"I'm going back to the BAU," Reid said after a 15 minute phone call.

Elle smiled, but Reid couldn't tell if it was genuine. Without a word, she turned back to the television.

"Elle, I'm leaving tomorrow."

"Ah, Hotch is as efficient as ever, isn't he?" she said simply.

"What… Elle? Is that all you're going to say?" Reid demanded.

Elle switched off the television and ambled her way to the kitchen and pouring herself a glass of scotch. She really didn't want to deal with this right now. They had barely begun or even acknowledged their relationship and it was already coming to an end. She didn't want to go back to Quantico – too many bad memories. She definitely wasn't going to move all the way back to Quantico just for Reid.

"What do you want me to say?" she asked, swirling her drink.

"I don't know," Reid paused, "Forget it."

"Look, if you want me to go with you, I can't do that."

For a few moments, they simply stared at each other in silence, both at a complete loss for words.

"Is there anything between us?" Reid asked tentatively.

Elle blinked back her tears, unable to respond. She couldn't bring herself to say it. She liked the way things were now. She didn't need to admit that she had feelings. He wasn't something she had a risk of losing.

"It's okay. I get it. We'll keep in touch. I need to pack." Reid said harshly, breaking eye contact.

"Reid! Don't be like that please."

"It's okay. This is settled. You'll stay here, I'll go back to Quantico, and things would be just the way they should. Be glad, you won."

"Well then, here's to winning."

Reid froze. Tiny teardrops were sliding down Elle's cheek. He still remembers to conversation where he tried to help, but he had really only made things worse. This was probably going to play out badly anyway.

"Yeah," Reid says quietly, "here's to winning."

The next morning, Reid wakes up before the sun rises and packs the last of his things. Elle had fallen asleep on the couch, so he watched her as he ate stale bread.

He decides that if he ever saw her again, he would tell her that he loved her, but then again, he didn't exactly have the best track record when it came to loving someone.

From where he was sitting, he could see the two scars on her chest and his heart breaks a little bit – he had indirectly allowed that to happen.

Just before he leaves, he kneels on the ground next to the couch, leans down and kisses her gently on her forehead. He knows she's awake, so he whispers, "I'll miss you."

Then he picks up his luggage and leaves.

The BAU didn't know how many days or nights had passed, but it seemed like they were trapped in there forever. In actual fact, less than 24 hours had passed.

The décor of the room was chosen carefully; every single detail planned in such a way that there absolutely was no way you could attribute it to coincidence. In the kitchen, there was nothing but bags and bags of Cheetos and the cabinet was lined with rows and rows of different kinds of pasta.

In the living room, a single picture hung on the wall behind the 42 inch flat screen TV – a mugshot of Carl Buford. In the bedroom, a symbol is painted behind the bed – The Eye of Providence – Foyet's signature symbol.

Resting in the closet was twenty or so shirts in the exact same size and pattern – it was the same shirt that James was wearing the last time she saw him in the exact same size and brand.

It finally hit the BAU how much they underestimated Curtis.

"Hey. Can we have a team talk?" Rossi asked nicely, only to get death stares from JJ.

"Look, there's pasta and a stove, so might as well spend some of his money."

Grudgingly, JJ sat down and the rest followed. Rossi clattered around with the pots and pans as if he was in his own home, seemingly oblivious to the fact that they were currently captured by a man who was thirsty for their blood.

"I apologize for keeping it a secret, but it was absolutely necessary for it to stay that way," the unit chief said sternly.

"But still you told Alex." JJ muttered, her voice dripping with hate.

"Look, JJ, the last time this happened I told you, not Reid, not Rossi, not even Morgan. It was his partner, and I told you. I don't need to account to you for my actions, but I need you to understand that this isn't about you. It's about the team. Do you understand?" Hotch said, not a trace of emotion on his face.

JJ pauses, then nods slowly, refusing to speak.

"So how is he doing?" Morgan asked quietly.

"He's doing fine, the last time I checked. He talks about the ex-agent a lot." Alex said, avoiding JJ's eyes.

"Ex-agent?" Rossi echoed.

"I sent him to Elle. I thought it would be good for both of them." Hotch shrugged.

"What did he say? Spence. When you told him where he was going?" JJ asked quietly.

Hotch rubbed the bridge of his nose. He was tired and he didn't really want to talk, but the bedroom wall reminded him of Haley and he didn't want to go there right now. The last time he saw Reid was so long ago, but he remembered exactly what happened.

Reid kicked a stool over.

"It was the Replicator, I swear it was him. A man wouldn't shoot me for no reason. He wasn't even the guy we were catching!" Reid shouts.

"Calm down."

"No, I will not calm down. Hotch, he's going to try and kill us and he almost succeeded with me. I will not let him lay a finger on my family!"

This was unusual for Reid. I would expect something like that to come from Morgan, not him.

"Reid. You need to get somewhere safe, just like how Emily did okay? We'll catch him and then I'll get you back."

"With all due respect, you don't have the best track record when it comes to dealing with injured agents, do you? I'm staying." Reid said, unwilling to back down.

"What are you implying?"

"I'm implying that you caused both Elle and Emily to leave the unit." He said, his voice softer, calmer now, but no less hateful.

"Look, Reid, you're putting all of us in more danger. If he knows you didn't die, he's going to be even angrier. Trust me."

Reid pauses and thinks for a moment.

"Fine. Can I speak to JJ then? Emily got to."

"I don't intend on telling them you're alive. It'll be a secret between me and Alex. You can talk to Alex, sure."

Reid's eyes darkened.

"No. It's okay then. Just… if you have a chance, just tell JJ that I'm really sorry about things lately and she's… she's my best friend and I love her."

I nodded. Still, I knew JJ wouldn't trust that Reid was really dead unless she saw his body, so I cut Reid a deal.

"I can arrange for her to see you one last time, but you have to pretend that you're dead and no talking to her afterwards."

He nods, grateful for whatever he could have.

"So where am I going?" he asked. "No matter, really, I wouldn't make any friends either ways. Just out of curiosity."

"Strauss contacted Elle. The jet will take you to her. Till we meet again."

Reid swallows and nods.

"He said he's sorry and that you're his best friend and he loves you."

JJ tries to force back her tears, abruptly standing up and leaving the table. She stalks to the toilet and bawls her eyes out. She didn't know if she was sad because she didn't get to tell him that she loved him or if she was happy that he was still alive.

Rossi knocked on the toilet door and told JJ that the food was ready.

The last time they sat down and ate, properly, as a team, was when Elle and Gideon were still in the BAU.

"Remember when we were teasing Elle about her boyfriend?" Morgan laughed.

"Who's Elle?" Alex asked, picking at the spaghetti.

"She's the only person in the team who isn't afraid of Hotch," JJ said, smiling. For a second, she catches Hotch's eye. He smiles and she returns it. It didn't have to be said out loud, but he knew that he was, at the very least, understood.

"She's rash and bold and emotionally driven and made to catch the bad guys, really, but above all that, she was my partner." Morgan said, smiling nostalgically.

"Wish I met her." Alex said, chewing on her pasta.

"So, a bad ass. Just my type. Think she'll be interested?" Rossi joked.

"Not in a million years, Dave, but keep trying." Hotch teased.

Rossi mimicked stabbing his own chest.

"Thanks for this, though." Morgan said, motioning to the food.

"No problem. It's always a pleasure to cook for family."

yay they are back together yababa. so hard to write when there are so many characters. grr. anyhow, review please :)

omg this is such a long chapter