CHAPTER 18

WHY ARE YOU PINGING FROM PARIS?

Richard had driven Emily back to her hotel and let her sleep for as long as she would need the next morning. He had slipped her a handwritten note under the door, informing her that he would be back to see her Monday afternoon, and then he had gone back home for the night.

Emily, in turn, wanted nothing more than a shower and some good rest.

She woke up the next day, just in time for lunch. It didn't feel like Monday, if she was out of the office. It didn't feel like her life, if she wasn't between those awful brown walls, wearing those uncomfortable and unflattering black clothes. Was she actually having doubts about wanting to continue doing her job? Or was that the effect of the Chardonnay? She had only sipped on one glass of it, all evening.

There was a computer available for the guests in the hotel room and, since she was traveling without her cell phone, she decided to open her e-mail and see just how much her absence from the BAU had freaked everyone out. Or had they even noticed? Everyone had received the same e-mail, forcing them to take the week off. Maybe they all thought she was out for a vacation.

As soon as she logged into her e-mail account, her screen started to flood with messages that she barely managed to read quickly enough. Plus, she never even knew that there was a built-in live chat option, so that tiny little pop up window was surely a surprise.

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!

OMG you are alive!

Emily?

?

Can you hear me?

I mean read me. Can you READ me?

Hello?

Are you okay?

Where are you?

Oh, you're pinging.

Wait…you're pinging!

Emily?

Why are you pinging from Paris?

Please tell me you are pinging from Paris because you are out there having the time of your life with a hot French guy?

Wait…

Have you been kidnapped?

HAS SOMEONE DARED KIDNAP T.H.E. EMILY PRENTISS?

Oh, I'm getting mad!

Why are you not replying?

I knew it! You've been kidnapped.

That's it! I'm calling 911! Wait, wouldn't it be weird if the FBI called the Police? Damn it, stupid pride!

You're still pinging from a hotel in Paris. There is no record of Emily Prentiss on the guest list.

I double-checked.

Emily?

EMILY!?

Emily was suddenly overcome with uncontrollable giggles. Garcia was something else! She was beyond crazy. Once Emily typed in her reply, it seemed to help calm Garcia down maybe a tiny little bit.

Garcia, please shut up! I'm okay. Yes, I am in Paris. No, I have not been kidnapped. Stop freaking out and update me on what's going on out there. Is everyone okay?"

Everyone? Yes, Emily Prentiss, everyone is just fine. You know, we haven't yet suffered a heart attack from worrying about you 24/7. Magically.

Garcia, I appreciate a dose of sarcasm, but you need to tone it down.

Sorry. I'm sorry. I know you're still the boss… It's just that I felt so alone without your pretty face around here and you disappeared on us and I didn't know what to make of it.

I didn't disappear. We were forced to take the week off. I needed a change of scenery.

With a hot French guy?

No comment.

OMG, so there IS a hot French guy!?

No comment.

What's his name? Send me a photo.

Garcia...NO COMMENT!

Oh, so he is hooootttttt. Girl, I just started to worry a little less, knowing that there is someone who is taking reeeeeal good care of you.

Garcia!

Okay. Okaaay... So, when are you coming back?

Sunday. Sadly. And don't you dare organize another surprise party.

Oh, that never crossed my mind :/

Garcia, I'm serious. I'm getting here everything that I need to get my mind back in the game.

Mh-huh. I'm sure you are gettin' some of that.

Would you stop!?

Alright. PG 13. I get it.

Will you, please, let everyone know I want to see them Monday morning, 9 am?

Woman, of you quit on us, I am going to haunt you and then I am going to find you and then...I am going to pray you don't extinguish me before I manage to hurt you at least a little bit.

Garcia, you are something else. Hahahah.

It was really nice talking to you again, Prentiss.

Yeah. Same. How did you even message me so fast? I literally just logged on.

Oh. Easy. I stalked your ass.

Garcia!

What? I was really worried. You are known to just disappear for God knows how long. If not possibly forever.

Those words made Emily reflect a little. They were true. Each time Emily had something good in her life, something extremely good, she got self-conscious to the point that she'd rather bail than let herself enjoy what she deserved. She'd bail on things, jobs, but most importantly - people. The same people who helped build her up, the ones that transformed her into a better person. The more she liked someone, the faster she'd bail. That was valid not only for her relationships, but sadly, for her friendships as well.

Gotta run. Please tell everyone to stop worrying. I'm a grown ass woman. See you Monday.

Wait. Won't we chat again by then?

Don't think so.

With that line, Emily switched the computer off and went in for a shower.


"Don't you find it weird that everyone keeps asking for our names?" Angie finally came out and said it.

"No, not really. Literally no one knows us, so it's normal we are asked to identify ourselves when they see us wandering around." Bryan was a smart guy and she knew it, but God help him, he was kind of clueless sometimes.

"Our AT uniforms are identification enough!" She argued.

"Oh yeah? Look at yourself." He smirked, knowing that he had won that argument.

They were both wearing plain clothes. Nobody really said that, on their day off or at any time when they were not at training, they couldn't wear whatever they wanted.

"Would you judge me if I said I was hungry again?" Angie said shyly.

"It's only been a few hours..." Bryan commented, although if he had to be honest, he was looking forward to an actual meal.

"Let's grab something light and head to the woods." Her suggestion made him shake his head.

"Oh, Hell no! You won at lunch. Let me have a good dinner at least." He laughed and she was sure he was going to get that steak.

"Why the woods?" He added, realizing that it should be the last place she must want to go to, after Amanda's disappearance.

"Just because." She grinned and they made their way back to the food court.

Bryan insisted on paying the dinner and, since she thought she had paid for lunch, she found that to be an acceptable deal.

Angie almost sprinted to the woods, straight to the place where they had found the blood stains. They were now smeared and unclear, the rain had destroyed all visible signs of struggle, but the consequences of that night were haunting her.

"Doesn't it freak you out?" Bryan literally shivered.

"Not really." She walked off to the edge of the hill, where Amanda presumably had tumbled and fallen down from.

With her eyes, she scanned the surroundings. Then, with her mind, she assessed the situation from Amanda's point of view.

"Amanda is a bitch, not an idiot." Angie said out loud while keeping her eyes glued to the ground. "She wouldn't just wander around without being cautious. Nope. No way. My roommate is not brainless. I can't take silence for an answer. Nope. Not happening. No way. Nope!"

"Ugh. You're about to get me into some more trouble, aren't you, Hunter?" Bryan rolled his eyes.

If he had to be honest with himself, she had never actually gotten him into trouble. But that was only because they had never been caught. Yet. They had just done a few risky things, no big deal.

"You bet'cha!" She winked at him, suddenly not feeling creeped out by her surroundings.

She felt something else.

Curious.

To the point where she would make it her mission in the Academy to find out what happened to Amanda.