A/N: Hello all. So, this story takes place after the season 6 episode, Safe Haven. And it also references the episode Children of the Dark from Season 3. So if you haven't seen those two episodes then there are major spoilers ahead for you. Hope you enjoy! Please R&R, thanks!

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.

A Good Guy:

It was late when Derek Morgan switched off the lamp at the corner of his desk. In fact, he might have been the only one left there, considering he'd out lasted Hotch.

He had wanted to make sure his part of the paper work for the Jeremy Sayer case was finished. The kid might have been only thirteen, but in Morgan's eyes the kid was just a psychopath, pure and simple. He wanted to make sure that he'd have a hard time getting out of wherever he got put away. Because why should he have an easy time of it when those mothers, fathers and kids did not?

He rubbed at his tired eyes, realizing a bit too late that he may have overdone it that day. He'd taken down a child un-sub, flown back home, only to be confronted with the troubles of a little nine year old girl, that he'd come to care about very much.

Little Ellie Spicer wasn't as fragile as she looked; she'd stood up to Billy Flynn, the Prince of Darkness, for goodness' sake. But things must have been pretty bad for her at her foster home for her to steal a credit card and dodge strict airport security to get all the way to him.

And when she'd told him about the atrocity that was being committed against her at the home she was supposed to feel safe in, well, it all started to hit a little close to home. He vowed right then and there to keep the little girl safe no matter what. And he knew his fellow co-worker, Emily Prentiss, had seen that silent vow in his eyes and, in turn, he could read her reservations about the 'no matter what' part in her own.

A knock came at his door, startling him out of his silent considerations. He looked up to see who was crazier than he, still at work so late on a Friday night. And speak of the devil, Emily was at his door.

"Hey," she said neutrally; though, her down turned eyes and stance told him instantly that her 'hey' was meant to be more of an 'are you ok?'

"Hey," he replied, rubbing at his eyes once again.

"You're still here," she decided to voice her observation.

He shrugged. "So are you."

"Yeah…" she dragged it out. "But I'm not the one who just had the little nine year old girl I'd come to care about and considered adopting go home with her absentee mother."

"Emily, I'm fine," he started, and then, as if he'd just realized what she'd said, blurted out, "How'd you know?"

She gave him a sad look, not as if she were pitying him, but like she understood how he felt. She let out a sigh and came to sit in one of the chairs in front of his desk.

"Remember a few years ago, around when I joined the BAU…" Emily started. "…the two foster brothers in Denver? The ones who thought that they were doing the kids they murdered a favour by killing them and their families?"

Morgan nodded. It was a particularly gruesome and memorable case because of its involvement with child killings. Also for the fact that the two brothers had been so abused as children by their own foster parents.

"Well, it wasn't all bad, there was one survivor of the killings, a young girl," Emily reminded him with fondness in her voice.

"Yeah I remember," Morgan confirmed. "A little girl… thirteen, I think. Her name was…"

"Carrie Ortiz," Emily said quickly.

Morgan shot her a look of wonder at her ability to recall the name from so long ago. Before he could ask for the point of Emily's story and its connection to his own, she blurted it out.

"I seriously considered adopting her, Derek," Emily informed, surprising him. She looked down at her lap as she continued, "She was so broken and yet so strong after what happened to her family. I felt the need to protect her. And I thought the best way of doing that was by taking her into my home," she paused, chuckling mirthlessly, "I guess my maternal instincts kicked in."

He could feel Emily's pain at remembering the life-altering decision she had made and had not come to fruition. "What… what happened?"

"They located an aunt, that lived in LA and was willing to take Carrie in," she said sadly. Emily looked up to attempt to give him a smile, but it faltered quickly.

Morgan came around the desk to take the seat next to hers. He reached forward and brought her hands back to hold in his. "I'm sorry Emily," he said sincerely.

He now knew why she'd had the look of understanding. She'd gone through the same emotions he'd had with Ellie.

Emily gave a bit of a sniffle and attempted to wave off his concern. "It's all right now,' she told him firmly. She pulled back her hands so she could dig into her bag. She pulled out her wallet. "Carrie sends me a photo of her once in a while." She pulled out a picture of the now 17 or 18 year old. "And she writes me, she lets me know how life is going. She got into Yale, you know."

Morgan could hear the pride in Emily's voice and realized that this is what happens when you got involved in an un-sub's victims life. You became painfully invested.

Garcia had tried to tell him that when he'd become close to Tamara Barnes, the sister of a murder victim of a case that the BAU had investigated. That hadn't ended great. And now Emily was showing him what happened to her.

But he cared about Ellie. He wanted to have some part of her in his life. She was a reminder to him that good things could come out of the bad. And he'd take what he could get, whether it was a phone call or a visit every now and then, or even the sort of pen-pal relationship that Emily had with Carrie, either way he didn't really want to forget.

But he had to know one thing first.

"Is it worth it?" he asked his close friend.

He didn't have to elaborate; he could see the look on Emily's face when she looked at the picture that she understood his question.

"Absolutely," Emily answered genuinely.

He smiled at his friend, getting exactly the answer he was hoping for. "Thanks Em," he said affectionately.

She stood up and so did he. She gave him an unexpected, but pleasant hug. "You're welcome, Derek."

Pulling away, she looked up at him. "Now," she said lightly. "Don't you think it's time to go home?"

He nodded tiredly. "I just have to get a few things together. Wait for me in the bull pen and we can walk down to the garage together?"

"Sure," she said; she turned to go, but stopped at the door. "Derek?"

He looked up from closing the folder to their most recent case and murmured, "Hmm…"

"You know you're a good guy, right?" she asked rhetorically.

He smiled brightly. "I'll meet you down there in a minute."

She nodded, returning his smile and then left.

Morgan began to gather a few things he needed to take home with him as he considered everything Emily had told him. She'd given him a lot to think about. But bottom line was keeping in touch with Ellie, even with letters, wouldn't be a bad thing. He'd be calling Ellie's mom to talk real soon.

With his things gathered, he left his office and quickly found Emily waiting for him by the glass doors that separated the BAU from the rest of the Bureau.

Wordlessly, Morgan slung an arm around Emily's shoulders, giving her an affectionate squeeze. They walked side by side down to the garage, silently, until Emily spoke up.

"Hey," she said, all friendly, "Up for a drink at my place?"

Morgan nodded his acquiescence. "Sure, I'll follow you there."

Hope you enjoyed. This is meant to be a one-shot. But I kind of left it open just in case I'd like to continue it in the future. Who knows?

Anyways, let me know what you think! Thanks!