One Last Case (Emily x reader)

Episode twenty-two

< 22nd November, 2010 >

"Monsters are real, and ghost are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." - Stephen King

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Y/n pov

It's almost hard to breath and i can't take the step i've taken so many times. Just like a month ago, i had hesitated at the step of the Bullpen. And even now, i did the same. Because now it was for real, not a visit or a consult. I was back, there was nothing horrible that awaited me beyond the doors. Well, except for the usual serial killers and shit. But that's work, the Harrison's case was more than that.

Emily is standing in front of me, extending her hand to me. But it's still hard to breath. "Come on love, you can do this" but encouragement didn't help. Why was i so scared?

But the time to take things slow did elude me as JJ comes running in from behind. "Good you're here, we've got a case."

And naturally i ask, as if on autopilot. "How bad?"

"Bad" she just answers and again as if on autopilot, as if i haven't been gone for two years, i take the last step over the line and into the bullpen. Emily looks proud at me and i feel like the fear disappears, as if it never had existed.

"Everyone in the conference room, now" Hotch calls out on his way over to the room. So, while still holding Em's hand, we pass out desks to put down our bags and head up to the room. The all to familiar.

"Good morning all, and i know we're all happy that Y/n is officially back, we've got some more gruesome news" JJ greats us all as we sit in our usual seats. As if nothing had changed, as if i never had left. But it has, and i did. Everything is different, still it's the same.

"Don't let congratulations stay in the way of a case darling," i say with a smile as i pick up the file that had been put on the tables. I've always prioritised work. Which seems more negative than it is.

"Last night, Portland PD found the fourth body in a series of murders that has been going on the last month." Meaning it started around the same time i got back. No. Not measuring time like that. "First victim was Phil Houston, age 28 and a HIgh School Maths professor" i remember his name, he's been a key speaker at a teachers conference from the whole US. I never met him, but i remember the name. "Pete Ballars, age 29 and a High School science professor"

"So the connection is the High Schools?" Rossi asks as it's what's been put before us.

"It's not the same High Schools, Houston was from Outwood Academy while Ballars worked at Gregory-Portland High School" I answer, reading over the two first victims before JJ continues.

"Third victim is Pierre Webb, age 41, and a sales clerk. While the forth victim was Jeremy Cantrell, age 30 and a High School Religion Professor. Also from a different school, Portland Christian Jr/Sr High School"

"So, it doesn't seem to be racially motivated." Morgan ships in just as i turn to the next page.

The autopsy report on the men. "Oh my... that is a lot of rage"

And as i had gotten a little further than the others, JJ pulls up the pictures and i also see how Penelope's chair is turned towards me now. "The ME estemates that they we're tortured under three days, from the ligature marks on both wrists and legs. And of course we've got this..." she pulls up the picture.

"This happy thoughts" i whisper to Penelope before giving her a pen and my hand, so that she doesn't focus on the gruesomeness of this case. "Castration, that shows a lot of sexual rage"

"But does it show a man who is mad or a woman who is raging?" Emily asks and i can see that some of the others hadn't even considered it to be done by a woman. Females are often less messy and get away with it, that's why there are fewer statistics on female serial killers.

"If it's woman, she probably thinks that these men deserved it"

"Garcia, go through the men's record. See if there are any sexual assault charges, both alligations, dropped or prosecuted." Hotch says and i notice that instead of writing it down in her notepad or phone, she writes it down on my hand. And i have to stop myself from letting out a laugh. I'll just have to send a picture of my hand if she doesn't remember it.

"She let these men bleed to death, by their... it's a lot of build up rage, what made her snap?" Rossi asks, unable to say it. Men. But it seems like we've all agreed that this is a crime of passion... by a woman. But no one can answer his question.

"What a good welcome back" i say sarcastically and get a small laugh out of the others. I hold Emily's hand in mine, it's warm. For once. But even with the gruesomeness of the world around us, i can't help but feel happy. Because i'm back with the team, back with my lover and hasn't talked to my sister since the day i gave Beth back to them. I've talked to the kids, to Anthony, but not to June. I meant what i said, i won't let her stay in my way again.

And there is a nod my way as Hotch says the words i've missed so much. "Wheels up in thirty"

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"Returning home against is clean water to my parches mouth; it is air, rich in oxygen, to my lungs as i gasp for breath." - Unknown

And as my lover once said. Every ending is also a new beginning. We just don't know it at the time. And i'd like to believe that she was right about that. And as long as i believe in it, what could possibly go wrong?

The end... maybe

I have no idea if this is the end of it or not, maybe i'll do a 'season' two of this. One where Em is the one fighting instead, Doyle? If it'd be something you'd like to read. I mean, come one... who actually wants a happy ending and not a tragic one? One that breaks your heart into two. I would really want a story that didn't have one, but i don't... yet. Still hope you liked it, i know that i did. One can tell that school started in the last chapters as they got shorter, i tried to write longer chapter at first. But kinda gave up when school started.

PS! For more Emily fanfic check out the newest addition "Lieutenant and SSA"

Summary
Total word count - 44 660
Reading time - 4h 21m