Heal Me

Sometimes, to fix the broken, you have to break the rules.

. . .

Chapter 2

Beep. Beep.

Emily's eyes fluttered open and she yawned. It couldn't be that time already. She sat up and grabbed at her phone, which was setting off the alarm she had set. She hit the off button and sighed. It was that time. In half an hour a car would arrive and whisk her away from her old life. She looked down at Rossi, asleep next to her, still shirtless. She smiled.

She reached out and traced her fingers over his features. Eyes first, piercing brown that melted every time he smiled. The nose, the nostrils flared when he was frustrated. Goatee next, kept neat and his signature look. Lips last, full and sensual. Emily couldn't believe that he was hers. This had to be a dream – that was it. Any moment she would really wake up and she'd be lying in her own bed, alone.

Rossi's eyes shot open then. He looked up at her and smiled warmly. Emily smiled back gratefully. So it hadn't been a dream. Good.

"What time is it?" Rossi asked.

Emily handed him her phone wordlessly. Rossi took in the digits and groaned, flinging an arm over his face. Four thirty in the morning clearly didn't work for him.

"We have half an hour" Emily admitted quietly.

That got Rossi's attention. He jerked his arm to be away from his face and he sat up quickly. Emily bit her lip, staring at him steadily. Rossi's hands moved to frame her face, as though he was engraining the image of her into his deep memory. Emily closed her eyes and just allowed him to hold her knowing that he needed to. For neither of them knew when they would see each other again.

"The car will arrive soon" she whispered, opening her eyes.

"I know" he replied, betraying no emotion.

Hating herself as she did it, Emily swung herself out of Rossi's bed and began pulling on her underwear. She located her bra, dangling over the bedpost and clipped that on too. As she dressed she could feel Rossi's eyes following her every move, as though starved of the sight of her. She let a tiny smile escape before turning back to the task of pulling her shirt on. She sat back down onto the bed and began to pull her socks on.

Rossi's lips grazed the side of her head and she sighed contently. His arms came around her stomach and she leant into him, inhaling his scent, a mixture of honey and cinnamon. She dug in her pocket and retrieved the necklace she had been wearing when Doyle kidnapped her. The chain had snapped but the bronzed key was still intact. It was large and ornate, with swirled engravings decorating its surface.

"Here" she said, dropping it into his hand. "I found this in an antique shop and bought it. It was after the first time I met you"

Rossi stared at the key, silent. Then he looked up at her. "I can't take this" he said hoarsely.

"Please" Emily begged, she turned in his arms so she could grip his forearms. "I don't want you to forget me if you meet some hot, petite blonde woman whilst I'm away"

Rossi chuckled, a deep rumble in his chest. "Cara the chances of me finding someone who makes me feel better than you do is impossible" he teased, then turned serious. "But yes I will keep it"

She smiled and kissed his lips briefly. Rossi got up then and pulled his jeans on, before pulling a clean polo shirt over his head. When he was ready he held out his hand to her and they walked, hand in hand down the stairs together. Emily checked her watch, five minutes left. Rossi leant against the front door and pulled her to him, engulfing her in a hug. Emily clung to him, desperately praying with God that if there was any way she could stay, please let it present itself.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Emily's hand flew to her phone and she opened the message she had been sent. She looked up into Rossi's face and swallowed.

"It's time" she whispered.

It was cold outside the building, but Rossi did not shiver once and Emily, she was too numb to feel anything at all. A pitch black car sat parked ready to go, several men on motorbikes surrounding it. The door opened and a familiar face hopped out.

"Ready?" she asked Emily, who nodded.

Rossi stared at the woman. "JJ" he whispered.

JJ turned her gaze on the older man, a mixture of pain and guilt. Her blonde locks were pulled back aggressively into a tight bun and her blue eyes never wavered from Rossi's face. It was then he knew, JJ had gone over protocol to allow Emily the chance she needed with him. He smiled at JJ, trying to put his thanks into his smile. She nodded, indicating she understood.

"I'll wait in the car" she said to Emily.

Emily turned to Rossi, tears following steadily down her cheeks. "Don't forget me" she whispered.

He pulled her to him for one last passionate kiss. As they broke apart, breathless from the intensity he let his own walls down. "I will never forget you" he said, his voice shaking. "We will find Doyle – and we will take him down"

Emily kissed him once more and climbed into the car. As the door shut she felt a sharp pain arrow through her body and she doubled over, trying to hide her tears from JJ. The other woman did not speak just gripped Emily's hand. The car began to move and the two women clung to each other, hoping for a miracle.

Rossi watched the car drive Emily away. He started to shiver, feeling the cold in her absence. He released his hand, which had been clenched into a fist and stared down at the ornate key. Running his fingers over it he could still sense her presence, smiling down on him.

Doyle, you're going down.