The briefing room was silent except for the soft shuffling of papers as Hotch laid out the details of their new case. A series of murders had occurred in a small Pennsylvania town, the victims all young women with no clear connection other than their age and appearance.
"We'll need to move quickly," Hotch said, glancing around the room. "The media is catching wind of this, and the unsub's pace is escalating."
"Morgan and Prentiss," Hotch continued, "you'll handle canvassing the neighborhoods where the victims were last seen."
Derek stiffened, but his face remained carefully neutral. Emily, sitting directly across from him, nodded sharply.
In the SUV, the tension was palpable. Emily glanced at Derek as he drove, his jaw tight, his hands gripping the wheel.
"Are you going to ignore me forever?" she finally asked, her voice soft but steady.
Derek's grip tightened. "Ignore you? That's rich coming from the woman who vanished into thin air."
Emily exhaled, turning to look out the window. "It wasn't like that."
"Then what was it like, Emily?" he shot back, his voice rising. "You didn't even have the decency to leave a note."
She bit her lip, the guilt she had carried for years bubbling to the surface. "It's complicated."
Derek let out a harsh laugh. "Yeah, I've heard that before. But it's not complicated for me. You broke me, Emily. And now, what? You expect me to just smile and play nice because you're back?"
"I don't expect anything from you," she said quietly.
"Good," he snapped, pulling into the parking lot of their destination. He killed the engine and got out of the car without another word.
Emily took a deep breath, steadying herself before following him.