Work Text:
Earnest Truth
by Frogg
Hrshellkw@aol.com
"Come in, Agent Prentiss, have a seat."
Buoyed by her team's support, and the knowledge that the entire situation was ending, Emily did as she'd been told, pausing to slide a CD case onto the desk before she sat back in the offered chair.
"Is that all" Strauss kept her eyes on Prentiss as she picked up the case, turning it over in her hands.
"That's everything you'll need, ma'am. Agent Hotchner won't be a problem for you anymore." Prentiss suppressed a grim smile of satisfaction.
Pleased, Strauss looked down at the CD. "Thank you." She glanced back up. "Care to elaborate on what's on here"
"It's pretty self-explanatory. I don't think you'll have any trouble with it." Prentiss rose, smoothing the line of her jacket down.
"I'm sure you want to get back to work. Be assured, I'll remember this."
"I'm sure you will." Prentiss turned towards the door, but paused, hand on the knob.
"Was there something you wanted to add"
"Actually, ma'am, there was." Bracing herself, Prentiss let some of the bitter anger, the loathing she held for Strauss seep into her gaze. "You may have appointed me to the BAU, but you had nothing to do with keeping me here. That was all up to Hotch."
"Meaning" Strauss raised an eyebrow.
"Take my advice, ma'am. Resign before Hotch decides to send a copy of that CD to someone else. Like the Attorney General."
Strauss' eyes narrowed. Her lips thinned in anger.
"Ma'am, you tried to blackmail me into ruining an innocent man's career. If I hadn't been able to nail you on it, I would have warned him and resigned myself. No matter how much I wanted this job, it's not worth sacrificing my integrity for." Dropping all pretense of civility, she turned back to face Strauss squarely. "Hotch is giving you the opportunity to retire with your record and your reputation intact. I suggest you take it."
"You--"
"Ma'am, I've called myself every name in the book for just thinking about going along with this assinine plan of yours. The important thing is, I didn't. I'm not. And I know my worth to the BAU." Her hand tightened on the doorknob. "Don't expect outside help - we know who's involved in this, and they're getting the same choice you are."
Strauss was red in the face, half out of her chair, the CD case gripped in white-knuckled fists. "You--you--"
"Good day, ma'am, I have work to do."
~~~the end~~~