Never Together Nor Apart

[Chapter 42]

[Emily is 4 months pregnant (16 weeks); Lily is 6 1/2 weeks old]

Emily's POV:

I wake up to screaming.

"Riley? Is that you?" I call out to my newborn.

The screaming continues as I run down the hall. It's ear piercing, as if it could shatter every piece of glassware in my house. I reach the door just as the yelling stops.

"Riley?" I call out cautiously.

I open the closed door, strange, I hadn't closed it earlier. I look inside around the room. It's gone. It's all gone. Riley, the crib, the changing table, everything. It's all gone. With tears streaming down my face I call JJ.

"JJ please HELP ME. Riley is gone," I screech.

"Emily what are you talking about? Who's Riley?" She sounds confused.

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" I yelp.

"Em, Spence and so are on the way ok? Don't move. We'll be right there I promise," she says calmly.

I hang up the phone as I begin throwing papers and pens around the now office. I search for any sign of Riley. A baby can't disappear like that! I hear knocking.

"JJ!" I run to the front door.

I open it, buts it's not JJ. It's Morgan and Garcia.

"Where's JJ and Reid?" I ask.

"Emily are you ok?" Garcia puts a hand on my shoulder.

"Who called you? Was it JJ and Reid?" I ask franticly.

"Emily, your the one who called us," Morgan answers carefully.

"Is this some kind of sick joke?! Where is Riley and who told you to come here!?" I scream.

"Emily it's ok. Shhh. It's alright calm down," Garcia tries to soothe.

Once again I hear it. The screaming. I rush back towards the door, only the floor expands. The screaming turns into beeping. I begin to thrash and yell, but nothing changes. I can't get to Riley, no matter how hard I try.

I wake up in a pool of sweat. I feel sticky and clammy. I shoot my hand down to my baby bump. I sigh in relief as it's still there. I look at my clock, it's only 2am. I don't have to wake up for another few hours. I slowly lower myself out of bed. I need a shower, something to calm my nerves. I grab a towel from the closet and head to the bathroom. I slip out of my clothes carefully before stepping into the shower. I let the water burn my back. I lather my hair with soap then let it run down my body, removing the earlier sweat. I then grab a cloth, sudsing it before letting it travel along myself. After about 20 minutes I exit the shower, putting on some dark grey joggers and a loose fitting white t-shirt. My belly had become even more prominent over the last 2 weeks. The clock now shows 2:37am. I grab my phone, I already knew who I needed to call. I let it ring before a groggy voice answers.

"Hello? Emily what's wrong," he says through a yawn.

"Aaron, I need to come over. We need to talk," I insist.

"Ok, did you want something to eat?" He questions.

"No, I'm fine. I'll be over in 20 minutes," I say before ending the call.

Hotch's POV:

I sit on the couch drinking coffee. I hear a quiet knock at the door, letting me know she'd arrived.