Classified light- a criminal minds fan fiction

Past connections

"Emily? Are you okay?" Cameron rubbed her eyes with confusion as she opened the hotel room door to her co-worker at 3am, only a few hours before they had to get up for work to meet Ian Doyle. 

The team had spent the entire day before planning on what to do when Ian got there, making contact with Clyde Easter again and trying to work the case.

As expected, Cameron didn't turn up for work the following days after she walked out of the station but had called Hotch and left a voicemail saying she would be back the next day and had to 'sort some things out.'

"Did you change your hair?" Emily looked at Cameron's now shoulder length, bouncy and wavey dark brown highlighted hair with long curtain bangs.

"I did- sorry, did you need something?" Cameron chuckled through a yawn.

"O-oh yeah, sorry" Emily laughed before pausing to catch her breath.

"Wait- are you okay?" Cameron asked, spotting a few tears on Emily's face.

"Y-yeah of course-" she paused before shaking her head, "no, no I'm actually so not okay."

"Oh my- come on in" Cameron immediately beckoned her in with a comforting energy, tapping the bed for her to sit down whilst she went to the counter of the hotel room.

"Is this a hot chocolate or alcohol situation?" Cameron asked seriously which made Emily laugh.

"I'll get both; what's wrong?" Cameron smiled softly and started making the drinks at the counter.

"I just... I don't know, I guess I didn't realise how scared I still was of seeing him" Emily sighed.

"Ian?" Cameron prompted.

"Yeah... the last time I saw him I thought all of it was over- I thought he was dead. And the time before that, well he kinda killed me" she sighed, Cameron walking over and handing her a mini bottle from the mini bar.

"This seems like an alcohol situation" she gave a soft smile before sitting next to her with tissues at the ready.

"Thanks Cameron" Emily gave an appreciative chuckle.

"Did you want to talk about what happened with him?"

"Did you not read the file?" Emily asked.

"I did, but that's what 'officially' happened- hidden behind professional words and terms that don't capture the whole thing. I'm not sure if you've had the chance to talk about it as yourself and how it affected you yet- I'm not sure if you want to, but if you do then I'm here if you want to give your full story of it, just letting it all out" she gave a comforting smile that made Emily want to burst into tears at how understanding she was.

"That... that would be really nice" she managed to say.

"Okay, let's get you comfortable first though" Cameron hopped up, grabbing the blanket from the bed and wrapping it around a chuckling Emily who watched Cameron zoom around the room grabbing various 'comforting' items such as the hot chocolate- mixed with alcohol in a way that somehow tasted nice- a pillow and an oversized knit jumper.

"Are you warm enough?" Cameron asked as she sat down, Emily nodded with a laugh.

"Whenever you're ready."

An hour passed of Emily telling it all, not holding back on the details like she did when writing the reports of the mission, not trying to cover up her emotions like she usually did with the rest of the team, not sugar coating the things she went through in fear of being seen as week; she told it all, and Cameron just listened like no one else had listened to Emily before.