Safe now ( Emily prentiss )

Missing you

Morning arrived quickly and everyone was gathered around the table again, eating breakfast: Elle next to Addie and JJ and Emily opposite. Jj and Emily were due to leave half an hour before midday and Addie was still unaware of the arrangements that had been made. "Addie?" Emily said quietly, getting the girls attention. Addie hummed in awareness and continued to eat her cereal. "Jj and I have a case... we were wondering if you'd be okay if Elle stayed with you while we're gone."  Elle looked at Emily, surely they should have asked the girl first? Addie dropped her spoon into her bowl and looked at Elle. She quickly regained composure, nodding uncertainly. "I'm not a child." The words escaped from her mouth suddenly. "We didn't say you were. We just thought you wouldn't mind. If not we can ask Penelope. You said you wanted to meet her." JJ helped Emily. Elle sat awkwardly, shuffling in her seat as she listened to the conversation. Addie took a deep breath, "you know my father would leave me for days... I can cook, clean, I won't make a mess." She huffed. Elle tried to hide her shock by excusing herself to the bathroom, leaving Jj and Emily across from Addie. "Addie, we don't want to leave you here by yourself....we want you to be safe. Plus you shouldn't be cooking a lot with your broken arm." Jj said, not bringing up that Addie's father was next door and could easily come and take her at any moment. "Why? My arm's fine and I'm used to staying alone." Addie asked, genuinely confused as to why she couldn't be left alone. "Addie, you are fourteen. You shouldn't have to cook your own dinner and look after yourself. We understand thats what you're used to but ,when you're living here, you won't be left alone for hours or days." Jj explained. Addie stared at her food. "I'm not a baby. I don't need 24 hour supervision!" Addie's voice rose. "Do you want Elle or Penelope to stay with you?" Emily asked. Addie huffed: she didn't need anybody. "Addie?" Emily repeated the question. Addie stood up and slammed her fist on the table, "I'm fine alone!" she shouted. "Addie, you do not need to yell. Go to your..." Jj didn't get to finish, Addie stomping to her room and slamming the door.

"At least she's comfortable enough to yell at us." Emily shrugged. Jj looked at her girlfriend. "What? It's true." Emily said. Jj didn't break her gaze on Emily. "Okay. Fine. I'll go make sure she's alright and talk to her about yelling at us." Emily said.

Addie wasn't angry: she was confused and hurt. Confused because she couldn't understand what Elle could do that she couldn't. Hurt because Emily didn't even offer to stay; Emily didn't tell her she was leaving; Emily didn't...  Addie took a deep breath, quietly slumping into the corner of her room. She wondered what the punishment was for shouting. When Emily knocked and came in, Addie prepared herself form a slap or punch, flinching away as Emily walked forwards. "I'm not going to hit you," Emily sounded uncomfortable saying those words.
"I'm sorry for yelling. And getting mad. And..." Addie's voice faltered and she took a second to carry on, "what... what's the punishment?" She asked. Emily sat down next to the girl, placing her hand on her shoulder. "What do you think is a sensible punishment?" Emily voice was soft. "Um... Do you want... to hit me? Lock my door? Take away food? I really am sorry." She mumbled back in reply. Emily sighed and Addie stiffened. "Let's just talk, okay? I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, I only found out yesterday." She leaned closer to Addie, who flinched slightly at her touch. "I'm not going to hurt you," she whispered, "please don't yell when you're angry at us. We want what's best for you; we are not trying to hurt you."  Addie scooted closer to Emily. "I'm sorry." She muttered. "I know," Emily said back, kissing her head.
"Elle can stay. I like her." She said finally.

When the time came for them to leave Addie was spacing out, moving like a robot as they stood by the door. She hugged them and told them to 'be safe' but that's it. Elle watched them cautiously and then said goodbye. "We'll be waiting!" Elle said, closing the door. "So, Addie, what do you want to do? Emily said you liked Mario Kart?"  Addie ignored Elle, instead going to her room and picking out a book. Elle was fine with that and went to watch Tv for a while; If Addie didn't want to talk to her, she wouldn't make her.

It had been a few hours and Elle was beginning to get worried: she hadn't head Addie leave her room or even get up. It was after lunch, so Elle decided to make sandwiches and bring one to Addie's room. "Addie?" She knocked on the door, "I'm coming in, okay?" She didn't wait for a reply and opened the door to find Addie reading while curled up on the bed. Her eyes looked puffy and red and her hair wild and frizzy.
"I'm not hungry." Addie said, turning the page of her book. "Yes you are. You haven't eaten. Here. Eat." Slowly, she moved next to Addie on the bed and slid over the plate; Addie took it reluctantly. Elle moved closer and started to eat her sandwich. "What are you doing?" Addie asked. "I'm eating my sandwich." Elle replied. Addie furrowed her eyebrows but continued reading. Elle gently pushed the book out of Addie's hand, "Five bites and I'll go." Addie huffed. "Don't huff and puff at me. Five bites." Addie stared at Elle. Elle realised the girl wasn't about to eat and instead opted for making conversation, hoping to distract her from the food. "So, what do you like to watch on tv?" Elle said. "Umm... I don't know, I don't watch a lot of tv." "Well, what do you like to do for fun? I like to dance." Elle offered.
"I... sometimes my dad would give me things to translate or calculate... that was fun I guess?"
"That's cool! Puedes hablar español ?" "Sí, yo puedo. And some Italian and Russian. I can translate Latin and Greek too."
Addie picked up her sandwich and ate a few bites, ignoring the fact she hated the taste and it felt like sand paper in her mouth.

Elle and Addie talked for seemed like thirty minutes but appeared to be serval hours. They discussed books and shows and Elle decided it would be her job to introduce Addie to her favourite ( and the best ) films. Addie explained to Elle that moving a lot meant watching random tv shows in various languages - most of which Addie could not understand. Addie finished her sandwich and Elle had brought in some snacks for them to eat. Addie took a biscuit hesitantly before glancing around.
"We shouldn't eat snacks in here, we'll get crumbs on the bed," she said and reached her hand to put it back in the package.
"It's fine. Emily won't mind," Elle replied, swapping Addie's hand away from the pack and grabbing a biscuit for herself. They ate and talked until the light coming from the window dimmed and the soft moonlight flooded the room. Elle noticed a change in mood in the girl and wondered whether to question it. "You okay?" She asked after a brief pause in the conversation. Addie glared out the window, "do you think they're alright? Their job is dangerous, right? They save people like me." Elle took a second to think. "Their job is dangerous, yes. But they know how to stay safe. There are... rules... they stay in pairs and don't shoot unless they have to..." Elle zoned out, thinking about her time at the bau; she tried to focus on Addie as the girl was finally sharing her feelings about her time being kidnapped - well about being saved. Elle tried to find a way to ask Addie more with seeming like she was prying for the information. "One time, when I worked at the bau with Jj, we saved a girl around your age. She was frightened and scared but brave. We saved her safely, no one got hurt." Elle let her words sink in to the girl's mind. "It was... very scary. I thought I was going to be there forever. He... he really hurt me. I hit him but... I was too weak," Addie whispered in between sniffles. Elle moved closer, "you got out. You're safe from him. You won, he lost. Just because he hurt you doesn't make you weak, okay? I know I don't know you that well, but I think you're one of the strongest girls I know." Addie nodded slowly, hanging onto Elle's every word. "You know maybe you should start martial arts. It might help you feel protected. I think there's a women's martial art class near here. Maybe you could do it with Emily or Jj. Jj is really into fitness." Elle said. Addie nodded again, yawning into her arm as she leaned back.