Playing the Game
This is for Fortune Cookie Friday on Chit Chat on Author's Corner.
Fortune Cookie Prompt: You've got what it takes, but it will take everything you've got.
. . . . . . . . . . .
Prentiss looked at her reflection in the full length mirror, she barely recognised herself. But if that's what it took to catch the killer then she was up for it. She had never stepped away from a challenge in her life and she wasn't going to start now. No-one would ever be able to say that Emily Prentiss was a failure, it wasn't a word recognised by her personal dictionary. It was that level of pride that had got her into this in the first place.
. . . . . . . . . . .
9: 30am (12 hours earlier).
As the team were round the table discussing ideas it was becoming clear that they had one option open to them. Hotch always felt uncomfortable asking a member of the team to go undercover but it may be the best chance they had to catch the killer. Rossi caught his eye, they had talked over breakfast, discussed the possibility of running an undercover operation, now was the time to talk to Prentiss and see how she felt about it.
"Morgan; you and Reid revisit the casino and talk to the staff, see if there is anything we are missing. Garcia, keep going through the CCTV footage. JJ, make arrangements for a press conference this afternoon. Prentiss I need to talk to you." Hotch looked round the team making it clear that was their cue to go. Rossi stayed where he was. Hotch glared at him.
"You didn't assign me a task, so I assumed you wanted me to stay." Rossi smirked. Hotch guessed he had subconsciously wanted the additional support.
"Emily, I feel we may need to look at the possibility of staging an undercover operation. As you have not been to the casino and generally have not been seen by the public you are our best possibility of a successful operation." Hotch knew he was going round the houses to ask her, which was unlike him, but he was uncomfortable asking her to put herself in such a dangerous situation, especially as he knew she wasn't likely to say no.
"OK I'm happy to do that." Prentiss answered without showing the slightest hint of emotion. Rossi smiled he knew she would be up for this.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
So here she stood twelve hours later, looking at an image in a mirror and wondering when she was going realise that the team had accepted her and she no longer needed to prove herself.
"You look great." Prentiss turned sharply; she hadn't heard Rossi enter the room.
"Is that in you expert opinion as a profiler or through your extensive knowledge of high class hookers?" Emily turned back to the mirror adding the finishing touches to her hair and make-up.
"Now now Emily, do I look like the type of man who needs to employ the services of such charming ladies?" Rossi leaned against the doorway admiring the way Emily's dress hugged her perfectly formed figure, considering how he had failed to miss how beautiful she was.
"I was just trying to ascertain how you were making your judgement."
"You don't have to do this you know?" Rossi said, turning serious for a moment.
"I know."
"We will all be there for you, nothing will happen, I promise. You've got what it takes, but it will take everything you've got." Rossi turned and left Emily to finish getting herself ready. He meant it; nothing was going to happen to her. He would insure she was safe even if it risked the case.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
Walking into the main casino hall Prentiss felt extraordinaryily confident; more that she would ever do being herself. She looked slowly round the room; Hotch was 'watching' at the roulette table, JJ was just walking through the archway towards the slot machines, Morgan must have been in another room already and Rossi had his back to her propped up against the small side bar, drink in hand. She sashayed over to him, time to practice her pick up before she had to try it on the UnSub.
"Are you here on business or pleasure?" she whispered sultrily in his ear. Rossi jumped slightly then turned to face her.
"Purely business," he deliberately looked Prentiss up and down then raised his eyes directly to hers "but it just got a lot more pleasurable." He took a sip of his drink, keeping eye contact. Prentiss felt her spine tingle, was her superior flirting with her? Well two can play at that game. She took a step closer, rested one elbow on the bar, keeping eye contact the whole time. She put her hand on his shoulder as she leaned in to whisper:
"Bet I could make it even more pleasurable, memorable even." Leading back she flicked her raven black hair from her shoulder. Rossi stood in silence for a moment, then:
"You do know every member of the team can hear everything you say."
"Just getting in to role, practicing, what did you think I was doing?" though her sparkling eyes told Rossi a different story. Had Emily Prentiss really been flirting with him? She really did want to play dangerously. Staring at each other their expressions saying what words couldn't, the moment was soon interrupted.
"Sorry to break up the love birds but our suspect has just entered the building. He's heading your way." Morgan had obviously been given the task of covering the entrance.
"Wish me luck." With which she turned, knowing that Rossi was watching every sway of her hips as she sauntered off through the crowded room.
"I've got him." Reid's excited voice came through from where he was sitting watching the CCTV with Garcia in the security office. "He's heading towards the back bar near the Blackjack tables." Prentiss hovered, waiting for her prey to settle, ready to make her move.
. . . . . . . . . . .
Prentiss was stood in front of the mirror once more, mentally reviewing the evening as she scrapped off the make-up. Trying to return herself to normal, she swore she was throwing the dress out as soon as she took it off; she could never wear it again.
"Come on you." Garcia's lively voice broke into her thoughts, "We are all going out to celebrate a successful end to the case and you deserve an uber large glass of wine." Prentiss turned to face her.
"I can't go out like this." She pouted.
"Let your Fairy Godmother sort you out." Garcia reached forward taking the make brushes from the open make-up bag. "You've no time to get changed, let's patch up the make-up and you'll soon be the belle of the ball again." Prentiss smiled she could do with a drink to relax, forget and generally take her mind off this evening's events.
. . . . . . . . . . .
It was late before they started, but Vegas is open all night and they all planned on making the most of it. Hotch had soon banned all talk of the case. He knew that his team worked exceedingly hard and he believed they needed to play hard too; especially after a case that had lasted as long as this one. It took it out of them; they'd got what it takes, but one by one it took everything they had. Watching the team carefully, making sure they started to relax, Hotch loosened his tie a little as he sipped his single malt.
"Oh serious downtime, Hotch just loosened his tie!" Morgan called to the others.
"Shhhh" Prentiss slurred slightly "He'll hear you."
"He did!" Hotch said in a mock cross tone which sent the majority of the team into fits of giggles.
. . . . . . . . . . .
Soon the team were starting to dwindle. Making their way back to their rooms and getting some well earned rest.
"Well I'll leave you two to it." Morgan said rising out of his seat as he took the last swig of his beer. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." he winked at Prentiss.
"Is there anything you wouldn't do?" she questioned nearly slipping off her chair. Leaning in to help her back up onto her seat Morgan added;
"Cheap shot Emily, just try avoiding doing anything you'll regret in the morning; how about I walk you back to your room?"
"She'll be safe with me Derek" Rossi offered, to which Morgan nodded and left. Rossi moved round the next to Prentiss, partly to talk and partly to stop her falling off her seat again.
"You OK?"
"Mmmm, just tired."
"How about we go to bed then."
Prentiss turned to face Rossi.
"Are you flirting with me again?"
"No, just looking after you as I promised I would. Nothing will happen to you tonight."
Emily sighed and slumped down on the table. When she looked up again David had 'that' look on his face.
"Ok, I feel crap; it felt so dirty smooching up to that guy knowing what he had done to all those women." Emily blurted out. Rossi looked sympathetically at her.
"Come on you, time to sleep it off."
"But I don't want to shut my eyes; I don't want to see the bodies anymore. What if I can't do this? I didn't do this to prove to the team I could do it, I needed to prove to myself I can do it." Rossi wanted to take it all away, make it alright again.
"Emily, you have nothing to prove to anyone, yourself included. You're a great agent. We all have cases that get to us without the added pressure of being up close and personal with the UnSub. Now get some sleep and everything will be fine in the morning, it always is." David knew it sounded so pathetic but couldn't tell her that this cycle of feelings went on as long as you stayed in the FBI. He lifted her gently and waiting for her to steady then he lead her towards their rooms.
. . . . . . . . . . .
Staggering through her door way David took her over to the bed. As she lay back on the bed he removed her shoes. Sitting up she put her arms round him.
"Don't leave me." Emily whispered, putting her head on his shoulder.
"Emily don't, you're a bright young woman who I respect greatly. Let's keep it that way." David didn't know where his sudden will power came from, but if anything was ever to happen he was damn sure he didn't want it to be a drunken experience. "I'll stay but I'm over there on the couch now get into bed and close your eyes." He placed a soft kiss on her forehead as she lay back down; slowly he covered her up then settled himself on the couch. He knew how it felt to wake in the night with bad dreams and have no-one there to help you. He thought about the advice he had given Emily earlier that evening; he'd got what it takes, but it will take everything he'd got tonight, but he was certain he could prove he would be a good friend first.