Chapter 12

How often have I lain beneath rain on a strange roof, thinking of home.
- William Faulkner

March 7, 2014

Emily sat patiently in Easter's office late that Friday evening, waiting for him to get back from a meeting. Her thoughts traveled to a few weeks prior. JJ had gone to the hospital and been checked out and they all took a collective sigh of deep relief that she was, in fact, ok and even could be released from the hospital that night. Emily had wrapped her friend in a warm embrace and made plans for everyone to get together the next day before she flew back to London. She left the hospital with Derek under the pretense that he would drive her to her hotel, but they headed for his house instead, their hands linked.

Both of them were emotionally exhausted, but unable to pass on an opportunity to touch each other and feel alive. They made love languidly, with quiet sighs and soft kisses. After, Emily lay with her head on Derek's chest, his arm around her and her hand on his heart, feeling the steady beat of it.

"Life is short, Em," he whispered.

"I know. I'm so glad everyone is safe. I'm so glad I was able to come here and help. It felt really good to be back with the team, even though the circumstances were horrific."

"I agree, but that's not exactly what I mean," he said. "What I mean is that I don't want to get to my end and realize that I only ever got to partially love you."

Emily was quiet for several moments, letting his words sink in, before she whispered, "Me, too."

They had drifted off to sleep and Derek had to go in to work early the next morning. Emily spent the day in deep thought and was coming to the decision that it was time to leave London. She realized that finding her footing was not some feeling that was just going to come to her; finding her footing was a choice. Before she wasn't able to make that choice and now she was. Being out with the team that evening before her flight had strengthened the idea in her mind that she was no longer in the right place. She wanted to come home.

Easter was on an extended business trip and he hadn't returned to London until that day. He walked in from his meeting and saw Emily sitting in the chair opposite his desk. He looked Emily over for a few seconds and said, "This doesn't look good for me."

She grinned briefly at him. He could read her pretty well, but only because she was letting him. She was working really hard on letting her guard down enough so that her posture and facial expressions matched her moods and thoughts. It was exhausting work, but she felt like a genuine person for the first time in her life. No more masks. No more lies.

"I am resigning," she said. "This has been a wonderful opportunity for me and I appreciate you trusting me to run this office, but this isn't the place for me anymore and I want to go home."

Easter raised his eyebrows, "Back to Washington? Did you get another job offer?"

"No, nothing like that. I currently don't know what I'll do, but whatever it is, I want to be doing it there. It's where I belong."

"Thinking of going back to the BAU?" he asked.

Emily shook her head and took a deep breath. Letting go of the secrecy surrounding her and Derek's relationship was something else she was working on. "There's currently not a position open, and even if there was, I don't think Hotch would let me back on the team since I'm in a relationship with Morgan."

Easter raised his eyebrows, "Derek Morgan? How long has that been going on?"

Emily released another deep breath, "Since 2007, with the exception of few breaks here and there, some longer than others."

"Seven years? My, my, aren't you a woman of mystery? Well, my dear Emily, I can see in your eyes that there's no chance of me changing your mind. You'll stay on long enough to help train a replacement? Andrews can probably handle it, but he's going to need ample time to shadow you and learn the ropes. I don't want this place to fall apart and I can't be here much right now. Can you give me six months?"

Emily's heart sank at the length of time he suggested. "Three months?" she asked hopefully.

Easter smiled at her warmly. "Can we settle on four, and I can try to arrange things so I'm here more by the end of summer to pick up any slack?"

Emily nodded and stood. "Four months, then. Thank you for understanding."

"To be perfectly honest, my dear, I never thought I'd get to keep you here for long. I'll arrange for you and I to meet with Andrews first thing Monday morning. It's 8:00 on a Friday night. Get out of here and enjoy your weekend. I'm back now and can handle anything emergent that comes up the next couple of days."

Emily walked out of his office and into her own. Now that the decision was made and she knew exactly when she could move back, she wanted to tell Morgan, and she wanted to do it in person. She picked up her phone to text him.

"Saw on CNN that you guys caught the serial rapist in Milwaukee this morning. You home now?"

"At the office, but about done. Ready for some sleep."

"Any weekend plans?"

"I have the weekend off as long as the bad guys take it off, too. Going to be working at the house in Alexandria starting bright and early tomorrow morning. It's supposed to be unseasonably warm weather and I want to get out and work in the yard. Want to read tomorrow night?"

"Absolutely, my love."

"My love. I like that. Talk to you tomorrow, my love."

Emily turned to her laptop and started typing. She hoped there would still be a seat left on a flight tomorrow morning, and there was, leaving at 9:00am. With the time change, she could be in Alexandria by 2:00pm. She smiled and bought the ticket.

Last fall Derek had shared the real estate listing of the house he'd purchased in Alexandria. It had gone into foreclosure and the owners trashed the place before finally being evicted. Derek had worked on it steadily and the last pictures he'd sent Emily were impressive. It was a beautiful house in a nice neighborhood, close to a cluster of quaint shops and a farmer's market.

At 2:15 on Saturday, Emily parked her rental car in front of the house. She exited the car and was happy to see his car in the driveway. She heard music playing softly in the backyard. The side gate was open and she walked down the pathway quietly, excitement building in her with each step. She reached the edge of the house and peeked. Derek's back was to her and he was kneeling in the dirt, digging up weeds in the flowerbed along the back fence.

Heart thrumming at the thrill of a surprise, Emily casually leaned against the side of the house, placed a hand in her pocket and said loud enough to be heard over the music, "I hear gardening is pretty cathartic."

Derek stood quickly and spun around, pure shock on his face for an instant before the biggest smile she'd ever seen lit up his face. He rushed over and lifted her, embracing her in a tight hug. He chanted her name in between kisses he dropped on her neck and cheek and finally her lips. Emily returned the passionate kiss with pure joy filling her heart.

Derek set her back on the ground and gripped her hands. "What are you doing here? I didn't think I was going to get to see you until July." Emily looked down at her worn jeans and t-shirt and back up at him and said, "I came to help you work in the garden."

At that Derek laughed and said, "That's amazing! Let me show you the place, first. How long are you here?"

"I fly back tomorrow morning at 9:00. Easter is finally back and is covering any emergencies this weekend, so I decided to surprise you."

"The best surprise ever in my life, Em, but dropping that much money on a last minute plane ticket for less than 24 hours here? You're crazy, but amazing," he said happily.

"Worth every penny, Mr. Morgan."

Derek held her hand and took her from room to room in the cozy two-story house. He showed her the kitchen he'd remodeled, the large sunny living room, the half bathroom and small office downstairs. Upstairs were two bedrooms and two bathrooms and a perfect reading nook overlooking the street. That had been Emily's favorite part of the house when he'd shared with her the latest pictures of the place.

The tour ended back in the kitchen, where Derek grabbed a beer from the fridge and handed her one as well. They couldn't stop smiling at each other, the surprise of Emily showing up still pulsing through them.

"It doesn't look like there's much left to do. You worked fast, Derek."

"I'm good, Em, but I'm not that good. I wanted to sell this place by summer, so I contracted out some of the work. It was a hell of a deal for the neighborhood, but still much more money than I typically spend on these things."

Emily nodded, her heart speeding up again as she prepared to share her news.

"So, you think it will be on the market by July?"

"There's not much left to do. I'm hoping to be ready by the first week of June."

"That's good. Then I can definitely close escrow by the end of July, before I'm unemployed and homeless."

It took about five seemingly endless seconds for the meaning of her words to sink in, and then another five seconds for a multitude of emotions to cross his face before he stepped forward, sunk to his knees in front of her and wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his head against her stomach and laughing joyfully. "I lied," he mumbled against her. "This is the best surprise ever in my life."

Emily sunk to her knees to join him, pressed her lips to his gently and whispered, "I am so in love with you, Derek Morgan." Another radiant smile lit up his face and he leaned back and pulled on her waist, settling himself in a seated position with his back against the kitchen pantry door and Emily sitting on his lap.

"Tell me everything," said Derek as he planted gentle kisses on Emily's collarbone.

"I started thinking about it the day after I was last here, and it built over the next couple of weeks. I wanted to tell Easter in person, so I waited until he was back in his office yesterday evening. Then I booked a flight and came here to tell you. I'm sticking around Interpol for the next four months to help train my replacement and then I'm coming home."

"Home," Derek repeated contentedly. "I'll tell Hotch I want to switch my vacation days from the beginning of July to the end so I can help you move," said Derek.

"Let's not do that. I thought about it on the flight out here and I want that time with you at the cabin. It will be our last secret get-away before the cover is blown on this delicious little love affair of ours," she smiled at him teasingly. "The cabin is beautiful and I want to share it with you. I'm more than capable of moving on my own if you have to work. I've moved plenty before."

"Ok," agreed Derek. "What about work? What are you going to do?"

Emily shrugged without a care. "There are plenty of options for me. I've been so career-driven my whole life and I'm just not anymore. I mean, I want a career, but it's not worrisome for me to think of not having something lined up before I move."

Derek nodded and pulled her in for another searing kiss, sliding his hands up and under her shirt and running his fingers along her ribcage and back. Emily reached down and grabbed the hem of his t-shirt, breaking their kiss as she pulled it up and off him. She let her hands wander appreciatively over the skin on his chest. "And we can tell people?" asked Derek.

"I am definitely ready to stand up and shout that I love Derek Morgan and I want everyone to know. But can we wait until after our trip in July? I don't care if you want to tell your family, but I'd like to be with you when we tell the team. I need some time to figure out if returning to the FBI is even an option for me once people know; the ever-evolving rules regarding fraternization being what they are. It's going to depend on which units have openings."

"Sounds good," said Derek. "The cabin, the waiting to tell people until you move, it's all fine with me." He looked around him and then up at the ceiling. "It's a pretty big space for one person," he said in a hopeful tone.

"I know. I'm hoping I won't be living in it alone for long, but I think I'd like to actually try having a regular relationship for a few months first with no secrets. I'd love to live with you, but given all of the ups and downs, I don't want to rush things too much. This is going to be a whole different ballgame, not having to hide anymore."

Derek stared at her, the hint of concern on his face. She cupped his face with both hands and said, "Don't be worried. I am ready to be in the center of the labyrinth with you, I promise. I have never been so sure about anything in my life."