*Present Day*
"Come on Sugar. Let's go out. I'll pick you out a smoking hot blonde and be your wingman." Garcia tried to persuade me to accompany her and Reid and JJ to another club for the millionth time since Emily. Again I could do nothing but decline.
"No baby girl. I'm gonna head home. Clooney needs to be fed and I need some rest. Next time." I half-assed promised, knowing I wouldn't take her up on it.
It just wasn't the same. It wasn't as fun dancing with anyone else. I smiled as I reflected on clubbing before the whole Doyle incident. It was always Emily's idea. I think that's why they all still do it. Because she would want us to. She always went in as a pair with me. We would dance with a few random people here and there but we always end up together, grinding, laughing, having fun, letting loose. Penelope's voice brought me back.
"Every prince charming needs a Princess baby." I winced at the nickname I called Emily. Garcia must have noticed too because she apologized instantly. "Maybe you're right Derek. Go feed your pup. Next time." She agreed.
Walking out of the BAU, I held a door open for a stranger, leaving JJ's office and when she turned in her hood to look at me to thank me, and I got a glimpse of a smile and dark brown orbs, until she turned away quickly, sobering and exiting as fast as she could. I could have sworn that was Emily.
I started to follow her but she lost me in the maze of shrubbery in the lawn. I shook my head. No way was that Emily. I checked the perimeter for her for another twenty minutes but no one was in sight. Trying to calm myself down, I walked to the car. I was just thinking about Em. That's why a girl who had similar features bore a striking resemblance to the raven haired beauty I know, I convinced myself.
Arriving home, I couldn't wait to shower and go to bed. I kicked my shoes off and went into the dark kitchen, accidently kicking Clooney's bowls. Food spilled all over the floor, and into his water.
I sighed and leaned down to pick up the mess when I stopped. Clooney's bowl was empty when I left this morning. How was it full again? I unclipped my gun and cleared rooms downstairs, all clean. When I cleared all the rooms upstairs but one, I walked into the bedroom and turned the lights on.
Scanning the room- I found no one was there. I dropped the gun on the nightstand. Clooney looked up at me from where he was laying at the foot of my bed. I patted his head and sat on the edge beside him, laying back and resting my eyes. Looking up at the light fixture was too much, so I turned my head to the side.
In doing so, I noticed paper and a glint shining from my dresser. That was not there before either. I got up slowly, and in messy but legible writing (and a script I recognized) stood a note.
'Don't look for me'. The item next to it though, made me feel queasy. A gold band with a simple trio of good sized diamonds.
My mother's wedding band.
