always been mine - emily prentiss x reader

chapter twenty-five // ten o'clock

You didn't sleep long that morning, not even an hour, but you and Emily had a restful day, much of it spent watching HGTV. At five you were dreading waiting until ten, already starting to feel the medication wear off, and you went into bed. Emily was really into an episode of Love It or List It — she really wanted them to love it — and you told her to eat dinner without you and not feel like she had to come to bed. You didn't want to throw her sleep schedule off.

Your abdomen stung and ached and the air was stolen from your lungs. Besides that, your nightmare was replaying in hazy flashes in your head. It was the middle of the night, so Emily was asleep beside you, and you stumbled to the bathroom. You were gaunt, a creature of children's nightmares not unlike your own. Before you could take the painkillers, you let out an agonizing sob, pain shooting through your body. You can't take it.

You sit on the cool bathroom floor, a reprieve from the hot, blinding pain, and lean against the bathtub. You bend your legs and put your elbows on your knees with your head buried in your arms, bent with hands clasped above your head. Breathing. It's all that will help. Sobs hurt. Your pain is your focus, the backdrop of the trauma a constant presence.

You can't help crying, and Emily rushes out of bed several minutes later. You were still sitting there, the bathroom door just ajar, and you couldn't tell she was there until she cried, "Oh, my god, Y/N,"

"Emily..."

"Honey, what's going on? What do you need?" It's exhausting. You point to the pill bottle, and Emily grabs it. "Right. Okay. Water, too?"

"Mm-hmm," you said with violent nods. Emily clambered to the kitchen, not caring about anything else, and took a bottle of water from the fridge. It was faster. You take two pills, down them with water, and hold out your hand for her to take.

"Can we get up, my love? Come lay down? It's okay, shh...Can you get up? It's okay, I'll stay right here with you." You shake your head, you can't look her in the face. "No? Okay, that's fine, love. You're okay,"

"It hurts, Emily..." you cry. She brings your head to her chest, running her hand up and down your upper back.

"I know, my love, I know it hurts, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. Shh..." Emily sways back and forth with you in her arms. You sit for seven minutes, perhaps, you can't quite tell, before Emily checks her watch and pipes up. "It's 11:45, by the way. You made it past ten,"

"Regret it,"

"You took 'em, though, you'll feel better in a little while. Y/N, my love, you're so brave. My strong girl. Do you wanna get up now? It's okay, we can just sit right here, if that's what you wanna do." You suck on your bottom lip and blink the remains of tears from your eyes.

"Help me up?" Emily kisses your hairline and stands up herself before slowly and surely helping you to your feet.

"You good?" You nod. Emily holds your right hand with hers and puts her left arm around your shoulders, guiding you back to bed. "There we go— easy, sweetheart." She pulls the blankets up over you, standing on your side of the bed. "Do you feel any better?"

"A little," you mumble. Emily puts her hand on your head, stroking her thumb over your hairline.

"You can sleep, though? I know the meds make you drowsy, so that's good,"

"Come lay with me, Emmy," you whine. She cracks a smile, kisses your head, and walks around the bed to lay down on her side of the bed. "I love you,"

"I love you too. Get some sleep, now, my love."

-

You only sleep until six, and from her breathing you can tell Emily's awake. Your tired eyes find her, her eyes are closed, but she's whispering the words to some song. You groan softly, and her eyes flutter open as she gives you a smile. "Morning, my love,"

"Hi,"

"You're feeling good?"

"Mhm,"

"That's my girl. You need anything, baby?"

"Mm...cuddle." Emily cracks up.

"Okay, love. C'mere, I've got you." You move to lay your head against her chest, a soft, slow heartbeat in your ear. Emily's arms keep you close to her, never letting you go. "I'm so glad you're okay,"

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Emmy,"

"No, sweetheart, don't apologize. Don't feel bad. Just focus on getting better, m'kay? I love you, I would do anything for you. Don't apologize for how you're feeling, okay, love?" You nod. "Good. You made it past ten, baby, you did such a good job. So good, love, I'm so proud of you." Emily knows exactly what you need to hear. She punctuates her sentences with kisses to your forehead. "I love you."

"Love you, too, Em,"

"You wanna go back to sleep?" You shake your head.

"The meds are gonna wear off, I...what time did I take them last night?"

"11:45. You can take them again around eight,"

"Yeah, I know," you say. Not to be rude, or snarky, but just to let her know you're lucid. "I'll at least stay up till then. Do you go back to work today?"

"Tomorrow, but I'm gonna take more PTO. I never use it, I've got a lot, so it's not a problem on that front,"

"You don't have to do that, Emily." You surely want her home with you, of course, but you can't ask her to take time off for this. You'd be fine.

"No, honey, I'm...I don't want anything to happen to you while I'm away. I'm taking another week, I'm gonna call Hotch today,"

"There's no way I can stop this, is there?" you ask with an eye roll, knowing her answer. Emily smiles.

"Nope,"

"Right. I love having you here, Ems. Thank you for staying."

"Always."