DISCLAIMER: I do not own criminal minds or any of its characters.

SPOILERS: none. I was having trouble deciding where in canon this story took place and so I just didn't.

NOTE: This story is rated T for now but will be changed to M at some point in the future. This story contains slash material so if that's not your thing, please turn back now.

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Emily found herself out on the bar's tiny side patio casually asking a young attractive man for a cigarette. She smiled her thank-you at him as he lit it for her and flirtatiously asked him what brought him out this evening.

"The music" he answered with a smooth smile. "I love the way Amalie St. Pierre combines French and African American musical culture so effortlessly. It's like the styles were meant to fit together." Emily rolled her eyes, thanked the young man for his generosity and moved to the other end of the patio to nurse her cigarette in solitude. She didn't want to talk about Amalie, she didn't want to be reminded of their time together so long ago, she didn't want to think about the way lust and jealousy were swirling in her stomach and making her queasy.

"I thought I saw you step out here" Morgan's voice cut into her thoughts. Emily gave him a soft smile.

"I needed some air" She told him. Derek smiled back and leaned a shoulder on the wall beside her. Seconds tick by as Emily puffs, doing her best to keep her smoke from drifting in Derek's direction. She knows he hates her casual habit.

"I don't know that I completely get what's going on here' He admitted after a few moments, his eyes pleading her to let him in.

"What's there to get?" Emily laughed lightly. "You're going out with my first love only months after sharing an incredibly intimate night with me in Huston." Derek's eyebrows flew up at her admission.

"First love?" Emily nodded slowly and puffed again on the cigarette, no longer meeting his eyes. "Do you still have feelings for her?" he asked cautiously.

"I didn't think so, to tell you the truth I hadn't really even thought about Amalie in a while. It feels like a lifetime ago." she paused as she butted her cigarette in a nearby ashtray. "But seeing her again..." Emily turned her gaze back to Derek's brooding form and laughed again. "Seeing her with you... I can't quite decide how I feel about it all. But one thing is certain, and that's the fact that any way you slice it, someone is going to get hurt" Derek looked like he wanted to argue but after letting his mouth open and shut a few times he seemed to give up. Though she'd left it unsaid, it was obvious to both of them that 'somebody' would no doubt be Emily. She watched him tip his head up and gaze into the inky black sky as if it held all the answers. "We should get back inside, I'd like to see the end of her set"

Once inside, Emily lost Derek quickly and headed for the tiny dance floor. Hesitating at the edge she downs the last of her drink and searches the small crowd. Her eyes land on a suitably attractive young woman who looks to be well into a few drinks and dancing to attract. She is tall and boy-ish, her short red hair, fitted t-shirt and cargo pants only adding to her Tom-boyish charm. Emily was having trouble deciding if it was masculine or feminine companionship she wanted tonight and this young woman seemed the perfect in-between.

Emily wasn't disappointed. The moment she had the young woman's attention sparks flew. The redhead introduced herself as Benny and immediately lavished Emily with the attention she'd been seeking, dancing close and whispering lines in her ears in the relative quiet between songs, her hands resting on Emily's hips as they swayed with the music. A waitress came by with a tray full of shooters and Benny threw out a few bills before grabbing a random assortment, their dancing barely slowing enough to down them with a small 'cheers'.

Benny's hands on her hips, slipping just under the edge of her silky tank top, sent the right signals; pouting lips brushing her neck, a firm thigh teasing between hers and moving to the beat. Emily loved this, it's why she could never blame Derek for being such a flirt, she knew well that the thrill of the chase was often more then enough to satisfy.

Try as she might though, Emily simply couldn't keep her gaze from straying away from her companion frequently. Between Amalie's soulful and energetic performance on stage and Derek's brooding eyes watching Emily's every move it was hard not to be distracted.

When the set ended Emily pressed herself close the Benny and asked in a low voice if she'd like to go find someplace quiet. It had been a long time since she'd picked up a stranger in a bar like this, she'd worked too many cases that started this way to find the thought appealing most days, but tonight she felt the icy fingers of desperation clawing at her heart and mind. She wanted to forget, and she wanted Benny to help her. Her distraction must have been obvious to the girl though because she shrugged a skinny shoulder in disappointment at Emily's offer.

"Emily; I would like nothing better than to take a girl like you home with me" she said with a gentle kiss "but I am not really the one you want to go home with and we both know it, thanks for the dance. I had a great time."

Emily nodded slowly, smiled graciously, and moved angrily towards the bar. Tonight was most definitely not going well. She hadn't exactly expected the best night of her life, considering what she had come here for, but this was definitely worse than she'd imagined.

When Emily finally makes it back to the table where she left her team, only JJ, Garcia, Reid, Derek, and Amalie remained. She made a sassy remark about the older men not being able to keep up and plunked herself down between JJ and Derek, directly across from Amalie.

"I loved the set" She told her old friend, sipping greedily at her new drink.

"Thanks" Amalie smiled and her eyes flashed to the dance floor where Benny was now talking to a beautiful young blonde. "Why didn't your friend join us afterward?" suddenly Emily was regretting all the alcohol in her system. As the world inside St. Elmo's took on a shinier hue and her mind got a little fuzzy it was going to be that much harder to navigate the delicate situation she found herself in.

"She wasn't my friend" Emily tried to remain casual. Amalie's gaze bore into Emily's and for several long moments no one spoke.

"Well, I was just saying to this lot that we should head out before it gets too rowdy in here." Amalie finally said. "Change of paint colors hasn't changed this place too much over the years." she smirked.

"It's still early" Emily all but whined with a smirk. "You guys can't leave, I've had just enough to drink to be amazing company." she mentally smacked herself for the eyebrow wag that accompanied that last part but everyone at the table seemed to have ignored it at least.

"That's why our darling new songstress friend here has offered her loft and refreshments for our enjoyment" Garcia piped up. "I'd love to take you up on it! I am not quite ready to call it a night either"

"me either!" seconded JJ with an exaggerated swig at the last of her beer. Reid looked nervous.

"You're coming too" JJ and Garcia told him in unison and Reid conceded with an exasperated wave of his hand.

"Off we go then" Derek smiled before turning to Emily. "You in, princess?" a large grin graced Emily's face at his use of her nickname. She couldn't say no to Derek -or Amalie for that matter. With that thought the still slightly sober part of her brain tsked her hotly. She was in trouble deep, but she nodded her consent.

TO BE CONTINUED!