lChapter One
Author's Note: Hi folks! Just wanted to write a quick note letting you know roughly where this story takes place within the series. I imagine it to be somewhere in the early parts of season 3, not long after Jason leaves and Rossi joins the BAU. That being said, I'm not too hung up on the details so if I get something wrong, it's because I wanted to focus on the characters and the story rather than matching every detail perfectly to the show. But please R&R! I love seeing your comments.
SSA Emily Prentiss awoke with a start. Her face flushed with a sudden almost unbearable warmth and the hammering of her heart was resounding in her ears, her throat, even the palms of her hands.
Another damned nightmare, she thought. God, I hate it when other people are right.
She had begun her new job in the Behavioral Analysis Unit at the FBI almost a year ago. Everyone on the team warned her that she would have nightmares, at least at first. Each team member had their own ways of dealing with the traumas of the job. I just haven't found my way yet, Emily convinced herself as she dragged herself out of bed. She rubbed her eyes and yawned as she reached for her cell phone on her nightstand.
4:37 AM.
No point in trying to go back to sleep. Between showering, packing lunch, getting coffee, and braving the commute, she would have to be awake in another hour anyways. Emily took a leisurely shower until roughly 5:15. The coffee shop down the block opened at 5:30. Given the rather unpleasant and frightening start to her morning, she elected to re-read one of her favorite books and treat herself to a pastry with her coffee.
It was almost July. Even as the sun was rising, Emily already felt uncomfortable in her black blazer as she walked down the street. As she approached the café, she saw a young woman wiping down tables with headphones in her ears. The woman must have noticed Emily in her periphery, since as Emily approached the door the woman immediately looked up with a friendly smile and walked over to unlock the front door and flip over the "CLOSED" sign.
"Hey there!" The friendly waitress greeted. "You look familiar, have you been in before?"
"Yeah, just not usually this early."
"Oh right, large mocha with skim milk and a half pump of vanilla. You're usually in here closer to 7:30, am I right?"
Emily let out a short, surprised breath. "Yep, uh, that's me. And you're kind of impressive. I'm usually stuck in a line of like 15 people."
The waitress chuckled as she prepared Emily's drink. "Well it's my job to know, I guess." She waved Emily towards a table, "I'll bring it over to you. You probably want to start that book." Emily smiled and sat down. She was eager to read, but she always felt guilty not making small talk with people while they provided her some sort of service. She always tried to chat with receptionists, hair stylists, and waitresses even though she would much prefer to be quietly reading. Luckily, the waitress broke the silence before Emily was forced to think of something to say.
"It's a good book. You read it before?"
Emily was halfway through her third reading of Stephen King's 11/22/63. "Yeah, I know it's silly but I just really like it. I've always been kind of a geek for American history."
"Oh me too, totally. For such a small period of time, there's so much detail to learn. I think that's why I like it. It hasn't been boiled down to just the broad strokes quite yet," the waitress continued as she easily crossed the restaurant with Emily's coffee in hand. "I took a course in college that was all about American history from 1945-1972. Took us a whole semester to cover less than three decades. Fascinating stuff." She paused and turned a slight shade of pink. "Shit. Sorry. I was rambling. I'll let you read now."
Emily laughed in the hopes it would make the waitress feel less embarrassed. "No, it's fine. How much do I owe you?"
"Oh it's on me. You seem like you maybe had a rough night."
Am I really being profiled by a waitress right now?
"How could you tell?"
"Just a guess. Coming in here 2 hours early is a pretty significant change in your usual schedule. You brought a big book so you obviously need to kill some time before work so that part of your day is the same as always… right?"
Yes. I am being profiled by this waitress… and she's freaking me out a little bit.
"Heh… yeah, that about covers it." Emily started to read her book and the waitress put her headphones back in to continue cleaning. She sipped her coffee, occasionally pausing to watch the sun rise over the rooftops. At around 6:45, just before the café got too busy, the waitress gave Emily another coffee in a to-go cup.
"Thanks, but please let me pay for this one." Emily said, already reaching for her wallet in her purse.
The waitress laughed, "Oh I can't give away too many free coffees. My boss would kill me. And fire me. Maybe in that order."
The two women laughed. Emily felt strange, like the young woman could be an old friend.
"Hey, this might be a strange question but… I'm kind of new to the area and I don't really go out much. I'm planning on going out with some friends from work tonight and they want to see my neighborhood. Do you know any good bars nearby?"
The waitress smiled a warm smile. "Yeah, Maloney's. It's just two blocks down if you go out the door and turn right. They have a kick-ass 5 dollar food menu on Fridays too. I'm actually planning on going tonight so maybe I'll see you! Got any cute single friends?" The waitress asked with a nervous giggle.
Emily sighed, her mind immediately landing on Derek Morgan. The two seemed to both have fun-loving and flirtatious personalities. There was no doubt in Prentiss' mind that they would hit it off, even if only for one night. No judgment, Emily thought to herself as she told the waitress that she would indeed be bringing a few.
"Well then I'll definitely be there with a few of my friends. What was your name?"
"Oh, Emily. Emily Prentiss. What's yours?"
The waitress printed out some blank receipt paper and wrote down her name and phone number. "Addison Perkins. I put my number on there in case you can't find it. Hope your day gets better, Emily."
Emily walked into the crowded streets, feeling strangely energized at the prospect of having a friend outside the BAU. She loved her team, but she wouldn't mind going out with a girlfriend and just talking about books and art and movies without rapists and unsubs and dead bodies somehow squeezing their way into the conversation. Her excitement carried her all the way to her desk in the bullpen of the BAU. definitely be there with a few of my friends. What was your name?"
"Oh, Emily. Emily Prentiss. What's yours?"
The waitress printed out some blank receipt paper and wrote down her name and phone number. "Addison Perkins. I put my number on there in case you can't find it. Hope your day gets better, Emily."
Emily walked into the crowded streets, feeling strangely energized at the prospect of having a friend outside the BAU. She loved her team, but she wouldn't mind going out with a girlfriend and just talking about books and art and movies without rapists and unsubs and dead bodies somehow squeezing their way into the conversation. Her excitement carried her all the way to her desk in the bullpen of the BAU.