Thanks so much to everyone who's taken an interest in this story so far. I'm glad you can see the Maura/Emily friendship; I think the way they grew up and the social circles they move in/were born into are very much alike. And I'm sure they'd like each other if they ever met.
Well, here it is, only a day after (as promised), Chapter 2.
Two hours later, most of the agents had left the precinct. Rossi and Reid were inspecting the bedrooms and homes of their victims – all of the girls had still lived at their childhood homes – Hotch and JJ were talking to the parents of the latest victim – Shannon Donall had been abducted three days ago and was possibly still alive – and Garcia and Morgan were out on a coffee run.
Only Emily remained behind, still studying the information they had on the girls.
She knew that there was something off but as of now, she just couldn't put her finger on it.
She wasn't alone in her quest though. While Maura had returned to the cellar to perform an autopsy for another case, Jane as well as Barry Frost and Vince Korsak were with her, going through the case files again and again, trying to find the missing puzzle piece.
And finally, just moments before the phone call that would forever change her life – even though she didn't know that yet – it clicked and things fell together.
Luckily enough, Garcia and Morgan returned right when that thought hit her.
"Penelope, I need you to find out if Ciara Benton was adopted or conceived through more unconventional means like IVF. The same goes for Therese Parker."
"What are you on to, Emily?" Jane asked, looking at the profiler with hope. That guy had already taken four too many girls from their families, three of them forever.
"Sarah Jackson and Melody Gibbs. Sarah was adopted when she was four after the Jacksons had fostered her for three years. And Melody is the daughter of two gay men who were lucky enough to find a surrogate." She moved closer to the board, pointing at the family photo of the Bensons. "Ciara's parents both have brown eyes, Ciara's are a light blue, a recessive gene. Also, she doesn't really share any features with her parents besides her brown hair."
"You think our guy's targeting girls that are either adopted or came to their families in another not completely biological way?" Frost picked up on what the profiler was thinking.
"I do."
"And I think you've just hit the jackpot, Princess," Garcia announced, everyone quickly assembling around her laptop to see what she'd found.
"Ciara has been adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Benton when she was still a newborn," Garcia explained, showing them the results of her search. "And Ms. Parker is the product of her mother's eggs and a sperm donor, her daddy is sterile due to an infection he had as a kid."
"What about Shannon Donall?" Jane asked, getting excited with the prospect of having found the connection between the girls.
Garcia hacked away at her keyboard and whistled a moment later. "Biological parents died in a car accident when she was three. She was adopted by her aunt and uncle."
"I'll call Hotch and the others," Morgan pulled out his phone, proudly nodding at Emily. "We'll get that son of a bitch."
A phone rang and the only female detective excused herself. "Rizzoli."
Emily knew by the look on Jane's face that Shannon Donall had just been found. Her suspicion was confirmed once the Italian moved her cell back into the pocket of her pants.
"Shannon Donall's body was found in a park about six miles from here." Her features turned grim. "And another girl has already been taken. 17-year-old Luciana Watson. She was taken from her home, the UnSub shot her parents. Mr. Watson died on scene but Mrs. Watson is being rushed to the hospital as we speak. It doesn't look good though."
"He's evolving fast," Emily frowned, her mind wandering to the girl that was somewhere in this godforsaken city, frightened and alone, at the mercy of a psychopath. They had to find that girl before it was too late. "He only kept Shannon for three days. If we're lucky, Luciana has two."
"Baby girl, can you find out if Luciana fits our victimology, see if she was adopted or something?"
"I'll tell you in two seconds, my sexy chocolate Adonis," Garcia started typing. A few seconds after, her fingers stopped and a frown appeared on her face.
"Pen, what is it?" Emily stared at the screen, trying to
decipher the meaning of the endless numbers and countless pop-ups that had just appeared.
"Well, this is interesting," Garcia mumbled more to herself than the others. Then, she punched in a few orders and whirled around in her seat, facing the confused profilers and detectives. "There seems to be an adoption record for Luciana but it was sealed by the state, so I can't get any more information than that. I've started a little program though, so we should know more in the morning."
"Why would the government seal an adoption record?" Korsak was the first to ask the question that was perched on most of their tongues, waiting to plunge out into the open.
"Someone might've wanted to keep the pregnancy and birth a secret? Maybe the mother was in a precarious situation? Maybe it's even got something to do with witness protection..."
"Oooooh," Garcia reacted with excitement to Emily's suggestions. "Maybe she's the lost daughter of a movie star! Or maybe even royalty!"
Emily dryly chuckled. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Do we have a photo of the girl?"
"Right here," Garcia clicked on a tiny picture, enlarging it for everyone to see.
Luciana Watson had slightly wavy, dark brown hair that was almost black, pale skin, and a pair of large hazel eyes. It was a picture from the latest school yearbook and the junior seemed genuinely happy, her eyes full of life.
Emily just hoped that it would stay that way, that they found her in time. The girl had just lost her father – and maybe her mother, too – but they'd do everything to save her life.
A few minutes later, the rest of the BAU returned to the precinct, JJ immediately seeking out Emily's nearness. The blonde didn't like to leave her out of her sight, not in this city and not after what had happened the last time they'd been here.
"Prentiss," Hotch addressed the brunette, giving her a solemn nod. "Good work. Take JJ and meet with Dr. Isles and Detective Rizzoli at the crime scene where Shannon Donall was found. Reid, I want you to stay here and create us a geographical profile. Rossi, Morgan, go to the Watsons' house, see if you can learn anything new about our UnSub. Garcia and I will talk to the press and try to keep them from publishing anything about the developments in the case."
JJ and Emily arrived at the park about fifteen minutes later.
They followed the trail of the yellow tape and the crowds of policemen and onlookers alike, soon finding themselves standing in front of Shannon's dead body.
Maura was already crouched down next to the girl, examining the strangulation marks on her neck and the bruises and chafing around her wrists.
"Time of death?" JJ asked innocently, causing both Jane and Emily to snort and roll their eyes as Maura looked at her with incredulity.
"She doesn't like to guess, Jen," Emily explained, gesturing to Maura.
"Yeah, she really doesn't," Jane agreed with a smirk. "Gives her the hives. You'll have to wait until she's done the autopsy."
"Does she still refer to blood as reddish brown stains?" Emily wanted to know, remembering only too well how Maura didn't assume anything until there was definite proof.
"She does," the detective chuckled, lovingly glancing at the ME.
"You can't know it's blood without the proper tests," Maura defended herself, playfully glaring at the two women she considered her best friends as she closely inspected Shannon Donall's fingernails. She couldn't be a hundred percent sure yet, but it seemed as though they were out of luck once more. Her fingernails were very clean – the girl most likely hadn't managed to scratch her killer. Of course she'd run samples in her lab anyway. Just to make sure.
A few hours later – it was already rather late – found Emily and Maura sitting on the ME's couch. Jane had held out the longest and left for her apartment about half an hour ago, while Garcia and JJ had headed to bed around midnight, no longer able to keep their eyes open.
Now that it was just the two of them, a deep silence had settled over the room, both women trying to find the right way to ask what they really wanted to ask.
Until finally…
"So, Jane...?"
"So, JJ…?"
They laughed, sharing a wide smile that conveyed more than words ever could.
"So what are we going to do about this?" Maura asked, looking at her old friend, hoping she held the answers she'd been looking for.
"We? Nothing. But you should."
"Why not you? The ring?" the medical examiner remembered the beautiful rose golden band she'd noticed on the blonde agent's hand hours before at the precinct.
"That's part of the reason, yes," Emily nodded, taking a sip of her wine. "I helped him choose that ring." A sad and disbelieving chuckle escaped her own throat. "He's one of the good ones, Will. A police detective. They share a son who is the most adorable little boy I have ever seen. And even if it wasn't for him and Henry... just look at me, Maura."
Maura raised a brow at her friend. "I see a striking woman. A woman who is smart, brave, loyal, and sadly, sometimes a little reckless. A woman who is damn good at her job because she cares so much. A woman who would protect those she loves at any cost. Should I go on?"
Emily actually blushed a little at her friend's flattering description. But while she knew she had once been that woman – and maybe she was still there, hidden away from the world – she didn't feel like her at all. She was a broken copy of herself. Vulnerable and just waiting to break down completely, to shatter into a thousand pieces. Afraid of her own shadow. And scarred. There were so many scars, both on her body as well as her soul. Someone as pure as JJ should never be burdened with the likes of her.
"I'm not that woman anymore," she murmured bitterly, draining the last of her wine. "But maybe," she perked up again, another oddity that seemed to happen quite often these days – rapid mood swings. "Maybe I should consider courting you." Emily winked at her friend, thankful to share this moment with her, to be able to talk to her in person and not over the phone.
"Ah, or not," she added with a smirk. "I wouldn't want to cross Jane Rizzoli's territory."
Maura playfully slapped her arm. "We had our try – and you know it didn't work out. I'm glad we stayed friends."
"Me, too. — So, tell me about Jane."
"She's... Jane," Maura's face lit up. "She's just special. You and her? You're the two strongest persons I know. You have a lot in common actually."
"I like her," Emily gave her approval. "She seems to be a good person and a good cop, too."
"It's a shame you're only here for the case," Maura absent-mindedly played with the rim of her glass.
"I know. But I promise to make more of an effort from now on to make time to see you. I do have the obligatory six weeks off after all."
"I'd love that, Em. I really missed you."
"Me, too. Now, let's get to bed. It's almost 2 and we have to be back at the station by 7:30."
"You're right. Good night, Emily."
"Good night, Maur."
Emily was standing at the edge of a seemingly endless black hole, struggling to keep her balance as something invisible pushed her towards the abyss.
As she slid closer and closer to the edge, eventually she could make out the faces of her team at the far bottom of the hole. Their eyes were just empty sockets and their faces were sunken and bloodied.
Dead.
All of them.
Now that she actually wanted to let go, to fall and join them, the invisible push stopped and Emily found herself turning around.
She came face to face with the man responsible for most of her pain, a man she'd shared her body with but not her heart.
"Ian."
"So nice of you to join us, Emily," he pointed at the abyss behind her, at the bodies of her colleagues, her friends – her family.
"What did you do?"
He laughed. "Nothing much yet. You see, there are still three people missing. And I want you to suffer as you watch them die!" He raged as three chairs suddenly appeared behind him. Three people were bound to the chairs, unconscious and badly beaten up.
Jennifer.
Maura.
Henry.
"No, please, no!" she begged as he walked towards them, deciding whom to shoot first. "Please, don't hurt them. Take me instead. Please. Not them..."
"Emily, Em, you have to wake up!"
JJ's voice called from somewhere above her and Emily craned her neck to look at the sky.
Only it wasn't there.
Above her were the worried faces of three blonde women.
JJ, Penelope, Maura.
"Em, hey," a soft hand cupped her cheek, trying to get her to focus. "It was just a nightmare. You're safe."
Emily blinked a few times and quickly sat up in the bed, taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart.
Just a bad dream. Again.
She rarely managed to sleep through the night these days, more often than not waking up with a silent scream on her lips.
Or wasn't it? Silent?
"Why are you all here?" she asked, her voice raspy with sleep, dreading the answer.
"You were screaming, Emily. JJ was the first to get here since her room is right next to yours." Maura looked at her with concern. "Are you all right?"
"Fine, yeah. I'm fine," Emily felt uncomfortable and naked underneath their gazes. She quickly scrambled out of bed, shooting each of them a small smile and briefly rubbing Garcia's shoulder.
"I'm fine. You should go back to bed," she nodded towards the alarm clock that read 4:53 a.m. "I'll just go to the bathroom real quick, then I'm off to bed, too."
"All right," Maura conceded, knowing that Emily wouldn't want to talk about it. Not without some coercion and especially not in the middle of the night. "You know where to find me."
Emily nodded and headed into the ante-bathroom. She splashed some water into her face and ran a hand through her hair. She hated it when others saw her weak. She was a Prentiss, she was supposed to be strong and always put-together. After looking once more at her mirror image – god, she looked exhausted – she returned to the bedroom, only to stop in her tracks when she found that JJ hadn't moved from the spot she'd been standing in before.
"I uh… Can I stay here, Em?" she nervously played with her hands, looking at a point behind her instead of meeting her eyes. "It's just-"
"Yes."
"I know- Yes?"
"Yeah. Stay," Emily walked past JJ and got back into bed, lifting the covers for the blonde. She knew that it was only partially for her sake. JJ was frightened, too. So how could she send her away when she was seeking comfort from her? "Get in. We have to get up soon enough."
And without further words, JJ quickly climbed into the bed next to her, hesitantly nestling her back against Emily's chest.
"Is this okay?"
"Sleep, Jayje."
"Night, Em."
"Good night."
And before JJ could fall asleep, Emily slowly brought her left arm around JJ's middle, holding her, a smile appearing on both of their faces.
AN: So how did you like the new chapter (Maura and Emily's little chat, thoughts on the case)?
Oh, and do not worry, this was so not the mentioned slumber party scene - that'll come a little later.