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Derek took his time doing his paperwork. He took breaks to refill his coffee and eat his garlic chicken from the Chinese takeaway. He kept glancing up at the closed door to Dave’s office.
“I’m done,” Emily announced and stood. “Garcia, JJ, and I are going out for drinks. Who’s coming?”
Spencer shook his head. “I--”
“You’re coming,” Emily interrupted.
“But--”
“You’re coming, Reid. You can ride with me.” Emily paused and smirked at him. “Do you want me to sic Garcia on you?”
Spencer shuddered. “Anything but that.”
Emily perched on the edge of Derek’s desk. She playfully punched his shoulder. “Go drag your man out of his office.”
Derek shook his head. “I don’t think Dave’s going to feel up to anything tonight.”
Emily thought seriously on that for a moment. “Maybe not,” she allowed. “But you can’t just let him stew about it all night.”
“I know that, too.”
Emily gave Derek’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “You know I’ll be chancing Garcia’s wrath but I’ll make your excuses to her.”
One end of Derek’s mouth quirked up. “Thanks, Prentiss. You’re a true friend.”
“You’ll owe me,” Emily teased and straightened up. She grinned at Spencer and tilted her head in the direction of the elevators. “Come on, Reid.”
“Hey, what about Hotch?” Spencer complained but stood up to follow her.
Emily laughed. “He’ll be there. Garcia took care of him personally.”
Derek chuckled and watched them leave. Then he blew out a long breath. He rubbed his hands over his legs and stood.
He took the steps two at a time. He knocked briskly and let himself in. He found Dave sitting behind his desk, staring off into space, with a bottle scotch and half full glass next to him. “Hey,” he greeted softly but firmly.
Dave blinked and glanced at Derek. “Hey,” he returned in a voice barely above a whisper.
Derek frowned and walked over to Dave’s side. He perched on the front edge of the desk. “You okay?”
Dave shrugged and finished his glass. He grunted at the burn. “I will be. I just…”
“What?”
Dave didn’t look at Derek. “I keep remembering Amanda Seacord as a little girl. I remember that night we arrested her grandfather. She couldn’t seem to speak. All she did was clutch her dolly and look at me with big blue eyes.”
Derek moved behind Dave and started rubbing his tense shoulders. “There was no way to know that she’d grow up to become an angel of mercy killer.”
“I know,” Dave sighed. He rested his the back of his head against Derek’s stomach. “I just feel for the kid that she was.”
Derek felt Dave’s tight muscles begin to relax. He kept up the motion of his hands while he leaned down to kiss the side of Dave’s head. “There’s nothing wrong with that,” he whispered earnestly. He started nuzzling the spot just below Dave’s ear. “Let’s go home and I’ll make you feel better.”
Dave’s smile was small but genuine. “Sounds good to me. Thanks, Derek.”
“You’re welcome.”