Thanks to everyone who alerted and reviewed this story. This chapter is mostly about the team's interview with Strauss. Each team member is interviewed at separate times, but to alleviate redundancy in the questions I have grouped their answers together. Hope that there is no confusion. IMPORTANT: for the purpose of this story, Hotch was not made aware of Emily faking her death and Seaver never existed on the team.


Emily's POV

Monday morning arrives, and I can't seem to decide if it arrived too quickly, or not quickly enough. The next three days will decide my future. I have no doubt that I will be able to pass the physical and psychological evaluations. It was what my teammates, my former teammates, will say to Strauss that worries me. Last night, JJ offered to drive me to the BAU, but I declined stating that I would be leaving as soon as my physical exam was completed. Once again she assured me that it would all be alright before we hung up, but I couldn't let myself believe her. I just keep running through my mind the hurt looks I saw on their faces when I stopped by the barbecue at JJ's house. I am sure that if she was honest with herself, JJ would also admit that she didn't think it would work out, but she did her best to play the supportive friend that I needed.

As I pull into a spot in the parking lot, I see JJ waiting by her car, presumably for me. I know she could tell how nervous I am. "It's going to be fine, Em," she tells me as she gives me a comforting hug.

I shake my head at her and answer, "You don't know that."

She tries to hide it, but I can see in JJ's eyes that she agrees with me. I don't know what I will do if I cannot come back to this team. Taking a deep breath, I walk with JJ into the building. The team will be getting some happy news this morning. It seems that Strauss pulled some strings and has managed to get JJ back to the BAU. Maybe this will put the team in a good mood for when they have to talk with Strauss about my future. Somehow, I don't think that's the case.

Ememe

Movement in the BAU all but stopped as I entered the room after my physical exam. A bureau wide e-mail was sent that morning regarding the death of Ian Doyle and the news of my "return from the dead" status. I look around the room and let a small smile appear on my face before I notice the blank stares that I receive in return from my friends. I can feel my insides tighten as I realize that I can't tell from their expressions where their decision lies.

Pushing down my panic, I walk up to Hotch's office and knock on the door. "Come in," he answers. Slowly I open the door and step into the room. I close the door and walk over to stand in front of his desk. "Have a seat, Prentiss," he tells me and I immediately comply with his request.

I clear my throat as quietly as possible before I pass over the paper that was in my hand. "I was told to hand this to you. I have passed my physical exam. Tomorrow I have the psychological evaluation," I remind him.

"You could have waited to bring this in to me," he told me, with the cold Hotchner glare gazing at me.

"I was just following orders, Sir," I reply back. "If you'd rather than I will hold off on bringing you the results of my evaluation tomorrow until after I meet with Strauss on Wednesday."

"That would be best," he said to me. "You may go."

"Yes, Sir," I reply back as I leave the room and turn to go down the hallway to JJ's office. I can feel the tears start to pool in my eyes and know that I will not be able to make it to my car before breaking down.

I reach her door and could hear Garcia inside. "Don't get me wrong, Jayje. I am so glad that you are back on this team, but I don't know her anymore. I can't just welcome her back here with open arms. I am furious with what happened."

That was all that I needed to hear. I couldn't stay there any longer. As quickly as my feet would move, I ran down the stairwell next to JJ's office and cried in my car. Tomorrow, I will not make the same mistake. I am just going to go into the building for my psych evaluation and then I will head straight to my car. I can already predict how what will happen. If I return to the FBI, it won't be with my former team.


Third Person POV

When Hotch arrived into work on Monday morning, an e-mail was already waiting for him in his inbox. It was from Strauss and she notified him of the appointed times for each of his team members and himself to meet with her regarding Prentiss' return. He was also informed that JJ will be returning to the team, and he couldn't be happier to have her back.

Strauss looks over the schedule of appointments she had with the BAU over the next two days. Today she will meet with Agents Reid, Garcia and Jareau. Tomorrow will be the remaining members of the team, Agents Morgan, Rossi and Hotchner. She only had a few questions to ask them and would make her decision based on their answers, the evaluations and her meeting with Agent Prentiss.

When she heard the knock, Strauss looked up towards her door, "Come in and please have a seat," she said as she pulled out her paperwork to begin the interview.

Strauss: Before we begin, let me assure you that whatever is said here will be kept in strict confidence between you and me. Not even Agent Prentiss will be informed of the answers that I receive. It is up to you to tell others about the answers I give. The only thing that I ask is that you do not tell the other members of your team what I will be asking in order for me to get their honest answers and not a rehearsed reply. Getting that out of the way…How do you feel about the news of Agent Prentiss being alive?

Reid: To be honest, I still am not sure how I feel about it. She just left and we all believed that she was dead.

Garcia: I am glad that she is alive, but I am so angry with her for running away like that.

Jareau: Obviously, Ma'am I was aware the whole time that Agent Prentiss had always been alive so I wasn't as affected by the news as the rest of the team.

Morgan: To be blunt, Ma'am I am pissed off. I asked her so many times what was going on, but she never trusted us enough to let us in and to try and help her.

Rossi: I couldn't be happier that Emily is alive.

Hotchner: I am happy for Agent Prentiss and for her family that she is alive.

Strauss: Not considering you personal feelings toward her, in your opinion, would the BAU benefit with the return of Agent Prentiss?

Reid: Yes.

Garcia: Yes.

Jareau: Absolutely

Morgan: My professional opinion? She is good at her job, so yes.

Rossi: Of course.

Hotchner: Agent Prentiss is a skilled profiler and would be an asset and treated as such.

Strauss: If Agent Prentiss returns to the team, do you think that decision would be the best option for the team? Would you be able to work with her?

Reid: I believe it would be very difficult for Agent Prentiss to regain the trust that was lost. Working in the field requires so much trust amongst the team. I don't know if it would be possible.

Garcia: It wouldn't affect me as much as it would the others. In the end, I can be professional Ma'am and will work with Agent Prentiss if that is the decision that is made.

Jareau: Of course that is the best decision. I'm sure that trust will need to be re-obtained, but Agent Prentiss needed to gain their trust when she first joined the team. It might take longer than the last time, but I believe that level of trust will be reached in the end.

Morgan: No, I don't. We need to trust each other on this team. She couldn't trust us and right now I can't say that I can trust her.

Rossi: Of course I would be able to work with Agent Prentiss. As for her return being the best option for this team, I can't say. They were deeply affected by what happened between Emily and Doyle.

Hotchner: I am confident Ma'am that whatever decision that is made would be in the best option of the team. I am fully capable of working professionally with Agent Prentiss.

Strauss: Thank you for your time. I will take Agent Prentiss' test results and the interviews all into consideration to make my decision. I will meet with you and the other members of the team at 1pm on Wednesday afternoon.


thanks for reading! next chapter will be Emily's meeting with Strauss and Strauss' decision.