I'm working on a sequence of stories that belong together but still stand for themselves.

Thanks to REIDFANATIC for Beta Reading.

Criminal Minds is not mine.

Moved home

Emily lay on her couch wearing her blue FBI sweat pants with a red sweater she had worn to work. She stared down at her computer where an online chess game was waiting for her next move. It would be a lie to say that she was focused on the game, as it really just was a way of killing time.

She was more than glad to finally have her own home again. The furniture was hers, the silverware was exactly where it belonged, and most importantly, the couches were arranged in a rather decent way. Her lips curved into a smile as she thought about her lame excuses for disliking living with Morgan. The truth was, she did miss living there or better having more company than Sergio. Never had she expected to get so used to her friend living in the same place. The first night in her new house she kept listening for him going to bed after a late football game or when he had stayed in the office until late into the night, because he hadn't finished his reports yet. Finally she had fallen into a light sleep, waking at the smallest sounds, but not really getting any rest. It had taken her a whole week before she was finally able to feel safe again. The technology he had put into the house was the newest and finest on the market and the windows, as well, had locks on them. He really had made sure she could feel as safe as possible and she couldn't thank him enough for that.

The knock on the door interrupted her game, but she didn't mind. She shut the laptop and headed for the door. Although she knew who was waiting before the door she check the peep hole.

"Come in." She opened the door for her friends. She gave JJ a hug, as well as Will, who she hadn't seen in the longest time, and then there was Spencer. She was stunned for a moment as she saw Ashley right behind him. "I haven't seen you in forever. How is life?" She hugged her former trainee.

"I just came home from a case, so don't ask." The young blonde grimaced. "Spencer said you were having a team night and I should come. I hope that's alright with you?"

"Of course," Emily smiled. Her eyes wandered curiously between Ashley and the genius and therefore she didn't miss the look they exchanged. She couldn't help but wonder how long this had been going on and how much was going on at all, since Reid wasn't exactly hanging out with a lot of people outside of work, especially not those of the other gender. "We need to catch up Ash." As the brunette turned to shut the door, she saw Derek grinning at her.

"You know that security system doesn't do a lot if you don't close the door." He said his grin widening as he pulled her in a hug.

"That's what I have you for, right?" She held unto the hug a moment longer than necessary, before letting go. Gosh, she missed him way too much for her own good. Thankfully she didn't have time to worry about it, since Penelope rushed in, pulling Kevin behind her.

"Hey gorgeous and Kevin it's so good to see you." She let them all in, before finally closing the door. As she followed them into the quite crowded dining room, she smiled. That was her family with a few additions and a few missing.

"Hotch told me earlier in the office that Jessica couldn't babysit, so he can't make it." JJ let her know, as if she had read her mind.

"And Rossi said something about being too old to have date nights." Derek added with a grin.

"Date night? There are as many couples here as singles." Garcia looked outraged. Emily glanced over as the two youngest agents exchanged an uncomfortable look. There was definitely something going on between them and she was determined to find out what it was.

"Well let's get started. I was thinking we should try something new for a change." She made a dramatic pause: "A game night." She grinned as she put a pile of games on the table, taking the last open spot next to Morgan. "Most of them are only for six players so I was thinking we could just work in teams, which adds another level of difficulty." The team looked at her skeptically.

"Looks like, this is getting a touch of a date night after all." Garcia grinned as her eyes wandered between the four singles. "How are you going to split up?" She then asked, although everyone already knew that Derek and Emily would team together. Everyone in the team had noticed how close they had gotten and it was obvious, only the couple wouldn't admit it.

"Well it would only make sense that Morgan and Emily team up, after all they are partners in the field and that leaves me and Ashley." The newly formed team glanced at each other as they had both noticed the blush creeping into Reid's face as he finished his sentence.

"Sounds good to me," Ashley added, which had Emily almost bursting into laughter. They started the first game and soon everyone was involved. All the teams worked surprisingly well, since everyone seemed to be trained to read each other's minds.

"I'll get more snacks." Em stood up laughing about the recent outcome of the game. "Ash would you giving me a hand?" She didn't make much of a deal out of it, as she singled the young agent out. As the kitchen door closed behind them, she eyed her.

"Are you crushing on our little genius?"

The blonde seemed to pale and blush at the same time, which left her with pink shining cheeks. "Is it that obvious?"

Emily nodded with a small smile, "Well you are hanging out with a group of profilers and since I trained you, I had to profile you before. I don't think the others really noticed yet."

"Well it's nothing really." The brunette was sure to see the younger woman blushing even more and curiously raised an eyebrow on her. "Well I would like there to be more, but we are moving just really slow." She looked up from preparing another treat bowl. "To slow. Not even to talk about the fact that half of our dates don't even happen because one of us gets called on a case."

"I can see that." Emily smiled sympathetically as she filled her set of bowls with more chips. "But you are cute together, so don't give up." She smiled, before opening the door the dining room.

The night had been a huge success, but sadly ended way too soon for her liking. Will and JJ were the first to leave, because their babysitter had other appointments and so Spencer and Ashley left as well, since they had shared a ride with the couple. Garcia and Kevin stayed a little longer chatting with their friends, but finally they agreed that it was time for them to leave as well.

As Emily returned from the door, the dining room was abandoned. She rolled her eyes as she headed for the living room, where she found her last guest spread on a couch.

"How can you arrange your couches in such a weird way?" He looked over to her with a smirk on his face. "That's really close to bad taste, you know." She couldn't help but laugh, as she walked over sit next to him.

"Your living room, Mr. Morgan, is just a mess, so don't you criticize mine." Now it was his turn to laugh, before he turned serious.

"I miss having you around. The house seems empty."

"Tell me about it. I told you this house is way too big for Sergio and me." He smiled slightly over her complaining as he knew that she wouldn't trade the house for anything in the world.

"Are you up for a movie?" She asked, reaching for the TV remote.

"What do you got?"

She was about to respond as the phone started ringing. "There is a box next to the TV, chose whatever, while I take that."

"Prentiss?" She had her cell to her ear walking out of the room.

"How are you doing, Emily?" She was surprised to hear his voice and the worst popped into her mind.

"Is something wrong with Declan?"

"He is fine. Well at least not in any danger." She didn't like the way Tom was phrasing this. She closed the door of her home office behind her, before seating herself into her chair.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I requested a permanent assignment in Europe. I met someone and it's getting serious. They approved me today, so I talked to Declan." She predicted on his pausing that the teenager hadn't been too fond of the idea. "He refuses to go with me. One of his arguments is to stay close to you."

The thoughts rushed through her head. She had been in touch with the boy from time to time. She knew it was partly to assuage her guilt. She felt like she owed him, after her team had taken down both his parents in front of him. And then there were still the motherly feelings she had unsuccessfully tried to suppress ever since first meeting the boy. "I'm sorry Tom; I didn't realize that he was getting that attached."

Silence spread and she wasn't sure what else to say. There wasn't really anything she could do about the situation.

"I know that he means a lot to you and you would have adopted him nine years ago, if that hadn't been too dangerous for him."

"What are you trying to say?"

"You are the closest to a parent he has and I can see, why he wants you in his life. The reason why I'm calling is actually to ask you, if you could, and more importantly, would take him."

She lifted the phone from her ear to eye it, not sure if she had really just heard that.

"Don't get me wrong. I don't want to get rid of him or anything, but he would never forgive me if I forced him to Europe and I know that he is in good hands with you." She could hear in his voice that he was struggling with what he was saying. "I don't like to admit it, but you two are closer from a few phone calls than we ever got. Louise took care of him and I was assigned overseas so often…" He trailed off, not sure what he wanted to say.

"But you are his father."

"I never officially adopted him. Your name was listed first on all the contacts. Gosh Emily, don't make this any harder than it is. I know that it is the best, and more importantly, what Declan wants. All I need to know is, if you are willing to try."

Emily sat there silently. Right after she had put Declan with Tom as a foster parent she had wished for nothing more than to be the one raising the little boy. She had gotten too involved with the case and when it came down to Declan, she was even willing to admit it. She had faked the little boy's death to protect him, just like a mother would have wanted to protect him. But now she wasn't sure if she could handle him.

"Tom my job is not exactly child friendly."

"I think he is used to that." She could hear him chuckle. "He said he would stay in the boarding school and only come home on your weekends off."

"He suggested that?" She asked incredulous.

"Believe me he has this planned out."

"I don't even know how to be a mother."

"Neither did I when you put a five year old in my house. It comes naturally and you two are already close so it will be even easier."

"You really think that is the right thing to do?" It was not that she didn't want to. It was just the fear of failing that stopped her from doing so.

"I wouldn't ask you, if I didn't."

She nodded slowly, until she remembered that he couldn't see that through the phone. "When is he moving?"

"My assignment starts at the beginning of next month that gives me three weeks of sorting through things and moving Declan."

"Three weeks." It was a weak statement.

"Emily, I know you can do this. I'll call you again tomorrow, after I've talked things through with Declan. Maybe you could come down to the house sometime."

Again she nodded, this time not realizing that he couldn't see it. "Talk to you later."

She put her phone down, sitting in her chair like she was in some sort of trance. She had expected a lot for this evening, but certainly not becoming a mother of a teenager. It was true she had loved Declan and she still did, but after missing eight years of his life things just didn't seem as easy as they were with a five year old.

"Emily?"

Her train or thought got interrupted by Morgan's voice. She had totally forgotten that he was still here and she had no clue how to face him now. She wouldn't be able to hide things from him very long, especially not in the state of shock she was in right now. Finally she got up, taking a deep breath before making her way back into to living room.

"That was one long phone call; I was about ready to start without you." He joked from the couch as he heard her steps.

"Sorry." She sat down next to him: "Ready now."

"You okay?" Derek looked at her suspiciously. The fun atmosphere from earlier was gone and her head was clearly processing the phone call.

"Yeah I'm fine, just start the movie." She wasn't okay and she knew it, but the situation seemed too unreal to just talk about it.

"Who did you talk to on the phone?"

"That's really none of your business."

"You sneaked around in my phone the other day and now you tell me it's none of my business?" He looked at her with raised eyebrows. She stared at the black screen of the TV. Really she wasn't in the mood to argue with him, but how should she explain something that she didn't quite understand herself right now.

"Emily."

"I just became mother of a thirteen year old and I have no clue how to handle it." She finally blurted out. Her voice was quiet and at first he wasn't sure if he had understood her right.

"You what?"

"Tom, my friend who raised Declan, he wants me to take him." She turned slowly to look in his eyes. "My life is a mess, how am I supposed to take care of a child?"

Derek stared at her quietly. She wasn't sure what he was thinking, but his being speechless wasn't the kind of help she had been hoping for. It only gave her time to think about what she didn't want to think about. She had never thought about being a mother, especially after her abortion so long ago and the fact that she was still not in a stable relationship. On the other hand living with Doyle and Declan had been the only time when she seriously considered being part of a family. But the situation had been very different. Declan hadn't gone through everything he'd been now. Talking to him on the phone once in a while was totally different from raising him at her place and dealing with everything he was going through in his daily life.

"Your life is not a mess." She threw him a skeptical glance, after all that statement had taken him way too long to be true. "And you already proved how much you care for him eight years ago."

"Yeah I faked his death, pointed a weapon on him; not very convincing mother qualities if you ask me."

"You did do that to protect him and you protected him because of the mother instinct he awoke in you."

"Derek that is…" She wasn't able to finish her sentence before he rudely interrupted her.

"After we stopped the plane and McDermott brought out Declan, when the shooting started it was you who didn't care for your own life but ran to get Declan out of the line of fire."

"I would have done that for any child."

"Maybe, but not as blindly; you came back, we were all dying to hear what happened, but you put Declan as your first priority." He got an apologetic glance, indicating that she read something into his last sentence that he hadn't been trying to say. "Now don't get me wrong, I wasn't mad, but what I'm trying to say is, we are your family and it must take a lot for Declan to get a higher priority."

She was about to protest when she realized that he was right. No matter how hard a case was or how involved they got, the team always was on highest priority.

"And no matter how hard you try to make yourself believe that, you are not alone. In fact both Hotch and JJ have sons, so they should be able to help you. Not necessarily with teenager stuff, but with boys and parenting."

She nodded, still not convinced of her motherly talents.

"Plus, you said just a couple of minutes ago that the house was too big for you and Sergio. I think moving Declan in would definitely make that problem disappear."

Now a smile crept over her face. She would need time to get used to it, but hopefully, she would eventually figure it out.

"Let's watch that movie." She finally changed the topic.