Preponderance

A Criminal Minds Story

Emily Prentiss stomped towards the interrogation room where they were basically holding her best friend prisoner with a bucket of warm water in one hand and a rag in the other. It had taken her twenty minutes to locate the bucket and another couple to convince an officer to let her have it. Then it took her five more to fill it up. Now thirty minutes later she was finally making her way back to JJ who was sitting cuffed to a table in her pajamas where her dead son's blood was caking itself to her body. And Emily Prentiss has just about had it.

She's had it with the ignorant, self-absorbed detectives.

She's had it with the stupid, 'just following orders', officers.

And she's just about had it with their pampered, egotistical, over-fed captain.

She was literally twenty steps from the door when the slightly plump balding man stepped out of his office and called her over. Forcing a smile on her face she turned around, the water sloshing in the bucket.

"What can I do for you, Captain Johns?" Emily feigned interest.

"Will you step in my office for a second? One of my deputies will take the bucket to the suspect," He asked motioning for a young officer.

"No, that's okay, I'll take it myself," Emily stated cautiously as she stepped inside and placed her bucket by the door.

"Agent Prentiss please sit," His voice was drooling with arrogance as he leaned back in his overly large chair and clasped his hands together, "It really is too bad about William. He was a fine detective. He was even up for my job." Emily raised her eyebrows, slightly confused about the whole conversation she was now taking part of.

"Did you not know? Well I guess his wife had other plans for him," Captain Johns gave a wide smile and winked, "But yes. I am retiring in about a month. Take some time to spend with my grand kids and all. Will, Sheridan, and Turner are up for my job. Unfortunately, of course it isn't up to me on who gets the position."

"I'm sorry, Captain," Emily paused as she took a deep breath, "Why did you ask me in here?"

"Well Agent Prentiss I have been in the force for forty years and never have I let two Feds come in here and tell me that my officers and I aren't doing our job right. So I am asking you and your pompous boss to get out of my station."

Emily stood up to leave, her fist clenched at her sides. She headed towards the door, she could feel her anger rising, "Oh and Agent? You might want to tell your friend goodbye because she is going away for a very, very long time."

"We'll see about that," Emily snarled. As she picked up her bucket to leave she 'accidentally' spilled some water on the floor. Shutting the door behind her she resumed her path towards the interrogation room. Smiling Emily thought, Maybe he'll slip and fall on his pretentious a-,

"Prentiss, what took you so long?" Hotch called out interrupting her.

"Don't get me started," Emily groaned, waving the rag in the air, "I've just about had it with everyone here. Oh and Captain high and mighty over there wants us out. Something about being on the job for forty years and not tolerating feds to come and tell him what to do. That man is nothing but a..."

Aaron smiled slightly as Emily ranted. When she finished she took a deep breath as asked, "How is JJ?"

Hotch lowered his head, "She is still in shock. She told me that 'he knew him' and I am assuming that she meant Will. But we were interrupted before she said anything else."

"So JJ probably didn't know the Unsub."

"No, but she might recognize him. I just talked to Morgan. They found a bullet hole in the wall and blood on the floor."

"JJ shot him… good," Emily said happily, "Did Garcia and Reid find anything?"

"They spotted a detectives vehicle entering the area, Which is interesting because I talked to dispatch and recorded only one on duty police vehicle in the area...but they weren't able to make out the plates. Garcia is trying to clean it up now, while Reid is at the Morgue talking with the ME."

Emily nodded, "Hey did you know that Will was up for a promotion to be Captain? Sheridan and Turner too,"

"I didn't," Hotch stated as he looked around, "Okay, go stay with JJ. See if she says anything, but don't leave her side. If he finds out we are on to him. The unsub might just come after her."

"Why didn't he just kill her at the house?" Emily wondered.

"I'm not sure yet. But don't leave her." Hotch demanded as he walked away.

"Where are you going?" But he didn't answer.

JJ didn't look up when Emily entered the room carrying a bucket and rag. She just stared at her quivering hands. Most of the blood was off of them, and she had stopped scratching at them. But she could still see and feel the red that covered her arms and her shirt. She couldn't get rid of it though, the cuffs wouldn't let her.

"JJ? Hi Sweetie, I'm going to get some of this blood off okay?" Emily added comfortingly as she dipped the rag in the warm water and began scrubbing away the red from her arms. JJ didn't say a word as she focused on the feeling of the sticky substance that had dried on her skin being gently rubbed off. She tried not to think of it as blood.

Henry's blood.

Will's blood.

"I should have saved them." JJ blurted, "I left my gun upstairs. I was in the kitchen when he came in." Her mind racing back to when it all started.

"Who is it Will?" JJ called out from the Kitchen. She was filling up the teapot with water. They were going to make hot chocolate. Wondering who in the world would be visiting at 1:45 in the morning.

"A friend from work," He called out from the door as he let the man in.

"I heard arguing, so I walked out, and he was pointing a gun at Henry. Will was holding him close. Will's gun was tucked into his pants by his back," JJ spoke rapidly and her entire body began to tremble. Emily's full focus was on her friend now.

"JJ, do you know who he was?" She shook her head, "Could you identify him?"

"He was here." JJ looked straight at her friend.

"What did he look like?" Emily pressed. If she could figure out who was here, then they could finish this, and they could get JJ out of here. JJ opened her mouth to reply, but the door opened.

"Excuse me Agent Prentiss, could I speak to you?" Jay Turner asked his eyes glancing between her and JJ.

"No, but Agent Hotchner he should be just outside. You can speak to him."

"But I really-,"

"Just following orders," Emily stated.

Jay rolled his eyes, "Well you shouldn't be talking to her alone, so I'll just sit in here with you and wait for Agent Hotchner."

As he pulled up a chair Emily looked at JJ and raised her eyebrows towards Turner.

JJ shook her head.

"So, is she talking yet?" Jay replied leaning back into his chair, grinning as he leaned against the table, his chin in his hands.

JJ stared at her hands.

Emily continued to wipe the blood off of her friend.

And the three sat in silence as the water in the bucket slowly turned red.

Thank you for reading and for the reviews! I am really excited about this story and I am glad to see that others are too. And I always want to improve so please let me know what you think! Good and bad. You are the best!

Thanks!

-HCB