Author's Notes

So just a warning I've obviously played with Emily's age here. She'll be 32 for the sake of the story! Sorry if this bothers anyone! Also JJ will be playing a big role in the story. Right now I'm focusing on a strong JJ/Emily friendship, not sure where I will go with it the further I go with the story!

Also I haven't really written anything like this before! Just thought I'd give it a shot! There is some things about the case in the story but it won't be the main focus as I will eventually be focusing on Emily's daughter and Emily (and of course JJ because she's one of my favourite characters).

I appreciate anyone giving this story a shot! Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1

JUNE 13, 1991

Eighteen-year-old Emily Prentiss sat alone and exhausted in her hospital room. Having just spent the last 12 hours experiencing pain she never thought imaginable, Emily couldn't help but feel a little depressed. Because after 12 hours of labor you would think the doctors would at least grant her a few minutes with the daughter she would never get to know. But that wasn't a part of the agreement she reached with the adoption agency. Ms. Parks worried that allowing Emily time with her baby could make her decision to give her daughter up more difficult, so the teen agreed, but after watching the doctor rush the baby out of the room shortly after she was pushed out, Emily couldn't help but wish she could at least hold the little girl that was very much a part of her, even if it was just for a minute.

Emily's eyes began to droop as she finally began to let the exhaustion take over, but before she could let sleep take her, the door to her room opened and a blonde woman in her thirties walked in.

"Mrs. Campbell what are you doing here?" Emily asked the woman who tentatively approached Emily's bed.

"I told you Emily, you can call me Meredith. And well, I just wanted to make sure you were okay," the woman answered.

"I'm fine," Emily answered quickly, not looking up, for she knew that if she did she would surely lose hold of the emotions she was so desperately trying to hold back.

As much as Emily wanted to keep her daughter, she knew that it wasn't a possibility. Emily's parents were furious when they found out, immediately dragging her to the doctors in hopes of dealing with the issue before word got out that the Ambassador's daughter had gotten herself knocked up during her senior year of high school. The father, a meaningless one night stand, she met at a college party she crashed with her friends, would never have to know, and Emily could go on living her life, like this never happened. But Emily couldn't go through with an abortion, and after many nights of shouting back and forth, Elizabeth Prentiss brought home Ms. Parks who would set up an adoption for Emily, who would either go through with her mother's plan or be cut off financially and forced to raise a baby on her own with no college education. So Emily spent her senior year being homeschooled, meeting regularly with Ms. Parks to decide on her baby's future.

When Emily met Meredith and Matthew Campbell, she immediately knew that these were the people she wanted to raise her child. While Emily liked Matthew well enough, it was Meredith's warm and caring personality that drew Emily to the couple, knowing her child would be much better off with these people who could give the baby a life she just couldn't at eighteen years old.

"You're not fine," Meredith replied, lifting Emily's chin to meet her eyes, softly brushing the tear that escaped off her cheek. "You're not fine, and that's okay. Look I know what Ms. Parks said, but I think you deserve to meet your daughter." Meredith said softly, sincerely wishing she could do more for this young girl that she had come to care for.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Emily replied quietly, letting a few more tears escape, really wishing she could get a hold on the sadness she felt.

"I know this is hard Emily, and I promise you I am going to take care of that little girl for the rest of my life, but I want to take care of you right now. I don't want you to look back on this day, wishing and wondering what she would have been like. You know she looks just like you."

"Really?" Emily asked, the surprise evident in her voice.

"Really." Meredith nodded, "let me just bring her in for a minute okay? Just a minute," Meredith said, moving slowly back towards the door.

"Okay," Emily replied, her hands immediately beginning to shake, as nerves and excitement took over.

Emily was sure that meeting her daughter would definitely make letting go harder, just like Ms. Parks said, but she couldn't help wanting to see her and hold her, for she knew that she would never get that chance again. So when Meredith walked back into the room, just thirty seconds later, she knew that she had to do this, had to meet this little girl who would forever be connected to her.

"Emily I'd like you to meet Alexandra. Alexandra this is Emily, she's your other mommy, and because she loves you very much she's letting your daddy and I raise you," Meredith cooed as she gently placed the tiny bundle of pink into the teens arms. "This little girl is going to know how much you loved her Emily, I promise you, you'll always be her mother too," Meredith said kissing Emily gently on the forehead and running her fingers through her hair. "I'll give you a few minutes," Meredith said watching as Emily sat, enchanted by the little girl in her arms, the tears now falling freely down her cheeks. Before walking out the door Meredith quietly snapped a picture, vowing to one day show her daughter exactly where she came from.

"Hi Alexandra," Emily said running a finger over the soft, dark hair covering the newborns head. "I can't believe you're actually here," Emily sniffed, "I'm the one who has been singing to you the last 9 months, and I know it's probably confusing, sending you off to live with other people, but they're great. I know they'll love you and be the best parents. I wish I could, but I have to give you a better life. I'm so sorry," Emily cried, now silently watching the beautiful little girl, who indeed did look very much like her mother.

A few minutes later Emily heard the door click open. Lifting the little girl up, Emily placed a soft kiss on her forehead, whispered, "I love you Alexandra" and handed her back to her mother.

"Emily, I…" Meredith began before Emily cut her off.

"You don't have to say anything. It's okay. Just take care of her okay?" Emily asked.

"Always," Meredith replied, knowing that she needed to leave now for the teen who was so desperately trying to hold herself together. "Take care of yourself Emily."

As Emily watched Meredith exit the room with her daughter, it was like the damn burst, as she curled herself into a ball letting the sobs escape, wishing things could have been different, but knowing that this was how she had to be a mother; by letting go.

And outside the door Meredith wished she could take Emily with her, wanting desperately to make things better for the young girl, whose own mother couldn't even be bothered to be there for her today, but she knew that this was what Emily needed her to do for her.

"Come on Alexandra Emily Campbell, it's time to go home."