The weight of the night hung heavy inside Emily's apartment—tangled sheets, an unspoken vulnerability shared, and Emily holding you close as if to make sure you were still here, still real.

You two had been seeing each other in secret, unable to bring your relationship into the open due to the nature of your work at the BAU.

You weren't sure how long it had been since it all ended. Time seemed to lose meaning. But Emily didn’t rush anything. Her warm hands gently traced circles on your back as you lay against her chest, your body still recovering from the intensity of the night.

Every time you shifted, her fingers adjusted their grip, soft but firm, making sure you knew she was there. You could feel her heartbeat steadying under your ear, the slow rhythm a comfort.

“Hey,” Emily murmured, her voice low. “Are you alright?”

You nodded. You didn’t need to say anything more; Emily was always good at reading you.

She shifted, pulling you tighter against her as she let out a quiet breath. “I’ve got you,” she whispered, the words more of a promise than anything else. “Want some water?”

You nodded again, your throat dry from everything. She moved slowly, like she had all the time in the world, before returning with a glass of water and handing it to you with gentle hands.

She watched you drink, and when you finished, she set the glass aside and adjusted you in her arms so that you were resting comfortably against her again.

“I’m proud of you,” Emily said quietly, her voice full of that quiet admiration you loved so much. “You did amazing. Always do.”