Author note – thank you for all the lovely reviews. This chapter is a bit longer than the others I have written, and I've been tweaking it for a while. Let me know what you think.

Second chance – chapter six

April 2013

It was Friday and after a long week at work, all she could think about was sitting on her window seat sipping a glass of wine while she looked out over the London skyline. Stepping out of the stairwell of her building, Emily caught her bag in the door. Turning to dislodge it, she failed to see the man sitting on the floor outside her apartment. He rose when he saw her, watching for a moment. As she turned, their gazes locked.

After a moment of shock, amazed Morgan was standing in front of her, Emily shouldered her bag and stepped into him as her arms went around his waist.

Morgan discreetly breathed her in, trying to commit as much of this moment to memory. Emily lifted her eyes to meet his, joy dancing in them. She could feel his heart began to beat faster as he realised that he was the cause of her happiness.

"Hey Princess, miss me?"

"Always," she answered with the word he'd told her on so many occasions. "What are you doing here?"

"Maybe I missed you too."

A noise from behind disrupted the reunion as one of Emily's neighbours exited their apartment. Releasing Morgan, she let them into her apartment, turning on the light in the hallway. Going into the kitchen to set her bag down, she called out to him. "How long are you here for?"

"If it's okay with you a week?"

"Of course it is I told you that you're always welcome." Emily made a slight grimace at realising her work schedule from Monday.

"What's wrong?" Morgan asked from the door of the kitchen, with a small frown.

"Nothing, it's just that I have a few big meetings next week, but I'll talk to Amy and see if she can work wonders with my hectic schedule." Her stomach rumbled. "You hungry?" Emily asked.

After ordering their food, she sat next to Morgan in her favourite spot. As he spoke to her about their friends back home, she felt her gaze wonder to the setting sun, the rhythm of his words comforting, Emily allowed her eyes to close.

Morgan watched her; she looked more relaxed than he'd seen her in a long time. Sensing his gaze on her, Emily opened her eyes.

"What?" She asked.

"I don't think I've ever seen you that peaceful," he told her.

"It's this spot," she explained, tapping the cushion of the seat with her fingertips. "Do you remember the Angel Maker?" He nodded, wondering where she was going with this. "I was able to identify the puncture wounds on the victims as constellations, because of my grandfather teaching me about them when I was younger. It was one of the few happy memories I had from when I was a child. And when I moved here, I was missing everyone, thinking I had made a mistake by coming here. Thinking I should be back in DC exploring what I'd left behind," she added.

"Then on my second night, I'd finished unpacking boxes in the living room when I sat here, looking out over London. I couldn't see the stars because there's too much pollution, but with the glow of the street lights I was reminded of those times when my grandfather would show me the stars. I know you don't go in for signs of fate, but I took it as one, that I was meant to be here for the time being at least." She smiled at the memory of the old man who'd shown her such affection, who left her life when she was too young. They locked gazes again, a moment passing between them. "Tell me more about home," she whispered.

He paused, remembering for the first time what had bought him here. Spencer's grieving. The envelope that held the plane ticket and the events that led them there. They had spoken about Spencer telling him he was mad at him, and due to Emily's encouragement he'd spoken to the younger man about his grief regarding Emily's 'death'. Morgan had never told Emily what had been said, but she knew they had spoken.

At Morgan's silence, Emily asked "How's Spencer doing?"

"Better," Morgan responded. "Slowly coming out of the shell he built around himself following Maeve's death. He's still got a long way to go." Morgan added, recalling the way he'd had to dispose of the syringe and vials of clear liquid.

"It's good he has you to talk too."

Morgan leant forward to brace his elbows on his knees as he thought about how to respond. "You were right, telling him about my experiences helped break the ice." He paused before adding. "Not everyone knows what it's like to hold someone you love as they die." At her nervous look, he said. "I don't hold it against you, you never made the decision to tell us you died. Like I said before, you're back in my life now and that's what matters. Doyle, the lies, everything, that's in the past now. I think it's time we left it there, don't you agree?"

She smiled in relief at him; Emily didn't want to start down that road again. "I agree." She paused, desperately wanting to change the subject. "So, you never told me why you're here."

Morgan leant back to mirror her position on the seat, letting his hands fall into his lap. "I really have missed you, talking through a webcam or over the phone isn't the same as face to face."

"No it's not," Emily agreed as she moved her head to rest on his shoulder as his words echoed his promise from a couple of weeks ago. "Touching isn't possible either." She told him as she moved her hand to graze his where it lay on his thigh, instantly feeling the spark flow between them. Feeling him swallow, she tilted her head to look up at him, finding his intense gaze on her, eyebrow raised. Emily had seen that look before, and unconsciously her gaze drifted to his lips; her tongue touching her own lips as she gave a small nod of her permission to his unspoken question.

"No, it's not," he mumbled as he leant down to touch his lips to hers. Morgan drew back slightly. "I've missed you," he told her before he captured her lips once more, deepening the kiss almost immediately.

Emily gasped when he grasped the hand that was touching his and used it to guide her so she was sitting on his lap. Adjusting to her new position, she braced her hands on his shoulders for support; Emily was a little breathless as pulled herself away from his lips allowing her forehead to drop down to touch his. "So you came all the way to London just to kiss me?"

"Oh there are a lot of things I want to do while I'm here," he mumbled, winking at her as she kissed him again. They smiled into one another as Derek clasped his hands on her hips and pulled her closer, each kiss becoming more desperate than the last. Emily moved to caress his jaw with one hand as the other toyed with his collar at the back of his neck.

As Derek's fingers eased themselves under the hem of Emily's shirt, the intercom buzzed. Emily pulled away slightly, chuckling at Derek's growl of frustration. "That's the food. We will continue this later," she promised him, pecking him lightly on the lips before moving completely out of his arms to answer the door.

While they ate, Morgan told her of the things that he'd been instructed to bring over, most of which from Penelope, a bag of candy and some pictures from Henry that he had drawn for his Aunt Emi, to brighten up her apartment, and a scarf from Reid. In turn, she told of all the places she'd discovered since being in the city that she'd try to show him them before he returned home.

Stretching as she stood, Emily grabbed their plates to take into the kitchen. Placing their plates in the sink, she looked down at herself, realising that she was still in the outfit she'd worn to work Emily felt a little grubby. "If you don't mind, I'm going to take a shower," she called out to Morgan. "Make yourself at home."

"Would it be alright if I grabbed a shower after you?"

"Of course. If you want to watch TV, the remote should be on the arm of the sofa."

"Okay, thanks."

Emily moved to the bathroom, turning the faucet on for the water to heat while she undressed. As she reached for the edge of her shirt, she remembered Morgan's fingertips dancing along her skin making her tingle. Quickly shedding the rest of her clothing, she stepped under the water allowing it to wash over her, trying not to be overwhelmed by the possible outcomes of tonight.

Morgan had come to London for her. She had been anticipating their reunion since they spoke a few weeks ago; Emily had been waiting for this for nine months, longer if she was honest with herself. Emily felt a surge of panic as she thought about if it all went wrong, whether it was worth risking their friendship. But Emily didn't want to run away from her feelings anymore.

"Will and I make it work." Emily recalled JJ telling her once. She didn't know if she would be able to deal with the heartbreak of saying goodbye at the airport, not knowing if or when they might see each other again. She could sense there was something else he needed to tell her, but she knew better than to push him.

Turning the shower off, she stepped into the cool air of the bathroom. Shivering as she wrapped a towel around her, Emily took a quick look around the bathroom. Making sure her dirty clothes were in the hamper, she pulled a couple of clean towels out for Morgan and put them on the toilet seat.

Stepping into the hallway, Emily noticed Morgan's bags laying there. Guest room or hers? Picking them up, she called out over her shoulder as she carried them into her room. "Bathroom's free; I put some towels out for you."

"Okay, thanks." His reply came as she heard him shut off the TV.

Emily shut the door to her room as she put his bags in front of her wardrobe. Drying quickly, she decided she would let the week progress, dealing with revelations as they came. As she pondered her underwear draw, she heard the shower turn on. Picking a simple black bra and panty set, she allowed her thoughts drift back to few hours earlier. Emily wanted Morgan, and she had felt his need for her. Putting the small items of clothing on, she lay back on her bed propping herself up on the pillows. Tonight would be for them.

The water stopped running and Emily waited in anticipation as she heard him shuffling around. The bathroom door opened and she heard him walking around the hallway searching for his bag. After a few minutes, there was a small knock on her door.

Swallowing the lump that formed in her throat, she called out to him as she rose to her knees on the bed. "Come in."

Emily had to bite her lip to hold back a laugh as Morgan's head popped around the door, his eyes bulging as he saw her in her underwear. "Looking for your bag?"

Morgan entered her room, a towel wrapped around his waist, and his eyes travelled the length of her body; finally raising his gaze to hers he was unable to vocalise his answer so he simply nodded. "You won't be needing it tonight," she said holding a hand out to him. His hand slipped into hers as he reached the bed.

Pausing slightly, Morgan just took in the sight of her. Emily could feel the pink blush rising as he spoke. "There's no going back after this," he told her.

"I know," she admitted. "But this is something we both need. Neither of us knows what will happen tomorrow, next week or even next year. We deserve our chance; I think we've both earned it." Hooking an arm around his shoulders, her hand coming to rest on the back of his head, she pulled him to her gently as he nodded in agreement.