Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, yeah, not mine. Sadly. Criminal Minds belong to others.

Rating: K

Summary: Post-It Takes a Village. Derek has other reasons for acting the way he did about Emily's return. A reason only the two of them know.

Author Note: Usually I try to keep within the realm of the show but this story was nagging at me even after writing the other post-ep. I took a few liberties here.

Is It Real?

It had been a long day for the entire team. Between defending themselves and their actions and being reunited with a beloved friend they thought long dead, the late hour took its toll. Soon it was only Morgan and Prentiss left standing in the office.

An awkward silence fell between them. Morgan had been angry. Angry at Hotch and JJ for not telling him. Angry at them for letting him go through hell. Angry at the woman standing very much alive before him. He knew no one was to blame. That Hotch had been right, it had been about saving Emily and, for that, he should be grateful and understanding but it didn't erase the months of tears, of rage, of agony.

"Derek?" came the soft whisper followed by a light touch on his shoulder.

"How? How are you able to act like nothing happened? Like you weren't 'dead' for seven months?"

"Survival." It was as honest an answer as she had ever given. The hand on his arm slid down to take his hand in hers.

He met her eyes.

"I am so sorry. They had no way to know and by the time I was recovered enough to think of telling JJ you had already buried me. You had already mourned me for nearly two months." Tears escaped from her eyes, tears she had been holding back for days.

Morgan squeezed her hand. "I… I lost you. I…"

Seeing the tears in his eyes, she gently tugged at his hand. "Let's take this somewhere private."

Prentiss heart skipped when she stepped into Morgan's apartment. She never thought she'd be there again. She smiled and turned to him. "Still the same."

He nodded. "I couldn't bring myself to change a thing. It was all I had left."

In an instant, she was in his arms and they clung to each other for dear life.

"I missed you so much," he whispered into her ear.

She couldn't speak so she held him tighter.

Eventually they pulled back enough to look at each other but not let go. He ran his fingers through her hair. "I'm still afraid to believe this is real."

"It's real. I'm real. I'm alive. I'm here and I'm never going anywhere again." She leaned in and softly touched his lips with her own for the first time in far too long.

That was all it took. Months of agony, pain, loss consumed them both and the kiss quickly deepened to one of passion and longing and love.

Breaking for air, they rested their foreheads against each other and Emily laughed.

"What's so funny, Princess?"

"If only JJ and Hotch knew the real reason why I desperately wanted you to know the truth." Suddenly she stopped laughing. "JJ is going to feel horrible when she finds out."

"Em, it was to save you."

"But we were together. You had a right to know."

He let her go and took both her hands in his for the first time since that night when he found her bleeding on the cold, warehouse floor. "It meant keeping you alive. I'd go through it all again if it meant saving your life."

"Still…"

"Don't do this to yourself. You're here. We have a second chance."

She smiled.

"And what did you me we 'were' together?" he teased. "Did you break up with me in Paris?"

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she responded, "Never in a million years," before kissing him again.