A.N. As this is the final chapter, it's a good time for me to remind you: This story was conceived at the end of season 13, without guarantee of a season 14, let alone 15. Neither of those seasons is represented here, which means (in case you were wondering) that Max doesn't exist in this universe.

This long chapter functions as an epilogue. The action is behind us, the tribute ahead.

Commencement

Chapter 23

Spencer Reid mused on the changes to what had become familiar surroundings. The expansive lawn still dominated the landscape, but was now accented with flower and herb gardens, and a new and sizeable vegetable garden. The lighting was softer, and more subdued.

The touch of a woman, he thought, acknowledging Krystall's effect on 'Rossi Manor'. Coupled with the free time of retirement.

It had been five months since the team had taken its final flight together, five months since the BAU had become a thing of the past. Five very long months since Reid had seen all of his old friends gathered in one place.

So why am I out here, at the far reaches of the property, all by myself?

He'd been mingling with the others, catching up, making small talk, reminiscing. It was the first time in a long time that he'd seen Morgan, the first time since the hospital that he'd seen Hotch. And yet, his feet had taken him on this lonely journey, away from the others, and the lights, and the music.

Maybe I was a little overwhelmed.

But he couldn't quite decide if it had been memory, or nostalgia, or regret, or separation that had overwhelmed him. All he'd known had been his feet, moving in a direction, giving him distance from the assembly of friends and family inhabiting Rossi's patio.

Too soon, he heard the swish of footsteps pushing aside blades of grass, headed in his direction. Reid turned to see Emily Prentiss.

"The others are missing you," she pointed out.

"The others?" Making a point.

She flashed him a smile. He always had been able to find her vulnerable spots.

"And me. All of us. What are you doing out here?"

Reid shrugged. "Don't know. I just came where my feet took me."

Emily chewed on it for a moment before responding. "Hmm… subject abducted by a pair of feet, operating in tandem. That makes them organized. Too soon to tell if one of them is the dominant…."

He smiled, as she's hoped, but the smile dissipated too quickly.

"Seriously, Spencer….is something wrong?"

He managed to unconvincingly shake his head and shrug at the same time.

"Nothing. I don't know why I'm out here. I'll come back."

Emily held his eyes in a steady gaze, despite the gathering dark.

"It's okay. Take your time, if you need it. I just wanted to …. well, you know."

He did. And he had news.

"I accepted a short term contract with DHS. I'll be working part time with their international intelligence effort, and it looks like some of that work will be with Interpol."

"Really?" Enthused. "Of course, it won't be like being in the field together, but wouldn't it be amazing if we ended up on the same project?"

He grinned. "It would. So, do you know how long you'll be in DC? Wasn't there a plan for you to go back to London?"

"There was. But this little Brexit bruhaha in the UK has been holding up the transfer, and to tell you the truth, I'm kind of glad. It's given me a taste of living in one place and not being on a plane a couple of times a week, and I kind of like it."

"Would 'liking it' have anything to do with who else is in the same city?"

"You mean Sergio?"

Reid laughed, as she'd known he would. "You know who I mean. Andrew Mendoza. I kind of thought you guys were…"

"We are. And, yes, he might have something to do with my wanting to stay."

"Well, I hope you do then. And not just for Andrew Mendoza. I wouldn't mind taking in a foreign film without subtitles now and then."

Emily smiled back at him. "It's a date, Handsome. Which reminds me to ask why we haven't had one of our dates these past few months. I actually thought you might be avoiding me!"

Bringing them around to the fact that he'd been isolating himself, not just tonight, but ever since their return from that final case.

"Seriously, Spencer. What's going on? Are you all right?"

"I'm okay." Quick to assure her. "I just needed some time….you know, first to recover, which took a little more physical therapy than I'd expected. And then to work on me, a little bit, you know? And I wanted to spend as much time with my mom as I could, because, you know…."

"Yeah, I know. My mom is another reason I'm thinking of staying in DC, believe it or not. She drives me crazy, but we don't have them forever." Then, remembering his situation. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"You're just speaking the truth, no need to be sorry about it. But, yes, Mom is deteriorating, and it's pretty much hit-or-miss whether she knows me from one visit to the next. But, when she does…well, we revisit some very old times. I'm even hearing stories about her growing up that I've never heard before. So…"

Emily nodded knowingly. "So, you're taking advantage of an opportunity."

"Exactly. That's why I took the adjunct position at Georgetown, and why I decided to contract back to the FBI Academy, instead of just transferring. It gave me more control of my time, and will allow me to take on the additional contract."

"And 'working on you'?"

Taking Emily's arm, Reid turned them, and headed them back in the direction of the patio, and the gathering of their friends.

"You know, taking stock. Thinking about where I am, and who I am, and where I'm going. Just…thinking."

Emily bit back the words that had come immediately to mind. Isn't that all you do?

Instead, she responded with, "Having a midlife crisis at thirty-eight?"

"Thirty-eight is two years short of forty. I've always been precocious."

She laughed. "That, you have. All right, so have you finished taking stock yet?"

Reid steadied Emily as her heel caught in the lawn. "I kind of think it will be an ongoing process. I know I'm still young. I'm just trying to decide if I should be trying to write a completely different book, or just moving on to a second chapter."

Emily stopped them, her hand on his arm turning him to look at her.

"You know what Hotch thinks, don't you?"

"He told you?"

"Well, yeah. We kind of have our own little 'ex-BAU-unit-chief' support group. He's thinking you might become a member, some day."

"He talked about it when he came to see me in the hospital. But there are a lot of assumptions there."

"You mean like, assuming this little experiment by the brass will fail, and they'll have to reassemble the BAU?"

"And how they would have to want someone who had to be waived through most of the requirements to even become an FBI agent in the first place. Not to mention what they would find when they did my background check."

"Are you talking about prison? That thing that happened to you because the FBI has a mole they've yet to acknowledge, let alone look for?"

"If that mole is still in place, they'll be pretty well positioned to squelch any attempt to put me in a position to lead the BAU."

Emily took a step back, just to be able to take in the whole of him. In her heart, he was still the man/boy she'd met fourteen years ago, brilliant, endearing, and, in spite of what he'd looked like then, made of soft steel. Soft, because he'd worn his too-inexperienced heart on his sleeve. But steel, because he could, and did, stand up to anything. But there was very little 'boy' left in him.

Maybe he still gets excited, sometimes. But most of it is gone. Not jaded. Just…real. Maybe a little sad. Maybe a little world-weary. But the steel is still there, and it's firmer now. He's more confident. More comfortable in his own skin. His own, very handsome, skin.

She smiled at him. "You want it, don't you? You can see yourself doing it."

He half-smiled, and shrugged. "I don't know. But Hotch made me think about it."

He saw something in me that I couldn't see. Until now.

"As you should. You'd be a great unit chief, Spencer."

"Thanks. But, even if all of those things fell into place, it wouldn't be the same without all of you."

"Hey, you might be glad about that. It's not as easy as you might think, bossing around people like the founder of the BAU."

Reid laughed. "Well, I wouldn't have to worry about that. Isn't Rossi's retirement one of the things we're celebrating tonight?"

"So we are. Shall we rejoin them?"

There had already been 'impromptu' speeches, and toasts, and stories, much laughter, and more than a few tears. The circumstances of their final case had caused the formal ending of the BAU to become more a process of attrition than anything else. Tara, Luke and Matt had been ordered on to their new positions within the FBI while JJ and Reid had still been hospitalized. Heading to retirement, Rossi'd had the luxury of lingering until his two youngest colleagues had been cleared to travel, and Emily had been granted the privilege of seeing her agents home as a final duty. Hotch had returned to Jack, Morgan to Savannah and their son.

Garcia was still with the FBI, but only tenuously. As she was wont to tell anyone who wanted to listen, and many who didn't, she didn't do well with change, and new situations, and adapting to new personalities. Emily had called in several favors to arrange for one of Garcia's duties to be offering remote support to Luke's anti-gang unit in New York, which had served to placate her enough to keep her employed.

The gathering at Rossi's had brought them all back together again, including Hotch and Jack, and Morgan, Savannah and Hank. Now, as Reid and Emily became visible in the twilight, JJ weaved her way through the throng to approach them.

"Everything all right?"

She'd been aware of Reid's wandering off, and glad to have seen Emily go after him. He was quick to assure her.

"Fine. Just taking a little break."

Emily looked from Reid to JJ and back again, her eyes asking him, 'Does she know?'

He answered as though she'd spoken aloud.

"I told JJ about working with DHS. And she already knew what Hotch said, because apparently he told her as well."

His tone showed his bemusement at the fact that none of his old team seemed to feel the need for boundaries, including their once taciturn former unit chief, and all three of them laughed.

"And, if Hotch hadn't thought of it, I would have. Seriously, Spence, I can't think of anyone better. Now all we need is for the director to figure out that his little experiment isn't working."

Emily had information on that. "I heard through the grapevine that they've had cases in Dallas, Boise and Biloxi that didn't go well, and you both heard Tara and Matt about what they've been through. Luke said they're even having trouble with the LEOs accepting the profiles, because they don't believe one agent can think through a case any better than they can."

That was good enough for JJ. "Well, then, it's only a matter of time. For the record, if the BAU is reassembled under the leadership of Spencer Reid, count me in."

"Me, too!" added Emily.

The light from the patio was too faint for them to see Reid blush.

"Thanks, you guys. But there are still a lot of 'ifs'."

JJ linked an arm through one of each of her old friends, and led them in the direction of the patio.

"We've been asked to gather around the champagne one more time. I think our esteemed founder has something more to say."

Reid stopped their forward motion, turning to address them.

"So do I. Seriously, both of you….I just want you to know….I never, ever, expected to have the kinds of relationship in my life that you both have brought me, and I couldn't be more grateful for it. I know this isn't really goodbye, and I know…..now, I know….that what we have between us won't end. But, still….this is as good a time as any to tell you how grateful I am, and how much I love you."

The two women looked to one another, and then to Reid. Flanking him, they each tiptoed up and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Ditto, Dr. Reid," said Emily.

JJ reached across and squeezed herself to him. "You know I love you, too."

Then Reid crooked both of his elbows in invitation, and continued in the direction of the patio, proudly escorting a beautiful woman on each arm.

"There he is! Where'd you go off to, Pretty Boy?"

"Just taking a stroll. Did I hear that another toast was in order?" Deflecting the unwanted attention.

"That, you did, my young friend." David Rossi continued pouring, as Krystall started passing glasses. "Has everyone got a glass? Good."

He moved to a spot where he could see all of his dear friends, and they, him.

"All right, then. I'm going to claim some privilege tonight, not just because I'm old, and hosting this party, but because we wouldn't be gathered here at all if not for something that's been the focus of my life and my work for decades. So I'm going first and last, but I want to hear from each member of my BAU family."

Looking around at each of them, and the loved ones they'd accumulated along the way.

"So, here goes. I'm thankful for a young guy named Jason Gideon, who probably had more determination than any three people put together. Way back in the day, he and I saw something…..a possibility, a potential… and we egged each other on, until it became a reality. I don't think either of us could or would have done it alone, and we definitely had our ups and downs with it. But we created something that I like to think has had an impact. So, to our late friend, Jason Gideon, I'd like to say, 'thank you' for a job well done and a life of service."

He held up his glass for a 'hear, hear', and took a sip of his champagne, as did the others. Then, moving clockwise around the group, he inclined his head in Morgan's direction. The former profiler lifted his glass as he began to speak.

"Well, I've already said goodbye to my BAU colleagues once a few years ago. But I guess this is goodbye to the BAU."

"Not to mention you showed up again," interjected Emily, "Three times. But we might have forgotten to tell the brass about that….you know, security and all."

"Not to mention insurance," added JJ.

Garcia, standing beside him, offered, "I could have taken care of that. A few keys here, a few keys there, and voila! I weave my magic!"

"Ahem." Rossi invited them to get back on track.

"Okay, as I was saying…this is different, this time. We're not saying goodbye to one another so much as we are to a concept. Yeah, I know what the FBI says. They think they can just send a single profiler to a field office, and it will magically happen. But they don't get it. We were a team. We worked together. We needed each other. I know I didn't get to work with all of you…" Looking around at the newer members of the BAU. "….but I know what it was like to work with the rest. I respect all of you. I love all of you. And I know you're all gonna kill it, in whatever you do. To the BAU and the best partners a man could ever have."

Raising his glass. But he hadn't quite gotten it to his mouth before Garcia interjected, "And woman! You're all the best teammates a woman could ever have, too!" Once started, Penelope was on a roll. "I know you might not think of me as a partner, because I'm not in the field with you. Well, sometimes I am, like when the bad guy is using technology to do his bad things, but usually you don't see me, well except for when I video in, but…."

"Baby Girl…"

"Sorry. I just meant to say that Derek is right. You are all the best teammates I could ever have hoped for. I know I call you my babies, but that's just to say how much I worry about you, and how much I love you all. But the truth is that I look up to all of you, I admire all of you…..even you, Newbie." Acknowledging Luke Alvez. "My heart broke the day we heard the news. But it's also full to overflowing with love for you. I don't care what the FBI says. The BAU will live forever, right here."

Patting her own chest, as Morgan pulled her in for a hug, and Luke beamed his appreciation in her direction.

"Next?" Rossi looked to Tara.

"Okay. As some of you will remember, I sort of auditioned on the job. I think I probably held my breath through the whole case, because I so badly wanted to work with the BAU. I came into it already feeling that way, but then, working with all of you, seeing your dedication and selflessness….well, that just made it all the more important to me to become one of you. So, I may not have had a very long tenure, but I am so very grateful for the opportunity. You are all remarkable people."

Matt Simmons took it up next. "Tara, if it's any consolation, you've probably had double my tenure!" Then, looking around at the others, he continued, "Which is my poor fortune. Seriously, you guys have all become part of my family…well, our family." Pulling his wife closer. "You've even helped us welcome our newest addition. And Dave has even helped me figure out how to support all these kids!"

When the chuckling died down, Matt added, "I feel a little like a jinx, having come to the BAU after the international team disbanded. But can I ask you not to warn the field office in San Francisco?"

Luke laughed. "All you need is a Penelope Garcia to run interference for you. She and her magic keyboard are the talk of the New York office, which has made me into sort of a golden boy there.""

"Hmph! Well I had to do something to help New York out. After all they got stuck with the newbie."

They might have been deemed harsh words, had Garcia not been smiling as she said them.

"Yeah, well, let me show you something." Pulling out his phone, Luke stepped forward to hold it up to the others. "Lisa and I flew down this morning, so I can't show you in person. But look who got vanity plates for his car."

There, on the screen, was a silver SUV, with a license plate that read, 'NEWB'.

Garcia's smile widened, as did Luke's, when he realized.

"Did I just render the queen of witticisms speechless?"

He didn't wait for her answer before continuing.

"So, like Tara and Matt, I wasn't with the team all that long, but I did feel like I'd found a home here. I definitely found my soon-to-be-wife, and I'm pretty sure part of what endeared me to her was meeting my friends." Getting more serious, now. "I spent a good piece of my early career working undercover. When you do that, you're technically part of a team, but it doesn't feel like it. Even in Iraq, mostly my team was me and Roxy. But here, at the BAU, with all of you, I learned what it really is. You work hard, and you trust that the person next to you is doing the same. And you know that if you get into a jam…as I did….you know that they won't let you go it alone. For that, and for many other things, I thank you. All of you." Raising his glass to another round of 'hear, hear'.

JJ was next in line, now standing with her husband.

"Before I say anything else, I just want to acknowledge someone who isn't here. Stephen Walker was with us for a very short time. But it was long enough for me to learn what a good man he was, and how talented and supportive. He supported me during a very tough time." Glancing briefly over to Reid. "And we should also remember someone who left in much happier circumstances, Kate Callahan. She had her baby about six months before I had Michael, so we kind of kept in touch over motherhood. I'm happy to tell you that she is now expecting again."

There was a smattering of 'Wow!' and 'Good for her!'

Then JJ had to take a deep breath before continuing.

"So. I feel like I grew up in the BAU. I was in my twenties when I arrived, newly through the Academy. Someone seemed to think I had some communications skills, and the next thing I knew, I was the liaison for the BAU. I guess it's safe to tell you now that I felt like I was in over my head. But I…"

"But you put a pretty face on it, Blondie."

The others laughed while JJ responded to Morgan. "Thank you, to the man who taught me hand-to-hand. Anyway, you all accepted me, and I couldn't have felt more supported, especially by you, Hotch. You saw something in me that I couldn't see, and you encouraged me to become a profiler. And, wow, talk about feeling like being in over your head! Even having been the liaison for so long, and learning so much from you….especially from Spence, here, because we spent a lot of time together….well, even then, I found out that it was so much more than I realized. But you all supported me, and helped me grow, and I'm thankful for every single minute of it. Still, the thing I'm most thankful for is the love I've found here. Friendships that I treasure, and that I know will last forever, even when we're not together. See what's happened already? Five months in, and it feels like we've never been apart."

She reached over and laid her hand on Will's shoulder.

"Here's another love I found along the way. Not every girl can say she has a serial killer to thank for introducing her to her husband. Speaking of which….you've all been too polite to ask, but I'll tell you anyway. The reason you don't know what I'm doing with myself…well, the reasons, plural…are these. At first, we thought maybe we should take the opportunity to move our family back to New Orleans, to be around the LaMontagne clan. But the Metro PD had other plans for us. Will here has just been promoted to captain!"

There was a round of congratulations for him before JJ continued.

"So, here we will stay. The other reasons….first, I needed to rehab. I can now compete with Spence in naming every ligament and tendon in the hand, and believe me, there are a lot of them, and it takes a long time for them to heal. But I've been back on the firing range, and I got my physical clearance last month, so I should be all set to go. Except….well, remember how I told you Kate Callahan was pregnant again?"

A gasp from Garcia. "JJ! You are? Oh, my God, another little godson!"

"Not this time, Penelope. We just found out yesterday that you and Spence are about to have a new little goddaughter."

The prospective godfather beamed at the news. "Can't wait!"

"So, between the rehab, and the pregnancy…and having two boys at home…I'm exhausted, and Will's promotion is giving us a little cushion for a while. So, for now, I'm back to being a liaison, filling in for Jordan….you guys remember Jordan, right? She's with the National Security branch, and as karma would have it, she's out on maternity leave."

Hotch had to ask. "Are you happy with that? Not being in the field?"

JJ gave a slow nod. "For now. It was already hard with one child, harder still with two, and I can't even imagine what it will be like to have three. For now, I'm okay with it. Maybe when they're older…but I'll be older then, too. So I guess we'll just have to see."

Hotch nodded understandingly. "I know the feeling, even just with Jack. I may have been forced into it, but I'm glad to be able to come home to him every night. And it turns out that practicing law isn't as different from profiling as one might think. Especially not as a prosecutor."

Emily added to the sentiment. "It's all piece of the same mechanism, isn't it? All of the parts have to work together if any of us are to have success at keeping the world safe. I think that's why Interpol is a good fit for me. I get to use my profiling skills, but I also get to put to use the fact that I grew up in Europe."

She moved out to face the group before she spoke again.

"I guess it's my turn. So, I came to the BAU as a replacement for someone else. Elle…."

"Greenaway. Elle Greenaway." Reid was quick to supply the name. "She was my friend."

"Elle Greenaway. From my first meeting with Hotch, it was clear that Erin Strauss had 'forgotten' (making finger quotes) to mention this to him."

Tara hadn't heard this. "Forgot to mention that you were coming, or why you were coming?"

"Both. Everything. Including the fact that she expected me to spy on the BAU."

"What?!" came from all three of the 'newbies'.

Emily was quick to explain, sensitive to Rossi's past relationship with the woman.

"She wasn't quite well, and it was before she had treatment. She wouldn't have done it otherwise, I'm sure. And, for the record, I refused. But I thought for sure Hotch was going to kick me out."

Her former unit chief had a comment. "Also for the record, I'm glad I didn't."

She sent him a grin. "Thank you, so am I. Like everyone else, I'm grateful for some of the deepest, most lasting friendships of my life. I treasure each and every one of you. And JJ, I know exactly what you mean about meeting the love of your life while chasing a serial killer." Pausing to let the laughter subside. "And even though it happened under duress, I am grateful for the confidence shown in me by a man I consider to be both a friend and a mentor. Thank you, Hotch, for entrusting the BAU to me. I'm only sorry I wasn't able to save it."

"That wasn't your doing, Emily," assured David Rossi. "We were victims of our own success."

She appreciated the show of support. "Well, let's hope this new plan becomes a victim of its lack of understanding of just who we are and what we do. I hope it's not considered subversion to make a toast to the demise of this plan, and the restoration of the BAU. Because I'm making it anyway! Anybody with me?"

It turned out that everybody was with her, and there was another round of raised glasses, and a need to refill those glasses with more champagne.

Reid was next in line to Emily. "I guess it's my turn. I … did you all know that I have an IQ of 187, can read 20,000 words per minute, and have more diplomas than I can fit on my wall?"

His oldest friends chuckled at the memories of hearing those qualifications recited to numerous law enforcement officers over the years, and the reactions of each.

"And still, I don't have the words for this. I can't even begin to tell you what this has been like for me. So many firsts. The first time I really belonged to something, the first time I used my intelligence for anything much beyond writing a paper on some obscure aspect of science. The first time I felt accepted. It was the first time I had friends, real friends. The first time I felt like part of a real family. Not that I wasn't terrified of some of you, in the beginning. I was even younger than JJ…sorry, JJ, I still am.." Smiling in her direction. "Did you know that I actually grew four inches after I started with the BAU?"

More chuckling.

"I've been through some things, which has put all of you through some things, and for that, I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about, Spence," assured JJ. "We love you." Others murmured their assent.

He presented a shy smile, first to his best friend, and then to the others. "Likewise. I guess that's mostly what I want to say. That I love all of you, and I cherish the relationships I've made. I won't ever forget them, because…." Smiling, as he tapped his temple, " ….because, I forgot to add to the list, eidetic memory."

Even the newbies were aware of that, and joined in the amusement.

"There's one more thing." Now he moved his gaze around from Hotch, to Rossi, to Morgan, and back again. "As you know, I didn't have much of a role model, growing up. My dad left us when I was eleven. But then I had Gideon, and I think I pretty much soaked up everything he had to offer. I might have felt as lost as he did, when he left the team, and I might have foundered. But, Hotch, you anchored me, and you taught me, about much more than being a profiler. Thank you for that. And Rossi….. I know I was an annoying fan boy, when you came back to the BAU. But I'm glad you didn't run away. You stuck around, and put up with me, and I am so grateful that we grew into the relationship we have now. Secretly, you're still my idol, but I'm even more thankful that you are also my friend. And Morgan… I don't….I can't….."

"You don't need to, Kid. I'd never had a brother, either. And I'm glad I finally got one."

The older man moved to the younger, and embraced him. That particular toast was punctuated by sniffles.

"My turn?" asked Hotch. "Well, unlike Morgan, I never had a chance to say goodbye to any of you, so now is my time." He stepped out so he could turn and look at all of them. "With most of you, I spent more than a decade privileged to witness the dedication, courage, relentlessness and tenacity of your drive to save lives, and to make the world a better, safer place. Many of you paid a personal price for the work you did, and yet none of you regretted it. Nor do I. The price I paid was high, and I do regret what it cost Jack. But, like the rest of you, I realize that it was work that had to be done, and I couldn't ask someone else to do what I wouldn't. Several of you have said that I served as a mentor for you, and while I don't know that I was ever worthy of that title, I'm humbled to have had it bestowed. In very many ways, each of you has served the same for me, and I am grateful for every lesson I've learned from you."

Taking a few seconds to make eye contact with each former member of the BAU in turn.

"When I was the BAU's unit chief, I had enough contact with the FBI hierarchy to know that not every decision is made for sound reasons. I think the decision to disseminate the members of the BAU is one of those decisions. The good news is that sometimes poor policy is rescinded, and I hope that this will prove to be one of those times. If that happens, I hope that you will agree to bring your expertise to the table, if not to serve again, at least to train a new set of dedicated agents to become a team. But, with or without being asked, I will make my recommendation that the leadership of that team come from among you."

Making no effort to hide his selection, Hotch looked directly at Reid.

"It might not surprise some of you to hear that I don't make friends easily. But I hope it doesn't surprise you to hear that I consider each of you to be one of those hard-to-make friends, and that I have thought of you each day since I've left, and will think of you each day into the future. So, to good friends."

Holding his glass aloft, and taking a sip. Then turning back to his oldest hard-won friendship on the team.

"Dave?"

"Thank you, Aaron. Okay, boys and girls, I've got more to say, and since I'm providing the champagne.."

Laughter tittered through the group.

"Do you know why they call every graduation a 'commencement'? It's because, while we should always look back on what we've learned, the focus should be on what comes next. With every ending comes a new beginning, and this is no exception. Most of you are already living your 'what comes next', as am I. For the record, retirement is a great thing to commence!"

Joining in laughter with the others.

"I've got one final message for you, and that is this: Some of you weren't even born yet when Jason Gideon and I started the BAU. It came from an idea, conceived in an instant, in what might otherwise have been a throwaway conversation. And yet, each of us knew it immediately….that this was something that had to happen, something that had the potential to revolutionize the work we did. Something that had the potential to save lives. None of you could possibly have known any of that, and yet…." His voice breaking, just a little, his eyes glistening. "And yet, each and every one of you brought your whole selves to it. You lived the dream we dreamed, and made it into a reality. Your work, and your dedication to sacrificing yourselves, gave the work of my life meaning. For that, and for so many other things, I am grateful. I love you all with my full Italian heart, and I salute you. And, by the way, I agree with what Hotch said. The brass will be eating crow on this, so don't wander far, boys and girls. That's how I think of you, you know. You're my colleagues and friends, but you're also my sons and daughters. What a full life I've had, to have such wonderful children!"

Raising his glass, he gave the final toast, resounded by the others.

"To the BAU, to friendship, and to life!"

FINIS

A.N. And that's the end of the new beginning. Maybe there will be other versions, who knows? All I know is that I am grateful to the creators, writers and actors of Criminal Minds for having conceived, told stories about, and inhabited some pretty incredible characters. They've brought me (and, I hope, you) many hours of creative enjoyment and inspiration, and I will miss them terribly.