Chapter 13

~ Lima General Hospital ~

"I am okay, no need to be angry." Rachel says as neutrally as she can.

Emily snaps her head up towards Rachel and hearing those words were like music to her ears. Her baby sister is awake!

"Rachel, you are up! Wait! let me tell the nurse that you are awake!"

"Wow, she sure is eager to get out of here to look for someone else to deal with me." Rachel disappointedly tells herself.

All of a sudden a man in a white coat comes in to talk to her. Whatever he is saying barely registers in her mind. She just wanted to focus on schooling her face to show that she is going to be okay even if deep down inside her heart aches of how she was going to be abandoned by her sister.

She does not notice that the doctor left until she looks at her sister who was standing by her bed eagerly looking at her. "She must be eager for me to tell her that I am fine and that it's alright for her go her way back to her high profile FBI life." Rachel hurtfully says to herself.

"As you can see, I am okay; you no longer need to burden yourself with a loser like me. It's okay for you to leave now!" Rachel speaks as stoically as she can.

The FBI Agent was just so overwhelmed to know that her sister is going to be okay, after weeks or probably months of healing – and that would be fine because she vows to be there for her every step of the way, that what the young diva says barely registers in her mind except the part where her beautiful sister say "…you to leave now…"

Upon hearing that Emily Prentiss' heart shattered all over again. The knowledge that her sister did not want anything to do with her was just something, although she knew was a possibility, she was hoping not to have known.

"Oh okay, I uhhmm, wanted to make sure that you would be okay. I actually do not have to go back to work because I asked to take time off to be…here with you. But I understand that you don't really know me so it would be weird for you…" Emily broke off and stares at the ground. Not wanting Rachel to feel uncomfortable with the hurt look in her eyes she is sure she is sporting.

The awkward way Emily says that makes Rachel look at her sister closely. She frowns. The agent said that she took time off to stay with her. It confuses her. If she was an embarrassment why would Emily ask to be with her? She was so sure that the older brunette would have been eager to go back to her FBI life, but what she was saying earlier is something that she understands.

She stares hard at her sister and notices that she is trying hard to keep her emotions in check. That triggers something in her heart. Knowing that her sister's feelings are hurt with what she thinks is caused by what she said. Well she is not a hundred per cent sure and is afraid to assume but the change in behaviour did happen after she told her that it's okay to leave.

"Is it true, what you said?" Rachel asks, head bowed down, it is almost like she was unsure if she wanted to hear the older sister's response. "You do not have to pretend that you are concerned about my welfare, you know. I know that you feel obligated to stay just because we share half of our DNA. I will not feel bad if you decide to go, don't worry? I have already accepted that the only people who will truly be able to accept all of me are my fathers. My personality has always been so intense for everyone so people really just get scared away when they stay long enough. I have long accepted that, as I have said. So really, I am fine. You may go now, if that is what you truly want."

Emily stares back at her and suddenly realizes what her baby sister may be thinking. She must be thinking that Emily is going to leave. Almost everyone, except her fathers, left her or made her feel unworthy.

This thought brings a new resolve for her to let Rachel know that she is staying for a long time. That she is her sister and just that fact binds them together.

"I would like to stay and get to know you, Rachel." Emily speaks as gently as she can to her baby sister. "The moment I saw you through grainy pictures sent to our father, I instantly felt a connection. I don't know what it was but seeing you sing in your videos just made my heart burst with pride with everything in me and when I saw you hurt, I wanted to just go to you and protect you. You are my baby sister and that is going to be forever."

Rachel remains silent and Emily just waits for her. The older brunette allows the young diva to think through what she had just told her. The young singer felt a bit of hope that what she is hearing is true but something else pulls her back. She remembers how Shelby seemed so sure of wanting to get to know her better, but in the end she still left taking another baby with her.

"Just wait until you realize I am not the baby sister that you have been looking for. Look at what Shelby did to me, after very few encounters with me she has had enough and preferred to care for me from afar! Why don't we just save ourselves the trouble and just stay away from each other starting now!"

Emily can't believe what she is just hearing! Care for each other from afar! She wants to strangle that woman and make her realize how much of loss she made the moment she walked away from Rachel! She was furious of not being there for Rachel. How confusing it must have been for her to see her own mother walk away.

"Rachel, I do not want to leave you now. Yes, I may have to go back to Quantico for work and because I have an apartment there, but I have already spoken with your dads and they are more than willing to allow me to stay in your spare bedroom for my regular visits here. That is of course if you would want that. If you don't feel comfortable, I can always stay at a hotel for the first few months and if everything works out, I can also get an apartment here during my stays." Emily almost pleads as she explains this to Rachel.

"I was also thinking that when you are better and would want to take a few days away from Lima, we could turn the spare bed room in my DC apartment into your own room. I know you like stars; I already know where we can shop for star furniture that you would like. In fact, I think Penelope, that is our technical analyst and my friend, has already planned the shopping trip. I am sorry if I got ahead of myself, but I just was not able to stop myself from planning to spend time with you. I really want to be part of your life, Rach, I really do. For the first time in my life, the moment I knew about you I felt like I could have the true family I have been searching for."

Rachel looked at her with eyes and mouth wide open. She never really thought that someone other than her dads would plan to do those many things with her. Her heart started to fill up with hope and she is starting to allow herself to just be happy and accept her sister into her life. Then she was stopped with a thought…

"You spoke with my dads?"

"Yes, they arrived on the night you were brought to the hospital and just got out of surgery. They have been here since then except early this morning, I told them to go home and shower and get a little sleep. It was a bit difficult to explain how everything went and kind of awkward to explain my presence but somehow everything got in place. They felt so bad and were blaming themselves for being away. I know that you would not have wanted them to, so I made sure to let them understand that they were not to blame. No one else is to be blamed except that bi – er woman." Rachel smirked a little, knowing her sister was about to curse. "After everything sunk in, we had a long talk the following day. They said that I would be accepted in your house, only and only when you are okay with it. I was even able to convince them to let you stay with me for visits if that is what you wanted."

"Rachel, please give me a chance to know you and prove to you that I am here to stay, please!"

"I guess rambling is genetic, huh?" Rachel smirked at her sister, giving her an amused look.

Emily is flabbergasted with her sister's reply. After everything she has just expressed, that was the only response she is given. She glares at Rachel at how lightly the young girl seems to be taking in everything then she notices the teasing yet so wide and innocent look her sister is giving her that she just can't help but melt.

"You little brat!" She mockingly scolds Rachel, but makes sure to say this with a huge smile to let Rachel know that she is just kidding. Rachel giggles at this, and the giggling just melts Emily even more. Emily smiles at her baby sister so wide and her heart just bursts with happiness.

After a few more minutes of giggling, Rachel becomes silent and looks at Emily long and hard. She then opens her arms, telling Emily without words that she would want her big sister to hug her. If Emily felt happy earlier, she was just ecstatic at this moment and she rushes to gather her baby sister in her arms as she gently hops on the bed and ensure to not touch any injury.

Rachel snuggles closer and whispers, "I love you the moment I knew about you too, Em. You made me feel so safe and secure just by looking at me in those moments. I am sorry if I got stubborn and did things my way, but I just did not want to lose you so soon after I just knew about you. I want to be part of your life too."

Emily tightens her arms around her baby sister, silently promising to protect her with all her life. Rachel snuggles in tighter and for the first time in a very long time finally feels how it is to be protected and loved. They did not need to feel the words to fill up the silence anymore, just content to be secure in each other's presence.

A few minutes after the sisters fell asleep in each other's arms. Neither noticed a group of people who both found it cute and eerie to see the two sisters looking so alike as they slumber. The BAU team amused to see how vulnerable and protective their team mate has become. The two fathers got teary eyed to see that finally, their baby star has someone other themselves who will protect her. After taking lots of pictures, the team and the dads, decided to leave the two alone and headed out to get to know each other some more. Somehow they had a feeling that this is a start of a good and lasting relationship.