Derek's Point of View:

Some people stay broken, but other people pick up the pieces and put them back together with all of their sharp edges showing. And that's exactly what I did. It's been a long 15 years without her. The raven haired beauty that rattled my world when she came in it and had shattered it just as quickly with her exit. I would be lying if I said there hasn't been a day that goes by that I don't think about what life may be today if she was still in mine. Who would I be? I know I wouldn't be so sharp and jagged. Don't get me wrong, I'm not unpleasant by any means. I laugh often, I work hard, hangout with my friends, and protect the people I love. With that, I also take in every second with the people around me and store it in the back of my brain like a photograph, my mind being the photo album. Because just like Emily Prentiss did all those years back, you never know when one of them might leave your life; willingly or not.

It's October 1, 2000. I had tried putting off the thought of what emotions this month brings for me. I'm usually good at it. But walking into the office this morning, I was caught off guard by the sudden wave of coconut floating in the air. I figured it was just Penelope, even though she usually smells of lavender. Then JJ, but I quickly remembered that she always smells of vanilla. It hit me while I was standing at the office counter, pouring myself a cup of coffee. Emily. With today being the start of the month I hate the most and the fact that this year makes 15 years, I knew it had to just be my mind playing with me. I had never told anyone on the team about Em, except for Penelope. But she didn't get all the details. No names, and no super personal or gruesome parts. Just the simple story of losing my best friend all those years ago.

My thoughts are interrupted by JJ's hand brushing my shoulder as she walks by me, "We've got a case." She softly says. I automatically know by her tone that this is going to be a bad one and begin to mentally prepare myself as I make my way to my seat at the round table. "A 17 year old girl was found laying next to her mother's dead body this morning. Luna Gomez had bruises and cuts, even burns to a lot of her body. From neighbors and a social worker they determined the marks were most likely from her mother. Child services had just picked up her case a couple of weeks ago but had yet to make an actual visit or checkup. The mother, Yvette, 33, had been reported multiple times by the school system and even neighbors for suspicious activity after people started noticing the marks on Luna. Yvette is also a known drug user. They've bounced around quite a bit, but a lot more so in the last 2 years. This was her daughter's third school this year already." JJ started.

Reid sat with a confused look on his face for a second before speaking up, "If the mother did this and she's dead now, why are we getting brought in? What are they expecting of us?" He questioned.

"Yeah, that's where things take a turn. Sadly it gets worse. Detectives assumed the cause of death was a drug overdose, but once they were able to get her daughter out of the home and move the body, they quickly realized that she had been beaten and most likely died from blunt force trauma to the back of her head. We'll have to wait on the autopsy to confirm cause of death for certain but they're performing it now. They're thinking maybe her daughter came home and found her and just went into shock after calling for help. But they aren't for sure because they can't get her to talk."

Hotch interrupted with, "Yes. I have an agent coming in and flying with us to assist with the case. She's experienced in cognitive interviews, especially with children, and is also fluent in Spanish which will come in handy just in case there is a language barrier that we're unaware of so far. She's going to meet us on the jet where we'll get her up to date on the case and discuss further plans. Everyone get your belongings together quickly, we're wheels up in 30." With that, he stood from his chair and made his way back to his office and the rest of the team separated, going our own ways to get ourselves together before our flight.

This case couldn't have come at a worse time. It's eerily familiar in a lot of points which is making my thoughts race. But that just gives me more motivation to get things done even though cases like these are the hardest, because they remind me of her.

My face is basically buried in the case file as I make my way to the elevators, my go bag is slung over and resting on my shoulder and I press the button to go down without really looking at my surroundings. I'm already trying to piece things together just from the photos and little evidence they've collected. Suddenly, I'm broken from my thoughts as a body lightly crashes into mine from behind. Someone obviously wasn't paying attention just as much as I wasn't, yet clearly I'm better at reading and walking than them. But before I can turn around and see who it is, it hits me and I'm frozen for what feels like forever. Coconut. It was like a scene from a cartoon, the flashbacks of that day in 1986 come flooding in. I quickly snap myself out of it and go to turn around, "You probably need to watch where you're going-", the smirk drops from my face when I fully get turned around and make eye contact with the person behind me.

Emily. Emily. Emily. Emily. "..Emily." My thoughts turning to a mere whisper on the last one. I think I'm going go throw up.

Emily's Point of View:

Today is a big day for me. It could possibly be the start to a new chapter in my life. One that honestly, I've really been needing here lately. It's October and quite literally the worst time of year for me. It's my dreaded birthday, the anniversary of my mom's death, and the start to the end of my friendship with Derek Morgan all those years ago. I'm pretty sure that last one is the hardest part. Not a day has gone by that I hadn't thought about him. I had never searched though. I was afraid for the simple fact that my life has been so hectic up until the last year and I knew that no matter what, Derek was destined to be great. There was no way I was going to come swooping into his life all over again and possibly ruin anything for him or deter him from his undoubted success with my presence.

Living with my aunt Valerie was just like living with my mother all over again, but also while grieving said mother. Grief is so weird to go through. Especially grieving somebody such as Elizabeth Prentiss. She was awful to me but up until meeting Derek; she was also all I had. We're human and that means inevitably loving even the people that hurt us. So there were days where I truly didn't care and there others where I could barely get out bed in the mornings. Grief isn't linear so I never truly knew what to expect myself to be like the next day when I laid down for bed every night.

After graduating high school, the first thing I did was leave that house. I had only been there for a few months, but I was running regardless, from everything and everyone. I had saved enough money up from my pizza eatery job to buy myself a car and that became my new home. Truth is, I had nowhere to go when I walked out Valerie's door that day. I just wanted to feel free. I no longer wanted to be held down by everyone around me and if that meant living in my car, then so be it.

A couple of months after setting out on my own, I met a man by the name of Clyde Easter. He was in the states for vacation and had come into my job. He was only 6 years older than me, but had made a great career for himself already. I was now working at one of the really nice hotels in town as a housekeeper. I was only 3 months away from turning 18 and after we had ended up spending hours talking to each other about books and other things, he mentioned the FBI Academy to me. I laughed it off thinking he was joking but quickly realized that he was serious. He told me if I put in the work and got accepted that he would pay for my college and help me make something of myself. I sat in silence for quite a while, the gears in my brain turning over and over. But eventually I of course agreed. Over the next 14 years I graduated from Chesapeake Bay University with a B.A. in Criminal Justice and then also graduated from the University of Yale. I traveled and lived in the Middle East and even Rome for a bit. I'm now fluent in Arabic, Spanish, French, Italian, Greek, and can decently hold a conversation in Russian if need be. After making a name for myself in the personal and mostly professional sense, including becoming a Supervisory Special Agent for the FBI, Clyde offered me a job at the Interpol in London which I gladly took. I spent a lot of time there and eventually assumed that this was where I was destined to be and that I would truly make a name for myself here in the end. But after a couple of years and one really tough undercover situation that we won't speak about, I was ready to do more. That's how I ended back here in the US, at a desk job. I have been working towards the Behavioral Analysis Unit for months now and I was finally offered a temporary spot to help the team with a case. I specialize in linguistics, terrorism, and child advocacy. The latter being my reason for helping the team today.

I should know from previous circumstances in my life not to read and walk, but I also seem to never learn either. That mistake was of course made again on this important, and nerve-wracking, day. I wouldn't be me if I didn't embarrass myself at least once. I'm heading towards the elevator to meet the BAU team on their jet before we head out to this case, file in hand when I bump into the back of a man standing in wait. I groan and inwardly curse myself at my clumsiness, soon hearing, "You probably need to watch where you're going-" As I looked up, a rush of heat engulfed my whole body and I quickly got lightheaded, my hand automatically going to rest on my forehead in an attempt to get myself together and not make even more of a fool of myself by passing out right here in front of everyone. The person staring at me was completely silent during these long few seconds, but the silence was blaringly loud. I eventually got the courage to make eye contact with him again. Because at this point, I thought I was dreaming or going crazy or something; literally anything but standing in front of Derek Morgan right now. The moment our eyes met again I couldn't help the lone tear that stained its way through my makeup as it slowly slid down my cheek.

-

The two agents sat in silence for what seemed like forever. But as soon as coming out of shock, Derek's hand immediately reached towards her and gently wiped away her tear before pulling her in for the tightest hug he could possibly give her without injury or oxygen loss and she of course returned it happily. Her tear wasn't sadness. It was joy and shock and love; just all the possible emotions and reactions flowing through her at once.

Once breaking their embrace, Derek helped to pick up her case file that had been dropped in the moment of everything, and as he handed it to her, Emily asked, "What are you doing here?" That signature smile of hers seemingly stuck on her face. He couldn't help but to laugh at her a bit before replying, "Well, I work here. For the Behavioral Analysis Unit actually." He started, "But, I could definitely ask you that same question you know?" Surprise sat on her face along with the happiness now as she stated, "I'm here to join y'all on a case."