FF: What the Rain Washes Away 5/13 (Criminal Minds) JJ/Emily NC-17
Chapter Four…
Your own, personal, Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers
Someone to care
Feeling unknown and you're all alone,
Flesh and bone, by the telephone,
Lift up the receiver, I'll make you a believer
I will deliver, you know I'm a forgiver
Reach out and touch faith
Since the initial standoff, Cyrus hadn't let anyone leave the temple except for the men with guns. Reid and Prentiss had watched every move of those that remained but there hadn't been much to glean. They were scared, but whether it was because of Cyrus or the horde of FBI agents just down the road neither could tell. Probably, Emily figured, a little of both.
Eventually a few of the women left and came back with large pots of soup and cornbread. Men, women, and children lined up for their servings, but Reid and Prentiss stayed seated. So far they'd managed to keep out of Cyrus' way and neither was looking to test his good graces - no matter how hungry they were.
They were spared the dilemma, however, when the man himself came over with soup and bread for both of them. "'Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shall love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.'"
Emily fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Thank you," she said instead.
Reid took his bowl and thanked Cyrus. "Matthew 5:43-44, right?"
"You know it?"
"I've read the Bible a few times, although it's been a while." Reid's eidetic memory meant it didn't matter how long it had been since he'd read the Bible, he still remembered every word. But he was setting himself up with Cyrus in a way Emily knew she couldn't, establishing a rapport that even her most sincere attempts couldn't generate.
Besides, she was Catholic and doubted Cyrus would want to discuss the Virgin Mary or the Miracles of St. Felicitas.
"No matter how far we stray, the Word of God never fails us."
"'I will never leave you nor forsake you,'" Reid quoted.
"You forgot the first part of that verse," Cyrus smiled, turning to look at his congregation of followers. "With me, 'No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life.'" He left them to their soup and walked back to the front of the church, his point made.
"That's not exactly how that verse reads, is it," Emily asked, taking an experimental sip of broth. It was good, and since no one else had keeled over yet, she took the chance it wasn't poisoned and dug in.
"No, not exactly," Reid answered, starting to eat as well.
"It never is," she retorted bitterly.
She'd seen all this before, and although she couldn't quote chapter and verse like Reid, she knew the doctrines behind it all: setting themselves apart, a city on the hill, honoring God's law above Man's. Of course, places like this tended to ignore Jesus' words about paying taxes: 'Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and unto God what is God's.'
One of the women came to collect their bowls and as they started to clean up dinner they started to sing. First it was "Shall We Gather at the River," and then "Bringing in the Sheaves." And then Jessie picked up the baby and started to sing to the child, rocking her to sleep.
I was standing by my window on a cold and cloudy day...
When I saw that hearse come rolling for to carry my mother away...
Will the circle be unbroken? By and by Lord, by and by
There's a better home awaitin' in the sky Lord in the sky...
Emily closed her eyes, trying to drown out the voices and the words, trying to keep the memories at bay, but it was no use. It came upon her like a wave of grief as she remembered the last time she'd heard that song, in a place so much like this one. There was nothing she could do to stop it so she closed her eyes and let the memories come.
*
The funeral was simple and sparsely attended. Most of the mourners were women and children from the Mount Zion Resurrection Church and even though they knew Emily, no one so much as gave her a second glance. The simple gravesite sermon hadn't taken more than a few minutes, delivered by one of the older men in the church, Brother Meeks. Crippling arthritis had been the only reason he hadn't taken up arms when the ATF stormed the Resurrection Church and now he was one of the few men not in federal custody. He ignored Emily too.
She shouldn't have been out of the hospital, much less standing, but she'd gone anyway against her doctor's advice. Just like she'd gone against FBI policy and her superiors orders and paid for the service herself. It was the least she could to honor the woman she'd gotten killed even though it was roundly agreed and understood it would never assuage her guilt.
"And now," Brother Meeks intoned, his voice raspy with age, "let us close with a song."
One voice started and then another joined and another. After months of living with the church, attending every service, every sing-a-long, Emily could pick out each voice without fail. There was Sister Terry singing alto, her daughter Rebecca matching tone and harmony. Sister Hannah's soprano rang out true and clear above them all.
Months she'd lived with them, ate and slept with them, slowly helping the ATF build a case against the church leader, Brother Henry Scott on weapons and explosives charges. And with every day she'd grown to understand that most of them had no clue what their leader was doing, or what he was capable of. They just wanted to be left alone, to raise their children away from crime and drugs and sin. They'd never wanted anyone to get hurt - much less one of their own. Certainly not the favored daughter.
At just twenty years old, Jenny Scott was dead, and the lives of everyone who'd called Resurrection Church home would never be the same.
Especially Emily's.
I will follow close behind her, try to hold up and be brave
But I could not hide my sorrow when they laid her in the grave
Will the circle be unbroken? By and by Lord, by and by
There's a better home awaitin' in the sky Lord in the sky
*
The song faded, and with it, the vivid memory of standing on that cold, November day at a graveside in Montana. Around her, children played, oblivious to the danger and tension. Children were resilient that way. In the years since Jenny's death and the collapse of Resurrection Church, Emily had checked informally on the families. Almost all of the men were serving prison sentences of various lengths, but the ones left behind had dispersed to the four winds without the personality of James Scott to keep them together. Some of the children were in foster care; some were old enough now to be out on their own. Most had gone back to living the same kind of life they'd had at the compound, just in different small towns.
Did they remember her? Did they hate her? Had they forgiven her, as the Bible commanded, or if they met again on some street, in some city, would she see the same anger as she had that last day at the cemetery? Did it even matter any more? She didn't need their forgiveness and the one person's forgiveness she did want could never grant it.
Eventually, things started to settle down inside the temple as night crawled on. The spike of fear, the adrenaline rush, precipitated a crash among the followers that even Prentiss and Reid weren't immune to.
"Listen up, please, everyone," Cyrus called, walking back in with Jessie at his side. "We will sleep in the temple tonight. I have spoken with the FBI and at first light they will be sending up medical supplies so that we can tend to our wounded. It will be an early morning, so please, let's get the cots and sleeping bags out. Everyone find a place to settle in for the night."
One of the men pulled Cyrus aside and nodded meaningfully toward Reid and Prentiss. "Oh, that can't be good," Reid muttered.
"We're outsiders but we haven't done anything to them. That counts for something with these people. As long as our cover sticks, we'll be fine."
Sure enough, half an hour later as everyone bedded down for the night, Jessie walked over and handed them two sleeping bags. "It's not much, but they'll keep you warm."
"Thank you for the kindness," Reid smiled, eyeing the sleeping bag with a mix of curiosity and confusion. Jessie smiled back, only at him, and walked away. "She doesn't like you," he teased lightly, awkwardly turning the sleeping bag in his hands.
"She's Cyrus' wife, the Alpha female, except she's fifteen and nowhere near ready to take on that responsibility. She sees any strong female as a challenger to her place in this hierarchy. Not to mention, I pissed her off implying her husband was a pedophile." Prentiss looked at Reid pitifully then took the sleeping bag away and rolled it out for him. "Haven't you ever gone camping?"
"Statistically speaking-"
"-Forget I asked." Spencer sat down cross-legged and started to take off his shoes. "Don't do that," Prentiss cautioned.
"Why not?"
"Something happens in the middle of the night you really want to have to look for your shoes?"
"Oh. Right."
She stripped off her jacket and rolled it up to use as a pillow. Reid did the same. Cyrus dimmed the church lights, but kept the ones over the altar on, full and bright. He took a seat under the lights, Bible in hand, and started to read aloud. Prentiss and Reid rolled their eyes in unison and then Emily turned over and tried to sleep.
*
Outside the compound, sleep wasn't coming any easier for the members of the BAU. JJ had tried to get some rest, after Hotch had ordered her and everyone else to do so, but sleep hadn't come. Every time she closed her eyes all she saw was Emily. The fact she was trying to sleep on a rock hard couch in a rented trailer the FBI had brought in had only added to her restlessness. She'd given up after an hour and walked back to the command center. Hotch gave her a look, but Morgan just shrugged commiserating, and Rossi handed her a fresh cup of coffee. It was decaf and would do nothing for the exhaustion, but it was the gesture that counted most.
"Mics aren't picking much up but it sounds like they've all settled in for the night. We'll know more tomorrow when we get some ears inside."
JJ nodded. Rossi, as lead negotiator, would deliver the supplies and verify for himself that Prentiss and Reid were alive and well. And if they were very lucky, Cyrus wouldn't discover the listening devices implanted in the medical supplies and boxes.
"I heard Hotch ripped the AG a new one," JJ said, taking a sip of coffee.
"Now that was a sight to see," Rossi joked. "I've never seen a grown man run away like that before."
"Did he really threaten to have him arrested for negligent homicide?"
"I don't think it was a threat."
They both smiled. It eased the tension some. "What do you think will happen tomorrow?"
"If we're very, very lucky? Nothing at all. I'll go, check everything out, establish some trust, and let things go from there. Situations like this, as long as no one's in immediate danger, it's best to go slowly." Rossi didn't speculate as to what might happen if they weren't lucky and JJ didn't ask.
"No chance they'll surrender tomorrow?"
"That wouldn't be luck, that would be a damn miracle."
"Then I guess I better start praying."
*
Emily was awake as soon as the first person started to stir in the chapel. She and Reid had held out as long as they could, listening to Cyrus drone on and on, until finally succumbing to the jetlag and exhaustion. As the room started to fill with early morning light the women slipped out to prepare breakfast as the children and teenagers started to pick up cots and bedding. Emily prayed they'd be generous enough to have coffee. She already felt the beginnings of a wicked caffeine headache.
She nudged Reid awake and helped him roll up his sleeping bag, both of them straightening up as much as was possible after spending the night on the floor. They spotted Kathy and took their sleep rolls over to her. "Can I help with anything," Prentiss offered. "I'd like to feel useful." She also wanted to see as much of the compound as she could to judge the best escape routes, but Kathy didn't need to know that.
"That's very nice of you, maybe you can-"
"-Cyrus wants them to stay in the temple." All three turned to look as Jessie walked up, the blonde little girl from the day before once more attached to her hip.
"It's just washing some dishes," her mother countered.
"Cyrus said no."
There was a minor battle of wills, and then, surprisingly, Kathy backed down. She turned to Emily with an apologetic smile. "Thank you for the offer, but we'll manage."
Dismissed, Reid and Prentiss took a seat and waited.
"I wonder who they'll send in," Reid whispered.
Emily looked at him, momentarily checking to see who was nearby. Luckily, everyone was too busy cleaning up to pay much attention to them. "Reid, you know how to play this, right? Whoever is sent in, make eye contact, once, but don't linger. Pay attention but not too much attention. Listen but don't try and convey anything to them. We know HRT protocols, we know to look for opportunities, but don't forget we're here as child service hostages. Nothing else."
"I got it," he nodded. A thought occurred to him, something that never really had before. "How many times have you been undercover?"
"Not counting the times I got used just as bait," she answered sardonically, "too many."
"He's on his way up!" one of the men called out from the front of the temple. There was a flutter of panic as children ran to their mothers and wives clung to their husbands. "He's alone!"
"Okay, everyone, take your seats. Take your seats. Let him see we are a peaceful people who just want to be left alone."
There was a knock and Cyrus opened the door. Emily heard speaking but didn't dare turn around. Not yet. She watched the crowd, listened, and waited until Cyrus started to walk forward before she and Reid turned. Prentiss had to keep herself from sighing in relief when she spotted Rossi. Reid, contrary to her earlier warning, stared straight at Rossi.
He glanced at them once then looked away, walking down the center aisle with Cyrus. "I'd hoped you'd let me take the children."
"No, they're our protection. I remember Waco. We all do."
"This isn't Waco."
"They stay for now," Cyrus said, clearly testing Rossi. "While I pray for God's guidance. Please don't try to force us out."
"No one's going to force you out of here, trust me."
"Trust is earned."
"It is." Rossi looked around once more, letting his eyes linger on Prentiss and Reid before turning to walk back out.
"Very smooth," Prentiss hissed.
Reid at least had the good graces to look abashed. "Sorry."
"Prepare the wine," Cyrus ordered as the church door was shut and barred again.
Emily and Reid shared a look. "Oh, this just keeps getting better and better."
Chapter Five