Tag to 7x12 Unknown Subject… this little story came to me on my way home from work today so I thought I'd get it down quickly…. Hope it's not too rushed & hope you like it.
Hotch took his seat opposite Emily and stared….
"I'm having a bad day…." She said, tears filling her eyes.
~~CM~~
Morgan followed JJ on to the jet, Reid and Rossi a few paces behind. As he made his way down the aisle, he just caught the remnants of Hotch's glare toward Emily as she shifted across the seat allowing JJ room to sit next to her.
"Pilot says we got a take off slot in ten minutes." JJ informed the Unit Chief as she took her seat.
Hotch nodded and began to stand, shuffling the papers on the table in front of him as he did. "I'm just gonna go over some case notes with Rossi."
Morgan remained standing waiting for Hotch to pass. As he waited he watched Emily, who hadn't acknowledged anyone since they got on the jet. She sat, elbow rested on the arm of the chair, staring out on to the black tarmac of the runway. As Hotch walked past Morgan the two men shared a look…. Morgan knew something had gone down between the Unit Chief and Emily, but couldn't think what on earth it could be that would leave her so quiet.
When the way was clear for him to sit down, Morgan slowly lowered himself in to the seat opposite JJ who was talking away on the phone to Will, letting him know she'd be back tonight.
Seeing Emily that way, he knew better than to try and talk to her here, so he put on his head phones and leant back in his seat. Trying to relax was futile though. He couldn't stop staring at his hunched up friend in the corner, a far cry from the profiler who had been sat with them all just a couple of hours ago, profiling their latest unsub.
She must have felt his stare as she turned and glanced at him awkwardly. It was only for a split second, but long enough for him to see the glisten in her eyes from the tears and her lips ever so slightly turned down at the edges.
He knew she knew he'd seen it, but she would not look at him again….. Not for the rest of the flight. Instead she turned to face the window once again and he could see in the reflection of the glass she had closed her eyes.
Half an hour into the flight and he still wasn't fooled. He had seen Emily Prentiss's sleeping face on flights plenty of times and that wasn't it. Her cheek muscles were tight, brow furrowed and her lips pursed, almost trembling at times. It took everything he had not to lean across that table right now and ask her what was wrong, but even though it was the smallest of glances she had given him, it was enough to let him know that now was not the time to ask her anything.
When the flight landed Morgan stood in the aisle of the jet allowing JJ and Emily off before him, the brunette avoiding his gaze as she walked past him and off the jet. The team walked through the deserted corridors of Quantico in silence, all exhausted from their trip, three of them though feeling the tension, the others oblivious. Hotch had not missed the almost angry, questioning glare Morgan had given him as they got off the jet. The Unit chief gave Morgan no chance to ask what had happened, quickly averting his look, walking ahead of the younger agent. It didn't matter what Hotch wanted or what he thought…. He could not break Emily's confidence as her boss or her friend.
Eventually, Rossi, Hotch and Morgan peeled off into their own offices, JJ, Reid and Emily migrating to the bull pen. Morgan threw his bag on the desk and rooted through his top drawer for his car keys. Grabbing them he made for the bull pen. Surveying the room he saw JJ slipping her jacket on and picking up her bag. Reid was sat down reading something that had been left on his desk.
"JJ, where's Prentiss?" He called across the room.
"She's gone." The blond answered, walking over to look at what Reid was reading.
Morgan hopped down the short staircase, joining his friends, "Already? She was in a hurry." He asked, trying to hide his concern.
Reid looked up to him, "Yeah, she said she didn't feel too good…. Come to think of it she did look at bit pale."
"Oh, ok….." Morgan started, "Well I'm off too then. See you guys in a couple of days."
"Yeah…" JJ chuckled, "I'll be praying tonight no new cases come in."
Once he had cleared the glass doors, Morgan rushed to the elevator, which was showing as being on the ground floor. Shaking his head, he jogged to the staircase and almost jumped down the flights of stairs until he got to the car park level. Just as he ran though the doors to the car park, he could see the tail lights of Emily's car just pulling off.
He got out his cell as he got in his own car, dialling her as he drove off after her.
"Damn it!" He yelled to himself when her cell diverted straight to answer phone.
As he drove he contemplated just going home… calling her tomorrow to ask if she was ok. He guessed she would be ok. Whatever it was could not be life threatening or so bad that she was in danger as Hotch would never have let her go off alone. She clearly wanted to avoid everyone… the questions. The sympathetic looks. Or may be she was just sick. But what if it were something serious? What if that was why Hotch looked so worried? Again, it could wait till tomorrow. May be she just needed some space. May be she just needed time.
Yes he could go home… but seeing as he was now half way to Emily's place, he wasn't going to turn back. He took a deep breath and pressed his foot a little harder on the accelerator. After a few overtakes and jumping a red light, he eventually saw the familiar licence plate of Emily's car.
Remaining at a far enough distance that he wouldn't freak her out too much, he started flashing his head lights. He saw her look in the mirror once but look back ahead, so he flashed again. The second time he could see her look a little longer and her indicators lit up as she pulled to the side of the road in to a dirt lay by.
He sat holding on to the steering wheel watching her step out of the car looking at him like he was insane and at that point he did wonder what on earth he was doing. She held her hands out to him, questioning why he was still sat in the car.
As he slowly stepped out of the car, Emily shouted over to him, beginning to close the gap between them, "What the hell are you doing Morgan?"
He looked at her and swallowed, "I…. I don't know…." He stuttered.
"What do you mean, you don't know?"
"You didn't answer your phone." He offered sheepishly.
"Oh…" Her tone softening, "…. the battery died. Has something happened?" She asked concerned.
He shook his head.
"So are you going to tell me what's going on?"
"I couldn't let you go like that…"
She looked down to the ground, her body suddenly appearing to retract into itself… "Like what?" She muttered, knowing exactly what he meant.
"I know there's something wrong…. And I can't…"
"You can't what?" She asked, looking up back to him.
He ran two fingers over his forehead as he strained to find the right words, "Last time I knew there was something wrong with you I didn't do enough to find out what it was…. And….. and I'll never forgive myself for that. I don't want to make that mistake again."
"Morgan…." She took a deep breath, "…It didn't matter how much you would have pushed. I never would have told you. I promise you that. You do believe me right?"
He looked at her with sad, pained eyes, thinking as he had so many times about how alone this woman before him must have felt back then.
He nodded his head slowly, "But it's not the same now… whatever it is that's wrong, you can ask for help. You're not in danger…. We're not in danger."
She said nothing, just stared at the ground, her chest rising and falling heavily.
"Look…" He started softly, "…..If you don't want to tell me, promise me you will tell someone… please." He begged.
When she looked back at him, it hit him like a tonne of bricks. Those eyes… those big dark eyes, full of fear. Full of pain. Exactly how she had looked at him so many times when he'd asked her what was wrong with her just before she left them all…. All alone.
He took a step forward, his one hand slightly raised in front of him, a pleading gesture, "Emily…." He said, his voice slightly broken.
She just stared at him, her pupils dilating as she fought the tears.
Taking another step forward he stood just a couple of paces away from her.
"Emily….. " He whispered, "…He can't hurt you anymore…. Ian Doyle is dead."
She swallowed hard as she glanced momentarily up to the night sky, her nostrils flared slightly as she continued to fight her inner battle of not letting go. Being afraid that if she broke down now, she wouldn't stop.
She shook her head so slightly that he would never have seen it had he not been staring at her so intently.
"Not in here…" She said pressing a finger to the side of her forehead.
Morgan's mouth dropped open just a little, wanting to say something, but sensing she hadn't finished.
"Or here…." She said, touching her scarred stomach with the palm of her hand.
She didn't take her eyes off his as she raised her trembling hand and splayed her fingers across her chest. "…or here…" She whispered.
His eyes widened as he stared at her hand. He knew a look of horror must have flashed across his face at her last words and he immediately tried to suppress it, but from the look in her eyes he knew she had seen it.
He silently prayed that she was talking about the branding Doyle had given her and not her heart… that would be too hard to process in his mind.
"You see…" She started, her voice timid, "… you looked at me like I was a stranger."
"No, I didn't." He said shaking his head, desperate to take that last look back.
"Yeah you did. And I can't blame you….. I don't know who I anymore."
Her words were choked, the tears were now falling, and she desperately took one hand to her face to wipe them away.
"Hey…." He uttered, taking another step towards her, "….you're Emily Prentiss."
She shook her head, looking down to the ground, "I don't know who she is…" Her voice broke away as she looked him in the eyes.
"I'll tell you who you are Emily…" He whispered, taking one final step and enveloping her in his strong arms. "…. You're the amazing, beautiful, strong woman that all of her friends love and care about probably more than she will ever know or accept. I said it to you before and I'll say it again… you are not alone Emily. Just let us in and bit by bit you will feel like you again. I promise."
He let his hand fall upon her hair and stroked gently as he felt the sobs finally escape her.
"Just remember, Lauren Reynolds is dead, but Emily Prentiss is very much alive and back where she belongs….. With her family."
She pressed her cold body into his a little more, taking in his heat, "Thank you…." She uttered.
"What for?"
"For not giving up on me. Not just letting me run away again."
She felt his head shake above her, "Never…." He replied, "… I'll never give up. I'm afraid you'll not be getting rid of me any time soon."
She laughed just a little against his chest and held on to him a little tighter. There was no doubt that Ian Doyle was still in her head, but Morgan was right. With this family around her, he could never hurt her again…. She just had to stop hurting herself…..