Lieutenant and SSA (Emily Prentiss x Reader)

3. They don't know

Emily pov - 23 months later

I step out of the SUV and stretch my legs, taking in the early morning fresh air. We've arrived at the crime scene, a small suburban house in the outskirts of the city. I glance around and catch Reid's eye, and we both nod in acknowledgement.

"Morning sunshine." I hear Morgan's flirty voice behind me. I smile and turn around to greet him with a friendly punch on the arm.

"Good morning, Morgan. Sleep well?"

We exchange small talk as we make our way into the house, discuss last nights game while Reid tries to tag along in the conversation. The usual stuff.

As we approach the crime scene, my mind starts to focus on the task at hand. I try to keep my emotions in check, knowing that this would be a hard one to stomach.

I manage to take a quick glance around the room before I head to the basement, where the victims body was found. My stomach churns as I cross the threshold and take in the sight before me. I shake my head to clear my thoughts and focus on the task at hand. We'll do everything we can to find the killer, I tell myself.

We work through the day, digging through evidence and piecing together the clues. The killer is methodical, leaving no traces behind. But we're the best at what we do, I think to myself, we'll catch him.

As the day wears on, I feel myself getting tired almost lethargic. I can feel the weight of the day and the case bearing me down. Something that's only happened in the last few months. It's taking it's toll on me... especially without Y/n here to hold me.

Rossi catches my slight stumble and places a hand on my shoulder to steady me.

"You okay there, Emily?" He asks, and I almost feel embarrassed for my tiredness.

I nod, trying to shake off my exhaustion. "Yeah, just tried. It's been a long day."

"Let's call it a day then, we can continue in the morning." Hotch suggests, looking at the rest of the team for agreement.

And they all nod, relieved to be able to head back to the hotel and rest. I grab my coat and head outside, taking a deep breath of the cold winters night air. Three more months.

I feel a tap on my shoulder, and turn to find JJ standing behind me. "Hey, Em. You wanna come with us and grab a drink?"

There are few cases where Garcia comes with us, but this has been one of them. Which is something that she uses as a way to live like us. Freely. Even though I myself feel more chained than ever. But less each day that moves forward. Only three months left.

I hesitate for a moment, not sure weather to accept the invitation. I mean, I've successfully been holding a secret from them since I started and I'm scared that alcohol will make me revel it. I don't like to talk about it, because it reminds me of how I'm home all alone, and she's over there. When she's home, I'd be more than happy to let them all meet. And take the disappointment and anger of keeping the love of my life a secret. But she'd be home, so I wouldn't care.

"Sure, why not." I eventually say, plastering a smile onto my face. A little to long to answer but JJ doesn't see it. I guess I'm lucky enough that she's not a profiler like the others, neither is Garcia. Or else they would have figured something out by now.

But we head to a nearby bar and settle down with out drinks, chatting and laughing about anything but the case. Childhood stories, work stories, or other random topics. I try to be as engaging as I can be, without making them to interested in my personal life. Or more specific, my romance and sex lives. Which are currently married and zero.