(Let's pretend Emily doesn't know her father, okay? Okay)

Prentiss

Our afternoon out turned into a night out. I was drunk before long and dancing with either Derek or JJ, Garcia and Haley, who had joined us along with Will. The boys were both at friends' houses tonight. We had retired to Rossi's and I was genuinely surprised that I could walk. JJ was worse off than me, Haley wasn't falling like JJ; she could walk straight. I don't think Garcia was very drunk at all. Maybe just passed tipsy. Derek stopped drinking so much when he realised where I was going so he was tipsy, but he was fine and spent the night around me as a protection detail. Reid was drunk too and that isn't something you see every day. Hotch, Will and Rossi were all fine to walk around, but they were passed tipsy too. Derek and Garcia were doing the best, much to everyone's surprise.

I had been sitting at Derek's side for a while now, very quiet. Because I used alcohol as a coping mechanism when I lost my child, every time I was drinking, I had memories that I just wanted to forget. Now I was a depressed drunk instead of my old happy-go-lucky drunk. Derek knew that, JJ and Garcia knew that, but I don't think anyone else did. That was the real reason I didn't want to go out with them in the Bahama's; I didn't want to fall apart.

A few times tonight, I had felt the tears coming. Each time I just asked JJ to distract me and she pulled me to the dancefloor again. Now there was no dancefloor and there was talking and laughter from everyone except me. It didn't take much longer for Derek to notice my silence.

He kissed my temple, his arm already around me, "Are you okay?"

I nodded quickly but I didn't look at him or I would have felt too guilty to lie. I tried to ignore his eyes on me and I faded out of the conversation and became absorbed in my mind. After I while, Rossi's voice pulled me back to the present time.

"What?" I looked up. I didn't know how long he was trying to get my attention, "Sorry…" I added quietly as I wiped the single tear on my cheek. They were all looking at me and that told me that he was trying to get my attention for a while. I stood up and walked out quickly, down the hall to the bathroom. I heard Derek follow behind me.

I knew he'd make me let him in so I didn't bother trying to close the door before he got here. He closed it behind him and put his arms around my waist from behind me. I was looking into the mirror and wiping the fresh tears. He waited for me to calm my breathing and stop the tears.

When they stopped momentarily, it was evident that they wouldn't stop completely. He spun me around gently and pulled me into him, kissing the top of my head as I buried my face into his shoulder. I put my arms around him and breathed in his scent that I loved so much. He held me for a while until my tears had stopped and I pulled away. He placed a few comforting kisses on my lips and placed his hand on my lower back, keeping me close to him.

"What happened?"

I shook my head and lay my head against his chest, "Memories."

He sighed and kissed the top do my head again, "I'm so sorry, princess."

I pulled back and planted a kiss on his lips, successfully keeping the tears back undetected. "It's not your fault, it's mine. I should be apologising to you."

"I think it was the criminals fault." He said quietly.

I nodded in agreement, "Okay, let's go. It's very quiet out there."

"Do you want to go home?"

"We'll go home when you're ready to go home. We're not leaving on my account." We did have work early tomorrow, but I'm sure we'll manage.

He nodded. Even if he wanted to go home now, he wouldn't say it because he knew I'd assume it was because of my little break down. I opened the door and we walked back to the living room where silence had fallen.

I sat back down and picked up the scotch that Rossi insisted I try and enjoyed and I drank the half of the glass back. I could feel the disapproving eyes of Derek on me. "Don't look at me like that."

JJ picked the conversation back up, catching on to how awkward I felt and I gave her a thankful smile. She returned it and spoke when Hotch asked her a question.

The night went on until Derek decided that he should probably get me home. He got a cab and we went straight to bed, not feeling like staying up any longer.

"Prentiss, I need to speak with you." Hotch said quietly, standing beside my desk. He tried not to get the attention of the others but failed. I nodded and followed him to his office. He drew the blinds closed over the window as I closed the door. He motioned for me to sit down and sat in his seat.

"Have I done something?" I asked as I assessed the shades that were almost never closed.

He shook his head, "No, but I need you to tell me what happened last night."

"…Nothing…" I shook my head.

"Prentiss, I need to know if you really are fit to work. You can take more time—"

"Hotch, it's been long enough. I'm fine."

"What happened?" He asked more forcefully.

I sighed and looked away, "I just shouldn't be drinking that much anymore. It brings back memories. But I'm fine, I promise."

"Is drinking the only thing that brings back the memories?"

"…Well no, but it brings back the ones that make me emotional. I used alcohol as my coping mechanism so every time I drink a lot, I remember a lot."

"And you're positive that this won't affect you or Derek while working or in the field?"

"I am 100 per cent certain of it." I nodded.

He nodded, "Okay." I was surprised that he didn't try for further information. I assumed he just respected that I didn't want to talk about it. "You can go."

"Thanks for checking." I smiled gratefully and stood up, walking out.

I sat down at my desk and felt the eyes of JJ, Reid and Derek on me. I was hungover and I had a headache so I hadn't been talking much today.

"Everything okay?" Reid asked.

I smiled, "Yeah, he was just checking in."

"After last night." JJ nodded.

"How do you even remember last night?" I smirked at her.

She laughed, "Honestly, I have no idea."

"Are you even hungover? I am."

"Yeah, but not bad. I can deal." She nodded.

"We've got a case." Garcia said quickly as she walked out.

"Don't you have to check with Hotch first?" Derek asked her.

"Trust me, we have a case." She said as she walked up the steps and walked into Hotch's office without knocking. His blinds were open again and he saw her coming anyway.

We all stood up and walked to the catwalk and to the round table room. I knocked on Rossi's window as we passed so he would see us going there. He joined us within seconds.

Garcia and Hotch walked in within a few minutes. Hotch gave us each a copy of the file as Garcia got the screen connected to her laptop. "Okay, five bodies found in five days in Seattle." She said as she clicked the button on the small remote.

"First victim, Lindsay Towers, 23, found with an upside down cross drawn on her forehead and 23 stab wounds all over her body."

"The inverted cross for centuries was considered a Christian symbol and was believed to be because the Apostle Peter was crucified upside down. One story is that he requested to be upturned to face down because he didn't feel worthy of dying the same way as the Christ. The inverted cross then became a symbol of humility. Today, it's often associated with atheism, humanism and the occult. It is also often used as a symbol to represent the worship of Satan. In horror movies, it's sometimes used to indicate demonic activity. Basically, if it's used in a church it's to reference to Peter and his death but if it's used anywhere else it's usually an anti-Christian symbol or the symbol of Satan." Reid explained.

"Lovely." I sighed. "And overkill. 23 stab wounds?"

"Personal, maybe?" JJ suggested.

"Garcia." Hotch encouraged her to continue.

"Second victim, Harry Windsor, 14, found with the same symbol on his forehead and 14 stab wounds."

"They determine the number of stabs by their age." Rossi said.

"Wide victim pool…" Derek said quietly.

"Third…" Garcia glanced from me to Hotch and then back to me before continuing, "George Prentiss…68, same symbol, 68 stab wounds." She spoke that one quieter. The whole team fell silent and looked at me.

"Do you know him?" Derek asked the question they were all thinking.

"Even if we were related, I wouldn't know." I said, trying to keep my voice casual. That age was around the age my father would be right now. I never met him; he and my mother divorced when my mother had to travel again the first time after my birth.

"Are your parents divorced or together?" Reid asked quietly.

"Divorced. I only saw my father for the first few months of my existence. Garcia." I told her to continue.

"Fourth, Bethany Lowe, 19, same symbol, 19 stab wounds. Fifth and most recent, Sara Marx, 36, same symbol, 36 stab wounds."

We discussed it for a short while longer, trying to bring up different possibilities and options for who we would be looking for.

"5 days, why were we only contacted now?" JJ asked Garcia.

"I have no idea, and I'm sorry I can't be of much help right now." Garcia said.

"Can we be ready in 10?" Hotch asked as he stood. We all nodded. "Wheels up in 10." We all got up and walked out to our desks to get our go bags and do whatever we needed. I got my phone out of my pocket and walked out the glass doors, standing around the elevators and waiting for my mother to pick up.

"Emily?" She asked.

"Hey, what's my father's name?"

"Why?"

"We have a victim with the last name Prentiss. What's his name and how old is he?"

She hesitated, "…George. Late 60's, I'm not sure I remember."

I sighed, "Thanks."

"Wait, Emily, is it him?"

I looked to the glass doors are the team walked through them, Derek carrying my bag.

"Emily?"

"Yeah, it is." I said quieter as they approached me. "I need to go but I need to tell you something first."

"…Okay…" She sounded hesitant, or maybe she just didn't care.

The team was standing with me now, waiting suspiciously. I hesitated and looked at Derek, "Mother, I'm engaged." I said it quickly, trying to get it over with. There was silence, "Mum?"

"Good for you."

"I just told you that your only child is engaged and all you have to say is 'good for you'?"

"Was that not what you wanted to hear? Did you want to hear my real thoughts on it? Marriage is stupid, no one has the time and you certainly cannot handle it. You shouldn't be married. Get another cat."

"What do you mean I 'certainly cannot handle it'?"

"You know what I meant, Emily."

I scoffed, "I have to go. You should find a new ex-husband; yours is dead." I hung up and slipped my phone into my pocket. The team was silent and shock was spread on the 6 faces in front of me.

"A little too far, don't you think?" Derek asked quietly.

"No. She told me that I wouldn't be able to handle marriage and that I should just get another cat."

"I don't think that deserves how you ended that call…"

I rolled my eyes and took my bag from his shoulder. I walked to the elevators but I could still hear them.

"She's gotten very bitter…" Rossi said.

"These last few months have changed her." Hotch agreed with him.

"Yeah, I know right." I said with my back to them. "It's terrible."

"Whoops…" JJ mocked. I could hear the amused smile in her voice, "But you're right; she is different."