily, the boarding school is closed because of a water leak."

"Ok she can stay, but I hardly know her Colonel."

"She is your sister Emily, just don't leave her alone with any alcohol ok?"

Emily frowned, her mouth open as she stared hard at her father.

"She's only fourteen years old!"

"Goodbye Emily, I'll be back on Sunday evening."

Before Emily could reply he had turned and walked down the corridor, Emily shook her head and closed the door, making sure that it was bolted firm before she wandered back into the apartment, suddenly remembering her father's words and the open bottle of wine on the coffee table. As she walked in her eyes flew to the sofa but only Sergio occupied it, then she saw the untouched glass and bottle of wine, breathing a slight sigh of relief before she started scanning the room to try and find her half-sister. Seconds later Emily's brown eyes found the small figure, sat on the floor by the window, her knees brought up to her chest with her arms wrapped tightly around her legs, the straight dark hair cascaded down her back as Emily walked towards her, pausing briefly to turn the music down a little before she sat cross legged on the floor next to Amelia Dowson Prentiss.

"Hey."

Emily spoke softly, careful not to touch her sister, she could sense how emotional she was and didn't want to tip her over the edge.

"I'm glad that it's not just me that he's like that to."

"No the Colonel likes to treat both his daughters equally appallingly!"

Emily smiled as the young teenager lifted her head up and Emily felt her heart pang as she saw the tears escaping from Milly's eyes.

"Are you ok Milly?"

The girl nodded her head before she buried it into her knees and Emily could tell from the way that her back was moving that she was sobbing, hard. Emily shifted her body closer and placed her hand on Milly's back, gently rubbing it as she rested her head on top of her sister's.

"I'm sorry I haven't been around that much Milly, work has been kind of hectic."

Milly kept her head low but moved it so that her voice wasn't muffled by her knees.

"It's ok Emily, I understand, it's not a great family to be a part of, at least you came to my mother's funeral."

Emily sighed deeply, a year ago Milly's mother, her father's second wife, had died of an accidental overdose of prescription medication and her father, instead of comforting his young daughter, had packed her off to a boarding school so he could continue his work with the CIA.

"So how much trouble are you in? I take it that there is no water leak at school?"

Emily grinned as Milly brought her head up but the tears kept streaming down her face.

"Oh come on Milly, nothing is ever that bad."

Emily moved her hand from Milly's back and reached up to wipe the tears away from the girl's face.

"He hates me Emily, he can't even look at me, I'm sorry you shouldn't have to deal with this, I'll just go through to the spare bedroom."

Milly went to stand up but Emily firmly put her hands on her shoulders and forced her to sit down on the floor once again.

"I don't think that I've ever shared with you how much trouble I got into when I was your age! Come let's go and keep Sergio company and I promise you Milly that the two of us are going to have a great weekend!"

The smile on Emily's face put Milly at ease as she nodded her head and stood up, following her older sister towards the comfy looking sofa.


WEDNESDAY 26TH OCTOBER 2011

Emily hadn't even had the chance to kick her boots off when the knock at the door summoned her to turn around.

"JJ I know that you're only trying to help but please I'm too tired to go out tonight."

Emily quickly opened the door, expecting to see the blonde agent who had just dropped her off but her heart sank as she saw who was standing there.

"Colonel."

"So it's true, you are still alive."

"Sorry I didn't get around to telling you, I've been busy at work, but I guess that you knew that anyway."

Emily stood with her arm across the door, she really couldn't deal with her father tonight.

"You and me both Emily."

"How's Milly?"

"That's why I'm here Emily."

Emily frowned as her father reached into his jacket and pulled out a brown file, the CIA emblem embossed on it.

"Colonel?"

"Milly went missing four months ago, the day after her 15th birthday, I've no idea of where she is and I've got to go back to Afghanistan tomorrow."

"Missing? She's 15 years old, didn't you issue an Amber Alert?"

"Amelia has got herself involved in a few issues Emily, especially after you 'died', I cut off her money and expected her to come running back home."

Emily felt her skin bristle as he father emphasised her death and his utter contempt for both of his children.

"Well you could hardly expect her to come running back to you."

"Don't worry Emily, I know how much the two of you loathe me, I just thought that you would want to know about your sister."

Emily grabbed the file and quickly closed the door, wondering what on earth had happened to her sister.