'There she is…' The warmth in the tone causes Emily to grin before she turns around. Her heart skips a beat at the sight of him. A broad smile stretches across her face as she watches Rossi approach. Without missing a beat, he reaches out to gently cup her face, his hands warm and reassuring against her skin. He leans in, placing a kiss on each of her cheeks in that signature, affectionate Rossi manner that she's missed more than she'd realized. As soon as he lets her go, the next person steps forward. JJ. Her face softens, the exhaustion and the strain of their work clearly visible in her eyes, but there's something deeply comforting in her embrace. JJ pulls her into a tight, heartfelt hug, one that speaks volumes of everything unsaid between them. It's the kind of hug that transcends the need for words, both of them feeling the weight of time and distance between them since their last meeting.
'We missed you. How are you?' JJ asks softly, her voice tinged with both concern and warmth.
'Good. Good… It's so great to see you guys.' Emily replies. As if on cue, Spencer steps forward, his gaze thoughtful, the warmth in his eyes unmistakable despite his usual reserve.
'Hi.' Spencer says softly, his gaze warm but thoughtful as she wraps her arms around him. His presence is always a comfort, and Emily wraps her arms around him in a gentle, but firm hug, holding on for just a beat longer than necessary. There's something about him that grounds her, and she appreciates it more than she can express.
'Oh brainiac, I love the new do.' Emily replies teasingly as she ruffles his hair causing him to smile. Emily squeezes his shoulder in acknowledgment, the affection between them palpable. She then moves on, her eyes finding Hotch standing just off to the side. She hesitates for a brief moment, the emotions swirling inside her. She's missed them all, but there's something about Hotch's steady presence that always calms her. She doesn't need to say anything more; she just steps into his arms, pulling him into a tight embrace.
'Thank you for coming.' She almost whispers.
'Of course.' Hotch replies. His hand ever so gently brushes down her arm as they pull away and she lets out a sigh.
'Rossi and JJ are heading out to the crime scene. I'm assuming you want to join?' Hotch asks. Immediately her face hardens into the familiar expression of determination that they all recognise.
'You assume right.' She replies nodding her head.
The sounds of New York's bustling traffic hum faintly in the background as the car makes its way through the city. Emily sits in the backseat, case files resting on her lap, but her focus is fragmented. She skims the edges of the papers absentmindedly, unable to really absorb any of the information in front of her. A heavy, nauseous feeling churns in her stomach, refusing to be ignored. She exhales slowly, trying to calm herself, but the unease is settling deeper, more persistent than she expected. The exhaustion she's been carrying since she arrived in New York feels like more than just a result of late nights and endless hours. It's something more, something harder to push past. She feels drained in a way she can't explain, every muscle in her body pleading for rest, but there's no time for that now.
'You doing okay back there?' JJ asks glancing back at the brunette from the passenger seat. Emily blinks, momentarily thrown off guard, before she forces herself to sit up a little straighter. She offers a small, tired smile, though it doesn't quite reach her eyes.
'Yeah, just tired… You know what it's like, long flights and that.' Emily replies softly, offering the blonde a small smile. It's a half-truth, but it's easier than explaining the growing storm inside her. She's so tired, in fact, that her body feels like it's shutting down from the inside out. The ache in her head pulses gently, but she ignores it, pushing it aside in favor of focusing on something, anything that will distract her from how worn out she feels.
'You don't look fine… What's really going on, Prentiss?' Rossi asks, raising an eyebrow as his voice fills with concern. Emily shifts in her seat, an instinctual attempt to hide the unease that's building in her. The sudden movement makes the dizziness spin more sharply, and she blinks hard, trying to shake it off. Her hand tightens around the case files, her fingers pressing into the edges like it might steady her. A sickening wave of nausea hits her stomach, making her feel like the world is tilting around her. She swallows hard, willing the queasiness to subside.
'It's nothing, Rossi. Really. Just lack of sleep, you know? We all run on fumes when we've got big cases.' Emily replies. She tries to sound convincing, but her voice betrays the thinness of her lie. Rossi holds her gaze a beat longer, clearly not buying it. He knows Emily well enough to see the signs of someone trying to hide something, but he doesn't push. Not yet. Emily blinks again, fighting the dizziness that threatens to cloud her thoughts. But another wave of nausea rolls over her, a sharp reminder of just how much she's been ignoring. It's harder to suppress this time, harder to pretend it's just exhaustion. She forces a slow breath, hoping it'll pass, but it lingers, nagging at her.
The quiet hum of the office surrounds her. Outside, New York's frenetic pace is a world away, but inside, it's still, except for the occasional rustling of papers and the distant click of keyboards. The team is working tirelessly, each of them immersed in their own corner of the investigation, but Emily's fatigue is palpable. She absentmindedly traces the edge of her coffee cup, her fingers moving in slow circles as she exhales softly, the weight of the last few days pressing heavily on her. The unsettling dreams from the past few nights linger in her thoughts, mixing with the physical exhaustion she's been fighting to hide. It's a struggle, trying to stay sharp, to push past the nausea, but it's getting harder with every passing minute. Her mind is foggy, worn thin by lack of rest, and the effort to maintain her composure feels almost too much to bear. Rossi, who's been quietly observing the brunette from across the room, notices her struggles. He's known her long enough to tell when she's bottling something up. The lines around her eyes are deeper than usual, and her movements are slower, more deliberate.
'Emily…' He says softly as he makes his way over to her causing her to glance up at him.
'What's going on?' He asks. She lets out a sigh, continuing to run her finger around the coffee cup.
'I'm okay. I just- I've been feeling a bit off but I think I'm just tired.' Emily replies.
'You're a terrible liar, Emily. What's really going on?' He asks raising his eyebrow at her.
'It's just these dreams… They're-They're just so real. About the killer, I mean.' Emily begins. She hesitates, eyes glancing to the side as she gathers the courage to go further. Rossi watches her carefully, his gaze softening.
'I see it all. The places, the people. It's like I'm there, watching it happen. And then I can't stop it. No matter how hard I try. I'm always too late.' Emily continues. Rossi's expression softens as he leans forward slightly, a comforting understanding in his eyes. He's heard this before, how the cases can get into your head, how the stress and exhaustion can twist the mind. But there's something different about the way she's speaking. Something more personal, something she's struggling to admit.
'You know it's just your mind processing everything, right? This case is heavy. It's easy to feel like you're not doing enough. But you are. You've always been one of the best, Emily.' Rossi says gently. She nods, but it's clear her thoughts are elsewhere. She lets out another breath, her voice barely a whisper as she continues, the words tumbling out before she can stop herself.
'It's more than just the dreams, Rossi. I've been so, so tired lately. Not just from the case, but other stuff, too.' Emily admits. Rossi leans back against the desk behind him, concern lining his face. He watches her closely, sensing that there's more she's not saying, that she's on the edge of revealing something she's been hiding.
'Whatever it is, you can talk to me. You know that, right?' He says. Emily swallows hard, her eyes flicking nervously toward the door of the office, as if she's afraid someone might hear. She rubs her face, her fingers pressing against her forehead like she's trying to stave off another wave of dizziness. But before she can gather the words to say what's weighing on her heart, the door to the office bursts open, and Spencer strides in, looking more animated than he has in days.
'I think I've found something.' Spencer says gesturing for them to follow him. His eyes are alight with the rush of discovery, but Emily's expression falters, her hand instinctively gripping the edge of her desk to steady herself. Emily watches as Rossi heads toward Spencer, her heart heavy with unspoken words. She knows she has to keep it together, at least for now. But the moment with Rossi had almost been the opening she needed, until the case pulled her back in. As Spencer begins outlining the next steps for the team, Emily takes a deep breath, pushing aside the nagging discomfort in her chest. She can't let her personal struggles get in the way of finding the killer. Not now.
The air is thick with tension as Emily stands over the body of the killer, her gun lowered but still firmly in her grip. The adrenaline is beginning to fade, and the weight of what just happened is starting to settle in. The girl is safe, but Emily's mind is consumed by more than just the aftermath of the confrontation.
'Emily…' Rossi's voice cuts through the silence, soft but steady, as his hand rests gently on her shoulder. She glances back at him, her fingers still wrapped tightly around the gun, though her posture is worn, as if the weight of the moment is more than she can bear. Rossi's eyes soften with concern, taking in the exhaustion clouding her gaze.
'I—I…' Her words catch in her throat, the exhaustion of the day and the emotions she's keeping buried making it hard to speak.
'It's over. You got him, Emily.' Rossi says quietly, trying to offer some comfort. She nods slowly, but the tension in her expression doesn't fade. There's something in her eyes, a wariness he hasn't seen before, and Rossi knows there's more to this than just the case.
'Emily, what's going on with you?' He asks, his voice turning more serious. Her gaze flickers to him, hesitation clouding her expression. For a moment, it looks like she might shut him out again, but then, with a long, shaky sigh, her shoulders slump. She looks down at the floor.
'I'm pregnant, Dave.' She almost whispers, her voice trembling slightly. The words hang in the air, and for a moment, everything comes to a standstill. Rossi's expression freezes in surprise, but it's the immediate rush of concern in his eyes that catches Emily off guard. He takes a slow step back, his face softening into disbelief, as if trying to wrap his mind around what she's just said. After running a hand over his face, he meets her gaze again, and the concern is palpable, more intense than before.
'Pregnant? Why didn't you tell anyone, Emily?' He asks, his voice is low but filled with frustration.
'Pregnant, and you're still out here putting yourself in the line of fire? What the hell were you thinking?' He says.
'I just… I didn't want to be pulled off the case.' Emily murmurs, her voice tight. She looks away briefly, but then her gaze snaps back to him.
'I was so close to catching him. I couldn't let being pregnant be the reason we lost our shot, the reason more people could get hurt.' Emily adds. Rossi's eyes soften, the edges of his frustration melting into something more understanding. He scans her face, his gaze searching for signs of weakness, of the toll the case and her secret have taken on her. But all he sees is a woman who has pushed herself to the brink for the job, for the people she's sworn to protect.
'You're the best at what you do, Emily.' He says firmly, his voice full of care.
'But it's time to step back. You're having a baby now. You need to take care of yourself.' He adds. She doesn't respond immediately, guilt surging in her chest. She had told herself the same thing, over and over, but hearing it from Rossi makes it feel too real, too heavy. She looks down at her hands, her fingers absentmindedly brushing across her stomach before the sound of footsteps approaching interrupts the moment, pulling their attention away.
Her eyes fall on the familiar figure of Penelope Garcia standing in front of what used to be Derek Morgan's desk. The weight of the last few weeks still weighs heavy on her, but the warmth of being back here with the team gives her a much-needed sense of comfort.
'Yo, baby girl, what do you think you're doing in my office? You know better than to mess with my stuff. I don't mess with yours.' Emily says, imitating Derek causing Garcia to glance over her shoulder. Her eyes widen in shock as she her eyes flicker up and down the brunette's form.
'Wait- You're here. Here, with me? I didn't think you were coming back?' Garcia says her voice filled with a mixture of shock and joy. Before Emily can even answer, Garcia is already across the room, her arms wide as she wraps them around the brunette in a warm embrace. Emily laughs softly, taken by the outpouring of affection. Garcia's hugs have always been a force of nature, never casual, never half-hearted, and Emily finds herself savouring the genuine affection.
'I thought you were gonna go straight home.' Garcia says causing Emily to grin.
'Wouldn't hop across the pond without seeing you.' Emily replies. There's a beat of silence as Garcia's eyes scan Emily's face. She can tell something is off but she doesn't push, not yet.
'How have you been?' Emily asks, knowing the technical analyst will have struggled since Derek's departure.
'Uh- I'm okay.' Garcia replies quietly.
'You got dinner plans tonight?' Emily asks.
'Yeah, I do.' Garcia replies nodding her head as she gives the brunette a half-smile. Emily sighs a little, her heart pulling slightly but before she can voice any disappointment, Garcia turns towards her grinning.
'With you.' Garcia adds. Emily's lips curve into a soft laugh, the tension in her chest easing just a bit.
'Hold up, y'all are having a party and didn't invite me?' JJ asks playfully as she makes her way into the room.
'You wanna join us for dinner?' Garcia asks.
'Yeah. Yeah, I do. I'll let Will know.' JJ replies nodding.
'Oh my god. This is going to be the best girls' night ever.' Garcia squeals. Emily chuckles, feeling the warmth of the moment settle over her. It's been so long since they've had one of these simple, carefree evenings. But before she can fully bask in the joy of it all, there's another interruption. Rossi's head pops around the doorframe, his familiar, comforting presence filling the space.
'Did I hear someone say girls night?' He asks, raising an eyebrow playfully causing Emily to grin.
'Yeah, but we'll make an exception for you.' Emily replies.
'And me?' Spencer asks appearing behind Rossi.
'Not a chance.' Emily replies smirking. She watches Spencer's face fall slightly causing her smile to widen.
'I'm kidding.' Emily adds. As they all laugh, the weight of the case, the stress of everything, seems to lift for just a moment. In this room, surrounded by her team, Emily feels a sense of belonging. She knows the road ahead isn't going to be easy, especially with the baby on the way, but for now, in this space, with these people, she feels like she can breathe again.