Chapter Nine – Not Alone

"Morgan, what the hell are you doing?" Emily demanded as she watched her friend start pulling his belt from his waist.

"Trying to get out of here no matter how impossible that might be."

He turned toward the wall and eyed his chain. If he could use a little bit of leverage maybe he could loosen it. After he slid the pin part of the buckle through he realized it wasn't going to be long enough to brace on the opposite side when he pulled.

"Damn it. It's not going to be long enough."

Olivia had picked up on what he was trying to do and immediately started looking for another option. Heels would have worked, but considering they'd all been taken in their sleep nobody was wearing shoes. It wasn't like anyone would take a pocket knife to bed either. Finding nothing that wouldn't bend out of shape right away, she sighed and gave up.

"It was a good idea."

Morgan glanced her way and nodded appreciatively. Still, good idea or not, it hadn't gotten them anywhere.

"Okay, how didn't I realize this sooner?" JJ asked, breaking the disappointment Morgan and Olivia were feeling.

"Miss what?" Morgan demanded.

"The fact that you're still wearing what you had on yesterday."

"So?"

"Just decided to sleep in your clothes did you?"

Emily chuckled. JJ did have a very good point.

"She's got you there, Morgan."

"So I feel asleep watching TV. Big deal. We were all tired, man."

"And you didn't bother to change," JJ pointed out.

"Why would I?"

"I don't know. To be comfortable maybe?"

"I am comfortable in this."

Emily's and JJ's eyes met for a brief moment before they both spoke at the same time. With only slightly different timing, Olivia had said the exact same word in exasperation.

"Men."

All three women grinned when they'd realized what had happened. Morgan rolled his eyes and got up to distract himself by trying to kick the ring loose from the wall. Again it was a long shot, but he had to try something.

"If you actually get that loose, which would be a miracle by the way," Rossi began, "you get out of here."

Morgan glanced over his shoulder and nodded. He knew it was their best chance to save everyone if one person got out alone and went for help. It would be easy enough to take Bill down if he didn't have the chains on. Plus, a little directing would let Hotch help him out too. If it came to that, he'd find a way to get the unsub close enough to where Hotch was chained so his boss could hold him back. They wouldn't even need to discuss it.

"Sit down. He's coming back," Olivia warned when she saw the door begin to open once more.

"So his damn fun can begin again," Morgan grumbled acidly as he dropped beside Olivia.

"Morgan."

He swung his head around at the warning tone from Hotch and nodded. Pushing it would get him in trouble with this guy. Considering he was already fixed on Olivia, that wouldn't be a good thing. One of them needed to be able to help the other.

"Well? Well?" Bill asked excitedly as he bounded into the room. "How was it? Hm?"

Unfortunately by that point they were pretty used to their unsub's eccentricities. That didn't mean they had much of an idea on what he was talking about. Their mix of frozen and blank looks told him that.

"Dinner and your time to rest! Really," he added in exasperation, "you need to pay attention."

Olivia considered poking at him a bit more about how she was paying attention to what mattered but decided against it. He was likely here for another round, and she didn't want to make him angry enough to mess up or really hurt whoever was next.

"It takes a lot to mess up a peanut butter sandwich," Rossi answered before Bill could turn his glare on all of them.

"Which is why I don't treat my guests to filet mignon~. Aside from the fact that it is incredibly expensive, it's very easy to mess up. I wouldn't want you to be disappointed~."

He'd walked over to stand before Hotch and Emily as he was speaking and smiled down at them when he was done.

"Right, Agent Prentiss?"

Emily simply watched him impassively and without comment. She had a bad feeling she knew why he'd addressed her by name though. This was really going to suck.

When the unsub made a little shooing motion at Hotch, her suspicions were confirmed. She was next.

"Let me go first," Hotch demanded, willing to do anything to put off the terror Emily would soon experience. She was a member of his team, and it was his job to protect her.

"Aww, that's so cute!" He turned toward Emily with a smile and pointed at Hotch. "He's trying to protect you!"

Hotch's eyes narrowed a bit in annoyance. His irritation only increased when Bill turned a sympathetic smile on him.

"I know you're excited, but you'll get your turn. My experiment requires a woman next, so you really don't qualify. Now, shoo."

Hotch cast a quick glance at Emily before moving to the end of his chain. He desperately wanted to do something to help her, but his hands were tied. All he could do was be there for her.

Emily caught the look and gave him a tiny nod in return. Speaking would reveal how terrified she was. She'd only recently managed to put Doyle behind her, at least for the most part. After this she'd be back at square one again, if not somewhere in the negative numbers.

"Ah, my dear, you're the lucky number one! Forgive me for not making it ladies first, but there is a process to this you understand. Arms please."

Emily hesitated for a brief instant.

"Agent."

The word of warning held all of the dark promise they'd profiled the unsub was capable of. This was simply the first time they'd seen it. Emily immediately complied, knowing she wouldn't like what happened if she didn't. There was no doubt this man was serious. The threat may have been missing specifics, but it definitely wasn't empty.

"Much better!" Bill crowed happily, his personality doing a quick 180 back to his usual fluttery amusement.

He got Emily set up just as he had done for Rossi a few hours ago. She was trying to remain calm and breathe normally, but she was pretty sure there was a spike in her heart rate if Bill's face was any indication. Once she was ready, the unsub injected her with the slightly altered drug cocktail.

"Let's see if this is the right mix now shall we? Do enjoy your time in dream land, Agent Prentiss~."

It was only once Bill was gone that Hotch noticed Emily start picking at her nails. While it wouldn't have been recognizable to most, and definitely not important, Hotch knew what it meant. So did the other profilers. Emily only picked at her nails when she was stressed or nervous. They'd seen it a lot before and after Doyle, but after a few months that habit had been gone.

"Prentiss."

"I'm fine, Hotch," she assured, even though she knew he could see right through her. The others probably could too.

"Emily, we're here okay?" Morgan added.

"Yeah. I know, and I'll be fine."

Her gaze shifted over to JJ who was watching her worriedly. Emily smiled brightly at her.

"You managed to pull Rossi out of his funk in just a few words. Have any for me before I fall asleep?"

JJ thought for a moment before smiling. "Cheetobreath has just one word. Jinxed."

Rossi gave JJ an odd look which Olivia put words to.

"Huh?"

She turned toward Morgan, the question obvious in her expression. Morgan held up his hands and shrugged.

"Don't ask me. I have no idea what they're talking about."

Neither woman bothered to answer though. Emily's mouth just hung open while JJ smiled innocently at her. None of the others would understand what jinxed meant, but Emily did. It was the word JJ had played to put herself so far in the lead during a game of Scrabble that Emily hadn't been able to even remotely catch up. Not only had the word been worth a lot of points to begin with, JJ had placed it on a triple word score space, giving her an enormous number of points.

"Thanks a lot," Emily grumbled between yawns.

"Always," JJ assured. It was meant to be comforting, but she couldn't stop the concern from slipping into her voice.

She could see that Emily was already drifting away, her head lolling to the side as she rested against the wall. When Emily tipped a bit further, Hotch reached out and eased her down to the ground.

"Stay strong, Emily…" JJ whispered softly.

Rossi reached over and touched JJ's shoulder.

"She'll be fine."

JJ nodded but wasn't sure she fully believed it. Emily had been through so much, but as hard as seeing it again might be, this time she wouldn't be alone.