𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫, 𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘀

𝟎𝟓𝟕

"𝙿𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚄𝚙 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙿𝚒𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚜"
ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ
𝕤𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕒𝕪 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘
𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘩 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥

     "YOU PROMISE to talk to her?" Jess asks as she opens the front door.

"I promise," Noah nods as she walks outside into the cold morning air.

Noah peers up at Jess and can see her smiling wide.

"Why're you smiling like that?" Noah asks.

"Because you listened to me," Jess chimes, "And you said you needed me."

"You think I didn't?" Noah questions her with a smile.

"Need me? Oh, you definitely need me." The blonde giggles and sees Noah look away with a grin, "But I've never had a friend that needed me."

"A friend?" Noah asks. Jess' stomach does flips at the question.

"Best friend," Noah corrects the blonde and watches Jess nod with a laugh.

"Best friend," Jess repeats, "Eternally?"

"Eternally," Noah beams and hugs Jess' waist tightly. The two stay in the embrace for a moment, not wanting to let go. When Noah pulls away, Jess puts her hands on Noah's cheeks.

"Don't cause any more trouble," The blonde tells her, "Now, get home before Emily wakes up."

"I'll text you when I get there," Noah says and walks away with a wide, beaming smile.

Jess watches Noah get on her bike. She waits outside until Noah is out of her sight, awaiting her text that she got home safely.

𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘴' 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵

Emily is staring at her reflection in the mirror. Anyone could see that she is mentally and physically exhausted. It may be the profiler in her, but it seems obvious to her by her dark under-eyes and still frown.

Emily finishes brushing her teeth and walks out to her bedroom. She changes into her clothes for work and quickly throws on her usual black boots. She takes one last glance in the mirror in her closet and straightens out her blazer.

The mother leaves her bedroom and quietly walks down the steps, not wanting to wake Noah. Normally, she would have Noah coming along with her and she misses it. Having a mini partner in crime is something that Emily always dreamt of.

When Emily nears the kitchen to make herself a coffee, she hears glass shuffling against the floor. She frets that Sergio found his way around the glass, but hears a sniffle.

"Noah?" Emily exclaims as she finds her daughter on the kitchen floor, "Honey," Emily says softly as she stares at Noah's back.

"Noah?" Emily asks again and comes around to see her daughter's face.

"I didn't mean to," Noah sobs as she shows her bleeding hand to her mother.

"Oh, bub, what happened?!" Emily exclaims and rushes to wet a paper towel. There is blood all over Noah's hand and it is spattering onto the floor.