A/N: Thank y'all so much for the support. I hope y'all enjoy this chapter! I'm a native to Wyoming so all facts about are true and what I live through every day. This chapter is on of my longer ones. CW/TW: mentions of rape, I tried to not get to much into it, but could still be triggering.

The team touched down at Gillette Regional Airport in the early morning. "All right team," Hotch drew the attention of his tired team, "We're going to hit the ground running so I hope you got as much sleep as you can. JJ, you and Reid interview victims. On that note, no one is to talk to the victims without either JJ or a female officer present, is that understood?" He got nods from all of his team, "Good, we don't need traumatized victims unable to feel comfortable. Morgan, Rossi, I want you to visit the crime scenes, both at the kidnap cites and the churches they were found. Garcia, you'll set up where we are. Along with your regular duties, you'll oversee communications between the team. I will be trying to tackle the media. This is a small town, a small state even. We need to try and tackle the panic this town is feeling."

As soon as they stepped off the plane, their breath was taken away. A strong gust of icy wind blew its way to JJ's core. "Holy shit it's cold here."

"Oh my god!" Garcia shrieked as the cold gust hit her, "This is hell. Hell has frozen over and I'm in it!" She grabbed her stuff and rushed into the small terminal. JJ one step ahead of her.

Reid was close behind them, as soon as they were away from the cold, Reid spoke, "It's actually not that cold here, temperature is right at thirty degrees. It's only a few degrees colder than Maryland. The difference is the wind and humidity. Wyoming is what most meteorologists call a 'wind vortex'. The topography of the state itself and the placement of it causes regular windstorms of up to 70 mph. The whole state is basically a desert, so this state is empty and dry, which furthers the winds effect and causes the windchill that makes it seem so much colder. Also, since we are acclimated to a more humid environment you make experience dry and flaky skin and nose bleeds."

"Oh god this is awful." Garcia exclaimed, shivering from the mere idea of stepping back outside.

Everyone had gathered around by the start of Reid's speech. Morgan gave him an incredulous look "Nose bleeds?"

Reid nodded, "The constant cold and dry exposure can cause the inside of your nose to dry out and crack. Same for exposed parts of skin, especially the hands and face."

Rossi shook his head, "Why would anyone want to live here?"

Before Reid had the chance to answer with facts about crime and cost of living versus average household income, one uniformed officer and a Sheriff's Deputy walked up to them.

"Are you guys with the FBI?" The female deputy asked.

Hotch gave her a firm nod and stuck his hand out to shake the officers, "I'm SSA Aaron Hotchner, these are SSA's David Rossi, Derek Morgan, Jennifer Jareau, and Dr. Spencer Reid."

"I'm Sheriff's Deputy Clark, and this is Officer Hamel of the Gillette Police Department." They all shook hands, "We haven't got a lot of unmarked vehicles, but we've managed to wrangle up two for you all to use, will that be enough?"

Hotch nodded, "We'll take what we can get. JJ, Reid, Garcia, you'll will come with me in one car, the victims have been asked to come to the police station. Morgan, Rossi, you can take the other vehicle."

"We've got an unmarked Dodge Durango for you and one of the departments new Dodge Ram's."

Morgan's eyes lit up and he leaned closer to Hotch, "Dibs on the truck." He whispered just loud enough for his Unit Chief to hear. Hotch rolled his eyes and handed the truck keys to Morgan.

"Alright, you've got your assignment's. Go" Hotch left no room for arguments.

Emily stretched out after she woke up. She looked at the clock by her bed, squinting for her eyes to adjust. 7:13. Her head started to pound; she must have had more wine than she thought. Emily got up and pulled on her robe. She made her way to the bathroom and took some aspirin from the medicine cabinet. She made her way downstairs. She was happy to see Mel already working in the kitchen.

Warm brown eyes met Emily's, "Good morning! How you feeling?" the volume of Melissa's voice shot another searing pain through Emily's head. Emily groaned and put her hand on her head. "That bad, huh?" Emily merely nodded her response. "Well coffee is ready, and breakfast will be done soon. I'm just finishing the French toast. Why don't you get some caffeine and grease in you before you wake the kids? Bacon's on the table."

After Emily had done just as Mel had said, she was feeling much better. Whether the aspirin had kicked in or bacon really was a hangover cure, she didn't know. But whatever it was worked. She made her way up the stairs. She grabbed her phone off her nightstand, checked the time and shoved it into her robe pocket. She woke up Jack and Henry first, they would take care of getting themselves down for breakfast. When she walked into Eloise's room, she sat down by her on the bed. Emily brushed back a strand of long hair. As she grazed Ellie's forehead, she noticed the girl was burning up. She doubled checked by putting her wrist to the girl's forehead. She had hoped the night before that Ellie's slight fever would resolve overnight. It only got worse.

Emily sighed and ran her hand along Ellie's back to gently wake her, "Ellie, Ellie honey wake up. Breakfast is ready."

For the week Ellie had been with them, the girl never had an issue waking up. Today she rolled further to her side and groaned. Not bothering to open her eyes. "Ellie, can you get up for me? Melissa made French toast." Emily prodded again, hoping the promise of sweets for breakfast could rouse the 3-year-old.

Finally, green eyes met deep brown, "Em'ly, I don't feel good."

Emily's heart broke as the little girl whined, "What's wrong, honey?"

"My tummy hurts." Emily immediately felt a tightening in her chest.

"How does it hurt?" Emily remembered one of her nanny's always asking that to gauge if she was going to be okay or if it was urgent.

Ellie weakly pushed the blanket aside and pointed to her lower right side, "Right here, it feels like pulling."

Emily knew immediately that she had to take her to a doctor. Her plans for an easy day at home was ruined. "Okay, let's try to get you to eat and I'll make a doctor's appointment."

Ellie nodded, but made no move to get up. Emily extended her arms to pick her up. She stood, the light girl in her arms. Ellie immediately wrapped her legs around Emily's waist, her arms around Emily's neck, and rested her head on Emily's shoulder. Emily knew Ellie must feel really bad, Eloise was always energetic, animated. It must take a lot to knock the girl down to this.

She made Ellie sit down and try to eat some food and drink some water. Emily was in for a long day.

JJ flashed Kaitlyn Adams a sympathetic smile. She was the rapist's most recent victim, and the youngest. She had barely turned 18 when she was raped. "Hi Kaitlyn. I'm Jennifer, but you can call me JJ. This is my friend Spencer. We're here to help find who hurt you. Are you up to it?"

Kaitlyn nodded and JJ saw her physically put herself in a more protected position. Before they came into the office she was in, Kaitlyn was leaning forward in the chair, arms relaxed in her lap, legs uncrossed, one bouncing. As soon as they had entered, Kaitlyn crossed her legs, and folded her arms against her waist. She was, probably unconsciously, signally that she was scared, and didn't trust the new faces she saw.

Reid picked up on the shift and sat as far away from her as possible. The muscle tension eased slightly as she saw him sit further away, but she did not yield her protective stance. JJ would take the lead, he just needed to be there to take notes of any ticks or micro reactions that JJ may not pick up on.

"Okay let's start with you telling us your story, we'll interject with any questions, does that sound okay?" JJ made sure to explain everything that she would ask and do. It was imperative for the sanity of the victims that she have them consent to everything, to help them gain back any semblance of their lost control. "If you feel overwhelmed or like you need a break at all, just let us know and we'll stop for a bit." Kaitlyn nodded. "Okay, can you start by telling us where you were when you were taken and just go from there?"

"I was at the hi-high school." Her voice came out soft and weak. JJ nodded and urged her to continue. "Me and my friends were at the basketball tournament. It's our senior year and me and my friends are on student council and it was our turn to help run the meet. Like the concessions, entrance, and the score board. Usually it's fun." Kaitlyn looked down as she said the last part, she wiped away a stray tear and continued to stare at the floor, though it's not like she was making constant eye contact anyway. "Jackie and Suzanne, my friends, left before me. I was stuck with concessions, so I had to stay after the game a bit to make sure everything was cleaned up well. They had drove together, but I knew I'd be late, so I didn't want them to have to wait up and I drove myself. I was heading out to my car, I parked on the side of the school to avoid the traffic as the game got out. Right as I was almost to my car, I felt someone behind me."

JJ stopped Kaitlyn from continuing. "What do you mean by that?"

"I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up, like when you feel someone staring at you."

JJ nodded, "So you never saw or heard anything? No shadows, no rustling of trees?"

Kaitlyn closed her eyes trying to remember. "No, it was windy, it couldn't hear much, and I had my head down to push through it."

Reid leaned closer to JJ, "Ask her about any smells. Smells can trigger memories." He whispered to JJ.

"Kaitlyn, did you smell anything odd?"

Again, she closed her eyes, finally the popped back open, "Soap. Like the kind my dad uses. He works in the oil field and it's like heavy duty. I didn't think much of it because the side parking lot is by the autos and welding area, but I've never smelled it before."

JJ smiled, "Good, great job. Can you tell me what happened after that?"

"I felt a pinch in my neck and then I got tunnel vision and the world faded to black."

"What happened when you woke up?" JJ asked softly.

Kaitlyn wiped another tear away and looked down at her nails as she picked at her cuticles. "I woke up on a concrete floor."

"How did you know it was concrete?"

"I tried to move but when I dragged my arm up, it cut into it. It felt like when I fell off my bike as a kid and scraped my knee on the sidewalk."

"Okay, what happened after that?"

"I tried to look around, but I saw him. He was sitting in a chair nearby just watching me. He had this creepy fucking mask on. He said, 'Glad to see your awake baby.'" Kaitlyn started crying.

JJ leaned forward slightly, "Kaitlyn do you need a minute?"

The girl shook her head and took a shaky breath, "I'm okay."

JJ nodded, "Okay, what happened after that. I know it's hard, but I need as many details as possible. Just try your best."

Kaitlyn described her horrific story only needing to stop once for a glass of water after the crying left her hoarse. JJ spoke after she finished, "You did so good Kaitlyn. You are so brave. That's all we need from you today. Are you okay to go home?"

"Yeah, my mom is picking me up." Kaitlyn pulled her arms tighter around herself as JJ and Reid left.

Once out of the room, Reid turned to JJ, "He's a classic power reassurance rapist. He told them to tell him they liked it, and to call him daddy." Both shivered at the gross fetishization. "Her description of his smell could really help us, let's make sure we ask the others about that too."

They spent the rest of their morning interviewing traumatized you women, and it wasn't easy on any of them.

Emily sat in her living room, holding a crying Ellie after breakfast. Eating seemed to make it worse and Emily's heart broke seeing her so hurt. She pulled her phone out, she clicked the phone symbol on Sarah Daye's contact. After a couple rings she heard an answer, "This is Sarah."

"Hi Sarah, this is Emily Prentiss."

"Oh! Mrs. Prentiss, is everything alright?"

"Um, no. Ellie seems very sick, I suspect an appendix issue but I'm no doctor. I wanted to know what to do when I set her up an appointment?"

Sarah sighed, sounding slightly relieved. "You can set up an appointment with any doctor, just make sure they take Medicaid as an insurance for her. Any co-pays can be reimbursed in the mail."

"Okay, thank you. Sorry to call on your Saturday."

"It's not problem, the work never really stops, call if you have any more questions."

"Will do, thank you." After they exchanged farewell's Emily hung up.

She decided to call the doctor next. After she had an appointment with the once clinic nearby that was opened on a Saturday and took Medicaid, she had another issue to sort out. She couldn't take Jack and Henry to the doctor with her, and she didn't officially pay Melissa to babysit, and last minute didn't seem like the way to ask. Finally, she settled on her parents. They may bore the boys to death, but they will keep them safe and alive.

The phone barely rang once before it was picked up, "Emmy, is everything alright?"

"Yes dad, for the most part. But I do need some help."

"Anything darling." Emily always thought her father was warmer than her mom, but since their retirement, it's like both were itching for something to do all the time.

"Ellie is pretty sick, and I have an appointment with her in an hour. Do you think you and mom can come over and watch the boys for a bit?"

"Oh dear, is she okay?"

"I'm sure she will be."

"We'll head your way now."

Emily sighed out of relief, "Thank you dad. See you soon."

Emily forgot how close her parents lived now, they were at her house impossibly soon. She was still on the couch with Ellie. When the doorbell rang, she moved to get up, but Ellie groaned in protest. "Come in!" Emily hollered.

The elder Prentiss's let themselves in, Elizabeth made it to the living room first, she gasped at how sad Ellie looked. "Oh, you look pitiful Eloise." She smoothed Ellie's hair and kissed her forehead before doing the same to Emily. "Emmy, dear, why don't you go get ready and I'll help Ellie do the same."

Elizabeth moved for Ellie to grab her and carried her upstairs to her room. Emily looked at her dad, "Where is my mother and what has she done with her?" Emily laughed and so did Edward.

"Your mother has gotten soft in her old age." He paused, "But you never heard me call her old, got it?" They both laughed again, and Emily nodded. "Now where are the boys?"

"They are out back playing with Harlan and Graiden. They went out to feed the goats." Edward rolled his eyes.

"You're really doing the whole hobby farm thing?" He winked at his daughter.

"What the wife wants the wife gets." Emily laughed.

"What a good spouse Emmy. Now, go get dressed before your mother slips back to her old ways and scolds you for not having it done already." Emily mocked a salute at her dad and went to change.

After Emily was ready, she sent a quick text to Jen.

E: Ellie is sick, taking her to the doctor now. I'll keep you updated.

J: What's wrong? I can be on the first plan out.

E: Babe, you are in the butt fuck of nowhere, I got this. Love you.

J: Okay, call if it's serious. I love you.

Emily smiled at JJ's fierce sense of protectiveness. She headed down the hall only to hear noises still coming from Ellie's room. She walked in and saw Elizabeth propped on the bed, holding Ellie and singing softly. "Are you singing 'Stella, Stellina?' I used to love that one."

Elizabeth looked up and smiled, "I know. She started crying when I tried to help her get dressed. I didn't think of anything else, but when your dad would sing this to you, it would always make you stop crying so I gave it a try. Seems like it worked. Is she asleep?"

Emily leaned over to see, "She's out, thank you. Can you carry her to the car?"

Emily made it to the doctor's without incident. But in the waiting room, all hell broke loose.

Ellie was working herself up too much despite Emily's best efforts to keep her calm. Ellie started to cry, loudly. She got looks from everyone in the waiting room. Most sympathetic or even concerned but one older woman sitting next to her seemed to be getting more upset than the crying toddler on Emily's shoulder.

"Excuse me, could you make her stop?" The woman asked. Her tone one of contempt.

Immediately, anger bubbled within Emily. "My daughter is sick. She's three and she's in pain and she's scared. Don't you dare try and make her or me feel bad about it. Why do you think we came here in the first place? If you have a problem with it, then leave. But I'm not going to tell her she can't feel what she's feeling because it makes you uncomfortable."

The woman looked shocked at Emily's fierceness. She opened her mouth and closed it a couple times, seeming to not be able to answer. Instead, she just stood and moved to a different seat. The doctor came out before Emily could stew on her rage, "Eloise?"

Emily stood and carried Ellie to the exam room.

The doctor looked at Emily and the girl she carried, "What seems to be the issue, her chart says she has lower right quadrant abdominal pain?"

Emily nodded and told the doctor what Ellie had said that morning, as well as her overall misery throughout the day.

"Do you think you can get her to lay on the table? I want to feel around."

Ellie was too weak to fight it much. The doctor pushed down on her stomach where Eloise said the pain was, as soon as the doctor pushed down, Ellie seemed to relax more. When the doctor eased off the pressure, Ellie began crying harder than before.

"It seems like appendicitis; I'll have a tech bring in the portable ultrasound so we can get a picture of what we're looking at."

While they waited, Emily held Ellie again. Ellie leaned back to look at Emily. "Em'ly, why was the woman outside so mean?"

Emily softened her eyes at the girl, "Some people just don't have compassion for others."

"Thank you for protecting me."

"I'll always protect you Eloise. Always." Emily rubbed Ellie's back as she leaned into Emily again.

Soon the doctor was back with the ultrasound. After the doctor got it into position, her suspicions were confirmed. "yep, looks like appendicitis. Her appendix is pretty swollen. It's not at a critical level yet, but it does require immediate attention. You have a couple of options, a course of IV antibiotics and fluids, or surgery. Either way she gets a hospital trip." The doctor gave Emily a sympathetic look. "I'll call ahead and have them ready for you. They'll probably run some more tests, but the video of the ultrasound will spare you of that. I'm sorry we couldn't do more.

Emily had a dear in the headlights look, "Shit, I have to call Jennifer." Emily was hoping for a prescription of antibiotics. Her short doctors' trip was going to take much longer. "Shit, and my parents." Emily was mumbling to herself. Emily made her way to the car, not sure who to call first. Today was going to be a long day.

A/N: Any medical inaccuracies are because I'm not a doctor, just trying to pull as much memory back from my anatomy course two years ago! R&R if you feel like it.