So there is a little bit of a crossover here with dialogue from S7: E12. I have changed it slightly to fit in with the storyline but there is slight similarities.
Sitting across from him on the jet, she sighs as she watches him flick through the final evaluation from her therapist. It's been a little over six weeks since she's been out in the field; the past month has been spent helping Garcia out in the office and doing work that she is able to from the comfort of her desk but she's ready to get back out doing what she loves.
'She has reached out to her mother...' Aaron reads aloud as his eyes flicker up to meet hers.
'I am going to. I just- It's hard.' She replies holding her hands up.
'And has started a romantic relationship with a man named Sergio?' He continues to read causing her to sigh.
'I don't care if you lie to your therapist, Emily. However I do care about you and about your ability to see things clearly when you're out in the field. I worry about whether or not you are rushing back. I know you've been working hard, a little bit too hard might I add, to regain everyone's trust; you've becoming an emotional sounding board for both Reid and Rossi... I don't want you to use that, to use being back out in the field as a way to avoid further dealing with everything you went through.' He says closing the file and placing it down on the table in front of her.
'I'm not, Aaron. Things are getting better. Surely you must see a change yourself?' She says and he nods his head.
'I certainly do see an improvement, but I don't want being back out in the field to hinder that. I want you to continue to get better and to continue working through everything.' He replies and she nods her head.
'I understand and I will continue working through it. I think part of me will spend the rest of my life working through everything that happened with Doyle but it is getting better. I'm sleeping better for a start, yeah I still have nightmares but they're not every night now. I can go days without a nightmare, days where I get seven or eight hours sleep and that is a huge improvement for me... I took time away from the field when I needed it and I am so grateful that you gave me the space to do that but I'm ready to be back doing my job now.' She admits.
'Our deal still stands, now more than ever actually... You let me know when you're having a bad day.' He says and she nods her head.
'Deal.' She replies softly.
'Sergio?' He asks raising his eyebrows causing her to smile slightly.
'Well, I could hardly tell her it was you, could I?' She replies watching him smile back at her.
Looking out the station window, she can't help but sigh as her eyes close and she takes a few deep breaths to centre herself again as the events of the morning run through her head again. It's been a few minutes when she feels a hand rest on her shoulder causing her to flinch slightly as she spins around.
'I didn't mean to startle you...' Rossi says causing her to shake her head.
'Tough case.' He adds watching her sigh as she wraps her arms around herself and nods her head.
'Are you okay?' He asks softly watching as she shrugs her shoulders.
'Yes. No. I don't know. I didn't think it would be this hard.' She admits, his hand gently squeezing her shoulder as a show of support.
'It's your first case back out in the field and it's an awful one but you've been great, Emily. You were great in there with Regina. It's been so good to have you back.' He says watching a small smile appear on her face.
'Thank you, Rossi.' She almost whispers watching as the older man shakes his head.
'You have nothing to thank me for, sweetheart... Now do me a favour and take some time. Go get yourself a coffee and just find somewhere to sit down for ten minutes before we need to head to the jet.' He says. She nods her head and smiles slightly as he gently squeezes her shoulder again.
'You done good, kiddo...' He says softly turning and walking out of the room.
He's usually the first to the jet when they finish a case so he can't hide his surprise when he finds her already sitting on a seat as he walks up the aisle. She flashes him a small smile as he sits down opposite her but the tears that fill her eyes fill him with concern as he watches her nod her head slightly.
'I'm having a bad day.' She says, her hands resting on the table in between them.
'Do you want to talk about it?' He asks softly as he instinctively reaches out to rest his hand on top of hers.
'I do... Just not now, not here.' She replies. Nodding his head, he lightly brushes his thumb across her knuckles as she turns her hand to link her fingers through his.
'She was right, you know...' She says quietly watching him raise his eyebrows.
'No one knows what it's like when the monster from your nightmare comes back for you... I can live my life knowing that Doyle can't harm me or anyone I love anymore.' She adds causing him to shake his head.
'But you still need to deal with the fallout of everything he put you through whether he's here or not.' He says leaning on the table to be closer to her as she bites her bottom lip.
He can't help but smile as he makes his way onto the jet finding both Emily and Hotch already sitting at a table. It's only as he begins to make his way towards them that he notices just how close they are and then watches as Hotch instantly springs back to rest fully against the chair, his hands moving from the table to rest on his lap.
'Eager to get home?' Rossi asks, a small smile on his face.
'It's been a long few days.' Emily admits nodding her head.
'Happy to be back out in the field?' Rossi asks watching the way Hotch's eyes never leave her as she takes a deep breath and thinks about the question.
'Yeah, I am... I think there will be a part of me that always struggles with everything that happened. I think there will always be cases that bring me back to that moment but I know I'm gonna be okay. I'm just taking it all one day, one case at a time.' She replies and for the first time since she's been back both men can hear her confidence returning.