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Emily Prentiss never got drunk. She had never had a hangover. As the daughter of a public figure, she had an image to maintain and it wasn't of the partying variety. Waking up at 6am that morning, feeling like she was going to be sick was not fun. She sat up and whimpered, clutching her head to keep it still. Oh God! This is why people said don't drink! This is why she had counted herself as lucky that she had never experienced this. She had no clue how to deal with something like this. In the movies, the people took aspirin, drank coffee and wore sun glasses. In real life? Did that work?
She groped around for her phone and dialed a number. She held it to her ear, wincing as both the phone and her head rang.
"JJ. Hi, it's Emily." She said, her voice sounding hoarse. She was never hoarse when she woke up. She had the perfect morning voice.
"Hey Emily! Is everything alright? You sound ill!" JJ said, concerned. She had never heard the agent like this.
"Um, yeah. I'm sick. Can you please, please come over? And not tell anyone? And bring aspirin?" Emily asked, begging JJ to hurry.
*****
Emily had managed to get to the bathroom, empty the last bits of her stomach out, wash her face and brush her teeth. Her eyes weren't bloodshot, but they were tinged with red. She looked and felt a little better when JJ knocked on her door. She walked slowly and opened it, stepping aside to let the blonde in.
"Did anyone see you?" Emily asked, worried.
"No. No one saw me. Emily, were you drinking last night?" JJ asked, amused.
"Yeah. I cannot believe that I did that. But after hearing all those people... I never drink JJ. I'm always careful. I don't know what happened!" Emily said, appalled at her own behaviour.
"It happens to the best of us. I ordered us some toast and coffee. You should eat and drink that before you take the aspirin. Here, drink some water. It's important to keep yourself hydrated." JJ said, pouring Emily a glass of water.
"Thanks. I read that somewhere. About drinking water." Emily said, taking the glass and gulping the water.
"Slowly! Otherwise you'll throw it all back up! So. The mighty Emily Prentiss is human. She gets hangovers." JJ said, grinning.
"Not funny JJ." Emily said, scowling at JJ.
"Were you alone?" JJ asked, a smile still on her face. She didn't think the prim and proper Emily would ever be in the situation she was now.
"Um... no." Emily said, her voice muffled by the glass of water she was hiding behind.
"Oh. Who else was there?" JJ said, not hiding her curiosity.
"Morgan. Morgan was there." Emily said, putting her empty glass down, but not looking at JJ.
"Oh. Interesting. Was he as drunk as you were?" JJ asked, making notes in her head for Garcia. She may not be a profiler, but she could tell that something had happened.
"No. He was... He wasn't drunk." Emily said, looking at JJ finally.
"So he has the juicy stories that you would have talked about huh?" JJ said, smirking.
"JJ! No. I didn't say anything to him. Or anyone. So no stories." Emily said, protesting a little too much.
There was a knock on the door, which was their coffee and toast. JJ poured each of them a mug and buttered the toast. She handed the plate and mug to Emily and they sat at the little table by the window.
"You said nothing. Did you do something?" JJ asked, just stopping herself from rubbing her hands in glee. She and Garcia had spent many an evening discussing how perfect Morgan and Prentiss would be.
"Oh God! I'm beginning to regret calling you!" Emily said, taking a big bite of her toast so that she won't have to reply to that question.
There was another knock on the door. Emily shrugged her shoulders to tell JJ that she didn't know who it was. JJ went to answer the door, while Emily, who was feeling better, craned her neck to see who it was.
"Morgan! Hello! Come on in! Emily and I were just finishing breakfast. I have to go to get ready. Maybe you can give her company!" JJ said, patting him on the shoulder, which earned her a very puzzled look from Derek. She turned, smiled and nodded to Emily and disappeared to make a very important call to Garcia.
"Hey! What was that all about?" Derek asked Emily, as he walked over and sat opposite her.
"Um, I have no idea. I called her to see if she had some aspirin. You shouldn't have let me drink that much!" She said, looking accusingly at Derek.
"I shouldn't have let you drink? Emily, you threw a mini tantrum when I wouldn't give you your drink!" Derek reminded Emily.
"I know. I just feel like I need to blame someone. It makes me feel better!" She said, grinning at Derek. He hadn't said anything about the kiss. She hoped he would let it slide and that it was forgotten. She got up from the table and went to the closet. She took out the clothes she was going to wear that day.
"Fine. You can put the blame on me. I egged you on." Derek said. He was right behind her. When she turned, her body brushed his and it was like it came alive. Her nerves tingled. "You might as well put the blame on me for this also" he said, putting his arms around her, pulling her close and kissing her.
She returned the kiss and pushed herself against him. They broke apart gasping for air.
"That I won't blame you for." Emily said, looking up shyly at him. She finally got it. Why she was so on edge when he was around, why he was the one person she trusted, but was never a hundred percent relaxed around. She liked him! Of course!
Derek grinned at the beautiful woman standing in front of him, holding her underwear. He didn't think she had realised it and wanted to see her blush so he said "Nice panties. Never figured you were into lace."
"What? Oh. Shit!" Emily said, turning crimson as she threw them into the closet and shut the door. She looked down and not at Derek.
"Haha! You are so cute when you blush!" Derek said, laughing.
Emily punched Derek in the stomach and he almost doubled over.
"Ow! Girl, you punch hard!" Derek said, stepping away from Emily, who was grinning.
"Well, that will teach you not to laugh at me when I have a headache which is all your fault." Emily said, still grinning at him. "Now get out. I need to get dressed and so do you. And stay away from JJ." She said.
"JJ? Why?" Derek asked, coming forward for a last kiss. Not that it had started, he couldn't get enough. He wondered how he would last.
Emily kissed Derek and said "Just stay away. I'll explain it to you later, once I understand better. And if you cannot answer when Garcia calls, when it's not related to the case, that would be good too."
"Okay. Whatever you say. I'm scared of your punches!" he said grinning. He let himself out, to find JJ looking at him.
"Hey JJ." He said, thinking that it would be wise to follow Emily's instructions. JJ was smiling at him with barely contained glee. Frankly it freaked him out. He had never seen the liaison look like that. A mad woman.
******
The team assembled downstairs. With the help of eye drops, Emily's eyes were clear and she smiled Reid as she came in.
"Hey! I found something you may be interested in." Reid said to Emily.
"Oh! What did you find?" Emily asked, curious.
"Later." Reid said, as Hotch and Morgan came in.
"There has been no development. Today is the day that another victim is scheduled to be found. Patrols have increased. JJ, the press conference is today at 10 right?" Hotch asked JJ, who nodded, double checking her folders.
"Ok, so the team splits up again. Reid, you go with Rossi again and see what developments we have with the coroner. Prentiss, you interview the Green boy. See if he remembers anything at all. Morgan, I want you to come with Kenny and me to DCF. Garcia discovered that all his victims had either been foster children or people who were registered as foster parents." Hotch said, giving orders to his team.
Derek smiled at Emily a little sadly to show that he was disappointed that they wouldn't be working together. Emily smiled back. She looked for Reid who caught her eye and motioned her aside.
"What was it you wanted to tell me?" Emily asked the young genius.
"Actually, it was about this. I suspected that it was to do with foster families and children. I wanted to let you know, because I know you are a registered foster parent. Be careful." Reid said, looking carefully at Emily. He was nervous because he didn't know if it was okay with her that he knew.
"Thanks Reid. May I ask how you know?" Emily asked, swallowing a flash of anger. She was an intensely private person who disliked anything about herself being known. Especially information she didn't provide.
Reid breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't angry. "Well, I looked at all the foster families registered in New Jersey. Then narrowed it down to Basking Ridge. Then I did a search to see if anyone from the team was registered. And you and Garcia are registered." Reid said.
"Okay. I'd like you to keep this information to yourself if you don't mind." Emily requested Reid.
"Of course. I haven't told anyone. You can trust me Emily." Reid said earnestly.
"I know. Thanks for the heads up anyway Reid!" Emily said, impulsively squeezing his forearm as a show of trust and friendship. Reid just smiled shyly and went to join Rossi.
Derek, after watching the entire exchange, walked up to Emily, after looking at Hotch who was talking to JJ. "Should I be jealous?" He asked Emily.
"Most definitely. My passion for Reid.. Oh I can't. He was just giving me a heads-up about something." Emily told Derek.
"About what?" Derek asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Later. Hotch is watching. You better go." Emily said, backing up from Derek.
"Be careful" Derek mouthed to Emily.
The team got into their respective SUVs and headed to the various places.