Emily Prentiss One-Shots

Emily/Tara

Title: The Last Time - drivingmishcrazy (Ao3)

Summary: Emily always tells Tara that it's the last time, and Tara finally has enough.

Rating: Teens and Up Audience 

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"This is the last time."

Emily Prentiss said it in between the slamming and locking of the front door, in between searing kisses that threatened to set her lips on fire. Somehow, the words seemed less convincing that way. They lost their weight as Tara Lewis' slender fingers undid her belt buckle. Tara paused with an eyebrow raised, her hands on the hem of Emily's shirt.

"You said that last time." She noted. "And the time before that. And two weeks ago."

"Well, this time I mean it." Emily replied. "No more."

Tara smirked and pressed her lips to Emily's.

"Then I guess I better make this one count."

Tara and Emily fell into the same old routine that became their signature move for the past year. A night of reckless abandon, where they gave themselves up to the passion and endless want that they both felt. A morning full of awkward silences and excuses where they both agreed, never again. Their resolve would last a week or two at best before one of them broke and the cycle started again. Lather, rinse, repeat.

But this time would be different. Tara often said those words to Emily afterwards, never quite believing them. She knew Emily didn't, either. But that night, after the last shuddering orgasms had receded, Tara kissed Emily with a purity and depth that had an air of finality to it. She didn't know if Emily felt it too, but Tara knew that this time would truly be the last. Tara stayed up after Emily had fallen asleep, listened to the soft snores and watched the way the moonlight illuminated the other woman's skin, drank in the way Emily's hair cascaded down her back and over her shoulders. In between the semi-regular trysts and the mornings filled with shame, little by little, Tara had fallen in love with Emily Prentiss. Hopelessly and desperately in love. It was why she had to make sure that their year of indiscretions finally came to an end. When they woke in the morning, they parted in silence, as was their tradition. Tara waited until the door was closed and locked behind her to fall apart. She didn't want it to end, and yet didn't she? She was tired of the shame, of her sheets smelling like sex when all too often she woke up alone. She was tired of the crushing weight of her chest caving in every time Emily reminded her that what they did together was meaningless to her. It meant nothing, they meant nothing.

Tara had carefully cultivated her sense of self-worth over the years and she wasn't going to let anyone ruin that for her. Not even Emily Prentiss.

It was three weeks later when Emily approached her again. Tara had been cordial yet distant, and she had picked up on it. Ever uncomfortable with confrontation, Emily touched her hand late one night in the bullpen when the rest of the team had already packed up for the night. Tara looked at her with guarded eyes.

"Hey." Emily said softly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Tara said with a nod. "Tired. It's been a long week. I'm looking forward to crawling into bed with a glass of wine and a good book."

"Sounds fun." Emily replied. "Mind if I join you?"

Tara hesitated for just a moment. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?" Emily tried to keep the sound of her heart sinking into her stomach out of her voice.

"Emily, we can't keep doing this."

"You've never minded before." The brunette woman said. "What changed?"

"I just..." Tara sighed. "We fall into bed and it's amazing every time. But then we wake up and you go cold. I can't keep doing that to myself. I don't want to."