Chapter 13
3:00 the following morning, after the ambassador's revelations on the morning TV Yasmin was woken by her cell phone.
"Yasmin Khan." answered the sleepy attorney
"Ms Khan, this is Warden Stephanie Fitzgerald from Washington state prison. I am phoning to inform you; that Prisoner Isobel Isles died from a massive stroke forty-five minutes ago. Would you please tell Ms Prentiss of her death?" the warden told Yasmin
"Thank you, warden. Have arrangements been made to collect her body?" She asked, knowing her mother's current financial situation.
"Not yet." the warden replied
"I will organise everything. I know Ms Prentiss will want to make arrangements for her friend. I will have the funeral home out to collect Ms Isles's remains within the hour." answered Yasmin and ended the call.
"Who was that, sweetie?" asked a sleepy brunette,
Turning to face Emily, Yasmin took hold of her uninjured hand. "That was warden Fitzgerald; from the prison, Isabel died earlier this morning after suffering a massive stroke. I told the warden I would arrange for the collection of Isobel's body from the prison within the hour. would you like me to phone Iris, Emily?" she asked her girlfriend
Emily gazed into Yasmin's emerald eyes while thinking about her only friend from her incarceration and how her bravery had saved her from a more severe beating. A smile appeared on Emily's face as a single tear fell.
"This might sound strange, Yaz; I'm happy for Issy; she is in a much better place now. She admitted remorse for her actions that hurt not only her grandmother and mother but her whole home town. Everyone hated her in Mexia. That girl was used as a toy by the other inmates. She just accepted it as her penance for her actions; I will phone Iris myself. I owe Izzy that much."
EJ
After a lengthy discussion with Iris on the phone, she accepted Emily's offer to arrange for her daughter's funeral. The hatred for Isabel Isles was still intense within Mexia; Iris asked for her daughter to be cremated in Washington. Her ashes were to be brought quietly home so she could privately spread her ashes on the banks of her favourite creek. Emily agreed to arrange everything and to bring Isobel's ashes home herself. After passing her condolences to Iris, Emily ended the call and just sat quietly, thinking about the few days spent with her friend.
" Emily Prentiss, you are a remarkable woman; with everything you have going on, you are about to drop everything to help Iris bury her daughter. You're not only paying for everything; you will personally deliver Isobel to her mother. I didn't think I could love you anymore, but you keep surprising me." smiled Yasmin kissing the brunette deeply.
"Damn, lips." sparked Emily as she pulled away from her girlfriend, her split lip causing pain. " I can't wait to hold you properly without some damn thing hurting." a sore brunette told her girlfriend.
Both ladies decided it was time for coffee. Neither could sleep after their early morning calls.
They both settled on the hotel couch in their arms, quietly contemplating things while drinking coffee.
"Yaz, Once I am financially sound again, I would like you to start a charity in Isabel's name. The charity can help all the people affected by her embezzlement by assisting with housing and generally helping people get back on their feet. I will leave all the legalese to my new attorney." smirked Emily leaning over for a kiss, not caring about the pain. "We will make Mexia a pleasant place again. I might have only known her for a short time, but she has made a considerable impression on my life. Her mother humbled me with her need to help the victims of her daughter's crimes, using her own money to ensure families had one decent meal a day. We make sure families in need have three proper meals every day. That will be a great starting point." Smiled Emily at her amazed girlfriend.
EJ
An exhausted JJ walked through the glass doors of the BAU after a terrible red-eye flight back home, regretting her decision to delay her return flight. Her whole body ached from her farewell to Candy. A smile appeared on her tired face as she recollected her short vacation.
"Here, my little princess. Spill everything in my office now." She ordered a bubbly Garcia as she pulled JJ away.
Pulling her tired and shocked friend into her new lair, Garcia pushed JJ into a chair and stood in front of her, arms crossed, waiting for her to dish the dirt on her dash down to the lone star state.
"Well!" Garcia is, glaring at the blonde profiler.
With a sigh, JJ told her all about finding Emily lip-locked with her pretty attorney, who happened to be her new girlfriend.
"She took her ring back and pawned it; she pawned it, Penelope. I was so foolish thinking we could start again as if nothing had ever happened. I've lost her for good, and it's all my fault for not believing in her. I wouldn't say I disliked her, Pen; I honestly despised her, thinking she was guilty of everything. Then I found out she had been safeguarding our families; she saved my mum Penelope." she paused to calm herself. "Is it stupid I adore David already? It made me feel closer to her while we got her out of prison. She has banned me from seeing him because it was confusing him. I should hate her, but every ounce of my existence wants her back. Does that make me stupid? Pen." asked the blonde
She crouched, looking at her best friend directly in her baby blues. "No, sweetness, you still adore that brunette. It's understandable. We all broke her I watched our tall and dark princess weeping in the court holding cell. Everyone had turned against her. Her opal eyed princess arrived and saved the day. You smashed her heart to pieces in that interview room in prison. What are you going to do?" Asked the analyst.
JJ just shook her head. "I don't know, Penelope."
When the lair door flew open, Reid and Maddy fell into the room whilst kissing. JJ looked on aghast, not aware of the BAU's newest relationship. Maddy had seen Reid on a CCTV camera, thinking he was gorgeous. The two nerds hit it off from the first introductions; the relationship just blossomed.
"Wow, Spence has a girlfriend." smiled JJ thinking of him as her little brother.
"Jayje, you should know Emily and Yasmin will be here later talking with Strauss and some higher-ups." Advised her friend
Nodding her thanks, JJ walked out to start work.
EJ
Morgan and Rossi waited by her desk as JJ returned to the bullpen, all waiting to find out how their rush to the lone star state had gone for her.
"She looks tired. Do you think they got back together?" asked Morgan quietly as the blonde profile approached
"I do hope so," replied Rossi
Approaching her friends, JJ could feel the scrutiny of the two men profiling her. She does not want to discuss the tram smash of her reunion with Emily, even with her teammates. She was holding her hand out to stop the questions before they started to ask them.
"I don't want to talk about it, guys. Please honour my request. Why don't we all get back to work before Hotch or Strauss catches us all in our knitting circle?" Requested the tired woman
JJ watched thankfully as Morgan and Rossi returned to their offices.
Reid placed his hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Jayje, I'm here for you if you ever want to talk." her friend smiled as he took his seat.
EJ
Strauss asked Hotch to take a seat as she closed her office door. Retaking her seat behind her desk, she looked at him and started without the customary pause.
"Prentiss is meeting with the director this morning about her reinstatement to the FBI. He wants her to return to your team. I intended to keep her in the bullpen and place her on the next available team. I have misgivings about returning her to your team after this incident. The director agreed with my concerns and agreed the decision is yours. He doesn't want her return to interfere with the cohesion of your team. Aaron, I need your answer in thirty minutes. Prentiss will be visiting me in an hour."
His face was unreadable, which constantly annoyed Strauss "let me ask the team. I will be back with your answer in ten minutes, Ma'am." Hotch told her as he walked out of her office.
EJ
"Team conference room," announced Hotch from the catwalk
Standing at the head of the table, he waited for Reid to close the doors as he was the last man in.
"The director wants to offer Prentiss her place back on our team. I want to know from each of you if that would cause you any problems working with her?" he asked his team
Looking at Rossi,
"No problems from me." Replied the older agent
Looking toward Morgan.
"None, glad to have the team back together." he smiled
"Fine with me, Hotch," Reid replied without being asked
"I will bring her cake," answered Penelope
Everyone in the room turned to face JJ waiting for her answer
"Ok!" was her simple reply
EJ
Leaving the funeral home after organising the funeral for Isobel, a sorrowful Emily smiled at Yasmin as she approached. Without a word, she pulled her sad girlfriend into a gentle hug, kissing her forehead.
Taking a deep breath, Yaz hoped she wasn't about to frighten the best thing that had ever happened to her away. Pulling the small felt box from her pocket, she grabbed Emily's broken hand very gently and took a knee.
Emily gasped
Quickly before she said anything, Yaz smiled. "This is not a proposal, Emily, not yet anyway. You are the most fantastic person I have ever had the pleasure to meet. I have fallen head over heels for you, Emily Elizabeth Prentiss. This is my promise ring to you someday when we are both ready. I will change this ring for an engagement ring." she told her love
The shock on Emily's face changed into the biggest pain-free smile she could manage at the moment. Yaz slid her straightforward ring onto her finger.
"I know you are used to..." Emily stopped Yasmin with her splinted finger
"Yes, someday I would love to become Mrs Khan. The ring is beautiful, sweetheart." she pulled Yasmin to her feet and kissed her, not giving a damn about the pain for the moment,
"I may be a wealthy woman Yasmin, but this is priceless thank you. I only wish I could show you how grateful." she sighed.
Emily meant every word. The silver infinity ring that adorned her ring finger with diamond chips was priceless to her. This gorgeous lady was her princess, she thought, not once thinking about Jennifer.
EJ