Crossing her ankles underneath the table she sat at, Emily licked her lips. It was astounding to her how idiotic these men could be, and it was them who thought less of her? Ridiculous.

"Miss Prentiss, we-"

"Agent Prentiss."

The older man smirked. "Agent," he nodded, looking down to the file he had laid open in front of him. "I don't disagree that your resume is quite impressive," he nodded, pausing. He lifted his eyes and made sure his piercing gaze was to reach that of the agent across from him. "For a woman, that is."

Emily bit hard on her cheek before smiling at the man before her. "With all due respect sir, I have worked on and solved more cases in my four years than you have in your twelve, so if anyone here was to judge, it sure wouldn't be you."

The senior agent stiffened.

"Agent Hotchner I understand your hesitance, don't get me wrong, but you need an agent for your operation and I seem to be your only choice for the moment."

Hotchner looked to the older man by his side. "Why exactly did you recommend her, Agent Rossi?"

"For the reasons she's already explained herself," he laughed, smiling to the only woman in the room. "All of your agents, Hotchner, are either in the middle of other cases, are in the hospital or have been suspended or fired for God knows what reasons. What other options do you really have?"

Emily rolled her lips between her teeth to stop herself from laughing at the look of detest on the other agent's face.

Hotchner looked back to the agent in the pale blue dress. "This is a very important case, Agent Prentiss."

"I understand that, sir. I can promise you I'll do my best to get your the results you want."

Walking out of the office, Emily slipped her coat back over her shoulders and took in a high five from her boss. "Not as hard as I thought," she laughed, thanking him with a nod when he held the door open for her.

"You did better than I thought you would." Rossi opened her car door before making his way to the driver's side. "Ready to take off that ridiculous dress?"

Emily shrugged her shoulders. "Feels nice to be a lady for once," she chuckled lightly, slipping her lighter from her purse and starting the flame to light her cigarette. In her job, she wore tight skirts and heels in front of the cameras, her hair all done up and makeup perfect, but you couldn't take down a killer in nylons and Mary Janes.

Rossi glanced over to the woman in his passenger seat. "You think you can do this?"

The other agent felt her jaw drop, her fingers catching the cigarette that threatened to fall from between her lips. "Is that supposed to be a joke?" She was the reigning top agent of their entire unit.

"I'm just making sure you're ready," he nodded, turning his eyes back to the snowy road. "An insane asylum? That's some pretty heavy stuff, agent." He had always been one to close rank when he had to and flirt with the women in his offices, but Emily Prentiss was something different.

Emily sent the older man a quick glare. "There's nothing I can't handle."

Rossi chuckled. "I'm sure of that.

Two days later, Emily found herself at the steps of Briarcliff Manor, her badge, gun and handcuffs all securely hidden away on different parts of her body beneath her coat. "Ok," she whispered, glancing down to her purse to make sure she saw her recorder turned on and her pencil and paper were ready. "Briarcliff, day one."

Walking into the asylum, Emily's eyes were immediately attracted to the steely black staircase, the coldness of the institution quickly seeping into her bones as she stepped through the front door.

The front door that had no security nor locks to keep the patients from leaving.

"Help!"

Emily's body shook when a woman came charging for her, her back hitting a nearby pillar and her purse falling to the floor.

"Please," the patient screeched, her wide eyes pleading with the agent. "Please help me!"

Emily set her hands over those of the other brunette and took them from the lapels of her jacket.

Leaning toward her, the patient shook her head. "You have to get me out of here," she cried.

"Excuse me?"

Both Emily and the patient looked up at the sound of a strong voice silencing all of those in the entry of the asylum. "Are you Sister Jude?" the agent asked, her eyes shooting back to the woman who had grabbed her when she pulled her hands from her.

The blond nodded. "Come up here, please. Let's talk in my office."

Feeling her chance slipping away from her, the patient who had bombarded Emily tugged once again on her jacket. "My name is Lana," she whispered, picking up the purse that had fallen and handing it back to the brunette before her. "Please come back for me."

Emily watched as the younger woman scurried away, her hands shoved into her sweater's pockets and her head shaking.

"Well?"

The FBI agent's head shot up at the voice of the older woman and she quickly nodded, her heels clicking hard against the metal stairs as she followed the nun up the three flights and into her office.