A.N~ My first foray into this particular ship, so let me know what you think. I'm not hugely confident writing Emily so feedback would be awesome :D Written for Falcon-121's One-Shot Fridays, the prompt was to write a songfic. The song I've used is The Only Exception by Paramore. I don't own the song or the characters, but enjoy!

Exception

When I was younger

I saw my daddy cry

And curse at the wind

He broke his own heart

And I watched as he tried to reassemble it

My father was not the strong, proud man everybody knew him as. In public, sure. But close that ornate front door, and what you had was somebody trying to keep their head above water. Not doing too well at it either.

I know he never loved my mother. Not truly, not in the 'forever' sense. There may have been an attraction, no doubt helped by all the power and influence her family wielded. Oh, and the money. Never forget the money.

This would have been okay, manageable I guess, had he not fallen in love. Now he had to choose between matters of the heart and head. Could he leave this life behind, with all its luxury and graces? Could he ever be truly happy with us?

And my mama swore

That she would never let herself forget

And that was the day that I promised

I'd never sing of love

If it does not exist

Well, one day he came over all philosophical, and decided that love was something he simply couldn't do without. So he packed his bags to leave, and I watched through my bedroom window as he walked to the taxi. I waited, stretched on my tiptoes to see over the ledge, to see it he would look back. He did, but I've never known how to take that. Good that he had second thoughts upon leaving me? Or painful that that didn't stop him in his tracks?

Love's young dream didn't last of course, and he came crawling back, all doe eyed and apologetic. My mother, who had never been the most open woman, had become something of an ice queen in the months that he'd been gone. She took him back, for appearances sake. Still… she never thawed.

And I've always lived like this

Keeping a comfortable distance

And up until now, I had sworn to myself

That I'm content with loneliness

Because none of it was ever worth the risk

So I date strings of losers, people I know will never treat me right. It's easier if you know what you're getting into from the beginning. I remain staunchly against romance. I do not do sweet nothings. I do blunt talk and being realistic. When it comes to matters of the heart, Emily Prentiss does not fall in love.

But, darling, you are the only exception

But you are the only exception

But you are the only exception

So you can see why all of this took me by surprise. Why I never expected to find my self thinking this way. You, apparently, are the kryptonite to all the walls I build around me. When you talk to me, they seem to crumble and vanish. I forget why I ever put them up. Why did I ever put them up?

You make me feel safe. You make me laugh. You make me feel wanted and warm. I can feel myself letting you in, slowly. Surely.

I'm sorry I took off like that. I'm sorry I never answered your question. I should have stayed in DC, I should have tried. But the problem with letting you in, is that now you can hurt me. I don't think you would, at least not intentionally. But the possibility is there, and it scares the shit out of me.

I realised something last night. All I have ever wanted is to be happy, and here I am running from it, hopping on the first plane, hiding, running scared. So I'm sorry, JJ. I'm coming back. And I'm going to try.

Love,

Emily.

And I'm on my way to believing

Oh, and I'm on my way to believing