She understood the necessity of being cleared for duty, really she did, but did it really have to start at eight am? And did it really have to take the entirety of her morning? Between the physical qualifications and the mandatory visit with the very redundant department shrink, Emily felt exhausted. That in itself was a terrifying thought. If she was tired after only a morning, there was no way she was going to survive on the road.
When Monday morning rolled around, however, she didn’t much care about stamina. She was really just glad to be getting back to work. She debating going straight up to Aaron’s office “ she’d actually kept her return date secret, though he knew she’d passed the eval “ but knew there would be more of a shock factor if she was sitting at her desk. It was where she fully intended to go, until she realized sitting at her desk would be boring. She didn’t have anything to do or anything to read, but Derek’s desk was not only closer, but had files strewn across the top. So, after stowing her ready bag under her desk, it’s usual home, she plopped herself in Derek’s chair.
“Ma’am, I’m afraid you can’t be looking at those.”
Emily looked up, startled, to find a young woman standing just over her left shoulder. The woman couldn’t have been much younger than Emily, though the brunette would have put her somewhere between herself and JJ, wearing work-appropriate dress pants and a stylish black blazer. To Emily, it was an interesting cross between BAU agent, and take-me-seriously.
“Are you waiting for Agent Morgan?”
Emily smiled. “Yeah,” she agreed. It was at least part of the truth.
“I’m afraid he isn’t in yet.”
Oh, this was getting better and better. Emily could tell the woman thought she was there as one of Derek’s many lady friends. “I’ll wait.” She had her badge, though she was sure the woman couldn’t tell if it was a serious FBI badge or a visitor’s credentials. It wasn’t prudent to ask. Emily, on the other hand, could ask almost anything she wanted. “Do you work here?”
The woman’s smile was tight. “Just transferred from the Washington office.”
Washington office meant politically savvy. New transfer meant appointee. Emily resisted the urge to roll her eyes and the other urge to wince. There was no way Aaron would have been happy with another transfer he hadn’t personally approved before hand. “Do you like it?”
“We haven’t had a case,” the younger agent lamented. “I’m not sure I’d be invited to go with the team if we did.”
Emily remembered that feeling and felt a pang for the newbie. It wasn’t an easy task in a family like theirs. The brunette looked up along with the redhead when laughter preceded the opening of the BAU’s doors. It seemed like it had been a team affair for lunch that day and Emily grinned as all four of her teammates strolled into the bullpen. Garcia was the first to spot her.
“Em!” she exclaimed rushing over to give the other woman a hug. “How are you?”
“Good,” Emily answered with a wide smile. “Really, really good.”
JJ was next, squeezing her quickly. “Glad to hear it.”
Derek looked her up and down once, clucking his tongue in playful appreciation. “You wouldn’t know you were even out,” he complimented as he bestowed his own tight hug on her. He’d missed her and had no problem whispering that into her ear.
Emily knew exactly what he meant, but just laughed as she hugged Reid.
“What brings you here?” the team’s youngest agent inquired as he took a seat at his desk. The rest of the team was scattered around the small area, including the woman Emily had yet to be introduced to.
“Last time I checked, I worked here.”
JJ and Garcia squealed. Reid smiled. Derek grinned widely. “Then by all means.”
“You passed everything?” JJ asked
Emily grinned as she nodded, the corner of her eye fixed on the new girl. She vaguely wondered if the woman knew who she was. “Last week. The lovely Dr. Sals held out until the last minute to clear me for today.”
It went without saying that they all wanted to be sure the shrink’s diagnosis was a good one before she came back. With the psychos they dealt with on a regular basis, the last thing they needed was one for a teammate. They all spun when the doors to the BAU slammed open and none other than Aaron Hotchner stormed through. He looked to be in a right fury and even Emily shivered. The new agent stood just a little bit straighter as he passed, completely unaware of what was going on.
“He’s been like that since Thursday afternoon,” JJ confided. “I have a new case, but I’m afraid to present it to him.”
“Know what it’s about?” Emily asked as casually as she could. She knew she could go into his office with the pretence of explaining to her boss that she’d be back next week, but she wanted to know what she was going to wade into before she did so. She sighed when all eyes moved to the new girl.
“SSA Prentiss, meet SSA Jane Morrow, our new recruit.”
Emily shot Derek a reproachful look at the spite she could hear in his voice, even as she shook the woman’s hand.
“Prentiss?”
Emily smiled, though she was sure there was less friendliness in it than she wanted there to be. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Morrow was flustered, they could all tell. “Um, you too.”
“You going to tell Hotch you’re back?” JJ asked, shifting the focus.
“I might as well. Unless you’d rather wait until you’ve presented the case?” With JJ’s very serious shake of her head, Emily took to the stairs, knowing the team’s eyes were on her the whole time. Reid and Morgan had only been privy to progress reports and she knew they would feel better knowing she was walking and climbing stairs with no problems. She knocked on Aaron’s door, waiting patiently until he told her to enter and closing the door behind her. Since his blinds were drawn, blocking out the bullpen, Emily knew he was in a bit of a steamy mood.
“I’m back,” she said in a soft, sing-song voice, settling herself into a chair.
He grunted.
“Perfect timing too. JJ’s got a case for us.”
He grunted again.
“Aaron.” His eyes met hers and she held them for a moment to ensure she had his full attention. “Hey there.”
His eyes focused on her and he shook his head. “Sorry. A lot on my mind.”
Emily sighed, unfolding herself from the chair to move around and lean beside him, against his desk. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with SSA Morrow, now, would it?”
Aaron smiled. “And why would you think that?”
“Because I told you today is my first day back, in perfect time for the next case and you didn’t bat an eye,” she answered matter-of-factly.
“A new case?”
Emily resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Morrow was really bothering him. She knew he was as antsy for her to be back in the field as she was, and as anxious as the rest of the team. “JJ would have presented it to you already if you hadn’t had steam coming out of your ears. Morrow seems nice.”
“Strauss is pulling strings.”
Emily’s breath caught in her throat. She’d been an unwitting pawn in Strauss’ games before, especially when rising in the ranks of the FBI had been important to her. But she’d quickly learned that the team was more important than any promotion. “I’m sure we could use the help.” Part of her wasn’t sure about the new girl “ residual distrust in the team meant rough going “ but she remembered what it was like to be her. “At least you had all of her paperwork.”
Aaron sighed, leaning his head back against the chair. “I know we could use the help,” he said finally.
She wanted to hug him, but they were in the BAU and she knew that even behind closed doors, if they wanted this to work, they were going to have to do it all hands off. “Give her a chance,” she said softly. “Distrust is normal, but she could end up being part of the family.”
He smiled at her. “Think so.”
She grinned. “Know so.”
He nodded, slipping back into agent mode. In response, she moved back around the desk. He was glad for the space. “Why are you here?”
She gave him a reproachful look. “This is why it’s beneficial to listen,” she said. “Did you not hear me say today’s my first day back?”
He smiled widely. “Welcome back. What does it feel like?”
Emily grinned back. “Like I never left.”
With the exception of the nightmares, but Aaron wasn’t going to comment. “Send JJ in.”
Emily grinned at her tense colleagues as she stepped out of the office. “You’re up, JJ,” she said as she descended the stairs.
“He going to bite my head off?” the blond asked.
“Doubtful.”
Derek raised an eyebrow, darting a glace to Morrow. “You seem happy.”
“Wouldn’t you be? I’m back.”
“And get underpaid for dealing with the sickest psychos,” the dark-skinned man responded, though a smile tilted the corners of his mouth.
Emily shrugged, unable to hold back a small smile. “You know us, we’re all gluttons for punishment.”
Derek flat out laughed. It was most definitely the truth. He looked up as JJ stepped out of the office looking grim, but satisfied.
“Ten minutes, conference room.”
Everyone moved and Emily watched with a sense of supreme satisfaction.
It was good to be back.