The Choice (Hotch/Reid/Morgan)

Chapter 7: When You're Gone

A week has pass since the whole situation, and Morgan can't help but feel that things haven't been the same lately.

Reid has been suspended from the field till further notice. Hotch seems a bit more distant from the others, and everyone just seems to know it.

Garcia has tried to get Reid to spill but he has refused.

Morgan looks up from his desk and sees Reid walking in, clutching the strap of his bag. He looks deep in thought. "Hey Pretty boy." He greets. Reid nods and continues to his desk. "Hey," Morgan tries to grab his attention, but the effort failed. So he gets up and walks over to Reid. "Reid." Reid looks up at Morgan. "Everything okay?" Morgan asks.

"Yeah." Reid answers and then looks down at his desk.

"Did you go to your meeting, this morning?" Morgan asks.

"Uh...no." Reid admits. "I slept in, without realizing it." He explains himself.

"Try to catch the next one." Morgan encourages. Reid just nods, refusing to look at Morgan. "Hey, baby." He gently lifts Reid face, to look at him. "What's wrong?" He asks. Reid gently pushes Morgans hand away and shakes his head.

"Nothing is wrong." He answers in a quiet voice. Morgan looks at Prentiss, confused. She shares the same look on her face. Morgan turns back to Reid.

"Come walk with me." Morgan extends his hand to Reid, who looks at it a moment before taking it and walking off with Morgan.

JJ and Prentiss look at one another, confused. "What was that all about?" JJ asks.

"No idea." Prentiss answers and just gets back to the files.

Morgan and Reid walk outside the building and stand to the side of it. "Reid, what is going on?" Morgan asks, serious toned.

"Nothing." Reid answers, obviously lying.

"KId, im not playing games here. You need to tell me whats wrong." Morgan states, but doesn't receive an answer. Morgan sighs, "Kid, you put these walls up that block you from everyone else. You can't do that anymore." He states. "You can't be blocking me out." He adds.

"I know." Reid replies and tears roll down his face.

"So what's going on?" Morgan asks. They stand there in a moment of silence, before Reid finally answers.

"You won't like what I am going to say." Reid states. Morgan looks at him confused.

"What's going on?" Morgan asks.

"I need to leave." Reid states. "I need to get out of here." He adds. "I can't be here anymore."

"What are you talking about?" Morgan asks, now afraid.

"I need to go back to Vegas, I need to get away from all this. These cases, the things that have happened, I just can't do it anymore." Reid explains. "I can't be around Hotch, I can't......" Reid stops himself before saying what he was going to.

"You can't be around me?" Morgan finishes for Reid with pain in his voice. Reid nods, afraid that his voice will fail him if he spoke. "Reid, are you-"

"I'm breaking up with you." Reid interrupts. "I won't be coming back." He states.

"Reid..." Morgans heart breaks into a million pieces. "I just got you back." He states.

"I can't do this and I won't ask you to leave this either." Reid explains. "I won't ask you to leave the BAU for me." He explains. "You are needed here more than our relationship needs you."