A/n hello all. Here is the last chapter. I hope you like it. Please let me know what you think even if you don't. My sincere thanks to all who have stuck by this story and reviewed. Also I must thank my wonderful Beta REIDFANATIC for all of her help and advice.

Disclaimer: see the first chapter

"How's Reid…" Morgan asked Hotch when they met in the conference room a week after the explosion in Arlington.

"He's devastated… How did you think he would be?" Hotch snapped. "She's dead. The explosion was so big and the fire so hot there was nothing left."

"I guess I don't understand how he could be so upset. He barely knew her and she was out to hurt him."

"Morgan… Maybe if you tried to have a relationship with a woman, you might understand love at first sight."

Morgan was about to say something caustic, when Garcia and Rossi entered the conference room with Emily on their heels.

"We rounded up the last of the big wigs. We got Miller, and some flunkies named Stanford and Crawford. There were about five agents in the FBI that have been arrested along with Strauss and a bunch of Miller's agents. The organization is out of business, and the President himself is calling for an investigation into Homeland Security." Garcia informed them.

"Well… it looks like we did it." Rossi said.

"There are still more of them out there." Hotch reminded them.

"Yeah… How is Reid going to handle all of this?" Emily asked them.

--

The sun was beginning to set and the sky was turning pink, and purple, and grey when Reid knocked on Hotch's office. The unit chief invited him inside and listened as the young agent spoke of what he planned to do. He handed Hotch an envelope.

"I want to talk to the team. Can we meet in the conference in a half an hour?"

"Of course Reid… Whatever you like?"

Reid left the office without another word… Hotch opened the envelope and read the contents. He sat down suddenly in his chair and put his head in his hands.

--

"What do you mean, you're leaving." Morgan nearly shouted and was shushed by Garcia. She sat with one hand held by Kevin, her face white. The others looked stunned.

"I'm leaving. Hotch has my resignation and has accepted it.

"But why Spence…" JJ asked holding his hand tightly in hers, while Emily clasped the other one in hers.

"I can't do this anymore. I almost died because of Tobias Henkel. Gideon left and I had to go through drug rehab. Now Amy's gone. I can't handle anymore loss. I'm tired of all the unhappiness and the pain this job brings with it. I want some peace and quiet.

Morgan opened his mouth, but both Rossi and Hotch silenced him with hard looks. Hotch turned back to Reid. "What are you going to do?"

Reid untangled one hand from JJ and said "Did you know that the Jews in ancient times considered the male a man only when he obtained the age of thirty."

The all gaped at him. "Ah… what does that have to do with anything sweet cheeks?" Garcia wanted to know.

"I'm twenty seven years old. I've been trying to be a man since I was ten and my father left. I want to be a kid, and lie around on a beach somewhere and get sunburned. I want to act my age, not twenty years older.'

"So you're saying you want to spend the next two and a half years slacking off in Rio or something." Morgan quipped.

"Yes… The only good thing my father did for me and my mother was leaving his stock portfolio behind. He wanted us to have money. We've been living off the interest for years. In fact I've been putting all the money I've made from this job in the bank. The interest takes care of my mother too."

"Wait… You're saying that you've got millions stashed away somewhere." Morgan asked looking thunderstruck.

"Well… Yes…" Reid admitted and they all laughed. "Look… I'm not going to squander all of it. I'm going to write a book or two. I've been talking to a friend about doing the text for a graphic novel he's drawing and there are other projects out there for me to work on. I just can't deal with the death and suffering anymore."

"Reid… if this is about Amy..."

"No… I mean not entirely… I was thinking about quitting for awhile, but this case was the proverbial straw that broke the camels back. So yes… I'm going to go on an extended vacation till I put my life back together."

"You don't have to do this." Emily said and a solitary tear started down her face. He extracted his hand from hers and smiled at her. "Yes… I have to do this." He said his tone kept any argument at bay.

--

Reid opened the door to his new apartment in LA. He dropped his messenger bag on the hand carved wooden chair that sat next to the front door. There was the smell of tomatoes and garlic in the air, and the radio was playing. Michael MacDonald was singing his version of "Ain't no mountain high enough."

He looked over at the kitchen and watched her dance while she cooked. Her hair was pinned up in a messy bun, and all she wore was one of his dress shirts that he hadn't gotten around to throwing out.

He crept up to her and put his arms around her. She shrieked and then relaxed when he nipped her ear. "Hello gorgeous," She whispered when he spun her around for a proper kiss.

"Hello yourself… I missed you something awful."

"I'm sorry baby…" She put down the spoon she was holding in one hand and turned down the sauce to a simmer.

He followed her to the dark blue leather couch in the living room and sat down. "Why are you apologizing?" He asked her.

She watched him with her green eyes and he felt shivers run down his back. "Because I scared you with the whole faking my death thing… I didn't know the explosion was going to be quite so intense. I guess my friend Johnson miscalculated." She said apologetically.

"How did you get out of there?" Reid asked. He was absently stroking her head and it was making her warm all over. They had stayed away from each other for too long.

"Let's just say I paid attention when you showed me how to get out of your cuffs." She grinned at him. "It's a good thing I'm a quick study."

"I didn't think you were paying attention. I thought you were humoring me." He said.

"No… I'm just glad Johnson is dead. He was one of their best." She shuddered.

"I am too…"

"Well… what did you find out?" She asked, getting up to go back to the kitchen.

"No one suspects that you're alive, not even my team." He told her.

"I wish you hadn't quit…"

"You know I didn't want to be there. Anyway… until all of the people you worked with are found, you're not safe."

"Will we ever be able to go back?"

"I don't know…" He said honestly.

"What are we going to do?"

"I want to travel." He told her.

"Really…. Where did you want to go Dr. Reid?" She was playing with his tie.

"Somewhere with a lot of sun," He said.

"Okay… how about Hawaii."

"That would be wonderful." He kissed her and then laughed when the pot on the stove began to hiss.

She turned the heat off. "You want something to eat."

"No… I think that can wait." He picked her up and carried her to their room.

"You're insatiable." She giggled.

"I know… but you love it."

She yanked off his tie when he laid her on the bed. "Shut up and kiss me Dr. Reid.

--

When Amy woke up this time Spencer was already dressed and putting on his Converse shoes. "Hey… lazy bones…" He said, tossing her jeans on the bed. "Get up and get dressed, I have a surprise for you."

"I don't like surprises," She pouted, but he only smiled and crooked his finger at her.

"Don't you trust me?"

"No… but I'll get up anyway." She grabbed her pants, and sashayed over to the closet for a tee shirt and underwear.

"I'll be in the living room." He told her and left the bedroom.

When Amy walked into the living room several minutes later, she was met by the sight of Reid and the rest of his team sitting on the couch and other chairs, except for Morgan who stepped up and took her arms.

"Amy Ryan… you're under arrest for espionage and treason against the United States. You have the right to remain silent…"

Reid watched Morgan read Amy her rights, and the stunned look of betrayal and hurt that came over her face. He almost lost the resolve that had been keeping him going for the last weeks. Emily stood and took his hand, squeezing it tightly.

"Spencer… What are they doing?" Amy squeaked, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I should think it's obvious." Hotch said, cutting off Reid when he opened his mouth and silencing him with a look. "Did you really thing Reid would harbor a fugitive and go off beach hopping with you. "

"I helped you…" Amy raged, her face turning red. "I gave you everything you needed to bring the organization down."

"Yes… you did, but you also plotted against us and Reid. If you'd just come to us with what you had, all of this might have been avoided.

Now, I might be able to put in a good word for you. There is a chance that the DA may decide not prosecute because you're a little fish, and they got the big fish."

Seeing the look of hope that came over her face Hotch held up a hand. "Even if you are spared prosecution, you'll have to go into the Witness Protection Program until the rest of the agency is rounded up."

"Spencer… Please help me." She begged him.

"I've done all I can for you Amy. I'll always care for you, but I can't spend the rest of my life on the run."

"So... It was all a lie. You never had any intention of quitting the FBI or coming with me. Why.." Reid ignored her. He looked at the floor instead of her tear stained face.

Morgan dragged her to the door and into the custody of the agents backing them up from the LA office. Spencer shut the door, sat on the couch and put his face in his hands.

"You okay man." Morgan said gently.

"No…" came the muffled reply. "But I'll be okay."

"You're the best actor I've ever met Spence." JJ said proudly. She laid a hand on his shoulder and he looked up to give her a grateful smile "You got her to believe you'd actually stay with her and help her hide."

"Yeah… I guess I am." Reid agreed, but something tore in his heart and he'd never be the same again.

"Why the big act in Quantico?" Morgan asked.

"We had to be careful... They still have people out there, who knows if we got them all." Hotch told him.

"What are you going to do with this place?" Morgan changed the subject.

"I'm going to keep it… At least for awhile," He turned to Hotch. "I need a leave of absence Hotch."

"I know…" Hotch smiled at him. "It's been arranged for you to take as much time as you need." He turned to the rest of the group. "We all have two weeks off, no matter what happens at the Bureau."

The group cheered and Hotch even cracked a smile. "I'm going to get Jack and take off for a couple of weeks. Haley isn't happy about it, but I don't care."

"Good for you Aaron…" Rossi said clapping him on the shoulder.

"Hey Reid…" Emily called his attention to her. "What are you going to do?"

"I still want to go to the beach."

"Sounds like fun…" Emily agreed.

"Yeah… why don't we all go?" JJ said and Reid smiled widely.

"You kids do your own thing. I have other plans." Rossi said.

He and Hotch left the apartment and the others planned their getaway, while Morgan called Garcia to let her know everything was okay. She was spending her two weeks with Kevin.

"Okay… so where are we going." JJ asked with a gleam in her eyes.

"How about Hawaii," Emily suggested?

"No…" Reid said quickly.

The all looked at him strangely. He gave them a tight smile. "I just don't want to go there, too many tourists."

"Okay… then how about Miami." JJ said.

The others stared her down and she held up her hands. "Okay… what about Rio." She elbowed Reid and he started to laugh.

"Only if Reid is footing the bill," Morgan grinned.

"Sure… If not for you all, I couldn't have done this."

"Reid… We can't accept that," Emily protested weakly.

"Yes… You can accept it. I wasn't kidding about my money." He said blandly.

"Alright… Rio it is!" The group chorused together.

The team left Reid to get ready for their trip. He shut the door on them and went to his room. A photograph of Amy with him at the mall in Arlington sat framed on the night table. It was one of those black and white photos you get at the booths for five for a dollar. They were making funny faces at each other. They looked so happy together. Was it all a lie? He looked at it for several long moments before pulling it out of the frame and sticking it into his wallet. A solitary tear tracked down his face. He wiped it away and began to pack.

THE END