Undercover Lovers (EmilyPrentissxReader)

Reckless

tw - mention of injury and then general angst but nothing too different to what there has been soz (i just rlly like writing angsty shit sorry) also spencer is a bit of a dick in this one so do with that as you will
also we are having comforting rossi bc i said so

Your head was throbbing, stinging where the skin had split across your forehead, bloodied skin being tugged together as a paramedic stitched you up. Your knuckles were bloodied and bruised, eyes focused on the red against your skin poking through the broken flesh, mindlessly picking at the skin to occupy your mind.

She shone a light in your eyes and pondered a light concussion, 'make sure to stay awake for the next few hours and you'll be good'. You barely listened, her words receiving a nod from a worried Rossi beside you as you sat on the open back of an ambulance, Hotch and Derek throwing occasional glances of concern from where they mulled over the situation beside an SUV whilst Spencer scowled, not shying away from showing you a glare.

 Her fingers pressed down on the deeper cut across your shoulder, not too far from your prior scar, you winced at the throb of pain and then you winced at the unpleasant memory. She could stitch up and clean the knife wound she said, informing Rossi more than you at this point as you couldn't bring yourself to care. Your head hurt, vision beginning to blur and brain feeling like cotton wool within the confines of your skull. 

And perhaps it wouldn't be the biggest deal if this was the first injury you'd received on the job recently but it had become somewhat of a common occurrence lately. 

It was June, three months since you'd last seen Emily; you can't call it 'saying goodbye' because you never got one of those. She was ripped from you. If the stages of grief are anything to go by you're in whichever one leaves you empty, grasping at any semblance of feeling and not caring of any type of consequence. 

Your two vices lately have been the burn of liquor in your throat after a long day at the BAU, the swill of whiskey in a glass, sometimes abandoned for the bottle. Or, your favourite, being stupid on cases - throwing yourself in the midst of danger, maybe receiving a couple of injuries in the process but ultimately saving any would-be victims. 

Saving them was your goal and you'd been successful - you hadn't managed to save Emily but you weren't going to worry about a little concussion if you could save somebody else.

"Desk duty for a week." Hotch concluded, relaying advice from the paramedic as you pulled your shirt on properly. He was annoyed, you could tell by the furrow in his brow and the sigh he ended on before turning on his heel and heading to one of the cars. Spencer followed behind him and you trailed after Rossi, pulling yourself into the back as he took the passenger seat beside Derek.

"You good?" Derek asked, concerned eyes looking back at you in the rearview mirror. He was a friend of little words but always there to talk to, not that you did - a person too afraid of vulnerability, it's silly really but you just couldn't bring yourself to confide in others.

You mustered a nod in response which he didn't believe but started the engine nonetheless, your forehead soothed by the coolness of the glass of the window, eyes watching the tarmac on the drive back to the bureau. The drive wasn't too long but felt even shorter as your mind floated away from you, mindless focus on the road markings and barely anywhere else. Drifting completely until your body jerked lightly when the car pulled into a parking space.

It was only the afternoon and now the case was done so paperwork was likely the plan. The three of you were beaten back by the others, elevator ride tense and only filled by mumbles between them but you didn't really listen. 

"Again?" Penelope uttered, taking in your appearance and directing her question to Derek as she waited in the hallway for your return.

"A week of working from here with you - she saved the day though." He answered, the second half whispered with a smile.