Thank you for the reviews and positive remarks about Chapter 1. I know this is going a bit slowly, and it will focus more on Hotch and Emily in the future, but for now I am trying to form an overall picture. Hope you enjoy Chapter 2!
JJ watched from her office as Hotch stood over Reid's desk. He had just left Emily prior to her standing and leaving the bullpen. She didn't know where Emily had gone, but she kept her eye out, worried about her friend. The others had not welcomed her back immediately, and she had been escaping to the restroom frequently since receiving the all clear to return to the team. Probably JJ should call Emily out on her escapes, but she didn't want to yet. There was a fine balance between giving her enough time and watching her avoid her friends. It was determining when she crossed that line that JJ had to concern herself with. At the moment, though, she was okay with Emily slipping away for a little breather once in a while. So long as it did not become more frequent. JJ looked back at her stack of files, knowing whatever choice she made about providing help or the entire team could mean life or death for any number of people.
Reid looked up from his paperwork to his boss standing above him. "Hotch?" His boss closed his eyes briefly and suddenly looked back at the youngest member of the team. He didn't say anything, just continued to hold the paper he had taken moments ago, not reading any of the text. "Sir?" Reid tried again.
"Sorry, Reid. I'm fine. This, this looks good. You can send it out." Hotch put the paper down on the desk.
"Um, Hotch, that's a memo about parking."
"What? Oh, I meant your notes on this case you are working on. Those look good too." Hotch left the desk and walked back to his office, his mind obviously preoccupied. Reid furrowed his brow for a moment, but did not pursue his boss. He glanced around the bullpen, watching Rossi work on paperwork. They were the only two on the team still at their desks. Emily had removed herself once again a few minutes ago. Morgan had gone to Garcia's office for some information; at least what he called information. Reid didn't know why he needed any information as Morgan was not currently working on any specific case. He glanced up toward JJ's office; the door was open and Reid could see her flipping through files.
Rossi had paid more attention than he made obvious. He had noted the conversation between Prentiss and Hotch, noting his concern, her illness and reluctance to go home. He had seen Hotch walk to Reid's desk and pick up a memo, mistake it for a case, and walk away. He had even seen JJ walk to the window in her office that overlooked the bullpen, cross her arms and rub them as if she was cold, and cross back to her desk, pulling another file off her pile. The atmosphere was tense. It had been for a couple of months now, ever since they had discovered Emily was still alive. It wasn't that they weren't happy to see their friend. They most definitely were. It was just that each of them had been in different stages of grieving her death, and then the shock of seeing her again when she had walked into that room, it had thrown them all for a loop. All of them except Hotch and JJ apparently. It was this added sense of betrayal that caused additional tension. Dinner at his house a few weeks ago had helped some, but there was still not the same sense of comrade, the same trust. And, if there was anything they needed in their line of work it was trust.
Emily stood in the restroom, looking into the mirror, trying to perform an honest assessment. She looked slightly pale, she guessed, but that was nothing new. She hadn't been sleeping lately. If she was honest with herself, it had been a year since she had slept without waking, every since Doyle had returned to her life. And, no, she did not feel 100%. But, that too, was not unusual. She splashed some cool water on her face, an attempt to wake herself up and look better. Hotch was going to be on her the minute she walked back to her desk if she did not appear to be okay. And coffee. She had to remember to grab a cup of coffee.