𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐘. ( 𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐤 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧 )

chapter sixteen

TW: n/a

exposed, part one of one.

" the easiest way to solve a problem is to deny it exists " - isaac asimov

-

Hotch had managed to get the team Saturday off, much to their relief. Ever since Spencer had been kidnapped, he'd been different. He'd been snappy, and rude, and he frequently disappeared for short intervals, and return in a much better mood. Of course, nobody expected him to be back to normal as soon as he'd been cleared for duty by the Bureau psychologist, but they were all getting a little tired of getting their heads bitten off for no reason.

So, to make the most of their day, Genevieve invited Emily out to have lunch. The two women hadn't really had much of a chance to bond, so they saw this as their chance to get to know each other a little better.

"So, what do you think of the team?" Genevieve asked, dipping her sushi in wasabi before popping it into her mouth.

"Everyone's really great! It's really different to my old job, but I hated being tethered to a desk. This is much more me," Emily said thoughtfully, crunching on edamame.

"Who's your favourite?" The younger woman prodded, winking playfully.

"You and the rest of the ladies have to take the cake. Morgan, Reid, and Hotch are ok, and Gideon's... Gideon. I guess they're just a little less open to a new team member," Emily laughed, elbowing her.

"Yeah, I found that when I joined, JJ and Garcia were the most forthcoming. Spencer wasn't talking to me at the time, Hotch and Gideon were just business as usual. And Derek came on a little strong in the beginning, but he's definitely grown on me now that I've been building up immunity to his idiocy for a year now," Genevieve agreed.

"I think he's done a little more than just grow on you, babe," She scoffed, causing her friend to gape and blush.

"What- no!"

"You can't lie to a profiler,"

"I'm not lying!"

"Please, Gen, I've seen the way you look at him. And in case you were wondering, we all saw you guys holding hands when we were watching that tape of Reid," A knowing smirk lit up Emily's features. Genevieve sighed and set her chopsticks down.

"Ok... look, I don't even know what it is," She said earnestly. "I do like Derek... it just took me a while to realise it. I didn't know if I liked him because of him, or just because he was... there, you know? We see so much evil every day, and I've been dealing with some of the worst monsters this world has to offer since I was eighteen. I didn't know whether I was just projecting onto him as a way to cope, or whether I genuinely felt something for him,"

"And you do?" Emily pressed, her eyebrows arched expectantly.

"Yes, ok? I like him! Ugh, that sounds so high-school. It's just... he's funny, smart, caring, and gorgeous," She said dejectedly, knowing there was no hope of keeping her little secret from the smug brunette sitting opposite her. "But there's nothing I can do about it. We're colleagues - team mates. I can't risk the team dynamic by telling him. Not that he'd even feel the same,"

"I think you'd be surprised," Emily muttered under her breath, but Genevieve didn't catch it, too distracted by the time displayed on her watch.

"Hey, Em, I've had a really good time, and I'm so sorry, but I've got to run," She hastened to take the appropriate amount of money out of her wallet, and laid it on the table.