A/n: I finally finished putting jumbled-up ideas into one very long one-shot. :D It's a kinda sorta sequel for my previous one-shot(s). But I think you'd understand okay if you don't read the other two. And this is so unbeta-ed. My beta don't make stupid mistakes like I do.
Ah, and this story is for my LJ friend, addicted_mb. Happy birthday girl! I hope you'll like the story. You can always complain about it and I'll rewrite it (or I'll just write a new story. LOL!). :D
Disclaimer: not mine.. anyone willing to get me this for Christmas? Awesome!
"And I wonder where the friendship went. What about the days and the memories we spent? Now it feels like I'm being replaced. Now it feels like I don't know you."
.
JJ was avoiding Emily. The brunette sensed it. How could she not? She had had her eyes on the younger woman ever since they started working together, and she had learned to notice even the slightest changes in JJ. Emily pondered on what she had done wrong; she contemplated on why JJ didn't say anything at all to her – weren't they friends? The more Emily thought about it, the more annoyed she became.
It started almost about two and a half month earlier – when JJ had abruptly ended their phone conversation. Emily had spent about an hour trying to call her back and sending her hundreds of text messages but her attempts were ignored. Emily thought that JJ would apologise the next day, but the apology never came. Then JJ had started to make excuses not to join the team's nights out and their conversations on the phone and at work started to get briefer and briefer. To top it all, a couple of night before the team had decided to go on another night out. Emily couldn't go at first – she had to accompany her friend, SSA McKenzie Adams, somewhere else. But apparently they had managed to finish early and then decided to join the team. Emily was very surprised – and this was an unpleasant surprise – when she saw JJ there. And JJ seemed surprised, too, when she saw Emily and McKenzie. Her 'what are you doing here?' stung so badly that the brunette just glared at JJ before walking away, leaving the rest of the team without saying anything. Emily still didn't know what had gone wrong.
"Earth to Emma," McKenzie called out, waving her hand furiously in front of Emily's face. Emily blinked, looking up to the redhead with an annoyed look. After all the years McKenzie still refused to call Emily with her real name when nobody was around. But they were at work now, and calling a colleague with a nickname no one else used would raise an eyebrow or two.
"It's Emily, Kenzie," she warned the green-eyed woman. She sighed when McKenzie made a fake 'oops' expression; the woman never learned a thing. Emily knew that one day McKenzie would be in trouble for her attitude, but she also knew that her friend wouldn't even care less if she did. "When are we supposed to leave, again?" Emily asked.
McKenzie rolled her eyes. "Now?" she said. She shook her head when Emily just stared at her as if she had grown another head. "Everyone is waiting for you." The redhead grabbed Emily's coat and pulled the other woman. "Come on!"
They were the last to get into the jet. Emily mumbled an apology before taking the seat nearest to the mini bar. McKenzie followed closely behind her, making faces and gesturing that Emily had been daydreaming earlier. Morgan chuckled at the funny gesture and Rossi gave the woman a lopsided smile. After more than two months working together, the team had warmed up pretty well with McKenzie and her cheekiness. They enjoyed working with her – the woman was fearless; even though by fearless, it also meant reckless. Hotch and Rossi had talked about how the reckless Adams could befriend the very cautious Prentiss. The two women were so different in many ways. But then again, the twosome completed each other in many ways, too.
JJ glanced at the two women but didn't say anything. She averted her gaze right away when she saw that Emily was looking back at her intensely. Her heart was beating fast. She avoided looking at Emily's direction for the rest of the flight, but the blonde could still feel Emily's eyes upon her – burning an invisible hole on her skin.
JJ sighed. She had been avoiding Emily for the past two months. She didn't know why she was doing it; she just thought it would be the best move – since Emily has her Kenz now. JJ realized that she wasn't being fair to Emily as the brunette hadn't done anything wrong. It was JJ who couldn't stand being close to Emily and saw how relaxed Emily was around McKenzie. JJ had always thought that she had seen all parts of Emily, but she was wrong. Emily was different when the taller woman was with McKenzie, and JJ didn't know if she liked to see that side of Emily.
The blonde closed her eyes, keeping the tears at bay. She couldn't stop blaming herself for being so stupid. How could she not realise that she loved Emily before? How could she not know that her feelings for Emily weren't just platonic? How could she be so stupid and not just say 'yes' when Emily said she was in love with JJ? The press liaison really wished she could go back in time and changed everything.
"Jayj, are you okay?" a sweet voice full of concern asked. JJ didn't have to open her eyes to see who owned the voice. "Are you sick? Do you need something?" Emily asked again, her hand was on JJ's shoulder.
JJ opened her eyes slowly; her eyes met a pair of worried brown eyes and she felt guiltier for being such an awful friend. Even after all she had done to Emily, the other woman still treated her with the same kindness. "No, Emily. Thanks. I'm fine, just a little tired," JJ said weakly. She hoped that her voice didn't give out how emotional she was feeling that moment.
Emily raised her eyebrows. JJ didn't look fine; she looked drained – and they hadn't even started working yet. "Are you sure?" she insisted. Her hand was still on JJ's shoulder. Emily felt a jolt when JJ reached out to take her hand and squeezed it lightly, ensuring her that JJ was fine.
"I'm okay, Emily. I just couldn't sleep last night. Don't worry about me," the blonde said, smiling. She was slightly disappointed when Emily told her to take a nap before they landed and that Emily wouldn't disturb her. JJ nodded half-heartedly; her eyes were following Emily as the brunette walked away from her, returning to her seat beside McKenzie who was rereading the case file. JJ felt the tears building up in her eyes and she closed her eyes again.
She had had a chance to have Emily and she didn't take it. Now she desperately wanted the taller woman, and she wasn't sure if Emily was still interested.
***
It was another gruesome case; so far they had had four victims – two young couples – brutally murdered. Emily had nearly lost it when the coroner informed them that the victims had been skinned alive before they were killed. She was tired of compartmentalizing but that was the only way to get through the case now.
Emily had to detach herself from the case and she tried her best to do so. Compartmentalizing got more difficult, though, since she had no time alone. The Bureau had informed them from the beginning that since SSA McKenzie Adams was only doing a research, not assisting them with the investigations, they would not be able to provide her with accommodation, so every time the team went on a case, the redhead had to pay for her own room. Emily couldn't let her do that, and she offered to share her room with her old friend. She usually had no problems sharing a room with McKenzie, but she wanted to be alone now. She knew that the green-eyed woman would not mind if Emily told her that she needed to be alone for a while – they had an understanding. Emily didn't say it because she didn't want McKenzie to spend the rest of the case eyeing her as if she was going to break apart.
***
JJ stopped on her tracks when she saw Emily getting out of her hotel room with track suit and a pair of sneakers. The blonde glanced at her watch and frowned. It was almost midnight and they had just finished working less than an hour before. She noticed that Emily wasn't in the dining room and she suspected the brunette hadn't had her dinner yet.
"Emily, where are you going?" JJ asked before she could stop herself. The brunette lifted up her head to meet JJ's eyes and gave JJ a shy smile. JJ walked towards the brunette and stopped just a couple of steps away from her friend. She could smell Emily's sweet scent and secretly wondered how come she didn't notice how sexy the scent was.
"I'm going for a quick run. I need to clear my head," Emily replied. She didn't expect to meet anyone at this hour; McKenzie fell asleep soon after they got back to the hotel, and Emily thought everyone would be too tired to be awake, too. "What are you doing up this late?" she asked back, hoping that JJ would forget her initial reply.
The younger woman raised her eyebrows upon hearing Emily's answer. "A quick run? At 11.30 at night?" she said disbelievingly, shaking her head. "You are not serious," she said. When Emily didn't budge, JJ's eyes widened. Emily was serious. "What are you thinking? Emily, we're in a new place; you don't know the neighbourhood – not to mention there's a killer out there looking for a new victim," the blonde stated. "Can't you do something more acceptable to clear your head up?" her tone almost sounded like a plea.
"I have a gun," Emily said matter-of-factly. "Why don't you go back to your room and have some rest, JJ? Don't worry about me. I'll be fine," the older woman said. She couldn't tear her eyes away from JJ's begging expression. The brunette put her hand on JJ's shoulder and unconsciously pulling the shorter woman to a quick hug. "I'll be fine," she ensured JJ again.
JJ didn't expect the hug and she blushed slightly. Being in Emily's arm felt like the most natural thing in the world, and JJ didn't want to let go. She was a bit sorry that the hug was brief. "Call me when you're back?"
The profiler chuckled. "You must be asleep when I get back. Why don't I see you tomorrow?" Emily suggested.
"No, call me," JJ insisted. "I won't be able to sleep if I don't know you're back and safe." The blonde smiled when Emily gave in and promised to call her soon as the brunette came back. JJ turned away and headed to her room, fighting the urge to pull the older woman into another hug.
She had tried avoiding Emily – for the sake of not having her heart broken by the other woman; the first woman she had fallen in love with – but it just didn't work. Avoiding Emily was stupid. JJ felt so stupid for even trying. Emily Prentiss was irresistible and JJ was done resisting. Now if only she still loves me... JJ wondered.
***
The weather was cool outside and Emily enjoyed the cool breeze. It had been some time since the last time she had a good run and Emily liked it. At first she had kept a slower pace, wanting to save up her energy for a marathon. She quickened her pace after a while, when rush of thoughts flooding her mind – thoughts she wanted to run away from.
Images of the victims flashed in front of her eyes and she was nearly drawn to tears. Emily let out a small sob before swallowing back her tears, feeling the burn of unshed tears in her throat. The victims are relatively young; she was older than them all. It was painful to think of how one was made to see his or her spouse being tortured alive and at the same time knowing that after the killer had finished with the other person he would do the same to them. It was scary; it was sick, and Emily wanted to throw up.
The brunette picked up her speed, not letting herself to be carried away with the feelings; she had to save it for later – when she returned to the safety of her own house, her own fortress. Then her mind drifted away to another thought – JJ – and Emily wished she had confronted the earlier thought instead of having this one.
The worry in JJ's words earlier had made her heart flutter in happiness. Their friendship had become a little bit cold for some time, and it was nice to know that JJ still cared about her. Emily had been wondering if her stupid 'coming out' a few months earlier was the reason why JJ had been pulling away from her – but everything was fine until about a couple of months ago; and Emily couldn't stop thinking where on the way it had gone wrong.
Emily stopped running after another mile or two only to realise that she had ended up somewhere she didn't recognize. The brunette cursed and turned back. She slightly touched the inside pocket of her pants, making sure that her gun was still there. Her heart was beating fast when she realised how dark it was around her.
"This is great," she muttered exasperatedly as she started to run back, hoping that she didn't look lost. She put on her best Prentiss face and moved as quickly as possible. She regretted not taking her phone with her – but she didn't think she would need a phone while jogging. "Stupid Prentiss," she panted heavily as she ran. She was sure her body would ache so bad in the morning, but it was the least of her worries at the moment.
A rustling sound behind the bushes at the other side of the sidewalk alerted her and Emily instinctively reached for the gun on her hip. She contemplated between stopping and checking what the sound was, or keep running. She decided on the latter and sped up. Emily didn't really pay attention on where she was going, and she tripped. The tall woman tumbled on the street.
Emily groaned as she felt a sharp pain on her ankle when she tried to stand up. She sat on the sidewalk, checking how bad the sprain was. The brunette looked around. The road was empty and dimly lighted. Emily listened closely and was ready to draw her gun out when she heard the sound of someone going through the bushes. The brunette let out a relieved sigh when she saw who – or rather, what – it was. A stray dog came out of the bushes, looking at her, and walked away. She couldn't suppress a chuckle and felt a drop of tears fell from her eyes as she laughed. She didn't know if she laughed because she was relieved or if it was out of her frustration.
She tried to stand up again, with more success this time, and hobbled down the road slowly; her hand was still fixed on her gun, ready if anything should happen. The agent was relieved when she got into a more lighted area with more people. She stopped to catch her breath then continued walking to the hotel, ignoring the pain on her ankle.
Emily was surprised when she saw JJ at the lobby, sitting alone. The blonde spotted Emily and immediately rushed to Emily's side, helping the older woman to the nearest sofa.
"Emily, what happened?" JJ asked, panicked. "Are you hurt? Do you need to see a doctor?" The blonde put a blanket she had prepared before around Emily's shoulder to keep the woman warm. She was worried; Emily looked very pale and it seemed that the woman had scraped her face. JJ could see blood on Emily's sweatshirt up on the elbow area, and JJ suspected that the brunette had fallen pretty hard.
"I'm okay, Jayj. What are you doing up so late?" Emily asked, changing the subject. She didn't want to make her friend worry about her. "It's just a scratch."
"It's not just a scratch, Emily! Look at you," JJ's voice raised a pitch as she pointed out. "You can't even walk normally, and this," the younger woman unconsciously lifted her hand and brushed Emily's cheek where it bruised and scraped, "this look far from just a scratch."
Emily shivered at the touch of JJ's hand against her skin, enthralled by the softness and warmth. Her stomach fluttered and she wanted to lean in to the touch. JJ saw Emily shiver and she thought the other woman was ill. The blonde put her hand on Emily's forehead, checking the older woman's temperature. Feeling that Emily's temperature was normal, the younger woman sighed in relief. She removed her hand from Emily's face and a sudden emptiness filled her. She missed the feel of Emily's skin against hers.
"Come on, Emily, let's get you cleaned up," the blonde said. JJ helped Emily get on her feet and put an arm around Emily's shoulder. "I got you."
***
They got to their floor. Emily reached into her pocket to take her key but she couldn't find it. She groaned loudly as she remembered that the key was left inside her wallet, which – of course – she didn't take with her. Great! she thought.
"What?" JJ asked. "What's wrong?"
"I left my key inside the room," Emily replied sullenly. She felt so stupid. "Can I..." she couldn't finish her sentence. Can I stay in your room tonight? sounded like a little too much to ask for. Emily blushed at the thought of spending a night in JJ's room. It wasn't like they hadn't shared a room during a case before; but this would be the first time they stayed in the same room after Emily sort of confession a few months back. Emily thought it would be so awkward.
"Of course you can, Emily. You don't have to ask. Do you think I will let you spend the night on the hall?" she said with a smile. JJ led Emily to her room. She laughed when Emily said that if JJ wouldn't let her sleep in, Emily would spend the night in the lobby with the prospect of being thrown out by the guards.
JJ bathed Emily's wound with water and she put on some ice to Emily's ankle to help with the swelling. Then she handed the older woman a wet towel to wipe the dirt and dried sweat away. Emily did it very slowly. She was practically dozing off when she felt JJ's cool hand against her cheek, patting her slowly.
The profiler opened her eyes reluctantly. JJ's face was only inches from hers and Emily's heart beat faster. JJ was looking at her with such intensity and the brunette felt hypnotised. She lowered her gaze and regretted it at once when her gaze landed on JJ's lips. Emily swallowed hard. She so didn't need this right now.
"Hey, sorry to wake you up," JJ whispered. Her voice was unusually low and husky. "You can't sleep with that dirty shirt. Come on, let's get you change into something clean." The blonde handed Emily a t-shirt.
Emil mumbled something about being too tired to move so JJ helped the woman change. The press liaison's cheek reddened in deep blush when she saw Emily's exposed skin. She tried her best effort not to look at the marble skin as she put the t-shirt on the brunette. She then covered the older woman with a blanket, resisting the urge of leaning down and kissing Emily on the cheek.
She sighed audibly as she lay down next to the brunette. She doubted she could sleep with Emily so close so she just lay there with her eyes open.
"JJ?" Emily's whisper made the blonde jumped. JJ thought Emily was already asleep. Before the younger woman could respond, Emily had continued, "What did I do wrong? You've been avoiding me."
Emily's tired voice sounded so raw on JJ's ear, and the blonde didn't know how to respond. The words hurt her, because she knew that she was the one to blame for the sadness in Emily's voice. She took a deep breath. "I just..." she began, "I... I just don't know what I should do with you, I suppose." She chose her words carefully, "I don't know what to do with our friendship, Emily. Everything is just not as easy as it used to be. It's different now. I'm..." in love with you now. JJ managed to stop herself from saying those words out loud. She didn't know what good would it make if she uttered those words. How would she react if Emily asked her to move on with their relationship? How would she react if Emily said that she wasn't interested in JJ anymore? No, JJ couldn't take the risk.
Emily replied with a weak "Oh." Then the woman added, "I'm sorry." Her voice sounded so tired and dejected that JJ wondered what was wrong.
Oh shit! JJ gasped. Emily must have taken her earlier words as a rejection. She sat up straight, looking at the other woman, loathing herself to the bones. "Em, I didn't mean... Emily, please don't get me wrong; what I meant is..." she tried to explain. When there was no response, she leaned closer and saw Emily was fast asleep. She stared at the older woman in astonishment. They were in the middle of a serious talk and Emily had fallen asleep! But then again, JJ understood that Emily must have been tired. JJ lay back down and closed her eyes. She hoped that Emily wouldn't remember anything at all when the woman woke up in the morning.
***
A couple of days later:
"Prentiss, do you know what you did is completely unnecessary and not to mention very dangerous?" Hotch roared in the police station after the raid to the Unsub's warehouse. The unit chief was very angry at Emily for being so careless.
Emily rubbed her forehead. A bruise started to form on it, adding to the other bruise she had from the fall a couple of day before. "Sorry Hotch, I wasn't thinking," she said.
"That's pretty clear you weren't," Hotch snapped. "Do you realize you almost got yourself killed? And you almost got Adams killed as well?"
The brunette whipped up her head and looked at Hotch in horror as his words sank in. It was okay if she endangered herself – but she didn't mean to endanger anybody else's life. She glanced outside through the glass pane at McKenzie who was talking with Morgan and Reid, one of her arms was on a sling. Emily swallowed hard; she was the reason why McKenzie's arm was on a sling. She felt guilty for endangering her friend. And worse, she felt guilty for still being thankful that it was McKenzie that had gotten hurt instead of JJ.
Seeing that his points were taken, Hotch sighed. He realized that the woman before him had been unusually driven on the case, but he didn't know why. "Are you okay?" the man finally asked. Emily looked beaten – her face bruised; and she was still limping.
Emily nodded weakly. "Yeah," she replied. "Yeah, I'm okay." She waited for Hotch to scold her more, and she was surprised when he patted her on the shoulder instead.
"Then I'm glad. Other than that carelessness of yours, you did a great job out there, Prentiss," the older man said. "Get some rest now. We're leaving in three hours."
***
McKenzie was by far the most carefree woman JJ had ever known. JJ couldn't believe how the redhead could see the raid incident as a joke. McKenzie had even said that she was going to tattoo her arm near the deep gash that would surely leave a scar.
"'BAU print', how cool does that sound?" she bragged proudly.
JJ could still hear Reid asking her if she was serious with it. The green-eyed agent just laughed, but somehow JJ was sure that the other woman was really going to do it.
"Oy Blondie, sulky much?" McKenzie called out to JJ as the press liaison walked past the threesome. She left the two men and followed JJ to the desk. "What's with the long face, Jay?"
JJ frowned. She hated being called 'blondie'. She had always considered the word an insult – a hateful derogatory generalisation created by an inferior someone who thought that they were superior. Surprisingly, though, she didn't find it insulting when McKenzie said it. "What happened isn't funny, McKenzie," JJ stated grimly.
The redhead chuckled. "Ah, don't be so serious, JJ. It was nothing," she said. McKenzie saw JJ glance at Emily and that the younger woman's expression was getting grimmer. McKenzie sighed; she softened at the look on JJ's face. "Hey," she said. "If you're so worried about Emily, why don't you tell her so?" The blonde widened her eyes at McKenzie comment and the red-haired woman shook her head. "It's a bit scary, isn't it, how deep you've fallen for her?" she asked. JJ didn't answer. McKenzie shook her head; she looked rather amused. "Both of you," she continued, pointing at JJ and Emily, "are stupid." She walked away, muttering, "Why in the world do I always make friends with stupid people?" so loud that JJ could still hear her.
The blonde glanced at Emily; the brunette was sitting alone with her head hung low. JJ sighed; she felt as if millions of stones were weighing her heart. She didn't know how to start talking again to the older woman after the disastrous conversation a couple of night earlier. She knew Emily was avoiding her, too. Talking to Emily would be a difficult task, if not impossible.
***
"What are you doing here, JJ?" Emily asked, surprised to see JJ at the door in the middle of the night. To JJ's relief, Emily didn't sound irritated at all. "Come on in," Emily invited her. "I'm helping Kenzie pack her stuff. The sooner she finishes packing, the sooner she leaves my house," she explained jokingly.
"Emma, I couldn't find my... oh, never mind," McKenzie stopped midsentence when she saw JJ. The redhead smiled at JJ and waved at the two. "Talk," she said in an authoritative tone. "I'll go back to my nest. Seriously, people: talk!" she said. With that she went upstairs.
Emily smiled awkwardly at JJ but said nothing other than offering the younger woman to sit down and asking if she wanted something to drink.
"'Emma', huh?" JJ enquired, quite amused to know that Emily had a nickname. She saw Emily blush a little. "It's kind of cute. Why don't you tell me you have such a nice nickname?"
"Because the only person that calls me that is Kenz," Emily replied. "So what brings you to my door?"
Now it was JJ turn to blush. She didn't know how to begin. She had been arranging her words carefully on her way to Emily's house, but everything she had prepared was gone the moment she saw Emily. And now words were stumbling in her mind and she didn't know what to say first. She glanced at the older woman and saw that Emily was waiting patiently for her to say something. So she opened her mouth and said, "Emily, do you still love me?"
Emily was flabbergasted to hear those words from JJ. That was the last thing she expected to hear. From the shocked look on JJ's face, Emily knew that the blonde didn't intend to say those words either.
JJ thought that she had no more chance with Emily when the brunette just sat opposite her, staring with her mouth open, without saying anything. She felt stupid and embarrassed and she wanted to leave Emily. She stood up and began to walk to the door when she felt a strong hand grabbing her arm.
"Where do you think you're going?" Emily asked softly. "I haven't given you my answer." The brunette nudged JJ, asking her to face her. "What kind of question was that, Jennifer Jareau?"
"I... that didn't come out right," JJ replied weakly. Emily's hand was still on her arm, burning her skin. "I wanted to... I came to... I mean, I really wanted to...," JJ couldn't finish her sentence. She felt her heart beat faster. Finally she gave up on trying making a coherent sentence so she just shook her head.
Emily chuckled. "A press liaison and you can't even answer a simple question," the woman stated. Then she looked into JJ's blue eyes with such intensity that could burn down the house. Her voice was dangerously low when she spoke, "Yes." And Emily raised her other hand and brushed a strand of hair from JJ's cheek. "I never stop loving you, JJ."
JJ was at loss of words. Emily's soft words warmed her heart. "I...," again, JJ couldn't bring herself to say 'I love you'. The blonde pulled Emily into a hug and cried her heart out. She was grateful when Emily didn't pull away but hugged her back and let her cry, whispering soothing words. When the sob had subsided, JJ finally said, "I thought I was going to lose you; McKenzie is so perfect – you two look awesome together. She is..."
"A very dear friend," Emily cut JJ off. "She was never more than a very close friend to me. If I ever had feelings for another person back then, it wasn't her," she ensured JJ. Emily contemplated for a second whether she should continue or not before finally decided to lay all her cards on the table. "I fell for her sister; and nothing had happened between us, either – Mandy was, is, straight."
The press liaison couldn't say anything. She didn't know what to say. She felt for Emily – it must have been tough, falling for someone who didn't love you back. And JJ almost made Emily experience the feeling again. "I'm sorry Emily," JJ whispered. "I'm sorry for what happened between you and her then; and I'm sorry for hurting you now."
Emily smiled on JJ's hair. "It's okay, JJ. I'm okay," she whispered. She kissed the top of JJ's head unconsciously, feeling that it was the most natural thing in the world.
"I'm in love with you, you know?" JJ stated nonchalantly. She thought she was talking to herself, but she knew she had said it out loud when she felt Emily's body stiffen. She looked up to meet Emily's brown eyes, panicking. She backed away from the hug, trying to run away again, but Emily had none of it anymore.
"Stop running away from me, JJ," the brunette pleaded desperately. She understood how confused and lost JJ must have been – JJ had never been in love with a woman before, and Emily could swear that the other woman hadn't thought about falling in love to a woman, either. "I've waited long enough for you to stop running. If you don't want anything to do with our feelings for each other, all you need to do is say it. You said you weren't going anywhere; that you wouldn't run away from me, from my feelings, but to be honest I've never felt as distant from you as I am now!"
"I...," JJ stopped. What do I want? she asked herself. JJ was scared; she was scared her own feelings, unsure of what was going to happen next, worried that everything would fall apart. JJ was scared of what the future might hold for her and Emily. She took a glance at Emily realised how crestfallen and broken-hearted Emily had looked and all her fears flew away. She cupped Emily's face and kissed the woman on the mouth without thinking. It was a brief kiss, but JJ felt butterflies on her stomach.
They looked at each other wordlessly. No need for words. The kiss had answered everything. Upstairs, lying on her stomach on the carpeted floor, McKenzie shook her head and grinned. She had been listening all the time – the closing of the door was a faux. "Stupid people," she muttered to herself. She was glad that she got to see everything before she left. At least now I have closure, she thought bitterly.
The red-haired woman stood up and returned as quietly as possible to her own room. She then turned her radio, loud enough to hide any sound of crying she made from the happy twosome downstairs.
.
"I try to talk to you, but I don't know what to say. I am afraid you don't want me to say anything. So I don't. But inside of me there are words waiting to come tell you how I feel-like how I miss you. And how I love you despite my broken how I need you in my life. And especially how much I want those words may forever stay in my heart-locked I wonder if there are words locked inside you too... but I'll never know."
-Anonymous-