Shattered. [Aaron Hotchner + Emily Prentiss]

Chapter 3.

"I knew!"

"Oh, be quiet Garcia. You found out through watching our almost sex tape!"

"You guys did it here!?" JJ said, shocked.

"Yeah..."

"Is that why the desks-"

"Yeah..."

"Oh my God..." JJ's hand went up to her forehead, trying to process everything she heard. Then she looked to Garcia, "Wait, so you found out through the CCTV?"

"Yup!" the bright woman chirped. "I saved it on a different file to hide it but it's very much real-"

"You two will not be watching that! Delete it!"

Before the two could speak up in disagreement, two text tones and an email notification came through their devices. There must be a case.

Emily looked at JJ "Delete..." then to Garcia "...it!" Penelope just nodded shyly, but each woman was self aware that that tape would not be deleted any time soon, and most definitely would be used against the two brunettes if need be. They headed out of Garcia's cave, towards the round table room. The bullpen was empty, so everyone seemed to already have been in there.

"Good, you're here." Hotch said, as he clicked onto the slide. "It was sent straight to my desk. We are going to New York. Reports of missing foster kids have been sent to local PD's in the last week. They had a total of 5 in the past fortnight.

"Why are we only just getting called in now?" Morgan asked, flicking through his digital file on his tablet.

"Different police stations didn't conntect the cases. It was the 911 call about the body of the first child being found that they finally linked it. This is Brianne Jolten, 8 years old, found on the side of a road this morning. There's no sign of sexual assault or torture but the ligature marks show she had been restrained." Everyone winced at the post-mortem photos of the young girl. "Her foster parents Jane and Mark Garner have been informed, and there will be a social worker with them when we arrive. We need to work on finding the rest of the kids. We'll talk more on the jet. Wheels up in thirty."

Everyone scattered the room, all eventually leading out towards their desks, except for Emily and Hotch.

"I hate cases like this." Emily said, gathering her things. "No child deserves to experience these things."

"Yeah, I know so do I. All I ever think about is Jack in these cases." There was a long pause between the two. "Can we talk on the jet?" He stepped closer to her, as she straightened up.

She put her hand on his chest lightly, smiling. "Of course." With that, she walked away as Hotch watched. Thoughts fogged his head. Good and bad ones. All of them jumbled together. "Would Jack be okay with Jessica?" "Is Emily thinking the same as him?" "Would Jack like the idea of Emily and him being together?" "What if he feels replaced?" His thoughts were interrupted with the knocks of Rossi at the door.

"You coming?"

"Yeah, let me get my bag and I'll be there."

-

Emily and JJ were the first ones to board the jet, and sat down in their usual seats. JJ next to the window, and Emily in the aisle seat, of the 4 seater. "What are you going to do about Hotch?" JJ said, as she saw Emily begin picking her nails.

"I know what I want to do, but logically? I have no clue. Firstly, Strauss. What would happen to our jobs? Secondly, Jack. He really misses Haley at the moment, and I wouldn't want him to feel as if Aaron is replacing her. That's the last thing I would want to be. A replacement. And then there's the team. You, Rossi and Garcia know but Derek and Spencer? I know how Derek will act, and I don't want other agents to think I'm using him."