Agent Morgan had remained quiet and withdrawn on the way back to the jet. They all knew he was shaken by the events of that evening. The fact that he had saved Stanley, the boy who had trusted the man who had murdered his mother, wasn't enough to pull him out of this. They also knew there was only one person who could and she had already taken the seat in the back across from him.
"You want to talk about it?" she asked.
He stared out the window. "Not really." His gaze then shifted to meet hers with a small smile. "But you won't accept that answer, will you?"
She shook her head. "I'll get some coffee."
He watched his partner walk to the front of the jet. Many parts of Emily Prentiss were still an enigma to him. Over time they had learned to trust each other, something that didn't come easy for either of them and, for that, he was grateful. She got him without question or judgment just as he got her the same way.
Placing the coffee on the table in front of him, she looked at her partner. "There was nothing you, or any of us, could have done. He had killed the mother long before we even knew about the case."
"I know." He wrapped his hands around the warm mug. "How is he supposed to live with this? That the man who had become a friend, a mentor, was the very man who murdered his mother?"
"It's not fair," Emily offered.
They sat in silence drinking their coffee.
"I know what it's like," he whispered. "To be hurt by an adult you trust with your life."
Her heart broke a little every time he had to return to that dark place. "I know you do." She reached out and touched his hand that was resting on the table. "You survived and are changing lives for the better every day. You're proof that good can come from bad. I believe Stanley will be okay because you are. He may go on to outdo us, hell, even outshine Reid one day as a profiler helping the most vulnerable or cure cancer or anything he sets his mind to."
Morgan smiled and squeezed her hand but still refused to meet her eyes.
She glanced around the jet to make sure everyone was out of earshot then whispered, "Why don't you come over and use my hot tub tonight."
That got his attention and his eyes shot up to hers.
"There's a TV, you can catch the game. You need to relax and trust me, the hot tub works wonders."
For the first time in days, the mischievous glint returned to his eyes. "Will you be joining me, Agent Prentiss?"
"In your dreams," she laughed. "The guest room is all yours if you want. The usual for dinner?"
"Throw in an extra egg roll and you're on." He paused. "Thank you, Emily."
"Derek, you never have to thank me. We have each others backs and not just on the job."
"I know but you always know exactly what to say or do to make me snap out of it and feel better."
"As do you," she replied.
The rest of the ride was in peaceful silence. Prentiss napped while Morgan tried to come to terms with things. He glanced over at her when she mumbled something and pulled the blanket tighter around her. No matter how difficult things were he knew he'd be fine as long as she was with him.