Choices

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the ideas

So this is an idea I have had floating around for ages as I have written both Prentiss/Reid and Prentiss/Morgan before. Having watched 'Minimal Loss' again the other day my muse reminded me I have never written it. So this is just a bit of fun of which the final chapter is going to be down to you to vote for.

. . .

Sitting bolt upright, the cold sweat trickling down her back, Emily glanced towards her clock. It was just after 3am, only an hour or so after her last unwarranted wake up. Reaching towards the glass on her bedside table she gulped down the lukewarm water, hoping it would do something to cool her heated skin. As she placed the drained glass back down she noticed how much she was shaking.

Staring at her empty hand, and how it trembled, Emily sighed deeply. Running both hands through her raven locks as her head dropped she shuddered, this was getting ridiculous. She had been through worse in her past, yet the events of last week were still nagging at her. She just couldn't shake it from her memory.

It wasn't so much the beating that stuck in Emily's mind, the bruises were fading and the pain had long ago subsided. No, all of Emily's flashbacks started and ended at the exact same moment. The moment where she stood waiting, literally holding her breath as she watched the building in front of her burn - waiting to see if her colleagues and friends made it out before the ear splitting explosion.

Closing her eyes, but not making any attempt to settle back down, Emily rested her head back against the softly padded headrest on her bed. She could see them now, clearly stumbling out of the clouds of dust and smoke - both of them safe, both of them there. She knew in her heart they were safe, but in her mind when she was sleeping the fear crept back in, gnawing away at her nerves as she waits to see them again.

Swivelling her feet off the edge of the bed she padded through to her kitchen, flicking the kettle on as she reached into the cupboard for some camomile tea. Anything was worth a try she shrugged to herself as she leant back against the counter, praying for some internal peace.

. . .

Scooting into her chair, she risked a glance in the direction of her boss' office. The blinds were down, which was a good sign, fingers crossed he would not realise she was late. Though she could not say the same of her other colleagues. Looking up she glared at both Reid and Morgan, warning them to back off before either started.

The camomile tea had worked, too well. She had slept right through her alarm. Having rushed to get ready for work, skipping a shower and throwing on a minimal layer of make-up as she drove in, she felt dreadful and guessed she probably looked as bad as she felt.

Switching her computer on, she took a long drag from the mug of coffee she had collected from the kitchenette on her way in. Tugging the top file from her pile she tried hard to focus on the words and images in front of her. Even her eyes were not cooperating with her this morning. She felt groggy and disorientated. A week of lost sleep was seriously starting to wear her down. Finishing the thick black coffee in one go, hoping the caffeine would kick in rapidly; she stood to fetch another mug. If she was lucky someone would have made a fresh pot in the last few minutes, one that tasted better then the hot liquid she had just consumed.

Reid watched her pass and stood, following her.

Nervously he hovered behind her as he watched her making a fresh pot of coffee; obviously no-one had been in after she had drained the dregs from the last one.

"You okay?" he asked softly, aware that Emily had made it clear she was okay about what had happened. Her exact words of reassurance voiced on the flight home were still word perfect in his head. Though that didn't make what she went through any easier to accept in his conscious.

Emily turned to face him, the same look of understanding masking her face as it had on the flight. Emily had always treated him like an equal, yet there was something about this look that made him feel like a child.

"I'm fine, just . . ." she shook her head, turning back to the coffee machine, "just tired."

"You're not sleeping?" concern ebbed into his tone as he spoke, stepping nearer to her.

She shrugged placing the new pot on the hot plate ready to catch the fresh batch of coffee, before lifting her head to smile at him, "Had a couple of rough nights that's all."

"Are you relaxing appropriately before going to bed?" Reid asked.

"Sorry," Emily said a little surprised by the boldness of his question. She spun round before she leant back against the surface.

"An appropriate form of relaxation is a good starting treatment for insomnia;" he continued, "alongside making sure you bedroom environment is conducive to good sleep patterns. It should be the right temperature – either too hot or too cold can have a detrimental effect. It is also important to avoid caffeine within six hours of bedtime, do you drink coffee at home in the evening? You should also not exercise within four hours of wanting to sleep. Also consider having a larger meal at lunchtime instead of when you get home. Turkey, bananas and fish are all especially good for promoting sleep as they contain higher levels of tryptophan."

Emily smiled shaking her head gently; Reid never failed to amaze her.

"Thank you, for your concern. I will bear all of that in mind."

"Urm, Emily, would you like me to come over this evening, we could play some chess, read," he shrugged, "I don't know relax together. I can bring something over to eat too."

Emily's smiled widened – she liked the sound of that. Reid had been a little edgy with her since they had left Colorado. She had tried to explain to him how she felt on the flight home; she wanted his mind to be at ease with what had happened. However she wasn't so sure that it had worked.

"That would be great, but I'll cook or at least throw together a salad, light meal and all."

Emily laughed as Reid wrinkled his nose at the thought of something so healthy and sugar free.

"Does Banoffee Pie for dessert count on that list of yours?" Emily asked.

Reid smiled, "Bananas were on the list of foods containing tryptophan," he nodded eagerly as he spoke.

"Good, you can pick one up on your way over."

. . .

As the day neared an end, Emily became aware of Derek Morgan looking at her.

"What? Did I suddenly grow a second head or something?" she didn't mean to snap, but she had tried to take Reid's advice and hold off the caffeine for the latter part of the afternoon. And now she was starting to flag.

Derek glanced round, before scooting his chair over next to hers, "Nope, and lucky for me I know your bark is worse than your bite, which means your words don't scare me either. So Princess, going to spill on what is eating you up right now, coz I sure haven't seen you like this before."

She sighed, knowing her friend was only concerned for her.

"Honest Morgan I'm fine, just very tired and Dr Reid gave me a lecture earlier on how to get a good night's sleep, which apparently involves caffeine deprivation as part of the cure."

Derek flashed her a million watt smile as he wiggled his eyebrows, "I sure know more pleasurable ways of getting a good night sleep – things Pretty Boy knows nothing about. There are some things even he isn't an expert in."

Emily rolled her eyes at his constant suggestive ways.

"Morgan you are . . ."

"Amazing," he added hopefully.

"Big headed," Emily laughed in reply, "but thank you I needed to smile and you sure make me do that."

"That's coz I like it when you smile."

"Flattery will get you nowhere Mister!" as she spoke Emily turned back to the diminishing pile of work on her desk.

"How about dinner tomorrow night, I know a great little Italian, we can talk and see if it helps. You do know you don't have to face everything by yourself?"

Emily nodded, Morgan had a way of getting things out of her when she was struggling to box them up and file them away. Not that she thought he was aware of what he did. Busying herself, so as to avoid further conversation, Emily continued with her report on screen.

"Great, tomorrow I'll pick you up about 6:30, after all I don't want you to be late to bed, or I may be in trouble with the Doctor," Derek nodded in the direction of Reid who was making his way back towards them – coffee in one hand bottle of water in the other.

Placing the water down on Emily's desk he turned back to his own.

"Thanks," she said.

"Hey Kid where's mine?" Derek mocked.

"In the fridge," Reid replied before sitting down and getting on with his work.

Emily stifled a snigger at the pair and their bickering ways.