Emily Prentiss x Reader Oneshots

If/Then Part 1-- Always Starting Over

You crossed a field of grass that over the course of the last several months became more familiar to you than your own home. You found the plot where you often sat and nestled yourself on the well-worn patch you liked the most. Honestly, you probably came here more than you should because you couldn't help but find yourself there with every high and low of your life. Old habits die hard, so you'd realized. As you approached the well-decorated headstone, currently surrounded by violets, you ran your hand along the top before moving to sit cross-legged squarely in front of the name printed in large lettering.

You rubbed the ground, pulling the grass through your fingers as if it was soft, dark hair.

"Hi, Emily."

The first few moments were always the hardest. As the silence spread around you like a sheet of snow, you twisted the ring on your left hand to soothe yourself.

"I'm sorry I haven't been to visit you in a while, I have been quite busy getting ready for our trip. Well, I suppose I should say my trip."

It was true, for the last week or so you had been bustling around your house, frantically cleaning and packing and squaring away lesson plans for the professor who was going to cover your class while you were gone.

"I have been thinking a lot lately about that day we met, one of the best days of my life."

Washington DC was brand new to you, having just abandoned the place that should have fulfilled all of your dreams. But the city that never sleeps was not devoid of its nightmares and you knew that you needed to start fresh. You had accepted a position at Georgetown as a tenure-track professor of psychology after the last straw finally broke your back and you had fled the city you had called home for ten years.

Georgetown was more than impressed by the ten years you spent studying and then teaching at Columbia University. Some of your research had been groundbreaking and Georgetown all but begged you to accept the position when you applied. You settled in nicely at the new-to-you university, enjoying the few classes you had been tasked with leading. The head of the psychology department asked you if you would give a lecture on conformity and obedience towards the end of the semester for the public to attend and you happily obliged; it gave you endless joy to present social psychology to the masses.

As the chilly November afternoon rolled around, you had prepared a 90-minute talk, specifically focused on how criminals are able to completely warp the minds of large groups of people to make them do their bidding, especially in hate groups. Unbeknownst to you, a raven-haired beauty sat in the back of the auditorium, furiously scribbling notes on a legal pad. She was trying to garner as much information on human behavior as possible in hopes of being assigned to the Behavioral Analysis Unit.

After the talk, you were absolutely exhausted but still had hours of grading ahead of you. You mozied over to the coffee shop across the street from the auditorium to grab an iced coffee to help get you through the evening. As you stood waiting for your drink, a woman came and stood next to you.

"I saw your talk earlier and I really enjoyed it. You have quite the stage presence."

You were immediately drawn to the way this woman seemed so in command, just walking up to you and saying what is on her mind without hesitation. A red tint grew on your cheeks and you turned to face her. She was more than a couple inches taller than you, her posture commanding and alert. Her dark hair fell around her shoulders in loose curls and her brown eyes were absolutely captivating.

"Oh, well thank you!"

The woman stuck her hand out, "Emily."

You responded in kind, feeling a warmth tingle up your arm as your hands clasped together. Her grip was strong and you noticed that she held on for just a little longer than would be socially acceptable, almost as if she had been distracted by looking at you and forgot what she was doing.