I never was one to not get the girl I wanted. I was known as a player , someone who wouldn't settle down. When it came to women I usually could get anyone I wanted. Until I met Emily Prentiss. From the minute I shook hands with her , and we locked our eyes a little longer than necessary I was attracted to her. By the next Monday I was sure that I was interested in her , because she shared my love of Kurt Vonnegut. Over the next seven or so years our friendship took off , but our romantic relationship didn't. Suddenly , everything was cut short. I held Emily's hand while she was dying right in front of me. Later that night our close friend JJ said she died on the operating table.

I was in a troubled spot for what seemed like a lifetime. I realized that Emily wouldn't ever laugh anymore , or smile. We couldn't go out for drinks together anymore, or to watch action movies. What I missed most of all were our monthly training workouts. Every last Saturday of the month (as long as we didn't have a case) we would do kickboxing and go for a run. We would race on the last block of our run , and loser would by lunch at our favorite burger joint downtown. I was usually buying , because as strong as I am I can't run close to as fast as she can. I wouldn't have the chance to tell her how I really felt. I let myself be stuck in the friend zone , I couldn't even see what was happening to her, and now I had to let her go. Every part of me wanted to hold on to her , but her last words to me kept ringing in my mind. I just couldn't let her go , even if she wanted me to.

I saw her again seven months later, but this time she didn't visit in my dreams , she was there standing in the threshold to the conference room. Her brown orbs were somber, but still showed the determination she always had. Shock was still rapidly flowing throughout my body as she pulled me into a hug , I managed the strength to return the hug. I was so grateful for this moment, yet I still didn't take the chance to tell her how I really felt. Not even a year passed when I almost lost her again, two times in one day was she almost blown up , along with some close friends. Yet , still I was the friend . I could tell she wanted to leave again but I didn't tell her how I felt. I knew I was going to miss her , but I supported her move to London.

It wasn't until Rossi lost Strauss , and Reid lost Maeve that I finally told Emily how I felt. I had been given so many chances when Reid and Rossi got only one. I could have never imagined that the Derek Morgan who felt so utterly friend-zoned would be sitting next to his best friend, who is also his wife. So what I have to say is to anyone in the friend zone is to tell the other person how you feel , I wouldn't be with Emily today if I hadn't taken that chance. Don't wait until the person you love is gone. Tell them now , before you lose them.