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The briefing had gone even worse than you feared.
In the days leading up to your first case briefing in front of the Director, your sleep was plagued with stressful nightmares about forgetting your notes or showing up in your underwear. Mercifully, you showed up to the presentation with notes in tow, fully dressed in your power outfit.
But that was where your luck ended.
You passed out the case files to the observing agents with trembling hands. You took a nervous swig of your water bottle before attempting to pull up the crime scene photos on your computer to project onto the screen behind you, but for whatever reason, the computer wouldn’t connect. You were no Penelope, but you knew your way around a computer, and even still, you were stumped. Eventually, the Director firmly insisted you continue without it.
You’d relied on directing everyone’s attention to the screen and away from yourself, and without that crutch, you were a disaster. You knew this case backward and forwards, but in that moment, your mind went completely blank.
After what felt like an eternity, the briefing ended, and the Director asked you to stay behind before you could bolt away. Once the room was empty, he’d laid into you about unprofessionalism and how poorly you portrayed not only yourself, but the entire BAU. Including your Unit Chief, Emily Prentiss, who you deeply admired.
And, okay, maybe had a crush on.
You walked out of the briefing room feeling like you were two feet tall. The only thing keeping you together was the idea of unloading everything on JJ, your best friend at the BAU and the only one you trusted enough to see your tears.
But when you made your way into the bullpen, you stopped short when you found it nearly empty.
How long had you been in that meeting?
The only person remaining, who stood at JJ’s desk, dropping a case file onto it, was the last person you wanted to see you like this.
Emily.
“Y/N!” She said. “I didn’t think you were still here.”
Tears pooled in the corners of your eyes, threatening to spill over. You couldn’t dare let them fall, not in front of Emily.
“Is, uh,” you bit your lip to fight the tears back. “Is JJ still here?”
Emily’s face fell. “No, I’m sorry, she left a little while ago. Are—are you okay?” She said, sitting on the edge of JJ’s desk.
You rolled your eyes up to the ceiling in a last-ditch effort to maintain your composure. Don’t cry, don’t cry, you repeated to yourself.
“Oh, yeah, no, I’m—I’m perfect.” But your voice caught on perfect, and you crumbled, hot tears spilling down your cheeks.
“Oh, Y/N, come with me,” Emily glanced toward her office, and you reluctantly followed. You’d already been yelled at once tonight; whatever Emily had to say couldn’t make things much worse.
Emily waited at the door, closed it behind you, and gestured for you to take a seat on the couch. You complied, and she took the seat next to you, leaving enough room for a third person to sit between you.
“I know your first briefing was tonight. And I know how the Director is with strong women. What happened?”
The phrase strong woman didn’t escape you, but you were too distressed to think much about it. Emily handed you a tissue, and you took it gratefully, dabbing at your face, hoping that you weren’t smearing your makeup across your cheeks.
“I choked,” you forced a laugh, but you couldn't even fool yourself. “The technology wasn’t working; I got all flustered… I let everyone down. The team.” You risked a glance up, hoping she was looking anywhere else, but her dark eyes were fixed solely on you.
“You.”
Emily pursed her lips, and your gaze lingered on them just a second too long. “He told you that, didn’t he? That you let us all down?”
You shrugged. “It may have been… strongly implied.”
“Bullshit,” she said simply.
You startled; you’d heard her swear here and there, but it was usually over a case.
“Let me tell you something about the Director,” she looked around, even though you were both very much alone, and scooted closer toward you. She lowered her voice, and you could feel her breath on your cheek.
“He’s just another insecure politician who’s so worried he’ll be replaced by a woman that he can’t see straight. You could’ve nailed that presentation, and he still would’ve found a reason to belittle you.”
A shiver ran down your spine. “You think so?”
She nodded, never breaking eye contact with you. “I know so. Don’t let him break you down. You’re too talented.”
Emily reached out tentatively, brushing your hair behind your ear.
“Too smart.”
Your eyes jumped from her eyes to her lips and back again. She leaned forward even more to whisper in your ear.
“Too beautiful.”
Her lips were so close to yours that it was making your skin vibrate.
“Tell me if you want me to stop—” Emily murmured.
“Oh, shut up,” you said with a smile, crushing your lips against hers.
She tasted like peppermint, hints of the Listerine she kept on hand at all times still on her tongue. You ran your hands through her hair, pulling her closer, and she secured hers around your waist. Her touch was electric.
You yearned to throw her perfectly tailored blazer on the floor and rip off each button on her blouse, but you were acutely aware of your location. Even though the office was empty, Emily’s windows were open, leaving you both exposed if anyone did come in.
Reluctantly, you pulled away, missing her touch as soon as it was gone.
“Is everything okay?” she frowned.
“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that,” you confessed, breathless. “But this probably isn’t the time or place.”
Emily nodded, smoothing her raven hair, cheeks flushed. “Then let me take you to dinner tomorrow night. Let’s do this right.”
Your heart fluttered in your chest, your bad day already forgotten. “I’d love that.”