Chapter Text
Emily Prentiss was excited for maybe the first time in her life. Ever since she had gotten that surprise call to say that she had gotten a job at the Behavioural Analysis Unit she had a stride in her step. This was her dream job, one that she never thought she’d ever get. At the age of 36 she had begun to give up. Deep down she knew that if she was really desperate, she could’ve asked her mother, but it was important to Emily that she earned everything she got herself. Even if she didn’t have that drive, she wouldn’t reach out to her mother. They hadn’t had a proper conversation in years. They would call each other on birthdays and maybe see each other occasionally at Christmas but her parents didn’t celebrate too much, even when Emily was a child.
Too much travelling. Never staying in one place too long. Her parents were always busy with meetings. Those were just a few excuses for Emily’s parents neglecting her. Emily let out a sigh. She hated remembering her childhood which turned her into quite the rebel which she wanted to forget. So many bad decisions and she wasn’t just thinking about her fashion sense.
Emily counted to three in her head before reaching for her phone that was lying on her table in her living room. She scrolled through her contacts and took a deep breath before calling.
“Uh hey, it’s me – Emily.” She cringed at the awkwardness of her own voice.
Hello Emily. I was meaning to call you, but you see, I’ve been very busy. I know it’s a few days late but happy birthday.
“Oh! Yeah thanks, it’s fine. I was actually calling about something else. I got a job at the BAU.” Emily had been too preoccupied with her new job offer that had happened a few days before her 36th birthday that she had completely forgotten her mother hadn’t called her.
That’s great to hear. I hope you do the Prentiss name proud. Now, I’m a bit busy right now. Is there anything-
Emily cut her off. She knew exactly what she was going to say. More excuses and she didn’t want to hear them yet again. To be honest, she didn’t want to talk to her anymore. She didn’t expect much when she told her about her new job, but she hoped she’d be a bit enthusiastic or maybe sound happy for her but that seemed too much of a stretch. When she was growing up her parents only cared about image and reputation and none of that had seemed to change.
“Nope, that’s it. Bye.” Her mother then hung up on her before even saying goodbye which hurt Emily more than she wanted to admit.
After graduating university with her degree in criminal justice, she was inspired to join the BAU. As cliché as it sounded, she wanted to make a difference in this world. By being a profiler, she hoped that she would be able to protect people from evil. This was a job that would give her purpose.
Once she had graduated for the second time (this time from Yale), she decided to apply for the FBI. The only job that would accept her was working at its field offices in the Midwest. This wasn’t exactly where she wanted to be, but that was to gain experience. She had expected to stay just a few years, but it had now been closer to a decade.
She had lost count of how many times she almost quit. She thought about going down a completely different route. Maybe making a difference by teaching? She had made a deal with herself that if she didn’t get transferred to the BAU within the next year she would leave. Emily had even started at looking at teaching positions overseas which seemed so rewarding she almost applied then and there.
It started off being a normal day. The sky was full of grey clouds threatening rain as she walked the last portion of her journey to work. Just as she crossed the street to get to the building where she worked her phone rang. Always on alert, Emily quickly pulled her phone out of her pocket of her black blazer and answered before the third ring. Her eyebrows knitted together, and confusion appeared on her face at the sight of the unknown number.
“Prentiss.” She stated matter-of-factly. Her tone neutral.
Agent Prentiss, there is an opening at the BAU, and I feel like you would be a good fit. Do you feel ready for this opportunity?
Emily didn’t recognise the woman’s voice at the other end of the line, but she was too shocked at what she had said to ask.
“Wow that’s – I would – Did you say the BAU?” Emily stuttered, needing clarification that she had heard right. All she got in response was a one-word answer. Without really thinking, Emily accepted the job she had just been offered. She said thanks to the unknown woman and the phone call ended.
Emily glanced around at her surroundings to make sure nobody was nearby and then let out a delighted squeal. She got finally got it! Normally this amount of emotion displayed in public would cause her great embarrassment, but she didn’t care. She was so damn happy. The smile wouldn’t leave her lips. Emily could tell that her cheeks were going to ache by the end of the day due to them not used to being like that. A car horn brought her back to reality and she had realised that she still had a job to go to. She stepped inside the building, passed through security and then headed straight for her boss’s office.
While she was about to knock on his door, he called out for her. Emily walked decisively into his office with more confidence than normal. She greeted the older man, curious about what this sudden meeting was about.
“I just got some paperwork faxed over. It was actually quite interesting because it was about your transfer and yet I had heard absolutely nothing about it previously. Care to explain?” Oh no, Emily thought, she knew this all-too-familiar tone. Whenever he felt left out of the loop, he got frustrated.
Emily struggled to hide the surprise in her eyes. The call had only happened ten minutes ago, yet the paperwork had already been done and sent to her boss?
“Uh yes sir. Well, I also only found about this transfer this morning. I got a phone call.” She explained frankly. “I was actually just about to talk to you about it, sir.” Adding the extra sir to boost his ego, remind him that he was the one in charge. She hoped that this would ease his exasperation towards her.
“Hmm, so it seems you’ll be leaving in a few weeks. Good luck at the BAU.” Emily nodded her thanks and turned to leave however when she reached the door her boss called out for her. “Oh, and one last thing, we’re all going to miss you, Prentiss.” Emily’s lips arched into a broad smile that matched her boss’s. She left the office and hurried to her desk to start her work for the day. The smile still hadn’t left her lips and she wasn’t quite sure when it would which left her co-workers very confused.
+/+/+/+/+
Emily woke up and stretched before she pulled the duvet cover off her toned body. The cold November air had seeped through her bedroom window which brought her out of her dreamy state. She couldn’t believe today was going to happen. It had been a few weeks since she had been asked to join the BAU and now today was going to be her first day. The night before Emily had picked out her outfit. A grey skirt, a crisp navy-blue shirt and a grey blazer to match, along with navy blue boots with a small heel. Emily was five foot seven, but she knew the BAU was a male dominated department and she wanted to appear slightly taller so that she could intimidate any insecure guys who thought she didn’t deserve to be there based on her gender. She wanted to do everything in her power to make the best impression possible and be taken seriously.
Nerves about her first day had caused her issues with her sleep. Her alarm wasn’t going to ring for another hour, but the excitement caused her to wake up feeling refreshed. The extra hour she had; she didn’t want to waste. Realising she should release some of this excess energy she decided to go for a 30-minute jog around the block. She dug through her wardrobe and reached for her workout outfit. Her outfit was fairly simple. Stripy blue leggings with a matching sports bra and a black tank top to put on top. She grabbed her black running shoes and tied the laces with ease before leaving her flat. Her run was exhilarating. She had managed to beat her personal best by a solid twenty seconds.
When Emily entered her flat the first thing she did was jump in the shower. The water running down her back calmed her, and she felt her nerves slowly wash away. Everything was going to be fine. She needed to reassure herself that she deserved this. Once dressed, Emily dried her medium-length black hair and then styled it, so she looked neat and presentable. She took one last glance in the mirror before opting to not wear the grey blazer. She left her apartment feeling ready for her new beginnings.
+/+/+/+/+
She was finally here, and it already felt like home to her. She just hoped she’d be accepted into this family. When she passed the security, she was instructed to speak to Agent Hotchner. She was told his office was up the stairs on the left. Walking into the room it was full of agents busily walking from their desks to the other ends of the room, trying to meet their deadlines. Her eyes lingered on the three people talking to each other, wondering if they would be her future colleagues. There was an older man who looked very serious, someone, she guessed, that she wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of; there was a man who was around her age, he was laughing and her eyes followed as to who he could be laughing at which brought her to the third man. He looked very young. He could easily be ten years younger than her, she wondered how long he had been working at the BAU. A younger woman walked over to the men. She was similar aged to the younger man but a few years older.
Emily’s breath hitched in her throat. The blonde woman with shockingly crystalline blue eyes looked beautiful in a simple white long-sleeved top and a pair of black slacks. A part of her hoped she would be working alongside her and another part her hoped she wasn’t because how was she meant to concentrate when she would be around?
This was what she feared about working with profilers. Emily had secrets to keep and demons to hide that she didn’t want anyone to discover. What if nothing stayed private? There were certain things that she didn’t want her colleagues to know until she felt they were close enough. If they ever reached that. She thought back to her colleagues at her old unit and none of them knew very much about her personal life. But she liked it that way. One important thing to know about Emily Prentiss is that she was guarded.
Working alongside profilers she wondered how long it would take for them to realise that she was a lesbian. It had taken her so long to accept that word. It wasn’t an ugly word; it wasn’t a bad word. She had told her parents when she had graduated from Yale and they didn’t take it well at all. They had warned her to keep it private and so she did. She barely dated and kept herself to herself. If she had to work around the blonde woman, she doubted her secret would stay hidden for more than a week.
She realised she had been standing still for quite a while and the box in her arms carrying her things was starting to get heavy. She adjusted the box in her arms and walked up the stairs. With each step she took she could feel herself getting more nervous. She located Agent Hotchner’s office and knocked on the door. She felt like she could throw up at any moment.
“Agent Hotchner?” Emily asks the slightly older man standing before her. He’s wearing a suit that looks expensive. He seems like he’d be in charge.
“Yes.” Agent Hotchner stated simply.
“I’m Agent Emily Prentiss.” She hoped that he would then realise why she was here.
“How are you? Oh, you’re Ambassador Prentiss’ daughter. I did security clearances for your mother’s staff. It was one of my first commands. I believe you were off to Brown at the time.” Emily didn’t expect all this small talk. She wasn’t a huge fan of it.
“Actually, it was Yale.” She let out a nervous laugh. Should she have corrected him? What if he saw that as a challenge to his authority? “I’ve been in the bureau almost 10 years now.”
“Don’t tell me that. Has it been that long?”
“Apparently, sir, but I work mostly in the Midwest. St Louis, Chicago.” She mentioned her past jobs in hopes to impress him.
“Good.” Hotchner stated hoping to end the conversation however Emily looked at him expectantly. She was waiting for him to say the right thing. Silence filled the room and Emily wasn’t quite sure where to look. She met Hotchner’s eye and gave him an awkward small smile.
“Your parents well?” Great. Once again, her parents were brought into a conversation.
“Yeah, yeah, they’re great.” Emily replied quickly. Hoping this brief answer would move the conversation away from her parents.
“Excellent.” The silence returned and it seemed Hotchner was finished with the small talk, as was Emily. Emily wondered if she should just run away and she almost did as the awkwardness was palpable.
“What can I do for you?” Finally getting to the point! Emily was relieved.
“Uh, well, I guess I was hoping you could tell me where to put my stuff.”
“I’m sorry?” Hotchner looked at Emily blankly.
“I’m supposed to start here today… at the BAU.” Emily began to doubt herself as the older man seemed to have no clue what she was talking about. She reached into her box and pulled out the first file – her transfer – and passed it to Agent Hotchner, hoping to clear everything up.
“There’s been a mistake.” His eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
“I don’t think so sir.” Emily had read the file a thousand times and had memorised it word for word. She knew that she was right.
“There’s definitely been a mistake.”
Their stand-off was interrupted when someone knocked on the door. Hotchner turned to see who was at the door, instinctively so did Emily. It was the blonde woman Emily had seen before. Emily could see the blonde’s face so clearly and it was more beautiful than she had pictured, and Emily could drown in her eyes if she really wanted. Emily noticed the blonde woman’s horseshoe necklace and almost smiled. She wondered who had given her it. The two women made eye contact and the blonde let out a little gasp.
“Oh. Excuse me. We’re getting started.”
“Thank you. I’ll be right there.” The blonde quickly left as she had appeared but as she left, she gave one last glance at Emily. One that Emily met as she never took her eyes off the blonde.
“I didn’t approve this transfer, Agent Prentiss.” Emily’s eyes became downcast. She had made a fool of herself and her dream job was being snatched right out of her hands before she had even got a glimpse of it. She had to try her hardest to stop her eyes from becoming watery so the puddles of tears wouldn't escape. Emily was a down-right ugly crier.
“I’m sorry for the confusion, but you’ve been misinformed.”
“But – “ Emily pleaded but she was cut off. The appearance of the blonde had left her flustered. She wondered if Hotchner had noticed their interaction. If he had, he didn't act like it and Emily was grateful for that.
“Excuse me. It’s very good to see you again.” Hotchner brushed past her and left his office. Emily picked her up file and placed it back in her box and placed it in her arms.
“Uhh…” She tried to catch up with Hotchner but he had already left and was talking to the older man she had seen before downstairs. Emily was left feeling lost and confused. She could tell that the two men were talking about her as the older man turned to look at her warily.
Emily watched as the two men left and were joined by the other two men she had seen before and the gorgeous blonde. She let out a sigh she hadn’t realised she had been holding in. She felt defeated. Her dream was over. Emily was dejected. She felt her world crushing around her. How humiliating it was going to be to have to return to her old job – if they’d even take her back. She began to leave the floor, turning around to take one last look as she’d probably never be back. That hurt. It was almost like she had been punched in the gut. But then she remembered she was Emily Prentiss. Emily Prentiss does not give up. Her lips curved into a smile as she thought of a plan. This was her last and only chance to join the BAU. She was going to prove herself. She deserved this.
+/+/+/+/+
Emily had spent the last four days profiling a case which the BAU might take on. Not only did she want to prepare herself in case they got the case but she wanted to prove that she had the skills to succeed within this unit. Emily returned to the building where she had lost so much hope a few days ago and found Hotchner’s office unlocked and decided to wait for him. She sat on his brown sofa which was just as comfy as it looked. She kept the lights off so she could surprise him. She heard Hotchner approach and gathered her thoughts, going through the profile she had come up with in her head so she wouldn’t forget anything.
Hotchner noticed her almost straight away. “Please tell me you haven’t been there for the last four days.”
“I heard you were flying back tonight.”
Hotchner looked surprised. “Heard? How could you have heard a thing like that?”
Emily then stood up and handed Hotchner a file. “This was dropped off today.”
Agent Hotchner quickly scanned the document he had been given. “I appreciate your interest, Agent, but profiling is a speciality. We can’t just let anyone who wants to give it a whirl.”
This was Emily’s one chance and she was going to take it.
“The I-80 killer? Co-eds in Indiana?”
“Yes, I read it on the plane.” Emily had predicted that he would be familiar with this case and was pleased she was right.
“They aren’t blitz attacks. This guy’s organised.” Emily noticed that Hotchner’s body language changed and now he was really beginning to listen to her, suggesting that her profile was on the right line.
“He’s a white male, early 30s, and a smooth talker, because even after eleven victims, he can still convince educated women who know there’s a predator out there to get into his car.”
“How would you advise the police?” This question was a common question in interviews for potentials wishing to join the BAU. Emily knew this. Emily took a breath, her voice becoming more confident as she became more confident with her profile and knowledge of the case.
“I would stake out the Ranch House, a nightclub in Gary. They have a very popular ladies’ night on Thursdays. If you look closely, you’ll see that eight out of the eleven victims went missing on a Friday morning. So, something gets this creep’s motor running on Thursdays.”
Emily and Hotchner looked at each other. Emily instantly panicked at her choice of words. Maybe they were deemed inappropriate? Even the littlest thing could cost her this. However, the look on Hotchner’s face wasn’t of disapproval, it was more of contemplation.
“This isn’t a whirl, Agent Hotchner. I don’t know how the paperwork got screwed up or maybe you believe my parents pulled some strings, which they didn’t, by the way.” Emily knew that to join the BAU, since they were such a close-knit unit, she would not only need to have the skills but also have the determination. It was so important to her that the Agent knew that she had earned this herself. “I belong in this unit. And all I’m asking you for is the chance to show you that.” Emily said slowly and definitely.
Emily could tell that Hotchner was analysing her at this point and she was okay with that. She met his eyes so he could tell that she was being sincere.
“I still need to look into this. I’m not promising anything.”
“Understood.”
“We brief new cases every morning at 10am. You can see facilities management about a desk.”
“You won’t be sorry.”
Emily turned to pick up her stuff and left Hotchner’s office with a smile on her face.