Once again, I find myself needing to apologize for how long this chapter took - hopefully the fact that they are both long chapters makes up for how long you've all been waiting! As I'm sure you're aware - chapters 18 involve the events of 'It Takes A Village' - hence why they are so long and why they took so long - there was a lot of material to cover... and I wanted to make sure it flowed right... I hope you enjoy them...
Thanks to all of you who nominated 'The Road Not Taken' for 'Best Het Romance' in the Profiler's Choice 2012 Fanfic Awards... and also thanks to all of you who nominated 'The Road Before Us' for 'Best JJ/Reid'. I'm honored that you think the stories are deserving of awards.
The ballot is up now - so make sure to take time to go and vote for all of your favorites.
* Profiler's Choice 2012 Fanfic Awards for the Criminal Minds Community *
Hosted by ilovetvalot and tonnie2001969 and hxchick
It is our pleasure to announce the Third Annual Profiler's Choice Fanfic Awards for the Criminal Minds community!
The final voting ballot is now available on Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum at the 2012 Profiler's Chioce CM Awards thread.
Please read all rules before sending in your final ballot. Incorrect ballots will be immediately and completely disqualified.
That's enough rambling from me... I know you didn't click on the nifty link to read a big long author's note... on with the chapter... oh yeah... I don't own Criminal Minds... don't own it...can't afford it... not mine.
Happy reading and enjoy :D
"Now what are we supposed to do." Spence said as he followed JJ into the house and hung up his messenger bag.
JJ sighed as tucked her things away as well. "You make it sound like we should be putting our affairs in order."
"JJ we're on administrative leave for the next two weeks until we go before a Congressional Committee for an investigative hearing on how we handled the Doyle case over the last few days. What would you call it?"
JJ took Spence's hand and dragged him to sit down on the couch with her. "Do you think we could have handled it any differently? That there was anything that we missed?"
Spence shook his head. "No… but why are you so calm?"
JJ flopped back against the couch cushions. "Oh, this isn't calm. This is just the eye of the storm. I'm holding all of my panic back for when I actually have to sit in front of the committee."
Spence nodded as he relaxed back into the couch. "I'd prefer to get it all out of my system now."
JJ tried to think of how to get Spence's mind off of their impending hearing before a Congressional Committee. "So…" JJ said as she turned look at Spence, "wanna get drunk and naked? We have a whole bunch of places to christen in the house still."
Spence laughed. "Thanks. I needed that." he said as he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye from laughing so hard.
JJ twisted and rose up on her knees to straddle Spence. "It was good to hear you laugh." She said running her fingers over his jaw line as she stroked his face. "You know you can get away with not shaving or a few days now."
Spence smirked as he turned and kissed JJ's palm. "What exactly is it about me with a five o'clock shadow that you like?"
"I keep telling you, it's sexy." JJ replied rubbing her thumb over his lower lip. Then she leaned in to kiss him. "Mm" JJ moaned into his lips, "you know… maybe my idea before wasn't such a bad idea…" she murmured against his lips.
"Well we do have a couple of bottles of wine…" Spence spoke as JJ pulled back to look at him.
"Hm, maybe later." JJ purred as she played with the knot of his tie and leaned down to kiss him again.
"Mm" Spence moaned into the kiss, and then pulled away just enough to be able to speak, "I thought the plan was to get drunk and then get naked."
JJ leaned in and kissed him again, her fingers loosening the knot of his tie and then beginning to unbutton his shirt. "Change in priorities… and I was kidding about the getting drunk anyway... right now I just want to get you naked… and christen our living room."
"That… mm… that works too.'' Spence moaned, his hands sliding up and down her back as JJ nibbled on his pulse point while she undid the knot of his tie.
JJ lay stretched across Spence's body, her chin resting on his chest as she watched him sleep. With his headaches, he hadn't been getting much sleep on regular basis, but somehow he was coping. As dusk settled through the living room with the setting sun, JJ realized that they should probably eat something and reached for Spence's shirt. She kissed his forehead before standing up, and slipped into his shirt, buttoning up as she padded barefoot into the kitchen.
She grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it with cold water. She stood watching out the window and got lost in her thoughts, allowing them to overtake her as she sipped from her glass. All the thoughts that she been focused on distracting Spence from, hit her now. What would they do now? A two week suspension? What if they weren't reinstated? What would they do? There was the house… and she certainly didn't want to go back to the Pentagon… there was always the private sector… but that wasn't what she wanted either…The questions went on and on, each stacking on top of the last. JJ set her glass of water down on the counter, her fingers gripping the edge of the sink tighter as her thoughts spiraled downward like water circling a drain.
"Hey," Spence said softly as he wrapped his arms around her waist, not wanting to startle his girlfriend, "you're thinking way too hard. Maybe we should have gotten drunk then we'd be passed out together in front of the fireplace right now." He said as his head dipped down to kiss her shoulder.
JJ turned her head towards Spence, her forehead resting against his neck. "You were right. What are we going to do?"
Spence shook his head. "No, you were right. I don't think there's anything that we could have done differently… and I have to believe we'll be reinstated, but if we aren't, then we'll deal with it together." He said as his hands ran soothing circles across her waist.
"What made you so calm?" JJ asked.
"My very smart girlfriend mentioned something about priorities," Spence replied as he kissed her temple, "which made me realized that what's important is that Emily is home safe and sound, we didn't lose anybody, we saved Declan, and four international criminals with terrorist ties are gone. That's what's important. I know we don't want to have to start new careers, but if we had to at least we'll have each other… and all of that is what's important. There's nothing that this Congressional Committee can throw at us that can take away any of what's really important."
JJ turned in Spence's arms and wrapped her arms around him as she laid her head on his chest as they stood lost in their thoughts about what was really important and how much they were both wishing that the next two weeks were already over.
"Hey Spence?" JJ asked as they sat at the bar in the kitchen, eating breakfast, sipping tea, and reading the paper the next morning.
"Yeah JJ?" Spence said as he sat down the section of the paper he was reading and turned to look at JJ.
"How about if we go visit your Mom for a few days?" JJ asked, biting her lip as she turned to look at Spence. "I have some frequent flyer miles that we can use… and I'm sure Will won't mind us going away with Henry for a few days… and it will help us get our minds off of the hearing."
Spence nodded. "Are you sure you want to… I never know if she's having a good day or…"
JJ laid the newspaper down on the countertop and rested her chin on her hand as she looked at Spence. "I know baby, but even if your Mom only has one good day while we're there, you'll have gotten to see her and you can show Henry and I the sights… you know how much he'll love the plane ride." She replied with a smile.
Spence grinned. "That is true. Okay… if you're sure."
"I am. I'll talk to Will about it when we pick Henry up and then we can book everything when we get home."
"What 'bout Sunny?" Henry asked as Mommy told him about taking a trip to visit Uncle Spence's Mommy in Las Vegas.
"Sunny can't come with little man. She wouldn't have fun having to stay in a kennel the whole time at the hotel." JJ said as she kissed the top of her son's head.
Henry pouted. "But I miss her."
"I know you will, but just think how excited she'll be to see you when we get back. Plus I bet Daddy and Aunt Elle will be glad to have Sunny to keep them company while we're gone." JJ said as she glanced over at Will and Elle who sat nearby.
JJ and Spence had shown up mid-morning to pick up Henry and Sunny. JJ had brought up a trip to Vegas with Will. Then together, as the mixed family they now all made up, they were discussing the logistics of the trip.
"Your Momma's right jumpin' bean. The trip wouldn't be too fun for Sunny. Sunny can keep me and Aunt Elle company while you, your Momma, and Uncle Spencer take your trip. I promise I'll bring her over as soon as y'all get home." Will said leaning down to make eye contact with his son.
"Otay" Henry replied as he turned to look up at Mommy. "We go see you Mommy Unca 'Pence?"
Spence nodded. "Yeah Henry, we're going to see my Mommy. Plus we'll get to do a bunch of fun stuff while we there and ride on a plane to get there."
"I wike pwanes!" Henry replied, excited about the prospect of another plane ride.
"Hello Dr. Norman." Spence said as he, JJ, and Henry ran into him on their way to the lounge at Bennington to visit Diana.
"Ah, I heard you were here." Dr. Norman said with a smile as they shook hands. "And who do we have here?" he asked as he smiled at Henry.
"This is my girlfriend JJ and her son Henry." Spence said, making the introductions. "JJ, Henry this is Dr. Norman."
"Hello, it's nice to meet you." Dr. Norman said with a nod of his head as he shook JJ's outstretched hand.
"Hello" JJ replied as she shook the doctor's hand.
"Hi!" Henry greeted from his perch on Mommy's hip.
Dr. Norman smiled, happy to see the young man he'd watched grow up over the last almost twelve years was developing a life beyond his work. "I know Diana will be excited to see you. I have a meeting to get to, but it was good to see you."
Spence nodded as he watched Dr. Norman walk away for a moment, then he turned and took JJ's hand and headed for the armchair where his mother sat reading.
Spence stood silently, waiting for his mother to notice that they were there, silently hoping that today was a good day.
After a few moments, Diana lifted her head to see who or what was causing the shadow that was falling across the pages of her book. "Spencer, what are you doing here?" she asked as she looked up and saw that it was her tall and too skinny son casting the shadow across the pages of her book. "And you must be Jennifer and Henry."
Spence smiled and nodded.
JJ's eyes went wide with surprise; she hadn't expected Diana to know who she or Henry were. "How did you know?"
Diana smiled. "Spencer sent me the loveliest picture of the three of you from when Henry was first born. It's one of my favorite pictures. He was so proud to be a Godfather. Every letter he's written since then has had an update on Henry and on you. Although, it would appear that he's left a detail or two out recently." She said with a knowing glance at Spencer and Jennifer's linked hands.
"Mom…" Spence began to protest.
"How many times do I have to tell you? A mother knows Spencer, a mother knows."
Spence blushed under his mother's knowing gaze. "Henry, this is my Mom, Diana. Can you say hi?" Spence asked as he sat down, pulling JJ down next to him.
Henry nodded eagerly in agreement as Mommy sat down and settled him in her lap. "Hi Unca 'Pence's Mommy!" Henry chirped.
Diana smiled as she leaned forward resting her elbows on, "Hello Henry, aren't you a cute one. How would you like to see pictures of your Uncle Spencer when he was your age?"
"Unca 'Pence was wittle wike me?" Henry asked.
"He most definitely was." Diana replied with a nod as she closed her book.
"Mommy, we go see da pictures of Unca 'Pence?" Henry asked as he turned around in Mommy's lap to look up at her.
"Absolutely little man. Something tells me that Uncle Spence was just as cute as you when he was little." JJ replied.
Spence grumbled unintelligibly under his breath as he stood up.
"Mommy, I walk." Henry said as JJ stood up.
"Okay little man, you can walk but you have to stay close okay?" JJ asked as she set Henry on his feet.
"Uh huh" Henry replied as he looked up at the three adults.
"He really is a handsome young man." Diana said as she looked down at Henry with a fond smile on her face, remembering when her own son had been small. Then she turned to look at Spencer. "Shall we?" she asked as she began to lead the way out of the lounge and down the hall to her room.
Along the way they passed one of the nurses. "Diana, who's this young man? I didn't know you were a grandma now." The nurse said at seeing Diana, her son and what appeared to be his family.
"I'm…" Diana began to explain that she wasn't a grandmother only to be cut off by Henry.
"I Henry!" Henry exclaimed cheerfully.
JJ smiled and squeezed Spence's hand, letting him know to just let it go. "Diana is going to show us pictures of Spence when he was Henry's age." She explained.
Spence nodded politely at the nurse.
"Aww" The nurse replied, "well I'll let you get back to family time then. I'll see you later Diana."
"Mommy? Why she say Unca 'Pence's Mommy gamma?" Henry asked as he turned to look at JJ.
"Well," JJ said with a glance at Diana and Spence, "she thought Uncle Spence was your Daddy because she saw us all together.
"Oh…" Henry's face scrunched up as he tried to work things out in his head. "But Daddy at home and my gammas in heaven."
JJ nodded. "They are." JJ and Will had both made sure to make their parents and her sister a part of Henry's life, even though he'd never meet them. He had their pictures in his room and new about them and that they were watching over him.
Henry bit his lip and then looked up at Diana. "I tall you gamma?"
Spence sucked in a breath and held it as he and his mother both turned to look at JJ, unsure how to answer Henry's question.
JJ's eyes went wide for a moment and then a soft smile crossed her face. "I'm sure that would be okay, as long as Uncle Spence and Diana are both okay with it."
Diana's hand rested on her chest. "I would be honored." She replied as she looked back and forth between Jennifer and Spencer.
"JJ…" Spence managed to whisper, "are you sure? What about Will? I…"
JJ nodded and moved closer to Spence as she looked up at him. "Spence, Henry will never get to have a relationship with my Mom or Will's Mom… if he wants to call Diana grandma, its okay. I know my Mom wouldn't mind… and I don't think Will will mind either." JJ whispered.
Spence leaned down and rested his forehead against JJ's. "Thank you." he managed to utter through the emotion of the moment. He'd known that they were slowly becoming a family… but this moment made him realize just how much of a family they'd become in the last several months.
"We go now?" Henry asked as he looked up at Diana and pulled on her hand.
Diana laughed. "Yes, I promised you pictures of your Uncle Spencer didn't I?"
"Uh huh" Henry nodded and then turned to look at Mommy and Uncle Spence. "We see wittle Unca 'Pence now."
JJ laughed. "Okay little man. Let's go." She said as she took Spence's hand and they followed behind Diana and Henry down the hall to Diana's room and a treasure trove of memories of a young Spencer Reid. JJ grinned. She was hoping the pictures of a bare baby Spence on a bear skin rug made an appearance.
JJ glanced over at Henry playing with his trucks over in the corner of the living room with his cars and trucks. "You having fun little man?"
"Uh huh" Henry nodded and then went back to making car and truck noises as he drove them across the carpet.
JJ smiled and bent down, putting her yoga DVD in the DVD player so she could get a workout in.
Spence entered the room as bit later and paused as he watched JJ contort herself into the posture and poses being performed on screen. He stood watching in silent appreciation for a few moments. "How can you do that?" he asked as he stood behind JJ watching as she moved from downward dog to half downward dog to low warrior to modified side angle to tree all within a matter of minutes as she held the poses and then moved onto the next.
JJ grabbed the remote and hit pause as she turned to look at Spence from her current pose. "Why don't you join me baby? Maybe it will help with your headaches."
Spence looked at JJ in stunned disbelief that she would ask him to try yoga. He didn't think it was possible for his body to bend into the position the yoga instructor on the TV screen was frozen in. Then he gave a shrug and stepped towards JJ. He was willing to try just about anything to see if it helped his headaches at this point. "Is there something easier we can start with?" he asked with a nod towards the TV.
JJ glanced at the TV and saw the hip stretching move that the yoga instructor was doing. "Don't worry baby, we'll have you there in no time." She said as she hit the menu button and selected an easier yoga regime that she and Spence would be able to do together.
As the yoga class started on the screen, JJ showed Spence the maneuver the onscreen instructor was doing and then helped him to get into each of the positions.
"Is it supposed to feel like this?" Spence asked as he got into the next position.
"Like what?" JJ asked as she turned to look at Spence from her plank position.
"Weird… awkward…" Spence replied not looking at JJ since he was afraid he of losing his balance.
JJ smiled. "It's just your body getting used to being stretched. Being flexible is a good thing… for more than one reason." She winked at him.
As they did caterpillar and moved into modified cobra, Spence turned to see Henry watching them.
"What you doing?" Henry asked.
"According to your Mommy," Spence panted, "working out."
JJ chuckled. "Said the man who's breaking a sweat and trying to catch his breath right now."
"I do it too?" Henry asked as he sat his truck down on the floor and then bent over to touch his toes like Mommy. He followed her as she stood back up, but while she slowly rose up out of the pose, Henry popped up like a jack in the box.
Spence watched in awe as JJ lifted her body into a half shoulder stand and then moved into plough position. She held it for a few minutes and then moved back into a half shoulder stand.
"Unca 'Pence help me do dat!" Henry said looking up at Uncle Spence from watching Mommy.
"I don't think we should Henry… I think we might hurt ourselves if we try and do what Mommy just did." Spence replied as he looked down at Henry.
"I'm all done now anyway little man." JJ said as she sat up, cross legged and grabbed Henry pulling him into her lap and pressing kisses all over his face.
"Mommy 'top it!" Henry squealed as he struggled against Mommy's grip. He calmed as JJ stopped with the kisses.
"Did you have fun doing yoga with Mommy and Uncle Spence?" she asked as she ran her fingers through her son's soft blonde locks.
"Uh huh" Henry nodded.
JJ glanced at the clock. "How about I go shower and change? Then we can have lunch and take Sunny to the park."
"Yay!" Henry cheered. "You hear Mommy Sunny? We go to da park!" Henry said as he crawled across the living room floor to where Sunny was chewing on her bone.
Sunny gave a happy playful yap to her master and nuzzled his face as he gave her a hug.
"Hey, I thought I was supposed to be the one with trouble sleeping." Spence said as he rolled on his side to look at JJ who was laying staring at the ceiling.
JJ sighed and turned to look at her boyfriend. "I just can't stop thinking about tomorrow."
Spence scooted closer and wrapped his arms around his girlfriend pulling her up against him. "You need to sleep JJ. You're the one that keeps telling me whatever's going to happen is going to happen."
JJ sighed as she leaned back to rest her head against Spence's shoulder. "It's easy to say that, but it doesn't make it any less stressful."
Spence dipped his head and kissed JJ's shoulder as he softly caressed her belly. "You know studies have shown that the endorphins and oxytocin that are released during intercourse activate pleasure centers in the brain and create feelings of intimacy and relaxation that help stave off anxiety and depression." He said as his fingers traced the edge of her pajama pants.
"Spence… baby, we really need to sleep." JJ half moaned, half panted as his fingers slipped under the waistband of her pajama pants and began to tease her.
Spence kissed his way up the column of her neck and proceeded to nuzzle and nibble at her ear. "The same endorphins that help de-stress can also relax your mind and body, priming you for sleep." His fingers slid through her moist channel, continuing to tease her and drive her higher. "Plus during an orgasm, the hormone prolactin is released. Prolactin levels are naturally higher when we sleep, so…"
JJ turned her head and kissed Spence, stopping his words with her mouth. "Don't tell me. Show me." She murmured against his lips as she relaxed into his embrace, her fingers threading through his fresh haircut as she pulled him back in for another kiss, their tongues tangling in a heated kiss as his fingers continued to work their magic.
Spence paused with his hand on the door handle of the passenger side door as he turned to look at JJ. "You know we have to get out of the car to catch the train right?"
"Huh?" JJ asked as she was startled out of her thought and turned to look at Spence. "Yeah… I just lost in my thoughts I guess."
Spence nodded, understanding the nerves JJ was experiencing. He was nervous too, but he put on a brave face for his girlfriend. "It's going to be fine JJ. Just pretend they're the media."
JJ turned and flashed a wide smile at Spence and shook her head. "Thank you." she said as she leaned across the center console and gave him a kiss.
"For what?" Spence asked as he leaned back out of the kiss.
"For helping me get to sleep last night…" JJ grinned and winked at Spence, "for just now… for just being you. I love you."
"I love you too," Spence replied as he leaned back in to kiss JJ again, "but we really do have to get going so we can catch the train."
"Okay, okay, let's go." JJ said as she turned and opened her door.
Spence waited for her at the front of the car and then hand in hand they headed into the metro station to catch a train to the Capitol for the team's hearing.
"Hey" Morgan said with a nod of his hand as JJ and Reid walked up to where the rest of the team stood waiting outside the Capitol for them.
"Hey" JJ responded summoning her nerves of steel now that the moment was almost at hand. It was time to be fearless.
"What do you all say we get this over with?" Rossi asked as he glanced over his shoulder at the imposing building behind them. "I have much better things to do today once this is over with."
"Like smoke cigars and drink Scotch?" Hotch joked in an attempt to lift the weight hanging over everyone as they climbed the stairs.
"Watch your mouth Aaron, or I won't share the hundred year old bottle that I pulled for us to celebrate with later." Dave said as he turned to smirk at Hotch.
"And just what are we going to be celebrating?" Emily asked.
"A couple of things." Rossi replied. "First off there's Emily's return home… and then of course there is either our success during this hearing… or our retirement." Rossi said using dark gallows humor.
After showing their ID, they were allowed into the hallway of the hearing room by the security guard. They waited no more than a few moments in the seats in the hallway before the doors to the hearing room opened. The team stood as one, prepared to face the inquisition.
The Senate Page looked down at his clipboard. "They'd like to speak with Agent Jareau first."
Spence gave JJ's hand a squeeze for good luck and as a silent I love you. JJ squeezed Spence's hand back, knowing that he understood her silent response. Then she followed the Senate Page into the room and the doors closed behind her.
After taking an oath and swearing on the Bible, JJ sat silently at the table in front of the Congressional panel as they perused the files in front of them for a few moments.
Finally, the Chairman spoke. "And how long have you been back with the Bureau?"
"Three and a half months, sir." JJ replied as she sat stoically at the table her hands clasped in front of her, prepared to answer whatever the Congressmen and women in front of her might ask.
"A lot has happened since then." The Chairman commented. "Transfers, reassignments…five of you remained in the unit?"
"Agents Morgan, Rossi, Reid, and I were there with our Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia." JJ responded as she sat up ramrod straight in the chair, the liaison in her pushing to the fore as she projected and unflappable appearance to the Congressional Committee.
"You had fourteen cases in that time." Chairman Cramer said as he glanced down at the file before him.
"Seventeen, sir." JJ replied.
"Ah, yes. In fourteen weeks." Cramer replied looking down at the file again. "That's impressive."
"Thank you."
"But what's more impressive," Cramer said as he leaned forward resting his arms on the table in front of him, "is that you were reinstated, promoted, and suspended in that short time. Believe that's a record Agent Jareau."
"Why aren't we in there?" Reid asked as he paced in the hallway. He hated the idea of JJ having to face the committee alone.
"They're just trying to intimidate us." Rossi said from his perch on the arm of one of the benches in the hallway.
"Well that's not about to happen." Morgan said as he stood with his hands in his pockets.
"I'm not okay with this." Garcia said as she stood looking around at the team in the hallway.
"You may not even be a witness." Rossi replied.
"Sir, I'm not worried about me. Don't they have anything better to do then…" she asked as she glanced about.
"Baby girl, this is just what they do." Morgan replied as he looked at Garcia.
"Anything?" Rossi asked as he stood up to see if Erin had been able to find anything out as he saw her come through the security checkpoint and into the hallway outside the hearing room.
"Doesn't look good." Strauss replied with a shake of her head, not happy that she hadn't been able to uncover the real reason for this hearing.
"How long is she going to be in there?" Reid asked as he stood with his arms crossed, wondering what the committee was asking JJ.
"Two days?" Chairman Cramer asked.
"That's correct." JJ replied.
"How can an investigation be active for just two days when the gathering of intel took months?" Senator Cramer asked as he leaned forward over the microphone, attempting to get to the bottom of just what exactly the team had discovered and how much they really knew. "There is surveillance and hundreds of man hours to prove it."
"Yes, that's true, but…" JJ attempted a rebuttal but was cut off part way through.
"How often do you spend months on a case agent?"
"We don't, but this one was…" JJ began to reply, only to again be cut off.
"Personal?"
"Different." JJ answered. "It required a lot of detail."
"If this was too big for your team, why wasn't it a joint task force?"
"We didn't have time, sir." JJ replied, quickly becoming fed up with Senator Cramer's attitude and attacking manner before he had all of the facts. "Once the subject was confirmed, we had to act quickly." She said as she began to explain how she, Morgan, and the SWAT Team with them had apprehended Doyle at his apartment building.
"Do you realize what you've done?" Senator Cramer asked as he leaned forward once again resting his elbows on the dais.
"Yes, we put an international criminal with terrorist connections in federal custody." JJ replied, having had enough of the Senator's attitude.
"You may consider that a victory, but you used government funds for a personal vendetta and now six people including two of your agents are dead."
"Interpol, Europol, the CIA, no one could locate Ian Doyle except for your team." Senator Cramer continued to interrogate Agent Jareau as he tossed the file down on the bench in frustration.
"Well, it wasn't easy. Doyle disappeared underground." JJ replied.
"It looks like you all spent the first few months following Doyle's arms dealing contacts but came up empty, so how did you find him?"
JJ treaded cautiously as she explained how they'd 'realized' that eventually Doyle would look for his son, so they'd found Declan, set up surveillance, and waited.
"Hey, how did it go?" Spence asked as JJ sat down on the bench next to him and they watched Morgan head into the hearing room for his turn at being questioned.
JJ gave a noncommittal shrug. "I'll just be glad when it's over and we know the outcome."
"I wish I had testified already." Garcia said as she sat down next to JJ.
"Me too" Emily added as she sat down next to Garcia.
Morgan stepped out into the hallway, wanting to punch, hit, kick, or break something after dealing with Senator Cramer for the duration of his testimony.
"Technical Analyst Garcia?" the Senate Page said as he called the next witness to testify.
"How did it go?" Emily asked as she slid over next to JJ to make room for Morgan on the bench.
"He's twisted everything I said… if this was really about finding the truth, then wouldn't they let you speak without interrupting, without automatically implying that we did something wrong?" Morgan said angrily as he rubbed his hand over his head and then along the back of his neck as he leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees.
"That's when Agent Morgan initiated the assault on Ian Doyle?" Senator Cramer asked as he looked over the top of the file at Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia.
"What? No. It doesn't work that way, sir." Garcia replied in shock. "Agent Morgan called Hotch, excuse me, our Unit Chief."
"Who was on temporary duty, I imagine he wasn't easy to find." Senator Cramer replied.
"When the team downsized, he was assigned to lead an investigative task force." Garcia replied as she began explaining how Morgan had made sure that Hotch was in the loop once they'd identified Doyle from the security footage of Declan's home.
"Hotchner" Hotch answered his phone as he stepped out of the tent, where his team was going over a map of the area and the evidence they had as they reconstructed the evidence they had, and into the hot dessert sun of Pakistan.
"Hey, it's me." Morgan replied. "How's it going out there?"
"Oh, you know," Hotch replied as he turned to watch the Humvee drive through the camp, "long days, some territorial issues to work out. Nothing surprising. How's everything there?"
"We've got Doyle on security footage driving past Declan's house." Morgan said. "I wanted to let you know right away so you're up to speed."
Hotch nodded as he moved his head watching the goings on in camp from behind his sunglasses. He couldn't afford to let his guard down for one moment. He had to make sure he made it home to Jack. "Alright, I'm coming back."
"Do you want me to wait?" Morgan asked.
"No, but be careful. It could be a trap. You make sure you have eyes on Doyle." Hotch replied.
"And if it is him?" Morgan asked.
"Then you take the shot," Hotch replied. "Also, contact Easter at Interpol. Having him in the loop could help us. What's important is catching Doyle, protecting Declan, and getting Emily home. If it means Emily can come home sooner, then I think we're all willing to work with Easter again."
Morgan nodded. "Alright. See you soon." He said as he hung up and then redialed his phone to get ahold of Easter.
"That's all Hotch said, 'Take the shot'?" JJ asked as she and Morgan sat together in the surveillance van outside of Doyle's apartment.
Morgan nodded as he watched the monitor. "Yeah, that and that what was important was catching Doyle, protecting Declan, and getting Emily home so to call Easter in case he could make those things happen quicker."
JJ nodded as she tipped her head as she looked back at the monitors. Then her phone rang. "Hey Spence." She answered after glancing at the caller ID.
"Can't find him." Spence's voice came across JJ's phone.
"Wha…what do you mean you can't find him?" JJ asked.
"The headmaster said Declan got sick and went home." Spence said as he climbed out of the passenger side of the SUV and slammed the door behind him.
"Ok, uh, call for backup and get to the house."
"We're already here."
"You see the agents?"
"Their car is out front."
"The lights are off." Rossi said, pulling out his gun as he walked up the path to the house next to Reid.
"I'll call you back." Spence said as he hung up and tucked his phone in his pocket and drew his weapon.
"Wha..no…Spence…" JJ turned to look at Morgan as she hung up her phone.
A jumpy, fidgety, nervous, and very much not herself, Penelope Garcia exited the hearing chambers and made her way over to the team, followed by the Senate Page.
"Agent Rossi?" the Senate Page asked as he glanced down at his clipboard.
Rossi stood up from his seat and made his way to the doors, pausing briefly for just a moment to rest and hand on Garcia's shoulder as he passed. He patted her shoulder twice, and then he continued through the doors.
Emily stood up from her seat and moved over to where Rossi had been sitting, knowing that PG would need the comfort of her best friend right now. She smiled, glad that she was back with her friends as she watched Morgan wrap his arm around Garcia's shoulders out of the corner of her eye.
"Have you ever been in field?" Rossi asked Cramer as he leaned back in his seat, spinning his ring on his finger as he sized up the somewhat shady Senator. Dave Rossi was no fool… and he certainly knew a cover up when he saw one. He might not ever be able to prove it, but something wasn't quite right with the level of interest that this Senator was taking in the goings on of the BAU and how they'd apprehended Doyle and saved Declan.
"I have, but I'm not the one on trial agent." Cramer replied.
"Well then maybe you can imagine what it was like for Agent Morgan to find Emily Prentiss dying at the hands of Ian Doyle." Rossi said, pausing for a moment and watching the strange mix of facial expressions that crossed Senator Cramer's face. Interesting. "Now, ask yourself, was it wrong for him to want to take that man out?"
"I don't know" Doyle said as Morgan questioned him on who could have taken Declan.
"How long has Agent Morgan been looking for Doyle?" Strauss said as she turned away from the window and the monitor to look at Agent Jareau.
"The night he killed Prentiss in Boston," JJ replied, glancing briefly at her boss' boss and then back at the window, watching as Morgan continued to press Doyle for information, then, back at Strauss shaking her head, "He refused to believe Doyle just vanished." JJ explained, knowing that the ruse about Emily being dead needed to stay in place until this was over and Doyle was behind bars. Then Emily could come back to her old life.
"He's been investigating Doyle for seven months?" Strauss asked in shock.
"Mm hm. We all have." JJ murmured under her breath as she nodded. Then she glanced at Strauss briefly before turning back to watch the interrogation. Then she noted Strauss' shock. "What? Are you surprised?" she asked her eyes sizing up Strauss.
Strauss took a deep breath and looked back at the window, wondering when the actions that the members of her alpha team took to protect and render justice for each other would stop surprising her.
"He seems genuine." JJ said as she studied Doyle through the window.
"Of course he does, he's a master manipulator." Strauss replied in disgust.
"See his ceratoid?" JJ asked as she looked from the window to the monitor. "His heart started racing when Morgan told him about Declan. The tightness in his forehead," JJ said as she glanced at Strauss, "his darting eyes are signs of real concern."
Erin's face softened as she recognized the signs of a parent in distress over their child. She turned back to face the window. "Well, if he didn't take his son, then who did?" she asked as she turned to look at Agent Jareau.
"I wish I knew ma'am, because if it's somebody who wants something from Doyle, it can't be a good thing." JJ said as she turned to look at Strauss. "I'm going to see if there's anything I can do to help Morgan or Garcia."
Strauss nodded as she continued to watch Agent Morgan question Ian Doyle through the observation window. Once again she regretted her decision all of those years ago that allowed her failed relationship with David Rossi to drive her towards a desk assignment instead of pursuing a career as a field agent and a possible assignment with the BAU. She could recite the rules, the guidelines, the stipulations, but she would never be able to dissect someone's uncontrollable actions the way Agent Jareau just had and explain what it meant. She wondered how different things could have been if she'd stayed the course with becoming a field agent… thoughts for another time she mused as she continued watching the interrogation.
Rossi peaked into the room, and noted that Erin was watching the interrogation alone. He opened the door and silently slipped in next to her.
"He didn't do it." Erin said as she rested her chin on the thumbs of her clasped hands.
"Nope." Dave replied.
Erin took a deep breath and released all of her confusion and frustration in one breath. "What the hell is going on here?!" she asked in a raised tone of voice as she spun to look at David.
Dave turned his experienced profilers' eyes on Erin, noticing how unlike her usual reserved self she was, wondering and pondering what the reason for the difference was, wishing not for the first time that he'd been a wiser man 24 years ago.
"What?" Erin asked as she noticed the way David was looking at her, her eyes running up and down the frame of the man she'd been engaged to once upon a time.
Dave ran his eyes up and down Erin once more for good measure, attempting to get a read on her, "Nothing." he said and then turned back to the window, watching Doyle being interrogated.
"Has Aaron landed?" Erin asked, focusing on not looking at David again.
"He's on his way." Dave replied, staring straight ahead.
"Good." Erin replied and then turned on her heals and headed for the door, no longer able to bear being in the room alone with David.
Dave paused and listened as Erin left the room, still puzzled over what it was that was bothering her.
Clyde Easter stood with his arms crossed in front of the evidence board analyzing the photos and shaking his head that Emily had died because she saved Doyle's son, only for this to happen, made him sick.
Hotch paused at the doorway to the round table room, watching Clyde Easter look over the evidence the team had gathered on the board. Then he stepped into the room, crossing it to stand next to Easter, mirroring his stance as he too looked over the evidence board the team had put together.
"You're team's been very thorough I see." Clyde said with a nod toward the evidence board as Hotch stood next to him. "I made several calls while I was en route. All of the appropriate agencies as well as all of the Law Enforcement on the East Coast have been informed that Interpol is or could possibly be operating in their jurisdiction in conjunction with the FBI in order to expedite things in the event we need to move quickly."
Hotch nodded.
"Welcome back sir." Garcia said as she entered the room, then noticing the other person in the room, "sir." She said with a nod in Easter's direction. Clyde returned the nod.
"Thank you, what have you got?" Hotch asked as he turned the rest of the way around to face Garcia.
"I've got a top ten list of Doyle's enemies." Garcia replied as she handed the list to Hotch.
"Anybody recently in the states?" Hotch asked as he glanced down the list.
"Richard Gerace's been here a few weeks. He's a low level gun runner who angrily crossed paths with Doyle." Garcia explained. "I caught an image of him on a surveillance camera at Declan's house, confirmed it was him through a scar on his neck."
"Alright, get me everything you can on Gerace." Hotch replied as he looked down at the file.
"Yeah," Garcia spoke softly, "what I just told you is everything I've got."
Hotch turned to look at Easter.
Clyde nodded. "Yes, what she said is true. Crossing Ian Doyle left a scar on more than just his neck… it ruined any prospects of rising higher in the arms dealing world that he had."
Hotch nodded, "Well we better go see how the interrogation is going." He said as he turned and headed out of the room followed by Easter.
"And I thought Erin had a political stick up her ass." Rossi muttered under his breath as he exited the hearing room.
The Senate Page looked down at his clipboard to read the name of the next witness. "Agent Hotchner?"
"The government spent $17,400.00 on her funeral and another $642,000.00 on her medical expenses. But," Cramer said as he dropped the file to the table and looked at Agent Hotchner, "this is no surprise to you."
Hotch was just hanging up his cell phone as he rounded the corner and ran into JJ. "Emily is on her way back."
"Why?" JJ asked, concerned about what could have caused Emily to break cover.
"Declan tried to make a call." Hotch explained.
JJ nodded. "Okay, do we know how far away she is?"
"She'll be here soon. She waited until her plan landed to call. Let's regroup with everyone to figure out where we're at. Emily will be able to tell us more than what Easter's been able to." Hotch said.
"I'll get Morgan and Easter." JJ said as she moved past Hotch and headed for the interrogation room where Morgan and Clyde Easter were continuing to tag team Ian Doyle's interrogation.
"I'll get everyone else." Hotch replied as he headed towards the bullpen.
"You get anywhere with Doyle?" Reid asked as Morgan and Clyde Easter entered the round table room, followed by JJ and Rossi.
"Doyle doesn't think Gerace has the guts to take him on." Morgan replied.
"I assure you, he's correct." Clyde added.
"But it's definitely Gerace on the tape." Garcia said as she moved anxiously around the table to sit down. She was so ready to see Emily again; it was all she could do to keep from running down the stairs and waiting for her at the main entrance as she came through security.
"So maybe he's working with someone?" Reid suggested. "Who else is there that has a grudge against Doyle?"
"That's a long list," Clyde said as he sat down at the table with his back to the door. "Significantly longer than we have time to go through if we want to save young Declan."
"Well we can narrow it down pretty quickly. Some of them have to be dead or in jail somewhere…" Morgan said from where he stood leaning against the door of the conference room.
Clyde shook his head. "The man was in a North Korean prison for seven years."
"Exactly," Rossi said, "he was out of circulation for a while, so whatever this is about, it goes back a ways. Somebody has been very angry for a very long time it's possible that…" he trailed off as he noticed the expression on Garcia's face and the sound of footsteps behind him.
Clyde Easter took notice of the entire team looking just over his shoulder and turned around to find a very much alive and healthy Emily Prentiss standing in the doorway. He silently stood from his seat and watched as she made her way through the room hugging and greeting everyone. He glanced at Hotchner and nodded his head, grateful to find that the man had kept his oath. He watched Emily as she made her way around the room, finally ending up in front of him after she'd greeted everyone else. Clyde swallowed. "Hello darling, you're looking rather well for a woman who's been dead for seven months."
"Hello Clyde." Emily replied, a smile slipping across her face as she remembered the protective streak that Clyde had always had for her. "I am so sorry, I really am." Emily said as she turned to face the team. "That I didn't wanna…really… I… you didn't deserve that, and I'm so sorry. There's so much I want to tell you guys… and I will, I promise, but right now I need to know what's going on with Declan."
"Doyle had relations with all of these ladies?" Garcia asked as she pulled up the list the Emily directed her to.
"Most" Emily replied as she hovered next to Garcia.
"Wow" Garcia murmured in awe.
"Hey, can you shoot these into the round table room for me?" Emily asked as she stood up straight.
"Anything you say, visitor Prentiss." Garcia replied with a smile as she looked over her shoulder at Emily, glad to be able to see for herself that Emily was alive and well.
"Ugh, thanks" Emily replied as she turned to head out of the room.
JJ squeezed Garcia's shoulder, knowing how relieved Garcia was to be able to see Emily and know that she was alright instead of having to just know it and believe it because she'd been told so.
"So you're actually back." Emily commented as they exited the lair of the all-knowing.
"They'd been looking for your replacement, and Rossi called me." JJ replied, turning to look at Emily as she closed the door to the hallway behind them.
"Hahaha" Emily laughed, "That's great. How's it working out with being around Reid basically 24 hours a day now?"
"Terrific." JJ smiled remembering the years of them working together and living together from another life time.
Emily shook her head and smiled, glad to see that things had worked out for her friends. "I haven't seen Ashley."
"Oh, well she transferred to Andi Swann's unit." JJ explained as she turned to look at Emily.
"Good for her." Emily replied as they continued down the hallway to the round table room. "So how angry was the team?"
"They were in shock at first, but then they channeled the energy into finding Doyle… there might still be some unresolved feelings that some of them need to move past…" JJ answered with a shrug.
"Thank you." Emily said as she turned to look at JJ, knowing how hard it had been for her friends the last several months. She owed them all a debt that could probably never be paid for taking up the search for Doyle in her stead.
"It is really good to see you." JJ said shaking her head at Emily as they paused outside the door to the round table room. Emily and JJ each wrapped an arm around each other and then walked into the round table room.
Hotch remained his normal stoic self as he exited the hearing room, followed by the Senate Page.
"Agent Reid?" the Senate Page called out as he looked down at his clipboard.
JJ squeezed Spence's hand before letting go as he stood up. Spence returned the squeeze, taking strength from JJ's support as he followed the Senate Page into chambers. He watched as all of his friends, his family came back frustrated from having had to deal with whoever this room held. Quite frankly, he decided that he wasn't going to put up with whatever was being dished out. What were they going to do, fire him? The FBI wasn't the only government agency with an acronym that would like to have him working there. Furthermore there were several academic institutions as well as the private sector that would be tripping over themselves to lure him into their employ should he suddenly find himself unemployed.
"You're the one who suggested Ian Doyle be released?" Cramer asked.
"I am." Reid replied.
"Was the decision to release Ian Doyle a personal one?" Cramer asked.
"A young boy's life was at stake. I ran the probability of his survival and it wasn't good. If you want to punish me for taking a risk, then I encourage you to do that, but do not put the rest of my team on trial for something that I suggested." Reid replied.
Cramer pointed his finger at Agent Reid. "Calm down agent."
"Reid leaned forward in his seat to speak directly into the microphone. "This is calm and it's Doctor."
"No, we are not letting him out of here Reid." Emily said as she stormed into the interrogation room.
"Emily, I will chain myself to him if I have to." Reid replied, turning to face Emily.
"He'll find a way to escape." Emily replied.
"No he won't and we're running out of time. If we find Lachlan McDermott now we have a chance to save Declan." Reid replied.
"The United States government is not in the business of trading captives." Cramer said leaning further forward in his seat, his mouth hovering just above the microphone.
"New York City, July 2010," Reid replied, his hand wrapped around the microphone, "referred to as the spy swap. Igor…"
"That's enough." Senator Cramer said raising his hand to stop Agent Reid.
"You can't just change the rules sir." Reid said as he leaned back in his seat.
"And you can't just break them." Senator Cramer replied.
Emily breathed a sigh of relief as Strauss informed the team that her arguments to the committee had persuaded them and that the suspension had been lifted for the entire team. She was looking forward to settling back into her old life. She smiled as she thought about the last couple of weeks since she'd been back… and then she brought out of her thoughts by Morgan wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
"So princess, you have about seven months of happy hours to make up for. Feel like getting started right now?" Morgan asked with a large grin on his face.
"Actually, I have plans tonight," Emily replied, "but maybe in a few days?"
Morgan nodded as he looked around at the team. It felt more complete than it had in months.
"I need to clean out your desk." JJ said as Spence wrapped his arm around her waist.
"It's fine JJ. You can stay there and I can take one of the other desks." Emily replied.
"Actually, JJ and pretty boy will probably both get more work done if they can't moon over each other and play footsie with each other from across a desk." Morgan said with a grin.
Emily laughed, throwing her head back and enjoying how good it felt to be surrounded by friends after months of isolation. "Well I suppose I should do my part then and take back my old desk." She chuckled, enjoying it as the rest of the team joined her.