Acceptance

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the ideas.

Thank you for the support and encouragement that has turned this story from a one-shot to a story. This final chapter is from an idea from lolyncut – hope I have done it justice.

. . .

Morgan took a direct path through the bullpen to grab a coffee for lunch. He hadn't got time for a proper break so decided to get his head down and get on.

Many of the desks were empty as he made his way to the section's kitchen area. He couldn't help but notice a very troubled looking genius sat alone at his desk. Scanning around it was obvious that Emily and JJ had disappeared for something to eat. Carrying on past, he glanced at the contents of the desk for some clue as to what was causing the confused look on his younger friend.

Grabbing a spare mug out of the cupboard, Derek made quick work of rustling up two coffees, pouring plenty of sugar into one.

Returning the same way he had come, Morgan halted beside Spencer Reid. Placing the steaming mug down, he smiled.

"Look like you could do with this more than me, Pretty Boy."

Spencer looked up, his eyebrows knitting as he tried to process Derek's words.

"Thanks," he finally muttered, looking at the dark hot liquid.

"Anytime, want to tell me about it?"

"What?" Spencer's eyes shot up to meet the older agent, in a wide eyed innocence.

"Oh I don't know, how about whatever it is that is bothering you so much that it has stopped you from being even close to half way through your pile," Derek said as he wedged himself onto the edge of the desk, tapping the top of Spencer's in tray, "Usually shortly after lunch you are bothering us for extras to last the day out."

"Somehow I don't think bothering is the correct term," Spencer said with a slight smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Man, you know I hate to burden you with extra work," Derek shrugged, "But I couldn't call myself a friend if I didn't help you feel fulfilled in the workplace."

Even in his current frame of mind Spencer had to snigger at Derek's logic.

"Now that is more like it, so what's the issue?"

"Emily," Spencer said softly.

"Oh," Derek managed looking down at his mug.

"More specifically these," Spencer thrust a pair of tickets in Derek's direction.

Derek scanned the type on the cards, it meant nothing to him.

"Solaris?" he questions, eyebrow raised.

"It's a cinematic adaption of the Polish science fiction novel by Stanislaw Lem. It is about the ultimate inadequacy of communication between human and non-human species. In probing and examining the oceanic surface of the planet Solaris from a hovering research station the human scientists are, in turn, being studied by the planet itself, which probes for and examines the thoughts of the human beings who are analyzing it. Solaris has the ability to manifest their secret, guilty concerns in human form, for each scientist to personally confront. Solaris is one of Lem's philosophic explorations of man's anthropomorphic limitations. What is most interesting is . . ."

Spencer's voice trailed off as Derek held his hand's up in submission.

"Kid save me the Lit lesson, it was never my favourite subject at school. Excuse me for missing the obvious link, but what does all of this have to do with Emily?"

"She gave me the tickets, for this weekend."

"And . . ." Derek prompted.

"And I don't know if I should go with her or not."

"Whoa, so Emily has given you both of the tickets."

Spencer nodded.

"So she'd not planning on joining you?

"I think she was, but I might have given her the impression I didn't want her to go with me."

Derek shook his head. Emily had obviously found an olive branch to offer Spencer and somehow he had managed to metaphorically throw it back in her face.

"Then you have to make it clear you would like her to come with you," Derek said matter of factly.

"I don't know if I do, the film is nearly five hours long, I haven't spent that long with Emily since she came back. I don't know if I'm ready."

"Let me get this straight, you have tickets to a movie, one that is likely to only attract the sort of person that actually concentrates on more than their popcorn aim, somehow I feel you won't need to worry about awkward silences in the conversation."

Spencer knew he had a point, and dropped his eyes back to the tickets resting on his desk.

"What have you got to lose?" Derek added as he rose to leave.

. . .

Coming out into the dark cold evening Emily was enthused by what she had seen.

"Wow, that certainly exercised the brain cells, my Russian has got seriously rusty."

Spencer rammed his hands into his slacks pockets as his walked in step with her.

"You know I'm really hungry, how about you?" Emily asked conscious of the lack of response from Spencer.

"I don't know, maybe I should get back. Thank you."

Emily stopped suddenly, Spencer took another couple of steps before he realised what she had done. Turning slowly to face her, Spencer struggled to meet her eyes.

"Spencer, I don't know what I can do to prove to you that I was wrong. I trusted you and I still do. I know what we did has hurt you and for that I am sorry, you don't know how sorry. Retrospect is an amazing thing, the only problem is you have to have made the mistakes to be able to realise where you went wrong."

"Are you saying you were wrong?"

Emily hung her head, no matter how many times she had a variation of this conversation, it got no easier.

"I was wrong a long time ago, but I did what I had to do to survive. When Doyle came after me I did what I thought was best to protect the team. He had made it clear that he would kill each of you to get to me. He was having you all watched ready. I had no choice; I had backed myself into a corner. The night they shot at Derek and me, I knew he would come after the team. He wouldn't know I hadn't told you."

Emily sighed deeply looking up at Spencer's intense hazel eyes.

"Let's go have something to eat and I promise you I will answer all of your questions openly and honestly. No more lies."

Spencer nodded.

Emily smiled, the tickets had originally been a small step, but now it had the potential of being a huge leap.

. . .

Acceptance and tolerance and forgiveness, those are life-altering lessons.
Jessica Lange

. . .

Author's Note: BIG ANNOUNCEMENT - THE FINAL VOTING BALLOT IS AVAILABLE FOR THE SECOND ANNUAL PROFILER'S CHOICE CM AWARDS on "CHIT CHAT ON AUTHOR'S CORNER" FORUM. Please take this opportunity to recognize some wonderful author's and their stunning pieces of fic. Voting ends 11/30/2011. Two Amazon gift cards will be given to two RANDOM voters that take the time to vote in ten or more categories. Congratulations to all of this year's nominees. Now, let's all read some CM fic!