Hello Readers!
I actually had a great time writing this chapter and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out so I hope you all like it! Thanks for reading!
-J
Chapter 6
Friday morning Alex sat on a slightly uncomfortable couch across from Dr. Sullivan, a woman who looked to be in her late forties, a pad of paper and a pen in her hand, waiting for Alex to talk.
"I don't really know how this is supposed to go," Alex said chewing her lip anxiously, feeling a little awkward.
"Well Emily told me a little about what's happened in the last few weeks, but I think I'd like to hear it from you," Dr. Sullivan responded. "Why don't you start from the beginning?"
"My….my parents were killed….murdered while I was staying at my friend's house, and I found them the next morning," Alex began nervously. "The man who did it, he um, he was killing families who had adopted children, because of what he went through as a kid. I knew him, he was a janitor at the centre where I used to attend a group for adopted kids."
"It must have been hard, knowing him," the doctor observed.
"Honestly it made me mad," Alex confessed. "He kept saying that my family was a lie, that he had to save me from them, but my parents loved me. They were the best parents I could have ever asked for. It wasn't a lie."
"He must have been a very sick man," Dr. Sullivan pointed out.
"He came back after killing my parents and he tried to kill me too," Alex said. "And now anytime I close my eyes I see him there. I've been having really bad nightmares."
"What do you do when you have one of these nightmares?" The older woman asked.
"Well I've been sleeping in Emily's room. I usually wake up screaming or crying and she usually calms me down," Alex explained. "Sometimes it's harder for me to calm down then others, but she stays with me however long it takes."
"And how is it that you came to stay with Emily?" Dr. Sullivan asked, knowing the answer from her conversation with Emily, but wanting to hear it from the teen.
"Emily is my birth mother," Alex replied, picking at her nails. "I had never met her before, but I knew I was adopted. Emily works for the FBI and she was working my parents' case. My parents left me to Emily in their will, that's how I found out who she was. I moved here with her last week."
"It must have been a little confusing for you; meeting your birth mother after losing your parents."
"I…I guess," Alex admitted.
"How has that been going?" The doctor asked.
"Emily's great. I really like her, but…"
"But?" Dr. Sullivan asked when the teen seemed unsure about finishing.
"I…I guess I've just been feeling a little…" Alex's eyes welled up with tears, unsure of how to continue. "The other night, I had another nightmare, but this one was different. In this one Fields…the guy who killed my parents…he had Emily too, and he told me that I had to choose between her and my parents….choose who lived and who died. But- but I couldn't." Alex explained, wiping a tear from her cheek.
"So you're feeling guilty?" Dr. Sullivan asked, receiving a nod in agreement. "You feel guilty for moving on with Emily, because your parents are gone."
"Yeah, I guess," Alex replied. "I mean my parents haven't even been gone that long and I feel like I shouldn't be happy, or laughing, or smiling, but I have been. And I feel like it's too soon. And…and I guess I don't know how to get to know Emily without feeling like I'm just forgetting my parents."
"You know that loving Emily, doesn't mean you love your parents any less," Dr. Sullivan assured the teen. "Alex, I know that all of this is very new, and it's hard, but I'm sure that your parents would want you to be happy. They wouldn't want you to feel guilty, they would want you to find happiness with Emily."
"You know, my mom wrote that same thing in the letter she left me in her will," Alex sniffed. "She told me not to let my love for them prevent me from loving Emily too."
"That's very wise," Dr. Sullivan said. "Listen Alex, I think the best thing that you can do for yourself, is to stop feeling guilty, and I know that's easier said then done. You need to let yourself be happy, because that's what your parents would want."
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"So Dr. Sullivan said you were very open with her this morning," Emily said as she sat down at the kitchen island next to Alex, grilled cheese sandwiches in front of them. "She said she thinks you could benefit from further counseling though."
"Yeah she told me that too," Alex replied taking a bite of her sandwich.
"And what do you think of that?" Emily asked tentatively, hoping that this conversation wouldn't create any barriers between the two brunettes.
"Dr. Sullivan isn't so bad," Alex confessed. "I mean, I guess it would be okay if I kept talking to her. It might help."
"I definitely think it will," Emily agreed, taking a bite of her sandwich, relieved that the teen was willing to get help, hoping that discussing her issues might help with her nightmares.
"Emily," Alex said after swallowing a bite of her sandwich, clearly thinking hard about something as she was biting her lip. "You…you know that I'm happy here with you right?" The teen asked surprising Emily. "I mean…I'm having a hard time. I-I miss my parents…but having you around helps…I mean I like it here….with you."
"I know sweetheart," Emily said reaching out and rubbing the teen's back. "I like having you here too. And like I said before I have no intention of replacing your parents. But I'm always here for you okay?"
"I know," Alex smiled.
"Good!" Emily said returning to her lunch. "Oh I talked to JJ, she's going to come over right after work. She said she'll bring dinner, so I was thinking we should go get some snacks. Chips, ice cream, chocolate, candy, all the works for a serious girls night in."
"That sounds perfect," Alex smiled, finishing up her sandwich.
"Great," Emily said also finishing her lunch, grabbing the plates to put in the dishwasher. "I just need to run upstairs and grab my purse and then we can head out."
"Alright, I'll be here," Alex replied, grabbing the newspaper that was sitting on the counter to browse while she waited for Emily to return. Just as the teen began reading the cover story though, there was a loud knock on the door.
"Alex can you get that?" Emily called from upstairs.
Moving to the door, Alex looked through the peephole, seeing an older brunette woman that she didn't recognize standing on the other side.
"Hi," Alex said opening the door to greet the unknown woman, seeing that she looked oddly familiar.
"Hello," the woman replied giving Alex a slightly confused look. "Who are you?" She then asked.
"I'm Alex," the teen said, unsure of who this woman was and how she should explain her presence here. "Um, are you…did you…who…"
"I'm looking for my daughter," the woman interrupted the stuttering teen, whose eyes widened at the realization that this woman looked familiar because she was Emily's mother.
"Your…ummm….Emily, I think you should come down here," Alex finally called out, unsure of what to say to Elizabeth Prentiss.
"How old are you?" Elizabeth asked, looking at Alex closely, confused as to why this teenager was answering her daughter's door, but feeling like she had seen this young girl before.
"Fourteen," Alex replied, seeing Elizabeth's eyes widen as realization hit her.
"Oh my God," the Ambassador whispered, still staring at the young brunette.
"Alex who was at the…" Emily's voice called out, coming down the stairs. "…Mother," Emily said sounding surprised when she came around the corner, stopping in her tracks as she looked from Alex to her mother and back again.
"Hello Emily," Elizabeth greeted. "I was in the neighbourhood so I thought I'd stop by. Apparently I've missed quite a bit."
"Alex, why don't you wait upstairs," Emily said approaching the teen, who nodded before making her way towards the stairs, pretending to walk up while really standing on the bottom step where she could listen.
"Is she who I think she is?" Elizabeth asked when the teen was out of sight.
"Yes," Emily replied. "Alex is my daughter."
"What is she doing here Emily?" Elizabeth asked, speaking to the profiler the way she used to talk to her as a child, irritating Emily.
"Her parents died mother," Emily said trying to keep her tone steady. "They were murdered and they left her to me in their will."
"And were you ever going to tell me this?" The Ambassador snapped.
"Yes of course," Emily replied. "We've just had a lot going on. I haven't had the chance yet."
"And what exactly am I supposed to tell people Emily?" She then asked sounding irritated.
"I'm not sure why you have to tell anyone anything," Emily snapped back.
"Don't you think people are going to notice you suddenly have a daughter?" The older woman asked, "And God she looks just like you, it's not going to take people long to do the math and figure it all out. All that time your father and I spent trying to keep this quiet when you were pregnant. Honestly Emily what were you…"
"Enough!" Emily yelled, fed up. "Frankly mother I don't care what anybody thinks okay. I don't care if all your political friends know that I had a baby when I was 18. I never did! You're the one that cared. You're the one that forced me to give her up!"
"Emily…" Elizabeth tried to interrupt, once again getting cut off by the now angry profiler.
"No, mother," she said, forcing herself to hold back the angry tears that were prickling at her eyes. "I am not ashamed of Alex. Do you understand? You may have been ashamed to have me as a daughter, but I'm not ashamed of her. So tell your friends whatever you want."
"I just don't think you've thought this through," Elizabeth said, softening her tone.
"There's nothing to think about," Emily said, opening the front door and stepping to the side. "I think you should go."
"Emily…" The Ambassador said as she stood in the threshold.
"You know I thought that if I told you that maybe, just maybe you'd accept her, and get to be a part of her life," Emily said, sounding surprisingly calm. "But of course your reputation means more to you then your family, and you'll miss out on your granddaughter's life, just like you missed out on mine. Goodbye mother," she said, shutting the door, and resting her forehead against it, taking deep breaths to calm herself down.
"So I guess that's grandma huh?" Alex said coming around the corner to see Emily leaning against the front door, turning around at the sound of the teen's voice.
"You heard all that?" Emily asked sounding a bit defeated.
"Yeah, sorry. I was listening on the stairs."
"No I'm sorry. You shouldn't have had to hear that," Emily said shaking her head.
"It's okay," Alex said. "I mean she's the one who's missing out right?"
"Right," Emily replied, giving the teen a small smile.
"So you mentioned snacks earlier?" The teen changed the subject with a sly smile, making Emily laugh.
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"Oh my God," Alex exclaimed, sitting on the couch between Emily and JJ some hours later. "This is the best burger I have ever had," she said taking another bite of the burger in front of her.
"I told you," JJ said with a laugh.
Alex and Emily spent the day preparing for their girl's night with JJ, shopping and chatting, putting the incident with Elizabeth behind them, something which Emily was grateful for. JJ had arrived by 6, take-out bags in hand telling Alex that she was about to experience the best meal that DC had to offer.
"I will never doubt you again," Alex said after swallowing, a content look on her face as she began to dig into her fries.
"Careful Lex, you'll give her a big head," Emily laughed, JJ sticking her tongue out at the brunette in reply.
"So did you pick out some movies for tonight?" JJ asked, changing the subject.
"Yep! I pulled out basically every chick-flick Emily had so we have lots of choices," Alex replied.
"Must have been hard to find the chick-flicks behind all her nerdy films," JJ teased, meeting Emily's eyes over Alex's head, laughing at the glare she received in return.
"Watch it blondie," Emily replied. "I will have you know that I do not have nerdy movies."
"Well I wouldn't say that," Alex argued, laughing at the shocked look on Emily's face.
"Hey! You're supposed to be on my side here," Emily said poking the teen in the side.
"Sorry Emily, but I saw your collection of Star Wars movies, plus all those other sci-fi movies in there," Alex laughed, JJ also breaking out in laughter.
"They turn on you so quickly," Emily said, feigning hurt as she returned to her food, trying not to smile.
The trio finished up their meals before putting in a movie, choosing to watch "50 First Dates", something which JJ was surprised to see Emily owned. The group was happy to simply watch the movie, laughing and chatting throughout, content in each other's company.
"Can we pause it for a minute?" Alex asked about halfway through the movie. "I just have to go to the washroom."
"Sure," JJ said grabbing the remote to press pause, watching as the teen ran towards the guest bath. "She seems to be doing well today," she said turning her attention towards her best friend.
"Yeah, I think things went well with the Doctor this morning," Emily replied.
"And how are things going with you?" JJ asked, able to read her friend enough to know that she had something on her mind.
"My mom came by today and it didn't exactly go well," Emily, explained. "It just got me thinking that's all."
"About what?" The blonde prodded.
"Family I guess," Emily replied. "What would happen to Alex if something were to happen to me," she said picking her nails. "I mean if something did happen…you…you would take her right Jen?"
"Me? Really?" JJ asked, sounding surprised but looking touched.
"You're my best friend. You're the closest family I have," Emily confessed. "I just need to know that she would be taken care of if…"
"Of course, Em. Of course," the blonde assured Emily, pulling her into a hug. "But nothing is going to happen to you okay?" She said pulling away enough to look the brunette in the eyes.
"Okay," Emily smiled, unable to look away from the blue eyes that seemed to be looking right into her.
"Hey does anyone want ice cream?" Alex called, causing the pair to pull apart, but not before the teen noticed the moment she seemed to have interrupted.
"How can you possibly be hungry?" Emily asked sounding surprised.
"I'm a teenager," Alex replied going to the freezer to retrieve the ice cream the two brunettes had purchased earlier. "You two in?"
"Oh we're definitely in," JJ replied standing up and grabbing Emily's hand, dragging her along with her.
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It was decided that JJ would stay the night since the ladies had watched movies until relatively late, all three exhausted by the end of the last movie. JJ once again took Alex's room, while the teen crawled into Emily's bed, hardly able to keep her eyes open.
Emily got into bed a few minutes later, turning off the bedside lamp before snuggling under the covers, assuming the teen was already out beside her. The profiler let her eyes drift shut, sighing contently as she willed sleep to take over.
"Emily?" Alex whispered from beside her, sounding tired but still awake.
"Hmmm?" Emily replied, her eyes still shut.
"Can I ask you something?" The teen asked softly, her eyes open and looking towards the body beside her, too dark to see if the woman was fully awake or not.
"Sure," Emily replied sleepily, eyes closed, but giving her attention to the young brunette.
"Do you have feelings for JJ?"
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Literally could not resist ending the chapter here! Tune in to see where it goes from here!