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A/n this follows after "Conflicted," another all time favorite of mine.
Never Give Up
The sun's rays shone like spun gold in a deep blue sky when she opened the access door to the roof and stepped through. She squinted against the brightness of the descending sun and looked around for him.
He stood with his back to the door, staring out at something that she couldn't see. His shoulders slumped and his hands were in his pockets. She called out to him and then froze, unable to continue.
He turned to her with an expression of pure misery, but what stole her breath and rendered her speechless, was the light around his head like a halo. He resembled a fallen angel, cast down and repentant but unable to find his way back to Heaven. His face glowed in the backlight of the last rays of sunset and his eyes shimmered.
"Emily," he finally said.
"Hey," she said unsteadily. "Morgan said you were up here. We gotta go."
"I know, I just can't make my feet take me back," he said and he smiled, but it was a terrible, cheerless smile.
She went to him and hugged him fiercely. His arms came around her and squeezed her so tight; she had to squirm to get free.
"None of this is your fault," she said.
"I had that same conversation with Morgan."
"He's right."
"Yeah, he's right."
"Oh, Reid, one of the things I love about you is the way you suffer for the victims and their killers. You're the most compassionate person I've ever had the privilege of knowing."
He bit his lip when it began to tremble. "You keep saying I take it all too personally."
"You do, and while I don't want you to change, I wish you didn't hurt so deeply for all the lost souls out there."
"I can't help it. Maybe I do because no one hurt for me when I was a kid."
"Babe," she began.
"It's okay," he hugged her again. "I've got you and for the first time in my life I feel like someone cares."
She reached up and tangled her hands in his hair. She pulled his head down and kissed him until she felt faint from lack of breath. He always tasted like coffee and it made her smile.
"What?"
"You taste like coffee."
"You taste like sunshine, and happiness," he said.
"See," she said breathlessly, "That's why I love you."
"I love you too."
"Come on. If we don't get moving, Hotch'll send someone up to get us."
CMCMCMCMCM
She was sitting on his couch when he opened the door after his trip back to Corpus Christie. She smiled and patted the sofa. "Sit down." He sat and she cuddled up to him. "How did it go?"
"She's still in control. She insists that Adam is better off, but I think I saw something in her eyes when I left that…"
"What did you see?"
"It's going to sound silly and arrogant."
She took his chin and made him face her with his chocolate eyes. "What happened?"
"She had fear in her eyes."
Emily smiled. "I don't blame her. How many people have underestimated you to their peril and sorrow?"
She could see he was struggling mightily not to smile. "I'm not intimidating."
She looked him up and down and he began to go pink in the cheeks. "You're not physically imposing, but there are times you can be very scary."
"You're just saying that."
Her eyes flashed and he flinched back a little. "I'm not just saying that, Dr. Reid. Amanda better watch out because you don't give up."
"No, I don't," he said and kissed her.
"You never gave up on me. Thank you."
"You're welcome. Now, I'm tired and I want Indian food."
She rolled her eyes. "How did I know you were going to say that?"
He hugged her tight and thought that poor souls like Adam and Tobias, and all the others, who'd allowed adversity to break them down, were the ones to be pitied. They'd never know a love like Emily Prentiss.