Hey everyone. This is a one shot for MsSpencerReid and pipinheart. This one shot is an alternative ending to last week's episode Zugzwang. Imagine if Diane had lost it instead of committing suicide. I hope you enjoy this and would love to know what you think. Enjoy.

Enjoy and please review

All mistakes are my own

"Tell me what it is?" Diane screamed as she waived the gun, she pointed it towards Spencer. A gunshot rang through the air as Alex pulled her trigger, Diane screamed as the bullet went into her shoulder. Reid reached out and grabbed Maeve as she pushed Diane's arm off her. In that moment, Reid felt happier than he ever though he could feel. She was in his arms, the woman he had loved since her first letter to him was safe in his arms. He winced slightly as her grip on his arm caused him some pain, he ignored it though. Reid quickly ushered Maeve out of the room, Morgan followed them but gave them space.

Reid looked at her and smiled, he reached out and touched her face, he just wanted to make sure that she was really there. He looked in her eyes and smiled. "Hello."

Maeve smiled and reached out her hand. "Hello Spencer," she said simply before letting out a little laugh. He watched as her eyes focused on his gunshot wound, she moved. "You're hurt Spencer."

"She's right, Reid. We need to get you to the ambulance. Your are bleeding," Morgan said he stepped forward and inspected Reid's arms. Reid looked down and noticed blood was dripping from his hand and onto the the floor. Reid nodded, he reached out his free hand towards Maeve.

"Will you come with me?" Reid asked. Maeve nodded as grabbed his hand, her hand fitting perfectly into his own.

"I've waited all this time to see you, I'm not going anywhere without you with me," she smiled. Reid walked with Maeve and Morgan at his side. The paramedics brought him into the ambulance, the cut away his sleeve to reveal a gunshot wound. Maeve held onto his hand the entire time, both of them were silent. They didn't need words right now, they just needed each other.

"The bullet isn't inside but you need to go to hospital, you are going to need surgery," the paramedic said as he pressed another piece of gauze onto the wound. Reid hissed in pain and layed back on the gurney, he started to feel woozy.

"Can I ride with him? Please," Maeve asked as she gripped Reid's hand tighter.

"Of course," the paramedic agreed. "We have to go now."

Morgan patted Reid's knee gently.

"I'll see you soon at the hospital," Morgan assured Reid before looking to Maeve. "You are in good hands already."

Maeve nodded with a small smile before turning to look at Reid. Morgan jumped out of the ambulance, Reid looked down to see Alex and JJ checking on him. The doors closed and the ambulance began to move away from the scene, the scene where he almost lost her. He looked up to the paramedic.

"She needs to be check too," he urged before his eyes fluttered for a moment. He was starting to feel tired, the pull of exhaustion making him succumb to the darkness that surrounded his vision. Reid closed his eyes and let sleep take him.

A few hours later

Reid felt the pull of reality, his eyes fluttered for a moment before opening. His blurred vision focused on the face hovering over him, a face he wanted to see every single day for the rest of his life.

"Hello again," Maeve said as she brushed her hand through Reid's hair.

"I'm so happy you are safe," Reid said before letting out a smile. "I've waited so long to meet and finally see you. I thought it would have been under better circumstances. How are you doing?"

Maeve let out a little laugh. "I'm fine, I feel better now that you rescued me. Spencer, why would you offer to sacrifice yourself for me? You shouldn't have done that. You have no idea what that did me. I though I was going to watch you die."

Reid reached out his arm and took her hand into his. "I couldn't stand by and let her hurt you, I couldn't lose you. Not after everything. Even though, I had never seen you before tonight, I already knew. Maeve, I love you. I didn't mean what I said back when we were with Diane. I do love you. I would sacrifice myself a thousand times as long as you were kept safe."

"I love you too," Maeve smiled before reaching her hand out and tracing Reid's face, he leaned into her touch.

"What are you doing?" Reid whispered.

"Memorising every feature," Maeve said, she let out a small sigh of happiness before she climbed onto Reid's bed, avoiding the wires, and laid by his side. He watched her eyes focus on the sling his arm was now in. They looked into each other's eyes for a few minutes. Both content with simply being with each other. Maeve leaned forward after a few minutes and gently placed a kiss on his lips. She came away from the kiss to see his reaction. He closed his eyes and opened them, he leaned forward and kiss her back gently and carefully.

"Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone. We find it with another," Reid said as he quoted Thomas Merton before smiling. "I've found my true destiny with you, the meaning of life."

"I've found my true destiny with you," Maeve whispered to him before touching her forehead against his. Both of them closed their eyes. They no longer had to imagine the other. They were together.

Finally.

Please review