Reckoning | Emily Prentiss

~ | TWENTY-TWO | ~

By the time she had gotten to work she had already forgotten the significance of the date. Generally she would take the day off and spend it with Declan, but since it was the middle of the week it wasn't very practical. Emily Prentiss rarely ever thought of her birthday as a significant event, it was only since Declan that she ever celebrated it.

When she walks into work she notices no one around, the blind were drawn around the conference room.

"Emily"

She turns around to see Reid, standing behind her.

"Hotch wants to talk to you about something in the conference room"

Emily sees through his lie, "Reid, You know I can tell when you are lying"

He stays quiet, looking anywhere but her, "Fine"

"Try to act surprised"

"Don't worry I will" She says, pulling him up along with her to the conference room.

When Emily opens the conference room to see the team standing around the table, which had a cake and a few gifts, Emily couldn't help but smile.

"Happy Birthday" multiple voices overlapped.

"Wow" She said, "How did you know?"

"We know you usually take a holiday on this day, but this year when I checked the system and saw that you actually hadn't I knew we had to do something" Garcia said. "Now blow out the candles"

Emily enjoys celebrating with the team, and wonders why she never did it before.

"So how old are you princess?" Derek asks

"Thirty-"

Emily cuts Reid off, "Hey, no one needs to know that"

Emily couldn't believe she was 39, the time had gone by so fast. She was lucky that the team hadn't received any cases, before leaving she told Hotch she was taking the next 2 days off, and would be back Monday. She was going to spend the next few days with Declan. She knew he had a lacrosse game tomorrow.

When she gets home her phone rings.

"Hello" She says cautiously

"Hi Em"

"Mathew" She says softly.

"Happy Birthday"

"You remembered"

"Of course I did, your my best friend, I love you"

"I love you too"

They continue chatting into the early hours of the morning, only ending the call with promises of meeting up the next time he is in D.C or her in California.

.

The next morning Emily drives down to Reston, Virginia. Declan's lacrosse team had made it to nationals and the game was being held at the school. Emily got there early, making sure to get good seats for herself and Louise, Tom being at work, couldn't make it. But he had promised that when he got home Declan could give him a play by play description.

About a quarter way through the game Declan notices Emily on the stands, as soon as he does a smile floods his face. The team end up winning their game, and Emily and Louise take him out for ice cream.

Emily herself had gotten hazelnut ice cream, Lousie opting for strawberry, while Declan got his favourite orange chocolate chip. It stirred a feeling in Emily that she didn't couldn't place. It was a funny coincidence that even after not spending much time with his father, Declan had the same favourite flavour of ice cream. Emily prayed that these were the only similarities and that Ian would never get out of prison.