As always I do not own the rights to Criminal Minds, CBS, ABC and their affiliates. This is a fictional story for entertainment purposes only. All Original Fictional Characters are of my imagination and any resemblance to living or deceased individuals is purely coincidental. Do not use any or all parts of this story without prior permission from the writer.

Buried Beneath Still Waters

Chapter 21

Emily rolled over onto her side caught some where between unconscious and conscious.

She watched Emily. She recognized this new woman, she needed to talk to her see if the were going to get saved. She coughed a few times from the musty smell, startling Emily, making her groan at the sound. "Hey wake up."

Emily stretched, not wanting to wake up yet. But then she remembered the unsub and the car. She sat up quickly causing her head to spin. She put her palm against her forehead and moaned. When she opened her eyes she realized she wasn't alone. A blonde haired woman sat huddled into a corner.

"Are you alright?" Emily tried to focus on the girl. And asking questions got her mind actively fighting the drugs.

Candi inched forward remaining on her knees. "I was just about to ask you that."

Emily tried to stand, but was instantly reminded of her broken foot. She winced and sat back down. "Do you know where we are?"

"I don't know for sure. I think we are in a hunting shack that Dr. Emery built. He's going to kill us isn't he?" Up until now Candi was calm; she was quickly slipping into hysterics.

"Hey, listen to me…" Emily scooted over towards her. "Hey, they are going to find us. They will. Trust that." She put her hand on Candi's arm, looking into her eyes. Candi tried to avoid Emily's stare, but Prentiss refused to allow her to look away. She followed her eyes with her own, pleading with Candi to return her stare. She did, she looked deep into the agent's eyes and saw strength there, compassion and confidence.

"You're with them, aren't you? The FBI, Dr. Reid? He's not really a doctor is he?"

"Yes, my name is Emily, I'm from the FBI and yes Dr. Reid is a doctor, just not medical." Prentiss winced as she moved her foot. She tried not to; the pain was unbearable at times. The last thing she wanted to do was scare the young woman again, she was going to need her help if they hoped to get out of here.

"It's broken isn't it?" Candi searched the shed, crawling around on her knees until she found two sticks both around six inches long. "My name is Candi. We need to get your leg splinted before he comes back, because when he does he is going to kill me and most likely you too." Candi slipped her bra straps down her arms and then reached under her t-shirt pulling it out. She folded it in half tucking one cup inside the other. Emily watched, wondering what she planned on doing.

"Put your heel in here."

Emily raised her eyebrows, but did as she was told, putting her foot into the bra cup. Candi used the sticks by placing them into the cup on either side of Emily's ankle. She then laces the straps and band around her leg tying it at Emily's calf.

"Give me your belt, please."

Emily took off the belt and handed it to Candi. Curiosity was getting the better of her.

Candi put the center of the belt under Emily's arch, holding both ends in her fists.

"You might want to brace yourself." She didn't give her anytime for it she just crisscrossed the ends over the top of Emily's foot pulling it as tight as she could before lacing it up and over the sticks.

Emily grit her teeth and held her breath as pain shot from her foot, blinding her for a second. She thought she was going to get sick. Candi instructed her to breath. She did and the nausea passed. Her foot throbbed like a heartbeat, and Emily thought there was no way this was going to work.

"Come on let's try it out." Candi helped Emily up. Surprisingly she was able to stand. The sticks were helping to stabilize her foot. It hurt like hell, yet she could take a couple of steps.

"Where did you learn to do this?"

Candi laughed bitterly, "I took a survival course in college, although they never mentioned using your bra as a splint."

"Well you should go back and teach that course. You're a genius."

Reid, Rossi, Morgan and Hotch rushed to the lake. The only hope of finding Emily alive was to get Bath County PD involved. Reid kept thinking, 'This is my fault. If I hadn't come here and if I hadn't been arguing with Ryan then maybe Prentiss wouldn't have gotten hurt.'

He chewed his nails and Morgan glanced at him.

"Reid, what's on your mind, man?"

"Huh? Oh nothing."

"Come on man this is me your talking to. I know something's bothering you."

"I shouldn't have come here." Reid pulled his phone out of his pocket and called Garcia to end the conversation with Morgan.

Emily thought of all the ways they could get out of this situation. She had to wait to see what would happen when Emery returned. They didn't wait long for that to happen because he returned a few minutes later. All hope of an easy exit was lost when he came into the shack with a shotgun.

Emily knew if she had both her feet she could make an attempt at getting the gun away from him. It wasn't in the cards though.

"Tell me you got her! I don't want to hear anything besides, Emily is alright!"

"I was calling to see if you found anything for us." Garcia was the only person Reid could completely let his guard down with. Morgan was his best friend, but he expected things from Reid."

Hotch pulled the SUV next to the police cruiser parked next to Gideon's dock. The agents sprung from the car.

Ryan jogged up the embankment, she avoided talking directly to Reid but she could not keep from staring at him as she spoke to Hotch.

"Dr. Emery lives just outside of town, I sent my partners to the house."

Hotch's phone rang and he stepped to the side.

"Hotchner…"

"Sir, I think I found something. Eugene Emery made a purchase of a large amount of building materials four weeks ago. He spent a thousand dollars on lumber alone."

"Is there something else, Garcia?"

"He also spent that much on nylon rope over the last year."

"Where would Emery be able to build an out building that wouldn't be noticed or questioned?" Hotch addressed Ryan.

"Like a hunting shack?" Rossi asked.

"I know where they are! It's less than one hundred yards from here, walking. If we drive we need to go completely around the mountain." Ryan started to head in that direction.

Chief Benstin halted her. "We'll take the vehicles."

"Sir? That is going to take too long we can easily get there this way."

"Miller you're pushing your luck!"

"I agree with her. I've been there. I know we can get there quickly." Reid stepped up next to Ryan.

She looked at him, shocked he had been in her hideaway. 'When did he find it?'

"Fine but remember, Miller you're defying a direct order, and it is your agent's life at stake Agent Hotchner."

Emily watched as Emery paced. He was slowly unraveling mentally. He talked to himself as if they weren't there most of the time. He would remember his captors every so often, pointing the gun at them with shaking hands. Emily wasn't sure if she should try to talk him down or let him wear himself out. As she was deciding Candi did something stupid. She got up and went to the Doctor.

"My friend Lani, you told me she left for California. She didn't, did she? You killed her. I know you did. You didn't like her, told me to stay away from her. You knew I didn't have anyone in this world besides Lani. You knew it and knew she didn't have anyone else either. You killed her, you bastard!" Candi pounded on his chest with both hands.

Emery snapped out of his delusions long enough to look at Candi. Emily saw confusion cross his face quickly replaced with anger. He lunged at Candi wrapping his hands around her throat.

Ryan led the group down the path they moved quickly covering a large amount of ground in a short time. At one point Ryan stumbled and Reid caught her arm before she fell. She couldn't believe it. How many times had she been in these woods in the pitch black? She never fell before. Ryan chalked it up to the desperate situation, trying to ignore the nagging voice that said it was because of Reid's presence. Ryan reached for her gun. The rest of them went for theirs too.

"What is it?" Morgan looked around not seeing any danger.

"We're here." Ryan whispered.

"What?" Morgan didn't see anything but trees.

Ryan pointed up into the trees and there was a small hunting perch. Then she pointed at the hill side. Morgan squinted until a wooden door came into view. Built into the side of the hill was a small shack hidden from view unless you knew it was there.

A/N Special thanks to CSK for helping me with the forensic aspects of the case. Without you Crime Scene Kelly my case would be a bunch of fabricated foolishness. From the bottom of my heart a very big thank you for your time and effort!

Thanks to all of you who are out there proof reading, giving me suggestions and helpful hints. And to you the reader for your reviews and your continued support!