Monday, January 10- 1740 miles from Leonardo DaVinci Airport of Rome

Within three hours, I pack and leave for Rome with my mother.

In a blur, we go to my apartment and pack up everything I'll need for the trip- clothes, passport, Sergio, and few books. Going to Rome isn't a vacation of any sorts so I don't pack anything of real excitement like a camera or my tablet. I'm going to one of the most beautiful cities in the world for three weeks and I plan on spending every second of it alone, cooped up in a house.

During the first few hours of the flight, my mother explains what will happen while we're in Rome. She has called ahead and set up a condo near the embassy for me to stay at. I'll be checked on frequently and will have to meet with a psychiatrist, something I agree to just to please her. I already know that I'm depressed; I don't need a psychiatrist to tell me that. However, my mother is so engrossed in helping me that I don't protest.

After a run-down of my situation, my mother explains to me that right before the flight left, Aaron had called her. She explains that he wanted to talk to me sooner than the morning and I simply tell her- "I don't want to talk to him. If he calls between now and the end of my leave, I'm not going to answer." My mother doesn't take my response very well, but decides to drop it until we land.

Now, I'm sitting on a couch on the plane watching the clouds below us. It's so calm that it makes me want to cry. If my life was so calm and gentle like clouds among a starry sky, I'd be home, not feeling….frankly, worthless.

I'm about to close my eyes for a nap when I hear a beep from my laptop. It's a video call from Penelope, who based on my knowledge of time zones, is calling me at what's considered to be about 2am in California. With a quick glance back to my mother, who's asleep, I plug in headphones so I only I can hear the audio and click Answer.

The screen opens up and I see JJ, Penelope and Spencer sitting on a bed in a hotel room. Derek is leaning against the back wall and Dave is sitting in a chair next to the bed. Penelope whimpers at the sight of me and cries out, "Oh, Em!"

I give a weak wave to the team and greet, "Hi," in what could be debated as a squeak.

"Looks like you're on a plane," Dave comments, "So I'm guessing that you're on your way to Rome."

"You guessed it," I answer. I pause at the sight of a security guard rolling over to his side on the couch across from me. When the man doesn't stir, I look back at the screen. "Aaron didn't even explain when he called her."

"Wait- how much of warning did you get?" JJ asks.

"None whatsoever. I think Aaron called her after you guys left." My team all stares back with a mix of disgust, shock, and anger.

Spencer blinks furiously before saying, "That doesn't sound like Hotch."

"None of this sounds like Hotch!' Derek exclaims. His eyes are dark and his body is tense. It's how Derek is right before gets aggressively angry. "What the hell is going on with him? He proposes to Beth after only a few months, he's been an asshole towards Emily even though he's clearly in love with her, and then he calls Ambassador Prentiss to come get Emily after fighting the rest of us over who'll get to stay with her?"

"I slapped him twice, if that helps," I say and it gets a smile out of Derek. "That's my girl," he laughs.

"If something was badly bothering Hotch, wouldn't he come to us?" Spencer asks innocently. JJ, Penelope, Derek, and I exchange looks before looking over to the one man who knows Aaron more than anyone else- Dave.

Dave catches everyone's looks and sighs, "Number one, I am not the liaison to Aaron. Number two, I don't have the slightest idea of what's going on with him."

"You two are best friends," JJ snorts, "He tells you everything."

Dave looks up as if he's pondering his friendship with Aaron. "Come to think of it," he says after a minute, "Aaron hasn't really talked about anything personal to me in a few months. Even when I'm up and he has a nightmare on the jet-"

"Hotch has been having nightmares?" Spencer asks.

"Yes- Aaron isn't the type to wake screaming in the night from a nightmare, but he's had a few episodes where he's woken up, sweating and a bit disoriented within the past few months. I had asked about it a few times and he said it was nothing."

Penelope shoots Dave the stink eye. "When were you going to tell us this?"

"When the time was right…like right now," Dave replies. "Something's obviously bothering him- I'll ask around and see if I can figure it out without half the team staging a coup against Aaron."

The furor among JJ, Penelope, and Derek slowly dies down and everyone turns their attention back to me. At this point, I decide to make a small request, "Guys, if Aaron asks about me while I'm gone-"

"I'm not saying a word. He doesn't have the right to know anything, especially after pushing you away," JJ confidently states while Penelope and Derek nod in agreement.

Spencer hesitantly looks between me and Dave. I can see that's he pondering on whether to join Derek, Penelope, and JJ just to be a part of the group or whether to stay neutral. Spencer admires and trusts Aaron dearly like he did with Gideon. The thought of going against his father figure isn't something that I think Spencer would ever want to do, but my ragged appearance on screen makes him quietly say, "I won't say anything, Emily."

All eyes suddenly fall on Dave, who's a bit annoyed at everyone picking on him. "I won't say anything. And before you all say anything else, I won't tell Aaron about this agreement either."

"Good man," JJ says with a smile. She turns her attention back to me and comments, "You look tired, Em. Why don't you get some rest? We'll call you later on."

"Ok. Good night guys," I say. My team says goodbye in the forms of blown kisses and waves. I close my laptop screen and sadly sigh as I'm already missing my team.