I'll just leave this here. This is a gift from me to me essentially. Oddly I think it is my most ambitious story to date. PLEASE READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE END!
Reassignment
The team got on the plane.
"That was a rough case," Prentiss said.
"I know," J.J. said. "The sight of those poor women is going to haunt me."
"This is why I hate ever leaving my lair," Garcia said.
"At least the bastard is dead," Rossi said.
"I'll drink to that," Lewis said. "And being home for Christmas."
"I will too," Alvez said.
"Anyone else?" Lewis asked.
"No thanks," Reid said and pulled out a book.
"I'll take something," Simmons said.
Prentiss and J.J. declined. The seat-belt sign went on just after Lewis passed around drinks.
No one spoke as the plane took off. Just as the plane leveled off the pilot emerged.
"Hi."
Everyone turned to look at him.
"You have been reassigned," he said.
"What?" Prentiss said.
"You have a new mission now," he said. "We'll be landing soon."
"Wait, what?" Prentiss shouted as the pilot closed the door.
The seatbelt light went on and plane began to slowly tip.
"Are we being highjacked?" Garcia asked fearfully.
"No," Rossi said. "Jason Wills has been our pilot since I rejoined the BAU."
The plane began to rapidly descend. They gripped armrests as the plane landed. No one spoke out of fear.
Eventually, the plane stopped. With a hissing sound the door opened. A gust of cold air blew in.
Everyone unfastened their seatbelts and got up, uncertain of what to do.
Prentiss went to the cockpit door.
"Captain Wills," she said banging on it. "Where are we?"
There was no answer.
She kept banging as the cabin began to fill with cold air.
"Captain! Open this door!" Prentiss shouted.
"Emily," Rossi said softly. "You might be wasting your time."
"What else should I do?"
"He wants us here for a reason and probably isn't going to let us leave until we do," he said.
Flurries of snow began to fly in.
"We're going to freeze soon," J.J. said.
"Fine," Prentiss said. "Let's get out and see if we can find shelter and then make some calls."
"I already tried," Simmons said. "I have no signal."
Prentiss checked her phone.
"Crap," she said. "Let's get going."
They all climbed down the stairs and into a snowy tundra. As soon as the last person was down, the stairs popped back in place. The plane then glided away.
"Look!" Alvez said and pointed to the lights up ahead.
"Let's get going," Prentiss said as they treaded through the thick blowing snow.
The light was coming from a series of tall rectangular windows. Alvez led them to an entrance at the side.
They entered a small dark hall. There were stairs to the right, and the entrance to what looked a larger room with lights on to the left.
"Left," Prentiss said.
The team embraced the warmth of what turned out to be a church. The tall windows were composed of stained glass. There was a picture of Mary front and center of the altar. In one corner there was a nativity scene. In another, there was a Christmas tree.
"What are we doing here?" Lewis asked as they wandered among the pews.
"Can I help you?"
A young woman who had been kneeling in the front row emerged. She was bundled up for winter so that only streaks of her blond hair, and part of her face could be seen.
"Excuse me," Prentiss said. "Where are we?"
She looked at Prentiss dubiously. "You're at Saint Ambrose," she said. "I know it doesn't look much like we honor him here, but the church is named after him."
"We got lost in the storm," Prentiss said quickly. "Our driver was supposed to drop us off at a hotel, but the car broke down and we decided to walk to the first shelter we saw."
"There aren't any hotels around this part of South Buffalo," the woman said.
Prentiss turned briefly and stared at her team. They stared back in equal disbelief.
"Look," the woman said. "I'll go find someone who is actually in charge. I just came to grab a bulletin."
"Excuse me," Reid said. "Do you know much about these windows?"
Her whole face lit up.
"They're beautiful, aren't they?" she said.
J.J. was looking at a window where there was a man pointing a gun at several people.
"They're different," she said.
"They tell a story," she said and walked to another one featuring women. "This one honors the role of women in the church. One of these women was just honored as a saint a few years ago."
"Why is there an image of Shiva in your windows?" Rossi asked.
"That one honors those who believe in a different path to God," she said. "Every window here tells a story about the reforms made during—"
"Vatican II," Reid said. "They're beautiful."
"Thank you," she said.
"Why aren't there more people here?" Reid asked.
"Mass doesn't start for another hour," she said.
"May I ask why aren't you staying for mass?" Reid said.
"It is none of your business," she said. "Let me go find someone to help you."
"Are you hurting?" Reid asked suddenly.
"Why do you care?" she said.
"Because, your eyes lit up when you spoke about the windows and now they're sad," he said. "I want to help because that is what my team does."
"Can you help me find a job that matches my skill set?" she asked spitefully. "A skill set I don't even know I have after getting kicked out of graduate school."
"You are kind and you're passionate," he said. "That will take you places."
"Places where I can make friends easily?" she asked. "I'm not here because I want to be. My mom is sick but wanted a bulletin."
"You care," he said.
"That doesn't get me far," she said.
"You've thought of hurting yourself, haven't you?" Reid said.
"What would make you say that?" she said.
"Because intelligence and kindness don't always open as many doors as they should," he said. "I found a mentor who helped me. I know not everyone is as lucky."
"I'm not even that smart!" she said as tears fell. "I know the stories of these windows because I went to school here when this place still had a school."
Reid stepped forward and hugged her.
"I can't guarantee everything is going to get better," he said. "But I promise that the world would be a darker place without you in it. You are capable of great things."
"Even with debts that rival a medical student's?"
"You will find a way because you are kind and you are clever," J.J. added.
"Thanks," she said and stepped out of the hug. "I needed to hear that."
"I'm glad to help," Reid said.
She wiped away a tear. "Now let me go find an usher or someone."
The young woman walked up to altar and made sure to genuflect first.
Prentiss turned to Reid.
"How did you know?" she asked.
"I think she is the reason we're here," he said. "This was our mission."
"It makes you then wonder what other 'missions' we might have," Rossi said.
There was the roaring of a plane. They all quickly left the building.
It was still freezing out but the distance to the jet was shorter. They all climbed aboard. Positioned at each seat on the plane was a book. It was titled: Finding Hope in Strange Encounters.
Prentiss turned the book around and saw picture of the woman who look slightly older. Her name was Amanda Martin.
IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I am being monitored by several doctors for my depression and have them along with crisis services on speed dial. I AM GETTING THE HELP I NEED! I wrote this for myself and for others who might also be struggling with similar problems. I plan on continuing this series to reflect how the characters of CM can help in other ways.