AN: For those who are still skeptical of this whole ghost concept, I've chosen to let Emily Prentiss explain. Thank you to everyone who is reading and enjoying my story. Sorry to everyone who still prefers skepticism to blissful entertainment.

- O -

Emily stared at Reid sitting alone in a dark corner of the plane. These days he often kept to shadows and corners. For a boy who hated the dark, he suddenly had a habit of seeking it out.

Emily had considered all manner of explanation for the genius's strange behavior. She wondered if he was suffering from health issues. She hoped he didn't have a conflict with the team and was trying to isolate himself. One theory continued to penetrate her mind. It was the most impossible idea…

Reid had nearly died six months ago. Nearly died. He had nearly died. Or had he? Perhaps that bullet did irreparable damage. Perhaps Reid's strange new behavior was to cover up a secret. Were the consequences of that shooting farther-reaching than she had imagined? Was Reid still suffering the effects? It wouldn't be the first time Emily had heard stories of deadly experiences stretching out to bring comfort to survivors. But if that were true, it meant Reid—

Hotch's commanding tone interrupted Emily's musings.

"When we land, Dave, I'd like you and Morgan to visit the latest crime scene. Emily and JJ, go to the medical examiner's office. I'll take Reid with me to the police station."

Once again, Hotch was keeping Reid close by his side. It could be their unit chief's protective instinct, but Emily didn't think so. Emily expected Hotch knew the truth. And Emily believed she was the only other person on the team that had started to figure out what was really going on.

Stories of spirits walking among the living were told in many of the countries where Emily had traveled with her mother. What some called myths, Emily had learned as fact. She knew better than to share her knowledge with others, lest less open-minded folk label her a fool.

Still, Emily had learned the signs, and all of them applied to Reid. He had not survived the shooting six months ago. He was now a spirit, a ghost.

And now that Emily knew the truth, she could see him for what he really was. She could see the dark bloodstain that covered his clothing—clothing that had not changed for six months. She noticed when others felt a chill around him. She noticed when bystanders couldn't see him.

Emily expected that the reason she could see the bloodstain on Reid's shirt was because she had accepted his altered state of being. That wasn't to say the rest of the team was completely ignorant. Once she saw Rossi pass Reid a napkin, informing him he'd spilled coffee down his front. Occasionally others close to Reid caught glimpses of the truth, but Emily was the only one besides Hotch to realize the full extent of Reid's condition.

With acceptance came grief. If Emily was right, it meant one of her best friends was dead. That thought was nearly unbearable.

As if sensing her pain, Reid suddenly looked up and caught her eye. They stared at each other for several seconds, then Reid looked at the unit chief.

"Hotch, is it alright if I went to the ME with Emily and JJ went with you? I want to see if there is any more evidence that the case is reminiscent of Jack the Ripper."

Because Emily was paying attention, she noticed the looks exchanged between the unit chief and genius. She could see Hotch's reluctance to let Reid out of his sight and Reid's solid assurance that nothing bad was going to happen.

"Very well," Hotch said at last.

Several hours later, Emily drove to the San Diego State Medical Examiner's Office with a silent and agitated Spencer Reid riding passenger. The tension in the car built with neither profiler intent on bringing up the sensitive subject. Even when they pulled into the office parking lot and Emily shut off the engine, both Reid and Emily stayed in the car.

Another minute passed before Reid finally cracked. "You know, don't you." There was no question in his tone.

"I won't believe it until you tell me it's true." She looked at the bloodstain on Reid's shirt and winced.

Reid caught her expression. "You know, don't you," he repeated with more conviction.

Emily sighed. "I once had a friend who dined with her parents and brother every week for a year. She would tell me about conversations they had, stories told, and times when they all laughed and cried together. The only problem was, her brother had died in a car accident the year before the family dinners started."

Reid didn't react to the story and Emily's heart sank. If her theory were wrong, Reid would have corrected her immediately. His silence meant she had discovered the truth.

"You didn't survive that shooting six months ago, did you?" Emily asked.

The young genius raised a hand to rub at the wound on his shoulder. "Hotch begged me to stay. How could I say no?"

The admission made Emily's heart start to race. Both sorrow and panic stirred within her chest. Sorrow over realizing that one of her best friends in the whole world was dead. Panic at the idea that she was sitting face-to-face with a ghost.

"Calm down, Emily," Reid said. "Just because I'm dead doesn't mean you have anything to be afraid of. This isn't like the movies. I'm not going to turn into a vengeful spirit and start attacking those around me."

"I know," Emily said, though her voice was pitched an octave higher than she liked. It caused Reid to grin and Emily immediately relaxed. "I know," she said again. "It's just a shock to realize that the stories I grew up with are true."

"I can imagine."

They fell into silence again, each contemplating their own actions and deciding what to do next now that the truth was out.

Emily thought about all the stories she'd heard as a young girl. The ghosts would always stay for as long as they could, but their existence in the physical world was not permanent. Eventually, they had to move on.

"How much longer do you have with us?" Emily asked.

"This is my last case," Reid said. "I leave as soon as we catch the unsub."

Emily gasped. "No! You can't leave now that I know the truth!"

The thought of Reid leaving hurt more than the day he'd been shot. She hadn't realized these past six months were borrowed time. If she had, she would have made the most out of the time Reid had left.

"Knowing the truth is why I'm leaving," Reid said with a sigh. "The team is starting to catch on to my…condition. Hotch has known since the beginning. You figured out the truth. Garcia has been avoiding me. I think she saw something was wrong. Morgan is still blissfully ignorant, but he'll notice something is up with Garcia. Then JJ will find out and Rossi will have to stop ignoring the signs. I doubt the rest of the team will be as open-minded as you. I want to leave before I scare them."

"You disappearing unexpectedly will scare them more than the truth," Emily argued. She reached toward Reid but her comforting hand fell right through Reid's suddenly translucent shoulder, causing her to flinch and pull back. Immediately she felt guilty for reacting that way. She wasn't scared of ghosts but seeing her hand pass through Reid had been shocking.

Reid gave her a penetrating look. "Won't scare them?" he said doubtfully.

"I'm sorry," Emily said. "I'm sorry that I can't fully be there for you right now." She hoped Reid could sense her sincerity. She didn't know how to help him.

"I'm happy you know the truth," Reid said. "And thank you for accepting me. I know this can't be easy."

Silence fell once again. Emily wanted to spend longer talking to Reid, but they still had a case to solve.

"Look, Reid, we need to go into that building," she pointed a thumb over her shoulder at the ME's office, "And try to figure out why an unsub is slitting throats and stealing organs out of his victims. I'm glad we had this talk, but do you think we can talk more later?"

"Of course," Reid said.

"No disappearing before I get a few more answers," Emily demanded.

"Scout's honor," Reid promised.

They climbed out of the car. As they walked toward the building, Emily couldn't help but ask, "Did you really need to open the door, or could you have just…floated through the car?"

Reid smiled. In response, he reached out a hand and lightly nudged Emily's arm. It felt like an ice cube had been pressed against her skin. She gasped and stared at him.

"I still have some control over the physical world," he explained. "I may not be fully present, but I can open doors and touch those close to me."

Emily swallowed. "Just don't start leaving bloody messages on my walls."

"Deal," Reid said.