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Chapter 2: Emily, This is Everybody, Everybody, This is Emily
A whole stack of memories never equal one little hope.
- Charles M. Schulz
Quantico VA, Present Day
JJ led Emily into a room with a TV screen, a round table, and a group of people sitting around it. There were two men and a woman.
"Hey, JJ, looking good today!" One of the men called out. He was an African American man in his 30s. He had a buzz cut, some scruff on his face, and a six pack could be clearly seen through his tee shirt.
"Derek, behave. We have a guest?" The woman asked, hitting him lightly.
"Hi Derek. Everybody, I'd like you to meet Agent Emily Prentiss. She just transferred here, and is now a part of our team," JJ said with a grin, "And I'd love to introduce you all separately, but right now we really need to do the briefing. You can all chat on the jet," JJ said quickly.
"Alright, what are we looking at?" The man named Derek asked, as JJ handed out the files.
"Go ahead and take a seat anywhere," JJ told Emily, who smiled politely, and sat next to a young man. He had stringy long hair, and a cute boyish charm to him.
She opened her file and began to skim, as JJ began to speak.
"Houston PD has been receiving missing persons reports for about 5 months now," JJ began.
"Shouldn't they be?" The boyish looking one asked.
"That's the thing, Spence. When these missing were reported, they weren't missing. These people," JJ explained as faces appeared on the screen, "Were home, alive and well." She flipped to the next picture.
"This is Jessica Greene. 5 months ago at the beginning of May, she was reported missing anonymously. In June, she was kidnapped, and another missing report for a different woman, Marlene Walters, went out, but the woman wasn't missing. In July, Jessica Greene's body was found, a week later Marlene Walters was abducted and a week after that, another missing went out. This patter has been continuing," JJ explained.
"Do you have pictures of the women?" the man named Spence asked.
"Before or after?" JJ said grimacing.
"Before, please," He requested. JJ flipped to full images of the women all lined up.
"No apparent patterns…" He murmured after a minute.
"None of them wear wedding rings," Emily spoke up for the first time.
"Do you know anything about their daily lives?" Derek asked.
"I'm pulling up info as we speak. You'll have it on your PDAs by the time you're on the jet," the other woman said. She was dressed in all blue, with crazy blonde hair with brown highlights, pinned up with clips and glitter.
"Thanks, Penelope. Alright guys, Hotch should be along soon, so grab you're go bags…we'll leave in 15," JJ said and everyone dispersed. Emily stayed behind. She approached JJ as gathered up the files.
"Hi Emily," JJ said with a small smile.
"Hey can I ask you for something…a favor?" Emily asked, "I know we just met and all, but-" She began, but JJ cut her off.
"Of course. What's up?" JJ asked.
"I was just…can you not say anything to the rest of them about me and Hotch knowing each other. I just want to make sure it's alright with him if they all know," Emily said.
"Why wouldn't he be?"JJ asked shrugging as they started to walk out of the room.
"Oh, I have no idea. I just want to make sure, you know?" Emily asked
. "Yeah, I understand," JJ said, although she didn't really.
"Thank you," Emily said with a smile.
"Anytime," JJ said and she left Emily.
"Emily," A voice called. She whirled around to see Hotch walking over to her.
"Hotch," She said with a smirk. There was still tension between the two of them. And pain. But Emily did what she always did when she knew her feelings might cloud her judgement. She made a box in her mind, put the feelings in it, and stored them far away, in the back of her head.
"You're meeting with Strauss will have to wait," He told her.
"I gathered that," Emily said shrugging.
"For this case, I want you to stick with me," He told her.
"Ah. You did miss me," Emily said smiling.
"No," He said flatly.
"Ouch," Emily cringed.
"I just mean, I want you with me so I can assess your skills. See where you are…" He said.
"Sounds good," Emily said and began to walk away. He couldn't tell if she had actually been hurt by his comment. He hadn't meant to hurt her.
"Emily," He called after her. He walked quickly to catch up to her.
"Yes?" She asked, patiently waiting for him to speak.
"I did…" He said quietly
"Did?" Emily asked, growing impatient. Hotch looked at her and for the first time, he smiled.
"Miss you…" He shrugged.
Flashback
Washington DC 1992
"Now Emily, are you sure you don't want to come to the wedding with us?" Ambassador Prentiss asked Emily, who was now growing tired. She had been waiting for her parents to leave for this stupid wedding, and they just wouldn't go.
"I'm so sure," Emily said rolling her eyes. They were treating her like she was a child.
"You can visit your old friends while we're in Rome?" Her father suggested.
"No thanks," Emily said flatly.
"Emily, it's not good for someone your age to spend so much time cooped up in your room reading. You should get some friends," Her mother said pejoratively.
"What your mother means is that we don't feel good about leaving you alone on your birthday," Her father tired.
"No, that's not what I meant," Her mother interrupted.
"I'm fine. I have friends. They are taking me out for my birthday any ways," Emily lied.
"Ok darling. If you're really sure," Her father tried.
"Oh god, please leave already,'' Emily said rolling her eyes. She hugged her father and waved to her mother. She loathed her mother.
"Be good. Agent Hotchner will be staying here with you, because I don't feel comfortable leaving you alone. There are lunatics out there," Emily's mother said pointing out to there backyard. Emily chuckled, And leaving me alone with the guy I'm in love with is a better idea?
"I'm sure he's thrilled," Emily said sarcastically.
"Emily, that facetious tone is not appealing to anyone. No wonders you don't have a boyfriend. That Adam Brody had his eye on you and-" She began, but her husband cut her off.
"Come on Elizabeth, we'll miss our flight," He said, leading her away, waving to Emily one last time. Emily watched from the front door as they drove away in the limo, to the airport.
"Finally," Emily murmured when they were gone. Emily thought of Adam Brody…it had been over six months since she had turned him down to chase after Hotch, who turned her down.
"Good times," She whispered to herself.
"Emily?" Hotch asked her. She jumped.
"Sorry, didn't know you were behind me," She said startled.
"It's okay. I just wanted to let you know that your mother wanted me to stay in the house with you, because she was afraid…you know, I got the whole 'lunatics out there' talk," He said shrugging.
"Yeah I just got that," Emily said smiling.
"Well I just wanted to know whether you were comfortable with me being in the house?" He asked. He obviously already knew the answer, but as always, was keeping it professional.
"Yes. That's fine," She laughed. She shut the front door and began to walk into the kitchen. He followed.
It was already 8pm. She hadn't even had her 'birthday' dinner yet.
"By the way, happy birthday," He told her. She laughed.
"Thanks," She smiled. She climbed up onto a stool and looked inside the cabinets. She pulled out an old bottle of red wine.
"Emily," He warned.
"I'm almost legal," She reminded him. This was her 20th birthday.
"Key word being almost," He replied with a smile. She laughed, ignoring him, and pulled out two wine glasses. She poured them both a cup.
"To no parents," She said holding up her glass to his.
"To you. Happy birthday," He said holding up his reluctantly.
"Cheers," She said smiling.
"Cheers," He grinned. They both took long sips.
"Well, it is your birthday. What do you want for your birthday dinner?" Hotch asked smiling. He had loosened up a bit. If only he would take of that damned tie.
"You cook?" Emily asked surprised.
"Do I cook?" He scoffed with a wink.
"Well…what's your speciality?" Emily asked.
"How does chicken parmesan over spaghetti sound?" He asked.
"Sounds wonderful," She grinned. She poured them more wine and watched as he cooked. They chatted and laughed the whole time. Best birthday ever, she had realized. She had also realized that she really had a thing for this man. This engaged man. This man who worked for her family.
Why was nothing ever easy?
More drama to come my friends! The wine was just foreshadowing for exciting things to come! Review! and I hope your enjoying this