A/N: This is my contribution for the Pick a Pair Challenge on the country music prompts forum. The song prompt was Last One Standing by Emerson Drive.

Disclaimer: I do not own Last One Standing. No copyright infringement is intended. It was composed by Richard Marks, Brett James, Tom McHugh, Bryan Wayne and Fee Waybill.

Last One Standing

What in God's name was he doing here, Reid thought? What had possessed him to say yes to an after work evening at a country and western hangout; although he figured he hadn't been given much choice. His desire to not rock the boat, which floated precariously on the most tenuous of waters at best since Emily's resurrection and Hotch's and JJ's lies had come to light, had overridden his better judgment, which had been to tell them all to shove it and go home. That's what had come to his mind when Morgan asked him; he'd avoided spending any personal time with JJ or Emily since her return to the living, which she'd never really left, unbeknownst to him, of course. Was he supposed to just suck it up and take it the way he had all his life with the beatings and bullying? Was he never going to be allowed to tell this world that, at the moment, he was thoroughly pissed? But then he'd looked at Garcia's eyes that had pleaded with him to say yes, pleaded with him to try to make it like it was before and Morgan's glower that told him it would not be wise to disappoint his goddess. That had sealed the deal. They were the two people after all, that hadn't lied to him.

The girls were thrilled and JJ ran home to change and grab Will who managed to arrange a sitter on short notice while Reid rode with Morgan, Garcia and Emily to her place so she, too, could change. Now he sat here looking, and feeling, like an idiot. When Emily had returned to the car she'd instructed him to take off his tie. He'd informed her he didn't want to take off his tie. He considered that he looked all right with it on. She continued until Morgan and Garcia had said together, "Reid, just take your tie off already." He'd irritably removed his tie and felt Emily put something around his neck although he couldn't see what it was in the darkness of the vehicle. He felt it tighten near his neck.

"What's that?" He'd asked.

"A bolo tie," Emily replied. "It looks good on you." He'd attempted to fiddle with it. "Leave it alone. It looks good on you." He was again reminded. He couldn't see himself so he wasn't so sure.

He sipped his club soda in the dimly lit country nightclub, called imaginatively, The Saloon and watched the couples on the dance floor. JJ and Will, along with Morgan and Garcia, were swaying to Keith Urban's Making Memories of Us. JJ was now in a denim dress that buttoned up the front, clung to her curves and ended at the knee where it met a pair of black leather boots. The flared skirt of Garcia's dress, white with colorful flowers, swirled as she danced to the music, her arms around Derek who'd replaced his tee shirt with a black shirt. Emily had made a trip to the ladies' room but he spotted her on her way back. She'd changed into a brown suede skirt that flared to the knees and matching boots. Her top was pink and silky with lace at the shoulder and neckline that went all the way down both sleeves. She looked beautiful he thought, her dark hair such a contrast to the soft pink of the lacy top she wore. He'd never seen her in anything like that at work. He immediately chided himself for thinking such a thing. This was a woman who'd lied and betrayed him, who didn't care how he'd suffered over her. He wasn't sure he wanted to be at the table alone with her.

He gave a slight sigh of relief when she was snagged by a cowboy, complete with boots, jeans, a plaid shirt and a Stetson hat which he doffed in Emily's presence, revealing a head of curly blond hair. He saw Emily hesitate, but moments later, the man was leading her to the dance floor where the tempo had changed and Brooks and Dunn were now singing about My Maria. At the end of the song, she smiled and turned to return to the table when he pulled her into his arms while Kenny Chesney admitted that You Had Me From Hello. When Kenny had finished, Brad Paisley began reminding everyone that I'm Still a Guy. Morgan and Garcia had switched partners with JJ and Will and the men were good naturedly watching the way the other held his girl. He glanced at Emily. She looked like she'd rather be anywhere else than where she was at that moment. She caught his eye over her partner's shoulder and he could see her mouth something to him, "Help me!"

Help her, how was he going to help her? Did she want him to come on the dance floor and risk making a fool of himself to get her out of a sticky situation? He'd already been through enough because of her, he thought as Brad sang, "There's a gun in my truck. Thank God, I'm still a guy." Suddenly he heard a gun click in his mind and then a voice said, "It's me." He saw Benjamin Cyrus dragging Emily away by the hair. He saw the cuts and bruises from the beating she'd taken for him and she'd said she'd do it again, and she had done it again hadn't she, with Ian Doyle. He found himself getting to his feet without even realizing and walking toward the dance floor as the music changed once again.

Queen of the night
Life of the party
It's all an illusion
You can't hide that big of heartache
So stop the delusion
Waitin' for someone's rescue
My arms are right here for you

He found himself tapping the cowboy on the shoulder and Emily smiled broadly as she almost jumped into his arms, leaving the cowboy no option but to go in search of a drink or another dance partner. "I don't know how to dance," he admitted once the man was gone.

"It doesn't matter. Just stand in one place and move your feet. I don't care." She fingered the bolo tie. "That does look good on you."

"I was thinking…" Reid began.

Emily covered his lips with her fingers. "You think too much, just feel." Her arms slid around him more tightly

Through the wind and the rain
Through the laughter and pain
Count on me
And when life isn't fair
And there's nobody there, I will be
In a world of pretenders

He felt Emily's head on his shoulder and he couldn't stop the memories,

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being you."

"I don't know how to be anyone else."

"That's what I love about ya."

I am your defender

His mind suddenly seemed to explode like the compound had in Colorado. Through the smoke and the flames, he and Morgan had come out alive and there she was walking up to him with her swollen lips and her bruises, taking him, soot and all, into her arms.

And when it all comes down
I'll be the last one standing