Alright. I've been gone awhile. Unacceptable I know. I hate it! But life. So... one with the show!
The Doyle Saga won by a slim margin on the poll.
This chapter is dedicated to my friend Melisa who told me to "take a break" but "finish it fast" when I told her I was working on this.
Enjoy!
Doyle Saga 1
After the pleasantries, where she was genuinely glad to see Sean, the look on Sean's face tells her this is a business meeting and she isn't going to like it. The fear she sees in his face is unsettling. He was always unnaturally calm. She waits for him.
"Ian Doyle vanished from prison. Interpol can't find him."
Emily's heart speeds up. She catches her breath. "What…what are you saying?"
"He's off the grid," Sean explains.
"Do you think he's heading here?" He doesn't have to answer. They both know. "Am I in danger?" She asks. She needs the confirmation.
"We all are."
Emily's heart feels as if it's hammering on her rib cage. She jumps out of the booth and grabs her bag.
"I have to go." She turns to leave, but the hand that grabs her left one stops her.
Emily turns back. Sean notices it. The channel-set diamond eternity wedding band around her left ring finger.
"Be careful," Sean says before letting her go.
Emily rushes out of the bar. She grabs her phone and dials a number.
Emily doesn't wait for the usual greeting before starting. "I need you to get over to my place."
"Emily, what's wrong?"
"Mom, I don't have time to explain. Can you just get there? With Matt and Tony?" Emily asks as she walks around her car.
"Yeah, of course. But I expect an explanation," her mother answers. Emily gets down on the ground and checks under the car.
"I have to go."
"Be safe, Emily."
"Hurry, Mother." Emily ends the call. She unlocks the door and gets into the car.
Emily breathes a sight of relief as she sits in the seat. She drops her keys into the cupholder and makes another call. A small smile breaks out on her face automatically as her wife answers.
"Em, I didn't think I'd hear from you again so soon. I thought you'd be at the bar with your friend longer."
"Are you okay?" Emily asks. "Anything out of the ordinary around there?"
"No, I'm fine. Why?"
"I need you to do something."
"Okay?" Rachel says cautiously.
"I need you to go to the gun safe and get the nine. Make sure the door's locked and every window too."
"What's going on, Em?"
"Don't be scared."
"That's a little hard right now," Rachel responds. "I have it."
"Okay, lock the windows from the side. Don't stand directly in front."
"Emily."
Emily closes her eyes at the fear in Rachel's voice. "Are you done?"
"Tell me what's going on."
"My mom should be there soon with Matt and Tony," Emily plows ahead. "She's gonna use the phrase. Don't open the door to anyone else."
"Emily, please," Rachel begs.
"You're gonna be fine, Rach."
"Where are you?"
"I'll be there soon."
"Will you stay with me?" Rachel's voice cracks.
Emily's heart speeds up as she looks at the keys in the cupholder.
"Mother should be there soon."
"Please."
"I'll stay until they get there." Emily swallows the lump in her throat. "I love you, Rachel."
A short sob breaks from the other end. "Emily, what's going on?"
"I just love you and the baby."
"No. Something's going on. You can't act like it isn't." Rachel releases a startled gasp.
"What's wrong?" Emily panics. "Rachel."
"Nothing. Mom's here." The phone changes hands.
"Emily, what the hell is going on?" The Ambassador demands.
"Just keep her safe, Mom."
"I will. I brought Felix and Jessica also."
"Thanks."
"Just get home," her mother tells her. "Here's Rachel."
"I love you, Emily," Rachel sniffles.
"I love you too, Rach. Always. No matter what."
"Come home to me, okay?"
"I'll do whatever I can."
"You better."
"I have to go."
"Okay, see you later," Rachel promises.
"Bye, baby," Emily says. The call ends.
Emily takes a deep breath and exhales harshly as she grabs the keys and puts the key into the ignition. She pauses. And then turns the key.
As the car starts, she throws her head back into the headrest in relief and closes her eyes. She inhales and then exhales as she puts the car in drive and pulls out into traffic.
Emily looks in her mirrors methodically as she drives home. No one is following her, but she makes sure to take a different route than normal and circle the area a few times.
She decides to park in her parking garage still. It afforded at least a little more security than parking on the street, even though parking on the street would make it easier to get away if needed. She opens her bag and pulls her gun holster out and clips it to her belt. She hasn't seen anything suspicious yet, but she's not taking any chances.
Emily gets in the elevator and presses the number three. She gets off and heads to the stairwell. She leans against the door as she pulls her gun from the holder and points it toward the ground.
She pushes the door open with quick force and raises her gun to eye level. No one's there. She ascends the stairs with her eyes and gun trained on the flight above her.
Three floors up and no sign of anyone in the stairwell. She throws the door open and leads with her gun. She looks down one hallways and then to the one that leads to her and Rachel's apartment.
Felix and Tony stand on either side of her apartment door with their guns drawn also. She clicks the safety on and runs toward them.
She hears Felix speak into his earpiece saying that she was there. Tony speaks as Emily gets to them. "Your mom's inside with Matt, Jess, and Rachel."
"Anything going on out here or when you were on your way?" Emily asks.
"No. Nothing suspicious," Felix adds.
"Alright, guys. Thanks for coming."
"Of course, Emily," Felix says.
"Yeah," Tony says. "It's your family."
Emily pushes the apartment door open. Rachel's arms are wrapped around her wife's neck before she makes it through the threshold. Emily's arms circle Rachel's waist and pulls her as close as possible.
Matt guides the attached couple away from the door and Felix pulls it closed from the outside.
Rachel pulls away first. Emily's hands naturally move to either side of Rachel's protruding belly when Rachel backs away. "What the hell is going on, Emily?"
"I'd like to know as well," Elizabeth interjects.
Emily faces her mother. "You have to take Rachel out of the country."
"Emily, just—" Rachel starts.
"No," Emily interrupts. "This isn't up for discussion. I can't have you here."
"What's the short version?" Elizabeth asks. She can see Emily's distress and knows this is ann important moment. But she needs to know something so she can better help.
"Someone is after me," Emily says. She turns to Rachel. "You need to go."
"What are you gonna do?" Rachel asks what the Ambassador is thinking.
"I can't do anything right now. I don't even know if he's here yet," Emily answers. "But I know you guys can't be."
"We were going to find out the sex on Thursday," Rachel states.
"I know. I'm sorry."
Jess steps forward for the first time. "I'll help you pack," she says to Rachel. Rachel nods and goes to the bedroom with Jess.
Emily lets out a shaky breath.
"I'll do whatever I can to keep her and my grandchild safe," Elizabeth promises.
"Thanks, Mother." Emily turns to Matt. "I need you with them at all times. Up security as best you can while still being discreet. This guy will stop at nothing. Hopefully, he's on his way here and doesn't know anything yet, but I need it to stay that way."
"I'll keep them all safe. Don't worry about it, Emily," Matt says readily.
"She should still see a doctor, so—"
Elizabeth cuts her daughter off. "I'll take care of it." Elizabeth turns to Matt. "I'd like a word with my daughter."
"Yes, Ma'am," Matt says before walking farther away from the women.
The older Prentiss guides her daughter to the apartment's office and closes the door.
"Just how bad is this Emily?" The mother asks.
"Rachel knows where the important things are."
"Emily." Concern mixed with fear shows on the older Prentiss's face.
"I know. But I can't think about that now. I need you and Rachel and the baby safe. That's all that matters."
Emily is pulled into a hug. It takes her by surprise. Her relationship with her mother had improved significantly over the years, but she wasn't prepared for the force behind the hug especially with her thoughts running overdrive on Rachel. Emily wraps her arms around her mother.
"I love you, Emmy," the Ambassador says into her daughter's ear.
"I love you, too."
"You fight with everything you have to make it safe for us," her mother orders in a cracked voice.
"I will," Emily says plainly. She has to hold it together. She can't break down yet.
Their hold is broken by a knock on the door.
"Yes?" The older Prentiss answers.
Matt opens the door. "Rachel is ready."
The Ambassador turns to her daughter. "I'll send her in," she says before leaving the room.
Emily only has a few moments to compose herself before her wife walks in.
"I'm sorry," Emily says as soon as Rachel comes in.
The door closes behind Rachel. "Why?"
"This is my fault. You're in danger because of me again."
"No. We're not having this conversation. I know you've moved past that." Rachel takes Emily's face in her hands. "But this is not your fault, Em. It's whoever this person is."
"I just want to protect you both."
"I know. And you are. But don't forget to protect yourself too."
"I love you," Emily says as she unconsciously rubs her wife's rounded belly.
"I know. I love you, too," Rachel responds. She stills Emily's hand on her belly with her own. Rachel gives Emily's hand a squeeze. "We both do."
Emily exhales a shaky breath. She gets on her knees in front of Rachel. She pushes up the author's shirt and caresses her swelled stomach. "Hey, Little One, it's your Mama. I'm gonna be gone again. Remember our deal: no worrying Mommy too much and stay safe in there. I'll try my best to come back as soon I can." Emily kisses her wife's stomach before she stands.
"You better come back to me." Rachel kisses her wife hard. Emily reciprocates just as intensely.
Eventually, Emily finds the strength to pull back. She rests her forehead against Rachel's for a beat. She places a kiss on the pregnant woman's for head. Emily takes a breath before backing away from Rachel. She moves to the door and opens it. "You should go."
Rachel nods. "Yeah." She walks slowly through the open door.
Mark hangs back as Jess escorts the Ambassador and Rachel toward the door. He turns to Emily.
"Would it do any good to suggest Felix or Tony stay?"
"No," Emily answers.
"Didn't think so. I'll take care of them."
"Thank you."
"No stupid stuff. I need to see Emily Prentiss with a kid hanging off her."
"We'll see."
"Right. See you later." Mark ends before going over to the door.
Emily watches the group head to the stairwell and then moves to the bedroom window to watch them exit the building and go off to different vehicles. Not taking her eyes off of Rachel until she is in the vehicle. She watches the SUV pull into traffic.
Emily collapses on their bed and is surprised a second later by a dip in the bed and a purr.
"Serge," Emily says as she pets the cat, she had admittedly forgotten about. "Have you been hiding under the bed again?"
The cat continues to purr as he basks in Emily's attention.
"I wish I could hid under there with you." Emily sighs. "But there's no hiding forever."
Emily allows herself an hour of distraction with her cat. And hates herself for it when she realizes something and rushes out the door.
She knocks impatiently on the door twice. Waits two seconds and then hits it with her open palm three more times.
"Coming," the voice on the other side calls.
Emily resists the urge to knock again to show how important this is.
The door swings open. "Emily. Is everything ok?"
"Can I come in, Pen?"
"Yeah, of course, Sweetie." Garcia moves back and let's Emily into her apartment.
Emily doesn't give Garcia anytime to recover. "First, no one can know what I'm about to ask of you. And secondly, you can say no. But you'e the best and I need the best."
"The flattery is appreciated but you're scaring me, Gumdrop. What's going on?"
Emily ignores Garcia's question. "I need you to hide any trace of Rachel's connection to me. Hide it deep and keep it hidden."
"What's going on, Emily?" Garcia asks again. "Are you in trouble?"
"Will you do it? If you won't, I can find someone else," Emily says brusquely.
"Of course I will. But you gotta give me something here, honey."
"It's just a precaution. I'm probably being paranoid with the baby and all. I just —Please don't tell the team."
"Okay, honey. I won't."
"I know I'm asking for a lot."
"Never," Garcia responds. She leaves Emily to grab her laptop from her bedroom. "I'm just worried," Garcia continues when she comes back into the living room. Emily is stood in the same place with her hands shoved deep into her leather jacket's pockets.
"No need. Like I said I'm probably being paranoid. Everything will be fine."
"Okay." Garcia didn't know what else to say. Something was nagging at her, but she wanted to believe Emily. So she did.
Garcia sits on her couch and starts typing on her computer. Emily stands in silence watching the analyst for a few minutes.
"I have to go," Emily says suddenly. "Will you let me know when that's done?"
"Yeah." Garcia gets up to walk Emily to the door. "Everything will be ok, right?"
"Yeah," Emily reassures the woman with a false smile.
"Alright. Say hi to Rachel for me."
"I will." Emily walks out.
Emily and Rachel's Apartment
Emily changes into flannel pants and a t-shirt in the bedroom she shares with Rachel. Sergio is curled up, asleep, in the middle of their bed. It's just as well. Emily won't sleep in here anyway.
She takes a breath before grabbing her gun. She makes her way into the guest room and over to its bed. She double check that the gun's safety is on. She looks around the room slowly—taking in every detail —before sliding the gun under the pillow and slipping into the bed.
So we've made it to the end of this one! How's everyone feeling?
This was written in a bunch of different pieces so I'm not actually sure how I feel about it. So let me know what you think!
Also if you've followed or reviewed or added any of my stories to your favorites, and didn't get a response or a personal Welcome message, I'm really sorry about that my inbox has been a mess. I really do try to message everyone because I appreciate that you've taken the time out to continue reading any of my stories with all the delays in between chapters. I hate them just as much as you guys because I love hearing your feedback and comments and thoughts. So if you haven't gotten one from me I'm sorry.
So thanks for reading guys. Drop me a review or PM, whichever, about the story, if you just want to talk, want to know what I've been up to and what's up with the delays, whatever. I really like talking to you guys and have gotten some great friends from it.
Thanks!
TVCrazed :)
