EVERYONE NEEDS TO THANK BeckiLovesTV for prompting me to finish this chapter! sorry for taking that short hiatus, it wasn't planned I assure you! I'm quite surprised at how long this chapter is, it isn't very long compared to some stories, but I just kept writing:) Enjoy!
Chapter 17
"Emily!" The team screeched, not sure whether their friend was okay or not. Their friend that was currently sitting on the ground, that is. The woman pulled her limbs underneath her and stood rather shakily.
"I'm fine." She said to them, although the break in her voice proved them otherwise. "The bullet missed."
"Are you sure?" JJ looked Emily up and down worriedly. The brunette nodded.
"We need to be quick, I'll find the switch to turn the lasers off." This version of their friend was more subdued, and the team shared concerned glances behind her back.
"She'll have a hell of a lot to work through when we get back." Rossi remarked quietly, and no one disagreed. They were pulled away from their conversation when the lasers shut off. All of them immediately shot forwards to their friend, who brushed off their concern.
"We need to go. We have no idea how close they are." Emily pointed out, not making eye contact with anyone and instead brushing the dirt off of her bare feet – she'd taken her shoes off before the first set of lasers, back with her father.
"Em! I didn't realize you still didn't have any shoes." JJ said, and was once again waved off.
"We should go." Emily repeated and Hotch nodded in agreement, leading the way.
The group was careful not to make too much noise so they wouldn't alert anyone coming down the tunnel towards them, but they moved as quickly as possible.
"Look!" Reid exclaimed, "There's light ahead!" As they got closer they confirmed it as the end of the tunnel, thank goodness. They were in a small stone building – what they assumed was the old stable block. Once they got outside there were lots of trees and fields – and no sign of the Prentiss building.
"Elizabeth," Hotch said, turning to the Ambassador, "Do you know the way?"
"I'm not sure, I think so." She lifted her hand and pointed past the tunnel. "That way – I think."
"What about you, Em?" JJ asked her friend who was standing on the edge of the group. "Em?" She asked again when she didn't get a reply.
"Hmm?" Emily pulled her gaze away from the floor, absentmindedly. "Sorry, Jayje. What did you say?"
"I asked you if you knew the way." The blonde smiled sadly at Emily.
"Oh. Yeah, I think it's that way." She pointed in the same direction as her mother.
"I guess it's settled then." Rossi remarked and led the way into the trees. The group followed, Emily wincing as with each step a branch poked her bare feet.
"Prentiss, here." Morgan said, stopping and pulling off his boots, and handing her his thick socks. She smiled gratefully as she pulled them on and could them move faster through the trees, although she was still careful considering her pounding head and aching ribs.
They'd been walking through the trees for some time now and couldn't see a break through the dense foliage.
"Shouldn't we be there by now?" Morgan asked Hotch who was leading at the front, trying to push his way through some bushes to make way for the group.
"It's only about two miles, but because of the trees it's going to take double that amount of time." Reid answered before Hotch had a chance. Morgan sighed, hoping that the whole ordeal would be over soon so his friends could get their injuries checked out and go home.
Whilst they were in the basement time almost meant nothing to them, so the only reason they knew it was evening was because of the dusk that was settling in on the forest.
"We need to move faster." Hotch instructed to Morgan at the back, "We have no idea if they came after us or not and we don't want to get lost in the woods at night. Morgan nodded.
"I hear you, Hotch." He looked at the younger man ahead of him, "Hey Reid? Take over from me?" He handed Reid the gun that was taken from Mr. Prentiss' men so he could keep an eye on the woods behind the group, before walking alongside Emily. "Come on Princess, we need to hurry up now." He encouraged the woman who looked dead on her feet.
"Okay." She nodded and shuffled along a bit faster.
"Come here." Morgan wrapped an arm around her shoulders and used the other to scoop up behind her knees, carrying her bridal-style.
"Morgan! I'm not an invalid, I can walk on my own." She objected weakly, but Morgan shook his head.
"Don't give me the crap, Em. You can't walk faster than a snail-pace and you're exhausted. Just enjoy the ride." He grinned and winked at her.
"Fine." Emily huffed, "But I won't like it." Secretly Emily was relieved that she didn't have to walk any further – though she wouldn't admit it. Her feet were killing from walking in just a pair of socks and they felt like someone had sliced them up with a piece of glass. The fight with the lasers hadn't helped her ribs either. At the time the adrenaline had been rushing throughout her body and it was pushed to the back of her head, but as soon as she had started walking the fire had returned in full force and left her more exhausted than ever.
JJ had tried to stop the concerned looks that she kept sending to the brunette, so was glad when she had accepted Morgan's help. She knew that although Emily didn't accept it, there was a time to accept help from others and it does not make you weak.
From the gentle rocking motion of Morgan's arms teamed with the over-exhaustion it wasn't long before Emily submitted to the depths of unconsciousness. JJ shivered subconsciously and looked around at the darkening woods. She'd always been afraid of the woods, and although she knew that she was safe with her team she couldn't help the fear that threatened to overcome her, as the woods around her grew darker.
Garcia had been unconsciously checking her phone the whole time they had been walking.
No such luck. No signal.
Hopefully as they got closer to the Ambassador's country house she would finally get some bars and be able to alert the police of what had happened.
"I think I see a break in the trees!" Hotch almost shouted with joy, but maintained his composure. The group all hurried forwards, almost running when they made it out of the trees to see the country house in sight.
"Morgan?" Emily mumbled into his chest as she woke up. "Put me down." She said when she became a little more aware. In under a minute they had reached the house and he set her down on the steps. They reached the front door and Hotch was about to rush inside when Emily stopped him.
"What if they're in there?" Hotch thought about it for a second.
"We don't have a choice. We need to get the keys to the SUV's. There's no way we could walk to the nearest town." Emily thought about it, then nodded her consent. Hotch slowly swung the door open, and the dark hall was empty. The group moved in silently, and Rossi moved to the basement door and locked it so no one would be able to enter the house through that route.
"Where have you been for the last few-" The housemaid called Brenda that they had met when they first entered the residence walked into the room, but paused when she turned the light on and took a look at the disheveled group.
Everyone looked at Emily when she groaned and leaned heavily against the wall. JJ moved to her side almost instantly.
"Emily are you okay? What's wrong?" The blonde wasn't sure what to do.
"I don't... I think… I need to lie down." Emily muttered, one arm around her ribs, the other hand coming up to her head. The housemaid looked on in shock as she slowly processed all of the group's visible injuries whilst Rossi and Hotch exchanged worried glances. They knew that if Emily was in enough pain that she was complaining about it – it was bad.
"Sir should I call an ambulance?" Garcia's eyes were wide.
"I think that would be the best thing to do." The magnitude of what had happened had finally hit Emily and her eyes filled with tears, and wincing when she moved.
"Come on, honey." Elizabeth encouraged as she assisted JJ with walking Emily over to the couch.
"What happened? Are you all alright?" Brenda asked Hotch.
"I know this is frightening, but you need to lock all of the doors and windows. Morgan, can you help her? We don't want them getting in." Morgan nodded and rushed off with the housemaid.
"Thank you. Hurry please." Garcia ended the phone call, "They said it will be around ten minutes, Sir."
"Thanks Garcia. I think everyone needs to be checked out at the hospital. JJ can join Prentiss in the ambulance and the rest of us will follow behind in the SUV's. Can you call the police and inform them of the situation?" She nodded quickly and dialed the number.
Emily wasn't thinking straight. She was lying down on the couch with her head resting in JJ's lap and all she could think about was her father. Emily panicked when she couldn't seem to catch her breath.
"Em?" JJ asked cautiously; Emily's eyes widened, and her eyes flashed with terror.
"He's coming here!" She panted, "He's gonna come find us!" Her damaged hands scrabbled at her throat, whilst Elizabeth and Garcia watched on anxiously.
"No! Emily I need you to listen to me. We are safe here, he's not getting in and the police are on their way." The brunette shook her head vigorously.
"No, he has all of our guns. How can we possibly be safe?"
"Emi, you're not thinking straight, okay? We have firearms too. Look at me, match my breathing." The blonde instructed. Emily tried to breathe at the same time, but carried on panicking, "Come on, Em. You can do it." Finally the brunette's breathing evened out and she carried on breathing at the same time as JJ.
"I've never seen her freak out like that." Rossi commented to Hotch as he leaned in the doorway.
"Me neither." He agreed, and looked up at the sound of sirens, "I think that's the ambulance."
"I'll show them in." Rossi walked towards the front door and let the EMT's in.
"I don't need to go to the hospital." Emily looked up pleadingly to JJ.
"I'm sorry honey, but you need to get checked out. I am too." The blonde reassured.
"Can you come with me in the ambulance?" JJ looked at the EMT, who nodded at her.
"Of course."
Not really a cliffhanger, luckily for you, but I felt this was a natural break in the scene. PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE review and I PROMISE that I'll update within the next few days!x
