Broken Pieces

Chapter 1: Life isn't a Fairy Tale

I find it ironic that happy endings now are called fairytale endings because there's nothing happy about most fairytale endings. - Joe Wright

Emily Prentiss wasn't an open person; at least, she never shared her feelings with anyone. As the daughter of an ambassador, the first thing she learned was to compartmentalize: "Do not show your feelings, don't let people see, don't let anyone in" were the words that stuck in her mind ever since she could remember. No, she wasn't allowed to feel, she wasn't allowed to be that Emily. Then again, she didn't remember feeling anything…ever. At least, not the way most people would experience feeling. Emily never got to know what it was like to have a loving mother; love was a sign of weakness. A simple "I love you" was something so simple and yet so foreign to her. She probably had more than anyone she had ever met…luxury, money, private schools…she had it all; but, at the end of the night, she felt so miserable. It wasn't that she couldn't experience feelings; it was that she wasn't allowed to. "Prentisses don't cry." What five-year-old could understand that concept? Yet, she learned to swallow her own tears until one day she stopped shedding them completely.

Being raised by a different babysitter every certain amount of time only showed her that people didn't want to stay in her life. It wasn't that they didn't want to, but with her mother's career, it was just like that. A different country, a different life style, a different school. Emily couldn't even count the many places she had lived in throughout her life. The hundreds of people that had served at their house, servants, chauffeur's, nannies…they were the closest thing she had to a family, and yet, she never even got to know who they were. She learned to trust no one, then again, how could she ever trust someone when her own mother was willing to sell her entire family for a political career. Her father wasn't simply a part of this; he was too good to be her father.

Maybe there was something wrong with her, and not the others. A young girl that grew up with so many insecurities, so much so that she could hardly accept herself. The dark gothic look and black makeup was a shield for her. A shield she could use to protect herself form what was really inside. The one thing she learned from her mother was that "We all wear different masks, Emily, and the time comes where we cannot remove them." So, she did, she wore her own mask to cover her demons, the things she was once told she wasn't allowed to experience. She never thought she would love anyone; more like she condemned herself not love anyone; not to let anyone close enough to even touch her, or inflict any kind of feelings or emotions. Negative or positive, it didn't really matter for her, they had the same meaning to her. Then, she looked into her own world and became a hard, cold woman, at least, her mother's wealth got her where she was today.

After so many decades, Emily couldn't believe where she was in her life. As she stood on the terrace of the apartment where they lived, she tried to consider her life. At what point did she lose her mask and let her guard down…she wasn't sure. One day, it just happened…she lost her battle and someone stole her heart. The only person that had ever made her feel worthy of respect and love and trust other than Matthew. Maybe a big part of her was still scared of her own insecurities, maybe it was that she was afraid of herself. But, right now, tears pooled in her eyes as she looked out from the terrace knowing the sun wasn't even up yet. But, being out there in the cold felt so right, it was as if she was hiding from herself. Her eyes landed on the sparkling ring on her left hand. She closed her eyes as the tears rolled down her cheeks. How could she love someone so much and yet feel this much pain. Maybe it was that she was damaged goods, maybe it was that she was just condemned to never be happy. With her hand holding the cold railing, she wished sometimes that she could just disappear and not feel any more pain. Emily didn't deserve him…she knew that…she wasn't good enough for him and she would never be. Especially not under the current circumstances, maybe she was overreacting and overthinking. Maybe she wasn't and the ghosts of her past were ready to come back and haunt her. Either way, he didn't deserve this; there was a fairy tale, but perhaps there was no happy ending...

"What are you doing out here in the cold? It's freezing, sweetheart." She felt his warm hand snake around her midsection, the masculine voice tickling her neck. Emily leaned into his touch, closing her eyes and blinking the tears away.

"I'm sorry I woke you up." Emily's voice was low and soft. It was more like a plea, one she couldn't even express.

"Em, baby, what's the matter?" He held her closer to him, his musky fresh scent feeling her nostrils.

"Nothing." She said as she turned in his arms.

"You can't lie to me." His dark chocolate eyes focused on her. His expression stern, the worry of his eyes was there. Yet his voice was loving and soft.

"I'm fine." She repeated, trying to convince herself more so than him.

"Emily?"

Emily captured his lips in a soft kiss; she needed to show him that she loved him even if she didn't deserve him.

"I love you." She smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I love you, too, sweetheart." He replied smiling softly.

"I'm going to shower and get ready." She said, pressing one more kiss on his lips.

"Baby?" He stopped her from moving.

"I'm fine, Aaron, really. I woke up early, and I didn't want to wake you. I always like the cold mornings like this. It's not very often we get to enjoy them."

"I love you," He said again, pulling her to him and holding her close. He wanted to make sure she was fine. She had been on edge lately, and he had noticed it; but, if she wasn't ready to talk, he wasn't going to press.

"I love you more." was her response. "Now, be a good boy and let me go shower."

"Or else, what?" He teased, trying to lighten the mood.

"God, you're insatiable!" Emily rolled her eyes, laughing and brushing the negative feelings away.

"Maybe." He tentatively kissed her again.

"I really have to shower, honey." She broke their kiss. He let her go for now and smiled as he watched her walk back inside the condo.

He wanted to go after her, but he stood there watching her walk away. Maybe it wasn't anything, and he was just being paranoid. Maybe they were just tired and stressed out. The fact that they had hardly gotten a day off in the past month wasn't really helping either one of them. Maybe for once, he just needed to chill and let things be. Being a profiler was a difficult job; he noticed things more than others could. Maybe it was what made him so good at his job. The BAU had the best profilers he had ever worked with, but he had a special gift. Aaron noticed things that others were oblivious to. Such as the fact that for the past week Emily had gotten an extra cup of coffee, rather than her usual 5-6 cups dose. Except on Tuesday when they were at that custodial interview, and they had been inside the prison for most of the day. Only giving her a chance to go through her first morning round. By the time they made it back home, Emily had switched to hot tea yet she got no sleep that night.

Maybe he was too worried because he had never been this happy in his entire life. After so many broken years in his life, Aaron found his fairy tale. After his marriage with Haley ended, he never thought he would love again. He was too damaged and too broken; nobody would want to pick up the broken pieces. He was just this cold, stoic man that had no feelings, who was emotionless and cold-hearted. That was true for so many years, then Emily changed it all. It was an irony anyway; the woman he hated the first time he met her was the reason for his happiness today. The day he had placed that ring on her finger and she said that one word…that made him whole again.

Maybe it was just his fear of losing her and his fairy tale ending. He just needed to know she was really fine, even though she had said she was. They were at a point in their relationship where they had shared even the most intimate details of their lives. The most embarrassing secrets…they knew each other inside out. Everything was fine he thought, he knew everything about her and she knew everything about him. The rest was just taking one day at a time. Maybe she was just having a couple of bad days, or one of those terrible migraines she usually got. Emily being "Emily" would never admit being sick. Maybe they just needed a break and take a few days off. Perhaps, he could take her somewhere for the weekend and get her mind away from whatever it had been on.

"Everything is fine." He repeated softly.

I'm a hopeless romantic, and I believe that you can find love in many different places and be very conflicted. I've discovered as I've grown up that life is far more complicated than you think it is when you're a kid. It isn't just a straightforward fairytale. -Rachel McAdams