a friend from college-jemily

without you

Emily waited until she heard JJ's tiny snores to indicate she was sound asleep before she snuck out of bed. She quietly shuffled through her top drawer and pulled out the large envelope that concealed her second identity.

Lauren Reynolds, London, UK
10/12/96

Emily gulped as she stood in front of her bathroom mirror. She haphazardly gathered her hair so it covered her face, took it between two fingers and cut it just above her forehead. Tears lightly rolled down her cheeks on to the small pile of hair sitting at the bottom of the sink. Emily then took her cell phone and popped out the SD card.

She left the bathroom and walked back out into the dark bedroom. JJ was still dead to the world snuggled beneath the covers in bed. Emily softly tiptoed to the door, where her trusty sidekick Sergio stoically sat staring at her. As she unlocked the door, he let out a soft mew and rubbed up against Emily's leg. He looked over at JJ and back at Emily.

"You take care of her," Emily whispered. Then, Sergio jumped up on the bed and nestled between JJ's legs.

Emily headed out the back entrance of her home that led to the large garage and quickly sped off in to the cold, dark night.

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Before she knew it, she woke to the squeak of the train braking on the tracks as it rolled in to the station. She had fallen asleep. Fuck, Emily. You can't do that. She suddenly realized how lucky she was to be alive as she stepped off the train. It was late afternoon and the late-November sun was softly setting over the Boston skyline. As the warm light slowly regressed, the air became cold and ominous as Emily stealthily navigated her way to the meeting spot.

As she got closer, she felt a buzz from her pocket. She had a voice message from a familiar number, but she had no idea how JJ could have gotten a hold of this number. She nestled herself in a dark alley out of sight from the public and took a listen.

"Emily, it's me.

I wish you would have told me you were going off to fight an international crime boss on your own, but I understand it and I want you to know that you're not alone, okay? I'm there with you and I am coming for you, so please, just stay strong. Stay strong, and please, don't  be a hero. I need you. I need to be with you, I  cannot lose you now that I've found you. I love you Emily Prentiss and I don't ever want to be in a world without you in it. So please, Emily, let me help you."

Emily pushed her phone back in to her pocket and sniffed back tears as she quickly approached the warehouse. Many of its windows were broken or boarded and it appears to have become a rat palace. She tiptoed through the vermin and finally got to an unlocked door. It creaked as she stepped inside. The ground was dripping with what smelled like sewage, the stench nearly causing Emily to puked. As she made her way down the hallway, she finally saw a very dim light off to the left hand side. She peaked over the corner and a sigh of relief slipped from her lips.

"Papa," she whispered as she snuck over to her grandfather. He was beaten and his hands were tied behind his back. "Oh my gosh, papa. What did he do to you?"

"Emily. It doesn't matter. You have to get out of here before he comes back," Grandpa George whispered between labored breaths.

"I'm taking you with me," Emily said as she began to get the tape off his wrists.

"No time, please," he whispered.  Suddenly, Emily heard footsteps behind her.  She looked up and saw a dark figure, but couldn't make out his face. She felt a hand grab her hair and drag her back and threw her down hard on the ground.

"Hello, Lauren."