Twenty-one. Sirens

"Start at the beginning. Tell me what happened."

Jessica flashed back to that Friday night. Everything was fine… everything was great. She had a bottle of wine, a good movie, and her best friend. Too bad it went horribly wrong.

Jessica sat down on the couch next to Spencer with a bowl of popcorn. He held up the bottle of wine and she smiled. She desperately needed a drink. She'd been so high strung since her encounter with Dean. He poured her a glass and the two of them clinked their glasses together before she gulped hers down. Spencer hit the play button on the DVD remote and they kicked back to enjoy Al Pacino in 88 Minutes.

After making several cracks at the expense of the movie's inaccuracies, Jessica downed her fourth glass of wine. She was starting to feel the liquid courage coursing through her veins and all she could hear was Dean's voice telling her how much Spencer cared for her. She saw the images of Spencer helping Morgan up after her ordeal with Alistair. And she remembered thinking that she couldn't leave him.

Then it happened. At the pinnacle turn of the plotline in the movie, she snapped Spencer out of his daze and forced her lips over his. He complied at first, grabbing her face on either side with both hands to deepen the kiss. She was blown away… kissing Dean was one thing, but this was in its own category. She pulled back from him and rested her forehead on his. "So that's what I've been missing." She breathed.

Spencer slowly opened his eyes while she spoke. He stuttered something about transference before she rolled her eyes and grabbed his shoulders. "Shut up, Spence." She cut him off, reconnecting their earlier embrace. He pulled her in closer to him and almost abruptly pushed her back.

"I can't do this." He said. "It's unprofessional… i-i-it's against the rules. Not to mention, you're drunk." He pointed out.

"Come on, Spence… don't you think I know how you feel about me?" she slurred. He was right… she was drunk. "I think…" she moved her hands lower to lightly skim his body until they landed on his thighs. "I think this is exactly what you want."

"And how do you feel?" he gulped. She lightly pressed her lips to his again, but refused to answer the question. "Jess… you say you know how I feel. Then you have to know why I can't do this." He started. She sat back up and looked on with confusion. "I mean… I want to… I do." He stressed. "But not like this. And not for one night." He explained. "Are you really ready for something like that? Something serious?"

His questions were sobering. "No." she whispered, moving her hands back to her lap. "I uh… sorry." She grabbed her glass and walked it to the kitchen before she made her way down the hallway to her room, falling on the bed and staring at the wall until she was able to fall asleep.

After telling the story to Bridget, she listened to the silence that filled the other end. "B?" she questioned.

"Wow." She responded. "Jess, do you have feelings for him?"

"Of course I do… but he's right. I can't be what he wants. He wants strings…" she sighed.

"And you don't? Honey, you said that you and Dean were through."

"We are."

"And I understand you want some time to respect what you guys had… but I don't understand the problem. I mean, yeah… it's gonna be awkward between the two of you for a little while. And maybe getting your own place wouldn't be such a bad idea… but if you think there's a chance that you could be with him, I think you should try."

"But in the mean time? We can't work together. We cloud each other's judgment. It's only a matter of time before we get each other hurt, or someone else." Jessica reasoned.

"So what are you gonna do?"

"I don't know…" she sighed. "There's a posting for the field office in Indianapolis. Maybe it's time I request the transfer. That was the plan all along, right? Get back in, wait 6 months, and be able to be back with my family."

"You could." Bridget agreed. "Look, Ken and I support you no matter what you do. But I think you owe it to yourself to at least talk to him."

"I gotta go." Jessica interrupted. "I'll talk to you later. Love you."

"Be smart, Jess. Love you too."

Jessica sighed and grabbed her keys. Maybe a good drive would help her make up her mind.

Penelope Garcia left her comfy office and walked into the bullpen area mid-afternoon Monday, ignoring Morgan's flirting along the way. She marched straight up to her target at the desk directly in front of Derek's and placed a hand on her hip waiting for her own personal UnSub to look up.

"Yes, Garcia?" Jessica asked, noticing her impatient foot tapping and the harsh look that washed over her face.

"We need to talk." Her tone grew cold. Morgan chuckled and muttered something about being in trouble, but both women ignored him.

"Can it wait?" Jessica asked. "I've got more paperwork than I know what to do with." She pointed to the stack of bureau folders on her desk.

"Nope. Sorry." Garcia shook her head.

"Ok…" Jessica responded, standing up. She looked over to Reid's empty chair and her heart nearly fell out of her chest. Nothing was going to be the same; they both knew it. She followed Garcia back to her office and once inside, Penelope shut the door.

"You requested for a transfer." Garcia started off. Jessica sighed and shook her head.

"My private files are supposed to be private, Garcia."

"No, screw that." She glared back. "You want to leave?" she asked, this time her voice sounded sad.

"It's personal." Jessica answered quietly.

"You've been acting strange since you guys got back from Sioux Falls last week. Did something happen?" Her brown eyes pleaded for an explanation. "You're family now Jess… you just want to leave that?"

"No. My family is in Indiana." Jessica corrected her. "All I wanted was to get back in the bureau. I waited my obligatory 6 months before attaining my status and now I want to go home." Her words seemed to have shocked Garcia, but she was too far gone to stop now. "Why is that a bad thing?"

Garcia successfully held back the tears while listening to Jessica talk. That was really all this was to her… a job? They were merely coworkers, nothing more? "Oh." Was all she could manage to say.

"I've already talked to Strauss. She's going to talk to Hotch today… but if everything pans out, I'll be out by next week." Jessica explained. "They've wanted another field team out in Indianapolis anyway. She's thinking of making me a unit chief out there."

"Sounds like everything's working out perfect for you." Penelope all but whispered. "I do have one question though." Jessica stared at her waiting. "What about Reid?"

"He was fine before I got here. He'll be fine now." She answered.

"Does he know?"

"No." Jessica shook her head. "It won't matter anyway. Strauss will force Hotch to sign off on it, so I'm guessing I'll be packing soon." She felt awful. Truth is, she loved Garcia and all her new friends… but things just couldn't go back to normal for her. It was time to go. "I've really got to get back to work."

Garcia just nodded and watched Jessica leave her office. It was only then that she allowed the tears to fall. Something wasn't right with the situation and it didn't take a profiler to figure that out, but Garcia was stuck. Talking to someone else about an agent's personal files was prohibited, but she knew she needed to talk to Morgan. He always knew what to do.

Reid sat back down with his fifth cup of coffee for the day. He hadn't really been drinking it. He would take a few sips and then let it sit until it got cold so that he would have an excuse to get another cup. Any excuse to get up and walk around… anything to keep him from being tempted to look in her direction. Once in his seat, he noticed her absence along with Morgan's intense gaze towards Hotch's closed office. Upon further look, the rest of the bullpen area was watching the office as well.

"What's going on?" Reid asked Prentiss.

"Strauss." Morgan spoke up. "The Ice Queen herself just pulled Taylor into Hotch's office."

"This can't be good." Prentiss added sympathetically.

"Wait…" Garcia announced as she entered the arena. "Strauss is in there?" she asked. Morgan noticed her worried look and became concerned.

"Yeah… what's wrong, Penelope?" he asked.

"I was just coming to talk to you about it." She whispered, taking a seat at his desk. "We're losing a team member." She added.

"What?" he scoffed.

"They're coming out." Prentiss pointed out. As soon as Strauss surfaced into view, everyone went back to looking over files and typing away, looking busy as to not incur her wrath. "Agents Hotchner, Taylor." She nodded in a farewell. "Thank you for your time." She looked out over the rest of the team and adjusted her suit jacket before making her way back to the glass doors. "Agent Jareau." She nodded as she passed JJ on her way out. JJ's look of confusion only grew when she saw everyone else staring up at Hotch's once again closed office.

"What did Strauss want?" she asked Reid once she made it to his desk.

"No idea." He answered flatly, still staring at Jessica's empty chair. What was she doing in a meeting with Hotch and Strauss? Rather than wait around, he stood up and grabbed his things to leave the office for the day. Morgan noticed his friend rushing to the door and stood to follow him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa… where are you going?" he asked, catching Reid at the elevators.

"I'm not feeling well." He lied.

"Ok, what's going on with you and Taylor? The two of you have been acting real strange for about a week now. Now I hear she's put in for a transfer? What happened?" Morgan asked, following Reid into the elevator.

"A transfer?" Reid squeaked.

"You didn't know?"

"No." Reid sighed. "Um… Friday night… after she cancelled with you, we decided to watch a movie. It was good because things had been weird between us since she… since we got back from Sioux Falls."

"Ok… that sounds like a good thing. So why is she meeting with Strauss?" Morgan asked.

"We opened a bottle of wine. I had a glass… she had the rest." He continued. "Then out of nowhere… she kissed me."

"And?" Morgan asked. "Come on kid… everyone knows you've got a thing for her. How is that possibly a bad thing?"

"She was drunk, Morgan!" Reid exclaimed. "She ran into her ex before we left Sioux Falls and she's been on edge ever since. She wasn't thinking straight and she's in no position to…"

"Yeah, yeah… I got you Reid." Morgan agreed, placing a hand on Reid's shoulder. "So now she wants to leave."

"It's her decision." Reid said quietly. "When she makes up her mind, there's no talking her out of it."

Aaron Hotchner walked his boss out of his office and cringed with anger. Once she was gone, he closed the door again and turned back to face the source of his problem. "Can you please explain to me why I was just handed transfer papers from out of this office?" he steamed.

"Hotch, I spent my time here. Some things have come up and it's better if I'm with my family." She lied. She knew he'd be able to tell, but the point was mute. "I'm sorry I went over your head. I was only following the protocol listed for the opening. I met with her and she seemed enthusiastic about having me head up a new team." She explained.

"I'm your superior, Taylor. If you had a problem, you should have come to me." He sat down behind his desk and held eye contact. "We could have worked something out. Now it's completely out of my hands."

"I understand." She nodded.

"That's what you wanted…" he began piecing it together. "You want to leave the BAU?"

"Yes."

"Why?" he asked, concerned.

"My reasons are my own." She answered. "Agent Hotchner, I appreciate your position and respect your authority." She stood and held out her hand. "I have enjoyed working for you these past 6 months and will always look back on my time here fondly." When he refused to shake her hand, she shakily put hers back to her side. "Ok, then." She nodded. "I've been requested in Indianapolis in three days. I should go pack." She walked to the door and turned the knob. "Goodbye, Hotch." She looked back before exiting the office.

She could feel all eyes on her as she walked around the bullpen and out the glass doors. As much as she wanted to say goodbye to everyone, she found it easier to say nothing at all. Hotch would explain it to them if Garcia hadn't already. No. She knew she could never explain it adequately enough and all she wanted to do was get out.

Spencer finished folding his letter when he heard the front door open. Rather than wait for her to make it any further into the house, he decided to walk to the end of the hallway, hands stuffed in his pockets nervously. There she was, fidgeting with her keys, her back to him. "What are you doing?" he asked, startling her. She dropped the keys and hit her head on the door-side table on her way to pick them up. "You ok?" he chuckled, walking to help her back up.

"Yeah." She answered, holding her head. "I'm good." He pulled her up by the hand and she smiled. "Thanks."

"So what happened today?" he asked, holding his breath.

"Um… Strauss had a meeting with Hotch and I." she explained.

"What about?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"I'm getting my own field team in Indianapolis." She answered quietly. He looked down and scratched the back of his neck and she sighed. "Look, Spence."

"No, it's cool." He cut her off. "I mean, congratulations." He offered. "When do you leave?"

"Hotch and Strauss signed the papers today and she wants me to meet the new team in three days. I booked a flight for tomorrow morning and I'll stay with Kendall until I can find a place." She answered.

"Why?" his tone showed his true feelings and his eyes grew sad. She walked past him to avoid the guilt, but he got courageous and pulled her back. "Hey… talk to me." He pleaded. "Is this about the other night?"

"Oh please, Reid." She snarled. "This has nothing to do with you. I told you when you first started helping me that I eventually wanted to be back in Indiana to be closer to my brother. Did you forget that?"

"So that's it, then? After all I did… after all Hotch did… you're just going to leave?"

"Don't romanticize this." She warned. "I didn't ask for either of you to pull any strings. I appreciate what you both did to get me here, but I'm under no obligation to stay." She could see the hurt on his face and mentally kicked herself. All she had done all day was hurt people. "I have to go pack." She stated softly, looking at the hardwood floors. He released her arm and she walked down the hallway to her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

He knew she wouldn't have much to pack. She really only brought necessities with her when she moved. All her things were in storage in Indiana or at her brother's house. As much as he wanted to fight this and keep her here, he already felt defeated. First his dad left, now her. He felt betrayed and angry, and nothing was going to make that better. Rather than wait around for her to finish, he grabbed his keys and headed out the door. He couldn't wait around for the goodbye and neither could she.