Kind of short but it's about quality not quantity, right guys?

Chapter XLVIII

"We've got a date." Emily's voice said as she sat on the other side of the metal table. Ana rubbed her wrists, raw from the handcuffs that kept her tethered to it, and looked up, waiting for her to continue. It had been almost a week since her arraignment and she would do anything to see something other than the same four walls.

"Well?" the teenager asked, clearly more than agitated. She watched as Emily sighed and lowered her gaze. Dread filled her once more.

"August 22." The elder brunette could've cried at the look in Ana's eyes as she informed her that she wouldn't be leaving the prison for another seven months. "I'm so sorry, Ana. There's nothing I can do."

"It's fine." The girl shook her head, hot tears streaming down her face and onto her lap. Emily moved forward to comfort her but was stopped when the guard behind Ana shifted her stance.

"No physical contact with the prisoners." The stern looking woman demanded and Emily raised her eyes to meet the pair of hardened blues.

"Don't you think if I wanted to hand her something I would've done it already?" Emily spat at the woman who had seen her every day since Ana's incarceration.

"That's the rules." The woman shrugged nonchalantly and Emily rose from her seat. She placed her palms on the table and leaned forward, much like she did when trying to intimidate someone during an interrogation.

"Screw your rules. This girl doesn't belong here." She signaled to Ana who refused to raise her head. "She's not a criminal so stop treating her like one."

"Sit down, Agent Prentiss." The woman placed a hand on her hip and Emily scoffed.

"What, you're going to shoot me because I want to comfort a crying teenager? How noble of you."

"If you don't settle down, I'll make sure that she isn't allowed any visitors for the remainder of her stay." The woman threatened, her eyes narrowing at Emily as she took a step closer.

"Excuse me?" Emily rounded the table and came face to face with the six foot tall guard. "You couldn't get the warden to wipe his own-"

"Please, Emily." Ana's small voice halted the woman's insult immediately. The last thing Ana needed was to be left completely alone for the next seven months of her life. Emily swiftly turned her back to the guard and sat back down, itching to simply take the girl's hand into her own.

"I'm sorry." She whispered to her and Ana nodded, her lips twitching upwards only just.

"Your temper is going to get us both into trouble." Ana joked and Emily offered her a soft smile in return. They both knew that visiting hours were almost over for the day and Emily dreaded leaving her alone once more. They never knew what was going to happen while Ana sat in her cell and both women feared the day that they would find out.

"I'll be back to see you tomorrow, ok?" Emily promised as she rose once more. Ana waited for the guard to come forward and free her from the constraints of the chains around her wrists. Her hands were pulled behind her back as another set of handcuffs were locked into place. As the guard knocked on the locked door and waited to be let out, Emily was once again filled with the desire to hug the girl goodbye. Instead, she was forced to watch as she was dragged out by the arm and led back to her cell before making her way through security and into her car.

It didn't take a profiler to see that the BAU wasn't interested in completing their paperwork. From the bullpen, Emily, Morgan, Reid and JJ could see inside the two offices that contained the eldest of their team. Neither Hotch nor Rossi seemed particularly invested in their work either.

"This is ridiculous." Morgan cried as he stood. "How is she supposed to wait seven more months?"

"I don't know." Emily replied, her hands in her lap as she furiously picked at her nails.

"Look at us!" the dark skinned agent turned in a circle. "We can't get our work done with this in the back of our minds."

"Considering the fact that the BAU typically handles approximately four to five cases a month, we could be looking at twenty-eight to forty cases by the time Ana is tried." Reid shook his head at the idea.

"Not to mention the time it would take for the trial to conclude." JJ added somberly. Emily ignored her colleagues' conversation, rather preferring to stare blankly out the window and into the starry night. It was cold, even for February, but there had rarely been a night where the stars were hidden behind the clouds. The thought would have normally made the brunette smile…now it only brought her immense sadness. Ana couldn't see the stars. She was lying on an inch thick mattress, surrounded by some of the worst the country had to offer. She recalled the look of exhaustion on Ana's features from that morning. It looked as if the girl hadn't slept in the past week but Emily couldn't blame her. Sooner or later though, she would have no choice but to close her eyes and who know what would happen when she did?

Ana tore away her cuticles, practically relishing in the pain it sent up her hand. Pain was good. Pain kept you awake. She knew that she couldn't hold out much longer. Her eyes burned every time she blinked and she wouldn't be surprised if she started hallucinating at any moment. Ana sat up in bed and rubbed her neck. This 'mattress' was doing a number on her still healing form but it was the least of her worries. Grabbing the blanket she had been given and wrapping it tightly around her shoulders, Ana drew her knees to her chest and pressed herself against the wall. Maybe the cold from the stone could ease her migraine as well as help her stay awake just a little bit longer. Straining her neck, she finally caught a glimpse at the clock hanging across from her cell.

2:55 AM

Six more hours. She could do that. Ana rolled the back of her head against the wall. Who was she kidding? She knew she wouldn't be able to make it through another night without rest. Besides, what was the point anyway? Making her decision, Ana allowed her body to drop unceremoniously back onto the bed and closed her eyes. She almost cried tears of joy as exhaustion took over and she quickly entered a plane much more pleasant than the one she currently occupied.

Emily had made the mistake of going to her own apartment. As she lay in bed, she wished that she had taken Aaron up on his offer to stay the night. For purely innocent reasons, Emily wanted nothing more than to be wrapped in his secure embrace and forget about the troubles of her life for a few hours as she slept against the beating of his heart. It wouldn't have been the first time the couple had slept together. The first night Ana spent in prison, Aaron all but ordered her to stay, knowing that some time with Jack would make the brunette feel better. Although it helped, Emily still found herself feeling hollow and cold when they finally said 'goodnight'. Now, as she turned over and hugged a pillow to her chest, she would give anything to have his warm body against hers. Instead, she sighed and closed her eyes, praying for the sleep she knew would never come. Just as she was about to rouse herself and shower five hours earlier than normal, the sound of her cellphone ringing echoed in the empty halls. Emily's eyes widened with panic as she frantically threw the covers off and reached for the device. She read the caller ID: Aaron Hotchner, and immediately felt somewhat better. Perhaps he was having similar feelings of loneliness and was calling to convince her to stay with him once more. It wouldn't take much persuading.

"Aaron?" she said, her voice almost a whisper. Emily barely heard the next seven words that left his lips as she hurriedly stepped into her jeans and yanked on a sweater, searching for keys in the process. Tears brimmed her eyes, obscuring her view of the doorknob as she practically sprinted down the stairs, his words still echoing in her head.

"It's Ana. Meet us at the hospital."