AN: Sorry for the six month wait. Life came out of nowhere and demanded my attention. Hope this is worth the long wait though it might just suck. Lemme know what ya'll think!

~Acathla

Chapter 23: Secrets and Plots

It was the Monday before winter break, mid-terms were over and there was only 5 days until the school play's opening night. The whole gang had bought tickets for the play as a show of support for Emily.

Emily, as well as the rest of the cast, was starting to feel the pressure now as they slipped into the homestretch. Mrs. Hotchner had finally allowed them to rehearse the kissing scenes as well as the dialogue and the songs.

Rehearsals now became fluid run-throughs of the play from the opening notes to the final scene with the entire cast singing 'We Go Together'.

Emily's scenes with Jim Steele, who was playing Kenickie to her Rizzo, went smoothly and she was glad that he seemed to be serious about the play and not a typical high school boy when it came to their kissing scenes. Emily for her part, just viewed their kisses as necessary to convey the relationship between the characters so she didn't think of it as a big deal. She did, however, make sure that JJ was going to be okay seeing her kiss someone else, even if it was only for a play.

It was a week until the play and so far, Gina had been behaving herself which was a great relief to Jo but she knew it was only a matter of time before the older girl got bored being good and grew restless with staying in the house and watching television. Jo knew it was only a matter of time before Gina turned her sadistic nature on her and made her life hell…again.

It had been five years since Jo had had to deal with Gina and her manipulations but, having her in the same house, just brought it all back and made it seem like it had happened recently. Gina had a way of making Jo feel like she was twelve years old again…and not in a good way. Jo wondered how much longer Gina would be able to control herself before her true nature came out and Jo's world came crashing down around her.

JJ was waiting for Emily to finish rehearsals on Wednesday when she suddenly noticed a black sedan parked about a block away. It stood out in the residential neighborhood which played home to the high school and it made JJ curious and a little suspicious.

JJ stared at the sedan for about ten minutes before her cell phone rang. She jumped at the sudden noise but she answered it, keeping her eyes on the black car. "Hello?"

"Hi, JJ? This is Emily's mom, how are you dear?"

Although a little surprised to be hearing from Emily's mom again, JJ wasn't as shocked as the last time. "I'm fine Mrs. Prentiss. What can I do for you?"

Elizabeth chuckled a moment then said, "Well, for starters, could you stop staring at the black car parked nearby? You're not being very subtle."

That got JJ's attention and she turned to look down at the seat for a moment, "What black car?"

"No need to play dumb JJ. Go ahead and look at it now."

JJ turned slowly towards the black car, half expecting it to have vanished in the three seconds she had her eyes off of it. But no, there it was, just like before…except that this time the rear window was opening and JJ squinted a bit to get a better look. She was surprised to see Emily's mom's face peering out from behind the black tinted glass.

"What-?"

"JJ, why don't you join me for a moment? I understand Emily will still be in rehearsals for at least another 20 minutes, correct?"

JJ looked at her watch and realized it was closer to 30 minutes but she still nodded and agreed to join the older woman. JJ locked up her car and walked quickly over to the black sedan. The door opened and JJ slid inside, curious as to why Emily's mom was there.

Elizabeth Prentiss smiled at the young blond as she placed her own cell phone down on the seat. "You're probably wondering why I am here when I already asked you to keep Emily safe." JJ just nodded, "Well, the truth is that things have changed a bit since we last spoke. My sources have confirmed that Gina is here in town. They haven't seen her yet but they have tracked her through a credit card she stole to the local airport and also to the cab she took from the airport."

JJ took a moment to process that then she said, "Did the cab driver give you the address where she was dropped off?"

"Yes he did."

"So you know where she is, why not just go get her? Send the cops or the FBI or someone?" JJ didn't understand why, if she knew where this Gina person was, they didn't just arrest her and send her ass back to Italy.

Elizabeth sighed, "It's complicated JJ. In order for Gina to get out of Italy and into the United States, she would need help. Someone powerful enough to create false documents for her that would hold up to the closest scrutiny. With someone like that in her corner, arresting her and arranging extradition back to Italy would be…problematic at best. However, if she were to commit a crime here in the states, she would be arrested and tried here. Her 'benefactor' wouldn't be able to pull strings here for her."

JJ nodded as she thought about that. Someone who helped Gina would probably only have power and influence in Italy, not in America. "Okay…so what happens now?"

Elizabeth smiled and then pulled a document from her purse. "This happens now. This is a restraining order barring Gina from coming within 500 feet of Emily or you. I had it issued the day I heard about her escape. I have my own copy, this is yours. Gina is here in town, it's only a matter of time before she makes her move on Emily. When she does, I trust you and your friends will protect her and then call the cops and have them enforce this restraining order."

JJ realized that Emily's mom had known somehow that this was how it was going to play out. That Gina would find Emily here and make a move. She had thought of everything, right down to the fact that JJ and the gang would protect Emily from Gina. "How did Gina find out where Emily was staying?"

Elizabeth looked away a moment before she turned back to JJ, their time was starting to run short and she didn't want Emily to see here there. "That's where things can get messy. Gina came here, I believe, initially because she has family here; an aunt on her mother's side as well as a cousin. My sources seem to think she came here to see them first and get some money or help from them before she set out to find Emily. The fact that Emily is in the same town as her cousin seems right now to be a coincidence."

"This is a small town, who is her cousin?" JJ was remembering something then, something that she was hoping she was wrong about. She was remembering Emily's reaction to Jo Marlowe and how Jo had seemed familiar to Emily. JJ started to get the sinking feeling that Jo was Gina's cousin.

"Josephine Marlowe. Do you know her?"

JJ nodded solemnly, "Oh yeah. I know her. She's in the play with Emily."

Elizabeth's eyes widened a tiny bit as the implications of that, combined with Jo's connection to Gina, sank in. "That's a little too close for my comfort but I suppose it can't be changed now. As I understand the play opens in two days, correct?"

"Yes ma'am. We're all going to be there. Do you think Gina might do something then?"

"It's possible." Elizabeth looked at her watch then, "But that's a conversation for tomorrow, same time. Right now there's five minutes until Emily's rehearsal is over and I don't want her to see me here. Please JJ, don't tell her I am in town. She'll find out opening night when she sees me after the play. Until then, I would only be a distraction for her, okay?"

JJ nodded, not knowing what else to say except, "Of course. Until tomorrow then."

JJ left the car then and went back to he own car to wait for Emily. In the five minutes remaining to her before Emily came out, JJ saw the black sedan drive away and she realized, all this cloak and dagger stuff was because Emily's mom hadn't told her about Gina yet. Emily had no idea she was in any danger from the girl from her past. JJ knew that if Emily knew about it now, it would mess her up for the play so she decided to keep it to herself for now. She just hoped Emily would understand when it all came out after the play.

JJ almost wished Gina would try something at the play, she wasn't going to let the guys step in, no, she would handle Gina herself. JJ had a great left hook, but as a soccer star and a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, she had an even better kick.

Friday morning dawned bright and clear and Emily greeted the day with a fair amount of excitement and not a small amount of nerves. The play was scheduled to start at 7pm that night, which meant that she had to get through the school day, and a last minute rehearsal before the big moment.

The ride to school was quiet in the front seat of JJ's car, with Olivia and Alex in the back seat…making out. Emily just sat there silently, holding JJ's free hand as she drove, and enjoyed the moment.

JJ had secretly met with Emily's mom twice now and she was learning more than she ever wanted to know about Gina and everything the older girl had done both before and during her prison stay. Emily's mom had somehow gotten hold of Gina's prison records and she had shared them with JJ, as a way to prepare her for what she would be up against if Gina made a move at the play. It was a lot to take in but JJ felt she was ready to handle anything Gina tried.

On Friday morning, Jo made sure she was out of the house before Gina woke up, not wanting to spend any more time with her cousin than was absolutely necessary. She had already convinced her parents not to tell Gina about the play, saying she did think it would be something Gina would be interested in so she wasn't worried about that, she just figured the less contact she had with Gina, the better.

Gina woke up Friday morning and smiled when she noticed Jo had already left. In fact, she was alone in the house, her aunt and uncle having already left for work, so she took a leisurely bath before she walked back into the guest room she was staying in and sat on the bed. Carefully, Gina pulled something out from under her pillow. As her eyes took in all the details, she smiled again, but this time the smile looked…evil.

Gina held the playbill for the play that her cousin Jo was going to be in that night. She was certain Jo didn't know she had it, the small booklet having slipped out from the younger girl's back pack unnoticed by anyone but Gina. She had picked it up, curious about what it was, and when she saw the name 'Emily Prentiss' printed on it in the role of 'Rizzo'…well, it was almost too perfect.

So…little Emily was here, in this small town where her cousin lived. To Gina it was a sign that she was meant to find Emily again. They were soul mates and this just proved it. Emily could've moved anywhere in the world but she chose the same town as Gina's cousin Jo. It was like Emily was waiting for her and Gina wasn't going to disappoint her…besides, they had some unfinished business to get through before they could have their happy ending. As Gina dressed, she went over the plan that had formed in her head when she found the playbill. Nothing would stop her from having Emily again.

AN: Sorry if this chapter sucks...it's been a while. Getting back into the groove of writing. Hope I explained Gina a bit better. I know, it's weird having Emily's mom and JJ in a plot together but it seemed only right the two people who love her the most are working together to keep her safe. Leave a review and let me know if it sucked.