AN: This chapter is longer than the last (as promised) :).

The alert and favourite story counts for this fic have officially overtaken that of my first story 'Date with the Devil' so thank you everyone for all the support, please keep it coming :) There is just one more chapter to go for this fic. Enjoy.

Chapter 10 – The Exchange

Emily took breaths but they were shallow. Any more air in them and she would feel the pain in her ribs. She tried everything but could only see the camera's flashing red light again. "Hey," she began. "I know your filming this and I'm pretty sure that you're all watching. I hope you have a plan because JJ and Henry cannot be hurt by this. If you can hear me Hotch or Garcia or Morgan anyone, then you need to get Henry and JJ the hell away from him. You need to find them somewhere safe to live where he won't find them." She paused and took another breath before she licked her lips. "Carina better be safe," she sighed. "Tell her that I'm okay, that I'll be home soon."

"I'll tell her," came a voice over the camera's speaker.

"JJ?"

"Yeah Em it's me," JJ replied, holding the microphone near her mouth.

"Look JJ you need to get away okay, he will hunt you down if you don't run."

"I'm not going anywhere, not until you're safe."

"Do you know where I am?"

"No," JJ sighed disappointed in their efforts. "Reid tried but we came up with nothing. Will's too clever. Emily we have a plan, it's risky though."

"I don't care about risky right now, what is it?"

"The deal he was talking about will most probably be done here at the BAU. He knows we're here Emily. He will take you into the bullpen and will probably demand for Henry and myself to show up before he releases you. We have a team ready and waiting and a plan in place. I need to know that you can get him to let you go long enough for a sniper."

"Are you sure you want this JJ?"

"It's the only way." JJ replied. "I'm not happy about it but we need to."

"Okay I can do that," Emily replied. "What's the time?"

"About 8am now, you have been sleeping for a while." Emily head shot up when she heard the sound of footsteps coming toward the door. "We are going to talk to Will now."

"No don't" Emily protested. "Just have everything ready. I have to go he's coming."

"See you soon Em," JJ sighed.

"Yeah," Emily whispered before the door opened again and she shielded her eyes from the lights again. "Ready for a ride?"

"Tactical force on standby Hotch," Morgan exclaimed across the bullpen.

"Police force and armoured forces ready too," Reid added. Hotch nodded his head to both while he was being grilled through his own headset by Erin Strauss. "How do you know that he's coming here?" She asked.

"He wants JJ and Henry and will do anything to get to them. I suggest removing all non-necessary personnel. He is extremely dangerous and will be armed. All other staff must lock their doors in case he decides to take a detour okay."

"I will have everything organised, just get Agent Prentiss back alive," Erin finished before she hung up her end of the phone to see her friend enter the office. "How is it going?"

"Agent Prentiss and her kidnapper are arriving here to make a trade." Erin explained before she stood and walked around her desk to greet her visitor. "Why here?" Elizabeth asked a little puzzled at the purpose. "I'm not sure what significance it has but how have you been?"

Elizabeth suddenly took Erin into her arms making the woman's eyes widen with the sudden nature of the gesture. "I'm sorry," she replied, leaning back to look her friend in the eye. "Things have been complicated."

"How complicated?" Erin questioned as Elizabeth took a seat. "Elizabeth what's going on?"

"This," she replied, handing Erin a photograph from her pocket and handed it to Strauss. Erin took it into her hands and gasped at what she saw, sprayed in red paint, all over her car, was a symbol, the letter A surrounded by a circle, all over the hood of her car. "Have you told anyone about it?"

"No," Elizabeth replied, shaking her head from side to side. "But at the moment that is the least of my worries. I trust that you are going to get my daughter back safe and sound?" Erin took her seat behind her desk and interlinked her fingers before resting her arms on the varnished wood. "We are trying everything we can. Though it's a little more difficult than taking her from him."

"I understand," Elizabeth replied before she stood to her feet. "Well I'll be off then."

"Wait don't you want to know how it goes?"

"I trust you'll call me." Elizabeth smiled. "Just don't disappoint me."

"I'll try not to," Strauss smiled before Elizabeth took her hand in a shake and walked back toward the doors. A security guard was in the elevator and asked to see her credentials before he would let her leave the building. She showed him her documents before he let her down the elevator and escorted her to her car. Maybe they would consider keeping more than one guard on duty from now on.

Garcia had all the security cameras at her disposal, thanks to Strauss's helpful hand. Hotch was in his office making two other calls while Morgan and Reid helped to move everyone who could leave the building level to do so through the emergency escapes and onto other floors for the shut down. Only one elevator was left running for Will and Emily's arrival. All staff were moved. JJ, Henry and Carina all locked away inside JJ's office, sitting on the ground until they were called to become part of the distraction to help the tactical team. Carina held her shaking hands in her lap when JJ's hand appeared on hers. "Emily told me to tell you something," Carina looked to JJ with wide eyes. "She said that she's okay and she will be home soon." Carina smiled slightly; trust Emily to pick the one combination or words that helped her to feel safe and secure.

Another ten minutes wait and the staff were gone, Morgan, Reid and Hotch were standing at the bottom of the stairs in the bullpen. Garcia locked her door shut and got ambulance services on standby for Emily's wounds. Another minute and the lobby level showed Will pointing a gun to Emily's head and leading her into the elevator.

The elevator doors began to open and when they were wide Morgan, Reid and Hotch saw just how broken Emily really was. She limped with Will behind her; most of her face had traces of blood or bruise. She grimaced with every step she took. Will stopped moving, his gun trained on Emily's temple as Emily looked to the three profilers in the standoff. "Where's JJ?" Will asked calmly. No reply was given. "Where is JJ?"

"She won't come out until we have Prentiss," Hotch explained.

"No deal," Will replied. "JJ and Henry first, then you get Emily."

"Not happening whelp," Morgan slandered. "You want JJ and the kid badly enough you will let her go."

"How about the same time?" Emily suggested. Making Will look down to Prentiss for a moment. "JJ and Henry wait at the stairs with you then we both walk to cross the floor to meet in the middle." Will thought about it for a moment, so did Hotch. He knew that it was the only way to get Emily away from him but also keep JJ safe. "No," Will began. "I have a better idea. Bring Carina here," he demanded.

"She isn't here," Reid replied.

"I know your lying. Bring her out and we will do the deal a different way." Emily wanted to say something but the gun pushing harder into her head stopped her. Carina looked to JJ who shook her head in protest but she knew she had to do it. With a nod she stood from her feet walked to the door, opened and closed it quickly behind her before she walked toward the bullpen. "There she is," Carina walked down the stairs and stood next to Morgan who was baffled by her amount of courage.

"Carina, come here!"

"No," Hotch protested. "You saw her, that's it."

"I haven't finished Agent Hotchner. She is my insurance." Carina took a step forwards, then another and another. Her legs shaking the closer she got. Emily looked her into the eyes, the trick that she remembered numerous times. All Emily had to do was look to her with those eyes and she knew it would be okay. Problem was the previous times she had used that skill didn't involve her having a gun pressed to her skull.

Carina stepped closer again just a meter from them now. "Stand next to me," Will instructed and Carina did what she was told. Will let go of Emily and trained his gun on Carina's right hand temple. "Emily, go and get Henry and bring him to me," Will instructed again. Emily walked forwards with a limp, away from the target area. She wanted to turn around, run and attack him. Take the gun he had been holding to her head for so many minutes and shoot him with it. Sadly his weapon of choice was trained on her daughters head. She may not have been her biological one but that didn't change a thing for Emily Prentiss. Stepping further forwards she reached the centre of the bullpen before JJ exited her office with Henry in her arms. She walked along the balcony, down the stairs, past Hotch, Reid and Morgan and stood in front of her friend. "I'm sorry," Emily apologised. JJ handed Emily the baby and took a step back. Emily walked toward Will and took a glimpse at the baby she held in her arms.

Emily took the baby with caution, moving it around sometimes to compensate for her sore rib before she was two meters in front of Will. "Hand him to me," he instructed.

"If you want to do that you're going to have to put the gun down." Emily explained quietly. Will looked to Carina then to Emily then to the quiet bundle of joy that she had cradled in her arms. Will put his gun into his belt and held out his hands to take Henry. Carina looked to Emily and nodded. She carefully moved to her left, slowly stepping away from Will. Emily began to do the same, stepping backwards. Will looked at the white coverings before he lifted the cover from his head "You tricked me!" Will yelled throwing the plastic imitation baby on the ground before taking the gun from his belt and pointing it at Carina, Emily yelled "Carina get down!" Before two gun shots echoed through the office and the BAU bullpen fell silent.

Emily opened her eyes to see Will lying on the ground one bullet hole in his chest. Then she looked to Carina, lying on the ground with her eyes closed. Emily got to her feet and scrambled over to Carina's side. "Carina," she called looking down to the girl's chest to see a bullet had passed through her shirt. Strangely though there was no blood. Opening her shirt she saw a black, sleek bullet proof vest strapped around her. The bullet right over where her heart would be. Carina took deep breaths and opened her eyes to look at Emily. She got to her knees and hugged her guardian tightly in her arms, crying tears of joy at the same time.

"Shh it's okay," Emily sighed placing a hand on her head. "I'm home."

AN: Any thoughts? The final chapter will be uploaded soon.