A/N –
This is a sequel to 'Who's Rescuing Who'. Major spoilers for Season 6 episodes 13 – 18. Most of the dialogue has been changed to accommodate Kate but some is the same or similar. When Emily's past catches up with her how will it affect her adopted daughter Kate, explores the team dynamic and features JJ. Seven Chapters Long. Criminal Minds and the main characters all belong to CBS.
Chapter 2 – Sense Memory
Kate had fallen asleep a couple of hours ago, beforehand she had been talking to Mrs Jacobs through the closed front door as she locked and set the alarm before she bode goodnight to her neighbour. As Emily climbed the stairs she heard a door open, quickly she glanced across and saw Mrs Jacobs who nodded at her, a small gesture to let her know that Kate was asleep and locked in the apartment. Emily, nodding in response, carried on walking before she stopped at her door, unlocking it before she carefully entered the apartment and turned the alarm off. Nervously Emily walked through to her bedroom, crouching down she opened her safe and retrieved a large brown envelope, taking it into the dining room where she sat down with a heavy sigh and started to examine her old undercover identity and passports. Emily suddenly felt her heart beat rapidly as her fingers lingered on the picture of Doyle but the shock of Sergio jumping onto her lap caused her anxiety levels to soar through the roof.
"Sergio!"
Emily stroked the black cats head as she held tight onto him before she suddenly heard a noise coming from the apartment, certain that Kate was still in her bedroom Emily kept a hold of Sergio as she stood up before the cat jumped out of her arms. Drawing her weapon Emily kept talking to Sergio as she checked the apartment, gently opening Kate's door she breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the girl was fast asleep. When she reached her bedroom Emily's gaze was instantly drawn to her curtain as it blew in the breeze. Immediately Emily closed it and looked around the room before she went over to her phone.
"Hey it's Emily, yeah I just wanted to see if you left the bedroom window open?"
"Yes Sergio was out and Kate said that if we left the window open he'd be back soon enough."
"Ok thanks, I'll see you soon."
Emily let the phone drop onto the bed as she tried to steady her heart rate down but then her attention was instantly brought back to the device as it started ringing once again. Cautiously Emily looked down as she saw that it displayed 'Caller Unknown' she stood back and let it go through to her answer phone, unsurprised when the caller hung up without leaving a message. Immediately Emily's thoughts turned to Doyle and that she must keep Kate safe, whatever the cost. Quickly Emily armed herself with some of her glass ornaments from the bookshelf in her bedroom, balancing them on the window ledges before she made her way into the hall, pushing the large wooden unit against the front door before she carefully balanced the vase on the edge. Her mind was whirring and her breathing fast as she sat in the dark, staring hard towards the front door as her loaded weapon sat heavy in her hand.
Kate stretched and opened her eyes, lazily she got out of bed and immediately headed to the bathroom adjoining her bedroom to get showered. Once dressed she wandered out of her bedroom and towards the living room but she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks as her eyes focused in on her mom, sitting on the chair with her eyes closed but her finger rested on the trigger. Kate opened her mouth ready to speak but as she saw her mom's eyes open she was at a loss at what to say, especially as Emily turned and instantly pointed the gun at her.
Emily's heart skipped a beat as she realised that it was her adopted daughter standing in front of her, immediately she dropped the gun down, making it safe and placed it on the chair, only then did she ran over to Kate who was stood frozen in shock.
"I'm so sorry Kate, I didn't mean to scare you, are you ok munchkin?"
Emily held Kate tightly as the girl slowly nodded her head.
"What's going on mom?"
"Nothing Kate, I just got a bit spooked last night and had a nightmare."
Emily smiled as she released Kate who nodded her head, she knew that she would have to reveal more to the young girl, especially if Doyle was getting closer but Emily knew for now they both had to go to work and school respectively.
The lack of sleep and anxiety was catching up with Emily and she knew that as she angrily, grumpily, spoke to her friends in the conference room but as soon as she knew that she had to fly to LA bridges had to be built with at least one person.
"Garcia?"
"Hey Em, is everything ok?"
"Just a little tired. Are you ok to look after Kate this time?"
"Of course, her and Sergio are more than welcome."
"Thanks Garcia, it's one less thing to worry about."
"Ok well I'd better get everything ready for you."
Garcia smiled at her friend, but worried at the same time, maybe she thought, having Kate to stay would enable her to find out what was troubling her friend.
Emily closed her eyes for a second before she carried on walking alongside Morgan, having just relayed their idea about smell to Reid her mind was replaying the conversation she had had with Morgan in the cab. She knew that her behavioural change had been picked up by the team, but she couldn't say anything yet not until she was certain as to what was happening and anyway her first conversation would need to be with Kate.
Emily tiredly headed for the apartment, Garcia had texted her to let her know that she had left Kate safe and asleep ten minutes earlier. As she neared the front door her eyes caught sight of a package standing outside, knowing that it must have only just been put there she gingerly picked it up and entered the apartment, turning the lights on and the alarm off she drew her weapon. Emily's attention was sidetracked as her cell rang loudly, quickly she looked at the display and saw Reid's name displayed as she answered the call.
"Hey Emily did you know that the original Solaris is showing?"
"Evening Reid, sounds great but I really want to see Kate."
"Sure no problem, see you tomorrow."
Emily pocketed her phone as she carried on walking around the apartment with her gun drawn, making Kate's bedroom her first stop, only when she was sure that her daughter was safe did she go and retrieve the envelope from the safe once again, returning to the hall where the box lay on top of the wooden unit. Cautiously she opened the box, peeling the paper to reveal a solitary lilac flower, slowly she brought the flower up to smell it before she returned it back into the box. Leaving the file on top of the box Emily walked through to Kate's bedroom and gently shook the girl awake.
"Grab your bag."
Groggily Kate looked at her mom, seeing the fear in her eyes that she had seen before when they were held in the cabin, instantly she just nodded her head and got out of the bed, grabbing her packed duffel bag off the floor.
"Here put this on."
Emily managed a small smile as she handed Kate her coat before she scooped Sergio up from the floor and held onto the box and file, nodding to Kate as the two of them silently left the apartment.