A/N: I know I have no place to start a new story, but I was watching the 3rd/4th seasons recently and couldn't help myself. They never answered the question of the identity of the person the secret service agents were protecting. And given her family-connections, I figured Emily would be the most likely of the team members to have a connection to it all. So please, read and review. This is mostly an Emily-centric piece, with H/P friendship undertones.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds.


Emily walked through the glass sliding doors of the hospital. She'd just said goodbye to Cooper and was headed to the airport to meet the others. She paused on the sidewalk and looked up as the sun hit her face. It felt so warm and so comforting, especially after the nightmare of the past few days.

Just as she was about to click the remote to the SUV, she felt her cell buzzing in her pocket. "Prentiss," she called down the phone. "Emily. It's your mother." Emily wrinkled her brow. "Uh. Hi Mother. What's going on?" she asked. "I was told you're in New York. Is that true?" Elizabeth asked. Emily nodded, "Yes Mother. I'm in New York. We're flying out this morning," she explained.

Emily frowned further when her mother sighed down the line. "I need you to do something for me, and not ask any questions," Elizabeth said quietly. Emily cleared her throat and made her way over to the side of the building. "What is it Mother?" she asked.

"I need you to go to Saint Barclay's Hospital. There's someone waiting for you in the front lobby. He will take you to the relevant room. Can you do that for me?" Elizabeth asked. Emily wrinkled her brow. "Uh. Saint Barclay's? Are you sure?" she asked, ignoring her mother's request at no questions. Elizabeth sighed again. "Yes I'm sure Emily. Please, can you do this?" she asked. Emily nodded. "Of course Mother. I'll call you back later," she promised, before the two women said goodbye.

Emily flipped her cell closed and tapped it against her thigh nervously. She flipped it open again, hitting speed dial 2. "Agent Jareau," JJ answered quickly. "Hey JJ. It's Em. I have something I need to do today. I'm not sure how long it's going to take so I'll just catch a train back to DC," she explained. JJ frowned and held her hand up for Garcia, Rossi and Reid. "Uh, I guess so Em. Is everything ok?" she asked. Emily nodded and smiled. "I think so. I'll call you when I know more," she explained. After she'd said goodbye, Emily climbed into the driver's seat of the SUV and headed towards Saint Barclay's, for the second time in a matter of hours.


JJ turned to the others after hanging up with Emily. "Uh, Emily's staying behind," she said bluntly. The others wrinkled their brows and JJ shrugged her shoulders. "She's got something she needs to do in town. She said she'll catch a train back home when she's done," she explained. Rossi frowned, "She didn't ask us to stay?" he asked, concerned for his friend's safety. JJ shook her head. "She wasn't sure how long she would be. But she said she'd call once she was done and ready to head home," JJ explained. The others nodded and continued out of the front of the hotel.


Emily made her way into the front lobby of the hospital and headed straight to the admin desk. She pulled out her ID and was about to speak to one of the AO's, when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned and saw a 40-something year old man, dressed in a black suit, white dress-shirt, and black tie. He had an earwig in his left ear, and she could make-out the distinct pattern of a side-arm hanging from his belt. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an ID.

"Agent Prentiss?" he asked, waiting for her confirmation before he continued, "Agent Samuels, Secret Service. Your mother called and informed me that you'd be visiting. I've been instructed to take you upstairs," he explained. Emily nodded and gestured for him to lead the way. He nodded and started towards the bank of elevators.


Hotch glanced over at Morgan. "You ok? You wanna pull over for a rest?" Morgan asked. Hotch shook his head and rubbed his fingers over the bridge of his nose. "I'm fine. Just wondered if you wanted a break," Hotch replied. Morgan shrugged his shoulders. "I should be fine awhile longer," he answered.

"So what'd the doctor say?" Morgan asked, after a few moments of silence. Hotch shrugged his shoulders. "He said I'll probably have some long-term hearing difficulties but I can stay in the field," Hotch lied. He wasn't about to listen to a doctor, telling him to stay out of the field. The team needed him to stay and he wasn't about to abandon them. And he also wasn't about to tell the team about the doctor's "suggestions."

Morgan glanced at Hotch, before returning his gaze to the road. He was worried. Hotch had spent the first half of the trip with his head in his hands. Apparently his ears were hurting more than he cared to admit. Morgan rolled his eyes. The man still thought he was invincible. What would it take to prove to himself that he wasn't? Morgan's thoughts kept him occupied as they headed down the I95.


Emily followed Samuels down the halls from the elevator. He paused outside a room and held up his ID. "This is Agent Emily Prentiss. Her name's on the list," Samuels said to the Agent standing at the door. Emily pulled her ID from her pocket to show the older man. He nodded and held out his hand. "Agent Matthew Hampton. I'll take it from here. Thanks Samuels," the agent said, turning to nod to Samuels while he shook Emily's hand. Emily smiled at the younger agent and watched him walk down the hall towards the elevators.

"What did your mother tell you?" Hampton asked. Emily wrinkled her brow. "Uh, just to come here. She wouldn't tell me anything else," she explained. Hampton nodded and tipped his head towards the door. Emily held her hand up and Hampton paused in his movements. "I think you should know… I am a part of the Behavioural Analysis Unit. We just closed a case here… in this hospital actually. Does this have something to do with that?" she asked. Hampton wrinkled his brow and put his hands on his hips. This world truly was too small.

"Uh. I don't think you need me to confirm that," he answered. Emily nodded. "Follow me please, Agent," he added. Emily nodded again and followed him, waiting for him to open the door before following him through. When she saw him lying on the bed, the state in which he was, she gasped.