Chapter Text
“Come in,” Aaron said without looking up at the person who was knocking at the door. He was expecting JJ to arrive with the morning’s briefing; however a flash of blue and black in his peripheral vision told him that it wasn’t JJ who had come in. Aaron needed this report signed off before the briefing, so his focus remained on his desk. Whoever it was could wait for a moment as he tried to recall whether he had anything scheduled before the briefing but nothing came to mind.
“Agent Hotchner, my name is Emily Prentiss,” an unfamiliar voice said, however the woman’s surname did sound familiar. Aaron signed the report before he remembered his manners and offered his hand.
“Pleasure to meet you. You wouldn’t happen to be related to Ambassador Prentiss, would you?” Aaron asked and he saw the flicker of irritation cross her face before it was replaced by her smile. Clearly she was and she wasn’t fond of the implication that her surname had propelled her career as opposed to those who coasted on their family name and the connections they brought.
“Both of them I’m afraid.” Emily said as she shifted her hold on the box slightly. That was suspicious. She was yet to explain why she was in his office and clutching a box. Despite himself always trying to prevent himself from making rash judgments about another agent; he began to smell a rat. A rat named Strauss. Elle was gone. They were an agent down but until now, Strauss had been suspiciously lax about recruiting a new agent. This clearly had to be why. Because she had one waiting in the wings, ready to assign at the earliest possible moment.
“I worked as part of your mother’s security detail as one of my first jobs in the Bureau, I believe you were away at Brown at the time.” Aaron said carefully, it was a test, he wasn’t proud of it. He remembered Ambassador Prentiss’ smug pride at announcing that her daughter was at Yale, even if she was studying Criminology and Psychology instead of Medicine or Politics. If she corrected him, he knew she would be telling the truth. If she didn’t then she clearly would have been told to agree with whatever he said to ensure her spot on the team.
“It was Yale actually,” Emily corrected and he felt a flicker of respect. Clearly she hadn’t gotten in to Yale based on her name alone and she had enough wits to not blindly obey a command. “I was based out in the Midwest before my maternity leave and now I’m here.”
“Forgive me, Agent Prentiss but why are you here?” Aaron asked directly. This would be her second test; would she tell him the truth or would she play naive. He had never met her when he worked for the Ambassador but from what he had heard about the Ambassadors’ daughter from the other security detail agents; she was anything but naive.
“I was hoping you could tell me where my desk was. I was informed by Section Chief Strauss that I was joining the Behavioural Analysis Unit today.” Emily replied truthfully. She could tell based by Agent Hotchner’s reactions that her suspicions were true. Strauss fully expected her to be a rat in the BAU team. Great. This was why she hated politics.
“I’m sorry, there appears to have been some sort of mistake. We’ve not been assigned a new agent.” Aaron replied as JJ knocked on the door.
“We’ve got a briefing,” JJ said as she held up the files in her hands and looked at Emily curiously.
“Speak to Chief Strauss. I apologise for any confusion.” Aaron said politely. “It was good to see you, Agent Prentiss.”
Emily watched Aaron follow JJ towards the conference room. As the other agents entered the room, she noticed the look Aaron exchanged with Agent Gideon who looked at her suspiciously, shrugged his shoulders and entered the conference room. For a moment, she stood there before she set her box down and went to confront Chief Strauss. This was not a game she intended on playing. She had made her request to Chief Strauss loud and clear. She had applied to the BAU because they expected the best and she knew she was it. Even with her ‘amended’ career history, she had more than earned a position within the Behavioural Analysis Unit but she had intended to earn it on her own merit. Not because of her family name or a pawn in someone else’s game. She had already had a lifetime of that.
“Agent Prentiss, you can’t go in there-” Catherine, Strauss’ overworked and underpaid PA insisted as Emily flung open the door to Strauss’ office and marched inside.
“What the hell are you playing at?!” Emily demanded as Strauss looked up churlishly from the report she was reading and stared pointedly at Emily.
“I don’t recall inviting you in, Agent Prentiss.” Straus reprimanded coolly as Emily glared at her.
“What the hell is going on?!” Emily demanded again. “According to you, I was meant to join the BAU today, however when I spoke to Agent Hotchner, he hadn’t the slightest idea that his team was getting a new agent. I mean it Strauss, I’m not going to be your little puppet or spy. Either I’m joining the BAU or I'm not but stop wasting my time.”
“Hmm. Your records do say you have an issue with insubordination. Is that what happened in Prague?” Strauss retorted calmly. “Agent Easter was more than forthcoming with information in regards to that. In contrast to the limited information he provided on your long term work in Northern Ireland prior to your most recent period of maternity leave.”
“How-” Emily began before she stopped herself. Strauss knew some of her past, she reminded herself, but not all of it. She could tell that the proclaimed Wicked Witch of the BAU would have no hesitation using what she knew as leverage over her head. “I wouldn’t call it an issue.”
“I’m sure you wouldn’t.” Strauss stated curtly. “In relation to your application to the BAU; we all knew how much you wanted it and with Agent Greenaway’s recent… departure, there were some who did not think you would be suitable. However I recommended you because I had faith in your abilities to do the job. That means that when I need you to repay that act of good faith, you will.”
“I won’t,” Emily insisted as a flicker of a smirk crossed Strauss’ face. A smirk that Emily knew she would smack off if she ever saw it again. BAU and FBI be damned.
“Oh but you will. If you want the position in the BAU. Now, I understand the team will have a case. I’ll speak to Agent Hotchner, when the team return this misunderstanding shall be resolved. In the meantime, take the additional few days to prepare yourself. There is a lot of travel with the BAU. You may want to ensure that everything is prepared for when you depart.” Strauss replied and picked up the report again. “Good day Agent Prentiss.”
“Ma’am,” Emily retorted, impressing herself with her ability to make the referential title sound like an insult. Just as she opened the door, Strauss looked up at her again.
“One more thing Agent Prentiss,” Strauss said and Emily looked at her. “Should you burst into my office and speak to me in that manner again, you will be fired. Is that understood?”
“Yes Ma’am,” Emily replied in a slightly more polite tone. Years of manners, elocution and her mother’s scoldings finally proving themselves useful as she left Strauss’ office without slamming the door shut behind her. ‘Fucking Bitch’ , Emily thought to herself, Strauss knew exactly what she was doing and knew Emily would concede. She didn’t just want the position in the BAU. She needed it.
As Emily walked back to the bullpen, she took a few deep breaths to try and calm herself. She was doing this for a reason. Working in the BAU had always been one of her highest career aspirations but working with the best profilers in the country was also a way of keeping her family safe. The BAU had connections; they had links, the sort of links that could help her keep her ear close to the ground, to do what she had to do to protect her family. That was why she did everything that she did. It wasn’t for her, her wants and her needs, it was for her family.
Emily entered the bullpen and saw that not only had the team left, her box had been pointedly moved to the bottom of the steps, out of the way. She didn’t need to be a profiler to know that meant that she was seen as someone in the way; who needed to know her place. She knew her place. It was in the BAU. Whether Agent Hotchner liked it or not. Emily picked up the box and tucked it under her arm before she turned and walked out of the bullpen. Her thumb jabbed the button for the elevator as she considered her options. She had time off for the next few days at least, maybe she ought to make the most of it.
The house still needed to be organised, there were still boxes to unpack, things to arrange, errands to run before she had to do the collections. At least she would be able to do it today. When she had made the move to DC; the first thing she had done was ensure that both of her children were enrolled in excellent, secure schools and creches; that only two people had authority to collect either of them. One being her, the other being Louise, in order to ensure their safety. That was why she did all of this.
It was to keep her children safe.
August 2003
Her hand trembled as she held the plastic stick in her hand. She was cursing herself for being so stupid, so reckless. It had been drummed into her over and over again to not do anything to jepordise the mission. Short of revealing her true identity, this was the worst thing she could have done.
“Please, please, please,” Emily muttered helplessly as the seconds ticked by. Please let it be a mistake. Please let her be wrong. Please don’t show two lines. “Shit.”
Two lines. She was pregnant.
Pregnant with Ian Doyle’s baby.
“Lauren, you alright?” Ian asked as he knocked on the door. Emily glanced around and knew she was sunk. Even if she hid it, even if she took the ‘measures’ needed to ‘handle’ the situation, he would know. It had been him who planted the idea in her head when he noticed her change in appetite and that she had been feeling dizzy and nauseous. He would demand an answer.
“Positive,” Emily said aloud as she unlocked the door but didn’t open it. Ian turned the handle and as she looked at him, his eyes fell to the stick in her hand and his eyes widened.
“Are you-?” Ian began and Emily nodded. She knew he already had a son, she didn’t believe his bare-faced lie that Declan was Louise’s kid for one second. However she didn’t know how he felt about her being pregnant. Surely there was a reason why Declan’s mother wasn’t on the scene. As much as Doyle tended to love ‘em and leave ‘em; there had to be a reason why she wasn’t involved. Maybe she had crossed him too? He tended to only have one way to deal with anyone who crossed him, man or woman.
A bullet to the head and a shallow grave. Job done.
Was that going to be what awaited her? Or would this actually be the key she needed to bring him down? She could still have the insight on missions and since he wouldn’t be around her 24/7, she would have a chance to relay her findings without the risk of being caught. Clyde was going to flip the proverbial lid but maybe, just maybe, this potential disaster could be a blessing in disguise.
“I am,” Emily replied as her hand ghosted nervously over her stomach. It didn’t feel any different. She was probably only about three weeks at most, seeing as she still hadn’t missed a period yet.
“And are you going to keep it?” Doyle asked testily. She could see the mixed emotions in his eyes. She was always drawn to his eyes. They could be bright and expressive, full of love or filled with hatred, like shards of blue glass.
“I am,” Emily nodded and she could tell she had said the right thing as Doyle scooped her up into his arms and kissed her deeply. She kissed him back because she had to. Because Lauren loved him. Even if Emily despised him.
Emily stepped out of the elevator and headed towards the parking lot. Once the box was put back into the trunk with a pre-packed go-bag, she got into the car and headed back towards DC. Not for the first time, she wondered if she had made the right choice, applying for the BAU in the first place. Clyde had insisted that there would always be a spot at Interpol for her, however she knew she had made the right choice. If she had stayed at Interpol, there was the potential that someone would leak something. If she returned to the States, then if the worst happened, she would be on home turf with more connections and resources at her disposal.
But the worst wasn’t going to happen. That life was behind her. All that mattered now was making a new and better life for her and her children.
“Mommy!”
Emily knelt just in time to catch the little two year old whirlwind as she sprinted through the childproof gates to hug her mother. Emily held her close and kissed her forehead as she looked around for her coat and bag. “How was she today?”
“She was fine, she settled in really well and played with a lot of the children. Most children struggle on their first day but Aoife loved playing, especially in the sand tray and out on the slide.” One of the creche employees explained as Aoife tugged her coat off the assigned peg.
“Look Mommy, dolly picture!” Aoife said as she pointed to the picture above her coat peg. Emily smiled as she noticed the different pegs had different pictures, cars, stars, puppies, rocket ships, rainbows and spirals.
“I see it, come on Sweetie, we need to get your brother from school.” Emily said as she took Aoife’s hand. “Say bye,”
“Bye,” Aoife waved as Emily led her out of the building and into the car. She knew that Louise would most likely collect Declan from school first but she had wanted to ensure Aoife had settled into her first day at creche. Declan had been to school before but this had been the first time she had been away from Emily for a while. Emily buckled Aoife into her car seat and stroked her dark hair, teasing her little pigtails as Aoife reached for the toy she had left in the back of the car that morning. “We see Declan?”
“Yes, we’re going to pick Declan up from Big School,” Emily smiled as she got into the front of the car and turned the ignition. Declan’s school was less than five minutes drive from Aoife’s creche, even with the school run traffic surrounding the private elementary school she had enrolled Declan in. Emily pulled up at the end of the street and carefully lifted Aoife out of the car. Emily kept a tight grip on her hand as they walked towards the school gates with the other parents, childminders and guardians. The school had explained to her when Declan had been enrolled that their policy was to release the children who used the buses first to clear the traffic and the streets. Pupils who walked home or were collected by an adult or sibling came out five minutes later.
Emily watched carefully as Declan walked slowly with the rest of his class towards the waiting adults. She watched he looked around carefully before he spotted Emily and rushed towards her. “Mommy!”
“Hi Sweetheart, how was school? Did you make friends?” Emily asked as she hugged him tightly and pressed a kiss to his curly blond hair. They had considered dying it when the mission ended before they ultimately decided against it. Certain things could be explained away as recessive genes, even if both of them had inherited their father's bright blue eyes.
“Yeah, my teacher is really nice and I played with some of the boys. We played tag and climbed on the monkey bars. We’re reading a story and did some adding in math.” Declan explained cheerfully as he hugged Aoife.
“Wow, it sounds like you had a super day in school.” Emily smiled as she picked up Aoife and took Declan’s hand in her free one in order to walk back to the car. She kept a watchful eye out as they reached the car and she buckled Aoife back into her car seat. As she drove home, she glanced at Declan and Aoife as they played and chatted in the back seat. Both of her children were so sweet, loving and kind; so unlike their father. And she was determined to ensure that they never, ever came close to being like him.
Four days later, Aaron walked wearily back up to his office. Having two unsubs trying to challenge and outdo each other was a rarity and it was a good thing it was. It took so much of their energy to catch one unsub or even one group or pair of unsubs; never mind two playing against each other. He had to admit, as irritated as he was that Strauss aimed to appoint a new team member behind his back; they had gotten used to working as a team of seven. Elle’s departure had impacted the team and their ability to work together. They were already stretched to their limits and they needed a decent agent.
Aaron’s brow furrowed as he noticed the light on in his office and the door slightly ajar. As he approached, he wasn’t surprised to see Agent Prentiss sitting on the couch and waiting for him. Well, she was nothing if not tenacious. “Please tell me you haven’t been here for the past four days.”
“No, I heard you were coming back tonight and I was told to meet you here.” Emily replied as Aaron walked into his office. “Look, this isn’t a game Agent Hotchner. I applied for the BAU because I want to be a part of this team. I’m not playing any sort of political game.”
“And Strauss,” Aaron countered. He had spoken to her on the phone, which had only made his bad mood worse, and Strauss had insisted that Emily was going to join the team. Or else the team would have a Section Chief who would welcome her to the team.
“I told her as much the other day. She wasn’t pleased.” Emily replied and smiled playfully. “If that helps my application because she is still pretty pissed at me.”
“Well, that’s her default with us,” Aaron conceded. “What do you make of the I-90 killer?”
“The one believed to be operating from state to state; keeps to a pattern, most likely a long distance driver or trucker. Someone who doesn’t have long term attachments and the freedom to travel across state lines over and over and collect and dispose victims at will. Most likely a sexual sadist.” Emily replied as she looked at the file she had been reading over. She had been waiting a while and out of boredom, picked up one of the files to look over.
“Not bad,” Aaron said. “Is there anything else you feel I need to know before you officially join the team?”
“Actually, there is,” Emily said truthfully. “I’m a single mom to two children; a six year old boy and a two year old girl.”
Aaron frowned slightly and considered how to voice his concern. Being a parent in the BAU was tough, being a single parent would be even more so. There were already more arguments between him and Haley about the amount of time he was missing out with Jack and that was with both of them raising him. “You are aware that working the BAU involves a lot of unsociable hours and last minute travel. It might not be suitable for you or your children. I'm not trying to put you off but I want you to be fully aware of what you're signing on for."
“I’ve considered that, I have a friend who is a qualified childminder who will be able to take care of my children if I have to travel out of state for a case.” Emily replied truthfully. “And before you ask, their father is not a part of their life and won’t be.”
“I understand,” Aaron said; there was something in the way Emily said that statement about her children’s father that told him loud and clear that there was more to the story than she wanted him to know. However, he knew it wasn’t his place to pry and the team had an unspoken rule about leaving their personal lives out of the office whenever they could. If Emily wanted to tell them, then she would when she was ready. Aaron looked at her and offered her his hand.
“Be here for 9am tomorrow. We brief new cases at 10am. Welcome to the team, Agent Prentiss.” Aaron said as Emily shook his hand and smiled at him.
“Thank you Agent Hotchner, you won’t regret this.” Emily said. She had taken the first step and officially become part of the BAU. Now she had to prove why she had earned the spot on the team and her own worth and skill as an agent. Something that she knew, would be easier said than done.