the Missing Piece (Jemily x Reader)

-4- a glimmer of hope

Emily's POV

I knock hesitantly on the door with the number 14. I don't hear anything for a long time, then a quiet rustling behind the door.
I knock again.
"Y/N? It's me, Emily."
Silence, just a quiet rustling on the other side.
"Sorry to bother you, Y/N. But JJ and I have to go. We have a new case.
I was hoping you would look after Sergio."
I say with hope in my voice and place a hand on the door as if she could sense it.

Silence.

Then I hear the lock twice and the door opens a tiny crack.
Not far enough for me to see anything, I only see a strip of deep darkness.
"You really want me to look after Sergio?"
I hear her quiet voice.
She sounds genuinely surprised and a little choked.
As if she had been crying a lot.
I stand right in front of the crack because even if I can't see her, I'm sure she sees me.
"Of course. I would be so much more relaxed if I knew that Sergio has wonderful company. He doesn't like being alone,"
I say with a smile and gently place my hand over the opening of the door so she can see it.
"Me neither..." she murmurs more to herself than to me, then the door opens a little wider and I see a small part of her face and her right eye.

She looks incredibly exhausted and sad.
There is nothing left of the happy Y/N from an hour ago, she is just a shadow of herself.
I try not to show my shock at the sight of her pale face, but smile at her even more lovingly.

"You are welcome to sleep at our place. We have prepared the guest room and the fridge is full.
Sergio would be happy.
And Katy isn't here anyway."
I explain to her and see her eyes widen in fear when I mention her girlfriend's name.

"Of course you don't have to," I explain quickly and raise my hands in a placating manner.
"But you should know that you are welcome."
As I say this, I see a brief glint in her eyes, but she immediately looks away, into the depths of the dark apartment behind her, as if she were expecting an attack from there at any moment.

As if what she is doing is forbidden and would get her into big trouble.

Then she slowly turns back to me, her gaze seems uncertain, frightened.
"Thank you, Em," she whispers, using the nickname to conjure up a big grin on my face.
"I explained everything to you on a piece of paper in the kitchen, okay?" I hold our spare apartment key in front of the crack in the door and she opens the door wide enough for her hand to fit through.

When she takes the key, I take my chance, stroke her fingers very gently and examine her caringly.
"It's nice that you are part of our life now, Y/N," I say, hoping that she understands what I mean.

She takes the key and for a moment I see a tiny smile play around the corners of her mouth before she closes the door again so that only her eye is visible.
"Please take care of yourselves, okay?" she says quietly, and I hear real concern in her weak voice.
"I promise. I'll see you when we get back, Y/N/N," I reply, touched that she's worried about us even though she's obviously feeling so bad.
With one last weak smile, she closes the door.

I chew on my lower lip as I look at the closed door.
The uneasy feeling in my stomach keeps getting bigger, but I try to shake it off.

When we get back from the case, I'll talk to her.
Openly and honestly.
That's the only way I can help her.

Y/N's POV

I close the door and lean my back against the doorframe.
I slowly slide to the floor and pull my knees up to my body while I press Emily's key to my chest with both hands.
For a moment I think about her words, her loving smile and the touch of her fingers.