Lieutenant and SSA (Emily Prentiss x Reader)

15. Not alone

And the way they look at us as we come walking is making me question the whole not telling them. Because I can only imagine how they must have felt, especially after hearing all those stories and seeing me almost break completely apart.

"So this is the famous Lieutenant Y/n Prentiss, jus to clarify that I think I'm your biggest fan. Especially with how you..." but JJ stops her from continuing to talk.

"Im Jennifer, JJ if you prefer. And this is Penelope." JJ introduces them with a smile and Y/n gives away a small laugh. Oh gods how I've missed that sound. Even though it ended in a sort of grimace and a pained exhale.

"Nice to meet you, and thank you for taking care of my Emily when I couldn't." And the way she calls me hers. I feel like breaking apart once more. But I'm afraid that if I let her go even just for a second I'll wake up on the couch again, alone and scared.

"Our pleasure," Pen smiles even more widely than I've ever seen her smile before. And before it becomes too much for us both, because I can bet that she's tried after everything, I suggest we get into the car. And so we do.

Me and Y/n in the backseat because she's not allowed to drive either. For reasons she doesn't specify, just that it has to do with the surgery she had. Even Penelope tries to sneak it out of her, but the only answer Y/n gives is that they're practically nothing anymore. And even though we all can tell that's a lie I ask her to lay off. She's just got home, she needs rest, at home.

***

I admit that it was all a little hazed, like it was happing so fast but still so slow at the same time. But we made it up to our room, change into more comfortable clothes. But while Y/n went right under the covers, I began to unpack her bag. Not that there's much left as her uniform had been destroyed, but I did so nonetheless.

But the first thing I notice is the bag of bottled pills that's almost hidden inside a shirt. But why would she need to hide it. I already figured that they'd given her some kind of medicine. I mean, she was trapped in the dessert for weeks and then had surgery.

But I only recognise two out of the three of the labels. Hydromorphone, that's for any pain that's lingering. Benzodiazepines, in case she needs help to sleep. I can understand that, I had to take them after the whole Doyle thing.

But that third label. Almost everything but the name and some of the instructions are erased. Carbamazepine. And I have no idea what it is. But then, I don't know what kind of injuries she's suffering from. Maybe it's something to replace the vitamins and proteins she's missed out on.

"Emily, aren't you coming?" I hear her call out from upstairs. And I don't really know why I'm taking such time with this. She'll tell me when she's ready. But now. Now I think that we both just wants to enjoy the fact that she's home. In our house, in a real bed, our bed.

Somehow I don't want to move. The fear of it not being real is... let's just say big. Massive. Enormous. But I force myself to drop it all, putting the medicine in the bathroom cabinet, and head towards our bedroom.

There I find her already under the covers in only her undergarments. I can see every bruise, every cut, everything on her body that's either stitched up or on its way to fade away. But I suppose that any type of clothing wouldn't feel good on top of those wounds.

"I promise you that it looks worse than it is. Most is from the crash, then my knuckles from trying to get out of the... cave." I hadn't know they'd found her in a cave. But I noticed the hesitance in her eyes as she avoids looking at me.

"Look, you don't have to tell me anything until you're ready. For now I'm just glad that you're home where you belong." I walk up to the bed and sit down next to her. Taking her hand gently in mine. "With me."