The elevator smells familiar, and her eyes relax slightly in the dim florescent lights. The ding of the elevator and the opening doors cause her to jump in surprise, somehow having forgotten the small details of being in a public place after such a long time in hiding.
She takes a deep breath and walks out, trying to remember how Emily Prentiss walks, head held high and heels clicking on the floor loudly. It still feels strange, not having to keep her head down and be invisible, but it's okay because she just saw his jacket on his desk and he's closer than ever. They aren't in the bullpen, which means they're probably in the conference room, either waiting on her arrival or still learning the truth about what happened to her. Swallowing her fears with another breath she walks to the conference room, hoping to hear something that will indicate their point in the story but as she draws closer she hears something even better.
"We buried her." Its Reid's voice and he sounds more shocked than angry. And oh god how could she have gone so long without that voice…
She's so happy about hearing his voice that she misses what Hotch says, and part of Morgan's answer before she snaps back into reality.
"… yeah I've got issues" Morgan sounds pissed and she knows that this is where she has to step in because really they're running out of time and Declan could be in trouble. Her legs carry her forward before she can prepare herself for the silence that follows her entrance.
She knows he's looking at her but she can't seem to return the gesture. Her eyes are focused on Morgan and she keeps them there, Morgan is easy, he's agent Prentiss material and not Emily material. Morgan is friendship and not kisses in the dark and whispered promises to love each other always and to never leave, promises that she broke.
Hugs are exchanged, and he hugs her just like everyone else. But he holds on tighter, breathing in the scent of her hair and she is holding herself back from allowing the embrace to last longer. She looks into his eyes as they let go of each other and an agreement forms. Later. Everything can be talked out later, after Declan is safe as well as the rest of them. After she sees everyone and calms Morgan down and gets a good look at Hotch to see if he's eating enough and asks him about jack.
And so she puts on her Prentiss face and gets to work. Everything between the two of them can wait while they sort through this mess and make sure everyone is safe again.
She returns to the problem at hand and pushes everything else out of her mind. Declan is gone and Doyle is here, nearer than he's been for a long time. When she watches Morgan talk to him she knows he has no power over her anymore. He doesn't make her knees go weak and she doesn't see the loving father she once saw so clearly but the ruthless killer who has taken his son's chances of living a good life. She sees Morgan go in for the kill but the second he talks directly about Declan she knows he isn't the one who did this. He wouldn't actually hurt his own son, and while he may be ruthless and cruel he is also traditional and values family above all. She inwardly scolds herself for thinking like a silly schoolgirl and not like a profile. No man is only bad and while Doyle may have hurt her he isn't actually evil. This makes her realize who the person who did this may be. Allowing agent Prentiss completely take over, she walks in with the pictures the interview leaving her dazed with cruelty and she has to exit the room.
Some time passes before reid joins her, and they watch doyle together, waiting for something as he silently gives her strength through his mere presence. He gets a phone call and walks into the interrogation room, leaving her behind as she watches him talk to doyle. His demeanor is calm but she knows better, there is fire in his voice, and not the kind that makes her all warm and mushy inside.
She makes a feeble attempt at not allowing him to do this- it's a dangerous idea and it puts all of them in danger- but she can't seem to find a better one and this does seem like it could work.
Before they go out to the airport she places a cup of coffee in his hand, it's full of sugar and just the way he likes it and he smiles at her gratefully, for a second they both seem to forget what is going on and where they are but Morgan calling them quickly snaps them out of it.
As they walk out towards the plane she is both eternally grateful and completely terrified of the fact that reid is holding doyle's other arm. It's a dangerous position to be in and while she knows reid can take care of himself she is always at least a bit protective of him, but she's grateful for the support he gives her in his silence.
For a moment she thinks it's all going fine, McDermott is there and Declan is with him. He's blonde and lovely, just as she remembers him, but taller, and much more scared. She tries to reassure him with her eyes, create some sort of connection between two minds that haven't been in one another's presence for too many years, but before she can do that Chloe shows up and everything goes to hell. Gunshots are fired and before she even has a chance to react Everyone is down and once she shoots reid a quick look to make sure he wasn't hit she manages to crawl over to Declan, holding the boy close in a familiar embrace that he seems to remember. When he claims to remember his father as well she swallows, asking every god that would listen to let this boy finally be happy now.