Epilogue

Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song. At the touch of a lover, everyone becomes a poet.
-Plato

August 1, 2014

Emily stood in the doorway of her empty flat. Her furniture had been sold or given away and she'd shipped most of the possessions she wanted to keep to her new home early the week before. She had only a single suitcase left to bring with her on her flight home in a few hours. She'd slept in a hotel the past two nights and had only come back to turn in her key. It had been a good home for her, a safe place to heal and grow, but she knew the day she moved in that it would be temporary.

The phone in her pocket buzzed; a message from JJ:

"Morgan just blew open the case in San Francisco faster than even Reid could keep up. He wanted to make sure he got back home in time to meet you at the airport. ;-) I'm so happy you're coming home, Emily. Safe flight and I'll see you soon!"

Emily smiled at the screen, her thoughts drifting to her meeting with Hotch a couple of weeks before.

XXXXXXXXXX

July 15, 2014

Emily walked down the hallway towards Hotch's office trying to remain realistic, but she couldn't help feeling hopeful, too. If he called her Prentiss, she figured she was golden. If he called her Emily, her chances slimmed. Either way she'd be fine, she reminded herself. The door was open when she arrived and Hotch was looking at the newspaper. She stood in the doorway and he looked up. "Emily, have a seat." Her heart sank, but she took a seat on the other side of his desk without missing a beat.

"How was the remainder of your weekend?" Hotch asked.

Emily searched for a descriptor and settled on, "Wonderfully ordinary."

Hotch raised his eyebrows in question.

"We didn't go back to the cabin. We worked in the garden at the new house and did some furniture shopping. We went to JJ's for a barbeque on Sunday." Emily paused and smiled, "I learned that Derek is about as ruthless at Candy Land as he is at take-down drills. Henry was not pleased." Emily laughed at the memory. "It was a happy weekend, Hotch."

Hotch gave her one of his rare smiles. He really needed to work on the smiling thing.

"Did you read the paper this morning?" he asked.

"No, why?"

Hotch flipped the paper to the end of a section, folded it and pointed to a small story in the corner. PRESIDENT APPOINTS ELIZABETH PRENTISS AS AZERBAIJAN AMBASSADOR.

"Jacob works fast. I can only imagine what he had to dig up on several political advisers to get your mother from complete obscurity to number one on the President's appointee list in just three days. It has to go to the Senate for vote, of course, but there's no reason for them to vote no. Her political reputation may be dated, but it's solid as far as they all know," said Hotch.

Emily placed her hand gently on the article. "He's still trying to protect me. I thought he'd want to make her suffer, but he knows with an appointment she'll forget about me and be too far away to do any damage."

"That's what I was thinking." Hotch settled back in his chair. "Anyway, let's get down to business. Are you sure you're interested in what is essentially a demotion?"

Emily opened her eyes wide, hopeful again. "I've never thought of my jobs as status symbols. I've done what I've loved and I've done what I needed to do. I wouldn't see coming back here as a demotion; I'd see it as coming back to what I love."

Hotch nodded in understanding. "What was your favorite part of the job when you worked for the BAU?"

That one was easy. It's what she'd missed most when working as the head of the London office. "Helping the victims and families while trying to build a profile."

Hotch nodded. "I thought so." He paused a moment and leaned forward in his desk chair. "There was a budget meeting yesterday. We were all asked to try and cut back our expenditures by a certain amount. I could significantly cut back my discretionary fund, or give up the open position for a full- time agent. I think I'm going to choose the latter and request that the portion remaining of that full-time salary is added to my discretionary fund."

Ok, Emily thought, That was that. "Why couldn't you have just told me this over the phone?" Emily asked, disappointment clear in her voice.

"Because the decision involves you," said Hotch.

Emily raised her eyebrows in confusion.

"Even if I had been able to push through the bureaucracy to get you back at the BAU, you'd never get to have the life you really wanted. I have no doubt that you'd be good within the team, but if people outside of that found out about you and Morgan, your job would be in jeopardy. There are gray areas with the fraternization rules, but agents working in the field together are absolutely forbidden."

"I know, but, Hotch, it happens."

"It does, but only in teams with less dangerous field work and they aren't as scrutinized as our team. Besides, is that really how you want to live?"

Emily sighed, "No, you're right."

Hotch continued, "A discretionary fund is a wonderful thing. I can use it as I see fit without needing secondary approval. The rules are much loser. I could use it for the team to extend their stay during a case, for example. And I could also use it for profile consulting. For instance, if there was a case involving children and I felt that we needed an additional person to help question the victims and families in order to build our profile, I could use that money without anyone asking who or why."

Emily's face brightened, seeing his line of thinking.

"It couldn't be close to full time, at least for this team. There are a set number of hours I can use the same person each year." Hotch continued. "But if there was a motivated and talented profiler like yourself who wanted to be her own boss and work as a consultant, I'm quite certain other departments in the FBI and local law enforcement could keep her busy."

"Wouldn't you be creating more work for the team if you reduce it by one position?"

"I think there's a very good chance the budget review committee would ultimately take that position away anyway. I'm just going to offer it up first and try and pad our discretionary fund a bit. If we could bring you in for a specific focus on our larger cases we might be more efficient, actually. I'm willing to try it."

Emily pondered the idea in her head, liking it more and more with each moment. She'd get to be with the BAU sometimes, but would also get to work with other teams and local police departments. More importantly, her relationship with Derek could be open without worry. She'd never considered something like this, but the idea felt right. Wonderful. It was a good compromise. "I'd be interested in exploring something like that."

"I thought you might say that, so I took the liberty to help you get started." Hotch handed her a folder. "You'll need to file a business license, a contract with the FBI, and some other things. It's simple paperwork and you won't raise a red flag; you could easily be in business by September at the latest. In the folder you'll find all of the paperwork you need.

Emily took the folder and smiled at Hotch. "Thank you so much. It really means a lot to me that you're on my side."

"I've always been on your side and always will be. No exceptions," Hotch paused. "And Emily, I want you to know that I find it truly remarkable that you came from where you did and ended up where you are. I'm proud to know you."

She blinked back tears and said quietly, "I'm proud to know you, too."

Emily walked down the hall towards Derek's office where he was eagerly waiting to hear what Hotch had said. She quickly filled him in on the details. "What do you think, Derek?"

"What do you think? Would you be happy?"

"I think I would be. I love this team and I would have taken a position immediately if Hotch had offered it. But the one thing that always concerned me was how that would play out for us in the long run. It's a lot of togetherness, especially if we're eventually living together. You might get sick of me."

"Never. But I do hear what you're saying. Anyway, I like this idea. Emily Prentiss, Criminal Profiler. Using her mind to kick ass and take names."

Emily laughed. "Let's go tell the rest of them."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

August 1, 2014

She could hardly contain herself once she boarded the plane. She was giddy with excitement, which is a feeling she'd experienced maybe never. She'd been excited before and happy before, but this was something else entirely. She felt like her face was going to crack from smiling so hard. She tried to rest on the plane, she tried to watch a movie, she tried to read. In the end, she just decided to let herself feel this emotion and think about Derek and smile like a loon for seven hours. The kind man next to her said, "My, my, someone very special must be waiting for you in Washington."

"Very special," she replied.

The flight seemed endless. The line in customs was excruciating, but as she made her way to the exit, she could see him there. She'd told him he could pick her up at the curb, but she knew he'd be right there. She bounced on her heels and smiled brightly at him as she waited in a small bottleneck at the exit, her body unable to contain the excitement she felt in her heart. As soon as she broke free from the crowd, she rushed to him, dropped her bags on the ground and threw her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her, crushing her lips in a passionate kiss. After several seconds, he set her down and rested his forehead against hers.

"Ready to go home?"

"Definitely."

In the car, Emily still couldn't contain her excitement. She turned in her seat and touched is face, his arm, his neck. Finally she weaved her hand under the seat belt and up his shirt, coming to rest over his heart. She leaned the side of her head on the headrest and stared at him.

"The washer and dryer arrived last week. The couch, the bedroom furniture and the kitchen table came this week."

"That's good."

"I bought you some bedding so you have a comfortable place to sleep tonight."

"We. We have a place to sleep tonight."

"Yes, we. I got in from our case a few hours ago, so I had time to go to the store and get some groceries. And I bought you a coffee maker."

"I've said it once and I'll say it again, you are a perfect man, Derek Morgan."

Derek took note of her languid voice. "You ok there? You sound a little...drugged."

"This is called sublime happiness combined with me actively holding myself back from letting my hands wander. I'd prefer we not get in an accident."

"Ha! Well, I think I got all of your boxes in the right rooms, but I didn't start unpacking anything. I figured you'd want to do that."

"I was actually thinking it might be more efficient if you just moved in now," she said nonchalantly

Derek gave her a sideways glance and saw her sly smile; she felt his heartbeat pick up under her hand. "Well, as long as it would be more efficient," he said jokingly.

"I was thinking about it on the plane and the whole reason I wanted to wait was because I was worried about how everything would settle with my job and telling the team. But I'm not worried about that anymore and there's not really a reason to wait. I don't ever want this to feel like my home first. I want it to be ours from the beginning."

Derek threw her a huge smile. "Sounds perfect to me. I also have a surprise for you at the house."

"If that surprise involves five people waiting there to greet me, preventing me from ripping off your clothes the second we walk in the door, I might hit you."

"No," Derek laughed. "Penelope wanted to surprise you, but I told her maybe she could come by tomorrow. She rolled her eyes at me and asked, 'How long are you two going to be impossible and all over each other?' Then she said, 'Never mind, I know the answer to that. I'll just make it a rule to always call first.'"

"That is definitely a good rule," Emily said with a smile.

There was no traffic on the road and the thirty miles from the airport to their house went by in a flash. They second they got in the door and set down her suitcase, Emily pushed him against the entry way wall, and lifted his shirt up and off him, then pulled his head down and found his lips with hers. "So you weren't kidding about ripping my clothes off," Derek said when she broke the kiss. He stared at her with a bemused look.

"Did you know," she said, "I looked it up and the average couple actually has sex two to three times a week."

She pulled away from him and reached to lift her own shirt up and off.

"I was thinking on the plane, running numbers in my head."

Emily kicked off her shoes and Derek did the same.

"I've been in London for about 110 weeks. That's 330 times at three times a week."

She leaned forward and kissed his chest, running her hands appreciatively over his abdomen.

"I figure we could knock it down to 300 missed opportunities, since I did see you while I was living there."

Emily reached behind her, unhooked her bra and flung it off her. Derek hummed appreciatively and reached his hands forward but she pushed them away, shaking her head at him. "Not yet." She reached for the button on his jeans and undid it, then slowly released the zipper. She teasingly ran her hands inside the waistband of his underwear, settling them at his back and stepping forward, pressing her chest against his. They both sighed in contentment at the feeling. She dropped several gentle kisses on his neck and felt his arms drape loosely around her.

"So, I was thinking that if we wanted keep up our average now and make up for lost time, we should probably shoot for at least five times a week."

She grabbed onto the waistband of his jeans and underwear and dragged them slowly down his legs, helping him out of the legs, then pushed both garments aside. She ran her hands slowly up the skin of his calves, thighs and hips as she stood back up. Derek moaned in frustration as she bypassed the one place he desperately wanted her to touch him.

"Patience, my love." Derek's breathing picked up pace and his eyes lowered as he watched her hands move to the button on her own jeans. "Five times a week," she continued as she lowered her zipper, "and we'd be all caught up in a little under three years."

Emily lowered her pants, kicking them off her legs. Derek's eyebrows raised in surprise, "No underwear?"

She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body fully against his. "I thought it would be fun to surprise you with the no underwear thing, but I learned a valuable life lesson today: denim and going commando on a long flight does not mix." Derek huffed out a laugh and brought his lips to hers, kissing her gently at first, then deepening it. He ran his hands up and down her ribcage, lightly teasing the sides of her breasts with his fingertips, thrilling at the shiver that ran through her body. "Bedroom?" he asked and she nodded.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Derek rested on his side drawing lazy circles with his fingers on the soft skin of Emily's stomach. He had his head propped in his other hand and was watching Emily as she lay next to him, one hand behind her head, face turned towards him, eyes closed, a small smile playing on her lips.

"What are you thinking about, Em?"

She opened her eyes to look at him.

"I'm thinking...the next time someone says Derek Morgan is macho, I'm going to blow your cover and talk about the flowered bed sheets you bought for our bed."

"I gave Garcia my credit card and let her go shopping."

Emily laughed and rolled to face him, "That's your story, huh?. Actually, I was thinking how I love the fact that after seven years, it still feels like a new adventure every time we have sex."

"It's always going to be like that. It's us. We don't do average anything," Derek said with a smile. "Hey, can I show you my surprise now?"

"Of course."

"Ok, hang on a minute." Derek got of bed and headed towards the door, she heard walk down the hall and then saw him return moments later, a box in his arms. Emily giggled at the sight of him carrying the box while completely naked otherwise. "Never laugh at a naked man, Emily. It deflates his ego." he said teasingly and she rolled her eyes. He settled himself under the sheet and Emily sat up, the box between them.

"I had this idea and I decided to go for it, but I admit I'm a little nervous that you won't like them. And I didn't want to decide where they ultimately ended up in case you didn't like them. And if you don't like them, we can just keep them in the box and forget about it..."

Emily put her hand over his. "Relax, Derek. You know everything there is to know about me and I highly doubt there's anything in that box that I won't love. Can I open it?"

He nodded and Emily reached to lift the lid. It looked like several individual gifts in tissue, all about the same size, about seven inches wide and eighteen inches long . She lifted the top one and took the tissue off and gasped, tears filling her eyes. It was a matted frame with two places for pictures. The top picture was of her at five years old holding The Velveteen Rabbit. The picture had been scanned and altered, then reprinted; the date on the bottom was cropped off and it was now black and white. Below it was another black and white picture, of Derek, around the same age, sitting in a chair with a copy of Where the Wild Things Are.

"I thought of that picture of me the second I saw yours and the idea just grew from there. Last weekend I flew home and raided my mother's photo albums. When I told her why, she jumped right in to help me. She can't wait to have you be part of her life, Em."

Emily had no words. She reached for the second picture. Her at age six on a swing at the park, and Derek around the same age on a swing. Her standing at the entrance of Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence and Derek standing at the entrance to The Art Institute of Chicago. Her on the elephant with Jacob and Derek riding a horse with his dad.

"I thought we could put them in the hallway upstairs," said Derek quietly.

Emily shook her head. "In the living room. I want everyone to see them."

"So you like them?" Derek asked happily.

Emily turned to reach up and place her hand on his cheek, dragging her thumb over his lips and gently resting it there. "Limba dultsi multu adutsi."

Derek raised his eyebrows.

"It means 'sweet language brings much.' But I'm thinking that with all the languages I know there is not one single way I could adequately tell you how much I love you."

"You don't have to, Em. Everything I need to know I can see in your eyes."

- END -

Thank you so much for reading and for the positive reviews! I debated whether or not to add an epilogue, but I needed to resolve things. I'm tossing around another story in my head that will take place after this one, so we shall see!