the girl who lost things

part sixteen

— emily's pov
I drop her off at school and make my way towards the metropolitan area. They'll meet us there; I discreetly go to a bench and sit down. A paper bag is right next to it. I pick up and dial the number. " hello?"

" they killed Jeremy." the voice on the phone says. I'm at a loss for words. " he was found in his apartment in Boston, Bullet in his head." my breathing starts to get sober. Get ahold of yourself, Emily." Thanks for the news, Tsia."

" what are we gonna do?" A man says over the phone." kill him," I say back to him.

" isn't that a little morbid, Emily? I thought motherhood changed you." I finally spot him sitting at a far bench, Clyde. " This has nothing to do with motherhood; he needs to be stopped. But, until then, keep yourselves safe."

I get a message from Penelope.

We have a case.
it reads," Is that your job?"  Tsia asks."Yea, I have to go." I hang up the phone and toss it in the trash bin.

— jessie's pov

I sat in my class waiting for the bell to ring to indicate the start of it. Instead, my math teacher walks in."You're here, early." she laughs and unpacks her stuff.

"Yea, haha." I look down at my poetry book and get lost in the words.

I think finding happiness
within yourself is the only
true way to be
free

I flip to the next page.

— emily's pov

" Lauren Reynolds is dead," I say over the phone. Tsia had called me back." So who's Lauren Reynolds?" Reid comes over and asks. "No one, she's no one." I unpack it on the desk."Doesn't sound like no one."

"It was a friend; she died," I say, walking to the center table." Well, sorry for your loss." we take our seats, and Garcia stands up."Where's JJ?" I don't see her at the round table."She's been temporarily reassigned to the pentagon," Hotch says. I try to take in the information; it didn't come as a shock to anybody else.

" We found out earlier today," Rossi whispers into my ear. I nod and whisper back into his ear. " so agent Seaver is also temporary?" he nods and looks back at the board. "Ok, so in Silver Spring, Maryland. six decapitated bodies were found in an abandoned church." She clicks through the slides To reveal severed bodies.

" Are they sitting down?" Morgan asks, going through the case file.

" Yes, umm. They were all found facing the alter wearing old pieces of clothing. all at the same time but various stages of decomp." Garcia shields her eyes from the slideshow.

" Could this be religious?" I ask, turning to Reid for a somewhat answer.

" maybe, a religious renaissance is what I'm getting from it," he replies."Religious what-?" Seaver asks.

"Religious renaissance, the fact that they are wearing renaissance clothing. in the 1600's they believed that beheading was the only viable solution for sinners." He replies," That explains the church, a form of repentance?"

 "Either way, we have a serial killer on our hands. wheels up in 30." hotch says.

— jessie's pov

Lunchtime hits, nothing again. I might as well go to the gym. I work out; sit-ups, push-ups, and more.

Sweat drips down my face, and I watch the time go by. 12:20. I have to go freshen up. I hit the showers. Thank God. No one Is there. I quickly finish and change in my extra clothes. The bell rings, and I head to class. Biology class. I try not to fall asleep. We were learning about the chronic effects of waves in the ocean. It's the most boring thing ever.

Then, the principal comes into the room. " Jessie Prentiss?" I look up in my half-sleeping state. " can you come with me, please?" I nod and exit the classroom

" You have a visitor here to see you." I look up at her, confused" Am I going home?" I walk and let out a yawn.

" No, He just wants to talk to you. he works with your mom." I nod and go into the office. I see an average build white guy, probably in his mid 40's never seen him before. She leaves us in the room and closes the door.

" Who are you?" I say in the most stand-offish way possible.

" That's no way to talk to your elders." he grabs a chair and sits. "my name is Ian Doyle, and you must be Jessie?" I nod. "well, this school is cliche isn't it." he says, looking around." What do you mean?" 

" Your moms and FBI agent, you would expect her to put you in a higher clearance school." I look him directly in the eyes.

"It's none of your business." I grab my phone, but he holds my hand there." But, it's your mom's business what you do on Wednesdays, right?" my heart drops; I pull my hand away from my pocket. He couldn't have known what was going on, right?

" What are you talking about?" my voice cracks a little." Nothing, I want you to give a message to your mom." I start to pick my skin. He comes closer to my ears. My eyes begin to water. " tell, Lauren, I said hi." he walks out and leaves me there.

I pick up my phone to call her. No. not now. She's working; I can't interrupt the case. But, how does he know? I quickly walk out of the office and into the bathroom. I forget how to breathe. I try to catch my breath: control, control. Tears are now running down my eyes. Control is the only thing going through my head. I reach into my backpack.

Razor.

I break my pencil sharpener and glide the blade across my hips, one line. Two lines. Then more and more until the blood drips on the floor. The feeling goes numb until I hear a knock on the door." Is everything ok in there?" the voice sounded familiar. The guidance counselor. I take some blood from my hip and put it on the tissue. Then, apply it to my nose.

" yes, just a nose bleed." I open the door to show her. but my eyes are red. " it happens when I get stressed." I honestly need an award for the biggest liar of the year." Can I see you in my office?" I stay put.

" why?" I wipe my tears. I wash my hands and walk out of the bathroom, leaving her there. I start walking to my next period." You were crying." Duh! How could counselors be so dumb?

" Yes, cause I was stressed. please leave me alone." So I walk into my class, and she's doesn't follow me.

— emily's pov

Derek and I drive to the medical examiner's office.

" what's wrong," Derek asked. "Nothing." I continue to stare out the window, and then I get a call.

" Emily Prentiss." I turn to Morgan with a sorry look. "Yes?" 

" Hello, this is Sarah Samuelsson. Is this a good time to call?" I cover the phone. "How long is it to the medical examiners?" I ask Derek

" Eight more minutes," Derek says. " Yes, this is a good time." I continue to look outside the window.

" I'm worried about your child, Jessie. I found her in the bathroom crying," she says over the phone. I exhale." Do you know why?"

" She said she's agitated and stressed." I put my hand over my face in anguish. " Thank you so much for calling." I hang up the phone; this is taking effect on her.

" Who was that?" Derek asks?" Jessie's school, she had a breakdown." tears begin to erupt from my eyes. " Am I a bad mom?" I say, sobbing into my hands.

Derek looks stunned. He comforts me. he wraps his arms around me. " you're not, Emily." he looks me straight in the eye. " you're the best thing that has ever happened to her."