don't you listen?

chapter 41

"Why are we here again?" you stopped Emily in the lift before walking into the BAU.

"Because you Lola Prentiss are worthy of this job, regardless of whether your boss likes you or not" Emily smiled as she held your hand after she hugged you.

"Oh thank goddess where have you been? why haven't you answered your phone?" JJ said as you stepped out the elevator doors.

"Uhhh I was with Emily" you used your thumb to point at Emily behind you "I went to her house for In-n-Out and my phone's here" you showed her your phone with zero notifications from JJ.

"Tell me the truth baby it's okay" JJ stroked your hair.

"I...am?" you said confused.

"Baby, don't lie to me, where were you"

You scrunched your face in confusion "Jennifer I am telling you the truth, why don't you believe me"

"You're lying to me" JJ started to get possessive.

You hated this side of JJ "oh yeah cause you know exactly what a liar looks like" you shrugged her hug off and pushed her out of the way.

"What the hell was that" Emily said as she saw you push JJ.

"I told her why I was late and she told me I was lying" You scoffed.

"Did you tell her-" Emily started.

"Yeah I told her the truth, why wouldn't I-" you noticed your voice getting audibly louder and you started shouting at Emily "sorry, yeah I sorry yeah I did"

"So what's the problem?" Emily said in understanding why you lashed out.

"Not sure" You said turning back to face JJ who started making her way over to the conference room, both of your eyes following her.

Emily sighed "You're coming home with me tonight and we're looking for apartments" Emily sighed running her arm up and down yours.

You smiled "There's a case come on" you pulled her hand to the conference room.

"A single homicide in Nashville, Tennessee" JJ started "that is, firefighters responded to a house fire, in the Greenhills neighbourhood and were able to put out the fire before it destroyed everything, but they discovered the body of Monica Feinstein"

"All right well, burns on the body were limited to the legs and feet, but knife makes went all the way down to the skull" Elle noted.

"Possibly symbolic" Luke added

"Were the cuts post mortem?" you questioned.

"They were, cause of death was strangulation" JJ nodded

"So the face is a trophy?" Emily questioned.

"He took it with him to relive what he did?" Derek added another question

"And with Jeffery Dahmer killers often collect body parts to combat a feeling of inadequacy, they see the trophy as an extension of their own identity, something they'd rather die than give up" Reid added.

"How did the unsub set the fire?" you questioned.

"Firefighters sourced the flames to a lit stove and then discovered evidence of  corroded gas pipes" JJ affirmed

"The gas pipes are made of galvanised steel and the house is only a few years old" Elle noted again.

"The unsub could've used sulfuric acid to mimic the effects of corrosion" Derek added

"Yeah he's gone to great lengths to make the fire look like an accident" Elle said.

"No forensic countermeasure" Luke added

"Burning the house down would be a perfect way to cover your tracks" You added.

"The sophistication suggests that this isn't his first and he's probably planning more" Emily extended your sentence.

"Wheels up" JJ nodded.

"Looks like I'm not staying with you tonight" you told Emily.

"Don't worry Lo it's gonna get sorted" Emily assured you.

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"Okay so because the case still isn't over, we have to wrap this day up here, I've booked us into that hotel" JJ nodded to the nearest hotel "I've got you all separate hotel rooms"

"Great" you muttered under your breath after remembering the events of the last time you had a hotel room by yourself.

"What was that Lola? hmm?" JJ said, everyone looked at you, you narrowed your eyes at her in disgust and rolled them.

"Nothing" you muttered again.

"I thought not" JJ huffed.

"I'll stay with you, don't worry, it seems like we both could use some company" Emily smiled.

"Thanks Em" You gently smiled.

You got to the room after handing Emily the card to get in "You okay?" Emily turned around holding the door open as you didn't move.

"Yeah it's just" your breath hitched "last time I was in a hotel room I got kidnapped and you-" you tried to laugh it off but sobs rolled down your face Emily pulling you in the hotel room because she knew you would hate it if anyone saw you crying.

"It's okay, you're okay" Emily affirmed "I'm here right now and nothing or no one is going to hurt you tonight I promise you" Emily pulled you in for a hug.

"I'm so thankful your here, I don't know where I would be if you didn't make it that night" you bit your lip to try and stop the tears coming out.

"Hey no, don't even go there in your mind" Emily tapped your temple "Don't go back there focus on my voice, you and I are here very much alive and very much okay, okay?" Emily nodded slowly trying to get you to understand.

"Okay" you smiled back.