The Nights We Stay Awake (TemperancexReader)

25. "It feels like having a family"

Y/n pov

The door clicks shut behind Penelope and JJ, and the apartment falls into a gentle hush, save for the low hum of the TV in the background. Morgan settles himself deeper into the couch, his presence a solid, comforting weight beside me. He's always been like that- steady, dependable, the kind of friend who knows when to push and when to just be there.

He looks over at me, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "So, what's it been like having your sister glued to your side twenty-four-seven?"

I can't help but chuckle, the sound easing some of the tension that's been coiled tight in my chest for days. "Let's just say that she's taken 'hovering' to a whole new level. I'm pretty sure she's ready to instal a baby monitor to keep tabs on me."

Morgan laughs, she sound deep and familiar. "That sounds like our girl. She means well, though."

"Yeah," i say, softening. "I know she does. And honestly, i don't know what i'd do without her right now. But i'm supposed to be the big sister, not her."

Morgan nods, understanding in his eyes. "She's got a big heart. Always has."

There's a comfortable pause, and for a moment, it feels like we're just two friends hanging out on a lazy afternoon. But i know Morgan, and i know that he didn't come here just to watch TV and keep me company, though he's certainty good at that too. He's here because he cares, and because he can sense that there's more going on beneath the surface.

Eventually, he turns to me, his tone more serious. "Y/n, you know you don't have to put on a brave face for me, right? You've been through a lot, and it's okay to not be okay."

I swallow, feeling the weight of his words. It's true- i've been trying to keep it together, for Penelope, for everyone who's been so supportive during my recovery. But the truth is, i haven't really let myself feel everything that's been pulling up inside.

"Yeah, i know," I admit, my voice a little quieter now. "It's just... there's so much going on. It's hard to know where to start."

Morgan shifts slightly, leaning forward as he rests his elbows on his knees. "You don't have to start anywhere specific. Just talk to me. What's on your mind?"

I hesitate, unsure of how to put everything i'm feeling into words. But Morgan's patient, his gaze steady and reassuring. Finally, i take a deep breath and start to speak.

"It's... everything," i say, my voice trembling slightly. "Temperance pushing me away, the cases, getting hurt, and now... Emily."

There it is. Her name, out in the open, hanging between us light a weight that's been lifted just slightly off my chest.

Morgan doesn't push, just nods, waiting for me to continue. His silence is an invitation, not a demand.

"We haven't talked since the hospital, the last thing she saw was Tempe coming running into my room" i continue, my gaze fixed on the coffee table in front of me. "She hasn't come by, and i don't even know if i want her to. Everything just feels... so messed up."

He lets out a slow breath, leaving back into the couch. "You and Emily... it was getting serious, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," i whisper. "It was."

The memories rush back- our-late-night conversations, the way she'd looked at me like i was the only person in the room, the passion that ignited between us so natural once i saw it. But with those memories comes the ache, the confusion, the sense that something crucial has shifted between us.

Morgan nods again, taking in my words. "I know it's not easy, especially when things get complicated like this. But sometimes, you just need time to figure things out- time to heal."

I blink back the tears that are threatening to spill over. "I don't even know how to talk to her anymore, Morgan. I'm scared that if i do, i'll just make things worse."

Morgan's quiet for a moment, his gaze thoughtful. "It's okay to be scared, Y/n. It's okay to not have all the answers. But you owe it to yourself- and to her- to at least try and figure out where you both stand. Even if it's hard."

His words hit home, and i nod slowly, trying to absorb the truth in them. He's right, of course. I can't keep avoiding this, no matter how much i want to. But the thought of confronting everything with Emily feels like opening a wound that's barely had time to scab over.

Morgan gives me a gentle smile, his hand resting on my shoulder. "Whatever happens, just know that we're all here for you. Penelope, Hotch, the whole team- we've got your back."

"Thanks, Morgan," I say, my voice thick with emotion. Even though it hurts to know that they'd pick my side if it came to it. And through it all, if they did, i would have picked her side. "I really appreciate it."

He grins, his hand giving my shoulder a reassuring squeeze before he pulls back. "Anytime. Now, how about we stop talking about all this heavy stuff and find something fun to watch?"

I nod, grateful for the distraction, and Morgan grabs the remote, scrolling through the channels until he finds a ridiculous action movie. The kind with over-the-top stunts, cheesy one-liners, and explosions that seem to defy the laws of physics.

"This one's a classic," he says with a grin, settling back as the opening credits roll. "Pure, unadulterated entertainment."

I manage a smile, letting myself sink into the cushions as the movie begins. For the next hour and a half, i focus on the absurdity on the screen, allowing myself ot laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. Morgan's commentary helps, too, his jokes and playful banter cutting through the darker thoughts that have been clouding my mind.

Even as i laugh, a part of me can't fully escape the thoughts of Emily. Of Temperance. Her absence is a shadow over everything, a reminder that things have changed, and not necessarily for the better. I don't know what to do with these feelings, don't know how to reconcile the happiness i felt when we were together with the pain i feel now.

When the movie ends, Morgan turns to me with a soft smile. "Feeling a little better?"

"Yeah," i say, and i mean it. "Thanks for this, Derek. I needed it."

"Anytime, Care Bear," he replies, using the nickname he's called me for as long as i can remember. "Just remember, you don't have to go through this alone. We're all here for you, even when things get though."

I nod, the words sinking in. I'm not alone, even if it feels that way sometimes. And maybe, with the help of my friends, with Temperance, i can find a way to navigate through this mess.

As Morgan gets up to grab us some drinks from the kitchen, i let myself relax into the couch, closing my eyes for just a moment. The apartment is quiet not, save for the clinking of glasses in the kitchen and the distant hum of traffic outside.

For the first time in days, i feel a glimmer of hope. Maybe things aren't as hopeless as they seem. Maybe, just maybe, i can find the words to say and move forward. But i know that it might take time, and it's going to take courage.

And maybe, soon enough, i'll find the strength to talk to Emily, tell her the truth and apologise for everything. But for now, i'm grateful to have Morgan by my side, and the rest of my team looking out for me.

Penelope might call it babysitting, but it feels like so much more than that. I feels like having a family- a family that won't let me fall, even when i'm at my weakest.