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A/n here's the last chapter all. Thank you all for your support and thanks to my awesome beta for all her help and her friendship.

Walking Backwards

Emily stripped out of her forest green sweater, tossing it into her bag without folding it. She yanked off her pants and reached for her dark blue FBI sweat pants and a lighter sky blue sports bra. Her hands trembled and her heart raced as she dumped her go bag and her purse into the locker at Quantico's gym.

The rest of the place was deserted, which was just fine by her. Anger buzzed in her brain like wasps on the warpath. There was no way she was going to settle down unless she had a hard run and maybe punched the heavy bag into submission.

She flicked on the lights and went to one of seven treadmills set up at the far end of the gym. Her feet whispered over the huge mat, that she was very familiar with from her days as a cadet and recently with her remediation with Morgan.

The gym was empty, which was just the way she liked it. She decided on a run first, her body was crackling with energy and she needed something to wear her out so she could finally get some sleep.

She set the treadmill for a 30-minute run. She started out at a level grade the first two minutes trying to get her cold muscles and the blood to move in her veins. Her legs felt leaden despite her manic energy, for the first five minutes. She wished she'd brought a book to read, as the only thing in front of her was a grey wall.

She almost lost her footing when Reid said from behind her. "Hello Emily…"

He stepped onto the treadmill next to her and started the machine. She wanted to ask him if he was following her, but his clothes stopped her tongue.

He wore a pair of grey sweat pants and a dark blue FBI tee shirt. The only thing familiar was his sneakers. He was staring back at her, she noticed so she said irritably. "You follow me?"

"No, I come down here all the time."

She shrugged, pulled her I pod out of her pocket and stuck in the ear buds. She turned it up, faced the wall and increased the speed of the treadmill. Reid didn't try to talk to her, but she could feel him there next to her. His presence pulled at her like static electricity pulled hair when you rubbed a balloon over someone's head. Keeping her eyes off him and on the wall was more difficult than talking down a psychotic un-sub holding a classroom full of children hostage. She kept thinking that she could see him out of the corner of her eye, staring at her and she wanted to turn her head and do something very mature like sticking out her tongue.

Finally, she couldn't take the pressure anymore, and looked at him. Once again she nearly fell off her machine. He was walking backwards on the treadmill with an utterly serene expression. He glanced over at her with a questioning look.

She sighed and pulled her ear buds out of her ears. "Why are you walking backwards?"

"Because it's good for my knee; this exercise works the inner and outer thighs and strengthens the knees. It's also less impact than walking forward. I'll turn around in a few minutes."

She shrugged, and returned to her run even though she really wanted to watch him at his workout. Whatever he did wasn't just walking because lately he'd filled out, not bulky like Morgan but sort of long and lean.

You're supposed to be mad at him!

Irritation reinvigorated her flagging body. Yes, she was supposed to be mad at him, not drooling over him. He just couldn't let go of his anger with her. She tapped the controls on the treadmill and pushed up the angle of the grade and the speed until her feet slapping the belt and her harsh breathing was the only thing she could hear or feel.

Another movement caught her attention. Reid was standing in front of her treadmill shouting at her over her music. She shut off the I pod and the treadmill. When she almost fell getting off the machine, Reid grabbed for her. She found that she couldn't breathe, could only taste the metallic flavor of blood in the back of her throat.

"Are you okay?"

She leaned into him for a moment. "I'm fine." She gasped out.

"You shouldn't push yourself so hard. If you work above your maximum training heart rate you start burning sugar instead of fat and -"

"I don't," she gasped out, "Want. To. Hear. Statistics..."

"I think I better leave." He changed direction from heading to one of the weight machines to the door.

"Yeah… That's right Reid, just walk away."

He stopped, turned and speared her to the mat with a look. "Why are you picking a fight with me Emily?"

"I'm not picking a fight. I'm trying to clear the air."

"Oh please… You don't care about clearing the air."

His shoulders slumped. "I thought I could talk to you, but it's obvious you're not in the mood to listen."

He turned for the door, but Emily rushed in front of him and slapped a hand on his chest. "No, you don't get to walk away from this Reid." He flinched at the fire in her eyes. "I'm not done with you." She almost shouted.

He tried to walk around her, but she shadowed him until he planted his feet and dangerous light came into his eyes. "Get out of my way!"

"NO! I'm not done with you Spencer Reid." She grabbed one of his arms.

"Stop it!" He yanked away from her. "I was going to apologize to you, but now I think I better walk away."

Her eyes shifted again to the pain and unbearable loneliness. Oh, he knew what that was like. To wake up every day alone and know that it wasn't going to change. He found that he couldn't stop taking another step closer and kissing her.

She didn't expect that he'd kiss her, but this wasn't like any other kiss between them. The others had been challenges, games for the amusement of two people that didn't know how to open up and trust.

It didn't feel like a game, this embrace. He held onto her as though she might fly apart into a thousand pieces if he let her go. His mouth molded to her lips instead of fighting against them.

It was over in an instant, but she couldn't let him go. She held him tight, and closed her eyes. He was warm, he was solid and he was most real thing in her life. She buried her face in his shoulder and breathed in the scent of him that was like a warm blanket on a cold day.

"I'm sorry," she said beating him to the apology.

"It's my fault." He said.

"It's not your fault," she said as he rocked her like a small child. "I was the one that made this into some kind of crazy game."

"Why?" He asked and she knew he didn't mean the game.

"I was so scared you'd never forgive me for my death." She said quietly.

He pushed away and took her face in his hands. They shook and tears came into his eyes. "I never thought I could forgive you, but I realized with the help of a good friend that I've been given a second chance, a wonderful gift and wasting it would be the stupidest thing I've ever done."

She reached up and caressed his face. He closed his eyes under her touch and breathed in a sigh like a blind man seeing the sun for the very first time.

"I truly am sorry Spencer. If I could go back-"

"You'd make the same decision Emily. I know you." He flashed a trembling smile. "I won't say I'm not betrayed, but I have you back and I love you, so I'll get over it."

She pulled away from him and bent to grab her towel. "I love you too." There was a glimmer in her eyes. "Just remember who said it first."

He rolled his eyes. "This is always going to be a problem for us."

"What?" She took a long pull from her water bottle."

"Deciding who gets the last word." He said

"Well I think…" She began.

"Don't start," He warned with a smile.

She winked. "Let's get out of here and go to my place. If you're a good boy you might just get the last word."

He frowned. "What if I'm not a good boy?"

"Then I think I'll just have to punish you."

He slung an arm around her shoulders as they walked out of the gym. "Not if I make you scream first."

"Now Spencer…" She began. "What makes you think it'll be me doing the screaming?"

THE END

A/n I leave what happens next to your fevered little imaginations.