Chapter 2
Hotch
Two weeks holiday, for the whole team. It was orders from above, the BAU was to shut down entirely for two weeks. You knew the team needed it. Deserved it. But something sat uneasily with you, leaving the BAU non functional for two weeks. You told yourself the world would continue turning. That no matter how hard you worked there would always be unsolved crimes out there, you couldn't win them all. You had no choice but to let it go for two weeks, trying not to imagine the people who might be hurt, kidnapped, killed in your absence. People you might have saved. You never dreamed it would be two of your own team.
You had convinced Hayley to spend the two weeks away with you. There was no hope of reconciliation, Hayley told you harshly. But she agreed to take the holiday with you and Jack, for Jack's sake. Morgan had gone home to visit his family. Reid was visiting his mother. Garcia planned a cruise with her new love interest. And as for JJ and Prentiss, well you hadn't really wanted to know.
You could turn a blind eye to their relationship, and were happy to do so. But the less you knew the better. They were discreet about it, and there was really nothing you could do or say to stop it. So you let it slide. It did trouble you though. Because you saw day by day the glances, touches, saw the relationship growing more intimate and intense. Saw how dependant they were becoming on one another. And you knew that if things ever fell apart, one of them would have to leave the BAU. So you hadn't asked about their plans for the two weeks, knowing somehow that they would be together. You were happy for them, honestly maybe even jealous. That they had found something so rare, someone to share their life with who understood the commitment of the job. Someone who didn't force you to choose.
You weren't that worried after one week when Garcia returned from her cruise, tried to contact Emily, been unable to reach her. Garcia had gone to her house, Emily wasn't there. So what? She went away? She had the money, probably took a last minute trip somewhere. Anywhere. It honestly didn't concern you in the slightest.
'I have a bad feeling.' Garcia had told you.
You've never been one to dismiss the instincts of your team. But you had no room in your mind to entertain the thought that something was amiss. You were, for the first time in a long time, with your family. Your whole attention devoted to your son.
"I'll look into it." You'd told Garcia. But what did she honestly expect you to do? You'd called JJ. Certain they were together. Certain also that Garcia had already tried this. Neither of you could get hold of JJ. You left messages for Emily and JJ both. No response.
Still, you weren't worried. If anything it made you feel better that you couldn't reach JJ either. It meant they were together. Probably travelling. It wasn't as if they were obliged to tell you their every move 24 hours a day. It left you feeling slightly uneasy, but you let it go. You had to.
You felt Haley's eyes burning into you as you left the final message for JJ asking her to contact you. You had to get off the phone, devote your attention away from the team and towards your family. You had promised. Hayley was losing patience. You wondered if she would snap, just take Jack and go home. So you let it slide. Didn't think twice about JJ or Emily. Not until Garcia phoned you back, telling you they had found Emily's car, smashed up and abandoned.
And that was it. The sum total of everything you knew. JJ and Emily had disappeared without a trace, almost two whole weeks ago. You had contacted JJ's fiancé, Will. Only to have him hang up on you, telling you icily that he and JJ were no longer engaged and he did not know or care where she was. You couldn't say you were surprised. What surprised you was that JJ had agreed to marry him in the first place. You had contacted the ambassador, who finally returned your email telling you that she had no daughter and not to bother her again.
There were no leads, no clues, absolutely nothing. This dead man was all you had. And you realised now he had been very likely playing games with you. And with him, you lost every lead you'd had.
Morgan had shot that man one week ago. And in that week since you'd found nothing. Absolutely nothing. It infuriated you like nothing ever had.
And then, the phone rang.
