Author Note – thank you all for your wonderful words, they really do help with keeping me focused on this. Having said that I am going to take a short break from posting for about a week, as I'm on holiday from work and organizing a family gathering for this weekend, I just wanted to post this short chapter before I did. Hopefully I will get a chance to spend some time writing, I just won't be posting it yet. There are spoilers for the episode Restoration in this chapter.

Second chances – chapter twelve

July 2013

"How was group?" Emily asked. She had been back in London for two long weeks. Ever since parting at the airport, she and Morgan had spent more time on the phone talking to one another. Confessing their love for one another had deepened their already close connection. Morgan had taken Spencer to the group, staying with him for support. Spencer had sat back and listened to the group the first week, trying gage the other people.

Amy had gone on maternity leave a week ago, and her replacement, Deidre, was already starting to grate on Emily's nerves. Looking through the computer screen at Morgan, she felt the weariness give way to excitement.

"It was okay," Morgan started. "Reid spoke tonight, said a few things he hadn't said to me." He rubbed the back of his head. He looked exhausted.

"What about you?" Emily wondered. She was glad Spencer was opening up about his grief, he needed to start healing.

"I didn't speak," Morgan admitted. Emily looked at him in question, knowing there was more he needed to tell her, he seemed so distant, almost fragile as he spoke. Emily began to worry, frown forming as he spoke again. "We got back from Chicago today. Carl Buford is dead."

"What happened?" Penelope had called her and said they were on a case and Morgan couldn't make contact because they were against the clock, but Emily had never imagined it was anything to do with Buford.

"He was found in the washroom, strung up with sheets as a noose. The Warden is putting it down to suicide." Morgan looked doubtful.

"He didn't seem like the type of man who would take his own life."

"He wasn't." He paused as he averted his gaze, contemplating something.

"Derek?" Emily called out to him. His eyes swung back to hers. "We promised to be honest to one another."

Morgan nodded his head, rubbing the back of his head. He took a deep breath. "When he was my coach, he molested me." Emily closed her eyes briefly. She had always suspected that Buford had abused Morgan. Now her suspicions had been confirmed, her hatred for the man escalated. Opening her eyes, focusing on Morgan, she saw how lost and childlike he seemed.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" He closed his eyes, obviously trying to shut out the images in his head. Her heart ached for him, wanting to hop on a plane to be with him, to help ease his pain.

"Honestly?" Morgan asked, echoing their promise to one another, opening his eyes. She nodded yes. "No, I don't want you to know that side of me. I didn't want anyone too." He paused. "I told the rest of the team what he did to me. I allowed them to use me as the basis of the victim profile…" He proceeded to tell her everything that had happened in Chicago.

Later they sat opposite each other, tear streaks on both their faces. "He gave me such a long list of names."

Emily swallowed the lump in her throat. She wanted to reassure him, but knew his guilt riddled brain wouldn't allow it. "I wish I could be there with you. I'm sorry I can't be." She whispered to him.

"I know," he told her gently. "But I'm kind of glad you aren't. I need some time by myself; to think." Emily empathised with him, she didn't feel rejected; he needed his own space to sort things out in his head. "I'm going to go to the house I'm restoring this weekend, try and do some work on the shutters." She knew it helped him think, to work through his frustrations.

Morgan grew quiet as they looked at each other through the screen. After a few minutes, Morgan scrunched his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I just feel ashamed," he told her, eyes still shut. "That I let him do that to me."

"Morgan," the sound of her voice made him open his eyes. "He was an adult who abused the trust you placed in him." Emily knew that where his mind was, there was little she could do to comfort him. "Our experiences, good and bad, make us who we are. You returned to that centre every year to make sure those young men knew they had someone to turn to if they needed to. You're a good guy; fiercely loyal, protective, caring, loving, you put others needs before your own."

"How do you do it?" Morgan asked her.

"Do what?" Emily was confused.

"Make me feel better," he told her sincerely. She flushed a little, having no idea what to say.

Feeling a little more relaxed, he felt the tiredness begin to set in, physical and emotional. Glancing at the time on the screen he realised what time it was her side of the Atlantic. For the first time he noticed the dark circles under her eyes. "Thank you, Emily."

"There's no need to thank me."

"You look tired," Morgan told her.

"I'm fine, long week," she sighed.

"Now who's breaking the honesty rule?" He asked her.

"Intel isn't coming fast enough for Easter," she sighed. There had been a heated argument about the undercover agents and Emily had told him she wasn't going to put any more pressure on them while they were in that situation, saying they needed to keep a clear head. Easter had made a comment about how she had been a great undercover agent, and maybe she could reprise the role briefly, that obviously the agents needed guidance in undercover work. Ever since, she had been trying to think of other things she could do to remedy that situation before it came to that.

Morgan watched her for a moment, seeing her inner battle play out across her face, trying to think of a way to help her. "I really don't like that guy," the words slipped out to bring her attention to him.

"I don't either. He may want me to go into the field," Emily admitted. Morgan immediately understood the implications of what she said, sitting up straighter. Emily regretted telling him, she didn't want to add this to his turmoil.

"Do you need to?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "It's just taking longer than we thought, and he's getting impatient. He thinks that as an experienced agent, I may be able to fix that."

Morgan had no idea what to say, he hated the idea of her in the field without him there to back her up, but he wanted to be supportive if it came to that, knowing she may not have another option. Seeing her frustration of trying to figure out what to do, he wanted to help. "Take a step back."

Her eyes snapped to his, and her gaze softened as he continued. "Get some sleep, and get a fresh start in the morning or mid-morning because the sun's starting to rise there." Morgan saw from where she sat on the window seat, the sun was starting to rise over her shoulder. They had been talking for hours.

Emily turned to look at the rising sun and groaned. Looking back at him she was grateful he understood. "Goodnight Princess," Morgan said.

"I love you," she said giving him a small smile. "Night Morgan."

"I love you too; I'll speak to you later." She covered the big yawn with her arm, and he laughed at her lightly. Emily responded by sticking her tongue out at him, making him laugh again as they disconnected.