Poison (Criminal Minds)

Prologue

 “Tea, Emily?” she asked. Emily smiled, and politely accepted the proffered cup. “To happiness” Li said, holding up the cup. Emily clinked hers to it, and they both drank. “So, Emily. What brings you to the FBI? The Emily Prentiss I knew was going to be a vet.” Emily laughed, and took another sip of tea. She liked it, though the flavor was not one she had tasted before.

“What kind of tea is this?” she asked. Li waved her hand, as if waving away the question.

“A home recipe” she said. “Now, really, I would love to hear why my old tenth grade buddy became an FBI agent.”

“I don't know. It-” Emily broke off. A sharp pain had just shot through her stomach. “I'm sorry” she mumbled. “I don't feel so well.”

“The bathroom is that way” said Li, pointing down the hall. Emily stood up and positively dashed into it. Shaking and sweaty, she bent over the toilet. When she was finished, she moved to flush, but she saw specks of blood. She closed her eyes for a minute. Then she stood, flushed, and left the room.

“Li, I'm really sick” she said, smiling apologetically. “I should go home. Or the hospital.” She was shaky, still, and sweaty. Her vision was a bit blurred at the edges. “I'm really sick” she repeated. Li made no move to help her. “Li? Can you call 911?”

Her friend laughed. “Not long now, Emily. Not long now.”

“What do you mean, Li?” Emily asked. Her legs couldn't hold her up anymore, and she fell onto the couch.

“I'll sit with you, Emily. If you wish” Li offered. “Until the end. It won't be much longer.” And then, Emily knew that she was going to die. She reached to where her holster should have been, but it wasn't there. She hadn't thought she would need it. Her vision started to go black at the edges.

“Why?” she managed.

“Oh, Emily. You've known all along” Li said. Emily's vision was too blurred to make out her expression. “You never really trusted me. I was always going to . . . break down, someday. You were a good profiler, even back in tenth grade.” Emily's vision was closing off, going more and more black. “Give up, Emily. I won.”