Luckily, with the threat on Reid's life and the break in the case, Strauss gave them a few extra days before having to return. Jimmy Engles was taken to jail and Linda Engles was placed in a mental home, both pending trail.

Their last day in Seattle, the team met up at the station one last time to tie up loose ends. Reid was helping JJ clear up their supplies in the conference room. She stepped out to take a call from Will, leaving him alone.

"Dr. Reid?" he heard a voice ask from the door. Reid turned and saw his visitor, the first time he'd ever seen her so apologetic and timid.

"Detective Novak," he said, surprised.

"Please…" she said. "Leona."

"Leona," Reid repeated. "What can I help you with?"

"I… I wanted to apologize." She said, moving further into the room. "For… shooting you, mostly, and for the way I acted."

"It's not necessary." He replied sincerely.

"No, it is. I…" She took a deep breath. It doesn't matter who you are, admitting you're wrong is one of the hardest things for a human being to do. "I was so threatened by the fact we needed outside help in my town… I've solved hundreds of cases, but this one… it made me feel like-"

"-You were losing your touch?" He asked.

"Exactly," she said. "I felt threatened. If I had just worked with you and your team… we might have caught him sooner… you and Dr. Parker wouldn't have been kidnapped… you definitely would never have been shot."

Reid smiled. "It was dark, you can't expect to have good aim in the dark. And… it's not your fault, I understand." He offered his hand to her. "I accept your apology."

She shook his hand, smiling. "Thank you." She said. She looked around. "Although… I can't say I'm sorry to see you go."

"I wouldn't be if I were you," he replied.

"I assume with your departure, Dr. Parker will be joining you shortly?"

Reid paused in his gathering. "No," he muttered, continuing his clean up. "Dr. Parker is remaining here."

"Really?" she asked. "I thought you two… had a thing."

"We… used to… be a couple, had a thing, whatever you want to call it."

"But not anymore?"

"No," he answered. "We just… can't make it work."

"Well, it's hard to have a relationship when you don't love the other person."

"That's not it," Reid exclaimed. He stopped his work, spinning to face her. "I do love her, more than anything. And she loves me."

Novak looked confused. "Then what's the problem?"

With papers clutched in his hands, Reid made his way over to the trash bin. "Are you always this nosey with the other cops?"

"Always," she replied. "Now answer the question."

Reid took a deep breath and shrugged. "We love each other… but love is just not enough."

"Wow," she replied. "You're supposed to be the genius?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Reid asked.

"Well, you're saying love is not enough. Can I ask you what enough would be for you? Money… career… what, she's not pretty enough for you?"

Reid was shocked. "Riley is… beautiful, you know I'm not sure I want to discuss this with someone I don't even know."

"Hmm," Novak replied, heading towards the door. "Fine. But I suspect you don't discuss this with your friends, either, do you?"

His lack of response was enough of an answer for her, and she slipped out the door. Reid stood alone, amidst the papers and now useless files.

…

An hour later, they were just about ready to go. Hotch, along with Rossi, was clearing things up with the captain. The rest team was gathered in the conference room together waiting for him. Each were pleased by the fact in a few hours, they would be safe at home. Some were happier than others, wanting nothing more than to leave this city on the other side of the country where nothing in it could bother them – him – again.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Riley arrived at the door. "Oh, good, I didn't miss you guys."

"How you feeling?" Emily asked as everyone got up to greet her.

"Much better," she said. Reid looked her over, looking just as lovely as always, in a black knee length skirt, a lavender sweater, navy blue tights to hide her bandaged leg and, as usual, the Mary Jane saddle shoes. Her hand was still bandaged, but she seemed to be able to flex her fingers without much pain. The bruises on her face were barely visible. Upon closer inspection, Reid saw she went against her normality and covered them with make-up.

"Listen, guys…" This seemed hard for her to say. She cleared her throat, feeling everyone's eyes on her. "I'm so glad you came here. This case probably would have gone cold or worse without you. And… thank you… for saving my life. Again."

"You don't have to thank us," Morgan said, pulling her into a hug. "We're going to miss you."

"It was so good to see you again," Emily replied, next in line after Morgan let her go.

Next was JJ. She gave her a kind smile, tilting her head in question. "You're sure you won't change your mind, Riley?"

Reid expected her to look at him. But she never did. A glint of determination in her eyes, "I've made up my mind. For sure."

"Okay," JJ replied, pulling her into a hug. "We'll miss you."

There was only one person left in the group. Reid wasn't sure on the procedure here, but he didn't have time to think. The moment was upon him. Riley stood at the ready. He had hoped for a hug, maybe even one last kiss. His heart sank as she stuck out her hand. "Goodbye, Dr. Reid."

That hurt worse than the gun shots and the head wound combined. Reid stepped forward and accepted her hand. "Goodbye, Dr. Parker."

He wanted to hold her and kiss her and tell her how much he loved her. But letting her go was the right thing to do. For his sake and hers. They were better off apart, no matter how much they loved one another.

They hung onto each other, longer than the normal hand shake decorum. "Listen, I… have to go. Have a safe trip, you guys."

"You're not going to say goodbye to Hotch?" Emily asked.

"No," she said, inching towards the door. "He'll understand, just tell him I'll call him tonight. I really need to be somewhere right now."

"Yeah, we'll tell him," Morgan said, curiously glancing at the girls.

"Thanks," she said, smiling. She took one more glance at Reid, then rushed out the door.

Reid stared after her. He had just said goodbye to the love of his life. He was never going to see her again. And he didn't even call her by her first name.

After a moment, he realized there were eyes on him. "What!" he cried.

JJ was both stunned and appalled. "You're idiots. The both of you."

…

They were almost ready to go. Reid had packed his things quickly. The plane would be ready to go in a half an hour. Rain was falling outside. What a miserable city.

Reid sat in the lobby with his coat on. He had his shoulder bag and overnight bag, slouched in a seat while he waited on the others. At the station, he had been so incredibly desperate to leave this city behind… now he wasn't so sure he wanted to.

His cell phone was in his hands. He stared at it absentmindedly, willing for it to ring. Hopeful against all odds, Reid kept waiting for Riley to call. She would call and beg him to take her back… like he hadn't been the one to deny her this time. As if he hadn't been the one to push her away.

He did the exact same thing to her that he'd been demoralized and saddened over for the last seven months: he abandoned her because he was afraid of getting hurt again.

No, breaking it off now was the right thing to do. They couldn't be together. Reid couldn't put himself through this another time. It was the smart thing, the wise thing.

Then why do I feel so lousy? He asked himself silently. Why do I feel so stupid? Why do I feel like my life is over?

"Reid?" Emily asked as she and Morgan appeared in the lobby. "Are you okay?"

He tore his eyes from the phone to look at his friends. "Yeah… I'm fine," he replied.

"Really?" Morgan asked. "Because you don't look fine."

"Well, Morgan, a few days ago I thought I was about to be buried alive in the middle of the woods," He said, stuffing his phone away. "How am I supposed to look?"

"That has nothing to do with it." Emily replied, sitting next to Morgan. "It's not like we weren't in that room today."

Reid shrugged, slouching lower in the seat. "It's better this way."

"You can keep saying that, kid," Morgan said. "It's not going to make it true."

"Everyone ready?" Hotch asked. He, Rossi, and JJ arrived, joining the other three. "We should get going if we don't want to be grounded from the storm."

Everyone grabbed their bags and headed for the entrance of the hotel. Reid started to walk, moving slowly, letting his friends walk a little faster. Once again, his legs were thinking on their own accord, except this time, they wouldn't let him reach the door.

There was no way he could do this. He wasn't just stupid, he was downright crazy.

"Guys," he called just before they made it outside. "You go ahead."

The entire team turned to face him, surprised. "What is it, Reid?" Morgan asked.

"I'm… I'm not going back with you." He said defiantly. "I'll catch up in a day or so."

No one needed an explanation. "You're sure, Reid?" Rossi asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure," he answered. "I've never been so sure in my life."

"Okay, then, the rest of you, let's go." Rossi informed. Hotch followed him out, but Emily, JJ, and Morgan lingered back to walk with Reid.

"What are you going to do?" JJ asked, smiling.

"I'm going to her apartment." He said as they made it outside. "I'm going to her apartment, I'm going to stay outside her door and I'm not leaving until she takes me back."

"How do you intend to do that, Reid?" Morgan asked, just as pleased as JJ and Emily.

"I'm not really sure," Reid replied, heading to the corner to catch a cab. "I don't have an exact plan. But I have a feeling it's going to involve groveling."