DRABBLE: Only the Fool In Me Believes

[blastellanos]

Title: Only the Fool In Me Believes

Author: dinahqueen

Pairing: Jordan Todd/Emily Prentiss

Rating: G

Word Count: 539

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Author's Notes: Number 5 in the 20 Ship Drabbles series.

She should have figured that this wouldn’t last forever. Jordan knew about the way the world went and love didn’t always mean that everything worked out. She should have known with the way that Emily was dragging her feet, once she’d come back home. Or from the way that her face looked when they were discussing finding a place to live and maybe settling down. With Emily working at the BAU and Jordan in counterterrorism, they were both based in Quantico and finding a nice place together shouldn’t have been a hardship.

They had dated since Jordan had joined the team, still making time for one another even though they both had busy and demanding jobs. Jordan knew she was in love with Emily and Emily had always said it back; but that apparently wasn’t enough.

Jordan leaned on the door to her bedroom, where Emily was moving about the room, taking clothes and books and jewelry that she’d left in Jordan’s apartment over the last year. The drawer that Jordan had kept free so that Emily had a place to keep her things was opened now and empty.

“So you’re really going?” Jordan asked, a little exasperated, mostly… hurt. Emily didn’t turn from where she was securing caps on perfume bottles, glass clinking against the wood of the dresser. She could see the stiffness in her shoulders, however. And even before right now, she had felt her beginning to get distant, the faraway look in her eyes, the way her touches had turned cold.

There was… well, nothing to be said about it, really. Emily nodded, dark hair bobbing, and Jordan knew that any plea she came up with would be hopeless. Besides, she wasn’t so without pride that she was going to beg Emily to stay. She’d survived without her before and she would so again.

The knowledge didn’t make it hurt any less and she quickly swiped her hands at her eyes to brush away tears that were threatening to fall.

“I can’t stay here, Jordan,” Emily said, finally. “I love you but being here isn’t what I want. I haven’t felt right since I came back from Paris. I need to do this.” Jordan bit her lower lip, briefly, and nodded.

“I know, Emily,” Jordan finally said. She’d noticed the changes in her over the past few months. She didn’t understand why she wasn’t enough. But that wasn’t a question she could answer and in time, Emily would figure it out… what she wanted.

Though there was no guarantee Jordan would be there waiting.

Emily turned towards her, dark eyes shiny, her mascara running. “I’m sorry,” Emily whispered. Jordan gave her a smile, trying to be reassuring. But seeing Emily crying, made it hard for her to not cry as well. Jordan stepped forward and embraced Emily, smelling the lilac of her shampoo, and buried her face against her neck.

She couldn’t convince Emily to stay, Jordan knew, but it didn’t mean she had to leave right now either.

“Can you stay just one more night?” Jordan whispered against her skin. She felt Emily nod and Jordan wrapped her arms around Emily more tightly; she promised herself she’d burn this moment in to her memory.