As From Discretion Comes Isolation
Chapter 3

A/N - Thanks again for following the story, sorry the first few chapters aren't that eventful but it's layering the background and hinting at what is ahead... but enjoy!

It was 11am when J.J. awoke the next morning, she hadn't slept very well and her body clock was yet to adjust to the time difference as it would be 6am D.C. time. When she looked over at the other side of the bed, Henry was curled up tightly, clutching the duvet with his little hand and snoring lightly. Not wanting to wake him yet, she picked up her phone and dialled Emily's number. After her sudden departure the previous evening, she had been terribly worried about her friend. Twice she called but both times it went straight to voicemail, she looked out of her hotel window and watched the busy life of London passing by. Deciding she would give her son another fifteen minutes of sleep she sat on the edge of the large king size bed and turned the TV on. After lowering the volume she tediously flicked through the channels until a story being reported on the BBC News caught her eye. The headline said 'Second London Interpol Murder', listening closely she found out that last night a second Interpol agent had been found murdered but the details could not be released to the public. J.J. knew she had to speak to the rest of the team even if she could not reach Emily herself. Quickly she got dressed before waking her sleepy little boy and helped him into his clothes.

As soon as the pair exited the elevator J.J. caught Hotch's eye who was already sitting in the lobby with Jack, Rossi and Reid.

"I just saw the news, is it true?" she asked sitting opposite her teammates.

Hotch nodded solemnly in response.

"And Emily? Has anyone been able to contact her? I tried her phone twice this morning but I had no luck"

Reid shook his head, "we couldn't reach her either, she said she would see us today though"

"Where's Morgan and Garcia?"

Rossi folded the newspaper he was reading over, "sleeping in most probably, some of us have easily adjustable body clocks, which can be a curse when you only get four hours sleep!"

J.J. quietly told her son to go and play with Jack before lowering her voice, "do you think Emily is involved in something? Do you think she's in danger?"

Reid shook his head, "no!" he said firmly, "she wouldn't keep that from us, not again. If she was in trouble she'd tell us"

Rossi simply looked at the other two agents, as much as they hoped he was right, they knew Emily. If she was in trouble and telling her family would involve them then she would keep them as far away from the situation as she could, just as she had with Doyle.

The sound of laughter soon rang through the lobby as Morgan exited the elevator with his arm firmly around Penelope, they were laughing at nothing in particular but soon stopped as soon as they saw the grave looks on their friends' faces.

"What's wrong?" Garcia asked immediately looking between them.

Rossi handed them his paper, Morgan unfolded it to reveal a similar headline to the one which occupied the news channel. His frown deepened as he began to read the article while Garcia brought her hand to her mouth in shock.

After reading he placed the paper down on the coffee table and they both sat on one of the small black leather couches, "at least we got one day of vacation" he snorted.

Hotch shook his head, "we still are on vacation, there's nothing we can do about this, we've just got to wait until Emily arrives and see what she tells us"

Silence fell amongst the group as they thought about their friend. Their now saddened and worried attitudes juxtaposed that of the two little boys who were happily playing with the toy soldiers Jack had gotten in the city the previous day.

At the sound of movement behind them they all turned suddenly to face the revolving doors that led onto the bustling street to see a very tired and panicked Emily hurrying through the lobby towards them. She took the seat beside J.J. as she caught her breath, "are you alright?" her friend asked placing her hand onto hers.

She nodded slowly, "I'm sure you've seen the news, I found out last night that the second member of my team had been killed in two weeks, that's why I had to leave early last night. I wish I could tell you more but I can't, I have to spend today working I'm so sorry but we'll definitely have dinner tonight, 7 o'clock, my treat. There's a nice place down the road, I'll text you the details, I am sorry" she said apologetically looking at each of her friends. None of them could imagine the burden she was carrying and what she had sacrificed but she didn't want them to. She had been hoping that she could avoid the situation while her friends were here, maybe even act normal, but when did she last act normal? Normality wasn't an option at the moment but she had to act, she couldn't involve them, not again.

Penelope looked up at her as she stood, "Em you aren't alright, you need to be here, with your family" she said quietly her eyes blinking behind her green sparkly glasses.

Emily gave her a small, unconvincing smile, "I'll see you later, you've got the hire cars I'm sure you'll be able to amuse yourselves" she quickly turned on her heel and exited the lobby.

Reid continued to look at the door after she had left, "I wish there was something we could do for her" he said sadly.

Morgan nodded, "I know kid, I know. So what're we going to do today?"

Henry and Jack sneakily took the opportunity to take a leaflet for Legoland to their parents. J.J. pulled her son into her lap and laughed, "you are cheeky aren't you? Is that what you want to do?" he nodded furiously continuing to look at the photos of the smiling children on the front of the colourful paper used as a form of rhetoric.

Hotch took his son's leaflet and looked at it carefully, "you want to go too buddy?"

"Yes please Dad" he smiled sweetly up at him.

"Is everyone else up for a day trip to Legoland?" their Unit Chief asked with a smile.

All apart from Reid nodded, "but the museums, the convention-"

"-which will still be there tomorrow and the day after and everyday until we leave" Garcia interjected, "Boy Genius I promise you we will go, ok?"

"I think a day at a silly kids theme park is exactly what we need, no work, no worrying and certainly no unsubs!" J.J. added.

Reid shrugged and nodded slowly, he had only ever been to a theme park once where he had thrown up violently after the hungry caterpillar roller coaster when he was thirteen but it had been a rare time that his mother had taken him out, it was one of her good days.

Rossi clapped his hands together, "great! Then let's go!"