Chapter 8 – Family –

It didn't take long for Kate to go back to sleep and after, as promised, a nurse brought in some blankets and pillows, Emily made herself comfortable on the chair, her hand not leaving Kate's as she too fell asleep. It was the first time that they had managed to rest together and although they greatly needed to recuperate neither of them were sleeping peacefully.

Emily's mind had taken her back to the cabin, no matter how hard she tried she couldn't escape from the nightmare. She was strapped back in the chair, her eyes and Kate's eyes interlocked as Ainsley bore down on the young girl. Emily screamed but no sound came out, she tried to move but she found herself paralysed with fear.

"Emily..."

"EMILY..."

Emily could distantly hear someone calling her name but it didn't sound like Ainsley or Kate.

"EMILY ELIZABETH PRENTISS!"

Emily's eyes suddenly opened wide as she tried to steady her breathing, relief coursing through her body as she realised that she was no longer trapped in the cabin but then she saw who had been calling her name.

"Hello mother."

"Oh my god dear, look at the state of you! I'll get on the phone to Doctor Richards, he can make sure that those stitches are ok."

Emily reached up with her free hand and pinched the bridge of her nose hard, one second she was in the midst of a nightmare, the next her mother was standing in front of her, Emily didn't know which situation was worse. The grip on Emily's other hand start to tighten, Emily turned and looked over as Kate started to open her eyes, immediately the girl focused on the strange woman and looked at Emily for reassurance.

"It's ok Kate, she's my mother. I'll just go and get JJ to sit with you so we can talk somewhere else without disturbing you."

Emily bent over and stroked Kate's hair off of her face, smiling at her before she walked out of the room, leaving her mother standing still beside the bed.

"Hello young lady, I think I owe you a huge debt of gratitude."

Kate blinked her eyes and looked confused as the Ambassador moved closer to her.

"Thank you for rescuing my daughter. We may not be that close but she is all the family I have and I couldn't stand to lose her, thank you for being so brave."

Ambassador Prentiss bent over and kissed Kate softly on the forehead before she quickly retreated as she heard the door open.

"Agent Jareau, it's nice to see you again."

"You too Madam Ambassador. Emily is waiting for you outside."

JJ smiled as she walked past the Ambassador, quickly reaching Kate as her mind processed the affection she had just seen from the notoriously upright woman.

"Hey Kate, sorry about all these interruptions, is everything ok?"

"I just feel really tired JJ."

"Ok sweetie go back to sleep, I'll be right here beside you."

JJ reached out and took a hold of Kate's hand, gently with her other hand she started to stroke the young girl's hair, trying to relax her so that she could fall back asleep once again, but JJ's mind was still on the interaction Kate had had with Emily's mother.

"Mother, do you want to go and grab a coffee?"

Emily waited a moment but when her mother didn't reply she looked closer at the older woman and was alarmed to see her normally calm exterior was starting to break down.

"Mother, are you ok?"

"Yes dear, why don't we get that coffee and find somewhere to talk."

Elizabeth Prentiss put her arm around her daughter's waist as they walked quietly to the waiting area, both glad that they were the only ones there.

"Are you ok Emily, I mean, Agent Hotchner spoke to me about you being found in the cabin..."

Emily looked at her mother, surprised to see a glimmer of emotion in her eyes.

"...I thought that I'd lost you today Emily. I know that we're not close, that we don't talk much, but I love you Emily, you are my daughter and I thought that I'd lost you!"

Emily saw the tears start to roll down her mother's face, a sight she had never seen before and for a second she was unsure about to react but she quickly moved from her chair and over to her mother, before she embraced her tightly.

"Oh mother, it's ok, I'm fine, just a little knock to my head."

Elizabeth Prentiss shook her head as she wiped the tears from her face and looked into her daughter's eyes.

"What about the girl, is she going to be ok?"

Emily sighed heavily as she bowed her head.

"I don't know but we are all going to make sure that she has a chance. I..."

Emily stopped as she brought her head back up.

"What is it dear, come on you can tell me."

"I promised Kate that I wouldn't leave her."

Elizabeth Prentiss looked at the sadness in her daughter's eyes and shuddered at the thought as to what had gone on in that cabin.

"I think that that is a good idea, you know that I'll support you in any way I can."

"Thank you mother, I haven't talked to anyone else about this yet, I suppose that I'd better do that before I speak to Kate again."

Elizabeth brought Emily's head towards her, resting her daughter's head onto her shoulder, comforting her like she had done when Emily was a young child.

Emily had left her mother alone to collect her thoughts as she slowly walked to find the rest of her friends, it didn't take long as she saw that they had positioned themselves protectively outside Kate's room. Emily smiled as she slid onto the empty seat between Hotch and Morgan who both sat catching up on some paperwork as Garcia tapped away on her laptop.

"Hey what's going on?"

Morgan smiled as he gladly stopped what he was doing.

"Just tying up the loose ends, how are you...and Katherine?"

Emily took a deep breath and looked at her three colleagues before she concentrated on Hotch.

"We're getting there thanks. I've got something that I need to run past all of you."

"Emily."

Hotch closed his file as he spoke.

"I know what you are going to say Hotch, about not getting emotionally involved but there is no way that I am leaving Kate in the hands of social services, look what happened when to her in her last placement. I'm NOT leaving her Hotch."

"Prentiss!"

Emily quickly quietened down and looked at Hotch, surprised to see a small smile on his face.

"Emily, I was going to say that I think that it is a good idea. You are probably the only person that she'll feel safe with."

"Thanks Hotch, your support and the rest of the team is vital if I'm to succeed with this."

"I've already got the ball rolling Em, JJ and I thought that this might happen!"

Emily raised her eyebrow as Garcia spoke but the smile on the analyst's face quickly melted Emily's heart as she got up and hugged her friend.

"Thank you Pen, I'd better go and speak to Kate and ask her if she wants to come and live with me."