Chapter Text
Emily Prentiss hummed to herself as she walked through the empty hallway towards her apartment. She spied a box with a bow on it and thought it must have been from Andrew Mendoza and she smiled to herself. After working that case together, they’d realized how much they enjoyed each other’s company. It wasn’t perfect, but she loved the late nights spent perched on the couch while they enjoyed Thai takeout together.
She let herself into the apartment and dropped her bag, the box, and her keys onto the table and exhaled. It was just going to be her and the tub tonight and she couldn’t wait.
But first, the box. She untied the bow and peered inside, dropping the box when she saw what was inside it. The flower tumbled out and she fumbled for her keys and her bag- she had to get the hell out of here. The flower transported her back to a time where she’d called herself Lauren Reynolds. Her heart beat rapidly and her stomach churned at the thought. Could it be- was Ian Doyle back? Had he found her?
Sergio yowled as she scooped him into her arms and she hurriedly exited the apartment, not bothering to look back. She made her way down the stairs and hopped into her car, pressing the accelerator and getting the hell out of there. She had no idea where she was going but she knew she couldn’t tell her team because Doyle would hurt them. Her team didn’t even know anything about Doyle and she intended to keep it that way. She drove aimlessly through the empty streets as her heart palpitated in her chest. She could feel bile rising in her throat and the sweat making its way down her face. She pulled into an empty parking lot and opened her phone which she almost dropped. She had to call Easter, he was the only one who could help her find Doyle.
But her heart fluttered as she spied Andrew’s name. She’d spent the night at his place for the first time last night. She could still feel his arms as they’d wrapped around his body and the phantom kisses he’d placed on her cheek. But she knew she had to do this if she wanted to protect him.
“Hey Em--”
“Last night was a mistake… I-I’m sorry.” She said, pressing the end call button. She felt a tear roll down her cheek. And once the first one had broken free, the rest followed in a stream. She clutched the phone to her chest and sobbed into the darkness of the night.