Survivor, emily prentiss

𝟎𝟎𝟗, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐢

emily's pov

kissing claire wasn't exactly what I had intended to happen when she came over last night, I just wanted to talk about us. but she apologized and it killed me that she was sorry, I didn't want her to be. I never thought for a moment that claire could have feelings for me, so when I went over the morning after the bar, the last thing I was expecting was for her to kiss me. although now that I know what was on her mind, I would've kissed her back in a heartbeat then and there.

when I woke up I was feeling particularly good. I curled my hair for the first time in a while and got to work extra early. I thought i'd be the first in the bullpen, but to my surprise reid was at his desk reading. "You're in early." I say, dropping my keys down.

He looked up from his book. "Couldn't sleep." He replied in a monotone. I widened my eyes a little. "Did you stay here all night?" It wasn't the first time I caught spencer pulling an all nighter at the BAU. usually it was because of a case, but we hadn't had one when I left yesterday. "I kinda like it. It's quiet when nobody's around."

I shake grin and shake my head. I caught his eye peeking at me again. "What's on your mind Reid?" I place my hands on my hips and turn to face him.

He was profiling me, but instead of outing him, I heard him out. "Your hair is curled. You haven't curled your hair since new years."

I raise my eyebrow at him. "You seriously remember the last time I curled my hair?" It was dumb of me to assume otherwise, but if he noticed I know claire would... and that made me smile. As if on queue, the rest of the team stepped off the elevator laughing, while JJ held a file in her hand.

~

"Charles Luvet was found floating in a Miami marina last night. Local M.E. thinks that he was only in the water about an hour."

"Any attempt to weight the body down?"

"Doesn't appear to be." JJ replied, sitting down at the round table. "Well the dumping could be convenient as opposed to a means of hiding the crime." Morgan suggested.

"Well, he's the third victim found in Miami over the last two months. Though the locations of the bodies are different, many of the elements are the same. All males, 25 to 35, all traveling. All asphyxiated with no signs of sexual assault."

I tried to listen to the case debrief, although I couldn't help but stare at Claire.

"Miami P.D. is asking for our help considering there are currently four other men missing." I was pulled from the thoughts as four photos of middle aged men appeared ahead of me. Looking back at the blonde, she chewed her lip as she scribbled in her notebook. I noticed how that was her go-to habit when either concentrating or nervous, it was a giveaway.

The flight to Miami wasn't a long one. When we landed I suddenly wished I had packed lighter for the Florida heat. Growing up in middle eastern countries, I was used to incredibly hot summers, but after spending so much time in DC, I forgot how dreadful the heat could be.

Fortunately, I spent most of the day with Rossi inside the morgue. I wanted nothing more than to retire for the night.

claire's pov

"Thank God, AC." I exhaled, collapsing on the bed closest to the door. We arrived at the hotel around 9pm and to my surprise I was sharing a room with Emily. I knew Reid must've had something to do with it, because he was the one with a room to himself this time.

"Cmon it's not that bad." Emily chuckled, unpacking her clothes. I sat up straight, leaning on my palms. "Are you kidding? I didn't have the luxury of spending the day inside." It was true, Hotch paired me with Morgan, running around the city all day. It was exhausting.

Emily rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't call the morgue luxury." I stripped myself of my top, leaving me in just a sports bra and jeans. "I'm gonna take a shower." I grabbed a towel from inside the closet. I was a little embarrassed to admit how happy I was to share a room with Emily. We had shared hotel rooms before on cases, but that was before we kissed. Neither Emily or myself brought up the night prior, so I wasn't exactly certain what it meant, if anything. The last thing I wanted was to be the girl who needed a label to feel like I mattered.

After my ten minute shower, my body temperature cooled right down. I dried myself off and realized I forgot to grab clothes before I went in. I leaned against the bathroom counter, debating whether or not to quickly run out and grab my go-bag. I felt intimidated being this exposed in front of Emily.

After a few minutes of hitting myself over the head, I just got it over with and went back out into the room. I kept my head low, picking out a pair of pyjama pants and an old high school gym shirt that still fit, scurrying back into the bathroom.

~

Emily and I sat together on her bed while watching old reruns of Golden Girls and snacking on a half/eaten pack of twizzlers she had in her purse. "You are so a Dorothy." I say, chewing on the end of the candy stick. Emily's jaw drops. "Am not."

"Are too! Look, you have the same intimidating stare."

Emily raised her brows and shifts so her body faces me. "Okay smart-ass. Who do you suppose you are?"

I smile proudly at her, "I am a Rose, because I am exceptionally kind-hearted." I put my hand to my chest. Emily tilts her head and gives me a glare. "What, you disagree?" I cross my arms.

"Oh, you're definitely a Rose." She playfully shakes her head and leans back against the headboard. I blush a little and look back at the screen, still focusing my thoughts on the raven-haired woman beside me. A smile tugged at my mouth and I quickly leaned over and placed my lips on hers. I kept it short and sweet and turned my focus back to the television in the blink of an eye. I saw her smirk out of the corner of my eye. She pulled me into her for the rest of the episode.

By the time the 11 o'clock news came on, I started to get tired. I felt my eyes droop and every so often I'd snap my head back up again. Emily let out a chuckle. "It's okay, just sleep."

"I'm not tired." I muttered, trying to look at the screen. Emily must've turned it off a second after because the tv went black and so did everything else. She turned the bedside lamp off and adjusted the blankets so they were over us. "Now sleep." She ordered, and I was too exhausted to argue back.

I let my head fall to the pillow and closed my eyes.