A new chapter for all those who read and the special few who review. I just love all you guys! :)

Disclaimer: blah blah, not mine, etc.

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"Greetings Earthling, you have reached the fair and wonderful Angel of W-ACHOO!"

"The Angel of Wa-achoo? I kind of expected something better than that Garcia." Emily said wryly, smirking at Morgan when he turned.

"Hey Baby Girl" he greeted ducking close enough to the phone so that she could hear him.

"I have a sneeze thing." Garcia replied.

"Not a cold or the flu?" Emily continued.

"Nah, just a nasty old sneeze...thing. I'm fine to keep going. I could even come up for a road trip."

"Up to you I guess."

"More like up to the great and indisputable Hotch. Super G-man in a super-conservative suit."

Emily stifled a giggle.

"He won't let me." Garcia elaborated. "Something about cold weather, wet weather, too far away for me to travel with me honking like a goose stuck in a Lamborghini. And maybe something about not being good for the baby." She ended in a mumble.

"So he's playing the concerned card right?"

"Yeah, but he's right. Not good for little Jayje. Having a sneezerific God-aunt bellowing mucus everywhere."

"Eeww!" Emily half-shrieked into her phone, causing Morgan, Hotch and Rossi to turn and stare.

"Sorry, so what were you calling about?" Garcia responded as she tried to sniff without alerting the fact over her speakerphone.

"Ah, right. I just wanted you to check into the bank records, telephone, and mobile records of a Claudia Hawkner."

"Oh is she a Vic?" Garcia asked. As if telepathically mirroring Garcia, Hotch and Rossi both turned to Emily, listening into her side of the conversation, mainly because she had yet to tell them about the Hawkner's predicament. She hadn't wanted to interrupt their victimology session.

"No. Just, her mother's really worried and the cops aren't interested with all the Snowman business. I just figured…"

"Yeah, yeah. I totally understand. Poor thing. How long she's been out of circulation?"

"Coming up on three days now. Ms. Hawkner would really just appreciate someone doing something."

"Agreed. I'll let you know." She was about to hang up when she sensed Emily go to say something. "Yes my little conundrum?"

"Could you check the victim's bank statements too, from when they went missing?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Can't explain really. Just a feeling."

"Gut feeling?"

"Maybe." Emily answered. Morgan looked over inquisitively.

"Let me speak to my Beautiful Boy ok Em?" Garcia asked.

"Sure thing" Emily replied as she swiftly threw the mobile to Morgan.

"Enlighten me." He said.

"Watch out for Em, ok. And Jayje goes without saying." Morgan stood up and moved away from the group to a private section of the room. So basically he was standing in a corner.

"Emily's not even the UnSub's type." He answered.

"I know, but when I disregarded my gut feeling…I-"

"I know. Battle."

"Just. Nothing seriously bad has happened to Emily yet. Sure, she got whacked up the head by a crazy, a little blood. But nothing serious. I just…"

"Garcia. What is it?" Morgan was more than concerned now. Garcia and gut feelings were not to be dismissed.

"Every time she goes out now, with you guys. I'm convinced something bad's going to happen to her. Like it's her turn or something."

"That's ri-"

"Don't you dare say ridiculous Morgan!"

"No, I wasn't I was going to say that's…really unlikely." Even to his ears his comeback sounded ridiculous.

"Sure, sure. Just do me a favour. Don't let anything happen to my friends." Garcia sneezed again as if to punctuate her plea.

"I promise." Morgan felt the tiniest bit of unease promising that. But with JJ in round the clock supervision and Emily being a kick-ass FBI agent, everything was going to be alright. So why was there this feeling of dread?

"I'm so ready for dinner." JJ sighed, as the team walked into the restaurant Sheriff Coulter had mentioned.

"Hmm mm." Emily intoned. Hotch wasn't sure if she was really paying attention to the conversations going on around her or merely making sounds when she felt it to be appropriate. She really wasn't keyed into the team tonight. Ever since she'd begun to question the UnSub's true motives, her concentration had gone out the window. He needed her back in the here and now if he was going to let her and JJ share a room by themselves. The group shuffled toward a fairly large table sitting just off-centre from the main window. Those lucky enough to sit on the far side of the table would have a picturesque view of the snow covered town. Emily and Hotch weren't that lucky, but they did have a particularly good view of a painting hung up on the interior wall. A snow scene, very white and very cold looking. If cold ever had a look you could capture in a painting, that painting would be the one you would get. At least that's what Emily was musing when the waiter asked her for her order.

"Miss, your order?" he repeated.

"Oh, uh…" Emily stumbled as she picked up the menu for the first time. Quickly scanning the first page, she flushed as Morgan's low throaty laugh rumbled from across the table.

"May I suggest the winter special?" the waiter said.

"Yes, I'm sure that's fine. Thank you." Emily placed the menu carefully back on the table resolved to never look these people in the eye again.

After a few moments of silent awkwardness, Morgan, JJ and Reid returned to their previous conversation; football, Superbowl, sports in general. Hotch and Rossi started up a new conversation revolving around their early work together in the BAU. However Emily was still slipping into that other world, her visual focus though kept coming back to the painting across the room. Eventually she gave up all pretence and stood up rapidly, startling the table. But as she ambled across the room the team relaxed and chalked her odd behavior up to Emily-itis. Unfortunately for Emily, there happened to be an elderly lady sitting at the table beneath the picture. She had to introduce herself awkwardly before asking permission to stand, hovering over the petite lady to view the painting.

"Oh no trouble at all dear." She replied. "I do so love this painting. It's so very quiet and cold, unassuming in its starkness."

Emily refocused her attention on the woman sitting meekly beneath her. "You study this painting a lot then?" she asked.

"I do so admire artistry," the lady replied.

"I'm Emily."

"Agnes, my dear…I believe back in the olden days it was common for people to shorten my name to Aggie, I do so abhor that contraction. Please, call me Ness."

Emily smiled quickly and easily. The first time she'd felt truly comfortable since walking out of the police station an hour before.

"Ness. Do you know what this is a painting of?"

"No, my dear. I've spent many a winter's night sitting here contemplating that very question. My dear Albert and I used to have such hearty discussions about that very thing…back when he was still around." Ness clutched her left hand quickly, caressing the golden band still resting there.

"Do you only come here during winter?" Emily inquired.

"Oh no, they change the paintings with the seasons. They're very contemporary like that here." Ness replied, "Would you be a dear and finish off this last piece of apple for me. I'm not as hungry as I used to be."

"Sure" she answered. The apple in question had been cut into quarters and then halves, probably by the staff. The familial feeling surrounding the community, particularly the restaurant, was reminiscent of her Grandfather's house up in the woods of France, everyone pitching in and accommodating the quirks of the others. Emily snatched up the piece of fruit and popped it into her mouth, and then she started to choke and cough. Ness immediately jumped up, the top of her head still beneath Emily's shoulder. She tried to pat Emily's back to dislodge the blockage but was unsuccessful due to her height; at this point the commotion had attracted the attention of all the patrons. Morgan and JJ were the first ones to reach Emily. Within a matter of moments the offending article had been dislodged and properly disposed of.

"Oh, my dear. I do apologize." Ness began fretfully.

"My fault," Emily scratched out, "Too fast for my own good." Tears leaking from her eyes.

"Bad apple." JJ commented pointing like one would a bad child, at the apple core still lying on Ness' plate.

"Nah, just too much fruity goodness for our girl here." Morgan said clasping Emily's arm, nodding politely to the old lady, and escorting Em back to their table. Ness waved them goodbye as she moved off to finalize her bill.

"I think that's enough excitement for one day." Rossi exclaimed standing and moving to collect Emily's bag from the carpeted floor. They returned to their hotel, said their 'goodnights' and retired for the evening.

All that Emily might have uncovered from her night of thinking vanishing to the trauma of an apple slice lodged in her throat. The phantom piece still haunting her vocal chords long into the still night.

How is everyone finding my fic?

I'd appreciate thoughts on my writing style, and the storyline if you're up to it.

Arc