A/N: This story immediately follows my Country song prompt challenge contribution "The Storm". You might want to read that one first, as this story won't make much sense without it.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything I'm playing with here...
The Storm Is Over
It had been almost five months since their separation, and three months since Dave had sent her the divorce papers. They had been the first sign of life from him since he'd stormed out of their house that fateful night.
It had been accompanied by one awkward phone call, in which he had told her to just sign the papers and send them back to his lawyer. She could have everything she wanted, his lawyer would take care of everything for him. He, Dave, would not be able to be reached for the time being. He needed time away from everything and would travel abroad.
Taken aback, Emily could only say "Yes, of course" before he hung up again.
She'd done a lot of thinking during this time and knew she would do everything in her power to make things right if she could only get a chance from him. She doubted that would happen, though.
He was gone, in the wind, so to speak. And she didn't even know where exactly he currently was. It had been his explicit request that she didn't contact him, though she'd made a few halfhearted attempts to do so a couple of times. She suspected Hotch was the only one who kept in touch with him, and she knew she could have pushed him to help her, but she didn't want to put their friend in a position in which he would possibly have to betray Dave's trust.
So she waited and hoped for her chance to come. Yet, the more time passed, the more she lost that hope.
And she knew she was the only one to blame for their current situation. Lost in her grief, she hadn't noticed how much she'd pushed her husband toward the edge and away from her, leaving him alone with his own grief until it was too late.
Sitting on her kitchen table over a cup of coffee, she stared down at those divorce papers, much like she had done every morning for the past three months. For some reason, she couldn't bring herself to sign them. It was as if some invisible force was keeping her from doing so.
She remembered all the good times she and Dave had, how happy they were together and with their son, and how everything went wrong after Samuel's death.
For better and for worse – they had broken this promise to each other. Instead of holding and comforting each other, they had drifted apart. Emily was now able to see what she hadn't seen all those months ago. She'd been so blinded by her grief and was so focused on her own loss that she didn't realize how much he was suffering from the same loss and the he, too, needed to be held and comforted every once in a while.
She had failed him more than she ever thought possible.
What would Sammy say if he could see his parents like this? Emily knew she had failed him as well. They both had.
She grabbed the papers and slid them back into the envelope and left the apartment. Maybe if she went to Sammy's grave she would find the courage and strength to do what was inevitable and put everything behind her.
.~.~.
It was still early in the morning and there weren't many people at the cemetery. Emily didn't come here often, couldn't bring herself to do so out of fear she would break down and wouldn't be able to get up again. But today, she had a feeling she'd get some answers here. Maybe Sammy was watching from somewhere after all. How she wished this was true!
Slowly approaching her little boy's grave, she spotted him at once. David.
He was there kneeling in front of it. She could see he'd placed a small teddy bear and a candle next to the tombstone. She stopped and hid behind a tree to watch him for a while.
"You don't have to hide, you know," he called out after a while, his back still turned to her. "You can come over."
There was no anger, but quite some bitterness in his voice, along with acceptance, and much to her surprise, understanding. A small smile graced her lips. He had always been able to feel her presence even if he hadn't seen her, and she couldn't even describe the comfort she felt now, knowing that this hadn't changed.
Dave stood up while Emily closed the distance between them. For a long while neither of them said a word.
They just stood side by side and looked down on the small grave until Emily felt the need to hold on to something or otherwise her knees would give out. Automatically reaching for Dave's hand, she was incredibly grateful when he didn't pull away. She clutched his hand so tightly she wondered if he might break a bone if she kept it up.
Feeling the rustling of a paper inside her pocket she remembered having shoved the envelope with the divorce papers in it before she left.
Was this it? The answer she needed?
Pulling them out, she wasn't quite sure what to do with it at first.
Then she remembered how desperately she'd longed for another chance with Dave, only one chance to try and make everything right with him.
Bracing herself for rejection, though not knowing how she would survive it if he actually turned her down for good, she handed the envelope over to him.
"I couldn't bring myself to sign them," she whispered barely audible.
Dave took the envelope from her and let go of her hand. Staring down at the paper, he toyed it in his hands for a few moments, deeply lost in his thoughts. Then he reached into his own pocket.
Emily closed her eyes, thinking that he would pull out a pen for her to finish what she was supposed to do with these papers. She gasped when instead he took out a pocket lighter and ignited the envelope.
They both watched in fascination as the ashes rained down on Samuel's grave until the majority of the paper was gone. Dave dropped the small remain as well and turned to face Emily for the first time ever since he'd left.
He was crying silently, the tears running down his cheeks and falling onto the ground, his eyes and expression a play of all the emotions currently racing through him.
Grief, sadness, regret and bitter acceptance. And then hope. The same kind of hope Emily had held onto over all those months. And love. So much love for her and for their deceased son that she felt her heard was about to burst.
Emily couldn't hold back anymore as everything within her crumbled down. She practically jumped into his arms and clung to him like he was her lifeline, burying her face in his neck and sobbing.
Dave closed his arms around her and held on tightly.
They didn't know how long they were standing there, holding each other, breathing each other in and weeping for everything they had lost and finally found again.
When all their tears were spent, they reluctantly separated.
Dave knelt down and took the candle, handing it over to Emily as she knelt next to him. He tried to lit the candle, but Emily's hands were shaking so much she could barely hold it. Gently laying one warm hand over hers, he helped her keep the candle steady as he lit its wick.
Together they placed the burning candle next to the teddy bear.
Then he carefully gathered her in his arms again, rubbing soothing circles on her back.
Their breath caught when the morning sun that had so far hidden behind the the clouds, broke through and bathed them and the grave in a warm light.
"We love you so much, Sam," Dave whispered hoarsely.
"Mommy and Daddy will never forget you, baby," Emily went on just as hoarsely, her voice thick with emotion. "I promise we will take care of each other."
This was a promise she not only made to her son, but even more to her husband, who acknowledged it by pulling her even closer and tighter to him.
"Until we see you again, son," Dave added gently.
They sat for another few moments just taking in the warmth of the sun. Then Dave helped Emily up and, never letting go of her hand, immediately tucked her back against him.
"Let's go home, Emily," he whispered against her ear and pressed a tender kiss against her temple.
Hand in hand they slowly walked away, into a future they knew they could only manage to live together.
*finis*
A/N²: Please don't forget to nominate all your favorite stories for the Profiler's Choice 2011 Fanfic Awards for the Criminal Minds Community. You'll find all the rules and the nomination ballot on the Chit Chat on Author's Corner Forum.