Healing Together ( Criminal Minds fanfic)

Troubling Thoughts

(CW- Drug use/abuse)

It was around seven in the afternoon. Emily was in the kitchen cooking dinner while Dani was upstairs in her room. She hasn't left her room since the argument. Emily wanted the situation to calm down so she decided to talk to Dani until dinner.

Emily had so many things in her head that wouldn't let her think straight. She was confused about everything. Why didn't Dani want to tell her the reason she got into a fight with both girls? It had to be more than what she told her and Emily knew that. She just wants to understand to help her.

She also wants to know where the pills came from. She knows Daniela wouldn't take those things and the girl made it clear. She didn't want anything to do with drugs because it took away the one person she loved the most. Emily hated the fact that she brought out her mother like that. It was a low blow and she knows it. The girl wouldn't talk about her mom very often and when she did, she never mentioned her substance abuse. Emily knows she messed up and wants to clear things up.

She finished cooking, so she turned off the stove and washed her hands. Emily headed upstairs to Dani's room. She knocked on the door and not surprisingly, Dani didn't answer. Emily took a deep breath and opened the door, preparing herself mentally for another discussion. She went inside and saw Dani on top of her bed with a book in hand. Emily recognized the book titled Pedro Páramo, with a white wolf on the cover. It was a book that Daniela borrowed from Spencer when she was in the office not too long ago.

"Hey, I wanted to tell you that dinner is ready," Emily said while leaning against the wall.

Daniela looks up from her book, acknowledging Emily's presence. "I'm not hungry. You can eat without me," she said and kept on reading.

Emily walks towards Dani, sitting on the side of her bed. "I see that you are almost done with the book," she said, wanting to spark up a conversation.

The girl nods and turns to the next page, avoiding looking up at Emily. "I think Juan was better off not knowing who his father was. It is crazy the stuff he did," she commented about the book.

"Spence knew that you would like the book."

"Mhm," the teen simply replied. She runs her fingers through her hair as she continued reading. Emily noticed that her knuckles were slightly bruised, most likely from punching in the fight.

"Your knuckles look bruised. Did the nurse give you anything for that?" she asked.

Dani stopped reading and looked at her knuckles. They did look red and she had a little discomfort once in a while though she didn't mind. "Just ice."

Emily looks at her and sighs. She knows the girl wasn't on talking terms with her but she just wanted the truth. "Dan, we need to talk about what happened."

"Can we not do this now," Dani said, closing her book.

"'Dani, I just want to know the truth. I can help you if-" she is interrupted by her phone buzzing. She quickly pulls out her phone and reads a message sent by Garcia. They have a new case in Pennsylvania. Emily sighs and places her phone down.

"New case?" Dani asked with a brow raised though she knew the answer.

"Yes. we have to head out to Pennsylvania," Emily replied. "That doesn't matter right now. What matters right now is our conversation about what happened at school and about what I said earlier."

Dani stands up and places her bool on top of her desk, making sure she doesn't lose the page. "It doesn't matter. You have a case that you have to go to," the teen wanted to avoid Emily as much as she could. Even though she didn't want to admit it, Emily's words did get to her. She has heard the phrase sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me many times before but the agent's words felt like a knife stabbing through her chest. She walks to her closet and takes out a towel. "Ima take a shower. Anything you want to tell me before you leave?"