Being Human
Disclaimer: CBS still owns Criminal Minds, not me...
Summary: Just when you think everything seems right in your world something unexpected happens.
A/N: A new chapter in this series, it's sad beware. BTW, thank you all for the kind words on my Grandmother's passing. Today is her funeral, and I'll be very distracted so any comments on the stories, I'll appreciate but will be unable to answer due to the hectic schedule of the day.
Thanks for reading, don't forget to leave a review.
"There are no secrets better kept than the secrets that everybody guesses." George Bernard Shaw
Emily sat at her desk, head buried in case files trying to get through them as quickly as possible when she heard a small chuckle behind her.
Turning around she saw Reid and Morgan look over at her as they descended the break room.
"What's so funny?" Emily asked looking back and forth from the two men.
Reid shook his head, while Morgan wandered over to his desk shaking his head.
"What?" Emily repeated, a touch of annoyance laced in her tone.
Morgan chuckled, "Trying to make us all look bad by finishing your work early?"
Emily glared, "Well where you're concerned it shouldn't be that much of a stretch."
"Hardy har har." Morgan said sitting down.
Emily resumed her work, not paying attention to the people around her when a voice pulled her out of her work.
"Agent Prentiss?" a young man said, "Detective Fields, Virginia Police."
Emily got up, shaking the detective's hand, "How may I help you?"
"Can we speak in private?" Fields asked.
"Certainly." Emily said leading the detective out of the bullpen, not noticing the prying eyes of Morgan or Hotch.
Hotch glanced over at Morgan who mouthed 'cop' to him.
As he resumed back to the mindless task of signing off on reports he looked over to see Emily trudge back into the bullpen.
Hotch was slightly concerned when he saw that she just resumed her paper work not engaging in Morgan's teasing of Reid.
This caused the team leader to frown and wonder what the officer had told her, unable to not know Hotch strolled down to the bullpen and stop at her desk.
"Prentiss?" Hotch said lightly.
"Hmm?" Emily said turning to look up at him "Yeah?"
"What was that about?" Hotch asked her.
"What was what about?" Emily asked, trying to look confused.
Narrowing his eyes, Hotch leaned down he lowered his voice, "What did the detective speak to you about?"
Trying to control her breathing, "None of your business, sir."
"Come with me to my office, Prentiss." Hotch said in a detached dull tone.
Emily picked up her finished files and followed Hotch back to his office, standing in front of his desk she placed the files on the edge of the desk.
"Prentiss" Hotch said, "I know things haven't been easy since your return. However I thought that we had reached some sort of semblance of a friendship..."
Emily raised an eyebrow at that, "Look, my apologies for any disrespect, Hotch. But my conversation with the detective was private, it has nothing to do with anything regarding the Bureau or any cases."
Hotch nodded, still a touch upset that she won't open up to him.
Emily bit her lip as she played with her finger nail, "I'm going to take some personal time."
Hotch furrowed his brow at that, "May I ask why?"
Clearing her throat, "A family emergency."
Nodding at that, "All right, I'll arrange for you to have a week off."
"Thanks." Emily muttered leaving his office.
Hotch turned his head and saw her gather up her belongings, heading to the elevator. The team leader saw Morgan look over at him raising an eyebrow but he just shook his head.
Going back over to his desk, he picked up his phone "I need you to come up here, I need your help."
Emily sat at her kitchen counter, hanging up her phone and closing the file on her computer.
"At least now I've got everything done." Emily murmured to her cat, Sergio who sat on the counter looking at her.
The cat meowed, so she ran her fingers through his soft fur, feeling the comfort of something tangible.
Emily jumped when she heard the house phone ring, "Hello?"
Emily picked up the cat and wandered over to her couch as she listened to the caller speak.
"Yeah, I know." Emily said in agreement "I'm just glad it didn't make the news."
Emily absent-mindedly pet the dark cat, as she listened to the caller speak.
"I know it'll be all over the news tomorrow." Emily said "I'm just grateful I got one day to myself before it hit."
Hearing a knock on her door, "You take care ok? Bye."
Emily set the phone down on the counter as she wandered over to the front door, peering through the peephole she groaned.
"Of course." Emily muttered, opening the door.
"What?" Emily asked "What are you doing here so late?"
Standing in the hallway, Hotch looked over and could see the tired, distress and anxiety on her face.
"Can I come in?" Hotch asked.
Sighing, Emily opened the door letting him in the closing the door behind her.
Emily saw Hotch glance around the apartment and his eyes landed on her laptop, to which she went over and closed.
"I thought you arranged for me to take the week off?" Emily asked seeing him just stare.
"I did." Hotch said sighing, "I know why you're so upset and it's understandable."
Emily froze, turning towards the lap top, "How did you find out?"
"Garcia" Hotch said seeing Emily shoot him a look, "She found out. Why didn't you tell me?"
Sighing, she sat down on the stool at her counter, "Because it's my own personal business. My private life."
Hotch took the seat next to her, "You know you could have told anyone on the team and they'd completely understand."
Emily's eyes narrowed on his face as she pulled back, "What part of my own private life do you not get?" Emily said angrily, "You wouldn't like it if we all dug into your personal life, neither would anyone else on the team. We're all a bunch of profilers but there has to be a minute where you can shut it off regarding something and this is my time to turn it off."
"I'm sorry." Hotch said, "I don't want to push you, but it hurts to see you shut yourself off regarding this."
Running her hand over her forehead, "Jesus Christ Hotch, this is my problem. It doesn't need to be fixed by anyone because there isn't anyway to fix this. This death is unfortunately permanent."
"You're handling this rather well." Hotch said quietly.
Emily snorted and looked over at him, "You mean because I'm not having a nervous breakdown, screaming or smashing things?" Emily asked "Because if that's what you're talking about, you should have been here about an hour earlier."
Hotch saw her tilt her head towards the kitchen and he looked and saw shattered plates all over the floor.
"I've moved passed the anger staged into the acceptance stage." Emily said.
Hotch lightly chuckled, surprised she still had her sense of humor, he saw her open up the lap top.
"You probably wondered why it wasn't all over the news yet." Emily said opening up a link and showing him "Because they had to identify then notify all the next of kins."
"Oh" Hotch said.
"They finally tracked down the next of kin to the pilots." Emily said "So by tomorrow morning everyone will know that Ambassador Elizabeth Prentiss was killed in a private plane crash."
"I'm sorry for your loss." Hotch said lightly.
Emily nodded and looked over at the article written, "She was en rout when the engine failed and they crashed into a mountain. All thirteen people aboard died instantly."
Emily ran her hand over her mouth to hold in the sob, when she looked back over at Hotch, "I still haven't tracked my dad down," Emily said softly "The last I heard he was with trophy wife number three in Greece."
"Do you want Garcia to..." Hotch asked, only to see her shake her head.
"No." Emily said shaking her head, "It's not like he won't find out anyway, but it'd be better if it came from me. I think I've got the number somewhere around..."
Hotch saw her shoulders drop, "God, I can't believe I'm losing it now." Emily said sniffling her nose, "I handle myself so well when I talked to the police, all her colleagues, the funeral arrangements but now thinking about tracking down my father to tell him this? I lose it over this?"
Hotch got off the stool, wrapping his arms around her, "It's ok to break once in a while. It reminds us all that we're not tough as steel and need people to lean on."
Emily's breathing became labored, "I have to do this." Emily said "I need to be strong for her, because if anything else that's who she raised me to be."
"We're all in this with you." Hotch said "You've got us to rely on."
Emily felt Hotch hold her close, rubbing her back, she whispered, "Thank you."
Emily felt Hotch pick her up and take her to the couch, as he sat he held her close.
Henry Boye said, "The most important trip you may take in life is meeting people halfway."
To Be Continued...
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