AN: So here is another chapter of this story. I appreciate you all waiting patiently for it. I seriously need to get over my story ADD and stop working on so many stories at one time. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Also: The final ballot for the 2011 Profiler's Choice Criminal Mind Awards is up at Chit Chat on Author's Corner. come check out the awesome stories that made the ballot, including mine in several categories. So, if you have the time show your appreciation for the author's who work hard to bring you these stories. Voting is open until November 30th!


As Benjamin Sellers disappeared into the crowd of his former students, the former public high school principal grateful for the opportunity to see what the teenagers he had known had accomplished with their lives, Spence Reid got to his feet. The conversation with Principal Sellers had been enjoyable but now the federal agent figured it was time to leave. Ethan was getting along fine without him and there wasn't anyone else present that Reid really wanted to spend time with. Besides, leaving on a positive note seemed like a good way to end the evening.

Turning to head for the door, Reid came face to face with another familiar face from his past. ~So much for leaving without anyone noticing, ~ Reid thought as he stopped in front of the petite blonde blocking his path.

"Well, well, Spencer Reid," the blonde said, a mischievous smile coming to her face. "I heard you had gotten the courage to show your face here. Where are you off to? Going to meet someone behind the field house perhaps?"

Reid wasn't sure what to do. He knew she was baiting him and he didn't feel like playing hers or anyone else's games tonight. The night had just gotten worse as flashbacks from the incident back in high school came back to him. Deciding to be the bigger person, Reid decided to attempt a courteous response.

"Hello, Harper. You're looking good. How have you been?" Reid asked, forcing a smile. ~A quick conversation with her and then I'll excuse myself and get out of here, ~ Reid told himself as he stuffed his hands deep into the pockets of his dress pants.

"I've been fine. Larry and I have been happily married for twelve years now. We've got two little boys. You remember Larry don't you?"

~Of course I remember Larry Nielsen, ~ Reid thought, thinking about the burly wide receiver who had held him down fifteen years ago while Rick and Ned Clarkson had stripped him. Both Larry and Ned had been with Rick at the table drinking beer, and Reid nervously cast a glance over his shoulder in that direction to make sure the football players were still there.

"Yes, I do. What is he doing these days?" Reid managed to ask, focusing his attention back on Harper Hillman, once he was satisfied that the football guys haven't moved from their table. The action hadn't been missed by Harper.

"He's actually coaching here now. Has been for the last five years. Larry enjoys it," Harper said, smiling sweetly.

"Good for him," Reid told her, trying to sound sincere.

"What about you, Spencer? What did you decide to do after high school? Hopefully it wasn't anything that put you in front of the camera. You weren't very photogenic in high school."

Reid felt a cold sense of dread wash over him at the mention of cameras. Trying not to show it, the young doctor answered her question. "I got a few degrees from Caltech and MIT and joined the FBI."

"FBI, huh?" Harper said. "Bet your co-workers would get a laugh at some pictures I have of you. At least I think I still have them in a box somewhere."

Reid knew exactly what pictures she was speaking of and knew that if those pictures ever showed up at the BAU that he would never be able to show his face there again. Wouldn't be able to face Morgan despite the fact that the dark-skinned profiler was already aware that those pictures possibly existed. Admitting to Morgan what happened and having the older agent actually see those pictures were two entirely different things.

"I wouldn't want to put you to any trouble, Harper," Reid replied, managing to keep his voice a whole lot calmer than how he actually felt.

Reid didn't miss the slight frown that showed up briefly on Harper's face. Before she could think of anything else to say, Reid decided to excuse himself.

"If you don't mind I'm getting a bit of a headache from the noise in here and I think I'm going to call it an early evening. It was good seeing you again, though," Reid told her.

Without waiting for a reply, Reid stepped around Harper Hillman Nielsen and out of the auditorium. He wanted to leave the reunion even more than before now. He was half tempted to start walking and telling Morgan to pick him up at some point along the way. ~That would go over really well, ~ Reid thought as he pulled his cell phone of his pocket. He could just hear the lecture Morgan would give him if he took that course of action. Right now though, he didn't really care. Any lecture Morgan could manage to dish out would be preferable than another encounter like the one he had just had with Harper.

"Spencer," a familiar voice called out, stopping Reid from flipping his cell phone open. Pausing and turning back in the direction he had just come from, he saw Alexa hurrying out of the auditorium. "Are you leaving?"

"Yeah. I think I've had enough of this scene," Reid replied, unable to use his lie about the headache that he had told Harper on Alexa. He might have been over his adolescent crush but the fact that she had been nice to him this evening, prevented him from telling even that small lie to her. "It was good to see you again though."

"Can we talk for a few minutes before you leave?" Alexa asked. "Ten minutes tops," she added seeing Reid's hesitate at the suggestion. "I want just a few minutes to talk to you without the others around."

Reid nodded his consent. Alexa looked around the atrium for a place away from other people in which they would talk figuring that Spencer wouldn't want to go back into the cafeteria and take the risk of attracting Ethan's attention as he had been trying to slip out without his friend being aware of it in the first place. She noticed that there was currently nobody at the steps that led up to the second floor of the school. With a nod in that direction, she headed that way. Reaching the steps, Alexa sat down on them and patted the step next to her. Feeling a bit hesitant, Reid sat down on the steps and waited for Alexa to speak as she had approached him.

"Spencer, there is something I've been hoping to get a chance to tell you something, but I was starting to think I wouldn't actually get a chance to see you in person and it didn't seem like something that should have been said over the phone or email or anything."

"Well, I'm here now," Reid said, hoping to encourage her to get this over with without being rude as he really did want to leave before something more happened.

"I just wanted to tell you in person that I'm sorry for my part in what happened our senior year. What we did wasn't only mean but morally wrong and I'm ashamed to have been a part of it. I'm ashamed to say it took my own son facing some bullies at school for me to realize it, but I do now."

Reid wasn't sure what to say. He wasn't sure what he had been expecting Alexa to bring up but an outright apology like the one she had just made hadn't even been giving a passing thought. The fact that she had been civil to him tonight had been as much as he thought he was going to get.

"I know expecting you to forgive me for my part in the incident is asking a lot. I'm not sure I could in your position. I know I couldn't forgive anyone who did something like that to my Daniel, but I had to make the apology."

"I appreciate the gesture," Reid finally managed to stammer. He couldn't bring himself to quite forgive any of it though. Even now the humiliation he had suffered was to keen. Even if forgiveness couldn't be given right away perhaps there was something he could do to at least make things less awkward between them. "And you're right, I don't think I'm ready to just outright forgive what happened but what do you say we put it behind us. A part of the past that need never be brought up again?"

Alexa nodded. "I can deal with that," she told him, a small, slightly forced smile.

"Do you have a piece of paper and a pen?" Reid asked.

"Yeah, give me a moment," Alexa said as she took her purse off her shoulder. A few moments of digging around in it, and she came up with a small notebook and a pen which she handed to Reid.

Taking the items, Reid quickly wrote his name and cell phone number down on the piece of paper before handing it back to he. "Give my number to Daniel and let him know that if he ever needs someone to talk to, to call me," Reid told her, his thoughts going to Owen. If there had been someone for Owen to talk to about what was going on that understood what the bullying was like, would things have gotten to the point that they had? He wasn't sure but what he did know was that any kid subjected to that kind of bullying had a chance to go down that road. As a mother, Alexa was going to have a lot of fears and tough situations that she was going to have to face and if he could spare her at least that, then perhaps everything he went through as a kid would have at least served a purpose.

Alexa took the notebook back, her fingers brushing Reid's hand slightly as she did so. "Thanks, but I don't understand why you're doing this."

"I know what it's like to be in Daniel's position and I also know that having someone who understands can make a world of difference."

Reid felt his classmates scrutinizing gaze on him and hoped she didn't ask for a clearer explanation. He didn't want to go into details. Didn't want to get her worrying about things that she didn't need to.

Even if Alexa wanted to inquire further, she didn't get the chance as their conversation was interrupted.

"Oh, look Larry, pipsqueak finally gets his meeting with Alexa," Rick said loudly, his words slurred from the alcohol he had consumed. He poked his old football buddy in the ribs and both men laughed.

"Perhaps we should take him out behind the field house for old times sake," Larry joked back, reaching out for Reid's arm.

Reid got quickly to his feet and to a step sideways so that he wasn't backed up against the steps. It was definitely time for him to leave.

"You know he's supposedly an FBI agent now," Rick said, his fingers sloppily making a quote gesture with the words 'FBI agent'. "Perhaps he might actually be able to put up a fight now."

"I think what would be best is if the two of you called it a night. You've obviously had too much to drink tonight," Reid said, his voice conveying a confidence that he didn't quite feel inside. "I could call you a cab if need be," Reid said, his eyes taking in his surroundings. He found himself wishing that he had let Morgan come with him tonight.

"You're offering to call me a cab?" Rick slurred. "I don't need a cab. I'm perfectly capable of getting myself home. Badge or no badge, I sure don't need help from the likes of you. I'm sure I could still take you," he added, starting to unbutton the cuffs of his dress shirt.

"Rick, why don't you grow up," Alexa shot back at him, before grabbing Reid's arm and leading him away from the two football players. She walked with Reid to the front door, casting a couple of glances over her shoulder to make sure Rick and Larry weren't following.

"I think it's definitely time for me to call it a night," Reid said as they stepped through the first set of doors at the school's entrance.

"Sorry, it had to end like that," Alexa told him.

"It's not your fault," Reid told her.

"It was good to see you again, Spencer. Take care of yourself."

"Thanks. You too, and I was serious about letting Daniel know that he can call me."

"I appreciate it and I'll definitely let him know," Alexa told him. Standing on tip toes she placed a kiss on his cheek. "You're a good guy, Spencer Reid," she told him before turning and heading back into the school.

As Morgan listened to Garcia recount her latest Henry stories, he was never sure who talked about the little boy more - Garcia or JJ, the dark-skinned profiler glanced down at his watch. He let out a sigh when he saw that it was only eight-thirty.

"Am I boring you, Stud Muffin?" Garcia asked, sounding a bit put out.

Morgan cringed realizing that she had heard his sigh over the phone. "What? Of course not, Baby Girl!" he said quickly. "I just glanced at my watch and realized that this night is going by awfully slow."

"And you're worried about our Boy Genius," Garcia commented, finishing the thought for him.

"I guess I am," Morgan admitted, conceding that once again this conversation was going to find its way back to the topic he had tried to steer it away from earlier.

"If you would have just bit the bullet and told him how you feel about him then perhaps you would be at that reunion with him instead of agonizing over how slow the evening is going."

"More likely I'd be at home regretting how I had screwed up one of my most important friendships," Morgan countered.

This time he heard Garcia sigh over the connection. "Men can be so stubborn sometimes. I'm starting to think that the only way to make the two of you see the light is to work a little Garcia magic."

Morgan felt his heart skip a beat. Part of him knew that she would be more than willing to meddle in the lives of her friends, especially if she thought she was doing something to help them out and that terrified him. If he and Reid had a shot at being with one another, and that was a big if, then it had to come on their terms not some energetic, blonde goddess of color who was trying to help out her friends.

"Baby Girl, I'm begging you, stay out of this," he said softly into the phone.

The words were met with silence. He was starting to wonder if she had hung up on him when he heard her voice.

"Of course I will, Derek. I didn't mean to upset you."

"I know you didn't," he told her with a sigh. "It's just that, well this has to happen on our terms, Baby Girl. Even if that turns out to be never - do you understand?"

"Yes, Derek, I do. I still think you're being pig-headed and stupid though."

"But you still love me, right?"

"You know I do, Sugar," Garcia said cheerfully just as Morgan heard a beep in his ear indicating another incoming call.

"Garcia, I got another call coming in so I'll talk to you later."

"Okay. Bye, Sugar."

"Bye, Mama," Morgan replied quickly before disconnecting the call. The incoming call was from Reid, and immediately Morgan's minds flashed through things that could have gone wrong. "Hey Reid, what's up?" he asked, answering the call and trying to keep his voice calm.

"I'm ready to leave. Can you come get me?"

Morgan tried to gauge the situation from the sound of Reid's voice. His friend sounded nervous but not upset. Still, Morgan got a feeling that something wasn't quite right.

"Are you okay, Reid?" Morgan asked, the question slipping out automatically even as Derek inwardly cringed at it. He knew how defensive Reid could get when he felt someone was being over protective of him, and the last thing he wanted to do was put his friend on the defensive. Still, even as he said the words, Morgan was already headed out of the casino he was in and toward the parking garage the rental was in.

"I'm fine. I'm just ready to call it a night," Reid replied.

Morgan considered asking for more details but decided it didn't really matter right then. Reid was ready to leave. He could figure out why his friend was leaving the reunion so early after he picked him up.

"Okay. I'm on my way there. Are you going to meet me out front?"

"Yeah," Reid replied quickly.

Though Reid didn't say it, Morgan could almost hear the unspoken plea to hurry in his friend's one word answer.

"I'll be there soon, Kid," Morgan told him reassuringly, wishing once again that he was already at the reunion with his friend.

Morgan ended the call and put his cell phone back on the clip at his hip. ~If anyone has done anything to him, so help me . . . ~ Morgan thought as he walked quickly toward his destination.