Emily had been on his trail for over half a year now. The unsub was moving carefully, always changing directions right before she caught up to him. He was playing with her, slipping away back into the shadows as soon as she got within arm's reach. The man was almost untraceable; he never left a paper trail… the only trail Emily was able to follow were the mutilated bodies as well as the subtle hints he left behind for Emily's eyes only.

He knew she was after him. And Emily knew that it was a dangerous game they were playing. She was almost certain that she was supposed to become the 'crown jewel' of his collection. But even though she was somewhat frightened, there was so much more on stake than just her own life. If she stopped following him, pursuing him – no one would be able to pick up his trace again. It was either her or no-one.

Sighing, Emily ducked down and crawled through the narrow hole in the underbrush.

EPJJEPJJEPJJEPJJEPJJEPJJ

It was just another day at the BAU office. The team had just gotten back a day prior from a case in Atlanta and were now working from behind their desks – at least until the next urgent case came in to take them wherever they were needed. However, none of them could've expected what would be happening next.

Multiple heads shot up as a beautiful red-haired woman in a olive green summer dress walked into their bullpen, politely nodding at a few of them before striding right towards Hotch's office.

As soon as she'd disappeared into their unit chief's office, Morgan whistled appreciatively, Rossi shaking his head at the other agent's antics.

"Who was that?" JJ wanted to know, both her and Garcia stepping out of the kitchen where they'd refilled their mugs with hot coffee.

"She seems to have an appointment with the boss," Reid said without looking up from the files he was leafing through.

"Well, whomever she is, I'd totally-"

"I advise you not to finish that sentence, Agent Morgan," Hotch stated as he walked out of his office with the beautiful stranger in tow. "This woman is already spoken for and she's here for our help." He placed a hand on the woman's shoulder, guiding her into the conference room and motioning for his team to follow.

"Everyone," he announced once everyone but him and the redhead had taken a seat. "This is Rachel Hastings. She's filed a missing person's report."

"So, what's the case? How can we help?" Morgan asked, always the first to speak up.

"Ms. Hastings' girlfriend works for the FBI. She's been on the trail of a murderer for more than half a year now and she hasn't called her at the last two scheduled times."

"She's been following him ever since Arizona," Rachel Hastings' voice was laced with honest concern. "I don't know much about the case but I thought maybe you could find out the details and help? You must've caredv for her once and-"

"Whom are we talking about here?" JJ furrowed her brows, not liking where this was going. "Hotch?"

"It's Emily," the unit chief sighed, clenching and unclenching his hands.

"I don't know what happened between you and Emily," Rachel looked from one profiler to the next, finally stopping at JJ. "But she hasn't forgotten about you, she talks about you all the time. Especially JJ. I… please help me find her."

"I knew she was gay!" Garcia exclaimed, everyone's eyes immediately flitting to her quickly reddening face. "Ah,… oops, didn't mean to say that aloud, it's just… don't mind me."

"It's okay," Rachel reassured the tech analyst. "That was one of the many things Emily liked so much about you. – So… will you help?"

"Of course we'll help, right? We can't leave our princess on her own when she needs us!"

"Garcia-"

"No, maybe you don't, but I still-"

"Garcia!" Hotch repeated, this time a little louder.

"Boss man?"

"If you'd let me speak, I would've already told you that we're accepting the case."

"We are?"

"We are."

EPJJEPJJEPJJEPJJEPJJEPJJ

"So, when's the last time you heard from Emily?" Rossi wanted to know, looking at a relieved Rachel.

She knew it probably wouldn't be easy to find Emily and bring her home but this team was the FBI's elite. If anyone could find her, it was them.

"Thursday three weeks ago," Rachel readily supplied them with the information. "She said she had a feeling she was getting close and that they were headed south."

"South?" Reid asked, already unfolding a large map.

"Yes. I've talked to Carrie before I came to you. She said Emily thought the unsub was headed towards the Boise National Forest."

"Carrie?" JJ jumped into the conversation, a confused look on her face.

"Yeah, Carrie," Rachel said as if it should be obvious. "You don't know? – It was one of the last cases she worked on with you. Carrie Ortiz."

"But… I thought..."

"Em told me the story. Said some distant relatives had already filed a request to take her in before she could even offer to do the same. Carrie didn't feel safe with her aunt and uncle though, had consistent night terrors. She called Emily five weeks later and Emily had a long conversation with the family. They decided together that Carrie could go and live with Emily if that's what she wanted. She's been with her ever since. She's turning 18 soon. Emily was so proud when Carrie showed her her acceptance letter. She'll be going to Columbia in the fall. Psychology." The redhead shook her head sadly. "Carrie's out of her mind. She can't lose another family member."

"We'll find her, pretty lady," Garcia smiled at Emily's girlfriend. "Don't you worry." The tech genius turned to JJ excitedly. "Isn't it great that it worked out after all? I remember how Emily was constantly sulking after getting back from Denver."

"Yeah…" JJ said absent-mindedly. Only three years ago, she'd been the person in Emily's life who got to see the most sides of the private brunette. Now it seemed she'd filled that role with someone new, even had a family of her own. And while JJ was happy for Emily, she kind of felt a little betrayed as well. It didn't feel good to be replaced, even if she had been the one to not answer Emily's texts and calls after she quit following her betrayal of Hotch. She'd been right to be angry at her. After all, Emily had sold a friend to Strauss. They'd all trusted her only to be stabbed in the back.

"JJ?"

"Mhm?" JJ looked at Garcia who was mustering her with interest.

"Where did you go?"

"I'm here?"

"No, I meant just now. In your head."

"Oh… it's nothing, really," JJ cleared her throat and picked up her phone, checking her emails. And thankfully, someone had finally answered: The FBI unit Emily was working with these days would be faxing them the necessary files within the hour.

They could finally start.

"Do you have Carrie's number?" JJ expectantly looked at the redhead. Rachel was a beautiful and, from what she'd learned so far, also a caring woman. However, JJ couldn't bring herself to like her. The thought of her together with Emily just felt so inexplicably wrong.

"Of course," the other woman began to rummage in her bag, probably looking for her own cell.

"Good. I'd like to speak to her."

EPJJEPJJEPJJEPJJEPJJEPJJ

"Ortiz?"

"Carrie? It's JJ. You probably won't remember me but-"

"Of course I remember you, Agent Jareau."

"No need to be so formal," JJ paced along the length of her office, nervously running her fingers through her hair as she talked to the girl.

"So Rachel talked to you guys? Are you going to take the case? Please tell me you are, I don't know what I'll do if…" the girl broke off, her voice rough. JJ rightly guessed that she'd been crying earlier.

"Yes, Carrie. We took the case and we'll do our very best to get her back unharmed."

"Thank you."

JJ could clearly hear the girl's suppressed sobs and suddenly felt like crying herself. It felt as if only now the whole weight of everything was finally getting to her. Emily Prentiss, a woman she'd once considered her best friend and a confidante, was in terrible danger. Maybe even... No. JJ would not think of that. Not yet.

"JJ?"

"Sorry, I'm still here," she replied into the speaker, noticing that her own voice now sounded weak and shaky. "I just-"

"I know," the girl simply stated, leaving JJ to wonder what exactly it was she 'knew'. "So," Carrie continued after a moment of silence on both ends. "When are you heading out?"

"We should receive the case files within the next twenty minutes. We'll board the plane as soon as we hold them in our hands."

"Good. Good… I… bring her back to me?"

"We'll try as hard as we can."

"That's not good enough."

"I know, but it's all I have to offer…" JJ looked at her office window when someone knocked against it. Hotch, waving with a pile of paper. The files. "Look, Carrie, I've got to go. We just got the case files. But feel free to call or text me whenever you want, okay? And I'll let you know as soon as we find out something about Emily's whereabouts."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

EPJJEPJJEPJJEPJJEPJJEPJJ

"So that Rachel woman," Garcia looked at her friend who was sitting opposite from her. They'd gotten on the plane an hour ago, Penelope Garcia insisting that she came along for this special case. "She's a real beauty, isn't she?"

"I suppose," JJ replied without interest, looking out of the window and hanging after her own thoughts.

"And she's smart to. I've checked her backgrounds. She's a veterinarian, heads her own little clinic. And she's never even received a ticket for speeding or something similar."

"Good for her."

Garcia sighed. Today, it was no fun to gossip with JJ. "Are you even listening to me?"

"I am," JJ answered, finally turning her head and facing her geeky friend. "So?"

Garcia grinned, ready to venture deeper into the love life of Emily Prentiss now that she finally seemed to have JJ's attention. "Well: I told you so."

"Told me what?"

"That our dear little Princess was a lesbian."

"Oh… Yeah, guess you were right."

"It's a pity that you didn't gather all your courage and asked her out back when she first started working at the BAU with us. You were totally swooning over her! Not that it makes a difference now," Garcia added, pushing her pink-rimmed glasses further up her nose. "She's got a girlfriend, you've got a husband and a kid. Still, it's somewhat of a shame. You would've made a striking couple."

"Could we please talk about anything else, Pen?"

"Oh," the blonde sounded a little disappointed with the suggested change of their conversation but soon her eyes lit up once more. "So, do you think that girl that works at the café across of the BAU would fit together with our boy genius?"

A/N: So, what do you think?