I hope you enjoy this.

Chapter Thirty-Two:

Two weeks later, Snyder found Miranda in an office covered in boxes. She smiled when he appeared and came around the front of the desk.

"Madame President Elect," he said offering his hand.

"Senator," she said shaking it. "Please sit. I apologize for the mess. No one told me the transition office would be this full of paperwork, especially in the Digital Age we live in."

He took a seat next to her. Miranda adjusted hers' so she was facing him more.

"Do you know why you're here Sir?" she asked.

"I honestly don't," he said. "I thought we were something of enemies after the first debate and our exchange later."

"I'll cut to the chase then," she said. "I want you to be my Secretary of State."

He was taken aback. "You're kidding."

"I don't kid Sir, and you know it."

"This is just your way of getting me out of the Senate," he said with a smile.

"Or I could be keeping my friends close and my enemies closer," she said with a laugh.

"You're serious, aren't you?"

"Aren't you tired of playing in the shadows Sir? Tired of playing mind games with small fish such as first-year politicians. I think you've been wasting away in Congress. You need a new challenge. A chance to challenge foreign leaders and show what you're really capable of."

He sat back. Lost in thought. He then smiled.

"You're still the Master."

"Not at chess," she said grinning. "But of winning at leading the people of the United State of America."

He offered his hand.

"Let the games begin."

"Let the journey begin."

…

"I don't want to make the American people spend an extra cent in transporting me back and forth to Quantico," Reid said to Hotch.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Hotch said looking at his letter of resignation.

"I have a massive new office and a large staff eager to help me succeed in whatever I choose. I can also still consult on cases when you need me by keeping some of my credentials."

"Any idea what you want to use your office to promote?"

"Decriminalizing drug addiction," Reid said confidently.

Hotch was shocked.

"You know that means revisiting a lot of painful memories."

"People are serving long jail sentences for possession of small quantities of drugs and aren't getting the treatment they need in while serving their time. Some states have harsher laws than others. I want to advocate for the poorest of the poor who are often the most affected by these laws."

"You sound like you've put a lot of thought into this."

"I have," he said. "I wanted to be closer to you guys, not necessarily work. I'm ready to start fresh and with you by my side, I can accomplish anything."

Hotch smiled.

"Good luck Spencer," he said standing.

"Thanks, Hotch," he said.

…

Lang wandered around the White House in the evening for what would probably be the last time. He felt older than he had ever felt. This wasn't going to be his house this time tomorrow. It would belong to an ungrateful conniving congresswoman from Florida known as "The Master" by her cohorts in Capital Hill. He still could not believe she had won.

He was admiring the plates in the China room when Eve appeared.

"I want a divorce," she stated.

"You have got to be joking," he said angrily.

"You lost the election by hoping that Miranda Reid would lose her temper over you attacking her husband. That is not a man I want to be married to."

"Eve," he said seriously.

"I'll wait until May to announce," she said. "Until then we'll stay on separate schedules and barely see each other. I have already worked it out with my secretary."

"I still love you, you know," he said almost pleadingly.

"I wish I felt the same way but I don't. We're finished Mike," she said and walked out of the room.

Lang swore. He wanted to break something. This was all because of Miranda Reid's husband. Maybe an act of revenge should be considered in the future. Something that would rattle him to the core. How he would do it was unclear, but he was never one to give up on an idea.

…

Miranda straightened Alex's tie and smoothed out Rachel's hair. Lang and his wife were waiting. She couldn't help but notice they seemed to be standing further apart than usual. Maybe it was something. Maybe it was nothing. Either way, she didn't care. She had a country to run now.

Then she noticed Reid was watching her. A huge smile was on his face.

"I am so proud of you," he said.

She blushed. "I couldn't have done it without you," she said.

"Are you two going to kiss?" Alex asked.

"And ruin my makeup?" she said with a laugh. "No!"

They got out of the car and walked up one step and then Miranda turned. A mischievous smile spread across her face and Reid pulled her forward. They kissed.

"Ew!" Alex and Rachel said together.

Everything felt perfect.

THE END

Author's Note:

Thanks for coming along on this journey with me! I know I took a hatchet to this story a couple weeks ago, and it may have turned a few people off. The plot was just becoming too big and unruly. I am proud of what I accomplished here.

I know something about the drug epidemic as I proofread grad school papers on the subject (I know me proofreading sounds funny as I can barely do it to my own stuff!). It is a serious issue and it deserves more attention.

As for a sequel, I don't know yet. I think I'll wait see what input I get. Thanks again. This was fun.