AN: So here is the conclusion. Special thanks to my beta peanutMeg for putting up with me! There is no reason to fear for your life - I love my Beta! Thanks to all the readers, especially those who took the time to review, fav, or alert the story - you guys are wonderful.

Also - check out the 2011 Profiler's Choice CM Awards Chit Chat on Author's Corner Forum here on and nominate your favorite story for an award.

A half-hour later, Derek Morgan walked out of Hotch's office and crossed over to the railing. He felt drained - both physically and emotionally. Placing both hands on the cold metal, he looked down at the three desks he and his two teammates use to share. Those times seemed so far away now. He had left that little group first, taking up occupancy in what had once been Agent Hall's office. Then Prentiss had been taken from them leaving only Reid out in the bullpen. Right now, all three desks sat empty and Prentiss was in the office he had just left while Reid was, hopefully, in Morgan's office down the hall. After the hell of the last five months, all three of them were once again in the same building, and yet Morgan felt as if they had never been further apart.

Seeing Emily again seemed surreal. The relief he felt at knowing he had been in time to save her was overshadowed by the fact that nothing could ever be the same between them again. Still, he couldn't find it in him to blame her for what she had done. She had gone into hiding to not only to protect herself but to protect the people that she cared about. To protect him. Though he couldn't comprehend the emotional toll that action and those months of isolation had taken on her, he had seen the inner turmoil in her eyes as he had wrapped his arms around her. He was grateful to have her back again. His anger was reserved for others; for Hotch, JJ, and Rossi. People who couldn't validate their betrayal. A betrayal to not only him but to Reid as well.

Morgan's eyes fell on Reid's neat, empty desk and he drew in a deep breath, trying to summon the strength to go to the younger man. As drained as he felt, Morgan knew that right now he couldn't give in to those feelings. He had to be strong for Reid.

Tearing his gaze away from the desk, Morgan pushed away from the rail. Without even a glance at either Hotch's or Rossi's office, not wanting to know if any of his teammates were watching, he left the bullpen area. It wasn't long before Morgan was rapping gently on the solid wood door of his office with his left hand as his right reached for the doorknob. It seemed silly to be knocking on his own office door, but he wanted to give Reid some warning of his appearance.

Walking into the room, Morgan caught the last swipe of Reid's hand as he attempted to clear away the last traces of tears. Unfortunately, the action was futile, as the red, puffy, brown eyes that looked up at him gave Reid away. Not wanting to embarrass Reid, Morgan chose to make no comment of it as he pushed the door shut behind him.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Reid commented, obviously hoping to keep the conversation away from him by starting it.

"In a way I have," Morgan replied. "I saw Emily."

Morgan could see the shock his words caused on Reid's eyes. Shock mixed with many other emotions, all of which vanished too quickly for Morgan to identify, leaving only pain and fear visible.

"Emily is here," Reid whispered as Morgan walked across the room toward the younger man sitting behind the desk. As he got closer, Morgan watched what little color that had been in Reid's face drain quickly, though he didn't let those emotions change his facial expression. "It must have been a relief for you to be able to see her. To know you were in time to save her."

"Yeah it was." Reaching his desk, Morgan perched on its corner and looked down at his friend. "I'm glad I was able to protect a friend and though it hurts that she let me think I hadn't been in time to save her, I can understand it. She did what she had to do to survive. If she hadn't Doyle would have tried to kill her or someone she cared about."

"I know."

"But you still can't forgive her?"

"It's not about forgiveness . . ." Reid told him, looking down at the desk. "It's like with the decision that Rossi made in Maine - I understand the logic of it, but the situation isn't as simple as that." There was a slight pause and then the next words were said so softly that they were inaudible even though Morgan leaned in closer in an attempt to catch them.

"What was that?"

Morgan's inquiry received a mumbled 'never mind' and it was his turn to sigh. He knew the longer he let his friend retreat into himself the harder it was going to be to get him to open up, and the last thing Morgan wanted to do was to watch Reid self-destruct. "So you're doing it to me too, huh Kid?" Morgan said, still looking down at his friend. The question caused Reid to look up at him, confusion written on his face. "Seems like everyone's hiding things from me - Rossi, Hotch, JJ," Morgan paused and made sure to catch Reid's eyes, "and now you."

The questioning look left Reid's face to be replaced by panic at that thought. "I do trust you, Morgan. You're the only one I can trust right now."

"Then talk to me, Pretty Boy," Morgan insisted, his own voice commanding and pleading at the same time. "What has you so upset?"

"Morgan don't leave? Please! If you left I don't know what I would do."

"Hey, where did you come up with the idea of me leaving?" Morgan asked, reaching out to rest a hand on Reid's good shoulder.

"Everyone else has. Every time I think I've got people I can count on they leave. It never fails."

"Reid, the team . . ."

"What team? There is no team right now, Morgan! Seaver left because she couldn't handle things here. From what I can tell, you would probably rather have your hands around Rossi's throat than sit down and discuss a case with him right now and I'm not even sure where I am with Rossi either. Hotch and JJ lied to us and now I can't help but wonder if everything they've ever done or said has simply been about getting what I could provide them. You guys were my family and now . . . now it's like I've got nothing."

Morgan squeezed the shoulder his hand was resting only gently. "You've got me."

"For now, maybe. But even you can't control the future, Morgan."

"Kid, for as long as I am breathing I'll be here for you, just a phone call away. That's the best promise I can give you that I know for certain I can keep. I promise you, Reid."

"Everything seems to be falling down around me and I don't know where to even start to pick up the pieces."

"Kid, you're physically and emotionally exhausted right now, just like me. Let's get you back to my place, where you can get some rest, and then we'll start figuring out how to pick up the pieces together. You're not alone, Kid. Just don't shut me out."

Reid nodded. Morgan wasn't sure if the nod was an agreement to leaving or his plea, or maybe an agreement to both, but he didn't question it. Right now, all he wanted to do was get Reid away from the BAU and back to his house where the younger man could get the rest that would at least aid the physical healing he had to do. The emotional healing was going to take quite a bit longer to occur ~if it ever does,~ Morgan added silently as he helped Reid to his feet.

Morgan held onto Reid's good arm right above the elbow, for his own comfort as much as trying to reassure Reid, as they left the office. The road the two of them were about to travel was going to be long and bumpy. Morgan was glad he had told Hotch he was taking a couple more days off of work to deal with things. The last thing he wanted to do was leave Reid alone in his current emotional state.

Three Days Later:

Derek Morgan walked into his house and was surprised by the fact that Clooney didn't come to greet him. The only time the German Shepherd didn't meet him at the door was when he came home from a case; then the dog was still at the neighbor's house, rather than at home, and so he physically couldn't greet Morgan.

"Clooney," Morgan called out, expecting the dog to come running. He didn't.

Morgan pushed the door shut and crossed the living room before knocking on the door to the spare room where Reid was staying. Living in really, as the genius had rarely come out of the room since they had come here after their meeting with Hotch. He knew from the others that he had turned off his cell phone, refusing to talk to any of them. Morgan was thankful that Reid was talking to him, as long as he avoided the subject of Emily Prentiss. Once he mentioned their co-worker's name Morgan knew from experience it would be hours before Reid would talk to him again.

When he didn't get a reply, Morgan tried the door knob. It turned, and he pushed the door open, sticking his head into the room only to find it empty. Reid's cell phone was sitting on the bedside table next to the lamp. Concern rising, Morgan continued his exploration of the house. He eventually found his way to the back door, and stepping onto the back porch felt relief wash over him. Reid was sitting on one end of the glider, Clooney's front paws and head in his lap, as the dog took an afternoon nap. Morgan smiled at the sight as Reid slowly turned his head to look at him.

"He wouldn't go away," Reid replied, gesturing to Clooney with his right hand. "Maybe the 'Reid Effect' is broken?"

"He's just worried about you. Dogs can sense when something isn't right," Morgan replied, sitting down in one of the wicker chairs. "I'm glad to see you outside. The fresh air will do you good," he added, his keen eyes looking over the pale face of his friend.

"How was work?" Reid asked, as if he hadn't heard Morgan's comment.

"A whole lot of paperwork and no one to push it off on," Morgan replied.

Today had been his first day back since returning from Maine, having gone back because continuing to hover over Reid would have only caused more problems. The younger man still needed help with dressing and bathing due to the sling and immobility of his shoulder, but he was improving. His recovery was progressing on schedule, though, which was why Morgan had felt comfortable going back to work.

Reid smiled at that response, though paperwork sounded like a good distraction to him right about now.

"Hotch says the team got the okay from Strauss to start doing more than just the consultations we've been doing since Maine. I expect them to be leaving for a case tomorrow."

"Them?"

"I won't be going. Being at work is one thing, Kid. If you need something all you've got to do is give me a call, though that would require you to actually turn your cell phone on," Morgan told him.

"You've got a house phone," Reid countered.

Morgan allowed a small smile. "Anyway, for now, I'm not leaving town. I'll give them what help I can from the office. We'll see how Garcia likes me breathing down her neck."

"Knowing her, she'll probably enjoy it."

"She asked about you, Kid. Wanted to know how you were doing and when she could stop by." Morgan watched Reid closely as the younger man leaned his head back against the cushion of the glider. "If you're up for visitors I could invite her over for dinner. I was thinking about doing a stir fry on the grill," Morgan suggested. The choice of menu had just come to him, but he figured as Reid had finally ventured outside, keeping him here as long as he could would do the young genius some good.

"Go ahead," came the soft reply.

Morgan nodded even though Reid couldn't see the gesture with his eyes closed. It wasn't the enthusiastic response he had hoped for but at least he hadn't refused.

"I'll go give her a call then," Morgan suggested, starting to stand up.

"Morgan, hold on a moment," Reid requested. Morgan settled back down in the chair, waiting for Reid to continue. "How are you and Rossi getting along?"

Morgan was surprised by the question. He wasn't sure where Reid was going with this line of thought. Was the younger man going to try to play peacemaker?

"You know Rossi and I butt heads over issues all of the time, Kid. We might not ever see eye-to-eye on them but we figure out how to move past it eventually. I'm sure this will be just the same, we just need some time."

"Then you wouldn't want Rossi to come over here?"

Morgan felt even more perplexed. "What are you trying to get at, Kid?"

"As you so subtly hinted at with the cell phone comment, I can't just keep avoiding everything. I need to start dealing with things and at least I can understand the issue in Maine logically. I've also talked things out with Rawson, so perhaps I should attempt to work things out with Rossi."

"When did you talk to Rawson?"

"Today, after I talked to Agent Cooper."

Morgan moved forward in the chair so that he was sitting closer to the edge. He wasn't sure he liked where he thought this conversation might be going. "What did you have to discuss with Cooper, Reid?"

Reid swallowed hard before answering. "There's an opening on his team and I wanted to see how he would feel about me filling it, given how things are right now."

"Why Kid?" Morgan asked, feeling dread at the thought of Reid joining another team.

"I don't want to be the bad guy. I won't be the reason that Prentiss doesn't stay with the team," Reid replied.

The mention of their recently returned from the 'dead' teammate took Morgan by surprise. He had made one attempt to talk to Reid about Emily when they had returned from the BAU that day. The younger man had closed up on him, telling him he didn't want to talk about it. When Morgan had pressed further, telling him that Emily wanted to see him, Reid had locked himself in the spare bedroom until the following morning. Morgan had not brought up the dark-haired agent since then, figuring the best thing to do for now was to let Reid deal with things on his own timing.

For now, Emily Prentiss was back with the team. Rossi had openly accepted her, apparently understanding the reasoning behind her faked death and taking it in stride. Hotch and JJ were of course fine with the raven-haired profiler being back. As for himself, and his initial meeting with her, Morgan knew he couldn't be angry with Prentiss for faking her death. After all, she had only been trying to survive and protect those she cared about. He had found himself hugging her moments after she had walked into Hotch's office that afternoon. This was his partner. The partner that he had been in time to save. Though their conversation that afternoon had been brief, Morgan's concern for how Reid was doing making him cut it short, the two had talked several times since then. Things would never be the same between them, but they were going to be okay, at the very least.

"No one is going to blame you, Kid," Morgan assured him.

"I'd blame me. Everyone else is dealing with the situation - making the best of it - except for me. And I'm not sure I want to. I feel like I've been betrayed by everyone I thought I could trust."

"I know about betrayal. I've dealt with myself. Am dealing with it right now. Hotch and JJ lied to all of us, Reid. I'm going to be doubting things they say for a long time, wondering if I can believe them or not. I know how delicate trust can be and I hope I haven't done anything to shatter your trust in me, Pretty Boy," Morgan said, thinking of Reid's use of everyone.

"It's not that you've done anything." Reid paused and looked down at his hands. "It's just that I feel so betrayed right now, it's hard to believe in anyone." Reid looked over at Morgan, his brown eyes filled with pain and regret. "I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize, Kid," Morgan told him softly. Leaning forward, he reached out and placed his hand on Reid's knee, holding the younger man's gaze. "I know you've been hurt by everything that's been happening, maybe more so than any of the rest of us, but let me assure you that I'm here for you. Whatever you need, all you've got to do is ask."

"You've already done so much . . ."

"I've done nothing that you wouldn't have done for me if our places were reversed."

Reid nodded, absently reaching out his good hand to stoke the fur on Clooney's neck.

"Then please understand when I tell you I'm not sure I can come back. Not after everything that's happened."

"Then you're joining Cooper's team?" Morgan asked, feeling disappointment at the thought but knowing that Reid had to do what was best for him.

"I don't know. Agent Cooper said that if I wanted to join the team, he would be more than willing to have me but that now was not the time to make that decision. He said he was in no rush to fill the spot and that we could discuss it further once I returned to work."

"Good. That will give me time to try to convince you otherwise."

"Morgan, I . . ."

"No, I want you to listen to me, Kid. I'm not going to pretend that I'm okay with you talking about joining another team when I'm not. I don't want you to leave. You're an invaluable member of the team, a trusted partner, and one of my best friends. I want you on the same team as me because I want to be the one to watch your back. At the same time, if you decide that joining Cooper's team is what you need to do, I'll understand. Either way, you'll always be one of my best friends."

"Morgan, I don't want to be the reason that Emily goes away again, but I'm not sure I could work with her either. I lost her once. I dealt with that and now you're all asking me to put myself in the position to have to deal with that all over again. I'm not sure I can. But it isn't just that either. I'm not sure I can face Hotch and JJ every day after what they've done."

"Life is about taking risks, Reid, you probably know that more than anyone, being from Vegas." The comment coaxed a small smile from the younger agent. "Look Kid, I know you've seen your share of heart ache and as much as I would love to be able to protect you from any more, I can't. What I can tell you is that if you start shutting people out you're just going to be very lonely."

Reid nodded his head slightly. "I know. Maybe . . . maybe if I can work things out with Rossi . . ."

Morgan nodded. He took his cell phone from its clip and handed it to Reid. "Give Rossi a call. See if he'll join us for dinner. I promise to be civil," Morgan told him as he got to his feet. He was glad Reid was starting to deal with things even if doing that was going to lead to him joining another team. It wasn't like they wouldn't still be friends, and if Reid was happier that way . . . but he wasn't going to dwell on that possibility right now. Nothing was final. He still had time to convince Reid not to leave. "I'll go use my house phone to call Garcia and then I'll get dinner started."

Leaving Garcia to watch over the grill, where the steaks were sizzling next to the vegetable basket that held the rest of the ingredients for the stir fry, Morgan headed into the kitchen to gather plates, a serving bowl, and utensils, so they could enjoy their meal on the picnic table out back.

So far things were going well. Garcia had actually managed to get a smile out of Reid when she had presented him with the get well basket she had made up for him. Morgan had been surprised the thing didn't float away with the number of balloons that had been tied to it and had made a comment to such. Garcia's response had been to stick her tongue out at him.

Morgan was putting the utensils in the bowl so he could carry everything out when the doorbell rang. He left the stuff on the kitchen counter and headed for the door. A quick glance out the peep hole told him that it was who he had expected - David Rossi.

"Hey, Rossi," Morgan greeted neutrally when he pulled open the door. He couldn't say he was happy to see the profiler but this whole thing wasn't about him right now. Rossi was here because Reid wanted to talk to him.

"Morgan," Rossi replied just as neutrally as he stepped into the house. "How's Reid doing?"

"Physically, as well as can be expected," Morgan replied as he pushed the door shut behind Rossi. "Emotionally, well the smile Garcia got out of him a little while ago is the second smile I've seen from him today and he seems more relaxed right now then he has been."

"And you think my presence here is going to ruin that?" Rossi asked finishing the sentiment.

"You know, for Reid's sake, I was going to just ignore what happened but as you brought it up. Damn it, Rossi! You gave the order to shoot him!"

"You think that was an easy thing for me to do? You don't think it doesn't weigh on me every night when I go home and sit with my doubts and replay events wondering if I missed some little opening that would have allowed for another outcome? That night in Maine will stay with me the rest of my life just like Waco and Ruby Ridge."

Morgan was silent as he digested those words. The FBI had taken a lot of flak for those two incidents from the public who viewed them as failures. Just like he viewed the outcome in Maine a failure, despite the object being achieved. For Rossi to group Reid getting shot in with those two events told him that the older profiler was not taking the incident lightly.

"I get it, but I can't agree with your decision Rossi. I can't accept friendly fire as a successful result."

"I know that. You're not me, Morgan. I knew it wouldn't sit well with you and that was why I didn't let you in on what was going on beforehand," Rossi replied. "I'm not asking for your approval, Derek, and I don't expect you to understand it; you're too close to Reid for that to be possible, but what I am asking you to understand is that I did what I thought was necessary to save the life of a teammate and a friend. Reid's alive, and with some patience and support from his friends, he'll move past this."

"I'm afraid he won't be able to, Rossi," Morgan said, admitting that fear out loud to someone for the first time.

"He will. It'll be slow, but he will. Calling me was step one. The events that have taken place the last few months have affected us all. We've all have to decide how we're going to deal with things. I've been at this a while, and I can accept Hotch, JJ and Emily's actions as an unfortunate necessity of them doing the job. I'm just as relieved as you that Emily is alive and back with us, but after doing this job as long as I have, you learn that losing people is just a fact of life. You accept it as part of doing your job; any day you could lose someone. I came to that realization a long time ago, Morgan. But not everyone has, not everyone is able to," Rossi said, knowing that his teammate before him was probably one of those people. "Ultimately, how Reid chooses to deal with things may not be how we prefer, and some bridges might be irrevocably burned, but he'll find a way past this."

Morgan nodded but didn't say anything. After a few moments of silence, Rossi spoke again.

"Where is Reid?"

"Out on the back porch," Morgan replied.

Rossi nodded and started toward the back yard. Morgan let him get halfway across the room before speaking up.

"Hey, Rossi."

Rossi stopped and turned back toward Morgan. "Thanks for saving Reid's life out there. I may have taken things out on more than just an unsuspecting wall if things had turned out differently."

A small smile came to the older man's face and he nodded slightly before continuing on his way. As Rossi headed out onto the back porch, Morgan returned to the kitchen to retrieve the items he had come in for.

A Week Later:

SSA Spencer Reid sat in the corner booth of a local bar, with a live band making the normally noisy atmosphere even louder. However, it also drew most of the other patrons' attention, which Reid thought could very well be a good thing given who he was waiting to meet. Nervously, he wiped his sweaty palm along the top of his leg. If it weren't still in a sling, despite having started therapy, Reid would have been wiping his other hand too.

"If you're having second thoughts about this, I can call her and tell her we'll do this some other time."

The sound of Morgan's voice at his side caused him to jump. The older man placed Reid's ginger ale down on the table in front of him as Reid looked up.

"No. Don't do that," Reid replied, afraid that if he put this off he would never get the courage to even think about doing this again. He had finally accepted that speaking with Emily at least once had to be done. Whether it went as well as his conversation with Rossi had, well that remained to be seen.

Morgan sat down across from Reid, taking a sip from his own glass as he did so. The older man looked across the table. Reid was currently staring at the rising bubbles in his glass as if they were the most interesting things in the room. Not for the first time, Morgan wondered if he had pushed too much - If this meeting between Emily and Reid was just going to make a difficult situation worse.

"Did you know that is believed that Ginger Ale started out as a homemade concoction in England and Ireland back in the 1840s though it wasn't a soda drink at that time? It wasn't until the 1860s that it became what nowadays would be considered a Golden Ginger Ale."

Morgan smiled, not so much because of the information that was being given or his interest in it, but because he wanted to encourage Reid to continue. Morgan knew that spouting the information was an outlet for the younger man's nervousness.

As Reid continued to tell him how prohibition played a role in the development of the soft drink and the emergence of the dry style of Ginger Ale, Morgan glanced toward the entrance. It wasn't long before he saw her walk in the bar. Wearing the same tailored pants suit that he had seen her in at work today, Agent Emily Prentiss stood just inside the door, looking around for the two co-workers she was meeting. As she turned her head in their direction, Morgan raised his arm in the air and motioned to her. Reid stopped speaking and looked over his shoulder as Emily started making her way through the crowded bar. Morgan scooted over as she approached the table, making room for her.

"Glad you could make it," Morgan told her, as he lifted his glass again.

"I was glad to get an invitation," Emily replied easily, trying to mask her own nervousness. She looked away from Morgan and across the table at Reid. "Hey, Reid. It's good to see you."

"Hi," he replied, still concentrating on the pale yellow beverage before him.

"How's the shoulder?"

"Getting better."

Emily glanced over at Morgan, who simply shrugged his shoulders. Though he was there for moral support - for both of his friends - he was determined not to interfere in what transpired. Prentiss and Reid needed to sort things out on their own. Looking back at Reid, Prentiss considered her next words.

"I'm glad you finally agreed to meet with me. I've missed you."

Reid swallowed hard at the sentiment but didn't say anything. Picking up his glass he took a quick drink of the cool carbonated liquid, knowing he should say something but not sure if he could - for once he had nothing to say. He had missed her too, but that had been when he had thought she was dead. Now, he wasn't sure what he felt.

"I realize this isn't easy for you, Spencer," Emily said, the seldom used first name sounding strange on her lips. Still, his last name had seemed too formal and she was trying to lighten up the awkward situation. "It's not easy for any of us and I did contemplate not coming back but the simple truth is that I was selfish. I missed all of you too much to stay away."

Reid opened his mouth, the words "I'm glad you didn't stay away," on the tip of his tongue but he couldn't find the courage to voice them. He closed his mouth again. All he could think about was her leaving him again. He could see her walking away this time, her back to him, without a second thought just like his Dad, Elle, and Gideon.

Reid finally looked up, his eyes falling for the first time on his friend and co-worker whom he thought he had lost for good. Losing people was something he knew how to deal with, having dealt with it so many times before. The idea of getting someone back, someone he thought he had lost, was a foreign concept to him and he didn't know how to react. Looking across the table though he saw the uncertainty and sadness that he was feeling mirrored in Prentiss' dark eyes. It was too much for him.

"Would you like something to drink?" he asked, getting to his feet.

"A Sprite would be nice," Prentiss replied, trying to mask her surprise at the sudden move.

Reid nodded and started toward the bar, silently berating himself. This was the first time he had seen her in over five months, and the only thing he could manage to say was to ask her if she wanted a drink. He was pathetic. No wonder people left him all the time.

Reid purchased the drink at the bar and slowly made his way back his colleagues. At the table, Morgan and Prentiss were engaged in conversation. To Reid they looked as at ease with one another, as they always had. It was like nothing had changed. That they had just picked up and continued right where they had left off, like there had simply been a five month hiatus. Perhaps the problem wasn't with the others. Perhaps it was just him.

Reid contemplated heading for the exit, figuring they wouldn't miss him for a while, though as he was still staying with Morgan he knew he'd have to explain himself eventually. Still, it would bide him some time to sort out his own feelings. Spotting an unoccupied table, Reid was about to deposit the glass in his hand on it, and head for the door when Morgan looked up. Realizing he'd missed his chance of escape, Reid continued to their table.

"Here you go," Reid murmured softly as he placed the glass in front of Prentiss.

"Thanks," Prentiss replied, as Reid slipped into the seat across from her. "You're coming back to work on Monday, aren't you?" Prentiss ventured, deciding to start a conversation about work in order to work up to the most pressing matter between them right now.

"On light duty. Not much I can do except paperwork and even that is going to take me longer than usual with only one hand."

"Don't be modest, Kid, you'll probably still get through the paperwork faster than me," Morgan commented.

Reid felt his cheeks flush at the comment.

"I'm glad you're going to be back but I think that means that you and I need to discuss things. Work will be quite awkward if we're not talking."

"We're talking. And I would be civil at work. But, what do you want me to say? Do you want me to pretend that everything is fine? That I didn't go through the hell of grieving for you these past five months? That Hotch and JJ didn't lie to me?"

"No, Spencer. No more pretending. I just want to know if you can forgive me. If you can accept me back as at least your teammate for now."

"There's nothing to forgive," Reid told her, finally looking up from the table top to meet her gaze again. "I know you were doing what you needed to do to survive and I'm happy you're alive - I'm happy you're back. I am."

"But?" Prentiss prompted gently.

"I'm afraid to get close again. To give you the opportunity to hurt me, though I know you didn't do so with malicious intent, it still hurt."

"I know. It hurt me too. The only thing that got me through it was knowing that I was doing it to keep you all safe." Prentiss paused, watching Reid closely. He reached out for his glass and took a slow drink from it, breaking eye contact with her again. "If you need me to, I'll take a position with another field office."

"Do you want to do that?" Reid asked quietly.

"No."

"Then don't. I won't be the reason that you're doing something you don't want to do."

"What about you?" Prentiss asked. Reid looked at her, the question clear in his eyes. "Morgan said you were talking to Cooper about joining his team. Do you really think I want to be the reason you're changing teams? I don't want that either, Reid."

"It's more than just you coming back," Reid told her.

"So you're still thinking about it?"

Reid nodded.

"For what it's worth, I hope you don't." Prentiss said, knowing that she would be staying with the BAU. She couldn't take another position in good conscience think Reid would blame himself for her leaving. "I know things can't go back to how they were Reid, but I really want you in my life again - even if it's just as a co-worker."

"I've missed you, Emily," Reid said softly, his eyes locked on the glass in front of him. As she reached across the table to place a hand on top of his, he let his gaze slide to their hands.

"Those are the best words I've heard all day," Emily told him.

A silence fell over the three friends. It was a comfortable silence albeit fragile. The awkwardness of the situation had melted away with Reid's last words, though all three knew one wrong word would shatter that. After a few minutes, it was Morgan who broke the silence.

"A toast," Morgan said, lifting his glass. He waited until the other two looked up and had picked up their own glasses. "To new beginnings."

"New beginnings," Reid and Prentiss echoed, as the three tapped their glasses lightly together before drinking to the toast.

Things weren't completely back to normal for the profilers, but for the first time in a long time, it felt as if they were heading in the right direction.