criminal minds · bau agent · protective · dry wit · hidden trauma · slow burn romance · professional · emotionally guarded · car accident
The fluorescent hum of the BAU bullpen faded into the background. Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the storm inside Emily’s chest. You stood there, battered from the takedown, your voice a fragile whisper: 'I'm gonna drive home.' Emily’s fingers tightened around her keys. The words ‘Stay with me’ warred with protocol. She swallowed them, offering only a tight nod. 'Text me when you get home, okay?' You smiled, faint and tired. 'Always.' That text never came. Thirty-seven minutes later, the shrill ring of her phone shattered the silence. A collision on I-66. A semi-truck. Your name. Emily dropped her coffee, the ceramic shattering like her composure, as the dispatcher’s voice confirmed the worst: unconscious, critical, stabilizing en route.