"Mother?"
"Emily." The older Prentiss said, rather dryly.
"Prentiss, can I help you?" Aaron interrupted the two raven haired women, diverting the already tense conversation.
"Uh, coffee, and I just came to say we are back but you seem busy." She placed the coffee down on the desk in front of him, earning a rather discomforting glare from her mother.
"We? Who's we?" Elizabeth asked, stopping her daughter as she walked towards the door.
"I'll talk to you later mother, I have work to do."
The slow creak of the door made everyone in the bullpen stare up, seeing a shocked look possess Emily's face as soon as the deadbolt clicked in. Standing motionless, grip still holding the handle, she let out a breath that she wasn't even aware she was holding in and began walking, collecting every thought terrorising her mind.
"Prentiss, what's wrong?" Morgan shot up from Emily's desk chair, terrified of his partner's face and scared Hotch had done something to hurt her, just as he warned him not to. Protective much.
Emily didn't reply, instead she walked to Leila who sat at Reid's desk doing algebra work that Declan had given her to do for him. At first, the little brunette wasn't aware of where Emily had gone or what was going on, and she wasn't worried until Morgan spoke.
"Come on. Grab your things."
"What? Why?" The 9 year old asked, defensively.
"My mother's here."
"Your mother's here?" Reid, Leila and Morgan said at the same time, all in the same shocked, and almost terrified, tone. Leila began packing, knowing how Emily hadn't told her mother about the child's existence.
"I didn't see her walk in. When did she-"
"I don't know Reid, but right now I need to hide a child from her." Emily said, rushing the little girl out of the bullpen and into JJ's office, dropping half the sheets the 9 year old was working on. "Jayje. Hide her."
"Wha-"
"Just hide her!" Emily snapped, walking back out into the hallway and turned to lead back into the bullpen, only to bump into none other than Erin Strauss. "Uh, sorry!"
"Emily, I heard your mother was here. Any reason?" Strauss asked as she stood up tall and straightened out her usual, grey pantsuit.
"Not that I'm aware of."
"Have you told her-"
"No, and I do not intend to until I'm ready."
"Understood."
They parted and went their separate ways, with Emily leading back into the bullpen and Strauss heading wherever she was going - most likely to shout at someone. Sounds of a distinct oak door creaking back open shot throughout the room, just as Emily arrived back. Reid and Morgan both stood up straight, stopping all actions in favour of the ambassador they were subjugated by. As Emily tried to turn back around and head towards JJ's office, her name was simultaneously called by Hotch and Elizabeth, each in their distinct, intimidating voices.
"Yes?" She said anxiously, turning around and coming into the light, away from the filing cabinets she took shelter behind.
"My office." Hotch stated. Elizabeth turned and walked back in, but Aaron stood, waiting, as Prentiss walked through the bullpen and up the stairs to the familiar office. "I'm sorry." He whispered, as she walked past, in a less formal voice.
Sorry? Why is he sorry? What's gotten out? Who told? How does she always know? Thoughts ringed throughout her head, filling her body with anxiety, rage and fear.
"Prentiss, have a seat." Hotch said, back in his courtly voice, indicating to the seat in front of his desk, next to her mother who already sat.
"What's going on?" Emily asked, taking the choice to stand instead.
Hotch stood, preparing to give the news to his girlfriend. "People have heard things, and they've gotten back to higher management, including your mother. Legally, Leila can't be adopted until you have talked to the next of kin."
'Leila. She knows about Leila. Leila can't be adopted until- wait what?' Emily thought. "Wait what?"
"Leila can't-"
"I heard you the first time, Aaron. Give me a second."
Elizabeth sat there, and although she was no profiler, she could tell from Emily's informal tone of voice and body language that Aaron was not just her boss. Her shoulders slouched, back hunched over, leg shaking out of anxiety, picking of the nails. "Why did you not tell me you were fostering a child, Emily?" Elizabeth spoke, breaking the tense silence.
"I wasn't prepared to." Prentiss whispered under her breath through mumbles, before looking back up at Hotch. "Who's her next of kin and why was she not taken in by them when she first went into foster care?"
"It didn't come up on her mother's medical records, but she has a 12 year old sibling. Isabelle Willow Renae Keys. Legally, until we meet her and see how she wants to approach the situation, Leila's out of your custody."
"How did we not know about her? This girl is 12, and has custody of Leila, a 9 year old?! I'm sorry but this seems like a prank." Emily snapped, as she started pacing the room, still picking at her nails.
"Garcia did some digging and told me. She was a home birth, no medical records at all, there wasn't even a birth certificate until 2 years ago when she went into a firehouse, in Wisconsin, asking for help. She wasn't alive for 10 years of her life, not that we know of at least."
"I'm sorry but no. This is not real! You're lying!"
"Em." Aaron stepped closer but the more he did so, the further she stepped back, short of space. "Emily, you have to trust me. You need to talk to Leila. Cheryl, the social worker, is flying in now on the jet with Isabelle."
"I feel sick."
With those three words, Emily broke down in tears, covering her mouth to conceal the sobs as they threatened to escape. This was all too fast. Leila was an only child for her whole life, no mention of a sibling. All her family members had died from mainly gang related fights, or medical incidents. This felt unreal. It was all too fast. So, so fast. Aaron, subconsciously, engulfed her in a hug, as her head rested on his muscled chest, hearing his heartbeat in order to calm her down - a trick he knew worked. She sobbed into his chest, unable to process her thoughts.
Elizabeth began to stand, feeling as if she was interrupting a moment between the two and made her way out of the room. As she opened the door, Morgan's head shot up and his crossed over legs flung off of Emily's desk as he threw the rubber band ball in Reid's direction and hit him on the head. Wailed sobs sang through the bullpen in the small time the door was open, immediately grabbing both the men's full attention. Elizabeth stood by the door, as if she was blocking it off from any unwanted intruders, like a guard.
"What just happened?" Morgan said, a little too loud, but mainly at Reid.
"No clue." He whispered back, flinging the rubber band ball between his hands.
"Will someone gather the child?" Elizabeth asked, directing towards the two men as they stood staring at the oak door. Morgan nodded, knowing where Emily took the child, and vanished through the back hallway in order to collect her.
"JJ?" He knocked.
"Come in."
He opened the door to find Leila sitting on the black leather couch, half covered in case file boxes, reading the book she stole from Hotch's office - To Kill A Mockingbird. She was so indulged in the book she barely gave the muscular man a second look, expecting him to be after case files. After a while, when he didn't speak and just stood there gyrating his look between the blonde sitting head first in a case file at her desk and the small child, she knew something was wrong.
"What's going on?" JJ asked, understanding his body language too.
"Kid, you've gotta come with me." Leila sprung up, no questions asked and made it out the door before even giving Morgan a chance to turn around. "Something with Emily." He said, concluding Jennifer's alluding thoughts. He turned around, not giving her anymore context and left, striding back to the bullpen to find Leila and the older Prentiss stare-battling it out. Not in a domineering way, but in a fear. Fear of Emily's feelings. Fear of Leila's home. Fear of Elizabeth's reputation. "Come on." Morgan spoke, snapping the child out of her eye contest.
The pair made their way up the catwalk, meeting the older Prentiss woman as they entered the room slowly. The trio found Emily quietly crying, still immersed in Aaron's arms, in the exact spot Elizabeth left them. Sweet nothings and honeyed words came from Aaron, progressively calming her down. The trio's presence was made aware when Emily, through glossed eyes, saw the child figure staring up at her with her sage green eyes beaming up at her. Emily pulled out of the hug, lowered herself to Leila's level and took her in for a hug, no words spoken. The little one just wrapped her arms around the tall brunette's neck, closing the space and bringing each other in tighter. Leila had no clue why this was occurring, but she could tell nothing good came when a parent and tears were involved.
"What's going on?" Morgan asked, lowly in order to not disturb the two family-like figures.
"Leila has a next of kin. She might be taken from Emily's custody." Hotch whispered, walking around the two. "The social worker and the sibling are arriving within the next half hour."
"Will someone explain what's going on?" Leila asked, pulling away from the tight hug and wiping the tears that formed, second hand from Emily's.
"You have a next of kin, so there's a chance you won't be in my custody anymore, depending on their decision."
"No, that's not right. I have no one else, I went through all this with Cheryl when I was 6."
"You have a sister. She's 12 and she has the upper hand in this situation, but it does not mean I'm not going to fight like hell to keep you here, do you hear me?" Leila nodded, sifting through and processing the new knowledge she learnt about her already messed up life. Tears dropped from the 9 year old's eyes without even realising. The more she tried to wipe them away, the quicker and heavier they fell until she burst into tears, resulting in Emily hugging her once again.
Elizabeth and Aaron stood in awe of the two, watching, as Morgan let a tear fall. As much as he was against Emily and Aaron, his boss cared for his partner like no other, and he knew Aaron cared for Leila as if she were his own. The whole team, in such a short amount of time, had come to love and care for the child, and the idea of her being ripped from their lives just after she'd slightly settled was unnerving in ways Morgan couldn't describe, let alone Emily.
"When are they coming? Cheryl and this sister of mine?"
"Within the hour." Hotch said, after Emily looked at him for a time frame.
Leila's stomach dropped and shock hit her heart harder than any of the, both verbal and physical, abuse she'd ever received.
Within the hour. Within the next, most likely less than, hour, she had to possibly say goodbye to the people who made her feel a part of something in such a short amount of time. They felt like family. She wouldn't even have time to say bye to Declan or Jack. This is why she hated getting too involved early on in the families.
"How do you want to do this?" Emily asked, in reference to if they have to say goodbye.
"I still want to know you. I don't want to drop out of your lives like I do for everyone else. We just set up schooling, and now I might not even have a real house to live in with my 12 year old sister who I didn't even know existed 2 minutes ago. This isn't fair. None of this is right."
"I know."
-
Across the next hour, the entire team ignored all duties of work in order to spend with Leila. Penelope came out of her lair, but was greeted by Emily giving her death glares the entire time, for she had known about all that was happening and couldn't give her a heads up. Each time the elevator dinged and revealed a person, everyone's hearts began to pound as they expected the social worker and the child to arrive and each time it didn't, they hoped it wouldn't ever happen. Until it did.
Cheryl stepped on the elevator, shortly behind her was a child who, from what Emily could tell, looked just like Leila, only older, with shorter and darker hair. Their sage green eyes matched identically to one another's, their small noses having the exact same bridge and their jaw-lines both being chiselled and defined in ways people would pay to have done, prosthetically. Naturally pretty, small children, who could grow to be models. Emily admired the pure children as she swapped glances between them, finding only their age and hair to be their only physical difference.
"Cheryl." Emily said, walking towards the glass doors, hand held out, as the two entered the bullpen - each wearing the FBI visitor badges.
"Emily Prentiss. Meet Belle." Cheryl stepped aside after shaking Emily's hand, as if showcasing the timid child that stood behind her.
"Hi, I'm Emily."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Belle, as Cheryl said." Hints of sarcasm traced the 12 year old's voice, reminding Emily of Leila immediately.
"Leila." Cheryl said, walking to the other child, who stood in between Hotch and Reid, hiding behind Morgan.
"Cheryl. How are you?" She replied bluntly, stepping out from the boys' protection.
"Tired." Cheryl replied without thinking.
"Yeah? I'm tired too, yet I'm finding out I have a sister who I didn't even knew fucking existed-"
"Leila!" Emily said sternly. She knew Leila was putting her walls up again. After endless hours of trying to make the child talk to her about her backstory during their first hours together, Emily was able to break down almost all the mental walls Leila had built for herself over the years, leaving them up for everyone except the older agent. But now, they were being rebuilt, and even stronger and Emily couldn't do anything to stop it.
A defence mechanism used for when someone's hurting or feels betrayed, the walls go up as a protection. A barrier between the truth and what you want to believe. A barrier to mask your true feelings. To stop you from being more damaged than you already are. To save you from injury. To help you survive life.
That's why Leila built her walls, and Emily was far too familiar with them.
For she had done the same thing.
And still does.