Soft on the Lips, Rough on the Heart

Emily’s POV

My whole body shook as I began to sob. Samson held a gun tightly in his right hand, rearing it back as if to hit me. I closed my eyes waiting for the impact. When nothing happened I looked up at him through tears. His arm was shaking as it dropped to his side. I stood on my knees, tried to get Sam to look into my eyes.

“I promise you,” I inhaled deeply to cover my shakes, “I did not call anyone. I’m not that stupid. Do you think I’m that stupid?”

His dirty blonde, shaggy hair shook across his forehead.

“Good, I can’t have my love thinking I’m stupid.”

Lies came so easily. I don’t know how. I wanted to just curl in a ball and wait to wake up, but
my adrenalin helped my brain function. The bed shifted as he sat beside me. Our heads were touching, his cheek to my shoulder. Suddenly Sam turned to me, taking hold of my wrists. His kiss was powerful and forceful. I squeezed my eyes shut and willed myself not to cry out or just cry.

“Do you really love me?” he questioned in a soft, endearing tone.

Spencer’s POV

Derek and I left Penelope at home to monitor the cell’s location. I couldn’t decide if the stillness of it was because they were still there or because they’d left it. I could hear my heart in my ears as Morgan took the turns a little too sharp.

“Calm down kid. We’re going to get her and she’ll be right back with P where she belongs.”

She belongs with me, I thought. I had to bite my tongue to not let it slip out loud. In all of the rushing I had forgotten that they didn’t know; that they couldn’t know, not yet.

“I just don’t really know how to handle this,” I replied pushing the sweat off my forehead and slicking back my hair.

Five more miles, I thought. We were within a few blocks when Derek stopped the car abruptly.

“Maybe I should go in by myself. You’re not thinking clearly Reid.”

I pulled my gun out and put it into the holster. “Like hell you are.”

Third POV

Outside the cool car, summer’s heat was beating down. The ninety degree weather caused
Spencer and Derek to sweat as they hustled toward the address Penelope had scribbled down for them.

“It’s some kind of dormitory, apartment thing for the art college. They must be in Sam’s room. He said he goes there. God, please go get her.”

Those words were on a reel in Spencer’s head. He’d barely glanced once at the post-it before the room number and street address were etched on his frontal lobe.

Derek’s footsteps crunched on the leftover leaves from winter. The building was six stories high and covered with red brick. The doors were made of glass and it looked as though you needed a card to get in.

“Shit,” he muttered to himself.

No one was around but him and Reid so he resorted to breaking in. There would be consequences, but his judgment was clouded a little less than his young partner’s. Morgan grunted loudly as his boot went easily through the glass. He used his shoe to scrape it off the edges before crawling under the horizontal door handle.

Spencer ducked in immediately after and his eyes started scanning everything. Why hadn’t anyone come out to check on the noise? He wondered.

“Summer vacation,” he whispered, nodding his head.

When Derek questioned him the young doctor simply explained that the students should all be home. They both were thankful for that because it meant less public hassle as they ran through the building. Taking the stairs two by two they raced to the sixth floor.

Inside Sam’s room Emily had given up on not crying and was just letting it all happen.
Samson was lying with his body half on top of hers, brushing her hair gently and whispering to her softly. Each time he asked her about her tears she looked at him with a weak smile and said, “Tears of joy,” with whatever strength she had left. Her heart and mind had given up. They had told her this was her new life and to get used to it.

Outside room 623, Reid and Morgan took deep breaths. Derek radioed their exactly locations. Emily choked back sobs as Sam ran his hand across her stomach, and his fingers trailed just along the top of her jeans.

The door opened with an awful crack. Sam jumped, but made no movements away from Emily. Her mouth began to taste like vomit; she swallowed it back down and waited for movement. Both guns were cocked at Samson, and by default, sort of at her.

“Get off of the bed,” Derek commanded.

When he didn’t move Reid’s neck turned red and began to look strained.

“Get off of the mother fucking bed,” he barked at Sam.

Still nothing happened. Spencer cocked his gun.

“Kid, wait a second,” Derek said looking to Reid.

His shaking hand pulled the trigger before Morgan could stop him. Because of the awkward body positioning, the bullet hit them both. Emily's shirt started to stick to her skin with blood. Her arms crossed her torso while Samson was pulled off by Derek.

Emily was shocked. She’d never been shot before. Derek, Reid, and the paramedic who’d appeared from nowhere were shouting at her. They kept asking where she was hit, how bad did she hurt. The truth was, she didn’t know. The adrenalin stopped her from feeling the pain until they moved her to a gurney.

Derek drove himself and Reid to the hospital to meet Garcia. They stood in the lobby of the ER for thirty minutes before a doctor came to see them.

“The bullet only grazed her stomach. It was logged in the other young man’s leg. He’s in surgery. We’ve got Emily bandaged up already.”

The news was enough to bring tears to all of their eyes, Reid especially. He was so worried he’d killed her. It was his stupid mistake and she had to pay for it.

Family was first to get to see the girl. Garcia ran to the room, kissing Emily and leaving lipstick prints all over her forehead.

“You and I need to talk missy.”

Emily looked up at her aunt, still only half listening from the sedative she’d been given.

“Tell me about why Reid had got his panties in a bigger wad than usual. And I swear on my Alienware that I will know if you’re lying,” Garcia’s voice was hushed, but her niece heard her loud and clear.