Unforgettable Nights, Unforgivable Mistakes

Chapter 5: Flu, Chicken Soup and Something Else

London

Time always promised to heal things and make them better, and in Emily's case it was working just that way. It took time to heal, it took time to move on and to settle down completely, but before she had realized it time had flown by, and now it had been almost two months since she came to London. Things were different now and she was happy; she had finally found herself in a comfortable enough place, she missed her family and friends dearly, but overall she was fine. She talked to them almost every night, and it was hurting less each passing day. Interpol was just as delightful as it had promised to be that was true, it was more stressful than her previous job with more challenges, but Emily loved challenges, and being able to push herself meant she was capable of doing everything she wanted. So, this was exactly what she was doing, so far, it was working great, she liked her job with the ups and downs, her team worked really well with her, and the minor issues she had to deal with once in a while she had been able to resolve quickly. After working for many decades in the criminal justice system, she was used to the horrifying images she saw every day, not that she enjoyed them either but she had learned to cope with them and not let them affect her personal life. Her job wasn't a problem, she still keep in contact with her family in Virginia, and her and Clyde were still the great friends they always had been, which was awesome because she had him by her side constantly now, and honest to God, that was such a blessing for her since Clyde was her best friend.

And now, she had Max. They had gotten back together almost after that first date they had, and that made her very happy. It wasn't as hard or as odd as she thought it would be, in fact, it had been amazing; it was like they had never broken up, and their relationship had never been affected, in fact, it probably was better than before. Max was the sweet and charming guy she'd always known. He took care of her all the time; he was sweet and tender, but passionate and aggressive when he needed to be. They didn't live together technically, but he was always at her apartment, or her at his. Sometimes, she felt like they had moved too fast into the entire relationship again, but if she really thought about it, they had dated for almost three years before they broke up the first time, and they had lived together then, and if anyone knew her that intimately, it was Max.

She was still working on her present feelings toward him, but she was sure that at some point she would get to that place again, that place where she had been, where she was madly in love with him. Not that she didn't love him, of course not, well hold it there, love was a very intense word...at least for her it was...she had always had trouble saying it and she probably always would, but she wasn't the type of woman that dropped the I love you bomb on the first date or the first couple of times they were together, in fact, she had never spoken those words to anyone before, anyone that wasn't family or friends anyway. Now, did she care about Max, of course she did, she wouldn't be with him in the first place if she didn't, and yes, she had loved him before and even said it to him many times, but now it was different, too much had happened, time had passed by, they had been separated by many years and many miles, a lot had happened for both of them and things were odd still. She cared for him yes; he was amazing to her, the most amazing man she had probably met, but to get to that place again, that place where she would give her heart and soul again completely, it would take time. Yes, she definitely wanted to be with Max, but there was a lot to work on, but they had only been together for a couple of months and there was no rush to jump into the whole scary thing, not yet anyway. For now she was going to enjoy the relationship, reconnect; get to know each other again and everything else. After all, she still had those moments where she flashed back to that night, the night she had shared with the man she still couldn't mention his name because it hurt to much...yes, she was acting like a stupid teenager with a stupid teenage crush, but it still hurt. She still hated herself sometimes for being so stupid as to fall in love with her boss, at her age, I mean...who really did that?

What grown up and mature woman with many years of experience fell in love with her boss just because they slept together one night? The simple fact to even mention it sounded silly and something coming from a soap opera. Really Emily, how old are you...fourteen? Okay, worked together and hated each other to death, you got drunk, you slept together, end of story, and after you woke up, you should go back to hating each other, life moves on and so should you. She was pretty sure he had, and by now everyone in the BAU, let alone the state of Virginia must know how your boss managed to take you to bed because you were too drunk and too stupid to even think maturely. Now, you have an amazing boyfriend that still cares a lot about you and will do anything for you, you're thousands of miles away from this one night stand, and you have a new life...grow up, stop dreaming, and move on with your life.

And it was true though, Max was, indeed, a great guy; he treated her like a queen, even when she felt like she didn't deserve it. Like last night, she had worked until very late, and had ended up canceling her dinner date with him for the second time that week because her job kept her to damn busy to give her sweet boyfriend the time he truly deserved. On top of that, she was exhausted and mentally and physically drained. Perhaps, it was the change she was trying to adjust to, or the stress of her job, or even the new climate of London, but she had been feeling groggy and had no energy for the last couple of weeks; of course, Emily being Emily thought she was made of steel and she pushed her immune system to the max, and now she was trying to fight this bug, or whatever it was. It had started a few days ago, the headache, the tiredness, the weird nausea, and even the occasional vomiting. She also had allergies, but she sometimes did, especially when she changed from one city to another, so she thought that was normal, but she tried to fight the cold, or the flu, or whatever it was that had her feeling like a train had hit her, and on the top of that, her migraine had not stopped for the last few days...in fact, it had just gotten worse. So, she canceled on Max, again, partly because she really had to stay late at work and partly because she just wanted to go home and hide under her bed for the next two days since it was the weekend; and also because Clyde had realized how sick she was and that had refused to take care of herself, so he had technically threatened to suspend her if she didn't take a few days off. Emily finished her work that night and rushed home, but by the time she had made it to her car, her illness had just gotten worse, and now she was sure she even had a fever. She was trembling and was sure she was burning up, so she drove home aimlessly ready to hit her bed the minute she got home, if she was lucky enough to make it to her bed.

To her surprise, her amazing boyfriend was waiting at home for her. He, too, had sensed she had been sick, and as stubborn as he knew she was, he knew she was probably not taking care of herself, so having a key to her flat, he let himself in and cleaned around the little mess his gorgeous girlfriend had left, which was highly unusual for her since she was the most neat and organized person he had ever met, then he made dinner for her, homemade chicken noodle soup because she had mentioned coming down with some sort of a cold, then he sat down and waited for her. When she finally arrived, it was past nine, and he was seriously worried about her, he heard the key turn in the lock and then the door opening softly. A very pale Emily walked in, even paler than usual, however, he could see the crimson on her checks which indicated she was flustered, or probably running a high fever.

"Hey sweetie." He greeted when she walked in, and by the look of her face, he got even more worried about her.

"Hey...I...I didn't know you were going to stop by." Her voice was raspy, and she looked like she was about to pass out.

"Are you okay, darling?" Max asked, walking closer to her, taking her bag and setting it on the sofa, then pulling her into his arms.

"Yeah, I'm just really tired." Emily responded absently. Max pulled her closer to him and pressed a kiss on her forehead...that was when he realized Emily was indeed burning up with a fever.

"Bloody hell! You're burning up, darling." He said, placing the back of his hand on her forehead. Emily just looked at him with glassy eyes and blurry vision.

"I think I'm coming down with something...I don't feel so well." She admitted, feeling her body almost giving up on her. Max immediately picked her up in his arms and took her upstairs to her bedroom, placing her softly on the bed.

"Do you want me to take you to the hospital, darling?" He asked, concerned. Emily shook her head vigorously, which had not been a smart move...now she felt really dizzy.

"I want to sleep, and I'm so cold." She whispered.

"Okay, darling, do you want me to bring you some dinner? I made you some chicken noodle soup, you like that soup, don't you?" Max said, as he took off her shoes and placed the duvet over her shivering body. Emily just shook her head, she was feeling really horrible, what the hell was wrong with her!

"Em, you need to eat something, hon." Max pushed, very worried as he once again pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. Emily pouted and shook her head again; he was getting really worried about her, and knowing her, she had probably not eaten anything all day.

"Em dear, please." He begged worriedly.

"I'm...I'm okay...Max, I just want to sleep. God, I'm freezing." She said, pulling the covers closer to her body.

"You have a high fever, we need to get you into confortable clothes and give you some medicine, okay?" Max said, running his thumb over her warm cheeks. Emily nodded, closing her eyes again. Max rushed to the bathroom to get some medicine...he sat it next to the night stand, then reached into her chest and pulled out a pair of comfortable pajamas, carefully pulling off the covers watching her body as she trembled when the warm confortable duvet was removed from her body. Max helped her change into the pajamas and then help her drink some of the medicine. He knew that he was not going to be able to get her to eat, but at least he wanted to give her some medication so her fever would go down.

After Emily drank some of the medication and was changed into comfortable clothes, he sat down next to her as he put a wet towel on her forehead. Emily knew she was truly blessed to have him in her life, he was really loving and caring for her. He watched her as she was trying to relax, with her skin flushed from fever, knowing if he was not able to get the fever down, he might have to rush her to the hospital. As she was reading his mind, she opened her eyes slightly, looking at him...her vision was still glassy and blurry, but she managed to pull her hand from under the covers and hold his hand tenderly.

"I'm okay, honey, don't worry...I just need some sleep." She reassured him.

"Okay, do you want me to get anything else for you?" Max asked her, leaning forward and pressing a kiss on her forehead.

"No love, thank you, just lay with me, please." Max smiled and changed out of his clothes joining the brunette on the bed, pulling her warm body to him hoping she would feel better in a couple of hours. Emily turned on her side with his help and cuddled close to him; she just needed a few solid hours of sleep and then she felt she would feel perfectly fine.

Emily woke up several times during the night because she kept twisting and turning in her sleep, and she had woken up to go to the bathroom and because she was way too cold. Max had her take another dose of medication and took care of her literally all night. He was very worried about her since she still had a fever, but thankfully, it wasn't as high anymore. Around four in the morning, Emily finally fell deeply asleep after the medicine had knocked her out. Max was hoping she would get enough sleep to feel better in the morning, and since he had to go work, he called the only person he knew would be willing to drop everything to be next to her and watch her like he would. So, when she finally woke up around nine that morning after at least five hours of solid sleep, she felt better, her body was still sore and the nausea had not gone away, but it seemed like the fever was almost gone. She opened her eyes slowly and tried to focus on the room around her, that was when she became aware of the blonde man with blue eye siting in the comfortable chair next to her bed. Emily blinked a couple of times before a shy smile appeared on her still pale face.

"Morning, sunshine." He said, with a happy voice.

"Clyde, what are you doing here?" She queried, slowly sitting up in bed.

"Well, nice to see you, too." He teased, crossing his arms over his chest.

"That's not want I meant, I just...where is Max?" Her mind was still foggy.

"He had to go work, and he didn't want you to stay by yourself." Clyde said smiling warmly at the brunette. Emily rolled her eyes sleepily.

"I don't need a babysitter, Clyde, I can take care of myself." Emily said, annoyed...she had woken up somewhat grumpy.

"Clearly." Clyde bit back sarcastically.

"I'm fine, it's just a cold, or a stupid bug, I just really need a shower." She stated as she tried to get out of bed, feeling somewhat weak, but she knew she had been sweating all night and felt truly gross.

"Why don't you take a shower while I warm you something to eat?" Clyde said, helping her out of bed.

"Unless, you need help with the shower." He winked at her playfully.

"Sure, if you want Max to kick your ass." She stated, sticking out her tongue at him. Clyde just laughed as he watched Emily going to the bathroom and closing the door.

A while later, he came in to the room with a tray filled with a steaming cup of coffee, water and a bowl of steaming chicken noodle soup...the one that Max had made for her the night before. Emily had already changed into fresh clothes, and she was lying on top of the comforter since she had also made the bed. She was still very weak so she had decided she would take it easy that day.

Clyde walked into the room and placed the tray next to her on the nightstand.

"I brought you some coffee and some soup." He said gently, sitting next to her on the edge of the bed.

"I'm not hungry." She said, scrunching up her nose, the smell of coffee was making her sick again.

"I know, but you need something on your stomach, try to eat a little bit, please." He begged.

"Fine, but I don't want the coffee...the smell of it is making me sick." She stated firmly with a disgusted face. Wait what? Emily Prentiss did not want coffee...that was a new one!

"Okay, I'll take the coffee away, but try to eat the soup, darling, I do need my team leader to live a little longer." He offered, as he picked up the cup of coffee taking it downstairs. Emily wasn't really hungry, but she knew Clyde would not leave her alone until she had eaten it, so she attempted to eat a few bites. Clyde returned to the room and sat in the chair again as he watched her trying to eat with trembling hands. She had not even eaten five full spoons of the chicken noodle soup, when Emily was jumping of the bed and rushing to the bathroom, emptying the contents of her stomach completely. After that, she washed her face in the sink leaning on the sink feeling more weak than before. Clyde was leaning on the doorframe of the bathroom watching his best friend with very worried eyes.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he walked into the bathroom, taking a towel, wetting it in the sink, and placing it on her forehead.

"I'm...it's just...this stupid bug, or whatever it is...everything makes me sick...even the smell of water." Emily said, wiping away the tears that had formed in her eyes. That was when Clyde's mouth dropped open. Wait what!? Water smell? Coffee repulsion? Morning sickness? Oh boy.

"Oh dear! He stated, staring at the pale brunette.

"What!?" Emily asked, confused at Clyde's shocked face.

"I'm not sure this is a bug, darling." Clyde offered, smiling slightly.

"What are you talking about!?" Emily asked, even more confused than ever...her head was killing her, and she could barely concentrate.

"I think I might have to be prepared to buy a crib." Wait, what!? Was he high? What in the world was he talking about? Wait, did he say CRIB!? Then it hit her...What? OMG, WHAT?!

"What,...no...no, what are you talking about ..NO, I am not pregnant!...I'm not, I can't be! There is no way." She said, shaking her head feeling her mind bug out completely.

"Why not, oh please don't tell me you and Max haven't, you haven't sealed the deal?" Clyde asked, teasing her.

"What! Who the hell says 'seal the deal' anymore? And I'm not even going to answer that...you are insane!" She said, turning bright red and walking out of the bathroom, Clyde following after her.

"Emily." He called her softly.

"No, I'm not pregnant, Clyde." She spat back, very annoyed.

"Because I'm not, I just can't be." Okay, that was her logic, she wasn't pregnant, she couldn't be, right? This was insane...she couldn't be pregnant, there was no way. All of a sudden, she started feeling even more dizzy and nauseous.

"Okay, then take a test." Clyde said simply.

"No!" God she was stubborn.

"Why not?" Clyde asked, smiling at her confused and frustrated face.

"Because I'm not pregnant...period!" She retorted angrily.

Clyde watched her as she tried to pick up her clothes from the night before. She was trying to avoid his gaze and the subject at hand.

"Fine, you aren't pregnant, take a test if you aren't, then you aren't, but if you are, then I'll be blessed to have a mini Emily in my arms." He offered, walking toward her and taking her hands softly.

"Why does this scare you so much?" He asked gently.

"It doesn't, but I am telling you I'm not pregnant." She repeated again, but more than trying to convince Clyde, she was trying to convince herself.

"I'm going to run to the store to get a pregnancy test and some sparkling water for you." He said, leaving no room for discussion and placing a kiss on her forehead, leaving a very confused Emily staring at him in shock.

About a half hour later, he returned to her apartment, where Emily was working on her laptop trying to avoid the subject and acting like the whole conversation they had had before he left to the store had never happened. It took a while for him to talk Emily out of her stubbornness and convince her to take the pregnancy test. After long minutes of pleading with her, Clyde finally was able to convince her to take the test. Emily went into the bathroom to take the test which she knew was completely worthless because she knew for certain she wasn't pregnant, there was just no way. She walked out of the bathroom a few minutes later holding the white stick in her hands and shaking her head annoyed and frustrated.

"You'll see, this is going to prove you're wrong, and when it does, I swear I'm going to kill you." She snapped at him as she held the stick in her hand waiting for the results.

She wasn't pregnant, she knew it, there was just no way, yes, she had been very intimate with Max a lot in the last couple of weeks but she wasn't pregnant she couldn't be, it was impossible. She was broken, well that sounded wrong, but it was the truth, it was maybe her fault, but she was sure that she was sterile. Well, everything had started back in France when she had her first abortion at the age of fifteen...it had been an unwanted pregnancy, and she had been too young to deal with it, and she knew her parents would have killed her, so she had gotten an abortion, and it was a decision she would regret her entire life, but it had affected her ability to have children and fucked with her body. Many, many years later, when she was with one of her serious boyfriends, she had wanted to have a kid, and they had tried, but she had been unable to get pregnant, so her boyfriend had ended up leaving her because she couldn't conceive. When she was with Max again, she wanted kids more than anything in her life, and they tried endless times and she never got pregnant, so when she and Max got tested, the doctor had told her that maybe because of her abortion, she would have a difficult time getting pregnant, and although she and Max had discussed adoption, it truly had been devastating to know she would not be able to conceive her own children. She was devastated, but at some point she got used to the idea that she couldn't conceive and had tried to move on. This was a part of her life she had never shared with Clyde; he knew about the abortion in France, but he didn't know about her inability to have children, and that had also been another of the reasons she had left Max...because she couldn't give him children, and she knew he wanted them more than anything in the world. Anyway, long story short, the point was, she couldn't get pregnant, so there was no point to even take the stupid test in the first place!

A few minutes later, she picked up the stick that she had placed on the table, ready to prove to Clyde that he was wrong and smiled at the fact that she had won the bet they had made.(They had bet a thousand euros that she wasn't pregnant, that was how he had been able to convince her to take the pregnancy test in the first place.)

Emily's was stunned and her mouth dropped open as she watched the two pink lines on the stick flashing back at her!

"Oh my God!" She gasped in shock!