Hey guys! This is a new story that I'm beginning to get past my writers block, and depending on the response I get from this chapter, I'll decide whether I want to continue with it! Hope you guys like the first bit of it!

As they boarded the jet, Prentiss took her seat beside JJ and rested her head back. It was a rough one. But aren't they all?

It's gotten so much harder to deal with all of the death, sadness, and devastation since her return. But then again, everything has become hard. Living everyday life has become such a task.

Every single day, she has to put on a smile, be everyone's shoulder to lean on, and everyone's support, without any of her own. She has to work twice as hard, to please her team, and somehow get them to accept her back. It's all becoming too much.

But she pushes these thoughts into the back of her mind as she hears her name called distantly. It's JJ. She's asking if I'd like some chips. I politely refuse her offer, saying I already ate at the station before we left. The truth is, I haven't eaten today at all. It's not intentional. I've just lost my appetite lately. I'm never hungry anymore. Just tired.

She tries to close her eyes and drift off to sleep, but she knows she can't. If she does, Prentiss might start screaming in her sleep, like she does most nights... when she actually gets any sleep at all.

When they get back to Quantico, most of the team say their good byes and head to their homes. Emily Prentiss is one of the two BAU members remaining. She sits at her desk, diving into her paperwork. It's not supposed to be done until next week, but better to get it done now than later, she concludes.

Aaron Hotchner sits at his desk as well, but for different reasons. He doesn't want to be here, but as unit chief he is required to do extra work. Taking a break from his work, he looks through the window of his office, and sees only one desk light on. It was Emily Prentiss'. Of course, she's been here late hours every night since her return. She stays later than the cleaners some nights and she's two months ahead worth of case files. Very impressive. Almost too impressive.

He would have expected Prentiss to be more affected by the situation with Doyle, but since the day she got back, he hasn't seen her falter at work. Well, he hasn't seen her out of work at all, actually. She hasn't come out to dinner or drinks with the team in the last little while.

Even the FBI psychiatrist had nothing to report last time Hotch checked a month ago. Maybe it's time he checked in on her again. It's nearly impossible for someone to go through what she's gone through and come out of it unscathed. As he turns towards his computer, Hotch finds the latest session report the psychiatrist made with Prentiss. It dates back three days ago. It reads:

Prentiss, Emily ;

September 14th, 2012

-Emily arrived late today, looking lethargic and pale

-Most likely from a lack of sleep - as it looks like

Maybe that's because she's always here so late, the agent thinks to himself. He continues reading.

- up until now everything has been progressing well with Emily

- We started the session with simple questions about how her life is going, her social life, and her work

- Emily says she has been getting together with her team much more often now, 2 to 3x per week, and she says she's feeling much better

Well that's a total lie. Prentiss hasn't been out with the team for a good month.

- We continued the session with a question I've been avoiding thus far

- Today I asked her about whether she's ever thought of ending her own life, or gotten close to it

A slight gasp escaped the mouth of Agent Hotchner, as he braced himself for what ever came next. He clicked to move to the next page.

- her reaction to my question was hesitant and rushed

- she answered with "no, it's never crossed my mind even once"

That's impossible. Prentiss would never even... would she?

- Emily did not look like she could continue with the session after that question was asked and immediately asked to cut the session short

- I agreed

- Her reaction scared me quite a bit, and I requested for her to come in the morning the next day, but she did not show up to her appointment

- When I contacted her, she had just left for a case and she apologized for missing the appointment

- I believe Emily is hiding something from me, but I don't have enough information to confirm my suspicions

- If the next appointment does not go well, I may have to request to have her removed from the field, and reevaluated

Hotch looked up from the screen, trying to process what he just read. What this document said is that Emily is not only hiding things from her psychiatrist, but what broke his heart was that she might also be suffering much more than he thought.

Hope you guys enjoyed that first chapter. If you liked it, please please please let me know because I will use reviews as a motivator whether or not to write any more chapters. If I don't get reviews, I won't continue and I'll leave it as a one-shot. I think this would be an awesome story to continue, though. Thanks again everyone!