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“Are you sure that you’re alright?”
Emily hated that she jumped at the gently asked question and turned to face Aaron. He sat behind his desk with a stack of piles in front of him and had a quizzical look on his face. She knew that he wouldn’t be easily swayed by a lie. Not that the others had been either but it was more of a challenge to lie to him.
“Fine, why wouldn’t I be?” Emily replied in an attempted light tone of voice. She knew it had been a mistake when Aaron stood up and walked around his desk to approach her. Emily willed herself not to break eye contact but there was something so sincere, so kind about his shining dark eyes that she found herself unable to look at him. She didn’t deserve his kindness, sincerity or concern and if he ever discovered who she was, what she was, he would agree that she didn’t deserve it.
“I know you Emily, I know something’s wrong.” Aaron said gently. He had noticed the changes in her; how she had become withdrawn and distant. The way she jumped at minor noises or flinched at a sudden movement. This wasn’t the Emily he knew and he was worried about her. They tended to tell one another everything and had ever since Colorado and the fact that she was keeping something from him both concerned and upset him. Surely whatever was troubling her, they could handle it together, right?
“Nothing’s wrong,” Emily lied. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Aaron reached out and took her hand. For a moment, Emily looked at their joined hands before she jerked her hand away as if scalded. A flash of pain crossed Aaron’s face. He had scared her, just by touching her. “I’m sorry,”
“No, I’m sorry,” Emily replied as she looked down at her hand. “Listen, I have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow. OK?”
“OK,” Aaron said, trying and failing to keep the hurt tone from his voice. As she reached the doorway, he found his voice again. “Emily, you know that nothing you tell me will change anything between us, right?”
Emily swallowed the lump in her throat as she turned away from him. She knew that if she looked at him, she would do something reckless and stupid. Either she would fling herself into his arms, kiss him and beg him to help her. Or she would blurt out every last little secret she had clutched to her chest and watch his concern turn to disgust over what she had done. Neither option seemed like a sensible option right now. So instead, for the first time, she spoke the truth.
“That’s what you think,” Emily said solemnly as she left his office. Without a word to the team or a backwards glance to him, Emily picked up her bag and walked out of the bullpen.
Aaron watched her go with a heavy heart, he had no idea what was going on, what or who had left Emily so worried and terrified and he had no idea to help her. He knew that she was in danger, that something horrible was about to happen. And there was nothing he could do to help her.