Chapter 14 – Friends –
JJ had been hoping for a lie-in, she never had had a problem working the long hours that the job required but Hotch had promised the team a long weekend and now she had been rudely awoken from her slumber by the unmistakable sound of her cell.
"Agent Jareau."
"Agent Jareau this is Detective Williams from Pittsburgh PD."
JJ instantly sat up, it hadn't been that long since they had returned from Pittsburgh and she wondered what he wanted.
"Hello Detective, what can I do for you?"
"It's to do with the Ainsley case."
JJ's heart sunk as he said the words, she closed her eyes as she spoke into the phone.
"What's wrong?"
"We've got a DA who is going hard on this case, wants as much publicity as he can get. I thought that I'd better warn you that the trial is going to get a lot of publicity and he is planning to call all of your team as witnesses."
"No we gave you enough evidence to convict without us! What about Kate?"
"I'm sorry Agent Jareau but he is planning on her being the star witness."
"She's a traumatised 9 year old for heaven's sake!"
JJ failed to stop her shock and anger coming out as she shouted down the line.
"We've tried to stop him Agent Jareau but..."
"It's ok Detective it's not your fault, thanks for the warning."
JJ threw the phone onto the bed as she laid back down, her head spinning as it rested on the pillow, but then she picked up the phone again and dialled the familiar number.
"Sir, I'm sorry to disturb you on your day off but there's something you need to know."
JJ relayed the conversation she had just had to her boss, feeling awful as she did for ruining his day with Jack.
"Thank you JJ, do you mind informing the rest of the team, especially Prentiss?"
"Not a problem Hotch, have a nice weekend with Jack and I'll see you on Monday."
"I'll try JJ, I'll certainly try."
It didn't JJ long to ring Morgan, Reid and Rossi, letting them know the bad news but she held off ringing Garcia and Emily as she wanted to speak to the two of them in person.
"Garcia, its JJ come on open up!"
It had been just over an hour since JJ had received Detective Williams phone call and she had decided to go and see Garcia first as she was trying to put the conversation off with Emily for as long as possible.
"Ok I'm coming honey, do you know what the time is? No work today Jennifer Jareau that means I sleep."
"I'm sorry Pen but it is important."
Garcia opened the door to let her friend in, they wandered over to the kitchen where Garcia flicked the kettle on.
"So what has got you up and round here so early on a rare day off?"
"It's about the Ainsley case."
JJ looked at the shocked expression on Garcia's face as she accepted the coffee and walked over and sat on the sofa.
"It's bad Pen, really bad."
"What's the matter JJ, tell me sweetheart."
JJ poured out the news to Garcia, tears falling down her cheeks as she told the sensitive tech analyst what was going on and the implications for all of them, especially Emily and Kate.
"Take a breath JJ, it's ok, we'll cope we always do."
"I know Garcia but I've got to go and see Emily now."
"Do you want me to come?"
"Do you mind?"
"Of course not honey. Just let me get showered and dressed and we can go."
"Emily come on open up!"
"Prentiss we know that you're in there."
JJ and Garcia's calls and knocking were going unanswered.
"Hey Garcia have you got your keys on you?"
"Yes but they are for when I look after Kate."
"Penelope this is important!"
"Ok but an angry Prentiss is a beast that you alone have to deal with JJ."
Garcia opened the door and they entered the quiet condo.
"Emily its JJ and Garcia, where are you?"
Emily heard the anxious voices from the floor below, she had tried to ignore them but she knew that the two women would not give up easily. Sighing deeply she stood up and walked out of the office and made her way towards the stairs, the letters still in her hand.
"Hey Emily are you ok?"
Garcia started to walk up the stairs to meet her friend.
"Oh Em you know don't you?"
Garcia wrapped her arm around Emily's waist and walked her down the stairs towards the sofa where JJ was already sat, they looked at Emily and they both knew that Emily already knew.
"I was checking the mail this morning when two letters caught my attention, when I opened them up and they were virtually identical. The Pittsburgh DA wants Kate and I to testify at the Ainsley's trial, yes I suppose that I can handle that but Kate..."
Emily put her head in her hands, a few minutes later she brought her head back up to look at her friends through her tear stained eyes.
"How am I supposed to tell Kate? Because at the moment I am totally lost for ideas."
JJ reached across and grabbed a hold of Emily, pulling in towards her, she knew how hard this was going to be on her friend and the young girl that the whole team had grown especially close to.
"It's ok Em, we'll help you, and we're not going to let you go through this alone."
The tears eventually stopped and Emily lifted her head, her heart snapping again as she saw that her two friends had also been crying.
"Will you help me?"
"Help you?"
Garcia looked puzzled at the brunette.
"I've got to talk to Kate tonight, but please I need you guys with me, I don't know..."
"It's ok Emily of we'll help you."
JJ squeezed Emily's hand as she managed to smile in support at her friend.
"Mom!"
Kate saw Emily standing outside the school steps and went running towards her.
"Afternoon munchkin, how was school today?"
"Better, Lauren and I ate lunch together and Mrs Jackson said that my homework was really good."
"That's great Kate, JJ and Garcia are in the car waiting for you."
"Brilliant!"
Kate went running off towards the Mercedes, smiling and waving at her Aunties as Emily walked slowly behind her, dreading the conversation she would have to have with her daughter later.
"Kate I need to talk to you about something."
Emily was sitting at the table with Garcia, JJ and Kate, the plates of spaghetti and meatballs sitting in front of them.
"What is it mom?"
Emily took a deep breath in as she pushed her plate away from her and put her fork down.
"I don't think that there is any easy way to go about this, I suppose I should just get straight to the point, you deserve that. I got two letters from the Pittsburgh DA this morning, one for me and one for you...they want us both to testify at the trial of your foster parent's."
Emily swallowed hard as she finished, trying to keep the tears at bay as she looked at Kate, waiting anxiously for her response.
"No!"
Kate quickly threw her fork onto the table and ran across to the sofa, collapsing on it as she felt Emily's arms wrap around her but there was nothing that her adoptive mother could do to stop the pain and hurt.
"You promised me that I'd never have to go back there!"
Kate sat up and shouted directly into Emily's face.
"I'm sorry."
The words stumbled quietly out of Emily's mouth as she watched Kate tear herself away and run up the stairs and slam the door of her bedroom.
"What have I done?"
Emily couldn't stop the tears as they trickled down her face as Garcia sat down beside her and wrapped her arms around her friend as JJ walked up the stairs.
"I'll go and talk to her Em, don't worry it's going to be ok."