A Second Chance

Undeniable Similaries

After talking to JJ for a good ten minutes about what to do and what not to do with Sophia, Emily left to go pick up the kid.

She pulled up to the school and went to the exact spot JJ told her to go to. Within minutes, Prentiss heard a bell ring and the school doors opened, releasing kids for the weekend. She saw Sophia walk out with another girl about her age.
The other girl got on a bus and Sophia looked around before taking a seat on one of the benches.
The buses left and Sophia was still sitting on the bench waiting for her ride. To help pass the time, she pulled out a book.
Emily watched the girl from the car and realized Sophia was expecting JJ, not her. She got out of the car and walked over to Sophia.
"Hey," she said.
Sophia looked up.
"What are you doing here?"
"JJ sent me to get you. They got a case," Prentiss explained.
Sophia wasn't able to hide her disappointment, but she nodded and started to put her book away.
One of Sophia's teacher was leaving the building and spotted the student.
"Sophia, I graded your book report. It was amazing," the teacher, Mrs. Malcolm said with a smile.
Sophia smiled back.
Mrs. Malcolm looked up at Emily and put her hand out,
"You must be her mother," she assumed and shook her hand.
Before Sophia or Emily could object the woman said,
"You've raised a very smart young lady."
"She's not my mom," Sophia blurted out.
"Oh I'm so sorry. I just assumed. You two look very similar," Mrs. Malcolm apologized.
"It's okay. I'm a good friend of Sophia's family," Emily said.
"Oh, well I'll see you on Monday," the woman said to the student and then scurried off.
Emily watched her leave and felt a pang of joy in her heart. Someone else could see that they were mother and daughter without even knowing the truth.
Sophia looked up at Emily.
She noticed that they do indeed look alike and could see why her teacher had mistaken Prentiss for her mother.
"Ready to go?" Emily asked and looked down to find the girl staring at her.
"Yeah," Sophia said and quickly looked away.
"Wait, where are we going if JJ has a case? Are you taking me to Penelope's?"
"Penelope is going with the team, so I'm staying with you this weekend," Emily said and smiled.
Sophia smiled back.
Usually she was extremely uncomfortable with new people, but Emily was different. She felt like there was a connection there and after what the team told her about Prentiss, she knew they had some things in common...aside from their looks.

Emily got in the car and started driving to her hotel to pick up some things.
"Do you want to come in with me? It's going to take a few minutes."
"Sure," the girl said and hopped out of the car.
The two entered the hotel and went straight up to Emily's room. When they got there, Sophia took a seat on the couch and Prentiss started packing a bag. Her room was a suite.
"So how long are you staying here?" Sophia asked.
"I don't know," Emily replied.
"You don't know?"
"Nope."
"Why are you suddenly working with the team again. JJ told me you were the chief of the London office for Interpol."
"Yeah, I guess I just missed the team and being in the states. It's really different over there."
Sophia nodded in understandment.
Five minutes later Emily was all packed and ready to go.

The car ride to JJ's was pretty awkwardly silent and neither knew what to say to the other.
It was nearly four thirty when they arrived back at the house. JJ told Emily where the spare key was hidden. Prentiss let herself and the little one in and she brought her stuff to the guest room which was directly across from Sophia's.
Sophia went into her room and started doing her homework. Emily walked over to the child's room and hesitated. The door was shut.
She put her hand on the door knob then stopped. Instead, she knocked on the door.
"Come in," Sophia called.
Emily took a deep breath then opened the door.
"So, what are you up to?" Emily asked.
"Homework," the kid replied without looking up.
"What kind."
"Right now, Spanish," Sophia told her.
"Need any help?" Emily offered.
"You know Spanish?" Sophia questioned.
"Yeah, I also know Arabic, French, Italian, Russian and Greek."
Sophia's jaw dropped.
"You speak seven different languages?"
Emily nodded.
"How?" Sophia asked, interested.
"We moved around a lot when I was a kid. My mother is a diplomat and my father is also a career politician."
"That's so cool," Sophia commented.
Emily smiled and nodded, even though she thought the opposite.
"So what do you need help with?" Prentiss asked.
Sophia showed her, and Emily was able to help her with ease.
Prentiss stayed and helped Sophia with the rest of her homework. She didn't need the help, but she enjoyed Emily's company.

By the time they finished, it was dinner time.
"Hey, what do you want for dinner?"
Emily asked the child.
"I don't care," Sophia replied and shrugged.
"Do you mind if I order a pizza or something? I'm not that great of a cook," Prentiss admitted.
"Pizza's fine," Sophia told her.
Emily ordered their food and had it delivered.
That night the two brunettes were sitting on the couch eating pizza and watching a movie on tv. At around eight Emily's phone started ringing.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Em. It's me," the voice on the other side said. It was JJ.
"Can I talk to Sophia?"
Prentiss handed the phone to the girl and said,
"It's JJ."
Sophia took the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey Soph. How are you doing?"
"Good," the kid said with no emotion. JJ knew she was mad at her for leaving and having a case.
"Are you mad at me?" the blonde asked.
"A little," Sophia told her.
"I'm sorry. I promise, I'll make it up to you."
"It's okay," the brunette said with a sigh.
"What are you and Emily doing?" JJ asked.
"We're eating pizza and watching tv."
"Well that good. I just called to say goodnight."
"Goodnight," Sophia said.
"Hey," JJ called.
"What?"
"I love you," the woman said softly.
"I love you too," Sophia said and handed Emily the phone.
Then, she got up to get a drink.
"Hey," Emily said.
"Hey. Thanks for watching her and I'm sorry she's being crabby."
"She's been fine for me," Prentiss told her.
"Well that's good. I usually have her go to bed by ten or eleven on the weekends."
"Okay."
Emily could hear a sigh from the other side.
"JJ you don't have to worry about her. She'll be fine."
"I hope," the blonde said.
"Do you know when you'll get back?"
"Hopefully by Sunday maybe Monday. It's a tough one," JJ explained.
"Mutilated bodies of little kids aren't my favorite," she added.
"I'm sorry it's a hard one," Emily said to her.
"Anyways, I should probably go. Thanks again."
"Goodnight," Emily said and hung up.

Sophia walked back into the room.
"What did she say?" the kid wanted to know.
"That she should be back by Sunday or Monday."
"Did she talk about the case?" Sophia wondered.
"A little. Why?" Emily asked.
"She never tells me about them."
"Well, JJ's job is to protect you from seeing the things she sees. It's to make the world a better place and put the bad guys away. She doesn't want you to know about all the terrible things she's witnessed or knows about for your own protection, does that make sense?"
Sophia nodded.
"What about you?" she asked the older brunette.
"What do you mean?"
"Do you have anyone to make the world safer for?" Sophia asked.
"Are you asking me if I have any kids?" Emily wanted to clarify.
Sophia nodded. Prentiss ran her tongue over her bottom lip.
"No, I don't," Emily said.
She quickly wanted to change the subject.
"So what time is your chess tournament tomorrow?" she asked and started to pick at her nails.
Sophia was surprised at the sudden change in topic.
"Twelve. So we should be there around eleven thirty."
"Sounds good," Prentiss said and looked away.
Sophia could tell Emily got uncomfortable with the question.
"Wait, what just happened? Was it the whole kid thing?" Sophia asked straight up.
Emily pretended to look confused.
"C'mon Emily. I've been hanging around profilers for the past nine months. I notice things," she told the woman.
"Well, then you've been hanging around the wrong profilers because nothing is wrong," Emily said with a light smile.
Sophia just stared at her.
"It's nothing," Prentiss assured her.
Sophia knew she was lying, but she didn't know Emily well enough to push her and annoy her or get her to talk.
Emily turned back to look at the tv. She turned on the guide and was looking for something else to put on. Sophia watched Emily search for a movie and noticed how the older brunette would lick her lip when she concentrated and how she would pick at her nails when stressed or nervous. The weird part was that Sophia knew she had those bad habits and tells as well.
It really made her wonder.