Things have been difficult at work for everyone on my team. We all lost a family member. We all grieve for the loss of Emily Prentiss. Hotch is trying to help his team grieve. It covers his guilt that he hasn't killed Ian Doyle yet. Garcia worships her picture and only wants to talk about the good of Emily. No one on the team wants to listen to her that is where Hotch comes in because her best friend Derek can't listen to her. Morgan is angry and guilt remains steadily around him he wants to forget but can't. He feels he failed to have her back. He believes he failed her as a partner. Rossi reminds me of a parent after a death notification. Reid wakes me up in the middle of the night crying he calls my cell phone when he shows up so as not to wake Henry. And me, I just want Emily home. It has been 3 months sense Emily died.

I walked to the front desk to get my official security card as opposed to the temporary one I had been using. I had to wait in line which was fairly unusual. I wouldn't have paid any attention if I wasn't behind a young girl around the age of 13." I need to see Emily Prentiss please" she requested. At this I actually became interested in the conversation, and shamelessly eavesdropped. "I'm sorry ma'am but the best I can allow is her team liaison" a security guard I didn't recognize told the young girl. "No please I don't have time for that it's urgent. Call her tell her Madlien is here please." The girl pleaded. "I am sorry ma'am, that is not how this works, please leave before I call security and have you escorted of the premises." He informed her. "Can you direct me to her liaison please?" she asked he shook his head" Not unless you make an appointment now leave or I will have you escorted off." I was surprised at how quickly the guard escalated the situation. Seeing the young girls trembling hand and slumped shoulders I stepped forward flashing my badge at the rude security guard" she is with me" I told him and walked her past security. I could get my permanent card later. The girl walked just ahead of me and I noticed she seemed to favor her right side as she walked with the majority of her weight on her left side. When we arrived in the elevator she turned to me and asked what floor I noticed her hair hadn't been cut in awhile and her deep frightened brown eyes had dark circles beneath them. Despite it being summer she wore a long sleeved red shirt and blue jeans. Both these seemed about two sizes too big for her. Her dark brunette hair appeared to have been washed and brushed 2 days ago. I felt a tug at my chest this girl was too young to be this exhausted. 42 two I responded and the rest of the walk to my office was spent in silence. "Thank you for getting me past security agent, but I need to speak with Emily Prentiss please" she pleaded.

I sighed "Please have a seat." I told her. She did as I told her to. I took a deep breath" Emily Prentiss died in line of duty three months ago" I informed her. Her brown eyes widened as her small frame began to shake. As if on instinct she brought her knees up to her chest so she was hugging them. I reached to gently turn her to me. When my hand tapped her shoulder she flinched, but made no other movement. I changed tactic and kneeled in front of her. "Sweetie my name is JJ. I will never hurt you, but I want to help you… Can you tell me your name?" I asked. She nodded "MaMaddie" she told me as tears sprung to her eyes." Maddie it's okay." I assured her "No no it t is not" she informed me. "Maddie who can I call for you?" I asked her. She didn't respond "Sweetie who do you want to be with?" I tried again she looked at me "I want my mo my mo mi" she struggled to speak through her shaking. "You want your mom?" I asked. She nodded "yeyes" "can you tell me her name?" I asked." Minpets" she responded in a sob "I'm sorry I can't understand you" …" Empts" she tried again." How about we try her phone number" I suggested" fivsixtr ee niefo ortwo eight seven sixsev en" she told me. "563 942 8767 "I repeated back to her and she nodded. So I dialed the number. I was surprised when my friends' voice sounded in my ear "Hi you have reached Emily Prentiss leave your name and number and I will call you back when I can beeeep". I frowned. That voicemail was identical to the one at my former colleagues' apartment. The only difference being in the one I had just listened to you could hear a small child giggling in the background. I looked towards the young trembling, terrified girl curled into a defensive position in my office. She must be the giggling child I heard in the voicemail. "Is Emily Prentiss your mom?" I asked she nodded but did not seem inclined to talk. I Walked over to my desk and pulled a soft gray blanket from my travel bag and gently placed it over her shoulders. I then handed her the water bottle, I had grabbed off my desk. I felt the strong urge to pull her into my arms. At that moment I couldn't describe how much I wanted to hug the young terrified girl named Maddie. Whom I had just met. I wanted to hold her tight and never let go. I wanted her safe in my arms never to be hurt again." Maddie who are you staying with?" I asked trying to sound as comforting as possible. She finally stopped shaking and peered up at me." No one" she whispered. "I was just rescued two days ago" she explained. Rescued from where was my thought. What I asked instead was "who rescued you sweetie?"

She furrowed her brow as her soft voice spoke "The police officers of Statesford New York" she told me. 'Okay Maddie I'm going to take you to meet Agent Hotchner. He is really nice. A good friend of mine then I'm going to make some adult phone calls and come back to get you come on." The young girl made eye contact with her frightened eyes, but raised her brow in a confident manner. "Just because I was ripped from my family does not mean I have the intelligence of a three year old" she informed me. I immediately felt ashamed. As her cheeks painted a deep red from embarrassment as she mumbled despite how I may have acted. "Your right Maddie "I placated her. I will go sit in your colleagues' office while you make the call you don't want me to hear she told me. Okay his office is right up there I pointed to Hotches office. "I can walk you up if you like." I offered. She shook her head "No it is fine I got it" she replied as she walked briskly out of my office. I turned around and picked up the phone.

What I gathered from the officers involved in the rescue was that the officers intended to rescue a local boy who had gone missing. They ended up finding 3 missing children. The local boy was 6. He had been missing 30 hours, and there was a 16 year old boy who had been missing for a month. He was from the next county over. There was a 14 year old girl from Virginia who had been missing for nine years. The other parents had been united with their children at the station. They sent the girl to her mom in Virginia. Unfortunately the police are undermanned. They had not checked that her mother would be here, before they put a Madlien Prentiss on the plane. After hanging up, I outraged at the department who handled her rescue. I did some research and learned the daughter of my dear friend had nowhere to go. I walked out of my office to find her in my bosses' office. When I saw her from behind. She was sitting at Emilys' desk. Relieved no one appeared to be here besides us and Hotch I remained quiet. As I once again eavesdropped on the young girls conversation. "Must have trusted her alot mama. She is the one who told me you died." She spoke to a picture she was holding it was a picture of two friends with matching smiles taken by Garcia on a girls night out. I'm so sorry mommy. I wish I had come back before you died. I.. I.. I gave up mommy…. when I was eight. I stopped giving you breadcrumbs. I wanted everyday to be with you, to have you smooth my hair out of my face. To be hugged and feel so safe with your arms wrapped around me. You gave the best hugs mommy. I know you never stopped looking. Even when I was nine and my case was cold. I know mommy that you love me. Do you know I love you too? ..."

My heart was breaking for the lost girl." You probably don't mama...It is just every time I left a breadcrumb. I got caught. The consequence hurt mama. I wasn't strong enough. I stopped when I was eight. That's the year I stopped being the brave little girl you were always so proud of. I let fear stop me. I wasn't strong enough to let you know, I love you. Because mommy I love you. I love you so much mama and I am so sorry I don't get to tell you in life. Every day, mommy you kept me human. You kept me from blocking out emotions. I may not be your brave little trouper ,but I think I am someone you would be proud of. If it wasn't for the thought of making you proud, I wouldn't have grown up at all…. But I did mama, so even though you didn't get the chance to prove it. You are the best mommy a girl could have!" She finished. She was silent. That moment I decided that Madlien Prentiss would be a welcome addition to my family.