Delma's doctors insisted on admitting her for a few days, much to her annoyance. Moreno had a distinct preference for young girls and had therefore left her alone during her captivity, but he did break her right arm in two places when they fought in the pool and she had to undergo orthopedic surgery. She was also treated for a concussion and various cuts and bruises that she received at the moment of her abduction.

Throughout those few days, she received flowers and other get-well gifts from her co-workers, each time she instructed the nurse to redistribute them to other patients who might actually enjoy them; they had all deserted her when she was taken off the case and she wasn't going to let them off the hook easily.

It made Reid feel incredibly grateful for the friends he had, who he knew for sure would never quit on him.

He was finally breathing again, he actually felt lighter; as if some heavy weight had finally been lifted off his shoulder. He looked forward to a certain return to normalcy, to seeing the team, to talking to his mother and to all kinds of risk-free, ordinary things.

But above all, nothing made him happier than visiting Delma. He would stop by to argue over which country had the best something or other, to share her Jell-O, or really just to chat. He was pleased to see that every book he brought to help her pass the time was well received, although he felt that she might have already read some of them.

She never asked why he was stopping by so often and always looked delighted to see him.

Prentiss came home with excellent news one day when she told him that he was completely cleared; the DNA taken from Lester's body corresponded to the blood she deliberately left at the crime scene after killing her husband.

"Even Cutler had to see reason, he dropped all charges against you", she smiled broadly, "the team can't wait to have you back. Hotch hired someone to fill Blake's position but there's still an open spot, they never really looked for your replacement".

Reid smiled faintly and looked down. Just a few days ago he would have given everything to clear his name and get back to the BAU. Somehow he thought he'd been more excited about it.

"Something's wrong?", she asked, noticing the underwhelming response to her announcement.

"No, nothing's wrong", he lied, smiling wide too, "I just didn't think it would get fixed so quickly I guess…".

"You know…You don't have to go back this instant", she said slowly, as if reading his thoughts, "I could always tell Hotch to hold on to your badge a little longer".

"I don't know", he said hesitantly, "with the way I left and everything…I should really get the first flight back, otherwise I think Garcia would never speak to me again".

"Oh I'm sure they'll all understand", she said confidently.

"Yeah?".

"Oh absolutely, I think they'll even beg you to stay a while longer once I tell them you found someone here you fancy", she joked, emphasizing the last word with an exaggerated British accent.

He denied it, but his stammering and obvious discomfort didn't make him very convincing.

"Alright, whatever you say. But you know when people say it's what you don't do in life that you end up regretting? It's a cliché but it's probably true", she said, walking away.

"You know I don't need an escort, I could probably manage on my own", Delma protested as they left the hospital.

He had insisted on walking a little further down the street with her to the spot where she said she could hail a cab. But he was starting to regret it as she had been moody ever since she'd been discharged and, not being able to figure out why, he was starting to wonder if she wasn't simply growing tired of him.

"Well I want to stay on your good side otherwise who will show me around the city?", he laughed nervously.

"Don't stay for my benefit", she said, a little gloomy, "you should go home. Enjoy your freedom, you've finally been exonerated".

He nodded silently but then stopped right in his tracks, processing what she just said.

"Wait, you knew?", he asked, astonished.

"Of course I knew", she laughed, "I'd be pretty lousy at my job if I hadn't researched you before we partnered up. And really for a profiler you're pretty transparent, I knew you were in trouble the second I saw you".

"But, why didn't you say anything then?".

"When we met I had just been put on mandatory leave and the press was accusing me of 'gross negligence', I guess I didn't think I was in any position to judge", she sensibly said.

"But…Weren't you freaked out? I could have been dangerous, what if I had been guilty after all?".

"I took a chance on you", she shrugged.

He stared at her, both baffled by her recklessness and moved by the leap of faith she took for him. Her eyes were sparkling and she was beaming, clearly amused by his confusion. Trying to recall everything Morgan ever told him about "the signal" and about properly reading social cues, he took a leap of faith as well. Somehow more nervous than he had ever felt this past year, he came closer, and, careful not to lean on her injured arm, he kissed her.

When they finally came apart, (it could have lasted five seconds or five galactic years, he just wasn't sure of anything anymore), she laughed again, probably at how stunned he looked. He wasn't sure what was more surprising to him, the kiss itself or his own incredible bravado.

She gently took his hand and got him moving again. Walking arm in arm with her he couldn't help but wonder if he could guilt the FBI into giving him more vacation days once he gets back.

Because he might just get used to this.

END

Nothing is better than a journey to explore all the wonderful aspects of the unexpected.

Joan Bodon

(I promised myself I wouldn't end this into a mushy mess but what can I say? I must be in a good mood, or maybe I just wanted Reid to have a happy ending for once.

I know someone in the reviews was hoping for a Reid/Prentiss hook-up but I always felt they had a big sister/little brother kind of dynamics and that just sounded weird in my mind. Plus the lack of inter-team romance is one of the things I like about the show.

Thanks for reading and reviewing, and for caring even just a little bit about where this was all going.

I hope this second part was entertaining, and if it wasn't, I blame it on the fact that all sequels suck anyway.

Either way I'd love some feedback).