𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐏𝐎𝐕
"We're not solving this fast enough," Barnes told all of us.
"Oh, we're not? What exactly are you doing to help?" I scoffed. I heard JJ sigh from across the room and Tara's stifled chuckle next to me.
"I want this case done by tonight." Barnes gritted out, sending me a glare before walking out of the North Carolina precinct.
"Bitch." I mumbled under my breath and JJ let out another sigh, "Well, you heard her. Emily and I will go over the crime scene again. Spencer and Matt keep working on the geographical profile. Dave and Tara will reinterview the witnesses."
I tried not to let out a groan at the fact that I had to work with JJ. However, she did somehow get me my job back three weeks ago so I guess I can't complain. And with this being my first case back it made sense that I was stuck with the unit chief.
"Okay, three victims in three days," I said, going over the case out loud again as we walked to the car. "All blondes in their late 20s, all taken from public places. Signs of torture on all the women but COD was strangulation." I continued as I got into the passenger seat of the car.
"Can you stop antagonizing her?" JJ said, cutting me off. I scoffed as I turned to look at her, "I'm the one that's being antagonizing?!"
"Yes! Barnes is already a default pain in my ass, you aren't. So stop being one!" JJ leaned her head against the seat and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"God, I sound just like you." She sighed before I could say anything.
"Rude." I frowned.
"No, it's just that now I get why you were such a bitch when you were unit chief."
"Still rude," I muttered.
"Sorry," JJ said as she backed the car out of the parking spot.
"No, you're not." I rolled my eyes and she just shrugged. "I'm not."
We were silent for the next couple of minutes as I reread the file. It should have been a cut-and-dry case. All the victims were surrogates for the unsub but we were having no luck figuring out who.
"I'm trying to make a plan," JJ said when we stopped at a red light.
"For?"
"Taking Barnes out."
"Like...on a date? Or with a gun?" I frowned.
"Pain. In. The. Ass. I'm trying to get her fired." She said, hitting me in the shoulder, surprisingly hard, after every word.
"Ow," I muttered, but I couldn't help but smile that things between us were back to normal. "Well, what have you come up with so far?" I asked as the light turned green.
"Legally? Nothing." She hesitated and I crossed my arms, "She pawned my girlfriend off to the CIA. I don't give a fuck if it's legal or not."
"Well, we need to do something and soon. I can't do this anymore." She said seriously and I nodded in agreement. "We'll figure something out. I promise." And I meant it.
Ten minutes later we were at the crime scene, "So the victims were dumped here. No signs of remorse." JJ said as we walked along a small creek hidden by the side of the road. "He could have put them in the water, but he didn't. Why?" JJ continued, more talking to herself than me.
I was partially paying attention but was more focused on our predicament with Barnes. "We could blackmail her," I suggested, cutting off whatever JJ was going to say next.
"I already had Garcia dig through her whole life, other than some money problems, there's nothing there," JJ said absent-mindedly as she stopped walking and crouched by the bank of the creek.
"Well, we could plant something on her," I said as I copied JJ's movement and she shook her head. "Too risky."
"We could kill her." I offered and for the first time in over a month, I heard JJ let out an earnest laugh. "You're crazy."
"It would work though." I shrugged and JJ bumped my shoulder before the both of us stood up.
"If only it weren't extremely illegal." She groaned playfully.
"It's only illegal if we're caught." I smiled and JJ let out a grunt of a laugh.
"I'm glad you're back," JJ said quietly as we walked back to the car unfortunately with no new revelations about the case.
"Me too," I smiled half-heartedly. As much as I hate Barnes, burying myself in work is 10 times better than wallowing in an empty apartment.
"I didn't think Barnes was going to let you back on the team." She said and I raised an eyebrow, "How much groveling did she make you do?"
"Surprisingly none." JJ said and I stopped walking, "What?"
"Yeah, it was the opposite. She seemed pretty determined to get you back on the team."
"What?!" I frowned. Because what the actual fuck? The woman hated my guts! Probably as much as I hated hers. So why would she all of a sudden want me on the team?
JJ was about to respond when her phone rang. "Jareau... You're kidding me... Okay, Emily and I are on our way."
"Another body?" I guessed and JJ sighed, "Yeah"
We jogged to the SUV, and all thoughts of Barnes pushed to the back of my head.
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It was late by the time we got back from the crime scene so JJ had sent everyone back to the hotel to get some rest before starting again in the morning.
"How do we still have nothing?" Tara asked as she leaned back in her chair. Everyone was slightly on edge from this case and the fact that it was only 6 in the morning.
"Maybe we're looking at it wrong," Spencer murmured as he stood up and walked to the crime scene. We sat in silence as we let Spencer ramble on about something only Y/n would have been able to understand.
"Prentiss I want you to hold a press conference for the 9 am news," Barnes said, barging into the conference room.
"What?" I scoffed, "I don't do press conferences."
"Well, you're now," Barnes said crossing her arms.
"I can do it." JJ offered trying to ease the tension in the room and because it made the most sense. She was the communications liaison for years and was better at dealing with reporters than any of us.
"No, I said Prentiss was doing it. Move on." Barnes said and I shook my head. "We don't even have a secure profile, let alone any details of our unsub."
"Well, you have three hours to come up with something. You said your team was the best so I'm expecting nothing less." She said before walking out of the room to god knows where.
"What the hell is her problem?" I frowned and JJ blew out a breath, "I don't know but you heard her, we have three hours so let's make the most of it."
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"... a white male between the ages of 25 and 40," I said, standing at the podium trying to not get annoyed by the flashes of cameras. "We believe he is driving a large, dark vehicle that will have a North Carolina license plate. At this point, we advise all women to be careful of their surroundings but our suspect is targeting blondes in their early to mid twenties. Thank you." I plastered a fake smile before walking back into the precinct ignoring all the reporters asking for a follow-up.
"Mm, your left side is your better side," JJ noted as I walked into the precinct where they were watching the press conference since it ran a couple of minutes behind.
"Shut up," I growled, even more annoyed as I reached across the table and turned off the TV despite everyone's protest. "Now, please tell me that Garcia has found something in the time that I've been gone."
"We have two possibilities. Emily, Tara, and Spencer go to the first one and the rest of us will go to the second." JJ said and everyone got up and headed to the parking lot.
I was about to the driver's side door of the SUV when Barnes walked up to me. "Prentiss I want you to stay at the station."
I couldn't help the laugh that came out of my mouth, "Excuse me?"
"Stay here and double-check everything." She said firmly and I shook my head, not believing what I was hearing. "Why?"
"Agent Prentiss, I will not repeat myself." She frowned and I dug my fingernails into my palms trying to restrain myself.
"With all due respect, my assets are better used in the field than staying here." I gritted out and Barnes stared me dead in the eye, "I don't have to explain my decisions to you. Go back to the station. Now."
"This is bullshit," I muttered as I ripped the intercom out of my ear and stormed past Barnes. I waited for her reaction. But to my surprise, it didn't come. No reprimand, no yelling, not a single word out of her mouth.
Barnes was definitely up to something.
But what exactly was she doing? I thought as I sat in the empty conference room. Nothing she did made sense. Every move had been contradictory and seemingly made no sense. But that was the problem, wasn't it? It made no sense to me.
I felt a knot in my stomach.
Maybe I had underestimated Barnes.
𝐘/𝐍 𝐏𝐎𝐕
"Oh! What are you making? Can I help?" I asked Luke as I sat at the counter in our kitchen.
"After being forced to eat that cake you made...not a chance," Luke said as he finished stirring whatever was in the pot over the stove.
"It was one time," I grumbled and Luke scoffed, "And that one time still took off five years of my life."
We were hosting a fairly large get-together at our safe house for the first time in hopes of getting closer to our ringleader. Our list has been narrowing down but we're still not as close as I'd like. We're already six weeks into the mission and it still feels like we haven't made any major progress.
"Okay, the mics are planted and the house is all set." Fields said as he walked into the kitchen.
"Thanks." I smiled tightly and Luke just completely ignored him.
"Oh, also, were you able to find anything on Juliette's husband?" I asked as Fields unfortunately sat in the seat next to me.
"Still looking." He said as he fixed the imaginary wrinkles in his polo shirt.
"Still? It's been three weeks." I frowned and Fields just let out an annoyed sigh, "This isn't like your cases with the BAU, darling. All of these people have something to hide and are very good at hiding it."
"Okay. Just let me know when you find it." I said, an uneasy feeling filling my stomach every time he called me a pet name.
"Well, I'm off. Your personal bedrooms are locked and I'll be at headquarters if you need anything." He said as he stood up and left before anyone could say anything else.
"What a dick," Luke murmured under his breath and I let out a small laugh.
"Alright, enough about him. Juliette's husband is going to be here and I want you to talk to him." I said. I had met up with Juliette a handful of times since meeting her three weeks ago and every interaction I had with her was odd. It was obvious she was being abused so even if her husband wasn't our ring leader I still wanted him locked up.
Since I haven't met him yet or been given any information on him, courtesy of Fields, I hoped that meeting him would be enough to profile him.
"Yeah of course. But don't get too invested, we have nothing that points to him or anyone being our ringleader. We need to assume that everyone here tonight could be our potential unsub." He said and I nodded. "I know... I just. I know she's being abused and I can't do a goddam thing about it." I sighed and Luke nodded sympathetically. "Well then, let's hope we can make a break tonight."
-----------------------------------------
"Your house is lovely." Juliette smiled as I grabbed her coat.
"Thank you!" I smiled as I walked her through the surprisingly crowded hallway. "Is your husband..." I trailed off, disappointed to see that she had not only come alone but was also the last person on the guest list to arrive.
"Oh, he's still at work. He said that he would pop by if he had time." Juliette said and I plastered on a smile, "No worries. You must be hungry! Let's head to the kitchen." I said as I wrapped my arm around hers.
Luke was nowhere to be seen but he could hold his weight so I wasn't worried. I scanned the room while Juliette got her food. There were around 20ish people here and I had already spoken to almost everyone so I felt fine lingering with Juliette for longer.
Although everything about our friendship was fabricated, I still felt a fondness for her. And I know we are not supposed to get attached but I think in another life we could have been genuine friends.
"Wow, this tastes delicious!" Juliette said as she stood next to me and I smiled. "Compliments to my husband. I'm no chef in the kitchen." I laughed and Juliette smiled, "I'll have to invite you over sometime for cooking lessons then!"
"I would love that." I smiled, the opportunity to know more about her and her husband practically falling into my lap.
"Perfect! Now how about we get a drink!" She smiled as she led us over to our small bar in the corner of the kitchen.
"Oh no, that's okay. Water is perfectly fine for me." I smiled as she poured herself a drink, "Well, suit yourself. The only time these functions are bearable is if you're drunk!" She laughed and shook my head fondly, remembering those exact words that came out of Emily's mouth when she took me to that fateful gala months ago.
"Are you fine by yourself? I have to go make a couple more rounds. Hostess duties and all" I said, and she smiled, "Yes, I'm fine! You're finally starting to get a hang of all this!" She said and I shook my head playfully, "Took me long enough!"
I bid her goodbye before making my way towards Luke, who was chatting it up with a group of men. "Hi." I smiled up at him as I linked my arm around his elbow. It was still weird having to act like a couple but at least it was Luke and not anyone else.
"I'll be back, one moment." Luke nodded toward the men before we both headed upstairs for a moment to reconvene.
"Anything?" I asked and Luke shook his head, "Other than a couple of invites to play golf, nothing." He said and I bit the inside of my cheek, "Me neither."
"Did Juliette's husband not come?" He asked and I sighed, "No, he's still at work."
"Damn. Well, let's just hope the mics can pick up some of the other conversations we're not hearing." He offered and I nodded, "Yeah you're right."
We both headed back downstairs and went our separate ways. I chatted with some of the women who mostly just talked about their kids and where they were going to brunch next. The more boring the topics got the more I realized that this mission was going to take much longer than I thought.
"Would you ladies care for another drink?" I asked the women when the conversation started to lull and they happily agreed.
I headed back over to the bar when I felt a hand glide across my lower back, I stiffened before relaxing at the sight of Juliette. "Where have you been?" I asked.
"Just making my rounds too. I know I'm not hosting but I still feel the need to talk to everyone. Just engrained into my brain I guess." She said as she stood next to me.
"Mm, that doesn't sound too fun." I said and Juliette shrugged, "You get used to it. Need any help?"
"Yeah, that would be wonderful." I smiled and luckily Juliette took over for me because I had no clue how to make any sort of cocktail. She finished making the drink and we gave them to the women before the two of us made our way into the kitchen.
I let out a sigh at the thought of having to do this for another couple of hours. "You look like you could use some fresh air." Juliette smiled and I nodded, "Definitely."
I led us outside to the porch which was luckily empty and took a seat on one of the chairs while Juliette sat across from me.
We sat in silence, simply enjoying the moonlit sky and the fall breeze before Juliette spoke up, "Do you ever regret marrying into this life?" She asked curiously.
"It can be hard at some points but I don't regret it. If this is the life that comes with being married to Richard, then so be it." I replied simply, kind of shocking myself by how easily the lie rolled off my tongue.
"Oh," Juliette said softly as she looked up at the stairs.
"Why?" I asked, hoping that this conversation was going to lead to exactly what I wanted it to.
"I don't know. I just- sometimes I think love isn't enough." She replied thoughtfully.
"If someone is the right one for you, then it should be enough," I said as I reached over and grabbed her hand softly, "You know you can tell me anything, I'm here to listen" I smiled.
"You're very kind, Florence." She said as she squeezed my hand.
"I just want to be here for you in any way I can. I mean, that's what friends do." I said and she smiled, "You know, you may be one of the first genuine friends I've had since moving here." She said and I tried not to flinch at the words. If only she knew.
"You could stay here tonight, if um, you don't want to go home." I offered and she shook her head, "No no. That's alright, I should probably be getting back anyways." She said as she pulled her hand away and stood up.
"Oh, okay. Thank you for coming." I said, pulling her into a hug.
"Of course! Come over sometime this week and I'll teach you how to cook." She said as she pulled away. We walked back inside before she stopped me, "Your kindness is one of your biggest strengths, don't let anyone turn it into a weakness," She said seriously and I nodded, slightly confused, "Okay," I smiled before bidding her goodbye with a smile.
It was another two hours before everyone left and I flopped onto the couch next to Luke. "I've never been more tired in my life." I groaned and Luke chuckled, "You say that every night."
"Well it's true," I frowned and he shook his head, "Well then let's get to bed. I know Fields is going to call us in early." I groaned again before reluctantly making my way to my room.
I unlocked the door and immediately ripped off my dress and put on one of Emily's Yale sweatshirts that I had stolen. After getting ready for bed I slipped under the covers and leaned over to my nightside drawer.
However, when I opened it, my heart froze. "No," I murmured as I dug through the drawer. The picture of Emily that was supposed to be there was nowhere to be found. "No no no," I repeated as I practically dumped everything out of there. I knew I put it in there this morning, so where the hell was it?
My door was locked the entire time so no one should have gone in here, right? I was about to call Fields when I realized how crazy I was going to sound. Was I really about to tell him that I thought someone had broken into my room, stolen a picture of my girlfriend, and left all the other valuables?
I was the only person with a key to my room and Fields would have gotten an alert if someone had opened my door. So maybe I had misplaced it?
I shook my head, maybe the six weeks of being sleep-deprived were starting to catch up to me. I cleaned up the drawer and decided to get back in bed. I planned to talk to Luke about it in the morning because maybe I'm making this a bigger deal than it should be.
It's just a picture, I reminded myself. It's the only reasonable answer.
Just a picture that I misplaced, right?
A/N: I sincerely apologize for the late updates. So thank you guys so much for sticking with me! I love you all and thank you for all your nice comments! <3