𝓶𝓪𝓻𝓪 𝓳𝓪𝓷𝓮 ➢ 𝓼. 𝓻𝓮𝓲𝓭

𝓉𝓌𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓎-𝓉𝒽𝓇𝑒𝑒

Hotch and Rossi were the only one's at the BAU but they couldn't intervene because he would start shooting.

Garcia hacked into the other cameras, finding JJ outside the BAU where her office was. Mara dialed JJ's number, watching her answer her phone.

"JJ, it's Tate," she said. "Listen to me. Listen to me very carefully."

Mara explained the situation and that she was the only one that had a shot on him. Once the files were deleted from the system and he knew he was in the clear, he started to leave.

Until he noticed Hotch and Rossi's eyes on him. He knew then. He grabbed Kevin, their new analyst, pressing the gun against his head.

Hoch and Rossi drew their weapons, aiming it at their UnSub. "You're a cop. You know this isn't going to end well. You're standing in the middle of the FBI."

"You think I'm afraid of the FBI?" he scoffed. "I know how this is gonna end, and so do you. I'm a decorated officer."

"That's right," Hotch replied. "That this is not how you want to be remembered. You're in control here. Your choice."

"The best minds in the FBI," he scoffed. "You can't even stop me."

He moved to aim the gun at Hotch but JJ took the shot through the glass doors of the BAU and killed him.

It was over. Penelope was safe again.

Hotch sent everyone home after the crazy few nights they'd had. Morgan stayed with Penelope and Hotch was finishing paperwork and reinstatement papers.

Reid watched as Mara sighed heavily and leaned against the wall of the elevator. "I could sleep for days."

"There's rare medical disorder called Kleine-Levin Syndrome, which causes one to sleep for about 20 hours a day for more than two weeks straight," Reid said tiredly. "About half of them develop feelings of hypersexuality and display inappropriate sexual language and behavior."

"Why would I ever need to know that?"

Reid chuckled and he wondered when things changed between them. Changed him. Reid would be absolutely terrified of merely being in an elevator with another woman but now, he wanted to shove her against the walls of the elevator-

"Reid, you coming?" Mara chuckled from outside the elevator.

He instantly moved, following the girl into the parking garage. Once they got to Mara's car, Reid shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels. "Are you hungry?"

"I'm starving," she smiled. "But I am also exhausted. Another time, yeah?"

"Of course."

Mara suddenly moved, wrapping her arms around Reid's neck in a tight hug. "You've cared about me more than anyone has in a long time and I thank you for that."

Reid pulled his hands from his pockets and slid them up her back and hugged her back. "You don't need to thank me, Mara."

They stood there for a while, embracing each other. Mara was becoming more comfortable with opening up to Reid. She still needed to work on it with the other members of the team but Reid had broken down her hard exterior.

"I'll see you later." Mara smiled at him, brushing a stray piece of hair from his face.

Reid pulled his hands from her hips before his urges got ahead of him, smiling at her. "I'll see you later."

The weekend passed by and Mare slept for what felt like years. When she awoke on Monday, she was feeling rather happy and bold. She reached to the top of her closet and pulled out one her favorite pencil skirts, one that made her feel confident.

When she grabbed it, a bunch of other stuff rained down on her. She managed to stop most of it, besides an envelope.

She looked down at him, dropping the pencil skirt on the bed. She leaned down slowly and picked up the envelope.

Her brother's suicide letter.

She sat down on the edge of the bed and unfolded the paper, her eyes skimming over it.

i'm so tired, mj.
i'm so tired of seeing the same things every single day.
everybody's so miserable here because everybody sees the same things.
they wake up in the same bed, the same houses, same depressing streetlights, one gas station.
the grass, it's not even green. it's brown.
everything is the same, and everyone's just sad.
i don't want to end up like them. i really want to get out of here.
see you later, baby sister. i love you.

Mara folded the paper back in the envelope and tossed it into the trash bin. She still pulled on the skirt in hopes it would make her feel better but really, she was still upset. She was angry. Boiling.

She walked into work, her hair down, a smile on her face. That damn letter isn't going to ruin her day. It won't.

She held two cups of coffees in her hand, one for Reid and one for herself. When she approached his desk, she caught one already sitting on hers, making her chuckle in embarrassment.

Reid spun around in his chair and noticing the two coffees, letting out a laugh. "I was trying to be nice."

"As was I." Reid chuckled.

"Don't worry," Morgan reached over, taking both coffees, catching Emily's grin. "We'll drink them."

Reid took in Mara's different attire as she sat at her desk, clearing his throat to keep himself contained. That skirt, he's never seen that one before. She's switched between six skirts, four dresses, and five pairs of pants but this skirt, he would remember if he'd seen that skirt.

"Take a picture, pretty boy," Morgan smirked from the desk across from him. "It'll last longer."

Reid sent him a glare before heading to the conference room to get ready for a new case.