TEASER SCENES - SCENE SET 1
INT. BAU ELEVATORS - 1.1
START SCENE
Prentiss is standing in the elevator, shifting uncomfortably in her stance. She's holding a bag of what appears to be wet clothes- she'd changed out of her rain soaked clothes before embarking on the case, but considering their crunch for time, she hadn't been able to pop them into the bureau laundry room and dry them off. Thus, the damp clothes had ~marinated~ in her desk drawer for the duration of the case.
Gross. The elevator doors began to close but not before Morgan jogged on, sliding his hand between the closing door and hopping in. Prentiss sighs.
MORGAN: Emily, can we talk?
Prentiss, looking at the ceiling of the elevator: About?
Morgan: Come on, Em.
Prentiss: I'm not sure what there is to talk about.
Morgan: Fine. We won't talk about that. But we still need to talk
Prentiss, turning to face him, exasperated: Derek, I'm exhausted. What?
Morgan: I just- I just need to know that you're ok. Whatever came up for you in Boston-
Prentiss interrupts
Prentiss: Enough with Boston!
Morgan, ignoring her interjection: Whatever it is, you don't have to tell me, but are you? Ok?
Prentiss took a deep breath. She knew he wasn't being selfish or nosy, trying to satisfy his own curiosity. She gently closed her eyes in an attempt to cool herself off before she said something she regretted.
Prentiss: I'm ok
Morgan: I want to believe you.
Prentiss, gesturing with her hands despite holding the wet bag: Then do!
Just then, the elevator arrived at its destination in the Quantico parking garage. Morgan took a final look at her, shaking his head disappointedly before exiting the elevator. He turned back around.
Morgan: I told Hotch, you know
Prentiss: What?
Morgan: He has concerns about you. If you don't want to talk to me about it, fine. But you better be ready to explain to Hotch.
Prentiss' heart sank. She hated lying to the team, to Hotch, about her past, but he didn't have the security clearance to know about her CIA work and she knew what the Agency did to agents who ignored the rules. She bit her lip, and exited the elevator.
Derek was fast on his way to his car, head down. Emily approached her car but hesitated before getting in. as she gripped the car door handle, it seemed to slip out of her grasp each time she tried to open it.
Eventually, she squeezed it so tight her nails dug into her skin and in this moment, she was thankful for her nail picking habit which made them dull and stuppy so they didn't draw blood as they otherwise would. She pulled the front door of her SUV open and slid in. She went to place the still-wet bag on the passenger's seat, but was stopped dead in her tracks.
A single purple freesia rested on the seat.
END SCENE
INT. EMILY'S APARTMENT - 1.2
START SCENE
Emily entered her home cautiously, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up ever since she saw the freesia. She knew she should just throw out the flower, but a nagging feeling tugged at her heart and she just couldn't. She tossed the bag of wet clothes in the trash, too focused on the flower to clean them up.
She walked to the kitchen and pulled out a slim, tall vase and filled it with water. She placed the vase with the flower in it on her dining table. She sat down in front of it and simply stared at it.
What did this mean? How did the freesia get into her car? Who would have put it there, knowing the significance of it?
There was only one answer. But how? He was locked up in a hole so deep she didn't even truly know where herself.
Was this a sign that he'd figured it out- that Lauren Reynolds was alive and well, albeit living in the body of SSA Emily Prentiss? Had he known all along?
BZZZ BZZZ BZZZ
The sound of her phone ringing nearly made her jump out of her skin. She glanced down at the phone.
THE MESSAGE READS:
We need to talk. Tomorrow 8 am - AH
Emily sighed. Morgan had warned her about this. She reluctantly typed a response
THE MESSAGE READS:
OK. SEE YOU THEN - EP
She pressed the off button and watched as the screen became solid black. Maybe she would have to tell Hotch after all. Sighing, she pushed herself up from the chair.
Without glancing at the bedroom, she opened the door to her bathroom. She turned on the water and felt the temperature with her hand. Not quite satisfied with it, she stripped off her clothes while she waited for it to heat up.
After a few moments, she decided it was alright. She slipped into the glass shower and ran her hands through her hair, letting the warm water uselessly attempt to calm her nerves. There was no calming this.
After several minutes when the water began to run cold, she twisted the knob to off and grabbed the fluffy red towel waiting for her on the other side of the shower door, wrapping it tightly around herself. She stopped in front of the mirror which was slowly becoming defogged from the steam. She took a moment to evaluate her appearance.
At first glance, she looked just as she normally did. But with closer inspection, the fear lurking in her mind was evidently present in her eyes. Biting her lip, she exited the bathroom.
She sat on the edge of her bed, still wrapped in her towel, pulling it tighter across her chest in a somewhat embarrassing and pathetic attempt to provide herself with the comfort of a hug. She didn't even notice the note on her pillow before falling asleep, wet hair, towel and all.
END SCENE
INT. HOTCH'S OFFICE - 8 AM - MORNING - 1.3
START SCENE
A knock on the door reminds Hotch of his 8 am call
Hotch: Prentiss, is that you?
Prentiss, through the door: Yes
Hotch: Come in
The door opened to review Prentiss, uncharacteristically nervous. Her hands appeared to be smoothing down her skirt, but upon further inspection Hotch realized they were coated in sweat.
Hotch: Please, sit.
Prentiss nodded and walked further into his office before sitting in the chair across from Hotch.
Prentiss: What did you want to talk about?
Hotch: The Ivei case.
Prentiss nodded. She knew this was coming, but thought it was best to play dumb.
Prentiss: What about it?
Hotch: First, I want to know who your contact at Interpol is. How did that come about?
Prentiss, not exactly lying but not quite telling the truth either: Um, just a friend from high school, when my mom was posted in London. Works for Interpol now.
She hoped her half-truth made enough sense to Hotch. She did know Clyde from her time at a London Prep school, but conveniently left out the whole part about working for him. Luckily, this seemed to satisfy Hotch.
Hotch: And Boston- You're sure that man just confused you for someone else?
Prentiss, this time straight up lying: I guess, I mean I don't know him.
Hotch nodded.
Hotch: Why did you go onto the plane? How did you even convince Ivei to get off of it and into the SUV?
Prentiss smiled. This one she had thought of an answer to.
Prentiss: It's amazing what a man will do when he thinks he's going to get sex.
Hotch chuckled.
Hotch: Really?
Prentiss nodded, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.
Prentiss: Really.
Hotch: Ok then. That settles that. You seem-
He hesitated, not wanting to overstep. Prentiss looked at him quizzically
Hotch: You seem better.
Prentiss: Thank you. If that's all-
Hotch: It is. Though, Prentiss, please don't hesitate to reach out if you need-
Prentiss smiled and interrupted him.
Prentiss: I will.
No, she wouldn't. She stood from her seat and excused herself
END SCENE
INT. BAU BULLPEN - EMILY'S DESK - 1.4
START SCENE
Emily sat in her swivel chair in front of her desk. She pulled at a tress of her hair and eyed it. The action thrust her into a memory
END SCENE - FLOW TO FLASHBACK
FLASHBACK
EXT. OUTSIDE DOYLE'S HOME - 1.5
START SCENE
Lauren and Ian sat on the swinging bench outside of the villa. It was times like these that made Emily doubt their profile. Would a soulless psychopath sit on a swing and laugh with her while they watched their-his- son play in the garden?
Declan's laughter filled the air as he chased a butterfly around, trying to catch it in his tiny hands. Lauren smiled at the sight.
Doyle: What're you thinking about, Laur?
Lauren: This. You. Declan.
Doyle: What about it?
Lauren: About how I wish I could just freeze this moment in time.
Ian smiled, blissfully unaware of just how much she meant it. He gently played with a lock of her brown curls, twirling it between his fingers.
Ian: Marry me.
Lauren was taken aback. What? Agent Emily's brain was about to short circuit.
Was this a good move for the intel, or was she about to dig herself into a hole deeper than the one she was already in. As the days went on, it became harder and harder for Emily to keep Lauren separate from herself, to put her neatly back in her box. She was worried if she was in for too much longer, it might become Lauren shoving Emily into a locked box.
Being the queen of compartmentalization didn't mean shit if she was compartmentalizing the wrong things.
Lauren, voice breaking: Ian, I… I can't.
Ian, starting to become upset, his fingers still holding her hair: Why the hell not?
Lauren felt horrible for making Ian upset. Emily recognized that this was a symptom of his psychopathy- this was the psychopath starting to show. He couldn't stop himself from becoming furious when he didn't get his way.
Agent Emily knew that if she didn't sweet talk her way out of this, Ian could very quickly become violent with her. He had before, when he didn't get his way. She only hoped he wouldn't cross that line in front of Declan.
Lauren: I'm… I'm just not the marrying type
Wrong answer, apparently because Ian changed from gently caressing her hair to tugging on her hair hard. So hard that her head bent in that direction as he continued to pull. She winced in pain.
Ian looked like he was about to hit her across the face when thankfully, a small voice stopped him
Declan, clearly aware that Ian was doing something to hurt Lauren: Daddy?
When Ian heard his son, he instantly let go of her hair.
Ian, hissing: We'll talk about this later, love.
Lauren nodded. She turned to face Declan.
Lauren, in a high pitched, sing-song voice: Hey Buddy! Show me that butterfly of yours.
Ian, satisfied Lauren wasn't going to bad-mouth him to Declan, nodded and walked back inside. Lauren was sure that the marriage conversation was far from over. When Ian was out of earshot, Declan whispered in her ear
Declan: Was Daddy hurting you?
Lauren pressed her lips into a thin line.
Lauren: No, sweetie.
Declan: Was he mad?
Lauren: No, no. Daddy loves you. You know that right?
Declan nodded and threw his arms around her.
Declan: I love you, Lauren. I wish you were my mommy
Lauren squeezed her arms tighter around him, taking in the sweet scent of his blond curls as he buried his head in her chest.
END SCENE - END FLASHBACK - FLOW TO 1.6
INT. BAU BULLPEN - 1.6
START SCENE
Hotch: Prentiss!
Emily was snapped out of her memory. She looked up at Hotch
Emily: Case?
Hotch nodded
END SCENE
END TEASER SCENES