Authors Note: Anything you like or recognize belongs to someone else.
R-C
Penelope Garcia was actively trying not to think about Emily and what she may or may not be doing at any given time. Since she found Emily the flight to New Orleans she knew she'd been on the ground there for no fewer than four hours, and if history had taught her anything, specifically, with Doyle in Boston, Emily didn't require much time to get herself into trouble. In fact, four hours felt like a lifetime to the technician.
She tried to keep herself on the task at hand, looking for a link between victims in an ongoing case in New Mexico. It had been determined the case wasn't bad enough for the whole team to travel, but Reid was completing a profile to submit, and was including recommendations for the local police. He'd ask Garcia to search for a link, he could include if there was one. She was happy to oblige. As she searched it gave her an active excuse not to stare at the screen watching Will's cell phone, taunting her with the lack of knowledge she had. She was acutely aware that each minute brought Emily closer to Will's phone, for better or worse.
The Interpol agent had promised to call as soon as she'd learned something and Garcia trusted that she would, but it hadn't happened yet and worry was beginning to creep in. Luckily before she allowed herself to get too lost in that line of thought, a knock at her door interrupted. "Come in," she called, skillfully hiding Will's cell phone trace, simply so she wouldn't have to explain its purpose if someone recognized what it was. That decision seemed all the more wise and preemptive when JJ herself came through the door. She closed the door behind her, and stood just inside it, looking uneasy.
Garcia struggled to think of a reason that JJ would venture down to her office. Before the shift in JJ's personality that changed everything, it would be natural, if not expected to see JJ in her lair, whether she had a valid work related reason, or not. Sometimes she just wanted to talk and Garcia was all too happy to indulge her friend. But after she changed, those visits stopped all together. Now if JJ needed work related intel to close a file she'd rely on email to communicate with Garcia. It had been months since they'd stood together, willingly in the same office like this. It surprised her, but it wasn't as if Garcia minded.
Trying to keep her voice steady, as if she wasn't surprised, Garcia turned in her chair. "Jay-Jay," she began, stretching out each syllable. "What can I do for my favorite Honey Bear?"
"Hey Garcia," she countered with very little delay. "I was just wondering if you'd heard from Emily?"
Garcia didn't know if she was more surprised JJ was asking, or that she was asking about Emily specifically. Thankfully the wording of the question allowed her to answer without lying. "I haven't spoken to Emily since yesterday, before you two left. Why?"
While JJ's demeanor was far from her 'old' self, she was closer to it than she had been in weeks. "We went to dinner last night and she dropped me at home. I called to thank her three times today, and each time it goes straight to voicemail. That's very unlike her, she's never more than five feet from her phone, so I'm starting to get a little worried." By the end of her comment, she was showing even more hints of her true self.
Secretly Garcia was thrilled that Emily had successfully seduced JJ to dinner, and equally thrilled it had been so enjoyable that JJ wanted to thank her.
Choosing her words careful so not to lie, Garcia gave her friend a reassuring smile. "I wouldn't worry, if she's away from her phone now I'm sure it'll be back on and charged in no time." She avoided the urge to look at her watch and kept her eyes on JJ's face. "I'll tell you what, I'll run a search on Emily's phone and the minute it becomes active, I'll let you know, how's that?"
JJ perked up. "That would be great Pen, could you do that? You don't think she went back to London, already do you?"
Apparently, it was Garcia's day to be thrilled. Moments ago, she was thrilled they had even gone to dinner, and now she was doubly-thrilled to hear that JJ enjoyed it so much she wasn't ready for Emily to go. No one wanted Emily to return to London, but for it to be recluse JJ down here asking, was what she could only call a step in the right direction. It once again confirmed that she made the right choice turning to Prentiss when she herself was at a loss to aid JJ. "She promised me another visit before she left for London, so she'll definitely be back, and as for the search, anything for you."
The smile Garcia saw was the most honest she'd seen from JJ in ages. "Thanks Pen, you're the best."
In an attempt to keep the mood light, Garcia countered with a confident, "I am, aren't I?" The two women laughed together at her antics. "Do you want to stay down here and wait for news?" Garcia offered casually.
"I wish I could," she answered, still looking sincere. "Unfortunately I've got a mountain of files on my desk and I know a file was escalated straight to Hotch for review, so I need to get back to it."
"I understand, I'll get that search started and whether you're in your office or on a case, I'll let you know as soon as I have news."
"Thanks Pen," the media liaison said quietly as she opened the door and stood in the opening.
Garcia resisted the urge to ask JJ how she was, knowing full-well what the answer would be. "Anytime Jayje, anytime at all."
The two girls said a quick goodbye and once Garcia was alone with her door closed she set up that search she promised JJ. She knew for a fact the reason Emily's phone was off was because she had been on a flight, and now she was probably too focused to bother turning it back on. Still, Garcia trusted her to call with an update when she had one. When that happened, she'd pass the information along to JJ, just as she said she would. In fact, she was excited for the prospect. For the first time in what felt like eons Garcia felt like she was getting through to JJ, with Emily's help, and her excitement was palpable.
R-C
While driving across New Orleans remembered to turn back on her phone. As soon as it came alive, Emily was rewarded with chirps and beeps that marked missed texts, missed calls and voicemails. Before she could consider checking any, a fresh one came in, not surprisingly from Garcia.
Me first, then JJ - it said bluntly.
When her phone rang moments later she knew exactly who it would be. "Garcia, what a surprise hearing from you?" she teased as she tightened her grip on the steering wheel.
"Oh Gumdrop you have no idea. Our little blonde hermit was far less hermit like when she came down to MY office to check on you this morning. She was concerned you'd disappeared back to London. It was only there in flashes, but I saw hints of our old girl."
Emily smiled, both at the news and at Garcia's unapparent need to breathe. "Relax Garcia, breathe, it's okay. I'm here now and it's going to be okay."
She listened while Garcia took several obedient breaths. "You don't understand, I haven't seen JJ down here in months and she came down this morning, looking for you and asking me to track your phone. They might have a potential case, but she insisted she be told when your phone came back on, case or no case. What the hell did you put in that dinner last night?"
Emily laughed gently. "Go ahead and pass along the message to JJ that I'm not in London and I'll be in touch soon. What can you tell me about Will's phone? Has it moved at all?
Through the phone Emily listened to Garcia typing away. It gave Prentiss time to admire the car she'd rented, it was exactly what she asked for, a high-end sedan with tinted windows and a high-end GPS system. "This phone doesn't move much Emily I mean at all. It is as if he never leaves the same three-block radius, for a man with kids that seems strange, don't you think."
The engine roared as she sped away from a red light. "Let's go ask him." For several minutes Garcia read off the addresses and Emily entered them into system.
As they ended their call, Emily could tell that Garcia was already on her feet and moving, rather quickly. "Off to tell JJ your phone is back online, so you better have your story ready and waiting."
"I do," Emily countered, feeling rather smug on the subject. Knowing her absence would come up, she had done a little research after she dropped JJ off the night before and learned that David, a former friend of hers, another child of a diplomat was currently living in Texas with his family. They kept in steady but rare contact, once or twice a year, Christmas cards, birthday cards, that kind of thing, likely because their respective mothers wouldn't allow them to forget such things, but whatever the reason it was beneficial now. Emily would tell JJ she was visiting David while she was really, hunting Will and the truth.
When the phone buzzed in her lap she picked it up immediately, but acted as if she didn't know who was calling or why. "Prent…."
"Oh my God Emily! There you are! I've been trying to reach you all morning."
"Sorry Jayje, I didn't mean to worry you, I thought I'd be there and back before you notice," Emily confessed truthfully as she sped through traffic.
"Back from where?!" she barked harshly. After a few seconds she seemed to sense her tone and amend it. "I'm sorry Em, I didn't mean it like that, I just had a nice time at dinner last night and then this morning I couldn't reach you, I was worried."
"No need to worry, it seems my vacation isn't so much of a vacation. My mother has sent me on a diplomatic mission to visit a kid I grew up with who lives in Texas. She works with his diplomatic mother. David isn't answering his mother's calls, I wonder why that would be," she said sarcastically, causing both women to laugh before she continued. "They just want me to check in and make sure he's okay and I'll be right back home."
On the other end of the line she heard coughing, gagging and gasping. "Sorry, sorry," she muttered as she worked through her problem.
When everything appeared settled, Emily tried carefully. "Everything alright there Jayje? Don't tell me your body is rejecting coffee now."
With a very JJ-like laugh, that warmed Emily's heart, the blonde answered. "I assure you, even in the grave my body will still take coffee willingly Agent Prentiss."
"Noted, so if it wasn't the coffee what caused your most favorite drink to suddenly battle against you."
There was a slight delay in JJ's response which allowed Emily to take note that she was driving into a less savory part of town. Run-down buildings, abandoned buildings, and no shortage of wandering men and women moving in all directions, on both sides of the streets. She couldn't imagine this was the kind of place Will grew up.
"You said you were going home as soon as you were done there. Did you mean London?" she asked, the last word in a whisper, as if she was afraid to say it, or more likely afraid to hear the answer that followed.
Emily's heart warmed further. "Jennifer Jareau, you listen up and you listen good. My address, my apartment and a fair amount of my favorite clothes may be in London right now, but I'm telling you that was not now and has never been my home. My home, is in DC, I'm sure you remember the spot, little view of the Capitol."
JJ laughed again, a sound Emily loved. With teasing in her voice JJ played. "I seem to remember a place vaguely like that, I believe I spent the night once or twice." Her voice turned serious after another round of laughs. "I hadn't realized you kept the place after you left, I assumed you put it on the market."
"All my best memories are there, in that condo and with the team. I'll never sell it." The GPS announced her arrival so she reluctantly had to end their call. "Listen Jayje, I just arrived at David's so I need to let you go for a bit, but I'll be back on a flight tonight, tomorrow at the latest and I will definitely will be going straight home," she paused for dramatic effect, "I'll see you when I get there."
She could hear JJ's smile, brief as it was, she could tell it was present. It seemed to remind JJ of the reason for her original call. "I really did have a good time last night Emily and I'm sorry I gave you such a rough time since you got here…"
"Don't apologize Jayje, everyone has things they don't want to talk about, I surely understand that. Just don't forget people are worried about you, and people love you, including me. We'll talk more when I get back."
In a mark that signaled real progress JJ told her what she already knew. "We might be on a case, but if we're not, I might even let you pick the restaurant."
"Oh Jennifer, you say the sweetest things," she laughed before she hung up, not allowing JJ a chance to get the last word.
Outside the air-conditioned car she was once again struck by the oppressive heat. She called Garcia and had the call fed into her wireless earpiece so she didn't have to waste one of her hands holding the phone to her rear. In the other pocket, she had a recording device. One push of a button and it would record everything being said, by Will or anybody else. If what she was growing to suspect was true, she'd need proof and what better proof than a recording. If it worked for the FBI, it would work now, right?
She called Garcia and asked for directions to the exact spot where the phone was now. As she feared, it led her not to a home with a drawling family she could barely understand, with two children she adored but instead to a homeless encampment. Once Garcia had located the exact bed and therefore the exact person with the phone Emily turned off the phone and activated the recorder. She lifted it from her pocket just enough to see the red 'recording' light before she dropped it back in.
"Excuse me, can you help me?" she asked in her friendliest of voices.
With a serious of uncontrollable coughs the figure wrapped in blankets rolled over, revealing a man, who although white was definitely not Will LaMontange. "Hello Sir, my name is Emily and I'm looking for my friend Will. I traced his phone and it led me here."
The man who seemed indifferent to her presence up to that moment, recoiled slightly, leaning back further into the brick wall he lived against.
Emily hurried to put his mind at ease. "I'm just looking for my friend Sir, I'm not trying to get you in trouble. How did you happen to get the phone?
"T…that man, he gave it to me," he said, clearly more nervous than before.
From her phone, she pulled up a picture of Will alone. "Was this the man?" she wondered while under her mask of friendliness her rage seethed.
The man nodded, "That's the one," he drawled. "Came by, I knew him when he lived here, he was police and I gave him tips from time to time and he gave me cash for a place to stay. He said he wouldn't need it anymore, so I could have it."
Emily nodded because she didn't trust her voice to hide her sarcasm. When she finally felt it was safe she asked, "A few months ago right?"
"Yes ma'am, said he had no use for a DC phone now that he was back in NOLA."
"What about the bill?" she quizzed, knowing from Garcia's search that it was still going to JJ's house and being paid.
"He said that if his bitch of an ex-wife was ever home she could cancel it." As he said the words he seemed to sense where the conversation was going. "Since you're here, I figure you want the phone?"
Emily had come prepared for all scenarios, even bribery. Her family's wealth was rarely something she relied on or thought about, it purchased her condo in DC and her cars, but beyond that she lived on her salaries, be it FBI or Interpol. The money that came with her last name sat in investments and trusts, accruing interest until it was required. The night before, she withdrew ten thousand dollars and removed it in cash on the way to the airport. Nine thousand was in her go-bag locked in the car, but the remaining thousand sat deep in her jeans front pocket.
"What's your name?" she asked innocently.
"Tom," he answered, once again sounding anxious.
"Well Tom, how about a bargain?" she suggested. "I don't want to take that phone from you, I'd rather buy it from you and give you enough money to get your own."
She paused to let those words sink in and visible noticed when he understood. "Buy it?"
From her pocket, she pulled out the collection of bills and counted them out. "What do you think is fair Tom? $300?"
The profiler in her watched his eyes bug out but she hid it. She offered him the three hundred dollars and in record time he handed over the phone he'd been so reluctant to part with.
"Thank you Tom," she said truthfully. "Now you said Will used to pay you for information when he was a cop right?"
Tom nodded, aware of the money she was still holding. He was far more interested in the conversation now. "Is there any information about Will you call tell me, about the time he came by to give you the phone? About where he's staying or where I might find him now? Anything at all?"
"I don't know where he's staying," Tom admitted almost sadly, "but when he came by he wasn't alone."
"He wasn't?" she prodded gently.
"No, he had his girlfriend with him. She stayed at the mouth of the alley like she was afraid to come in. I mean for God's sake I'm homeless not rabid."
The two shared a chuckle before Prentiss asked, "You're certain it was his girlfriend?"
"Oh yeah," Tom said with certainty. "Will always bragged when he was getting laid. He said she was an upgrade over his last one, said at least she'd be waiting when he got home from work."
Inside she was so angry she could spit nails, or make use of the gun her Interpol badge and a few well-placed calls to the airport allowed her to travel with. Things were starting to come together, Will trip here was permanent and apparently he had a girlfriend, one he considered an upgrade over JJ, the damn idiot.
"What did this woman look like exactly, could you see?" Emily asked, struggling to keep her voice even.
"Tall, leggy, redhead, cute, with glasses, dressed real professional in a skirt and expensive shirt, didn't fit in around here that's for sure. Oh, and he called her Melissa!"
"He told you her name was Melissa?"
"No," he admitted with a laugh. "She was pissed it was taking so long, so she complained from her post at the end of the alley. He yelled back to her, 'Calm down Melissa I'm almost finished.'"
"You've got a hell of a memory Tom, I'll give you that," Emily said with a laugh.
"Will used to say the same thing."
"That particular skill of yours, is valuable," she told him. She handed him the last two hundred dollars as he seemed stunned by the turn of events. While he was counting his win-fall she pulled out the last five hundred from her pocket and rolled them into a less obvious shape, hiding them in the palm of her hand.
"Thank you so much Miss Emily, truly," he told her, a wide smile stretching the length of his worn face.
"Thank you Tom and I have only one more request…" she let her words hang in the air.
"Anything."
"Should you see Will, please don't mention that you saw me." In her mind she was already calculating ways to track down this Melissa girl, and Will, but she didn't know how long it would take, even with Garcia at her side, and she didn't want Will being tipped off.
"Of course not," he promised. He held out his hand to shake it and she gladly took it, slipping him the second five hundred dollars. By the time he realized what he was holding she had already turned and was moving up the alley. "Miss Emily, this is far too much. I can't accept this."
"Please accept it Tom and stay indoors tonight, get yourself a new phone and a hot meal or two… whatever else you need," she said without stopping. By the time she was about to turn from Tom's view she yelled back to him, "Believe me Tom, the intel I got from you was worth far more than I paid. I'm in your debt."
Once she was back in her car, Emily turned off the recorder and immediately dialed Garcia. With the car driving in no particular direction she filled Garcia in on what she'd learned. "Find a coffee shop!" Garcia commanded, "One with Wi-Fi." As she sought one out Garcia promised she could mine all the data from the phone, deleted or otherwise to find out who Will had been talking to, surely it shouldn't be too hard to find this Melissa woman.
"When did Will and the boys take this trip to New Orleans? When was the first time you ever heard of it?"
Keystrokes likely to hold the answers they needed, could be heard through the phone and Garcia gasped. "That bastard," she hissed.
"What Garcia? Fill me in," Emily prodded.
"It was about eight months ago or so, we had a case in Michigan, took two weeks to solve, it was brutal, but once we caught the guy, ten minutes with Rossi and Hotch and he gave it all up, I mean everything. He told us he had a partner he was talking to online from Tennessee, it was sort of a challenge or something. They'd share what they did, and the other guy would run out to try and 'outkill' him. It was horrible Emily, truly horrible, so exhausted as we were, the team went straight from Michigan to Tennessee to find the next guy. Which took another week, ten days or so if I remember right."
Emily had heard enough. "That must be when he left. JJ calls and says, 'Sorry this case is going to take another week,' he must've seen his window to get out with the boys without JJ being around to put up a fight."
Not long after she settled into an uncomfortable seat in a coffee shop Emily got the news that the team was working on a case in Miami, which if nothing else would allow Emily all the time she needed to finish her case and get back to DC with a present for JJ.
For four hours and three coffees, a bagel and a muffin the duo worked. In the end, there was only one Melissa who was a redhead and fit the bill. Melissa Mullins was a divorce attorney of all things, who worked out of DC until eight months ago when she abruptly left and relocated her practice to New Orleans. Since then, public records showed that she purchased a home, big enough for four just twenty miles from the address where Will grew up. It was too perfect not to be them.
Patiently she waited parked four houses down from Melissa's recently acquired home for hours. With plenty of time, she retrieved a scope from her bag in case she needed a closer look. Afterward she replayed Tom's conversation, growing more and more frustrated by the way Will described JJ each time she heard it. When something finally happened, she was glad she could skip ahead to an unused part of tape in preparation. First she witnessed a red SUV pull in and park in the driveway. Through the scope she saw a woman with a briefcase climb out. She looked every inch the lawyer, the expertly styled hair, red as Tom described, flawless completion, impeccably dressed in a black skirt, silver blouse and black pumps.
While the emotional part of her wanted to rush from the car with her gun and wring her scrawny neck, the wiser part of her knew better. She'd have to wait… the star of the show wasn't here yet.
It was more than an hour before another car, one she recognized pulled onto the street and drove past her. With the tinted windows she knew Will couldn't see her, but she could was able to confirm it was him as he passed and that was all she needed. By the time he was in the driveway she was out of her car and crossing the street, drawing her weapon from the holster she wore under her shirt, against the small of her back. She walked as quickly as she could without running so that she could meet Will before he got to the door, she reached him, from behind, less than five feet from the two cement steps. "Hello Will," she said calmly in his ear, as she shoved the barrel of her gun against his ribs.
"Emily?" he asked in a strange voice that was a meld of acknowledgement and surprise. It was as though he expected her to come eventually, but surely not today.
"I'm surprised you remember," she commented, nudging the gun harder into him, just to cause him discomfort. All too aware of the gun he was wearing she gave her first command. "Fold your hands in front of you, and don't do anything foolish." For a long instant, he didn't move, but he complied. "Good boy," she taunted as she kept her eyes looking over his shoulder at his hands and retrieved his gun. She slipped it into her waistband, before she used her foot to do a quick check of his ankles for a secondary holster, there wasn't one. "Alright Will, what do you say we go say hello to this missus."
With Will unarmed now, she let him lead, and followed behind, gun at the ready. She adjusted her shirt to hide Will's weapon, and before long they were all inside. Being the last one in, Emily made it a point to not only lock but chain the door as well, safety first.
Coming from what she assumed was the kitchen Melissa was speaking before she realized they had a guest. "Will, there you are, I was … Oh My God! What's going on here!" She took a step toward the phone.
Emily took control immediately. "Will sit on the sofa. Melissa sit down next to him, hands on your knees. Now before you get any bright ideas, you should know, any calls that leave this house between now, and when I make a call to my friend, will be routed to only one number mine, and that includes cell phones councilor."
While they did as they were ordered, Emily activated the recorder in her pocket. She was going to want this on tape.
"What do you want Emily?" Will asked harshly.
She laughed bitterly. "Oh I forget Will, you've been in a hostage situation before, you remember the bank, the night you proposed to JJ again, the day before your wedding. You can't handle me, and you can't play me, whatever training you've had, I've had more trust me. Now first things first, where are the boys?"
"They are spending the night with their Grandma," Will answered and internally Emily released a breath she'd been holding since she landed. They shouldn't have to see this.
Melissa finally found her voice. "You do realize your committing no shortage of felonies right? Brandishing a weapon, carrying a concealed weapon, kidnapping and confinement. Are you prepared to do twenty years in prison?"
Emily laughed gently. "Are you? That's exactly what you did when you took children across state lines without their mother's consent. Although, for all our sakes I truly hope you did it without the guns."
"Will was their legal guardian while JJ was out of town," Melissa pointed out. "He had a right to take them wherever he wanted."
"Oh yes, and then to give his phone to a homeless man in an alley states away from their mother so she would have no method to reach them, that sounds beyond reasonable." The couple on the couch locked eyes and Emily felt the need or perhaps the want to twist the knife a little deeper, focusing on the redhead she said, "Oh yes I know all about Tom and I happen to know that wasn't an exchange between two old friends, was it Melissa, you were there too." Emily enjoyed the look of surprise she saw on the lawyer's face.
"You don't know anything about me…" she started to say before she was interrupted by Emily's laugh, not a light laugh, but a whole-hearted belly laugh.
Turning to Will she shook her head as more laughter slipped out. "Eight months here, and God knows how many back in DC and you never thought to tell her about Garcia, even when you were plotting this grand scheme?" Turning back to Melissa. her laughter was gone and her voice cold. "I know exactly everything about you Melissa Mullins of Spokane. Born August 10th at 6:45AM. You are the oldest of two children. Your brother Sam has had a bit of trouble. He's currently doing a year for drug possession in Florida. That has to be embarrassing to your hardworking, blue collar parents Samuel and Marcy, don't you think? Guess even his big-wig DC lawyer of a sister couldn't get him out of that one huh?"
Will put a comforting hand on her leg as Melissa looked like she was fighting tears. "H…how?"
"Don't worry about how, that's the past. I'm far more worried about the future. The two of you stole a pair of children from their loving mother. I'm here…"
"Did JJ send you?" Will wondered, looking concerned at the prospect.
"JJ doesn't know I'm here, yet."
During their exchange the lawyer composed herself. "Loving mother? She was barely home. Gone for weeks at a time, what kind of life is that for a kid? The boys are better off here, with family!"
"Watch your mouth!" Emily demanded. "JJ is the best mother I know or have ever seen. As for family? You've been around long enough for them to remember your name, little more so I wouldn't go around throwing judgements. JJ's a federal agent who leaves home to saves lives, who protects people like your hardworking parents who might just live next to a sociopath or maybe it'll be your Uncle in Vegas who might run across a serial killer on his way to his nightshift at the Bellagio. Chances are you can look at your family tree, and on one branch or another you can find someone who was helped, directly or indirectly by someone the BAU saved. I will not let your ignorant ass sit there and disparage the work they do, because you've heard half a story."
"What's your plan here Emily?" Will asked, trying to get things back on track.
"If it were up to me, I'd pull out documents that sign away all your parental rights, I'd put them in front of you right now and at gunpoint or otherwise I'd have you sign them." She heard a feminine gasp from nearby but she ignored it, never looking away from Will. "But regardless of what I think, you are Henry and Michael's father and therefore it's JJ decision whether you have any role in their life. I'm here to return those boys to their home, to their mother, where they belong. You are welcome to join us if you like, but we are leaving here tonight."
"Tonight!" Melissa erupted, standing from her seat. "You can't be serious. I can make a phone call and have you arrested, I can file an emergency injunction to ensure the boys stay with us where they belong. We aren't letting those boys leave with any friend of JJ's who just happens to show up." Beside her Emily noticed Will wince at his girlfriend's words.
Emily smiled warmly, but it was eerily false and everyone knew it. "Sit down. Since Will didn't tell you about Garcia, I suspect he didn't tell you much about me, did he?" The girl startled by Emily's calm shook her head before she glanced at Will who expertly avoided her eye. Once she was seated Emily continued. "Good now let's compare resumes, shall we? Long before I ever met Will and JJ I worked for a clandestine agency within Interpol that hunted terrorists, I was undercover and lived with terrorists for weeks, months and in one case, even years. After that I left Interpol for America and took a job with the FBI, eventually I ended up in the BAU where I met JJ and later Will. We were friends. When Henry was born, I held the baby before Will here did, and despite my time away, both those angels still call me Auntie Emmy when they see me on FaceTime or hear my voice on the phone. Now I presently work for Interpol leading my own division."
Reaching into her pocket she pulled out her credentials, both FBI and Interpol and laid them on the small coffee table between where she was standing, making them easy to see. She noticed the couple sharing loaded looks. "Will…"
Emily wasn't the least bit interested in their dispute so she ended it before it got started. "If that wasn't enough leverage to ensure I could return the boys where they belong, perhaps this will be. I don't know if you picked up on it there, but my last name is Prentiss." She allowed time for it to sink and for once she didn't mind the shock her name invoked. "Yes, that Prentiss. My mother is Ambassador Prentiss and she is very fond of JJ and her boys, while she forgets my birthday regularly she makes it a point to send those boys a gift or at the very least a check so I can pick them up something on her behalf. So now Miss Mullins, ask yourself, those friends you intended to call, will they be a match for Ambassador Prentiss, Interpol, the FBI and our team of lawyers?"
Emily stepped back slightly, allowing the couple to talk in whispers about what they should do. It took less than thirty minutes for them to reach a decision. The lawyer spoke for the duo while Will avoided Emily's furious eyes. "We will be looking into full-time custody, but given the current circumstances we aren't opposed to allowing you to return them to DC until the details are finalized, provided they will be well cared for if and when JJ's work requires her to be out of town."
"They have always been well cared for when JJ has been out of town, that was never in dispute," she said with a hard glare toward Will. "But if that is the primary issue I give you my word, I'll care for them myself, if that's what it takes." She passed Melissa one of her rare cards that included personal contact information in addition to her work numbers. "You can reach me here anytime, day or night. If you'd like to leave me your new information, I`d be happy to have someone contact you when we return to DC, whether it be JJ or myself."
Melissa's entire demeanor seemed soften. "We'd appreciate that, thank you. And also, may I say, you've provided me with a lot of new information…"
"That's between the two of you," Emily reminded her. My only interest here is those children. So why doesn't one of you go back up the things they'll need for the trip, including that Panda Bear Henry can't live without and the Lion Michael chews on in his sleep, while the other goes and gets the boys from their grandparents. Apologize their sleepover has been cut short."
Will seemed all too happy to escape, and it was only after they were alone that Melissa spoke again. "You really do know the boys well, don't you? I bought them new toys a while back, and tucked them in that night, adding them beside the Panda and Lion respectively but they wouldn't have it. They said there wasn't enough room, when clearly there was plenty. The meaning behind those gifts must be special." Emily blushed feeling oddly shy, and Melissa understood. "They were from you." It was far more a statement than a question.
The Interpol agent nodded. "Years ago, after a case, for my safety and the team's safety I had to pretend to be dead. Only JJ and our supervisor knew the truth, but everyone else believe I was dead for nearly a year. I sent Henry the Panda during that time, and Michael got the Lion a short while after his birth. I never dreamed they'd get so attached but each time I talked to JJ she'd take me into their room, and turn the camera so I could see them sleeping with the gifts I'd given, I'm not sure I've ever felt more loved."
"They do love them," Melissa agreed. Seconds later she disappeared upstairs to begin packing and Emily took the opportunity to holster her gun and call Garcia, turning off the recorder at the same time.
She answered only half a ring. "Clearly our definitions of 'call back quickly' vary greatly Agent Prentiss.
"Hopefully the news I have will help you to forgive me," Emily added quickly in an attempt to appease her friend.
"You have good news then?" she asked, eager and even through the phone the brunette could picture her bouncing in her chair.
"We'll be needing all three of the seats we tentatively booked for the trip home, it won't just be me tonight."
"Three!" she screeched. "You did it! You really did it!"
After she gave Garcia a moment to calm down, she spoke softly, hoping the technician would follow her lead. "You doubted me? I wasn't leaving here without them."
"Oh JJ is going to be so thrilled. She'll love you more than she already does."
This thought made Emily smile. "Is the team still in Miami?"
"For the time being. They ID'd the Unsub not an hour ago and I sent them the address, so they should be kicking in doors anytime now and I expect the call from them saying they are back at Miami PD soon. With any luck, they'll be on their way back tonight, and you'll arrive first, but not by much."
"Good, I'll take the boys out for dinner and hopefully we can meet back at the office."
"You don't want JJ to meet you and the boys at her place?"
Emily's answer was immediate. "I don't want JJ to miss one more second with her boys than she already has. I suspect it'll be an emotional reunion, so I'll wait until the rest of the team has left, and then the boys and I will meet JJ and we can all go back to JJ's place together."
"Makes sense," Garcia quickly agreed. "I'll do my part to rush the others out and then I'll text you."
"Sounds perfect," Emily predicted.
"I've said it before and I'll say it again, you are remarkably sweet Emily Prentiss."
Recalling something similar that JJ said to Garcia after she killed the man who shot him, she said, "This is what we do for family."
The catch in Garcia's voice was proof she remembered. "I'll take care everything on this end and call you if anything changes."
"Penelope Garcia you are a goddess."
"Its true," she agreed with a giggle before she hung up.
Emily was alone in the room only a minute before Melissa came down the steps carrying two cartoon themed bags. Emily met her at the foot of the stairs and took them. "I think I got everything."
"I'm sure it'll be fine," she said in her kindest voice. She held the woman at gun point it was a little difficult to undo that with simple warm words. She was setting the bags just inside the door for later, when suddenly the doors swung open and two little men came racing in. Emily dropped the bags and sank to their level, the boys froze mid-step as if expecting one thing and finding another. "Auntie Em," Henry shouted, while Michael settled for a far less refined 'Emmy!' Both boys rushed into her waiting arms, Michael's steps wobbling and unsteady as he tried to follow his brother. When they were close enough, Emily pulled them both into a hug and squeezed them as tight as she'd dare.
Picking up one boy in each arm she carried them deeper into the house to allow Will entry. She set them down on the couch. "What are you doing here?" Henry asked, are you visiting too?"
That question caused Emily to throw a hard look at Will which he avoided. The boys still thought they were visiting and he never had any intention of taking them back. "Actually buddy I'm here to take you home to your Mommy, she missed you so much she can't wait another day to see you."
Both sets of eyes lit up at the mention of their mother and sensing something she would hate coming next she turned on the recorder in her pocket. "Mommy's not sick anymore?"
She had to swallow down a mouthful of bile to keep from vomiting. "You know I've been far away in London right buddy?" he nodded vigorously to confirm he knew. "So I don't know everything you know about what's been going on, is your Mommy sick?"
"Daddy said she was sick and that he couldn't take care of us alone, so we came to visit Grandpa and Grandma."
Emily looked over the little boy's head and pinned Will with a death-glare. "Is that so?"
"Uh-huh," he answered with another nod.
"Well your Mom is all better and she can't wait to see you, so we are going to take an airplane and go see her as soon as we can." The boys were so pleased at the prospect of seeing their mother, the adults watched as they hugged each other and whispered about seeing their mom again.
Emily went out to pack her rental car, and slipped her gun into the glovebox where it would be safe for the ride to the airport. She'd left Will's on a table in the kitchen while Melissa was packing. Next to her, working wordlessly Will transferred the car seats that he'd stolen from JJ when he left, into the rental and they both went back inside. Emily stood near the door while the boys said their goodbyes to both Will and Melissa.
When everyone was situated in the car, Emily drove them away from the home they'd known for months. Watching through the rear-view mirror the boys didn't seem the least bit upset about leaving. She chatted happily with them about all the things they'd do when they got back home, but the conversation always quickly returned to their mother and how she was doing. The two sweet boys they were, were gravely concerned for their mother's health. Like mother, like sons.
R-C
Author's Note: I'm sorry it took me a bit longer than I expected to get this chapter out. Side effects from the surgery are making it difficult. I hope there aren't too many mistakes in this chapter, but if there are, please let me know so I can correct them. Now that I'm back home and spending most of my time in bed, I hope to be able to write and post frequently. I can't guarantee a specific schedule but I will post as often as I can, and I promise this fic will be finished. I hope you'll all stick around.
Thank you to all those who commented, followed and reviewed.
Take Care
R-C