"She refuses to leave until Reid is in the ambulance with her," Prentiss said in frustration. "And she needed to leave five minutes ago; those burns are really something else."

Reid nodded, smoothing the front of the Rochester PD sweatshirt that someone had recovered from a squad car for him. "What about the—"
"We'll take care of everything," JJ assured him.

Reid took a deep breath, nodding again and slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Th—thanks for everything."

"Don't worry about it," Rossi dismissed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Try to get some rest."

Reid approached the ambulance, surrounded by medical personnel trying to tend to Lorelei, who was making it clear that she wanted nothing other than to be left alone. From behind a squad car, Hotch appeared.

"Reid," he began, visibly nervous, "I heard what Jarvis said. About…about me."

Reid nodded, rocking back on her heels. "I jeopardized the team. I jeopardized my life."

"You saved her," Hotch stepped closer. "I know how hard it is to do this job when someone you care about is in danger." Reid looked away, embarrassed. "What you did in there exceeded my wildest expectations."

Reid looked back, his caramel eyes bewildered.

"You amazed me," Hotch repeated, clapping a hand on Reid's shoulder.

Reid nodded, biting his lip. "Thank you."

He continued toward the ambulance, swallowing hard. He saw Morgan, standing a good distance away and talking on his phone. When he saw Reid he abruptly hung up, calling out his name.

"Reid!" he called, jobbing over. "How you feeling, Kid?"

Reid shrugged. "I have a shirt on; can't complain."

Morgan chuckled, nodding. "It's not true. What he said—about Hotch."

"He told me," Reid nodded.

"But you don't believe him," Morgan finished. Reid swallowed, shifting his weight. "Reid, you in there unarmed, with your hands literally tied behind your back." He looked over at the ambulance. "And you saved her life."

Reid looked down at his loafers. "How can I make this feeling go away?"

"I don't know," Morgan said softly, "but I do know there's a lot of people who search their whole lives for what you're feeling and never find it."

When Reid looked back up, Morgan tousled his hair. "Maybe it's not such a bad feeling to have, Pretty Boy."

Reid chuckled, trying to fix his hair. Morgan motioned forward, looking at him slyly. "She's waiting."

Reid turned around, taking the last few steps to where Lorelei lay, strapped to a stretcher just outside the ambulance. She wore a gauze turban and her wrists were heavily bandaged. Ointment and antiseptic all but covered her face and neck.

She looked at him with a weak smile. "How do I look?"

"You're alive," he said simply, an irrepressible half-smile on his face.

"Yeah," she dropped her eyes, "thanks to you."

He took a step closer, placing his slender hand gently on top of hers. "Even through all," he took a deep breath, "all that…you didn't talk."

"Yeah, well," she pursed her lips, "I decide what I will or won't do." She looked at him, a sparkle in her eyes. "And I won't stop fighting for the people I love."

He swallowed hard, raising his eyebrows on the L-word. "I, just, uh…I thought you were really brave."

She bit her lip sheepishly. "Well, I thought…coming down there to…to save me was pretty brave, too."

His hand lay still on top of hers. Realizing the awkwardness of it all, Reid began to withdraw it. But in response, Lorelei turned her hand over to grasp his long fingers in her own.

"Will you stay with me until we get to the hospital?"

Reid smiled warmly. "I'd be glad to."