Um. This is my first every posted fanfiction so I'm very very sorry for anything I do wrong. I don't own anything except for most of the plot and the OC. Not beta-read so heads up and sorry about errors. Enjoy :)

You're not really sure what cued you in. Maybe it was the way she tried so hard to agree with everyone on the team. Or the way she did favors even when she had a lot on her plate already. Or the way she never frowned or got angry or sad. You're not sure, but ever since her return to the team, Emily's been different.

She was there far earlier than most of you and left late, possibly after Hotch sometimes.

You know that Reid has already forgiven her and JJ. Morgan was doing better with it as well. There was no longer a layer of tension over the interactions. So why was she still acting weird?

As time passes, you notice more and more cracks in her armor. You see her flinch when a passing policeman brushes against her arm. You see the way she stares longingly at Garcia and Morgan or at Reid and JJ when they embrace. You see how every day the bags under her eyes grow and her fingernails slowly get bitten down.

After a particular day where Emily flinched so hard at someone bumping into her that she almost fell over, you decided to confront her about it. You wait that night, until everyone had left the building and it was just you and her and the sound of papers rustling. You turn and look at the women across from you after a while.

"What?" She asks, confused.

"Are you okay?" She seems stunned at the question.

"Yeah?" Her tone gives her away. Even with the mock hesitation, you can tell when she's genuinely confused or just trying to stall.

"Emily Prentiss don't lie to me." She gives you a strained smile.

"I'm fine, really."

You don't reply. Instead you get up and walk over to her desk. You can see her leaning back away from you while her hand reaches subconsciously towards yours.

"Can I touch you?" Emily doesn't reply verbally. Instead, she holds her hands out for you to take.

You can feel her hands shake in yours yet she doesn't let go. As she takes deep breaths to calm herself, you push ahead to check your hunch.

"When's the last time you've had physical contact with someone?"

She raises an eyebrow.

"What? I don't know, when I first got back and Penelope and you hugged me?"

You pursed your lips in disapproval.

"What?" She demands, her tone slightly defensive.

"It's been almost two months." She shrugs. You can feel your heart break at the pain you sense in that simple gesture.

"Touch starvation," you throw out at her.

"What?" She's genuinely confused now.

"Touch starved. I think you're touch starved."

Emily laughs, the action not quiet genuine. "I'm fine."

You shake your head sadly. "You're not fine. Touch is a human need and you've been without for a lot longer than you should've been."

Emily doesn't say anything. Instead she starts drawing her hands away from you.

You don't say anything either, just watching as the slender fingers tremble harder as they leave your grasp. Emily stares at them for a while before a small tear falls from her eye.

"I'm sorry," she whispers as she tried to hide the tears.

You shake your head and move from your desk to hers, squatting down in front of her.

She's trembling again and it breaks your heart to see her longing for something as small as a hug but too scared to ask for it.

"Emily Prentiss," you scold gently, raising a hand to wipe softly at the tears running down her face. You're glad to see that she doesn't flinch at the contact.

"Touch is a human need." She doesn't respond. The tears flow faster.

"Come here," You say as she leans towards you.

Without breaking contact, you sit on top of her desk.

Emily leans towards you some more before hesitating a little. Instead of saying anything, you slowly pull her into a soft embrace.

Her tears are soaking your shirt but you personally can't bring yourself to care.

"Before you came back to the team, how much physical contact did you have?"

Emily doesn't answer which is an answer in itself.

"Em," you feel her shaking as the cries become audible.

"I've missed you," she admits as she sobs into you.

You rub your hands gently on her back, trying to soothe her and bring a little more love into her heart.

"I've missed you too," you say as you start running your fingers through her soft black hair.

Emily sighs a little at the gesture. You can feel her body loosening a little, letting go of some of the burden she's been carrying.

"How you feeling?" You ask her when she calms down a little more.

"I'm okay now." You smile.

"You tired?"

Emily nods childishly against your shirt. You can tell she hadn't been sleeping lately and after the breakdown, the exhaustion seemed to be getting to her.

"Cmon" you stand up, placing an arm around her shoulders and coaxing her up as well.

"Where we going?" She asks.

"You've gonna go get some sleep that's where."

Emily starts panicking a little bit. "I don't need to sleep. I'm fine."

You don't say anything. Instead you raise an eyebrow at her. Emily blushes.

"My nightmares. I can't sleep."

You wince in sympathy. "Well I'll be there to chase them away."

She laughs at that. "You promise?" You nod.

The two of you head into the elevator. The entire time, Emily stays glued to your side, soaking in the touch and comfort she's been denied of for far too long.

Soon enough, the two of you are in your car. You have one hand intertwined with Emily's over the gearstick as you drive to your apartment.