It was two weeks after my first case working with the team and surprisingly we had not had a case since then. Just loads of paper work. In that time, I had figured out why she wanted me here. I overheard a conversation she wanted me to replace J.J.
I sat at my desk and thought to my self. With a sigh I stood up my decision was made. I made my was to Strauss's office decision made. Erin Strauss looked up as I knocked on the door. "Ah agent Jones Good come on in," She said with a smile.
"Ma'am I am grateful for the job but…. I trailed off… I am not comfortable to do what you want me to do. This team they are like family. I cannot split them up Ma'am." I said sitting down, "I love this job but I do not want to be anyone's replacement" I told her.
She looked at me and smiled "Good you passed"
I stared at her "excuse me" I said blinking.
"Sorry but this was a little test and you passed of course I would not have fired you if you did want to take her place. Now I can say that she is irreplaceable and I have a reason NOT to replace her," she told me.
"Now I believe you should get back to your team." I smiled and nodded I turned and left the room stopping at the door. "Thank you ma'am"
I walked to my desk, sat down, and finished my paper work fro the case. For the most part, I was finished I just had to sign the paper work.
I saw JJ walk out of her office she walked down the stairs. "We have a case," she said.
I followed her to the conference room I sat down watching the screen staring at the pictures and listening to JJ as she gave us the case.
"In Monterey California there was a rash of brutal murders. " J.J told us I looked at Dave and rolled my eyes. What was the universe conspiring against me. My other sister lived there. I sighed looking at the crime scene photos.
The victims were mixed couples so race probably played a roll in the case. In each case the victims were killed in there cars and the bodies dumped somewhere along the beach. Each body was then subsequently posed.
I sighed " I umm I know several people well two but umm I know people that work in the media J.J if you want I can give you there number" I said " My sister and brother in law both work in the news" I told JJ.
Emily rolled her eyes and muttered "see doesn't need help with the media that's her job." I sighed I really thought that I had started to get closer to her. No one else heard her I swallowed and looked down I would not let this get to me I was a professional. JJ smiled at me "Thank you Payton that is a lovely offer but I have a list of people I have to call. "She told me.
I smiled and nodded I heard Emily snort a little bit. Reid looked at her then at me. I smiled and gritted my teeth and glanced at Emily. "Look I know you don't like me I had hoped after working with me for a little bit would have at least made you not hostile but we work together okay. So please keep your little remarks to your self all right? I do not care that you hate me. No that's a lie I would like to have the people that work with me to like me but at least respect me okay." I told her I sheepishly looked around at every one else "Oh sorry" I said sheepishly.
With a sigh, I turned back my attention on JJ and smiled. I furrowed my eyes and sighed "have there been any messages or any type of communication with the police?" I asked.
JJ shook her head "no there has not there's been almost nothing" JJ answered me. I frowned know as soon as the news know the FBI was involved and we were going to be there then I know my sister would be calling me A LOT. I wondered if maybe I should call her and tell her we were coming down.
"… wheels up in twenty guys" Hotch said I only got the last part of what he said though.
We all left the room and grabbed our go bags. I got my bag and was heading to the jet when Reid stopped me. "Hey you okay?" he asked me.
I smiled "Fine honestly I just well I said it in there didn't I?" I asked.
As we got on the plane, I sat down and continued to think to my self. Honestly, I knew why Emily did not like me. I did not blame her at all. To tell the truth if I had been her I would problem hate her. Even though I was young, it did not stop me from being an agent in Interpol. True I had just recently graduated the FBI academy but I was with them first, I was an asset as a kid and I had worked with her. I knew that she remembered me as it was one of the last cases she worked before leaving.
I was almost sixteen at the time and while it is not known that, some agencies use teenagers they do. As special divisions, I worked in one. I was fifteen when I worked with Emily In catching Ian Doyle I looked close enough to Emily that I was able to play her sister. I sighed I could not think of that. Back then, Emily at least dealt me but now not so much and I knew it was because of what happened. My hand went to my arm and I fingered the scar on my arm from that mission.
I opened my eyes and saw Emily looking at me and at my arm. I swallowed and she looked away. I blinked back tears and focused on my breathing. I got up and from the galley got a bottle of water. I felt movement behind me and the door shut. I whirled around it was her. She was staring at me "why" I whispered "what did I do to make you hate me?" I asked she looked at me and sighed "I don't I just your from a point in my life that I have tried to put past me and forget." she told me.
I nodded "has" she mouthed Sean" contacted you or anyone else" she asked me. I frowned "Nooo…" I trailed off. "Why" I asked swallowing. "When we land" she said. I nodded and smiled, grabbed a water bottle and went back to sit down. Something was up and that worried me. Suddenly my phone vibrated I frowned and looked at it. I had a text from my sister.
IS IT TRUE THE FBI IS GOING TO BE HERE? DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING?
I frowned thinking about what I should tell her.
OFF THE RECORD! YES AND YES, I KNOW SOME THINGS BUT WAIT OK.
I told my sister that would have to work for now. My head was throbbing and I closed my eyes.
Soon well not soon, because I fell asleep. But I woke up to the jet landing. With a sigh, I stood up and followed the others out. JJ, Payton you two work together with the media lets see if we can get a handle on that okay…."
The rest was drowned out by JJ dragging me away we got to the SUV and I froze "JJ umm do you w-want to drive" I asked her. She smiled "sure" she said pulling her hair back and getting in the SUV.I got in the passenger seat. After about an hour drive we stopped. I looked around and realized were we were at. My sister's news station. I sighed great JJ looked at me. "Everything okays Payton" she asked me.
I sighed "I this is were my sister works" I told her she brightened "really that's is cool we should meet with her" JJ answered. I smiled "yeah umm she called me and asked if we were coming…" I looked at her.
"Now don't get mad I told her off the record we were I know I probably should not have told her nothing but" I started rambling.
JJ smiled with a laugh "calm down you do have the ability to work with the media its part of your job. You're job is not only profiling but you have the ability to help me…" she started me sighed "JJ umm can I ask you a personal question?"
JJ looked at me "well I guess if it's too personal I just won't answerer" she told me. "JJ have you gotten any offers to work anywhere else? Because Strauss she told me she wanted me to take you job I told her no of course but…..I was wondering if there was a reason." I asked her I heard her take a deep breath in "yes" she paused "I have actually I don't want to take it but they keep asking me" she told me.
I took a breath in "JJ I…" a knocking made both of us jump it was my sister. I rolled the window down "hey booboo" I said grinning I stepped out of the car and hugged her. JJ stepped out of the car.
