Criminal Minds: The Replacement

Chapter 7

--- Aaron Hotchner's Point of View ---

Present Day

Emily and I pulled up in front of the Quantico building. We had just visited Tracy Wright's family. They said that four months ago, she had mentioned something about seeing a familiar face at the dry cleaners, coffee shop, grocery store etc., but nothing else that stuck out. A week later she was reported missing. All that information was already in the missing persons report.

At the Wright's house I let Emily do most of the talking, I could tell she missed the work at the BAU. I think what would be a good thing is to find something that would make her want to stay. Clearly, our relationship is not enough- she left already once and let what we had fall apart.

There were also many other things that were in my head right now. Such as the new girl, Laura Evans. I would have to find out how she did today, and such and evaluate her position. If she is not up to standards, maybe I could use her spot to get Emily to stay, at least for a little while.

I know that it is unfair to Laura, but I don't think Emily will stay unless she has a good reason too, such as the BAU.

I entered the conference room. Reid was standing by a large boards looking at a map, nodding to what Laura had to say, while marking down spots on a map. Rossi and JJ were going through files. I took a minuet to study Reid and Laura, they seemed to get along well, maybe this will be harder than I thought.

"What do we have?" I asked.

Laura turned to face me "Well we have more that what we started with, sir, but we learned nothing from the crime scene because there were no prints. But it may be possible that the unsub resides in the near by area because both crime scenes are within a three mile radius." Okay, so she was smart.

"The diner's surveillance camera's were blocked off," Laura continued, "but Garcia is examining the last weeks footage for--"

"-- BABY GIRLS GOT SOMETHING!!!" Morgan called, "She's on speaker."

I will never understand the relationship between Morgan and Garcia.

"Well my colourful pretties," Garcia began, "you asked for big, I will give you big. Luckily this guy came in on the first day of my searches up and down the world of videos of people chewing with they're mouths open, but I got him."

"Who is he, Garcia?" I asked.

"His name is Riley Kell. Facial recognition linked him to is identification because of many petty thievery's. He was watching all the cameras, then taking notes and drawing diagrams of the room. Gotta love image enhancement" 

"Do we have and address?" Emily asked. Damn, I missed her on this team.

Finally we were gonna catch this guy, the case would be over, and I could spend some time alone with her.

"Yes, I'm texting it to you now, good luck!" Then she hung up.

"Alright lets go, no one enters the house until we are all there, and remember, Kell is just a suspect." And with that we all left.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

It just so happened that I ended up with JJ in the SUV, I guess Morgan and Rossi want to spend time with Emily too. I did not say anything to Emily because I didn't want anyone to get suspicious of our relationship.

As I pulled out of the parking lot I could see JJ smiling. Not just smiling, but about to laugh smiling. I looked over at her and then she couldn't help herself and was full out laughing.

"What is it?" I asked.

"You know you can't hide it from everyone, right?" Oh shit, she knew.

"Oh come on you know what I'm talking about," JJ said.

I didn't answer this.

"You and Emily. Could you make it more obvious? Your just like Spence when you like someone, you stare at the without realizing. You should see yourself literally drooling over each other in the briefing room. It's cute. And you too are good together."

I give up. "Okay, fine, you caught us."

I wonder who else knows, "Your talking about Reid and Laura Evans right."

"Oh yeah- he definitely has a thing for her." JJ said, "But back to Emly, what are you going to do when she leaves?"

"I don't know, I want her to stay."

JJ sighed, "She feels guilty you know. Emily. She feels bad that she left the BAU and now we've spent the nine months focusing on replacing her."

"That's not her fault, Blake left."

"Yeah but if you see it from her perspective, we've been trying to find someone to take her spot since she left."

"I guess that's true."

"We could use that you know," JJ said, "To make Emily stay. Now that she is here, make her feel needed and that we need her back, she stay for a while longer."

What? I never knew that JJ had that side to her. She was a profiler after all, she could tell what could push people away and pull the in. But this was different, someone's career was on the line. I guess I must have been giving her a look of wonder when she spoke up.

"You are not the only one who wants Emily back. She is my best friend."

Maybe there was hope, and I needed JJ to help me out.

"Do you think we could....?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's definitely possible." JJ replied.

"Then let's do it."

Emily would be here at the BAU, and that was where she belonged, with the team, her family and me.