Hi Friends!

You guys outdid yourselves with all the awesome reviews! I appreciated each and every one of them! They warmed my heart to no end. So a big Thank You! Goes out to each and everyone of you.

Now some of you made some requests as to what you wanted to see in this next chapter. I took your ideas/suggestions into consideration and I hoped this is what you were hoping for!

Please forgive any mistakes! I swear I did read through it but it is 11:15 at night...so...some mistakes probably went unnoticed.

Enjoy!

Derek sprinted over to the younger man and called out, "Reid! Reid! Spencer, it's me. It's Derek."

Whatever memory the boy was trapped in seemed to have him wrapped up tightly for Reid didn't show any sign of hearing the other agent. The poor kid was releasing so many tears that Derek thought he would surely drown if allowed to continue.

Morgan knew it was risky but he reached out and grabbed Reid's shoulders. He gently shook them in order to rouse the doctor out of his flashback but it didn't work. He ended up having to put more strength into his grip while he practically shouted, "Reid! Snap out of it! You're safe. Nothing can hurt you."

The larger man's actions finally did the trick as the lanky body caught in his grasp jerked in surprise. Reid's scrawny arms came up suddenly and pushed away the other man's limbs in a surprising show of strength. "Let go of me!"

"Alright…kid…it's alright. It's just me," Morgan said with his hands held up high in an effort to placate the flustered boy.

"Morgan?"

"Yeah, it's alright man. I'm here. The lights are back on," Morgan offered with a gesture to the illuminated room.

"Oh God," the genius moaned as he dipped his head back down onto the top of his knees.

"Reid?" Morgan beckoned. "What is it?"

A heart wrenching sound issued from deep within the boney body, "I-I-I wasn't good enough…I wasn't good enough to save her."

A chill ran down Morgan's spine when he realized what his teammate was referring too. He crouched down to Reid's level and placed his hand back on his friend's shoulder, "Oh man, Pretty Boy…it wasn't your fault. You…you did the best you could in that situation. I-I don't think I could have even managed what you accomplished."

Reid, unable to fathom talking this out with Morgan during the emotional upheaval he was currently experiencing, cleared his throat and lifted his head. His wet brown eyes looked tormented as they searched his friend's face for sincerity. He must have found what he was looking for because he looked away seconds later and wiped his face with his sleeve. "Ho-how long have I been down here?"

"I think for about forty-five minutes. Hotch called me because you were late to the deposition. And we all know you're never late so I knew that something had to be wrong," Morgan explained.

"It was Agent Baker. He locked me in here," Reid responded with a fire in his eyes hot enough to dry his tears.

"Yeah, I figured that out when Agent Bellancia told me that he covers for her during lunch. You want to know the kicker? He's not even an agent, just a temp. I bet you any money that he was trying to help West out by making sure you didn't testify today," Morgan ventured as he reached down and gripped Reid's arms at his elbows. He then helped lift his lanky friend off the floor and helped him stand steady on the concrete.

Reid was dusting off his pants when his head jerked up at Morgan's comment. A determined looked painted the genius's face right before he pushed past Derek and ran out the door.

"Reid!" Morgan called to the boy's retreating back. It was a pointless shout though, because moments later the metal door to the stairwell clanged shut after the agent plowed through it on his way up the stairs.

Aaron stood in the hallway staring at his disconnected phone. He wondered what Reid had gotten himself into now. If Agent West was behind this it would likely cause the genius more emotional damage, something his subordinate could hardly afford.

The older agent heaved a sigh and waited a few minutes to see if Morgan would call back with an update. He didn't want to go back into the room without at least some information to give the director. Unfortunately, it looked like he didn't have a choice when the director's secretary poked his head out the door and said, "The director would like you to come back in now, sir."

Hotch nodded his head wordlessly and walked back into the room. He scanned the faces of the other agents when he got inside and noticed that the majority of them looked annoyed at the delay. It was pretty clear that their patience was running out. The unit chief decided not to acknowledge their ire and chose to sit back down at his seat as if nothing was wrong.

A gruff sounding cough came from the director before the man asked, "Well? Where is your agent?"

"I'm not sure at the moment. Agent Morgan is looking for him now. I'm sure it will only be a few more minutes," Hotch answered stoically.

Agent West's representative was quick to speak up upon hearing those words. "A few more minutes? Director, making my client wait is preposterous. We've already discussed Agent West's actions. Agent Reid's statement isn't necessary and making us wait for a tardy witness is ridiculous. Besides, what if the kid just chickened? He probably knows how faulty his claim is and didn't want to sit here before us all and have us poke holes in what is surely to be a flawed statement. I think that we should just move on and get to the consequences so Agent West here can begin to move on from what is turning out to be a big fiasco over nothing."

West smiled smugly at his attorney's speech and leaned back in his chair to watch the show.

"Sir, I want you to know here and now that Agent Reid is no longer a child and you will cease addressing him as such. We all know that by doing so you and your client are trying to discredit his word. Additionally, regardless of his tardiness he has a right to be heard. You two do not have to stick around to hear it but the board's ruling will be taking his statement into consideration when discussing Agent West's consequences. Now, stay or leave it is up to you but from now on if you chose to speak do so with the upmost respect for those inside and outside of this room," the director, a little known friend of Reid's, said sternly chastising the two agents.

West's attorney paled at the stiff rebuke and nodded his head in acquiescence. Damien, on the other hand, lost his smirk and glared at the director. He was pissed off at how many people the stubborn brat seemed to have under his thumb.

"That being said, Agent Hotchner we will give Doctor Reid another five minutes and –" the balding man was cut off as the door to the conference room crashed open.

A breathless Reid stood in the doorway, red in the face and alight in fury.

"Ah, Doctor Reid, please take a seat," the director said without missing a beat.

"I'm sorry I'm late. I got caught up down in archives," Reid said coolly to the board. He then turned toward Damien and said, "I met your friend down there though. He delivered your message loud and clear."

West's face falters at Reid's accusing statement. He desperately wants to ask how the kid got the fuck out of the vault but knew that doing so would be an admission to his participation in the trick.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean?" West uttered confidently.

"Right, well I'd be happy to explain," Reid offered as he took his seat next to Hotch.

"I hate to interrupt Doctor Reid but you are already late and my client doesn't need to waste any more of his time while you ramble on about something that is irrelevant to why we are here," Damien's attorney cut in.

"Oh, but I think it does have some bearing on today's deposition," Reid said seriously.

"Director, could you please ask Agent Reid to only focus on the topic at hand? I'm sure that whatever held him up can't be attributed to my client due to the fact that he has been with us all morning," the man said smoothly.

The director was reluctant to agree with the slimy lawyer, "We all know by now that there seems to be no ends to which Agent West's influence can reach. Go ahead, Doctor Reid."

Having been given permission, Reid started to calmly explain what happened to him over the past hour. He made sure to maintain a steady gaze on the director and the other members of the board hoping to show that Agent West's presence was not swaying his tale. When he had finished telling his account the other agents in the room all had various looks of indignation and outrage on their faces.

West's attorney was quick on the draw once the genius halted his speech, "I don't see how any of that has to do with my client. You cannot prove that Agent West had any involvement. If you believe this story you are doing so on one man's postulations. There is nothing to tie Damien to the crime."

"True, Agent West was not present down in archives, but it will be simple enough to corroborate his story when we question Mr. Baker. That and the camera footage that my technical analyst will be more than happy to procure," Hotch responded effortlessly.

"Then it's decided. Mr. Baker will be questioned at later date pertaining to the newest accusation and Miss Garcia will pull up the camera feeds. We will look into everything then tack on whatever is necessary to West's consequences upon the conclusion of that investigation. Now, let's turn to the current allegations," the director dictated.

Section Chief Cruz took the lead on questioning Reid. He was very thorough and remained impartial throughout the procedure. Each question seemed to have been carefully planned and all of the doctor's answered were fully recognized.

"Thank you, Doctor Reid. We will carefully consider your deposition in relation to Agent West's comments. You are dismissed," Cruz stated.

"Uh…sirs? Would it be alright if I added one more thing?"

Cruz looked at the director and received a nod, "Of course, Doctor Reid."

"I understand that you are here today to make a ruling based on facts but I would like to voice my opinion for the record…regardless of its use," Reid said earnestly.

"Objection," the attorney called out.

"This isn't a court of law, sir. We run our hearings our own way," the director responded immediately, appropriately shutting the other man down. "Continue."

"I do not believe that Agent West started out on our team with the intent to somehow harm me. In fact, his harassment didn't even begin until his second day. Based upon my profile of Agent West it seems like he is suffering from a massive inferiority complex coupled with an intense ambition to prove his worth. I believe I was chosen because upon first impressions I am often viewed as somewhat weaker than my teammates. For I know that my appearance, stature, reserved emotions, and my propensity to seclusion makes me more vulnerable to an attack from one such as Agent West. Anyways, I can easily understand that these are the reasons he chose to attack me but," Reid turned at faced West straight on, "I assure you Agent West that I am not as weak as I appear and your attempts to undermine my intelligence and run me out have not worked. I hope in the future you seek out some treatment options to assist you in overcoming your feelings of inadequacies and chose healthier ways to boost your self-esteem."

West couldn't believe the drivel that was pouring out of the kid's mouth. By the time the twerp was finished he was seeing red. The second the boy's thin lips ceased their movement he slammed his hands down on the table and stood up from his seat. No longer in control of his emotions, Damien wasn't able to hold back the venom that burst forth from his lips, "You little shit! How dare you accuse me of feeling anything other than disgust at being near you! You actually think that I'm jealous of your standing in the F.B.I.? How could I be jealous of someone who only got to where he is because people felt sorry for him?"

"That's enough!" the shouted out as he stood up from his chair. "Agent Reid, you may go. Your opinion has been heard and dually noted. You will be updated on our ruling later on today."

Reid knew better than to stick around after Damien's outburst. He simply stood up confidently and walked out with his head held high. He could feel everyone's eyes in the room follow him through the daunting oak doors and he didn't relax his shoulders until the barrier thudded closed behind him.

He closed his eyes once he was out the door and threw out his hand searching for the bench he knew was next to the door. He found the wooden armrest and flung himself down onto the hard seat. He let out a deep breath of air and bent over in order to cradle his head in his arms which were perched on his legs.

"How did it go?"

Startled, Reid nearly jumped two inches up in the air.

"Whoa kid, it's just me," Morgan said softly from his spot across the hall.

"Morgan…you scared me," Reid uttered.

"Sorry…I didn't mean to," the agent explained. The black man made his way over to the vacant seat on the bench and sat down next to his best friend. "That rough huh?"

Reid turned his head in his hands and peeked through his bangs, "It was…something."

"You wanna talk about it?"

Reid grunted and stood up, "Ah…no…uh…You know what? I think I just need to be alone for a few minutes. Thanks anyways." With that the genius left his teammate on the bench and walked off down the hall.

"Agent West, the board has deliberated for over two hours on the information put forth during your hearing and we have come to a unanimous decision. As of today, September 18th, 2014 you are officially relieved of your duties with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and you are no longer eligible for any law enforcement or government job. It is going to be up to Doctor Reid to decide whether or not he wants to press charges against you for assault and if the allegations he just brought to light during his deposition check out we will be bringing you up for kidnapping a federal agent. You are now excused, and once you walk through those doors you will not be welcome back here again," the director said professionally without a hint of emotion tainting his voice.

Damien sputtered upon hearing the ruling while anger clawed over his skin and up his spine, "Th-th-this is ridiculous! I-I just slipped the kid some sleeping pills. They sell them over the counter at any drug store you walk into. I didn't even give him more than the recommended dose! That shouldn't warrant me being fired…transferred sure, but not fired. I'm too important to this organization…I bring over ten years of experience…you-you can't fire me!"

"We can and we have. And Mr. West, did you honestly think that drugging a fellow employee would just be a slap on the wrist?"

Hotch stood up from his leather chair and watched the interaction with mirth in his eyes. He would never admit it out loud but it was good to see West get what he deserved. He just needed to get out of here now and convince Reid to bring Damien up on assault charges to put the final nail in the coffin. Of course, if the agent's story about archives checked out, and he knew it would, then West was going to be in the hot seat for more than just drugs.

A strange feeling though niggled at the back of Hotchner's brain. He had a feeling that West wasn't going to go down so easily and that perhaps his youngest agent may need to be on the lookout for some sort of retaliation.

Reid's feet crunched the gravel on the rooftop as they walked across the flat roof. He had desperately needed some air and some solitude after exuding an abnormal amount of confidence during the meeting. It was a skill he didn't make use of often. Most of the time he found that families, witnesses, and victims found him more relatable when he wasn't conveying self-confidence, almost as if they saw him as harmless. As such, that vulnerability they saw allowed them to let their guard down around the genius and speak freely about their experiences.

The mild September air sent a chill through his body, his lithe frame shivering at what most people would find a pleasant temperature. He wrapped his hands around his waist and walked over to the ledge and looked out at Quantico. The city seemed to be bustling this afternoon as the citizens went about their business far below.

"I know you said you wanted to be alone but I think this is one of those times that I need to follow my gut," Morgan's voice carried from behind him.

The cool breeze whipped the genius's brown shaggy locks around his head, "I'll be fine, Morgan. I-I just need some time to get my head together."

"You know, you always say that but the problem with that, Reid, is that you aren't getting your head together. What you're actually doing is diving deeper into that dark well inside your mind."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, the fact that every time you come back from your alone time you seem to retreat even further from the team," Morgan explained delicately.

"Maybe I just don't want to bother you guys with what I've discovered," Reid ventured.

"I don't doubt that. You always seem to think that you're a bother…but Spencer, we're friends. Nothing that's going on with you would be a bother to us…to me. That's how friendship works…you're there for me when I need it and I'm there for you," Morgan said as he laid his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"But you never come to me about your problems anymore…you…you have someone else to go to," Reid practically whispered.

Morgan winced at his friend's words. He knew that he had been distant lately but he hadn't realized its effect. "Reid…man…I know that I've been turning to Savannah about some of my problems lately…but there are always going to be things that I can talk to you about that I can't with her. She isn't going to understand the how I feel after a tough case. She isn't going to know how to deal with my nightmares…especially the ones about…about Carl. I know she's my girl now, but I-I can't bring myself to go there with her yet. You are my go-to for so many things, apparently more than you know."

Reid felt the sting of tears in his eyes upon hearing Morgan's heartfelt confession. He sniffled a little and tried to discretely wipe away the traitorous liquid, "Really?"

"Yeah, I'm always going to need you," he confessed. "I guess…I was just taking for granted that you would be there…that you didn't need a reminder of how important you are to my life."

Reid swallowed a gulp of air before he spoke, "And I'm sorry that I was so quick to give up on you. It-It's just that…I…I'm used to friendships ending that way…so when you started drifting away I thought I would make the break easier on myself…so I decided to pull away too."

The two stood in silence for a few minutes. Their minds absorbing the major revelations that had just occurred on the roof.

Morgan was the first to break the comfortable peace that had settled over the two, "I guess I'm just going to have to keep you closer from now on."

Reid gave his friend a faint smile, "I guess so…" The doctor turned to leave, figuring that their talk was over when Morgan stopped him with the last question he wanted to hear.

"Did…ah…did you want to talk about what happened in the vault?"

Flustered at the thought of sharing the visions that had stricken him in that dark environment, Reid tried to talk his way out of it, "Nah, I'll be fine. It wasn't anything worse than I've experienced before."

"Reid…" Morgan scolded.

"I…I can't…it was just…just too hard to go through once…I don't want to do it again," Reid's voice became fainter as he talked into the wind.

"You can't let them break you Reid…not your dreams…not West and Baker…you need to talk about them to keep them from consuming you," Morgan entreated.

Spencer's mouth hung open like he wanted to refute Derek's statement but it closed in defeat moments later, "Like I said…they weren't anything worse that what I usually see at night…only this time I couldn't wake myself up. At home…at home there is at least a nightlight that lets me know that I'm awake and in my bedroom. Down there…it was just all consuming. I couldn't even find a sliver light."

"Where was your phone?"

"I left it on my desk to charge," Reid said.

"Damn."

"Yeah, I know…the one time that technology could have actually rescued me," Reid said wryly. He sighed heavily and then carried on, "I-I saw images of my dad…and what he used to do to me when he was angry."

Derek didn't like the sound of that and his mind already started jumping ahead trying to fill in the blanks, "Reid…he never-"

"Oh god no…," Reid saw the look on Morgan's face and felt bad that the other man's mind went there. "No…he was a bastard…but he never…did that."

Morgan nodded, relieved that the young man that had been through so much never had to experience that.

"He…he used to beat me with his belt whenever he thought I did something wrong," Reid explained. "It mostly happened at night. He would come into my bedroom, remove his belt and strike me relentlessly until his arm got tired. I'd have welts and bruises for weeks but he always kept them places where people wouldn't see. So no one ever knew…not even my mom."

"I'm so sorry…," Morgan started but Reid waived his apology off.

"It's alright…I…uh…I also remembered one of my mom's particularly bad episodes. She attacked me in the dark, dragged me into the kitchen and threw me down the basement stairs. I hit my head pretty hard and broke a bone in my right arm. She kept me down there for two days before she regained her lucidity. I…I tried to call out and get through to her but nothing worked. I was severely dehydrated and starving when she let me out. I didn't go home to visit her again until summer break…I just couldn't bring myself to see her any earlier."

This time Morgan stayed silent instead of offering useless condolences.

Reid turned away from his friend and walked closer to the edge of the building. Derek knew that his friend was prepping himself to discuss one of his most recent wounds.

"I…I couldn't save her Derek. I tried…I really did. I followed all the same patterns and routines that we always use when dealing with irrational unsubs. I weaved the perfect lie…but those were just words. She saw through my actions. Diane…she knew the moment she kissed me that I wasn't being sincere. How do you fake that?" Reid's big brown eyes were trembling with emotion as they looked out over the city, not seeing the scenery only the memories buried behind them.

"You can't Reid…and it wasn't your fault. She saw through your lies because you can't hide a love like you have for Maeve," Derek started.

"Had."

"What?"

"You said have…the right word is had," Reid corrected.

"No genius, the right words is have. You still love her just as strongly as that night. That doesn't go away because she had to…in fact I bet that you might even lover her more, because now you can look back and appreciate little things you might have missed when you were talking to her," Morgan guessed.

Reid was quiet for a few moments, contemplating his friend's words. "Maybe you're right. I never realized until…until after she was gone how she had a tendency to giggle when she was nervous. She would say something to me and if she thought I would find it strange or silly she would giggle to deflect her nerves."

"See…you still have that love for her…and that was something that you were never going to be able to hide from Diane."

"But why did she have to die? Why couldn't it have been me? I…I offered myself up for her…why wasn't that good enough for Diane?" he implored in the hopes that Derek could shed some light on a question he had been asking himself for the last year and a half.

The darker agent walked over to his hurting friend and gently grabbed his arm, turning the boy so that they were facing each other. He then positioned his hands above each of Reid's elbows and tightened his grip as a show of support. He then locked their gazes together and spoke as tenderly as possible, "Because if she would have taken you up on your offer than Maeve would have won…and that was something that Diane couldn't handle. Honestly Reid, I don't think there was anything you could have done to change the outcome. No matter what, Diane was going to kill Maeve that night. Having you there was just the cherry on top of her sundae."

Reid's eyes were welling with unshed tears by the end and Morgan swore he felt some in his own eyes as well. The genius then slumped forward into his best friend's chest and let the sobs he had been choking back for the last few minutes out into the cool autumn air.

I hope you liked it!

Till next weekend!