Coffee and Cigarettes

A/N: A transcript of an informal interview between Hotch and Prentiss: And some private thoughts. A short bridging chapter.

So how well do you know Flanders?

Not as well as people seem to think I do. It's not like we were friends. No, definitely not lovers. I am not his type. He is not mine. That wasn't part of it.

Are you recording this interview?

I need to smoke.

I know.

I know I don't usually smoke, but right now I need to.

Hotch, people change. You know that as well as I do.

How well do I know him? I know him well enough to know he loves and he hates and has not much in the middle. I know him well enough to know he loves his kids. I don't know if he would die for them. I don't know. I don't know if he would die for Spencer, for Reid. I know he would risk his life for him. But actually give up his life for him? That I don't know.

He would sacrifice his children for him.

I don't know. It's just a feeling, I just feel that he would. Nothing about that man is normal though.

He can read your mind.

I don't think so. I really don't think he can do that.

How is he always one step ahead.

That's not mind reading. That's cunning. Deceit. Animal instincts. Something like that.

He didn't hurt you.

Yes, yes he punched me Hotch. It hurt. He took my clothing. That hurt too, in a psychological way. You are still thinking that there is something between the two of us.

You are telling me that there never has been?

I am telling you that there isn't now. I think every man and woman who has ever met him has had a thing for him in some manner. Don't you?

I need to know if you have had a relationship with Flanders.

I told you the answer to that already. No, Hotch he is not my type and I am not his.

Why is this.

I am female.

And I am alive.

What do you mean by that.

That he is gay. He wants Reid. He is not interested in be for that.

Carry on – tell me what.

I need to smoke.

I'm not sure what you want me to tell you. For some reason he trusts me. I don't know why. I've never given him reason to. Then I don't think I've given him reason to distrust me either.

A smoke now please.

You don't smoke Prentiss. Tell me about Flanders trust issues.

I told you people change. A cigarette now would be good.

Thank you.

Flanders trust issues? I'm not sure I understand. You mean him trusting me, or in general.

Maybe with Reid. Does he trust Reid?

Absolutely.

Without a doubt. He trusts him completely. I would say even when he doesn't deserve it.

Tell me more. Are you saying that Reid shouldn't be trusted.

Am I under arrest?

I am saying that Spen – Reid has done things which surprised me. Things to get his own way. To manipulate.

Sit down Prentiss.

I find it easier to get my thoughts together if I can pace.

Tell me what he did. How did you get away from Taki. I need to know.

Reid distracted him. He was battered and bleeding, he couldn't walk, he crawled to Taki and distracted him. I couldn't take him with me. It wasn't possible. I waited until I knew the man wasn't paying attention to me and I got out and I ran. I couldn't take Reid with me. He knew that. That is why he did what he did.

Which was?

Hell! He had his back to me Hotch! I don't know what he did. Really I wasn't looking at what he was doing, but more of what Taki was.

Another smoke please.

If you sit and talk calmly. And I need to know what he did. It's important.

Fine. I think he gave him a blow job Hotch! Are you happy now.

Thank you. So you ran. What then?

I don't know how long I ran for. I just ran. When someone grabbed me from behind I thought it was Taki, but it was Floyd. He asked me if Spencer…if Reid was all right. He asked me about the girl. Rosa. He wanted to know about her. I told him it was too late for her, but as far as I knew Reid was OK. He told me to go back and find you. He knew what Spencer, what Reid had done. I don't know how but he did. I just know he already knew about it. He was tense. He was angry, but he didn't hurt me. I thought he would. He was acting strangely.

So what happened? You didn't come back to find us.

I didn't know where you were. I was in the middle of a forest alone, and suddenly I realised how insane this all was. Floyd had run off again, he went the way I had come from. I took a few minutes to think about what to do next. I didn't know how to find you, but I did know how to get back to Sp – Reid and Floyd. Now that Floyd was going to be there is didn't seem as dangerous.

So you followed him back after Reid had done something to let you escape? You just decided to ignore that sacrifice and go back?

It was hardly a sacrifice, as I see it he was enjoying it.

Sit.

As I was saying. He wasn't coerced into it Hotch. He did it of his own volition and he seemed to enjoy it.

Do you know what you are implying?

That Reid is a slut? Yes I know. But there has to be something Flanders sees in him. He was able to distract Taki. That must be his thing.

End of interview. Time 14:16

-o-o-o-

'I can go?' I snatch up the pack of cigarettes off the table and light up another.

'No. I want to talk to you Emily. Just the two of us. Off the record.'

He sits down on the chair the other side of the table in the interview room.

'Hotch, I'm really tired. Can't this wait?' I take a drag from the smoke.

He places his palms on the table and looks at me. 'There was no child at the scene.'

'She was there. About ten years old maybe younger. She looked like a small female Flanders. You could see what, who she is, was. She was standing next to me an the man took her head off Hotch, do you think I would make a mistake like that?'

'Crime Scene people have back test results. The blood at the scene.'

'I see. And?'

'Reid. There was a lot of Reid's blood and his blood mixed with vomit and other bodily fluids.'

I nod at him. 'Around the drain thing? He spent a lot of time by the drain.'

'Flanders. There was a lot of his blood too. Too much of his blood in fact, and an unknown which we are assuming is this Taki person. There was though no bodies.'

'And Rosa's blood?'

And he shakes his head. 'No. Reid, Flanders and Taki. That is all.'

'Then it is wrong!' And I am on my feet again and pacing. I know it is wrong. I saw it. 'I saw it happen!' I push my hands through my hair and catch the smell of slight singeing as my smoke catches my short sweaty hair. 'I know it happened Hotch. I was there. She was standing next to me for gods sake. I didn't imagine it.'

He is shaking his head. 'I need you to talk to someone about this properly Emily.'

'You don't believe me. You don't believe me do you?' In need a drink. I need a long cold gin and I need to stand in front of my window at home and watch the car lights on the road below. I want to watch the birds in the morning sky sailing silently in the sky. Floating there seeing all and knowing everything, and seeing all. I need to be at home and watch the rain slapping against that window and I need to put the palms of my hands against that window and rest my forehead on it and just watch and wait.

I need to stand there and smoke and drink and wait.

He will come to me eventually if I wait long enough. If I think hard enough. I know he will come to me. He knows he is welcome. He will come. I will stand and wait and I will feel his fingers on my back. I will feel the way they move slowly up my spine to my neck. I will feel him pressing in behind me and I will feel his hot breath on the back of my neck and his hands working on my pants.

He wont touch my chest. He will keep his hands low and he will bite my shoulder and he will take me there against the window and I will look for his refection in the glass and see his eyes deep and dark staring at me and I will see the cars below and the birds above and feel him making every part of my body tingle. Sweat will roll down my face and on my neck and he will lick at it as he uses me as little more than a whore.

My hands will slide down the glass leaving behind sweaty marks and his hand on my stomach will pull me away from the window and I will cry out in pain and pleasure and my legs will tremble with the effort of standing there and he will hold me. He will hold me up and in place and call me dirty names and tell me how good I feel. Considering I am warm.

Then I will be curled up on the floor and there will be a smell of cigarettes and coffee.

He always leaves me two smokes and a mug of coffee.

'I need to go home' I tell Hotch. I rub the palms of my hands on my pants legs. 'I feel sick. I want to go home and sleep.'

And he nods. 'We will continue this Prentiss.' And I look at him.

'Aaron, you know something don't you?'

But he turns his back on me and goes to leave. As he turns his cell phone goes off and he slides it from his black suit pants pocket. 'What do you mean? Gone? How long?' A pause. 'I will be right over.' He turns to me. 'I need you thinking straight. You are no good to me as you are. Go home and sleep.' And he is leaving again.

'Who has gone?' I ask.

'Sam. Someone has taken the remains of Sam.'