A.N. Short chapter, nearing the end. I had hoped to have this wrapped before the premiere, but life circumstances have intervened, and it no longer looks possible. In case I get nothing else up between now and then, I will extend a wish that you all enjoy the episodes, and that they point to a satisfying ending for our beloved genius and his friends. And, given where we left off, I will encourage you to be mature enough not to participate in bashing (JJ) any of the characters.

Commencement

Chapter 21

Anticipating that their time alone might soon come to an end, the two men stepped back from the intimacy of their conversation. Or so they intended.

Hotch sat back in his chair, putting a few inches' more physical distance between himself and Reid.

"So, what are your plans? What will you do when the BAU comes to an end? Dave tells me you have a few offers on the table."

Reid snorted, realizing that Hotch was minimizing. Reid had actually received offers from all of the investigative and intelligence agencies within the federal government, and a few outside agencies as well. He'd even received an offer from DC Metro PD, which would have put him into a working relationship with Will LaMontagne. That was the only one he'd outright dismissed, as simply being too awkward, even if he'd declined to do the internal work to determine why.

"I'm still not sure. I'm not even sure I want to continue profiling."

The dark brows raised. "Really?"

There was a note of investment to his tone, and Reid picked up on it.

"Why? Are you saying that you think I should?"

Hotch regretted having reacted. "No, no, not at all." Shifting position as a means of moving past his faux pas. "What else are you considering?"

Reid studied his old friend. Over their years working together, he'd watched Aaron Hotchner undergo a series of paradoxical changes. Once upon a time he'd come across as grounded and driven, yet gifted with a sense of humor, and a certain mastery over his microexpressions. With time, and tragedy, a pall had descended upon him, an ever-present constriction of those microexpressions, and his macroexpressions, as well, for that matter, each punctuated by the occasional breaking through of righteous impatience, indignance, and anger. He'd become paradoxically both less expressive, and more, at the same time.

Having suffered his own episodes of tragedy, Reid briefly wondered if the same had happened to him. Briefly, because his mind interrupted his reverie with a definitive answer. He had followed the same arc as his mentor. Although already well-scarred by the events of his childhood, Reid had arrived to the BAU with a degree of wide-eyed wonder, both at the nature of the work the team did, and at the fact that he'd become a part of that team. He'd had, for the first time in his life, relationships that weren't defined by a fifty minute class, or a three hour lab. He'd had relationships defined by purpose, and then redefined by connection.

But the events of his life, both within and without the team, had conspired to affect those connections. He'd lost the wonder, become more jaded, more protective of himself, even more protective from the very relationships he'd once held precious. He'd become distanced from the truth that he had still held them precious. Distanced by tragedy, and loss, and shame. He'd held them at arms' length, until they'd grasped his arms, and closed the distance.

"Reid?"

The younger man shook himself out of it.

"Uh….yeah, I don't know. I'm thinking about it. Maybe DHS, actually. The need is more immediate there, and I've got some facility with foreign languages. Or I could teach full time. Although I don't think I'm patient enough when the students aren't following me. I don't know. I've even thought of….have you ever heard of the Innocence Project?"

"Of course. It helps free people who have been wrongly convicted."

"Exactly. I'm thinking of looking into that."

Hotch gave a small smile. "You always have been the champion of the underdog."

Reid returned the expression. "Yeah, well I come by it honestly."

Hotch smiled again. "Well, whatever you choose, I wish you well."

Reid wasn't ready to drop the subject.

"What did you mean, before? When you were surprised that I might not stay in profiling. Why?"

Hotch shook his head, laughing gently to himself. He'd obviously taught his mentee very well.

"Somehow, I have a feeling that you'll never stop profiling, no matter what job you take." Then, realizing that Reid was waiting him out, he continued. "For a long time now….even from before I left the team, I've thought you would make a good successor for me."

The man in the hospital bed was stunned. "Me?"

Me, the leader of the BAU?

"Yes, you. I'm not putting down Prentiss, by any means. By everyone's account, she's been very impressive, and she's done so under great duress. I think the team has been in excellent hands. To tell the truth, I suggested that she be called in, when I left."

"So, why…"

"Because I didn't think you were in a good place for it. I knew about your mother's health, and I could see that it was distracting you. But none of that meant that I couldn't see your potential."

"Hotch, I don't think.."

"Hear me out. I know it's a moot thing, but ….well, I also know, without an iota of doubt, that they're heading in the wrong direction. And, should they come to their senses, I'd like to think you'd consider it."

"Leading the BAU?" Incredulity in his voice.

"Yes, leading the BAU. You have the respect of your team, not just for your knowledge, but for your ability to analyze, for your wisdom. And, yes, for your empathy. In fact, I think your empathy frees them to work, because they trust that you'll always pull them back from rushing to judgment."

Reid was awash in emotion. Surprise, at hearing it. Gratitude, at the sincerity of it. Humility, because he didn't think he deserved any of it.

"Hotch…

"I'm serious, Reid. I see true leadership potential in you, and to be honest, that's all you can hope for, is potential. You don't get all the way there until you have to. Trust me, I lived it."

Reid understood him. Hotch had been officially second in command to Gideon, but had taken over, in increments, as Gideon's ability to cope had devolved. Still the younger man couldn't quite adapt to his mentor's image of him.

"Well, all I can say is that it's a good thing the BAU won't be needing a unit chief after this."

As they heard the voices of the others sounding in the hallway, Hotch gave Reid an enigmatic smile.

"What's that they say? 'Don't cross your bridges until you come to them?'"

His friends had stopped by the ICU on their way back to Reid's room, and Emily had good news to share.

"They said they think she'll be ready to move to a regular room by this afternoon. But I couldn't' extract a promise that you could visit. It sounds like that will be up to you, and your monitors."

Reid was relieved to hear that his beloved best friend was no longer in danger of her life.

"Somehow, I think my heart rate is already dropping back to normal."

Emily smiled at him. "Well, see that it stays there, will you? I'll let you try your own luck at sweet talking them into a visit. The rest of us need to go over to the field office and submit reports. They even want Morgan here to give a 'civilian report'." Looking to her former partner with a smirk.

"Hey, Princess, don't knock it. Civilian life turns out to be pretty liveable."

Rossi chimed in. "Especially when it comes with a wife and kid, right, Derek?"

The irony was lost on none of them. Morgan had both a wife and child, and now, so had Rossi, but in a most convoluted kind of way.

As they made for he door, Reid bid a temporary adieu to his male companions, but motioned to Emily to stay behind. Once the others had left, he spoke to her.

"I just wanted to thank you."

Emily misunderstood, thinking he was referencing the case.

"It's okay. You didn't actually give me much of a choice, but I get it. I would probably have done the same thing."

"No, that's not what I meant. Well, all right, that, too. Thank you for finding us, and thank you for not sending me to the hospital before we found JJ."

"You're welcome." Smiling, and turning to leave.

"No, don't go!" Waiting until she turned around again. "What I wanted to say was 'thank you.' For everything."

For being my friend. For tolerating me when I was obnoxious. For understanding. For caring. For reminding me that I was loved. For a thousand bad jokes and sarcastic glances behind someone's back. For loving language and culture as much as I do. For not condemning me for what I did, for fighting for me in prison. Thank you for not needing me to say any of these things.

They'd held one another's gaze for the entirety of his silent conversation, their eyes exchanging far more than their words ever could. And then Emily simply smiled again, and said, once again, "You're welcome."

Then she turned, reversed course, and smiled once again. "For the record….ditto."

She left him grinning in the bed.

He'd asked, and pleaded, and bargained, and whined, and cajoled, all to no avail. Until change of shift.

Maybe they put the most compassionate people on the 11-7 shift.

Or maybe it had been his pathetic recounting of how her husband and children were a thousand miles away, and unable to visit. How she deserved the comfort of a familiar voice, or a familiar touch. Or maybe it was the countless studies he'd begun to quote, all pointing to emotional connection as a key to the healing process.

All right, maybe they're just trying to shut me up.

Whatever had done it, he'd prevailed. He would be permitted to visit JJ.