Your life hadn't exactly been the “best.” As a child, you grew up in a sh1tty little house in Georgia with an addicted mother who eventually 0verdosed when you were 15, leaving your father, a compulsive gambler who was almost always drinking and gambling, to care for you and your two younger brothers.

You always looked for maternal love in any older woman you met. It was a never-ending search until you entered adulthood and met Emily Prentiss, the head of the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU). From the first day you sat in her office for your first interview, you knew she was what you'd always been looking for.

Emily saw that in you because, at some point, she'd been in the same place as you. While her mother Elizabeth wasn't dead, she was absent from her life, in some ways. Emily was what you desperately needed, what you longed for from the depths of your being. She nurtured you, supported you, cared for you. She was what you always wanted, even if you'd never said it out loud.

Now you were in the bullpen, sitting at your desk. Night had fallen, and the atmosphere was peaceful and quiet. Luke, JJ, Rossi, Penelope, and Tara had already left, leaving only Emily and you. She almost always stayed late when she had extra work, and you waited for her so you could keep her company and talk to her.

The sound of footsteps caught your attention, and when you looked up, you saw Emily coming out of her office. You quickly stood up as she walked toward you.

“You know, it's not strictly necessary for you to wait for me so you can go home.” – Emily said, tilting her head slightly as she crossed her arms.

“I know mom” – you said with a small smile on your face, as you grabbed some of your things from your desk. Completely oblivious to the fact that just seconds ago you had called Emily, ‘Mom’, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.