A/N After the short, last chapter, I thought I'd give you all a really long one. It's leading up to the final chapters! Morgan and Reid finally talk face to face...coming soon!

Thanks to all who read, review, favorite, and alert this story! I love writing about these two, and hope to keep the stories coming!

Chapter 6

Resignation

After hanging up the phone, Reid let himself cry again. He was glad he'd taken Hotch up on the extra days off, but things were getting out of hand. Not going into work this morning had been one of the hardest things he'd done. Work was his life. He didn't have much of a social life outside of the team, and the thought of missing all that paperwork actually made him anxious. He enjoyed paperwork, although everyone teased him about it. He found it soothing to lose himself in his work.

That was when he realized he needed to go back. He had to man up and face the music. It hadn't been easy working with JJ after he found out she'd lied to him, but he'd gone to work and faced her. He laughed when he thought back at how he acted. He really had acted like a child, but he was hurt and didn't know how else to deal with it.

Throughout the course of the job, he'd been forced to grow up and deal with issues most people his age couldn't dream of. But, it had made him a much stronger person. He made his decision then. If he could make it through everything that had happened after Doyle, he could handle this. It's not like anything had changed. Seriously, how much different would Morgan act around Garcia during work hours anyway? Their relationship had always bordered on unprofessional, and he doubted they would partake in any public displays of affection in the office.

So, he was still harboring feeling for his best friend that would never be returned. Things are no different than they were last week. He just needed to internalize these feeling he was experiencing. When he realized his feeling for Derek had deepened, he rather enjoyed the flutter he felt every time his best friend got near. After a while, though, the flutter came with a tightening of the chest, because he knew his feelings would never be returned. That tightening had morphed into a gaping hole after he heard Morgan's confession to Garcia. Spencer now completely understood the term broken heart, because even though it is physically impossible for the heart to actually break, his felt as though it had been shattered into tiny pieces.

After his introspection, Spencer decided to take a shower and find a local meeting he could attend. Even though he had been clean for years, he still attended meeting occasionally, and sought them out during especially emotional times. And he was fairly certain finding out the person you love is in love with someone else, and then staying in bed for three days crying about it could constitute an emotional time.

Coming out of the shower, he heard a text come in. His chest tightened, hoping it wasn't Morgan again. Although, come to think of it, he hadn't texted him yet today. He knew Morgan was suspicious, because he had never ignored his best friend, but he just couldn't bring himself to answer him. He was going to have to come up with a good reason why he didn't answer Morgan's texts before he saw the older man the next day.

He picked up his phone cautiously, holding his breath, as if it would bite him. He let out a sigh when he realized it was only JJ checking up on him. Oh no, she wanted to come by after work to talk. He knew it was only a matter of time before she would force the issue. He had avoided everyone for days, and now he had to face the music, as they say. Maybe he should just tell JJ everything. He understands that talking things out with someone is important, but he hadn't told anyone of his feeling for his best friend. He knew JJ wouldn't feel any different toward him if he told her.

He decided to confide in her that evening, so he sent her a quick text asking her to bring Chinese over, he was starving, and they'd talk. He felt lighter already, having made the decision to share his feeling, so he walked the two blocks to his meeting feeling better than he had for days.

When he returned from his meeting, he straightened up his apartment and sat down to read while he waited for JJ. He must have dozed off, because the knock on his door startled him, causing his book to fall on the floor with a loud thump. There was another, more persistent knock, and he heard JJ's muffled voice through the door, "Spence, are you alright?"

He got up, unlocked the door and pulled it open to reveal a worried JJ, her arms full of Chinese food, and holding two cup of, what he could tell right away, was his favorite coffee. He smiled when he saw her, reaching out to take help her, and took the coffee (of course).

"I'm fine. Sorry. I must have fallen asleep reading," he explained, leading her into his dining area, and nodding to the book still laying on the floor by the couch.

She smiled at him, and pulled him in for a hug, after setting the food down on the table. "It's good to see you, Spence. I, we were worried about you."

She saw a flash of sadness in his eyes, before he turned away and disappeared into the kitchen for plates and a fork for himself. When he returned, the look was gone. While they ate, JJ caught him up on the latest Henry stories, and Spencer listened, genuinely smiling for the first time since the 4th of July.

After their dishes were cleared, they moved into the living room, and Spencer began to fidget. He knew he needed to talk to JJ, but was getting nervous about it. She sat down beside him on the couch and put her hand on his knee. "Talk to me, Spence."

That's all it took to open the flood gates again. He leaned over and put his head in his hands, and gave a harsh laugh. "Who knew the body could produce so many tears in such a short time." He said through his hands.

It broke JJ's heart to see Spence so upset. She knew whatever was bothering him was more than just him overhearing Morgan and Garcia. And she knew she needed to find out what that was. So, she leaned closer and pulled his face out of his hands, forcing him to look at her.

"Spence, please tell me what's wrong." She said, gently. He tried to turn his face away, but she held firm. "I hate seeing you like this. Please, please, just talk to me."

"I - I," he stuttered. "I'm not sure where to start." He sniffed, wiping a stray tear away with his finger.

"Why don't you tell me what happened at Morgan's party."

He stiffened. "Wh - why do you think this has anything to do with Morgan's party?"

"Come on, Spence, I may not have been a profiler for long, but I can still read people. Especially my friends." She let go of his chin, trusting that he wouldn't look away. "Just tell me what happened, so we can clear things up and you can feel better."

"It won't be that easy, I'm afraid." His resigned tone almost brought her to tears. Whatever happened was effecting him deeply, and she wasn't leaving until she found out what that was.

"Whatever it is, I'm here for you, and I'll help you." JJ said, almost pleading.

"I, uh, have feeling for someone on the team, and...ugh, this is harder than I thought!" He let out a frustrated breath. "I over heard them say they were in love with someone else." The last sentence came out in a rush.

JJ sat there silently, trying to make sense of everything she knew. Derek was in love with Spencer, and thought Spencer overheard him telling Garcia. And Spence is in love with someone, and thinks they love someone else. Could he have a thing for Garcia? She laughed internally at that. Garcia scared her 'Boy Wonder.' Then...she smiled. It could only mean...it had to be...her smile faded. Oh no. Spence overheard Morgan, but thought he was talking about Garcia, and not him!

"Oh Spence." She finally said. He had just sat there watching JJ's face. He could tell she was trying to figure everything out, but was confused at her facial expressions during the process. "Sweetie," she brought her hand up to caress his cheek in a caring gesture. "I think this has all been a very bad misunderstanding."

"I don't understand." And he didn't. What was misunderstood? He heard Morgan clearly tell Garcia that he built the house for them. It's hard to misinterpret something like that.

"You need to talk to Derek."

He leaned away from her touch then, and got up to pace. Was she crazy? That was the last thing he wanted to do! Sure, he would have to save face tomorrow and apologize for not texting him back, but he had already come up with an excuse he hoped would work.

He sat back down, trying to calm his nerves. "Yea, I feel bad about avoiding him. I plan to talk to him when to return to work tomorrow.

"No, you need to go see him. Tonight." She used her 'don't mess with me' voice.

"What? No, I..." Her glare stopped him. He looked away momentarily, then back before blurring out, "It's Morgan." He paused. I'm in love with Derek," he said, quieter this time.

"I know, Spence. And that's why you need to talk to him."

"But, I don't understand. It's not going to change anything. I'm not telling him how I feel. Not after I know he..." He shouldn't finish, as another tear slid done his face, and he dropped his gaze to his hands clutched together in his lap.

"Look at me." A pause. "Spence, look at me." Another request. He slowly raised his gaze and met hers. "Do you trust me?" A loaded question. Had she regained his trust? They had some a long way, but she needed to know, so she could fix this.

"Yes." Came the hesitant reply.

She let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding, and smiled, reaching between them to grab his hands.

"Good, because this is important. Trust me when I say that you have to go talk to Morgan. Tonight."

"But it's getting late." A flimsily excuse, at best.

"I don't care if its midnight, you are going to see Morgan tonight, and you are going to tell him how you feel."

"What?! No way! I told you, I overheard him. He loves someone else. Plus, he's Morgan. You know, Mr Ladies Man. He wouldn't be interested in me."

"You, of all people know how fluid attraction can be. Just because you are usually interested in women, doesn't mean you can't find another man attractive, right? I mean you liked Lila and that bartender, "

"Austin."

"Whatever. The point is, you were also attracted to Derek." He thought about what she was saying, but remembered what he had heard.

"That's true, but I know what I heard."

"And what was that exactly?" When he hesitated, she continued, "Did you actually hear him say he over someone else?"

"Not those exact words, but it was inferred."

"Not everything is as it seems, Spence. Please, just trust me and go talk to him."

He sighed. He usually wasn't confrontational, but he also hated the way he was feeling. Maybe if he talked to Morgan, he would feel better, and eventually be able to move on.

"Ok."