never grow up, criminal minds

042. visitation

"So... no more fights?" Emily asks. Her and Clara are sitting on the floor at her coffee table while they eat takeout.

"No more physical fights." Clara says.

"Good enough." Emily nods. "That bruise should be healed in about a week." She says.

"I'm aware on how long it takes a black eye to heal." Clara says with a small smile.

"Right." Emily sighs. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine." Clara shrugs.

"Clara." Emily gives her a look.

"I'm fi--"

"Clara Eleanor Reid." She warns. The girl in question groans.

"I'm as good as I can be, I guess. I don't really know how you're supposed to be when your father's been in prison for three months and your life still totally sucks." She quips.

"Not great." Emily answers.

"Okay, so I'm not great." Clara says.

"There anything I can do?" Emily asks.

"Get him out." Clara says.

"Anything I can do right now?" Emily asks.

"No." Clara mumbles, picking at her food. "Maybe he shouldn't come home."

"What?" Emily frowns.

"I don't even know how I would face him." Clara mutters. "He's probably super different from prison. I'm getting to the point where I don't want to see him. Not that I want him to be in danger, but... I don't know." She frowns, hating how conflicted she feels at the thought of even seeing her own father.

"I know it's been a tough few months." Emily says. "And I know you have enough emotions to sort through with traumatic events and those only add on to all of the confusing feelings that you're having. Feelings you may not even understand yet. But I think you'll be happy once you see him. You have a lot of anger stored up, which isn't good, and it's taking some control. It's okay to be angry."

"Angry at us, angry at Scratch, angry at your dad, at everybody in school, the judge, everything. I know you want to see him, I'm so sorry you're not on the list. I tried to get him to put you on it, but he's really adamant. Especially since his time in there is getting tougher and tougher. It's best you don't see him until he's out."

"Best for him or for me?" Clara asks.

"For both of you." Emily says. "I do agree at this point that you don't need to see him like that."

"Whatever." Clara mumbles.

~ ~ ~

After dinner, Clara had turned a movie on, barely even paying attention to it. Emily had cleaned up and done dishes before sitting on the couch with her. She kept her distance, knowing Clara hasn't been huge on comfort lately.

About halfway through the movie, Clara ended up scooting closer to Emily. Fifteen minutes later, she was curled into the woman's side, her head resting on her shoulder. Emily had wrapped her arm around Clara's shoulders, playing with the ends of her hair.

By time the movie was over, Clara had fallen asleep, still cuddled up to Emily.

Emily carefully gets up, slowly lowering Clara onto the couch. She brushes hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. Emily grabs the blanket off the back of the couch and drapes it over her.

"We'll get him out. You'll be all right." Emily reassures, kissing Clara on the head. "I promise."

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