Unavoidable

Chapter 4

Our alarm rings the next morning and I quickly shut it off before the headache sets in too badly. JJ groans in the bed next to me. Our plane ride back is going to be hell on Earth. The events of last night come flooding back to me and I swear.

"What Lil?" JJ asks as she slowly sits up.

"Oh just remembered my fucking phone call to Prentiss last night and I really hate myself right now," I respond. She laughs before clutching her head in pain.

"Oh my gosh I almost forgot about that Lilith. You are so screwed girl, sorry to say it," JJ says, softly.

"I'm just hoping she deleted it but I have a sneaking suspicion she didn't and that she hates me even more now. The plane ride is going to kill me," I say as I head into the bathroom. I change into a pair of skinny jeans and a dark red, long sleeve Henley shirt. JJ changes into a skirt and blouse. We finish packing up our minimal belongings and head down to the lobby. We get into the elevator and I have barely pressed the button before another person gets in to the elevator with us. Fucking hell. Why did it have to be her?

"Hey Jayje, hey Porter," Prentiss says. I lean against the wall of the elevator and try to not to scream about how fucking stupid I am. JJ and Prentiss talk quietly before our elevator dings and we step out. Everyone is already ready in the lobby so we immediately head to the car. We arrive at the tarmac and hop on the jet. The whole team is eager to get back to their own homes so we get seated pretty quickly. JJ and I take our normal seats towards the back but instead of Reid sitting with us, Prentiss takes the seat next to JJ. What the fuck? I shake my head and then decide it would be best to nap my hangover away and rest my head on the seat back. I, within minutes, doze off but my dreams are once again plagued with the same person from the last several nights. I jolt awake and sit up. JJ is gone and Prentiss is the only one still next to me.

"Are you okay, Porter? You seem kind of spooked," Prentiss asks me, glancing over at me.

"I'm fine, just had a weird dream," I respond, confused at her checking in on me. I don't think Emily Prentiss has ever asked me if I was okay in my close to two years at the BAU. She stares at me after I answer question and I'm so perplexed at her right now. Did she end up hearing my message and now she's changing her attitude? Our eyes are still locked and I unknowingly flit my eyes down to her lips before looking back up to her eyes. The tension is so thick between us that you could cut it with a knife. She coughs and the moment is, thankfully, gone.

"Hey Em, oh Lil, you're awake, good! I brought us all coffee!" JJ says as she approaches our seats. She hands Prentiss the coffees she brought us and lets us know that we are about 45 minutes out before going over to Hotch. Prentiss hands me my coffee and our fingertips touch for a split second. Okay, that's where I draw the line. Trying to be as normal as possible, I set my coffee down and abruptly stand and head to the bathroom. I splash some water on my face and grip the sink.

"What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck," I say to myself, repeatedly. I wipe my face off and flush the toilet to make them think I actually used it. I linger for another moment to play into the ruse before I walk back to my seat and sit down, careful to keep a distance in between me and her. The captain announces that we are making our descent and I internally sigh in relief. Get me out of here already. I cannot wait to be back in my apartment.

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Reid drops me off at my apartment on the way to his place and I am very thankful, I am way too hungover still to drive well. It definitely helps that he lives so close to me because we end up carpooling most days to work. I give him a quick hug goodbye and quickly get inside of my building. I head up to my apartment and once I'm inside, I head to the kitchen to make myself a quick snack to fill up before I inevitably pass out. I eat a quick piece of toast with peanut butter and then I flop on the couch. I quickly fall asleep.

Soft touches, flickering candles, pale skin.

Once again I am jolted out of my sleep by an unwanted dream. Why won't this fucking dream, and unknown person, leave me alone. I just want peaceful, uninterrupted sleep for once. I move myself off the couch and check the time. Its around one in the morning. I drag myself into my bedroom and quickly change out of my work clothes and into pj's. I curl up in my bed under my blankets and I fall back asleep, this time without those dreams.