*Okay as always I own nothing of Criminal Minds or Rizzoli & Isles just enjoying using the characters.
Pen sat and thought for a moment after JJ's call. She knew that Maura couldn't have her cell phone on during court but she also knew that JJ wouldn't have asked if it wasn't important. So she pulled her Ambassador's card, "Hello Elizabeth it's Penelope."
"Yes dear how can I help you."
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JJ and Emily arrived at the Saab's house and knocked on the door. A beautiful woman answered, "Mrs. Saab I am SSA Jennifer Jareau and this is SSA Emily Prentiss and we are with the F.B.I." She said as they both showed their credentials.
"Yes we have been expecting you." She said and welcomed them into her house. "My sister Amna and her daughter Nuha or waiting for you in the dinning room. I will bring in some tea for you all." She said showing them in where the two were waiting for them.
"Da Min Zo2ak. Motashakr Awi." (That is very kind, many thanks.) Emily said as the woman left with a smile. She hoped that speaking Arabic right a way would help the young girl feel at ease in talking with her.
"My name is Amna and this is my daughter Nuha." The woman said looking at Emily.
"Wow...such amazing names..." She said looking at JJ, "Jennifer I would like to introduce you to Peace and her daughter Intelligence."
"Hello...I'm SSA Jennifer Jareau and this is SSA Emily Prentiss."
The little girl looked up at Emily immediately, "kunt laha" (You are her.) and ran to Emily and hugged her. JJ looked at Emily who was just as shocked as she was. She started speaking to Nuha in Arabic, "Nuha may I talk to you about what happened to you?" She asked and felt the girl tighten her grip on her but looked at her mother and shook her head no. Emily knew that she needed to talk to the girl in private if she was going to open up at all.
Mrs. Saab just happened to walk in with tea giving Emily a chance to whisper to JJ that she needed privacy with the girl. They sat and had tea with Nuha not moving from Emily's side. "Amna may I speak with you in the kitchen a moment?" JJ asked hoping to explain to the woman that Emily needed a few moments with the girl. The woman looked at her like she already knew and stood so they could leave. They went into the kitchen where the woman could peek in on her daughter when she felt the need. JJ started asking general questions about what Amna remembered about the abduction of her daughter.
Emily waited till the women left before she started with one simple question, "alladhin kunt 'aetaqid 'annani nahaa (Who do you think I am Nuha?)"
"Alshshakhs aldhy 'anqidhani (The one who saved me.)" She said looking up with tears in her eyes.
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Maura was up on the stand testifying when a clerk came in and handed the judge a note. He looked at it and acknowledged it then went back to listening to the testimony. When the prosecutor finished he spoke that court would be at recess for lunch and would resume in two hours in which the defense could cross the doctor when they returned. Maura stood and started to step down but was stopped by the judge, "Dr. Isles" She turned to face him. "I do not know who you know that has so many connections to interrupt my court but this message is yours." He said handing her the note he was just given.
She took it and read it, "Your honor my apologies but my wife is eight months pregnant and is with the FBI's BAU unit on a case that has caused medical issues. Thank you for you patients." She told him as he was waiting looking at her for an explanation on the interruption of his court.
"Congratulations on your child... Now will this interfere with your cross after recess and disrupt my court further?"
"No... your honor. A few quick phone calls should take care of everything." She said hoping what she was saying would be the case. Jane came up to her wondering what was going on. Maura handed her the note as she spoke with the judge who left after he got the answer he wanted of no more interruptions.
"Maur... does Emily have her medicine?"
"No...the bag she had was for the hospital. She wouldn't need it there but she does have a week supply of everything else like vitamins in her purse. I made her start carrying them just in case after the whole Tennessee thing. But the blood pressure thing happened later." She said as she pulled her cell phone out to call Elizabeth who was the one who got the message to her."
"Hello Elizabeth... How is Emily?" She asked trying to push all the panic down until she had heard what was going on.
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Emily wiped the tears off the girls cheeks. "Nuha I need you to tell me everything. I realize there maybe stuff you find hard to say but trust me..." She said lifting the girls face that had fallen when she had said the word everything, "...I understand that you might not want to tell me. But none of this is your fault and I will not blame you. Please trust me precious." She said as the girl lunged herself into her arms crying. Emily was so glad that no one was in the room with her to see that for moments Michelle surfaced again in her face. She sighed realizing... until she heard back from Jaclyn and Raphy that she would have to fight back her personal demon. If not she would end up making a mistake that would haunt her more than the demon had most of her adult life.
"Nuha... honey I need you to close your eyes for me. Can you do that?" The girl shook her head yes but didn't let go of her. "Good... Now I'm going to help you remember but I want you to know that I will be here with you and nothing you remember can hurt you anymore." She paused and let her words sink into the girls being for a moment. "Okay precious I need you to think about what you were doing before you were abducted." She prompted and gave the girl space and time to answer.
"We..." was said then shivering started. Emily rubbed her hands up and down the girl's back providing extra comforting. "...had just moved to America a year before and we lived in New Jersey with my uncle. My mom wanted to see my aunt, her sister here, so dad said we were going on a vacation so we got into the car and drove."
"That's good Nuha... Did you stop anywhere that you remember?"
"Once at a gas station. We were in the mountains at the time."
"Did you get out of the car?" She asked and started mentally picturing what the little girl was seeing in her mind but also thinking of interstates that ran into Philly.
"Yes... we all got out to go to the bathroom after we changed streets."
"Did you talk to anyone?" Emily thought and given what she was being given it had to be I-80 leading into I-95.
"No"
"Was there anyone that made you feel uncomfortable?"
"No...not really."
"What is it sweetie?"
"When we came back to the car there was a man in an uniform that was talking to my dad. He was very loud when he talked and he bent down and looked into the car at us for a moment then stood up and laughed at something. I'm not sure of what he said because my English is still not the best."
"You are doing well Nuha."
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In the kitchen Amna looked in and saw that her daughter was still hugging Emily. "Your friend has a way with children." She said to JJ.
"Yes she does." She answered smiling.
"I believe she has a gift to understand their pain."
JJ thought about the comment gauging how much she should say, "Emily understands a lot of things." She said leaving it as a general statement.
"You are protective of your friend...that's a good thing." She said and sat down again at the breakfast nook to answer more of JJ's questions.
"Amna... When you were driving here from New Jersey did you stop along the way?"
"Yes at a gas station so the children could use the bathroom and my husband could get gas."
"Where was that, do you know?"
"I'm sorry but I'm not sure..." She said shaking her head, "...but it was off of...what you call... I-95." She said using her hands to help relay the information she was remembering. "We stopped shortly after changing from I-80 because the children needed to go to the restroom and my husband said it was almost halfway here."
"That's good. Did your husband pay by a credit car perhaps?"
"No...it was a debit card"
"Good...good... Now when you were at this gas station did you notice anyone acting strangely or paying attention to your family?"
"No not really...the only one who talked to us... really to my husband was the officer from here that spoke to my husband."
"Your husband spoke to a Philadelphia police officer?"
"Yes"
"Are you sure?"
"I am sure." She said getting a little upset.
"It's okay..." She said smiling at the woman trying to assure her everything was good, "...I only asked because you were still in New Jersey."
"Yes...I know that."
"This maybe helpful to us. Did you see a police car there too?"
"No... I do not think so but it was a long time ago. Excuse me again I just need to check on her one more time." She said getting up and going to the door so she could see if her daughter was still okay. JJ smiled and understood and took that moment to call Pen to see if it was possible to run the debit card and see where the family stopped for gas on I-95.
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Jane and Maura were at a deli trying to have lunch but Maura was finishing having everything sent to a drugstore for Pen to pick up so JJ would have it if needed. "Maur... you need to eat." Jane said trying to help the woman focus back to the moment before they went back into court."
"I will Jane... I just want to text Emily something and I will."
"She is probably still talking with the witness and will not answer you." Jane said as Maura got a text. She looked down and smiled brightly. Jane knew by the smile on her friends face that it was from Emily.
"The minute I heard my first love story I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was. Lovers don't finally meet somewhere. They're in each other all along. MORNING" *
"What does wonder woman have to say?"
"Jane..."
"What...that's just what I call her now."
"She sent me a good morning message but we must have been in court when she sent it. Now that I've turned my phone on it finally came to it."
"Does that make you feel better?"
"Some...but I know Jennifer wouldn't have asked for the medicine without having a strong reason too. I'm so glad she is there with her." She said as she took a bite of her salad to please Jane.
"Do you think it is case related or PTSD?"
"I think it maybe both but that would be guessing which you know I do not do." She said and smiled at the woman.
Jane smiled back realizing Maura was teasing with her, "I don't know there Maur... since Wonder Woman has shown up you do a lot of things I never thought you would."
"Well since we are on that theme. I could say the same thing about you." She said and took the woman's hand and batted her eyelashes knowing it would get a reaction from her friend.
"Stop that." Jane said slapping her hand away and looking around.
"Are you embarrassed to hold my hand in public Jane?"
"No... but we have court and it just doesn't seem right. Did she text you poetry? Is that what's got you all PDA?"
Maura laughed, "Yes...matter of fact she did."
"I knew it. You got that glow all on your face." Maura looked at her puzzled, "You know that face when you two do that poetry stuff... thingy..." she said waving her hand around unable to finish her statement in a complete sentence.
"Jane...You have dilated capillaries."
"What?" She asked looking at her like "Get it off of me."
"You are blushing."
"Just eat your grass." She said pointing at Maura's food and grumbled as Maura laughed at her.
"I will but I want to text Emily a message right quick before we have to go."
"Love is an open secret, the most obvious thing in the world and the most hidden, with no why to how it keeps its mystery.* Come home Pretty Girl you know how I just love a mystery."
"You are sending poetry...aren't you? I see it all over your face." Jane said and Maura said nothing but just smiled putting her phone down and taking a bite of her salad.
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Emily took in a deep breath knowing that she was coming up on the part she hated the most. "Nuha...remember precious you are safe here with me. Nothing or no one you remember can hurt you anymore." She felt little arms tightening on her. "Can you tell me about what happened to you sweetie?" She waited for the girl to gather enough courage but it wasn't happening. "Okay...let's try this. When I came in you recognized my name. Where did you hear it from?" She asked since it was bothering her greatly.
She looked up at Emily, "I was in back of a van with this other older girl who spoke English and she heard the man say they had to turn around because Emily Prentiss had just busted their buyer. He was mad and when he turned around in the road my chain came free. The girl told me at the next stop light to run while she screamed. She said the man was saying that Hades would have to find another buyer later but that he had to dispose of us just in case they were in trouble. I opened the door and fell out and ran until I hit the the water. It was dark so I just floated trying not to make a sound so they wouldn't see me. I was so scared that the man would come and put his hands on me again. It just felt..." She clung to Emily sobbing and shivering.
"Hey...hey... he can't touch you. I got you precious... you are safe." She said over and over drawing circles on the girls back. "You were so brave floating in that water."
The girl popped her head up like something just dawned on her. "Emily...if you hadn't done whatever you did he wouldn't have turned back and went over the water again and I would have..." she couldn't finish.
"Shhh...I got you love..." She was in the process of repeating it again when she realized what the girl had said. "Nuha... you said you were going back over the water?"
"Yes...I remember when dad was crossing I had my window down some and my eyes closed. I remember the smells and sounds of the boats. We had just crossed and had gone a little ways when the man turned around."
"Precious...this is important..." She started lifting the girls face towards hers, "When you were pulled out of the water was the police officers wearing the same uniforms as the one you saw at the gas station?"
"The one at the gas station had a blue shirt and had a patch with two girls on it with a boat between them. The ones at the water had grey shirts and dark pants with a yellow stripe. That's all I remember Emily...I just want to take a bath and sleep."
"I know sweetie..." She said and hugged the girl knowing the reason and where the need for the bath was coming from. "Let's go and find your mom...you did so good." She started saying until Nuha interrupted her.
"Emily I'm sorry I didn't tell anyone before now but I didn't like or trust that man who questioned me before. He yelled at the lady speaking for me sometimes and he put his hand on my shoulder like..." She couldn't finish for the shivering. Emily made a note to find out who questioned the girl when she was found. She also pulled her special phone out and made a call.
"Apollo...QB...need you in Philadelphia. I have a special project in mind." She said while rubbing the girls back. She hung up when she had things in place. "Jennifer..." She gently raised her voice not wanting to move the girl.
"Yes Em..." She asked as both JJ and Amna came into the room.
"Good... both of you are here. I believe your daughter is one of the bravest people I know Amna. She would like to take a bath now and rest for awhile. I would ask you to allow us to stay with you for a little bit longer while I follow up on something."
"Sure agent that will not be an issue since Nuha seems to feel safe with you here. She has spoken more about what happened today with you than she has ever with anyone else."
"Amna...This is my card please feel free to call that number anytime."
"Thank you again." She said prompting her daughter to come with her.
"What is it Em? I know that look."
"I will tell you in a few but right now I need to pee, get a notebook and pen, then I need Garcia on the phone when I get back." She said standing up looking for Mrs. Saab to ask the use of her facilities. "And yes in that order." JJ laughed as the woman waddled to the kitchen and she pulled her phone to call Pen.
Okay this is where I would have ended chapter two if I was writing in the old format. Chapter three is coming...
*The poems above that Emily and Maura sent to each other are by Rumi.