After a long hiatus but I'm finally taking some time to work on this story again. I've been getting a lot of feedback lately to continue this story because readers prefer it to my new story (More Than it Hurts You). I hope you enjoy this and please let me know what you think.
It was late when they finally landed in Washington D.C. They disembarked the plane and heading into the terminal to gather their things. Addison however, was too tired and her arm was in a fair amount of pain by the time they landed so Emily gathered their luggage by herself. Thankfully they did not have much with them because Clyde had everything they needed already in their new home.
Clyde had arranged for Emily's car to be waiting for them in the parking lot at the airport but she was regretting it. She didn't feel that she had the energy or the focus to drive them home after their almost 9-hour flight.
They stood on the curb outside the airport, a warm evening breeze blew between them as they waited for a shuttle to take them to the long-term parking area. There were not a lot of planes landing at this hour which meant they would not have to wait too long for the shuttle.
Emily turned around and frowned when she saw Addison sitting on the curb. The teen was leaned forward with her uninjured elbow resting on her knee for support and her head was cradled in the palm of her hand. Her tired eyes fluttered as she started to doze off. Now that she was no longer in the air she could relax, letting her body feel the full extent of traveler's exhaustion. She felt like she could fall asleep anywhere at this point.
"Addie, please get up. I promise we'll be home soon." Emily begged softly. She gently nudged the young girl's back with her knee to wake her.
Addison slowly opened her eye and angrily glared at Emily before she yawned. She cautiously lifted herself off the dirty ground as she sighed. She then wandered over to a concrete pillar which she leaned against for support. Her legs felt like they were going to give out on her.
"You couldn't have picked an earlier flight?" she whined. She wasn't usually this fussy but she didn't handle being tired well.
Emily ignored Addison's tone and pulled out her phone to check emails.
They both knew that none of this had been Emily's choice. Clyde had arranged everything.
Aside from being mentally and physically drained, Addison was in pain and it was getting worse by the minute. She was doing her best to ignore the discomfort in her arm but she needed the pain medication she had been prescribed at the hospital. Unfortunately, all of her medication was buried in her suitcase.
Emily glanced down at her watch, it was 1 am in D.C. which felt like 6 am in London.
"Where the hell is it?" Emily murmured under her breath.
Addison overheard her and rolled her eyes. "I think walking might be faster." She suggested.
The GPS was preset to guide them to their new house, and an envelope found in the glove compartment detailed the codes to the gate for the community and the security system along with the key to the house. There were a list of numbers, contacts that Clyde had vetted who would help if they ran into trouble. There were also two sets of passports with citizenship from Canada and Italy in case of emergency as well as a burner phone and 25000 dollars cash. Emily took a moment to look over each item but only focused on what was important right now. She would go over the rest when they were finally home and she could relax. She put up a calm front for the entire trip but she was on high alert.
The drive felt agonizingly long. Emily drove with the windows down, the music up and stale gas station coffee in hand to keep from falling asleep. She tried to keep up a conversation with Addison at first, but the young girl slowly drifted off and was now snoring. Emily didn't blame her, she wished she could do the same.
She slowed the vehicle as they approached their destination and Addison sat up. The change in the speed of the vehicle had woken her. She looked around, admiring what she could see of the calm, street light lit cul de sac. It was a typical American neighborhood, like the ones you see in suburban TV dramas. All the houses were similar in size and style with perfectly manicured properties. They would blend in easily here, with nieve unsuspecting neighbors.
"This is it," Emily announced and she turned into the driveway. "Home sweet home."
Addison let out a scornful laugh in response.
The house was two stories high and looked newly built. It had a brick exterior and a single car garage under what Addison imagined were bedrooms. The home did not seem overly large but it had clearly been built to house more than two.
Once the car was stopped, Emily and Addison climbed out. Emily walked around to the trunk and pulled out their bags before handing Addison the envelope along with the handle to the smallest suitcase.
There was a stone walkway that led from the driveway to the front door and the light was on to greet them.
"This is probably one of the biggest houses I've owned," Emily remarked as she followed Addison to the door. She had lived in much larger homes but she was used to apartments with her current lifestyle. She never felt the need to settle for the simplicity of domestic life.
"I've had much bigger," Addison replies dryly without wavering from her path.
"How many houses did your father have?" Emily asked as she put out her hand, making a gesture for the house key.
Addison handed it over as she took a moment to mentally count. She paused and tilted her head.
"At once or in his lifetime?" she asked for clarification.
"At once," Emily suggested as she opened the door and disarmed the security system. She then flicked the lights on, pulled her bags in and kicked her boots off.
"Right before he died, I believe he had 8 properties. Although, I've never been to a few of them," Addison said nonchalantly as she pulled at the laces on her low-top converse sneakers.
"That's a lot. Your father must have had a lot of money." Emily said with a nod as she watched the teenager struggle with her shoes. She didn't know what she would uncover but Addison seemed open to talking about her father right now so she wanted to take advantage of it.
Addison shrugged. "I assume so but you would know better than me. He never discussed his financials. Whenever I asked, he would tell me not to worry and that we are comfortable."
She continued to pull at her shoes but eventually, she got frustrated. She felt useless with only one working arm and exhaustion was getting the better part of her temper. She stomped her foot on the ground and huffed. Emily raised her brow at Addison's little tantrum and tilted her head. Addison held her foot up and smiled at Emily, silently pleading for her help. Emily knelt down and pulled the shoes off by the heel.
Once her shoes were off and the bags were out of the entryway the pair made their way into the living room and kitchen. The main level of the house was an open concept with the kitchen and living room connected and a small dining room off to the side. An L-shaped couch and an island with a breakfast bar divided the two areas but the vintage brown oak wood floor flowed throughout bringing the room together. The walls were a pale gray to match the darker gray cabinets in the kitchen. The island top and countertops were white and grey marble granite. Emily notices that there were small accent pieces around the living room that marched the countertops. The living room was simple but modern. The L-shaped couch was a deep Prussian blue with grey and white accent pillows and a grey throw over the back. There was a long white rectangular coffee table in front of the sofa with a vase of yellow flowers. Mounted on the wall ahead of the couch was a large flat scene TV with an entertainment system below it on a shelf. In the corner of the room, there were still boxes that needed to be unpacked. What was in them, she had no idea but that would be a challenge to tackle in the morning.
So far Emily was impressed by the house, it was nice and suited her taste enough that she would be able to make herself at home. Anything she didn't like, she could easily change. She had no idea how long this would last or what she was in for but it crossed her mind that this might be the last place she ever calls home.
Emily entered the kitchen and started looking through the cupboards and refrigerator. She was tired but she was also curious. She found the kitchen to be well-stocked. Everything aside from food that could spoil quickly like meat, dairy, fruit, and vegetables could be found. They would fix that in the morning as well.
Addison took a seat on one of the stools at the breakfast bar and slumped down, making herself comfortable as she watched Emily snoop.
Emily pulled a bag of potato chips off a high shelf in the pantry and ripped it open. She took a few before putting the bag down on the counter in front of Addison.
"Are you hungry?" she asked before biting into a salty chip.
Addison shook her head. "Yes but all I want right now is morphine to numb the pain and horse tranquilizers to knock me out," she groaned. All she wanted was to go to bed. She wanted to take her sling off and bury herself in covers until morning.
Emily laughed softly at the grumpy look on Addison's face. "How about you try something a little less lethal. Where are your pain meds?" She said as she headed towards the suitcases.
The majority of the suitcases contained Emily's things. They were mostly clothing but she brought the things she could not leave behind as well; things like mementos, souvenirs, gifts, and awards. After all, she had not given up on who she was for this assignment. For once she could still hold on to parts of her life.
Addison turned in her seat. "Green suitcase, in the top inside flap on the front. I think they're inside one of your shoes," she directed.
Emily pulled out the bottle and shook it. She then wandered back into the kitchen and filled a glass with cold water.
"Here," she said as she passed them to the teenager. Emily then pulled out the envelope again and started carefully going through its contents. The handed a lone piece of paper across the island to Addison.
Addison gave her a puzzled look as she accepted it. "What is this?" she asked before throwing the pills into the mouth and taking a swig of water to wash them down.
"Your back story. I need you to practice," Emily informed then she turned her attention back to the envelope. "We need to shred it in the morning."
"I'll take a look at it but I need to go to bed," Addison said. She pushed her seat back, grabbed the sheet of paper and started for the stairs. She didn't know how many rooms were in the house but she suspected that she would be able to tell which was hers.
Emily nodded in agreement. She headed towards the door to arm the alarm system for the night and make sure she had locked the door. She peered out the window and scanned the street quickly. Something about the neighborhood made her uneasy. She felt like someone was out there, watching them.
After a few moments, she closed the curtains and grabbed the envelope and a suitcase that housed her clothing and headed up the stairs. The first room she came to was closed. She turned the knob and pushed the door open. The room was clearly intended to be a bedroom but had been furnished as an office. In the morning she would take the time to explore the rest of the house but right now she needed to find her bedroom. She saw the light was on in one of the rooms and peeked her head in to say goodnight the Addison.
Addison was standing in front of her open closed looking for pajamas. Emily noticed that the pale blue walls in the room were quite bare. The bed frame, desk, and dresser were a light pine color; they looked to be from a set. The comforter was white with a pattern of delicate blue flowers and a white throw was over the corner of the bed. The room was simple, not what you would expect for a teenager. There were also some boxes in the corner that needed to be unpacked, they may contain some more personalized items.
It dawned on her that nothing about this house was personal. There were no photos, nothing that said that a family lived here. That would need to be dealt with before anyone came into their home.
Emily lingered in the doorway for a moment admiring the room.
Addison pulled a set of pajama shorts and a t-shirt from the closed and sat down on the bed. She started loosening her sling, hissing as the let her arm relax down by her side
"Are you allowed to take that off?" Emily asked suddenly. She had taken her fair share of bullets and if she could recall correctly her doctor had told her not to remove the sling for nearly a month.
"It's been almost two weeks," Addison replied as she used her uninjured arm to support the injured one.
Emily gave the young girl a disapproving look. "The doctor said at least a month."
Addison huffed in annoyance. "Good thing the doctor isn't here then," Addison said as she started climbing into bed.
"Put it back on and get some sleep. If you need anything I'm just across the hall." Emily said and she pointed to her door. She stood in the doorway until Addison complied.
"Thank you," Emily said once Addison was back in bed.
Addison nodded and wished her "mother" goodnight through gritted teeth. Emily smiled in response and flicked off the lights and shut the door before leaving.
Emily flicked the light on in her room and took in the furnishing. The walls were a light grey/plum color and the furniture was black. There was a king-sizes that projected out from the wall with the headboard resting again it. The bedding matched the walls making Emily feel like this house was less of a home and more of a catalog show home. It felt like it had not been lived in before. These floors had not felt the warmth of feet and the wall had not seen a family grow. She noticed the closet door and opened it to reveal a roomy walk-in. Hopefully, it would be large enough for all of her clothing.
Emily laid her suitcase down at the foot of her bed and unzipped it. She had no intention of putting anything away tonight but she needed something to sleep in. Usually, she would sleep in a short satin nightdress or camisole and shorts but with a 14-year-old girl across the hall she started to question her sleeping attire. She settled for a pair of pajama pants and an old t-shirt for the time being. She could go back to wearing what she likes once she knows what to expect or after she buys a housecoat.
Emily heads into the master bathroom. It too was a generous size. It had a double sink with a large mirror above. There was both a waterfall shower and a deep soaker bathtub. Emily walked up to the bathtub and ran her finger along the edge. She had to admit, this would be nice to have after long days.
Then it dawned on her. What would she do? Would she continue working and would she go back to the BAU? It would not be easy to leave Addison but more importantly, who would protect her while she was away? Technically she was working, she was collecting intel on Addison's father and she was on protective detail. Would she even be allowed to go back to work at the BAU?
This had seemed like a good idea but now she was regretting it. She saw it as a way out of a job she hated but in her heart, she knew that she was coming back to be with her team, to be with her family. She felt like she lost a part of herself when she left them and she needed to get it back but she also needed to do her job. She was already feeling very protective of her daughter, her Addison. It was strange to think of the teenager as hers. She wanted to believe that caring for Addison would be enough to fulfill her but being with her team was not something she wanted to sacrifice.
She climbed into bed, hoping that her worries would fade away in time. All Emily wanted was to be happy and she prays that this new life would give her what she if looking for.
Addison was laying in bed, staring at the ceiling blankly. She felt so tired until she got in bed. Now she was wide awake and wondering what was the cause. She closed her eyes and sighed before rolling over. She pulled her duvet covers into her arms and hugs them, pinning herself under the sheets. It was restricting but comforting at the same time.
She missed her bed, the one she slept in the most. From the house that she stayed at most often and where her father used to be. She missed the way he kissed her goodnight. The way he brushed her hair out of her face and planted soft pecks on her forehead. It didn't matter what time he came home or what he had been doing, he would always say goodnight. And, no matter how late he was out the night before he would always be up before Addison. She missed the way he would greet her every morning. The same cheeky smile and catchphrase "what's shakin' bacon". He never let her down. He never made her feel like his job was more important than she was. He taught her everything and he loved her unconditionally and she did not know when someone would make her feel that way again.
Tears formed in her eyes as she recalled the life they had shared. She quickly blinked them away. She pulled the covers closer and curled her legs up to her chest. She begged her trembling body to calm itself, clenching every muscle tightly then slowly letting them relax. Eventually, she drifted off into a restless slumber.
The next morning, Emily quietly made her way downstairs to make coffee with the envelope in tow. She leaned against the counter while the cup brewed, contemplated her day. They needed to go to the grocery store and the mall. They needed to practice their story so that they were on the same page. Soon they would meet neighbors and start making friends so they needed to be convincing. Most importantly, she needed to make a call.
She pulled her mug off the coffee maker and headed to the couch. She stared at her phone, considering what to say. She wanted to be able to explain what was going on but how could she without putting them at risk or endangering Addison. She didn't want this situation to become a repeat of Doyle.
Emily leaned forward and placed her mug on the coffee table. She dialed the number, one she knew by heart, and took a deep breath before pulling the phone up to her ear.
"Hello?" Emily heard as she bit at her nails. She closed her eyes and let out a breath to calm her shaking voice. She had not heard this voice in a long time, too long. She should have kept in touch.
"Hey Jayje," Emily replied. She smiled softly to herself.
"Emily?" she asked sounding in awe.
"Yeah, how've you been?" Emily asked cautiously. Her mind was spinning, trying to come up with a story to explain why she was back in the states.
"I'm good, we finished a hard case yesterday so Hotch gave us the day off. I haven't heard from you in a while. None of us have in months." Emily could hear the excitement in JJs voice but there was a lingering sense of apprehension.
Emily bit at her bottom lip, feeling guilt-ridden. "I know, I'm sorry. I've been really busy with the move." That was true. She would do her best not to lie to her friend.
"You're moving?" JJ replied surprised.
Emily nodded to herself. "Yeah, I moved yesterday," she admitted.
"That was quick." JJ scoffed, not in a hurtful way but she was surprised. Emily had not been in London for long. "Where are you living now?"
"Vienna," Emily said smiling. She stood up from the couch and looked out the back window. Now that it was day time she could finally admire the full extent of her yard. Plush green grass, several large trees, a small woodshed and a garden along one side of the fence. She also had a deck. A beautiful wood deck. I needed a new coat of paint but that was manageable.
"What made you move to Austria?" JJ asked sounding shocked.
"Vienna, Virginia." Emily corrected.
JJ did not reply.
"JJ, I'm living in the states." Emily continued to explain.
"Are you still there," she asked after no reply followed.
"Yes. I'm shocked. I thought you said you wouldn't be back." JJ stammered.
Emily licked her lips and bowed her head for a moment. "Things have changed a lot," she admitted as she trailed off.
"What do you mean? Are you looking to get your old job back?" JJ asked.
"No, not right now. I have a 14-year-old girl living with me." Emily said as she beamed. She could not hide that she was excited to have a child in her care. This child was one that she could call her own but she could not make up a convincing excuse for her team. To everyone else, Addison was her daughter, her biological blood relative but her team knows the truth. She trusted JJ and knew that if she explained what she could, she would help keep her secret.
"What made you decide to adopt?" JJ asked. She had known that Emily wanted kids but she didn't expect this.
"It's a long story which I'll explain tonight over dinner?" Emily knew that she needed to tell her friends everything but it was not safe over the phone.
"That sounds great, you should get everyone together. I'm sure they would be happy to see you and meet your girl." JJ suggested.
"That's the plan. We're going to have to go out, unfortunately, my house isn't ready for company." Emily lied. Her house was ready but she could not risk having them over yet. It would attract too much attention to her house with that many cars parked out front.
"I'm sure Rossi would host if you asked." JJ made a good point. It would be a lot easier to have this conversation at someone's house rather than in a crowded restaurant.
"I'll try that." Emily laughed. She paused when she heard footsteps above her. "I need to go but please don't tell anyone that I'm back. I want them to hear it from me."
"Of course, text me when you know what the plan is for tonight."
Emily looked away from the window as she noticed a figure coming down the stairs in her peripherals. "I will. I'll talk to you later." Emily said before hanging up. She offered Addison a smile and a wave as she stepped into the living room.
Addison took a seat on the sofa. "Who was that?"
Emily grabbed her coffee off the coffee table and took a seat next to Addison.
"Oh, just an old friend. I'm hoping you'll get to meet her soon." Emily explained with a reassuring smile and nod. She took a sip of her coffee and sunk into the couch.
"Is that a good idea? Isn't the point of being undercover to cut off all your ties to your life from before." Addison hesitated. She knew how this worked. She would never tell Emily but she had been in this situation before.
"In most cases, yes, but I'm not exactly undercover," Emily explained. She watched Addison's expression change from worry to anger.
"That's not fair." Addison protested.
"I don't really care what's fair here," Emily replied bluntly. It was true, nothing is fair about what had happened to Addison but right now Emily's only concern was protecting her, any means necessary. She knew that letting her team in would help.
Addison crossed her uninjured arm over her chest and huffed. "You're kind of a bitch in the morning. I don't think this is going to work out," she said sharply and acting as if she had any say in what happens from now on. In her defense, she had not slept well and was not in the mood to entertain a stranger's agenda to rebuild lost friendships.
"I'm the only person standing between you and another bullet. You can take your chances on your own or you can play along and have an opportunity at a good life. You pick. Don't waste my time." Emily said harshly. She knew that she needed to be firm with Addison and the only way to do so was reminding her of the danger. She was not an affectionate child and her stubbornness was not hard to miss. Emily knew she had a lot on her hands.
"I can take care of myself," Addison replied defensively as she stood up from the couch and stormed away.
"Then, by all means, go," Emily yelled after her as she too stood up and followed Addison down the hall.
Addison grabbed her coat from the door and threw it over her shoulders as she tried to squish her feet into her shoes. She couldn't get them on. It was obvious that Addison was having a hard time and she glared at Emily.
"Don't let me stop you." Emily insisted as she stood beside the teen and sipped her coffee.
Addison needs Emily whether she wants to admit it or not and although Emily was pushing her, she would never actually let the teenager leave.
Addison finally gave in. "Fine. Have it your way."
"I'm not trying to make this difficult but you need to trust me Addie," Emily replied sincerely. Every decision Emily was making was in Addison's best interest.
"Do you trust me?" Addison asked genuinely
"Of course." Emily lied without hesitation. She could not trust Addison that quickly.
"Right," Addison replied skeptically. She went into the kitchen and turned the coffee machine back on. While it warmed up, she took a mug from the cupboard.
Emily stood back and watched carefully. She assumed coffee was a normal part of Addison's morning routine but she could not be sure that she wasn't testing her. Kids in America are not usually allowed to drink coffee at 14 but she was raised in Europe where coffee is like water.
Addison's mug was filled and without letting it cool she took a sip of rich black coffee. She noticed Emily's watchful eyes and she made a confused face. "What?"
Emily shook her head. "Nothing."
Addison then grabbed a piece of bread and tossed it into the toaster. "What's the plan for today."
"Groceries, mall, maybe unpack some of these boxes and then hopefully dinner but we need to go over our story first," Emily said as she wandered across the living room and pulled the box open.
Addison took her piece of toast out of the toaster and placed it on a plate. She took a jar of peanut butter out of the cupboard and found a knife in a drawer. She spread a generous amount onto her toast and took a bit. She placed her coffee on the breakfast bar and then moved her plate so it was next to the mug. She then walked around the island and took a seat so she could enjoy her breakfast.
Emily was busy looking through the boxes. She found pictures of Addison that looked to be professionally edited to fit her current disguise. There were images of her where she looked to be only a few years old. There were yearbook photos, ones that Addison surely had never taken but they were convincing. All the photos were exactly what you would expect a parent would put up. Emily came across an image that made her stop. It had been edited to look like Emily and Addison were at some kind of formal event. The pair were standing in front of a fountain, smiling happily. It was strange to see all of these fake memories but something about this picture made Emily feel the need to display it. She found a spot on a shelf and placed it carefully where visitors could see.
Emily stood back and admired it for a moment. It was a lie. Everything was a lie but she desperately wanted all of it to be true.
There you have it. Another chapter after a very long break. The next chapter is nearly complete but I have finals this week so I might need some time to get it posted. PLEASE let me know what you think and thank you for giving this chapter a read! Happy Holidays!