Are You Profiling Me?

-7-

The funeral was grand. Thousands of flowers, tens of thousands of dollars spent on it. The United States emblem plastered onto the casket. You couldn't bring yourself to look at anyone. Especially Hotch. Right after your night in the hotel, chaos erupted. The cases one after the other until Ian Doyles. You knew right away there was a connection with Prentiss. You kept it to yourself. You came over to her apartment unannounced and she answered with a gun placed on the table next to the door.

"You weren't expecting me, were you?" You asked, eyes flickering between the gun and her. She just gave you a look. You didn't ask and just walked in. You went to the window and looked out before shutting the blinds. "I know, Emily."

"You know what?" She asked. Oh so she was playing this game?

"I'm not here as your co-worker. I know I've only known you for a few years and I'm a lot younger than you-"

"I wouldn't say a lot-"

"-but I know you. Sometimes better than I think you know yourself, Lauren" Her breath hitched at this. Her face remained still. "Emily. You can trust me and I want to help. I know you have a million plans going through your head. I understand if there's reasons you don't want to share them with me but I can help you as long as you'll let me. No outsiders, no team, no interpol." You finished. Not trying to push her too far.

"Danielle, if I tell you, you'll be in danger. I don't want that." She grabbed her gun and put it in the safe as you followed her to the bedroom. You looked around and Sergio crawled between your feet.

"I know. I know that's why you're doing this. We are your family and you don't want us to get hurt. You've known me for the least amount of time but I know you the best." She sat down next to you on the bed.

"How do you know about Lauren?" She asked. She was still closed off.

"I looked back into Doyle and I found the mansion he owned overseas and low and behold I found it in a security camera. You were facing away, your face wasn't there but your earrings. I've seen them in your jewelry box. Between that and your weirdness, I knew it was you. I saw how you reacted to the profile and I overheard you on the phone that day, not just Reid. I looked into Lauren Reynolds and how she did die. But you didn't." She looked shaken that you deduced this so easily. "You worked for Interpol, that meant long term undercover missions. If you want to deny it and pretend this never happened. I'll keep it to myself and pretend I was wrong." Her look became soft. "But if you tell me what I know is true, I will do whatever you ask of me. This isn't about me this is about you and before you say that you aren't safe if I figured out, don't. I am a lot smarter than I let on and I have been in a situation similar to yours." You finally finished. She took a second and looked at Sergio who was purring on the floor.

"Okay," She finally said.

"Okay." I smiled. She stood up and walked out of the room. You closed your eyes. Fuck.

"If we are gonna go this, we are gonna need some wine." She came back with two glasses and a bottle of red. She set them on the table.

"I love wine." You hummed.

"I know." Your smile dropped. "I'm more perceptive than I let on too, Ace."

That's how you found yourself with files scattered across the bed, an empty bottle of wine, and talking to Emily about a little boy that she loved. The night went on and you knew this was the last time things were going to be like this. You both didn't want the night to end.

"He's serious about you, you know." She spoke up over the glass. "I've never seen him like this. Not even with Haley." That struck you in your soul.

"I want to be sure but there is just so much doubt. It's this little voice in my head telling me that it's not real. That it's one sided. I'm a decade younger than him and not nearly as distinguished. I feel like he doesn't see me as I see him." You finished.

"If there is a little voice, you might want to get that checked out, Reid will flip." She said seriously. There was a moment and then laughter broke out.

"I love you, Emily. So much. I will do everything I can, anything you need me to do." You held her hand on the bed.

"I know. I love you too. I trust you. Not just to keep this secret and try to save my life because they all will but I know you will do the things they wouldn't. The things that may put my life in jeopardy for the greater good, anything I need from you. That's why you're my best friend. You can set that aside." Her eyes had a little gloss to them.

"I know there are things you won't be able to tell me if you are going to make it out alive. I know you have to go and I can't know where but until then, we are a team, okay?" I said. She agreed with a nod. "What's the plan?"

"I have to go after him before he can get to me or my family. He thinks Declans dead. Know one knows about him or that Doyle thinks he's dead. He's safe though, that's all I can tell you. So even if the team finds out I left, you can't tell them about him." You nodded. "When he's dead, I will come back. They might fire me or put me in jail but I'll alway come back to you." The rest of the night was devising plans and finishing wine. When you woke up she was gone, her safe open, and the papers vanished. You got up and made it back to your apartment before sunrise.

You wished that was the end of it but now you are at Emily's funeral and the guilt is soul crushing. Something's off. Part of you thinks she's alive but the other knows you are just playing pretend. You have never seen Morgan so broken. Reid can't stop crying and Penelope has gone to the bathroom so many times to fix her makeup that you can't go there to throw up. That's why you're behind a tree in Rossi's back yard hurling up the contents of your stomach. A hand finds its way on your back. You wiped your mouth as you jumped from the actions.

"Are you alright?" Hotch said. His eyes showed how tired he was.

"No." You said as you walked away. Doyle was still out there while Emily was dead and you weren't going to let that slide. If there was a chance that Emily was alive, which she wasn't, you know he needed to die. She said she was gonna come back to you. Hotch and your relationship was on the back burner. You knew he was doing his best but you also knew he was hiding something.

"Dani, wait..." JJ said as you brushed past her on the landing. You got in your car and made it back to the cemetery. It was sunset now. There wasn't much light but you could find your way back to her through anything. You sat on the bench in front of her grave.

"Emily. I am so sorry. I did everything you said, but it wasn't enough. You were supposed to come back. We had a plan, we were supposed to take a nice vacation and go meet some hot guys in Turks and Cacos. We were supposed to drink more wine and you were supposed to give me relationship advice. I was supposed to tell you that you could have more men in your life, not just Sergio." You laughed but then the tears started to fall. "I did everything you asked, Emily. Where are you?" You saw a black car pull up and you knew exactly who it was. You turned to the side and saw another car. It was beige, a sedan, a man sat inside of it, watching you. You got this sick feeling in your stomach. That bastard stayed in DC. You were going to do this alone. Derek and Hotch got out of the car and you knew you had to play pretend once again. The feeling of grief wasn't fake but you couldn't give up your plan. Doyle was going to die.

You stood up and walked toward them. They stayed by the car. You walked up to Morgan and you were at a stand still.

"Drive me home, Morgan." You started to cry and he hugged you. Cradling your head. You saw Hotch's face from over Derek's shoulder and you closed your eyes. You couldn't lie to him. Morgan drove you home and insisted that he stay but you told him you were alright and for him to come back in the morning. He was content with that and left you to your own devices. You got back in your car when the coast was clear and drove to Emily's apartment. You had a key that she had given you that night. You knew she had to leave you a clue. So you searched. Penelope had already taken Sergio so the place felt cold. You knew something was different, someone had been here. You went over to the wine rack and pulled two glasses and poured. You didn't stop pouring when you heard footsteps.