CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT

EVOLUTION

16x10 Dead End

November 2020

Emily hung up the phone and glanced through the glass into JJ's hospital room. Why today of all days? She walked back into the room and took a seat next to her. JJ smiled. She reached for her hand and Emily took it gently.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I'm ready to have this baby," JJ said back restlessly. Emily smiled and nodded. "Contractions every 5 minutes now," JJ muttered. "Who was on the phone?"

Emily shook her head, "It's not important…"

JJ gave her a knowing look. "Did you tell them that your wife was about to give birth in the middle of a pandemic?" Emily smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "They need an answer today don't they?"

Emily took a deep breath. "Yeah…" she let out her breath, a cautious expression on her face.

Present Day

"Section Chief Prentiss, I'm not going to negotiate with a serial killer. I want to see photos of his wife and children in the national media immediately."

"Madam Attorney General, with all due respect, that course of action will lead to the highest degree of collateral damage. We need to make him believe that we are willing to negotiate."

"But negotiate what exactly?" Bailey asked.

"The one and only thing that still matters to Voit is his family, so there is a chance that he would be willing to entertain the possibility of releasing them."

"His freedom for their freedom?" Bailey asked, incredulously.

"That's a non-starter," the Attorney General agreed.

Emily nodded, closing her eyes. "I understand. The thing is, we're not going to follow through with that. The act of negotiating will buy the BAU team the time it needs to locate and rescue David Rossi."

"Fine. Do it."

Emily walked out of the room expecting to hear Bailey and Rebecca following closely, but they weren't. She glanced back and saw them talking in low voices with the Attorney General. Emily felt weary. She didn't like that at all. They were hiding something…

She did her best to find a quiet corner of the waiting room. She always thought it was odd how public waiting rooms were. She was crying - bent over, her elbows leaning on her knees, her hands over her eyes - and anyone who walked by could see it. Emily had never liked crying in front of people, but she couldn't bring herself to care in this situation. And these tears weren't just tears of fear. It was more than that. It was shame.

Because for a split second - for a brief, fleeting moment, she resented her daughter. She blamed her. And as soon as she thought it, she felt a wave of self-loathing wash over her. Why had it even crossed her mind? What kind of mother blames their own baby for something like this?

She heard someone walk up and sit down in the seat next to her. A heavy sigh came from its new occupant. Emily didn't make an effort to look up for a while. The person sat there patiently. Finally, she brought her hands away from her eyes. She didn't know who she expected it to be - a stranger? Maybe Sandy Jareau? But she did a double take at who it was. Emily gazed into the eyes of Derek Morgan. She was sure she was dreaming. Had he really driven all the way up here? And how did he even know JJ was in labor?

His expression was one of concern - gazing back at her with a clenched jaw and furrowed brow. She must have looked like a mess. She was sure her eyes were red from crying.

"Derek…?"

"What, you thought I'd miss this?" he said back quickly. Emily opened her mouth to answer but was cut off.

"Family of Jennifer Jareau?" Emily immediately stood. Derek stood with her. "There were a few complications that we didn't expect. Things are still touch and go with mom, but baby's fine. She's being taken to the NICU now if you'd like to see her."

"What kind of complications?" Emily demanded.

The intern hesitated - it only made Emily more concerned. She opened her mouth a moment before speaking, "There was more bleeding than we expected… Agent, I'd be happy to take you upstairs to see your daughter."

"No - I… I need to be here."

The intern paused, unsure of what to say. Emily saw the young doctor shoot a look at Derek. "I should be getting back then," she finally said, excusing herself. Emily turned her head and glanced back into the waiting room. It was literally the last place she wanted to be. She tried to take a deep breath but the mask on her face felt suffocating.

"The Attorney General doesn't want any blood on the administration's hands, so -"

"So now we are prepared to let Voit and his family go," Bailey said diplomatically.

"Let him go?" Emily asked incredulously.

"It's the safest course of action. And we're confident both Canada and Mexico can and will extradite him when the time comes."

Emily narrowed her eyes. "Wait, wait, wait. There's something going on here. What am I missing?"

"Politics," Rebecca said quickly.

"Ms. Wilson," Bailey interrupted in an angry tone.

"So we do nothing?" Emily's phone started ringing in her hand. All three of them looked down at the phone.

"Do you need to get that?" Bailey asked.

It was JJ. Emily looked back up at them, "Uh - no. I can call back in a few minutes."

Emily swallowed and leaned back in her chair, letting out an agitated breath. She hadn't said a word since the doctor had talked to them. Derek tried to convince her to go visit her daughter to no avail. He watched her with expectant eyes. Eventually he sighed - he should've known she'd be stubborn about this. She always was.

"You know what the problem with fear is?" Derek asked. Emily's eyes snapped up to meet his. Anyone else would've been taken aback by the look on her face. But Derek didn't flinch. "No one ever tells you how much it can feel like guilt."

Emily broke eye contact, glaring in front of her, across the room. That had hit a little too close to home. He'd seen right through her. But that's why he was here, wasn't it? Because if anyone could get through to her, it was Derek. There was a little girl sitting upstairs alone and Emily couldn't even bring herself to go see her. She wasn't proud of it - but it was true.

"I'm really not in the mood for a riddle, Derek." Emily muttered.

"Go see your daughter."

She began shaking her head, "I need to be here," she murmured.

"Worrying yourself to death in a waiting room? Prentiss, you have a daughter - right up stairs - who needs her mom."

"She's my wife," Emily breathed. It came out in a whisper. She still couldn't meet his eyes.

"Yeah, she is. And that little girl upstairs… is your daughter," he said with an intensity that would not be denied. She finally looked back up at Derek's face, working hard to keep her composure.

JJ smiled as she watched Emily and Deputy Director Bailey step out of the black SUV. Emily immediately made her way over to the rest of her team. Bailey lingered.

"I'll head up there," he said confidently.

"Deputy Director, you can't just walk up there and knock on the door," JJ began.

"We need to set a perimeter and surveil the house," Luke added.

"Just… set up your tactical positions. I'll handle Voit."

Emily glanced at her wife and huffed unhappily. JJ returned the look. They watched Bailey approach the house for a moment, then started around the house to set up a perimeter.

"I have eyes on Sydney Voit. Back room. Double window," Emily's voice came through her ear piece.

JJ glanced in her direction. "I'll cover you."

Emily holstered her gun and ran up to the window, JJ only a couple steps behind. Emily lifted the youngest girl through the window and put her on the ground. That's when they heard the gunshot. It came from inside the house. Emily turned and ran back towards the woods - JJ ahead of her. She heard bullets flying past her. Elias was shooting at them. Emily turned around and fired off a couple of shots before she was hit herself.

"Emily!" JJ yelled, panicked. She helped her get behind a nearby tree. Bullets continued to whiz by them. "Are you okay?" There was clear panic in her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm good," Emily answered in a heavy breath. The bullet hit her vest and it knocked the wind out of her.

"Are you hit?"

"Yeah, I'm alright though." JJ stared at the bullet hole in her wife's bulletproof vest. She swallowed and nodded her head. JJ glanced back up at the window. Voit was gone. She quickly helped Emily to her feet and helped her back to the front of the house.

Derek and Emily walked slowly around the corner and into the NICU. A warmth was already spreading through her as she gazed around the room of newborn babies. She watched another woman cradle her child in her arms for a moment.

"Right this way, ma'am."

Emily blinked and hesitated for a long moment, but then slowly followed the nurse. Emily was always amazed by how small they were when they were first born. Small and soft and warm. Her daughter was awake - looking up at Emily with tired eyes. Emily stared at her. She felt the fresh tears in her eyes.

She'd been a fool to think that she would ever resent this child if something happened to JJ. She couldn't. It was the same as it was with Henry and Michael five years ago - it was love at first sight. It was unconditional and it was unchangeable. Emily broke eye contact to look back at the nurse.

"Can I hold her?"

"Of course."

The nurse picked up the baby gently and handed her over to Emily. She held her a bit awkwardly at first. After some fussing, the little girl settled into her mother's arms.

"They're taking his body to the hospital first," Emily said in a ghost of a whisper. JJ looked back at her - there was genuine grief in her eyes. It never felt different. Regardless of who it was - losing a fellow Agent was always harrowing.

JJ stared at her wife for a long moment. "You need to get checked out too," JJ said sternly. "I'll go with you."

Emily opened her mouth to challenge her but stopped. JJ wasn't asking - and if Emily was honest with herself, JJ's company was welcomed after what just happened. The car ride over to the hospital was silent. They were the only two in the car. Emily stared off into the distance, eyes glazed over. They were both still in shock.

Emily sat on the edge of the ER bed. The curtain was pulled closed around them, JJ was standing in front of her. Emily began unbuttoning her shirt. She let it hang open when she was done. JJ studied the bruise that was forming on her upper abdomen. She had taken the bullet only about an hour ago, but already the bruise was turning a reddish-purple color. JJ glanced at her watch. They had to be in a different waiting room in just under twelve hours.

"It looks worse than it feels," Emily muttered. She had noticed JJ's eyes.

"Good," she answered in a small voice.

Emily was sitting in a rocking chair in the NICU. She was still staring down at the baby in her arms. She hadn't been able to take her eyes off of her. The peace that her daughter was providing her… without the distraction, her brain would be playing out all the worst-case-scenarios.

The nurse walked by and Emily glanced up. "Excuse me? Are there any updates on my wife? Jennifer Jareau?"

"I'll find out," she answered quickly.

Emily nodded and looked back down. Their daughter was captivating. She was so small and fragile and innocent. No one had hurt her yet. Emily wanted to keep it that way. She ran her fingers over her head cataloging the things she'd already learned about the little girl. She was quiet compared to Michael and Henry - she had barely made a fuss since they had sat down and started rocking. Her eyes were gray. And she recognized her voice. Emily could tell.

"Ma'am? Your wife is being taken to a recovery room. You'll be able to visit in about a half hour."

Relief flooded her body. JJ was going to be okay. "Thank you," Emily sighed. They knew this pregnancy could be risky. But JJ was okay. And Emily was holding their daughter safely in her arms. She couldn't wait to watch JJ meet her.

It only took a couple minutes for the doctor to check her out. She nodded once and gave her a clean bill of health. JJ thanked her quietly then turned back to Emily. JJ's eyes were cast downward. She was nervously biting at her thumb nail. Emily stood and began buttoning her shirt back up. She was about to walk out of the curtained area, when JJ grabbed her upper arm and turned her back to face her. Emily gave her a questioning look and raised her eyebrows. JJ smiled anxiously before leaning in and kissing her quickly. It was a light kiss, but it was heavy with meaning. That was the first time they'd kissed since Emily's confession.

JJ's lips lingered close to Emily's face, her forehead came to rest against hers. When she finally pulled back there was a look of absolution in her eyes. It gave Emily a feeling of peace. It was JJ who pulled the curtain open and began walking away. Emily watched her for a moment before following.

It was the only thing JJ wanted at that particular moment. The two people she was most worried about… She woke to find Emily sitting next to her. She wasn't looking at her though. She was completely transfixed by the baby in her arms. JJ's eyes fell on her little face and love swelled in her chest.

"We should go back…"

Emily's eyes jerked up. She smiled in surprised relief. "Hey…" Emily leaned forward to get closer. "There- uh - there's someone here who has been waiting to meet you," Emily whispered. She stood and carefully placed their daughter in JJ's arms. JJ pushed the blanket down to get a better look. Their daughter was sleeping. JJ smiled breathlessly. She felt her vision become blurry and turned to look back up at Emily. She was sitting on the edge of her hospital bed, watching. This was an important moment. And one of the happiest of her life.

"We should go back," JJ said again.

"Where…?"

"Quantico. You should take the job. And we should go back…"

"Jay, we don't need to make any decisions right now."

"Yeah, we do." Emily broke eye contact and nodded. JJ was right - she had until the end of the day and, according to the clock on the wall, that deadline was coming up soon. "What does Derek think?"

Emily's eyes widened a little. "You called him didn't you?"

JJ smiled knowingly. Her eyes sparkled playfully. Of course she had. JJ turned back to the baby in her arms.

"She's beautiful…" JJ whispered. She looked back up at her wife, "Don't you think?"

"Yeah. Yeah, she's a heartbreaker…" Emily leaned forward to kiss JJ's forehead softly.

They turned the corner and came to a sudden halt. The large waiting room was packed. At least 30 people. They lingered by the door.

"Who do you think she is?" Emily asked out loud. JJ looked around for a moment before she zeroed in.

"It's her," she said, immediately making her way towards the woman. Emily stared after her.

"How do you know?" She asked, quickly following JJ, a step behind.

"Mrs. Bailey?" JJ asked gently. The woman looked up and blinked in recognition. Emily glanced at her wife - they were both profilers, but she had no idea how JJ had picked her out of a crowd so quickly. "My name is Jennifer Jareau. I worked with your son."

The woman blinked. It was like she was in her own world - barely able to register what JJ was saying.

"Ma'am?" Emily began. The woman turned her head slowly to look at her. "He's ready… if you'd like to see him."

Six hours later they found themselves across the country in a different waiting room. They were the last people there. Emily was lucky that the doctor extended his day to see her. JJ sat next to her with her arms crossed. Emily knew she'd been worried all day about making it to this appointment. Emily's gaze lowered slightly. She was still thinking about the way JJ had kissed her earlier. It gave her hope that they were going to be okay. Then, something occurred to her.

"You know before… in the waiting room?" Emily whispered. JJ looked over at her, coolly. "How did you know that she was Bailey's mother?"

JJ looked away - down at her hands in her lap. She shook her head slightly and her eyes glazed over in a moment of introspection.

"Waiting rooms are filled with people hoping for good news." She looked back at Emily. "She was the only one who looked like she'd completely given up."

Emily felt her chest tighten. JJ was right - that was exactly the look in the woman's eyes… And the parallel was not lost on her, as they sat together in a waiting room themselves. "Yeah…" Emily agreed. JJ said nothing more.

"Prentiss?"

They both turned to look at the nurse and stood from their seats.