At 15

Chapter 58

"Daddy" Layla said softly as she walked into the kitchen

"What's up bunny?" Aaron asked turning around after her turned the dishwasher on

"Mommy cry" the girl said sadly
"Why mommy sad all the time?"

"Go play with Jack, I'll go check on mommy"

"Kay! Lub you Dadda" Layla hugged her dads legs a skipped to their play room
Taking a look at his little girl he smiled a

With a nervous exhale Aaron walked into his and Emily's bedroom to see their bathroom for shut. Raising his fist to knock he heard her silent sobs. Alerting her to his presence he knocked
"Em, I'm coming in okay" Aaron said opening the door slowly

In the corner of their bathroom, curled up in a ball in only get underwear and a bra, sat Emily, crying with a terrified expression on her face

"Oh honey" he whispered crouching down next to her. As soon as he wrapped his arms around her shivering body, Aaron could feel how tense she was. Placing a kiss on the side of her head he just held her and rubbed her back

"I can't do this, I can't, it's too hard" she cried

"You can't do what?"

"I can't... I can't do this it's hurt"
"It hurts so much" Emily struggled to form her words as the knot in her throat got tighter making it hard for her to breathe

"I need you to breathe okay, you're going to faint if you keep going like this, okay?"
After she nodded he squeezed her ankle to let her know that he was there for her during her time of panic and distress

"I was about to get into the shower" she started once she calmed down
"And then I saw him behind me, and my scars started burning" as soon as she started talking again, Emily started heaving and panicking again

"It's okay it's okay" Aaron repeated in a whisper as he took her into his arms once again

"I don't want to live like this anymore, he's every where" she cried hiding her head in his chest

"Why didn't you tell me?" Aaron asked as he ran his hand through her hair

"I don't want to you to worry about me" Emily sniffled

"I'm always going to worry about you Emily, you're my wife"
"Come on let's get you in the shower" he added getting up and offering her his hand

"I'm okay, I can do it myself, go relax" she forced a smiled but remained on the bathroom floor fuelled in a ball

"Not it's okay, I want to help" he smiled motioning for her to take his hand

"Please Aaron, not now" Emily begged, her voice broke as new tears appeared
"I don't want you seeing them, not yet"
"Please" her lip trembled as his heart broke

"Sweetheart" he pulled her fragile frame from bathroom floor and into his. Wrapping his arms around her, he just held her before pulling away slighting so he could look her in the eyes. The memories of everything that happened that night, Emily had kept to herself.
She was good at compartmentalising and forgetting, but every day she would stare at herself. The raised pink mark stained her skin, a stain that would be there forever.

Lightly pushing her back, Aaron settled Emily onto the vanity. Sensing the uncertainty in her eyes he squeezed her wrist
"Look at me" He said gently

He gently traced his fingers up her arm and both their breaths hitched when he rested his hand over her left breast
"Aaron" she whispered

"It's okay, ahh" he assured her

Tracing the brand with his thumb, he gave her right wrist another squeeze. Leaning down he placed a tender but soft kiss on the branding.
Coming up he cupped her cheek before leaning in to place a loving kiss on her lips, which were wet with tears.
"I love you. I love you so much" he squeezed her wrist again
"I know it's hard. I know it's hurts. But I also know that it gets easier. I know what you're thinking. I'm not going to leave you" he placed another kiss on her lips
"Okay?"

"Okay" she whispered

With her chest still heaving and tears streaming down her face she wrapped her arms around her husband as if he was her lifeline

"Please don't ever leave me" the brunette begged him

"Never" he kissed her neck lightly
"Ever"

"Can we go back to bed?" Emily asked

"Of course" helping her off the vanity he pulled his old Harvard shirt over her and helped her into some pyjama shorts before making their way over to the bed

"I'm scared" she admitted

"I know, I wish I could tell you not to be, but you and that damn stubborn streak of yours" he joked in an attempt to help her. Which he head even if it was only a light chuckle

"Aaron" Emily said moving back out his arms so she could see his face
"I love you too"

The two agents soon fell asleep and when Emily woke up only 25 minutes later she was wrapped in his husbands arms but there were also 2 other smaller bodies occupying their bed

Smiling to herself she closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep again.