Summary: We all know what happened when Matt's mom died, but what would happen if Emily's mom died?
Matt and Emily take a trop to Albany, NY after Emily's mom dies.
Disclaimer: If I really owned Standoff I wouldn't be writing ff.
The next day Emily and Matt met with the lawyer, picked out a casket and sat down to eat lunch.
"I'm going over to my aunt's house tonight to have dinner," Emily said.
"Are you two close," Matt asked.
"Not really," Emily answered picking up her menu, "I really only saw her on Thanksgiving and when I came to visit my mom." Emily hid her face behind the menu.
Matt knew this was not the time or the place to push Emily to talk and digressed the conversation, "So what do think of Lia and Duff?
"Lia really likes him," Emily said, "And Duff can't tear his eyes away from her during class."
"You should hear him talk about her." Matt replied, "He'll make up any excuse to call her and doesn't deny his feelings."
"They'll be together in no time," Emily added just as the waiter came over to take their orders.
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Emily and Matt sat down across from the mortician's desk waiting to be graced by his presence. Matt felt his heartbreak with empathy. Instinctively he grabbed Emily's hand and kissed it.
Emily looked at Matt and put on a fake smile.
When the mortician walked in he began talking about the burial. Emily decided that it would be at the same cemetery that her mother's parents were buried. It was scheduled at noon in two days. The mortician explained that he should receive the clothes and casket twenty-four hours in advanced.
After talking over other details the mortician took them to see Emily's mother. The mortician showed them to a cold clammy room with two tables and led them to the farther of the two tables. As the mortician folded over the sheet Matt intertwined his fingers with Emily's.
Emily began to shake as she saw her mother lying on the table. She was pale, blue, and unmistakably dead. Emily felt her body trembling and tried with all her might not to cry. She would not show her weaknesses again. Once was more than enough. Emily tore her eyes away from her mother's face and turned to the mortician, "Anything else," she asked.
Matt was shocked and upset by Emily's reaction. He expected Emily to be distraught by seeing her mother dead. Instead she seemed detached.
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When the two reached the hotel, Matt knew he had to confront Emily before they went to meet her Aunt.
"That was sad," Matt said hoping for a response.
"Eh," Emily humphed channel surfing.
"Emily," Matt said, "Can we talk about this please.
Emily gave another despondent humph.
"Em," Matt tried again, "We both know I am not really the psychology type and normally I really don't know how to talk to people, but here, on this topic, I do."
"I wouldn't say that," Emily said still not turning her head from the television, "You convince people not to kill hundreds of other people on a daily basis."
"You know what I mean," Matt said getting frustrated. "Can you at least look at me?"
"What," Emily asked turning off the T.V. and turning her body toward Matt. "Do you want me to freak out and not be able to properly compose myself. Or maybe you want me to have a mental breakdown and be placed in the loony bin. Or maybe you just want me to break this off."
"Emily," Matt pleaded, "Please."
"I think I am just going to go to my aunt's alone," Emily said grabbing the keys, and before Matt could get another word out, she was gone.
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"You are skin and bones," Ms. Yanuck said placing a plate pilled in food in front of Emily. "Eat and tell me about this boy and why he isn't here."
"Aunt Debbie, how do you know about Matt," Emily asked.
"Your mother told me," the woman replied digging in to her plate of food.
Emily flinched at mention of her mother.
"Emily," Ms. Yanuck said, "Your mother was very proud of you and loved you very much, but she would not approve of the way you are handling this."
Emily remained silent as she ate her dinner.
"Emily, this is not like you," Debbie said, "You are normally very good when dealing with your emotions. What happened? Is it that boy? Did he do something to you?"
"No," Emily said cutting off her aunt, "Matt's great. He didn't do anything and I am fine. I am handling this fine. Death is a part of life. There is nothing to deal with."
"Emily," Debbie said concerned, "You are an only child with an ass of a father, and I am sorry that we haven't been as close as I wanted."
"Aunt Deb-" Emily started.
"No sweetie." Debbie cut her off, "I understand, but if you don't want to deal with your mother's death fine. I mean it's not fine but I am not going to force anything on to you, but where is your boyfriend. If he is great then where is he now?"
"He stayed in the hotel." Emily said picking up her glass and taking a sip. "We had a bit of a disagreement."
"So he came with you," Ms. Yanuck asked with interest.
"I don't think it's going to last," Emily said.
"Sweetheart," Ms. Yanuck consoled, "Your mother told me all about how much you raved about him. She said that you seemed like you were in love. I know, you never said anything." she added seeing the look on Emily's face, "But if he isn't as great as he seemed… Em, you live all the way across the country and no family close by. Please, if you want to, take some time off and stay with me. Not too long just a couple of weeks and we can improve our relationship."
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Matt was distraught. He was angry with himself. He knew that it was too soon for Emily. He knew that and ignored it. He had been in the same situation as Emily. He wanted to use his knowledge of a parent's death and help Emily. He could never really relate with his past girlfriends but Emily was different. She brought out the best in him. She never seemed to mind his funny quirks.
It was almost midnight and Emily still had yet to come back to the hotel. Matt really hoped that Emily didn't mean what she said. As he thought of her last words out the door tears started to stream down his face. Matt began to cry.
A/N: Like I said I am a slow writer but I will definitely update more often now. I just got out for spring break and then only six weeks left of classes! I may do a few oneshots along the way to keep myself amused. Good? Bad? Tell me.