Author's Note:

I had to adjust the initial timeline I set up in chapter 1. Hotch first got back in touch with Emily 8 months ago, not 4, prior to the start of the story. It was still Christmas. That puts the beginning of the story in the summer. I'm going to replace chapter 1 to reflect that change. It's the only thing I'll change, anyone reading chapter 1 now won't have to readjust. Thanks!

Chapter 2

Watley and Grant looked around the room and stared down each member of the BAU, landing finally, on Hotch. "We're waiting," Watley practically snarled, giving Hotch a little smirk. Hotch stared back impassively. He could feel the temperature change in the room. His people, not to mention he himself, did not take too kindly to outsiders accusing anyone on the team. Of anything. Granted, no accusations had been made. But. Yet. The tone of Watley's voice, though, and Grant's stance with his hand "resting" on his sidearm, left whatever accusation was coming a foregone conclusion to the profilers in the room. It also seemed like the newcomers knew their visit would be met with hostility. Speaking of hostility, Hotch risked a quick glance to his right and left. Reid had stopped his finger tapping and was staring at Watley and Grant as if they had all the answers written on their faces and he was just soaking them in. JJ had a shrewd and pointed look on her face. Almost as if she were flipping through her mental rolodex, trying to figure out who these guys were and what they could possibly want. Hotch wondered if she might actually know these guys, from her time at the DOD. Morgan, Hotch could see, was practically vibrating with barely contained anxiety. His need to defend and protect Emily Prentiss had implanted itself firmly after their first scuffle with Ian Doyle, when they had thought they lost her. Morgan still had issues. He was about 2 or 3 minutes away from saying or doing something that might create more trouble. Depending on how the next bit went. Hotch threw a pointed look at Rossi and barely cocked his head. Rossi gave an imperceptible nod and put his hand on Morgan's wrist, an unspoken warning. Rossi didn't appear to be bothered by the intrusion from their sister Agencies. He had, however, tightened his grip on his pen. Hotch knew that to be his tell. Rossi and Emily had a very special connection. Hotch was pretty sure that was still intact. Kate's was the only face that wasn't telegraphing anything more than curiosity. Though to his knowledge, Kate Callahan and Emily Prentiss had never met. So it wasn't out of the ordinary.

Garcia, surprisingly, was the only one not looking at their visitors. Penelope Garcia was a naturally curious individual who had a sixth sense when one of her people was in trouble. She loved fiercely; her protective streak was almost as big as Morgan's. She just went about it another way. Hotch wondered. She couldn't have already been involved in whatever was going on with Emily, could she? No. No way. He'd know if she was, he reasoned. Still. She was one to watch. If she knew anything, she'd likely break first. Garcia didn't have the training the rest of them had.

Hotch heard Morgan shift in his seat and knew he needed to say something soon. Hotch returned his glance to Richard Watley, recapped his pen and laid it aside, and asked, "What was the question again?"

"Now look here Agent Hotchner—" Watley started.

"What exactly are you looking for?" Hotch interrupted him. "You walked in here with the look of someone who wants something larger than what was asked."

"In not a very friendly tone" Rossi added in a way that sounded very much like an afterthought as he continued to write in his notebook, not looking up.

Matt Cruz, trying to diffuse the situation before it escalated, attempted a mediation, "Alright everyone. Our colleagues from State and Homeland are asking a simple question about basic information. This team will, of course, cooperate. Right, Agent Hotchner?" Hotch gave no response, just continued his staring contest with Watley. "Agent Rossi?" Cruz continued. Rossi, similarly, gave no response. "Please," Cruz begged, "Agent Jareau?"

JJ turned her shrewd eyes to Matt Cruz. She saw something in them she hoped she could trust. She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't know exactly, but it's been awhile. If I had to guess, I'd say about three months."

"But you know that already, right?" Reid chimed in with the matter-of-fact, rapid-fire speech he was known for when angry. Watley pulled his eyes from Hotch to Reid. Grant followed as Spencer continued, "You already have all of our phone records and email traffic. That's protocol before you come around asking questions. You forget, everybody in this room is a federal agent. We know how it works."

"Reid." Morgan said quietly, as a warning that Spencer did not heed.

"What? They know we know that." Reid added flippantly. "Why not put their cards on the table?"

"Kid has a point," Rossi said, finally looking up at Watley and Grant. "We all work from the same playbook, so just tell us what you really want to know."

"Alright. Cards on the table," Watley shifted his weight, "We know that Prentiss's most recent trackable communication with any of you was five weeks and two days ago. A text message from her Interpol issued cell to a personal cell registered to Aaron Hotchner." All eyes shifted to Hotch, whose piercing glare remained steadfastly on Richard Watley. "That cell has since stopped transmitting. And that text, it was a little cryptic, don't you think Aaron? Can I call you Aaron?"

"No. You may not."

"Fine. Agent Hotchner. 1. Was that the last contact you had with Emily Prentiss? 2. Didn't you find the wording of the text a little strange? And 3. What exactly is the nature of your relationship with Emily Prentiss?" Watley practically spit out, glaring. Grant said nothing, but with his hand still atop his sidearm, Hotch wondered if his job here was simply to intimidate.

Hotch narrowed his eyes. "1. Yes. 2. No, I didn't find it strange. And 3. We're friends, and colleagues. Former."

"Former?" Watley questioned.

"Former." Hotch parroted. "As in past tense, used to be, no longer."

"You think you're so smart—"

"You are aware, Mr. Watley, that Emily Prentiss left the FBI three years ago, are you not." Hotch interrupted, "We were colleagues. Now we're former colleagues."

"That's generally how that works" Rossi pitched in.

"Look. I want to know, from everyone," Watley glared around the room, "right now, when was the last time – and by what method – Emily Prentiss got in touch with you."

After a moment of no one saying anything, Cruz prodded the team with an order, "Now people. JJ."

"Like I said, about three months ago. Email. " JJ offered, tensely. "Oh, she sent my son a present around that time too. You want me to bring him in so you can interrogate him as well?

"What was the gift?" Watley pushed back.

"A Doctor Who action figure."

"Oh nice" Reid cut in.

"I know, right? Henry's getting to that age" JJ turned to Reid.

"Really, well I can help that along. I've got a wealth of knowledge about the Doctor." Spencer chattered to JJ, ignoring the rest of the room.

"People," Cruz cut in, "can we just get on with this? Morgan?"

Morgan glared at Chief Cruz. "Fine," Morgan practically grunted, making it clear that he was only cooperating under protest, "it was a phone call. Three, three and half months ago maybe." He crossed his arms over his chest and stared down Cruz. For Morgan, it was worse that Cruz was insisting he respond to what Morgan considered a ridiculous question with a dangerous edge. It felt like a betrayal to Morgan. He had failed Emily once, he wasn't about to do it again. There weren't many reasons State and Homeland Security would be at the BAU asking about Emily Prentiss. None of them were good.

"Miss Garcia," prompted Cruz.

"I haven't actually spoken to Emily in quite a while." Penelope said quietly, finally looking up at Watley and Grant. We talk in a chat room I set up mostly. It's secure. You don't have to worry about anything there."

Watley was spending more time watching Garcia than Hotch would like. He didn't want to jump to her defense before a defense was warranted. It would end up being worse for everyone. Besides, he knew Morgan would jump in before he could. Absolutely no one in the room had missed the fact that Grant's hand was still poised over his weapon. "What would there be to worry about," Watley asked, taking a step closer to the table.

"Um, well, I mean, sometimes we talk about cases," Garcia sputtered. She turned to Hotch. "Not a lot and nothing confidential, I swear," she assured him.

"It's okay, Garcia, I believe you" he assured.

"Hold up there," Watley cut in. The BAU turned to him in one motion. "What exactly do you discuss, about these cases?" Garcia looked at him blankly. "Be very specific."

"Well, I'm not sure I…, um." Garcia swallowed. She was nervous.

"You are aware, Miss Garcia, that lying to a federal agent is a crime punishable by up to eight years in prison," Watley sneered.

"What?" Garcia exclaimed.

"Hey now! There's no cause for that," Morgan fired at Watley, standing up. Morgan's movement seemed to trigger several things to happen, almost at once. Watley and Grant stepped further into the room, closing the distance between themselves and the team at the table. Cruz, hoping again to stop the escalation, reached out to caution the visitors and grabbed Agent Grant's upper arm. Unfortunately that was the exact wrong thing to do as Agent Grant spun Matt Cruz around and had him pinned, face against the wall, with a gun to his head in a matter of seconds. Pandemonium, for lack of a better term, followed.

Agents were up, guns drawn, and yelling. Morgan pulled Garcia's chair back and away from the table. He and Rossi moved into position in front of her. Reid drew on Watley while JJ and Kate drew their weapons on Grant, demanding he release Chief Cruz. Hotch was the only one in the room not to move. Everyone in the room, with the exception of Garcia and Mr. Watley (who didn't carry guns) was a federal agent. They were in a federal building, on a Marine base. No one was firing their weapon here today. Mr. Watley and Agent Grant were showing aggression to get under the skin of the BAU. That was obviously working. His team reacted when provoked. Even more so when one of their own was threatened. Hotch had to end this now. "Everyone stop" he bellowed in a voice that would brook no arguments. It was cold, low, and cut through the room like a guided missile. It also came attached to one of his trademarked glares. Just as quickly as it started, it ended. Guns were lowered. Cruz was released. Weight was shifted. Glances exchanged.

As everyone settled back into their respective places in the room, Hotch, who had remained relatively still and quiet during the last few moments, looked pointedly at Watley. "What's really going on? We can't help you if we don't know what it is."

Watley, still being stubborn, crossed his arms and repeated the company line, "We need your last communications with Emily Prentiss. That's all." He was still pushing.

"That's clearly not all" Hotch pushed back. "You already have that information. Except for Miss Garcia's chat room data, which she'll provide you access to before you leave." A quick glance over to their technical analyst to cement and confirm his directive.

"Yes sir," Garcia nods.

"Besides," adds Morgan, "there's nothing wrong with exchanging information with a colleague."

"Former" states Watley, looking directly at Hotch while ignoring Morgan completely.

"Emily Prentiss was on this team for almost six years" JJ chimed in, "And now she works for Interpol. We're all doing the same kind of work. She's still a colleague."

"But that's where you're wrong Agent Jareau." Watley gave a little laugh. "Emily Prentiss is no longer officially employed by the International Criminal Police Organization, otherwise known as Interpol." Watley's bomb had its desired effect. The room was stunned, speechless and still. And then it burst into questions and exclamations.

"What?" Rossi.

"Since when?" JJ.

"That can't be right!" Reid.

"Where is she?" Garcia.

"What are you talking about?" Morgan.

Hotch cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention. "You clearly have more information than we do Mr. Watley. As you can no doubt tell, there's no information we have to give you."

Watley smiled. "That may be true about your team, Agent Hotchner. You however, I'm not done with yet. We have more to talk about. And Agent Callahan has been awfully quiet"

"They don't know each other" Hotch leveled back.

"Agent Prentiss has been gone from the FBI for three years; I've been with the BAU less than one. We haven't crossed paths here," Kate finished. Watley looked from Hotch to Agent Callahan to Agent Grant, who nodded.

Rossi spoke up again before Watley turned his attention back to Hotch. "So what's the big deal? Emily moved on and hasn't told us yet. How is that a matter for State or Homeland?"

This time it was Agent Grant who responded, "Ms. Prentiss hasn't moved on. She's off the grid. Interpol doesn't know where she is. This concerns a lot of people." Rossi could feel a smart ass retort forming, but he tamped it down. He didn't much care for the conclusions that were likely being drawn.

Hotch filed back through the last few texts, emails, and phone calls he had had with Emily. And yes, he had been thinking of her as Emily (instead of Prentiss) since he got back in touch with her. That was not a helpful thought right now; he pushed it aside for later. Watley had called his last text "cryptic," but it wasn't. Unless he'd missed something. "What are the prevailing theories?" he asked, dreading the answer.

Watley smiled at him, a little too predatory for Hotch's liking, then looked over at Agent Grant. "Why not?" Grant shrugged.

"Okay," Watley began, "there are 4 theories right now. Each one of them is equally possible."

"Let's hear 'em" Morgan insisted.

"Fine," Watley gave in, clearly not happy to be sharing this information. "The first theory is that she's out on an undercover mission for Interpol that they are keeping compartmentalized and not sharing with us. The second theory, a more plausible one, is that she's gone rogue and is working a mission on her own." Watley looked around the room. He saw faces harden; recognition dawn. She'd done it before. Everyone in the room knew that. Watley went on, "The third theory is that she finally broke. This last trauma was one too many and she went stark raving mad. And disappeared into the ether, to be crazy all by herself." This time when he paused, he saw sorrow and confusion on the faces in the room.

"What happened?" asked Reid

"You don't know?" Watley looked from team member to team member and saw zero indication that any of them had any glimpse of understanding. "Wow, guess we should move "friend" to the "former" category as well as "colleague." "

"Watch it!" Rossi warned.

"What happened to her?" Hotch asked quietly, but in a voice that chilled the room. His eyes boring into Watley, looking for signs of duplicity and falsehoods. He found none.

Watley stared back, then sighed and shook his head. "I'm not at liberty to give you details. Interpol had a mission go bad about two and a half months ago. Very bad. Agent Prentiss was taken. And held. Interpol botched the rescue."

Morgan slammed his fist down on the table. "Why weren't we informed?"

"What could you have done about it Agent Morgan?" queried Grant, "This all happened in Istanbul."

"Listen," Watley continued, "That's over and done with. She was in captivity for over a week. From what I understand it was pretty … brutal. Anyone would have been messed up over it. But a woman like Emily Prentiss? This was just one more trauma in a series of traumas. It's a perfectly valid conclusion that she cracked and spilled her crazy all over the place in one way or another."

"Don't say that," Reid shook his head, "Don't call her crazy. It's a pretty big leap between suffering a trauma and going rogue or checking out. Especially for an agent like Prentiss. Do you even have any proof?"

Grant considered Reid, "Proof is subjective. We have an interesting timeline Agent Reid."

"Actually, it's Doctor. What is it?" Reid, when provoked, became forthright and sharp.

"My apologies "Doctor" Reid," Grant corrected, without sincerity, "She was undercover for almost two weeks before it went bad. She was in captivity for another four before Interpol even attempted a rescue. And six days after that, when a successful rescue was launched. She was back at home for two weeks, "recovering," before she fell off the grid."

Watley looked pointedly at Hotch. "It's in that two week window that she sent you the last recorded communication we have from her, the text message."

"I see." Hotch was thinking. They all were. "And you're last theory?" At this point, he really didn't want to know. He had to thought, he had to hear someone say it.

Watley smiled. Hotch groaned internally. This really did not bode well. Watley laughed a small chuckle, almost to himself. "This one's my favorite. The last theory – is that she switched sides. Whatever happened to her… – maybe she didn't go crazy, but her switch got flipped. Agent Hotchner. The last theory is that Emily Prentiss is a terrorist."

TBC