Right. So it is now 3:45 in the morning and I felt inspired to write this. I knows it's been awhile since you lot have heard from me, but I promise that's all going to change. I want to thank whatif-ifonly for subtly telling me to get back to the drawing board lol. This is for you :D
I don't own CM. Please read and review
She's leaving him.
He just knows it.
She doesn't even have to tell him what it is they need to talk about, he can just tell by the expression on her face.
She's leaving.
Admittedly, things haven't been the same since she came back, and with Beth coming into his life . . . he felt the gulf between them. He thought they had made some pretty good headway when she came to him about her bad days, but apparently, it wasn't enough.
She looks so sad, standing there. He can see her out the corner of his eye, watching everyone dancing, and she looks like her best friend has died. That's how he knows she's leaving.
He wishes that he knew the right words to say to her, to make her stay with him, with the team. They're a family, a family that almost suffered a huge blow today, but it worked out, they were all safe and sound. Now she was getting ready to pull the rug out from underneath them.
He wishes he could get mad that she's going to walk away after all it took to keep her alive so she could come back to them, but he understands. And she's been through some much already that he's surprised she made it this far.
No, that's not true. For as long as he's known her, Emily Prentiss has always been the strongest woman he knew. She pushes through and knows how to adapt and move forward better than anyone he knows. She's just like him in that aspect and was part of the reason he had first been attracted to her, all those years ago, when he was part of her mother's security detail. Back then she had this air of innocence and playfulness that he envied. When she joined the team six years ago, she was different, older and stronger, yet she still had that air of playfulness. A part of her was still innocent and in their line of work, it was refreshing.
Aaron has watched her literally pick herself up and keep going some many times over the years. He admires her persistence and strength. She gives so much of herself to the team, he feels bad for how much she had lost in the end. And still she kept going.
Which made her leaving even harder.
Finally he can't take it anymore and steals her away from Rossi and at first they're laughing and having fun dancing with each other. But then almost at the same time, they realize this could be the last time they ever dance together and they both grow quiet and serious. He turns his head slightly to look at her and he can see all the missed opportunities, all the chances they had; the future they could've had, him, her and Jack . . . a family.
He swallows back the lump in his throat and holds her closer. He never wanted to let her go, but he knows it's not his right. He can hear Beth's laughter and he likes her, he really does. He's happy with her and he thinks there's a chance they could have a future together. But it still makes him wonder what would have happened if he and Emily had gotten out of each other's way, threw the rule book away and let themselves be happy together. He may always wonder what if, but like Emily . . .
He has to move on.