Amaranthine - Emily Prentiss

Red

Emily was stunned. She didn't know what Elizabeth and Katherine had just talked about before, but she knew Katherine well enough now, without a clouded judgment that she didn't feel the same, not any more.

Emily thought for a second. She felt a bit mad, maybe still a bit jealous. She chewed on her tongue as she chose her words carefully

"I won't let you have her" Emily said as she looked straight at Elizabeth. She didn't need to be stronger, better, smarter than her. She already had what she wanted. Katherine's love.

Emily did have doubts about Elizabeth. But sometime, after seeing the horrors of the world, she had difficulties trusting people, ...trusting them. What else can she do when everyone around has the potential to be bad?

Elizabeth laughed a bit
"I know,... I can't ruin what she has" she said as she gave her a smile as it faintly began turning back unto a frown.

The moment seemed to get more serious.

Sadden, Elizabeth asked her a question

"Do you love her? Truly?"

Emily thought it could be a trick question. But she couldn't lie.
"I do"

Both kept eye contact.

Elizabeth's sad eyes seemed to have a glint in them as she answered. Thought she was sad that Katherine seemed to have found someone good for her, she only wished she could be the one.

Emily didn't know if Elizabeth was good or not. Not yet. But somehow, she didn't feel afraid anymore. Both of them were talking as normal adults.

Elizabeth smiled again.
"That's good, ...really"

Emily didn't know what to say. Obviously, Elizabeth knew that she and Katherine had something. But her gut feeling didn't make her think that she was mad about it, more...accepting.

As the silence grew, Emily started playing with her finger nails. Not sure what to do with herself, but only to watch as Elizabeth rubbed her hands together. Both with similar nervous ticks.

"I know Katherine doesn't want to know" Elizabeth started
"But I don't have much time....."

"How much?" Emily asked. She had forgotten for a second. Elizabeth was dying.

Katherine didn't want to know, but Emily did.

Deep breaths were taken.

"4 months,...maybe even less." Elizabeth smiled as the tears began to fall again.
She continued as she tried to wipe them away. "She doesn't need to know,...and I don't want to be around when it h-happens,.. it would hurt her....again"

Emily put her hand on her shoulder.
"I won't tell her, but I understand"

"Then promise me,..." she put her hand on top of hers, tightly, "Don't leave her, cherish her, be there for her, give her the whole world."

Emily was touched by her demands. Thinking Elizabeth had been a villain from the start, she didnt know much about her story, but she knew well enough to know that the woman in front of her loved Katherine and wanted her to be happy.

Emily tried to express her feelings as gently as possible.

Thought Elizabeth loved Katherine, she needed to know that someone else out there felt the same.
Emily wasn't just a replacement.
Katherine was the love of her life, that she was sure

"I will,......not because you asked me to, but because I fell in love with her too. I love her,.... maybe even more" Emily said

Even if her answer could be seen as slander, Elizabeth knew she was right. Emily was in a better position to love her, to give her what she wanted. In a way, Elizabeth had failed to love Katherine with the full extant of her love. If she had, she would have abandoned her mission sooner and stopped pretending.