AN: So, I'm thinking this will be the next to last chapter in this story. If things work out like they're in my head the story will be wrapped up next chapter. I still can't believe this was supposed to be a one-shot and here I am on chapter 22. Thanks for everyone who's read, alerted, reviewed, and added this story to their favorites.

Prompt: Thanks to marcallie for this chapter's prompt from Watership Down by Richard Adams: "All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies. And when they catch you, they will kill you. But first, they must catch you."

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The rest of the drive was quiet. More than once, Morgan had thought about turning on the radio. Each time though, one glance at Reid changed his mind. The younger man was sitting back in the seat, his head resting on the headrest, and staring out the window with a faraway look on his face. It was clear to Morgan that Reid was lost in his own thoughts. As the genius' expression seemed relaxed and not distressed, Morgan chose not disrupt the younger man.

When Morgan finally pulled up to Gideon's cabin, he saw the elder profiler standing outside. Morgan turned off the motor and heard the hard swallow that Reid made. Glancing over, the look on Reid's face reminded him of one's he had seen on inmates facing the electric chair.

"It's going to be okay, Reid," Morgan said in what he hoped was a reassuring tone. The kid looked like he could use all the support he could get right about now.

Reid made no reaction to Morgan's statement. Undoing his own seatbelt, Morgan reached past the younger man and grasped the door handle. He pushed the door open, and was relieved when Reid finally looked over at him.

"I'll drag you out of this car too if I have to, Kid," Morgan said, his tone softening the words.

"That won't be necessary," Reid replied quietly, finally reaching down to unfasten his seatbelt.

Satisfied that Reid was going to get out of the vehicle, Morgan opened his own door. He climbed out of the vehicle and started to walk around the front of it. Reaching the front bumper, Morgan paused as he watched Gideon approach Reid who had gotten out of the vehicle but hadn't yet stepped away from it. Reaching Reid, Gideon pulled the younger man into a hug without a moment's hesitation. Feeling as if he was eavesdropping on what should be a private moment between his two teammates, Morgan let his gaze drop to the hood of the vehicle.

Though not trying to pay attention, Morgan could hear Reid talking. The younger man's voice was low enough that the exact words could not be made out. Feeling that it was none of his business, Morgan didn't strain to overhear him. Gideon's reply, however, could be heard clearly.

"It's okay. I've got a thick skin. The only thing I was worried about was that I might have made things worse that night."

Again, Morgan couldn't make out Reid's words as he replied.

"It's okay," Gideon replied again when the murmur of Reid's voice faded away. "Are you up for a walk? It'll give us a chance to talk things out."

Morgan looked up in time to catch Reid's nod.

Gideon glanced over at Morgan. "Go inside and make yourself at home," he said, motioning toward the cabin with one hand.

Morgan nodded his acknowledgment as Gideon started leading Reid toward a worn path heading into the woods. He watched his two teammates before starting for the cabin. Morgan was certain that a talk with Gideon's would help Reid's state of mind and he was hopeful that the change of scenery and fresh air would benefit the genius to.

Walking into the cabin, Morgan headed for the couch. He lowered himself down on it and leaned his head against the high back. His only intention was to rest for a bit but it wasn't long before sleep claimed him.

As the two profilers made their way deeper into the woods, Gideon found himself mulling over his choice of words. Though from all the reports he had received from everybody else, Reid was doing better, Gideon could still see just how tenuous that progress was. He didn't think it would take much to destroy the progress that had been made and he didn't want to be the reason that Reid slid backwards in his battle with the addiction. There had already been enough mistakes made on their part. If he and Hotch had done their job, then things never would have never gotten this out of control. They would have caught the problem before it caused so much anguish for everyone. Before they all had to watch Reid start to self-destruct before their eyes.

Gideon glanced over at Reid. The younger man was walking with his head down. His long hair was falling forward, blocking part of his face from Gideon's view. Reid had his arms crossed protectively around himself and his shoulders were hunched. All behaviors that showed that Reid was drawing into himself. That he was still trying to protect himself from the world around him despite the fact that the only one near him. Gone was the relaxed atmosphere that had developed between them.

Gideon found himself thinking of a quote from Watership Down, a book he had read at one point. "'All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies. And when they catch you, they will kill you. But first, they must catch you.'" ~Reid's enemies did catch him and they made an attempt to kill him. In some ways they aren't done trying, ~ Gideon thought. ~If Morgan hadn't been able to reach him, they may have succeeded.~ He looked over again at Reid as he reached out an arm and placed it across Reid's shoulders. The older man felt the tension increase in the young genius shoulders. Reid had noticeably lost weight and was pale. ~They may still succeed if we're not careful, ~ he thought, acknowledging to himself that they were a long way from being past all of this. Reid was standing on the very edge of the abyss that they often looked into while doing this job and the only thing keeping him from jumping right now were them.

"I'm sorry," Reid said, interrupting the song of the birds and the wind in the tree tops above.

"For what?" Gideon asked, wanting to know exactly what the younger man's mind set was. Only then could he be sure of what the right words to say were.

"For everything. For messing up in Georgia and letting the UnSub get the upper hand on me. For not being strong enough to hold out. For being weak and giving into the need to escape. For betraying your trust and confidence in me - both yours and Hotch's. I've messed everything up and then when you came to try and help me . . . "

Gideon moved closer to the younger man, tightening the grip he had on Reid's shoulder. "I haven't heard one thing that you need to be apologizing for," he told the younger man. "You made no mistakes down in Georgia."

"It was my idea for JJ and me to split up and then I go and follow the UnSub into the cornfield without knowing JJ was behind me. You always make sure you know where your partner is. Hotch and you have drilled that into since day one."

"Okay, so maybe you did make one mistake but we're human - it happens. No one is holding that against you. Stop holding it against yourself."

"If something had happened to JJ . . . "

"Nothing did," Gideon said interrupting him. "She's fine and we've got you back. I know it's not easy but you need to let what happened down in Georgia go so that you can heal and move on."

"I just can't seem to figure out how to do that. What happens down there just seems to haunt me. It came back in flashbacks at the most inopportune times. Haunted my sleep. There seemed only one way to escape all that and though I knew it wasn't the right way to go, I just wanted the relief it brought and then it seemed to take control of my actions and before I knew it I was lashing out at the very people who were trying to help me. I got myself into the mess and I thought I could get myself out of it but I couldn't. I knew I needed help but after the way I had acted, after everything I had done, I couldn't bring myself to ask for it."

"We never should have left you to deal with things on your own."

"I don't blame you. This is my fault," Reid managed to get out before his voice broke.

Gideon stopped walking, his hand on Reid's shoulder drawing the younger man to a stop too. Before he could say anything though, Reid was speaking again.

"What I said to you that night you came to my apartment after we returned from New Orleans, I didn't mean it Gideon. I know you were only trying to help - I knew it then really - but I was just too ashamed to accept that help. I thought that if I didn't admit to actually having the drug then it would just disappear. That it would be like it never happened. I thought that I could get rid of it myself. You were right though - I couldn't bring myself to throw it out on my own but after the words I said to you that night - after saying that if you had really cared about me then you would have been there right after it happened - well I was too ashamed to admit I needed help. I said I hated you. That I didn't need you. That I wanted to get out of my life. I know nothing I can say now can change that now and I'm sorry."

"No, it can't be changed," Gideon said turning Reid to face him. "However as far as I'm concerned it's forgiven and forgotten and I don't want to hear another word about it. I care about you too much to let one night ruin our relationship," he said, as he drew the younger man into a tight embrace. "You're like a son to me, Spencer. Don't you ever forget that."

Gideon felt the fresh round of sobs shake the slender frame as he held Reid tightly. He didn't want to think about how close they had come to losing him both back in Georgia and then more recently because they let their guard down. They had all thought they had left the danger down south when in reality it had followed them home.

Gideon hugged Reid until the younger man's tears had been spent. The two then continued there leisurely walk through the woods, continuing to draw strength from the other in the comfortable silence that had fallen between them. When they finally returned to the cabin, they entered to find Morgan still asleep on the couch.

"He's gotten less sleep than I have through all this," Reid said quietly as he and Gideon exchanged glances.

"Then what do you say we let him sleep, and you and I go cook the three of us something to eat."

Reid nodded. Somehow cooking a meal sounded like a wonderfully ordinary thing to do and he could use some ordinary in his life right about now.