Some six miles away in the Schmidt's neighborhood, Ian Doyle and a few of his men sat in a dark blue van plotting how their next task would unfold. Doyle knew what they needed to accomplish, and he knew just how to do it. Mrs. Schmidt had to die. If he wanted to get a chance to face his true target again, this had to be done. He knew Emily would be there in an instant the second he made another move. He picked up his phone and dialed the number to the local police station.
"Boston PD?" A voice answered.
"I'm looking for an Agent Emily Prentiss." Doyle answered. After some shuffling and noise of the phone being passed around, he heard the voice of his beloved Lauren.
"This is Prentiss." She answered.
"Hello Lauren."
Emily froze upon hearing his voice. It was Doyle and there was no doubt about it.
"What do you want from me?" She demanded, anger evident in her tone.
"It's him." She whispered to JJ who stood next to her, who then nodded to the team as they quickly jumped into action, putting the phone on speaker so everyone could hear.
"I want.. you." Doyle answered, his smirk evident in his tone. He nodded to his men, who quickly left the vehicle and started toward the Scmidt residence. "I want you, dear Lauren. Alone. At midnight. Or Mrs. Schmidt dies."
Before Emily could respond she heard the all too familiar sound of the dial tone in her ear.
"Emily?" JJ asked.
"I'm fine." Emily snapped back before quickly rushing down the hall towards the restrooms.
JJ sighed and turned towards the rest of her team. She wondered what she had done to make her friend snap at her like that when all she had done was comfort her minutes earlier when she was most vulnerable.
Slamming the bathroom door behind her, Emily Prentiss collapsed onto the floor as she struggled to keep her composure. A familiar unsettling feeling overtook her as she crawled into a stall, not aware that JJ had slipped in the door behind her. JJ immediately rushed to her friend's side in time to catch her hair before she vomited.
"Shhh, Em, it's okay," JJ said soothingly, rubbing her free hand across Emily's back. "I've got you."
"Jayje," Emily managed to get out through her short breaths.
"Em, it's going to be okay." JJ said reassuringly, pulling her friend into an embrace.
Emily fell into JJ's open arms willingly and without hesitation and let out a small sob. "I'm sorry JJ, I'm so sorry."
It seemed as if time stood still for a few minutes as Emily just sat there, wrapped in her best friend's arms, trying desperately to calm herself down.
"We've got to get over there." She stuttered when she was finally able to regain her composure. Standing up quickly, she turned to JJ. "I need to go. Please."
"I'm right behind you." JJ said, grabbing her best friend's hand and squeezing it reassuringly. The pair rushed out the restroom door and down the back hallway. The bitter cold air nipped at their faces as they set off toward the SUV. Habitually, Emily hopped in the driver's seat and started the vehicle, waiting not so patiently for JJ to close her door.
"Navigate for me." Emily said, dryly, as she sped out of the parking lot and down the road.
"Take the next left and then the third right." JJ chimed in response. "And Em?" She added in, noticing that her friend was trembling as she drove.
"Yeah Jayje?"
JJ reached for Emily's free hand and squeezed it gently. "Em. I'm here for you."
Emily smiled at her friend and offered a gentle hand squeeze in return. "I know. Thank you."
