Chapter 2 –

SUNDAY 30th OCTOBER 2011

The file was sat on the table, Emily had been through it countless times since Wednesday evening but now it had to be moved, to make way for the white dinner plates, carefully she picked the file up and placed it on the large unit that housed her books. Her eyes caught sight of the photo of herself and Milly that they had taken when she had been dumped by the Colonel nearly a year ago, Emily sighed, so much had happened in the last twelve months, she picked up the photo and moved it to a higher shelf. Her mother held the Colonel in great contempt, although she had kept his surname as it gave her a political advantage, she had tolerated his affairs all of their married life but then he had fathered Milly and Elizabeth Prentiss knew that it was one discretion too many and had quickly divorced him. Emily shook her head and quickly walked back into the kitchen, she didn't need to look at the clock to know that she only had moments to get herself organised before her mother descended on her for their Sunday night supper.

Elizabeth smiled at her daughter as the door opened.

"Evening mother."

Emily returned the smile as she stood aside to let her mother enter, pausing briefly to gently embrace her and kiss her softly on the cheek before Emily shut and locked the door.

"Supper won't be long, I've just got to finish cooking the salmon and dress the salad."

"That's not a problem, I'll open the wine and watch you work!"

Emily smiled and shook her head as she walked through to the kitchen, after she had returned from Paris, he identity restored Emily had also fostered a new relationship with her mother, both of them older, wiser. But as she stood in the kitchen, gently frying the salmon Emily found that she couldn't concentrate on her mother who was talking about her current assignment based in D.C.

"Emily!"

Elizabeth quickly reached over and moved the pan off the heat.

"Oh sorry mother."

Emily sheepishly took a hold of the pan and flipped the salmon fillets over, checking that they were still edible before she transferred them to the plates, internally cursing herself that she had failed to compartmentalise her thoughts about her missing sister.

"Right I think that everything is ready now."

Emily picked up the two plates and quickly carried them through, anxious to get the meal over with so that she could think some more about what she was going to do about Milly.

"I'll bring the salad."

Elizabeth sighed slightly as she picked up the wooden bowl before she followed Emily through and sat opposite her daughter. As soon as she sat down Emily mentally kicked herself, the brown manila file was on the unit, low down, easily visible from the dining table, trying hard to concentrate on something else Emily grinned and picked up her fork. Elizabeth picked up a piece of her salmon and brought it to her lips but her eyes were watching her daughter and the obvious internal struggle she was facing, it was then that Elizabeth spotted the brown file.

"I thought that you hadn't any active cases on at the moment."

Elizabeth nodded towards the file as she picked up her glass of wine, taking a long sip as she watched her daughter trying to compose herself.

"Emily?"

Emily sighed deeply as she herself reached for her glass of wine, swirling the liquid around before she walked heavily over and picked up the file, dropping it onto the able so that the CIA emblem was visible to her mother. Emily sat back down and crossed her legs, placing her hands on her knees, studying her mother's reaction.

"Your father has been to see you?"

Emily slowly nodded her head, surprised to see how calm her mother was.

"He wants you to go on a CIA mission?"

Emily just couldn't stop it as the laugh escaped from her mouth.

"No you're safe on that count mother. No the Colonel wants me to find someone for him."

Elizabeth frowned as Emily spat the words out, she knew how Emily felt about her father as the feelings were completely in tune with her own.

"A terrorist?"

Emily shook her head firmly as she picked up her wine glass again, quickly emptying the contents, her voice barely a whisper as she spoke.

"Amelia, Milly. She's the one that is missing mother."

Elizabeth opened her eyes wide as Emily spoke, processing what her daughter had just said.

"But she's just a child!"

Emily nodded her head before she reached across and picked up the file, pulling out Milly's last school photo before sitting it on the table.

"She's only 15 and has been missing for four months."

Emily's voice was still quiet, tinged with emotion.

"Good god Emily, what is your father thinking of?"

"About himself and his career as usual."

Emily's voice quivered even more, she stood up and paced around the table.

"What are you going to do Emily?"

Emily turned and looked down at the floor, using her tow to pick at something on the carpet.

"Emily no matter what your feelings are of your father you need to put them aside, it's not Amelia's fault and she obviously needs help, she's a missing child Emily."

Emily nodded her head, she had already made up her mind that she needed to track her sister down but it was reassuring that her mother agreed with her.

"She thinks that I'm dead."

"Oh darling!"

Elizabeth quickly got up off her chair and walked over to her daughter, wrapping her arms around her as Emily dropped her head onto her mother's shoulder.

"I'm sorry mother."

"You've nothing to be sorry for Emily, if you need any help in finding Amelia then please ask, she deserves better than your father."

Emily nodded her head and clung tightly to her mother.

"Thank you."