A/N: Just realized I forgot a disclaimer so here it is. I don't own this show or it's characters at the moment.

Thank you to anyone who is reading or reviewing my story :). I really appreciate feedback and will incorporate any suggestions, requests, or criticisms so Keep reviewing!

Sorry about the issue yesterday. hope I fixed it.

Sitting in her apartment, Riley had felt plain lost. There was a need inside of her that burned to be with Gabriel. But her head was saying that her fantasy of life with him could never come true.

She was a terrible cook. She couldnt sew or clean or or.. Anything really. She would be a terrible mother. She took bullets for people, she didn't make sandwiches or fold laundry.

Riley looked around her place. It was a pit. A mess. Just like her, she thought. Riley was wallowing in self-pity but when you start feeling bad for yourself it's hard to stop.

Riley imagined Gabriel talking to Elly.

She could just see them talking about her with pity. Gabriel planning to support her, be there for her, as a charity. Elly being little Mrs Perfect

saying poor Riley, let's help Riley, your so noble and generous Gabriel.

No, no, no..She shook her head. Riley Neal was NOT a weak woman, not one to be pitied. She had never needed anyone else to take care of her and she wasn't about to start now.

She stood up and wiped the final tears from her eyes. Riley was done acting like this. Ever since her and Gabriel spent that night together she had been an idiot.

From being scared and rejecting him, sulking in misery after seeing him with Elly, to being a big crying baby about this pregnancy Riley had not been acting like herself.

She looked around her apartment. It was too disorganized to even let her think clearly. Riley needed a change of scenery, she needed distance from everything so she could figure this out.

She cleared her head and started packing. She had a lot to do to get ready for this baby. Riley Neal was good at protecting people, it was her job. That couldn't be so different from being a mother, she reasoned. Hell, sometimes she felt like she was Gabriel's mother, the way she took care of him. Well the way she used to, anyway.

Speaking of Gabriel... He could come after her if he wanted. She wasn't going to force him to be a father or her partner or whatever.

Riley left him a note and walked out the door with her bag. She got in the car and called Lillian Strand.

Lillian gave her some advice and agreed Agent Neal should take some time off.

Soon Riley was on the highway. The idea that she was free to go anywhere in the country blew her mind. She had felt so tethered and weighed down lately.

Where did she want to go? Her mouth twisted into a small side smile. She had always wanted to go to New Orleans. The Cajun food, the river it was definitely different from the cities she was used to. Besides there was someone down there who she wanted to see.

Riley pulled out her hairtie, let her hair down, and opened the window. As the wind blew in her face she felt almost happy. Happier than an hour ago when Gabriel left her alone. Happier than two weeks ago when she had been crying, eating take out and ice cream to ease her guilt and sadness over letting Gabriel go. Happier than she had been when she had rejected him with that lie.

But leaving the city, Riley was not as happy as she had been on that night, three months ago when she was with him.

The realization that she would never really be happy without him hit her like a load a bricks. Did she dare hope he would come after her? No no, Riley reprimanded herself. He had Elly and her family. She was nothing to him,she was nothing to him. Riley repeated it in a whisper until she couldn't say it anymore, else she would cry.

Get over it, she told herself. As soon as she could get over Gabriel Vaugnn and moved on with her own life she would be happy.

Maybe she should transfer out of Cyber Com, Riley speculated. If she wanted to get over Gabriel she couldn't spend all day with him.

Seven hours later Agent Neal checked into a hotel in Georgia and emailed Lillian Strand her resignation.