A/n hello all. Thank you all so much for your continued support of this story. I appreciate all your reviews.

Disclaimer: see the first chapter

It was Friday afternoon. I didn't have class that day, and I spent the day at the salon getting my hair cut and my nails done. Normally, I couldn't care less about my nails. The look of disgust I got from the little Vietnamese woman that did my manicure actually made me feel bad. She lectured me in broken English about taking better care of my cuticles. I was unsuccessful in tuning her out, so I smile, and nodded and tried to look appropriately chastised.

I went to the mall in Arlington and bought a new pair of jeans. They were dark blue, with a pattern of purple and gold flowers embroidered on the pant leg below the knee of the left leg. The sales girl talked me into buying a dark brown leather belt with a gold belt buckle shaped like a rose. I bought a mariner shirt with long sleeves. It was striped red and white and had hidden buttons. It would look great with my denim jacket.

I bought a new pair of converse shoes in navy blue, and added it to the clothes I bought before heading over to the make up counter. I never wore make up on the job. It was too much of a hassle to put it on in the mornings, and there were times when I just wasn't in a situation where I could primp. It occurred to me that I was doing too much primping for this assignment, and that voice in my head warned me that I was getting too close to Dr. Reid.

I ignored the voice and headed out of the mall, and back to the car the agency had provided for me to use. It was better than taking the train, which I only did to keep an eye on Spencer. It didn't matter though. I had a tracker on that ancient Volvo of his. If he takes off in the car for some reason, I'll know and be able to follow.

I got back to the apartment three hours before it was time to meet Spencer and panicked. There was no way I was going to be ready by the time I had to leave. I hurried into the sparse room at the back of the apartment and began to tug off my jeans and the tee shirt I wore. I threw the clothes onto my bed, which was made up with cotton sheets and a blanket. The room was a lot different from my apartment. It actually looks lived in. I very briefly wondered what Dr. Reid would make of this room if he could see it.

That was another train of thought to resist. He wasn't going to see this apartment. If I decide that the time if right, it will be at his place. It's the only place he would feel safe. I have to take advantage of the feeling of safety and do what I have to do.

I got into the shower and washed my hair. Getting out of the shower and drying off the easiest part of the whole process of getting ready for this date. I hadn't worn make up in so long, I had forgotten how to apply it… almost.

It took three hours, but I was ready and it was time to go get on the train and ride to the market. I had to leave early again. I couldn't risk him seeing me there till I was ready to tell him that I was living right over his apartment.

--

"Agent Stanford… I trust Agent Ryan. She will do her job." The voice on the other end of the line said. His tone was warning the other agent that he better back off.

"Sir… I mean no disrespect, but I think that you're judgment is clouded. I know that because Agent Ryan is your -"

"I would think long and hard before you finish that thought out loud Stanford!" The voice cracked through the phone like the bite of a rattlesnake.

"Sir… I don't mean to say that -"

"Agent Stanford… I don't want to hear any of your excuses or whining. Now back off of Agent Ryan and do your job. I want you to contact me the minute we have Dr. Reid inside the agency.

"Yes sir," Stanford slammed down the phone!

He looked up at the tall dark haired man standing in front of him. "The old man is losing his edge. I want you to go to DC and watch our lovely Agent Ryan. If she isn't doing everything she was ordered to do, I want her eliminated and then I want you to grab the young doctor."

"Yes sir…" The man looked over Stanford's shoulder and out of the window of his office. He stood at parade rest. He was a former Marine and the best assassin the agency had. He would do the job if Agent Ryan couldn't do it.

"Good… now get out of my sight and do your job."

The man left the room and Agent Stanford grinned at his retreating back. He was sure that Agent Ryan was slipping. She was falling for the good doctor, he was sure of it. That was okay. He finally had a reason to get rid of her and the Director couldn't interfere with his plans, this time!

He turned back to his desk and turned on his computer. He was going to make sure that he was next in line to take over for the Director. It was his right, something that he'd been preparing for all of his life. Dr. Reid was going to help him get what he wanted.

--

I got off the train one stop ahead of where I needed to be. I wanted to walk off some nervous energy. I had to get control of myself, and remember that the agency would kill me and Dr. Reid if I didn't convince him to come willingly into the fold. He had talents that the Agency was finding very useful from his time at the BAU. I only hoped that he would forgive me for lying to him. We could be a family. He could understand me like no one else. I know what it's like to suffer. I know what he must have gone through as a child.

I walked down the sidewalk and passed by people that I really didn't see. It was chilly. I pulled the denim coat closer and thought that maybe this wasn't a good idea, but it was too late. It had been much too late from the time I agreed to become an agent for the agency.

The walk eventually cleared my head and I entered the market at the same time Reid did. In fact I saw him walking towards me and how his eyes lit up when he saw me. The stab of guilt that I felt at this sight made my heart beat so fast I thought that I would faint.

He was at my side before I could say anything. He put a hesitant hand on my arm, and little tingles shot up to my shoulder. "Are you okay?" He said kindly, his dark eyes probing mine.

I tried to smile but I felt like I was going to cry instead. "Yeah…" I took a deep breath and the spicy scent of his aftershave washed over me like a soft breeze. The hair on the back of my neck stood up and I shivered. Oh God… how was I going to betray this kind and gentle man in front of me? I should just confess right now and maybe between the two of us we can find a way to get out of this predicament together.

"Amy… Are you okay?" He asked me again. I smelled the minty scent of his breath and tears started.

"Yeah… I'm fine. I'm just a little tired and cold."

"You've been having nightmares, haven't you?"

This startled me so much that I almost blurted out everything. Then I realized that it was the profiler talking not the man.

"How did…" I started to say and then stopped.

"Come on… let's get something to eat and you can tell me. It will help, I promise." He pulled on my arm and I let him lead me into the mall.