we fall through the gaps

(an epilogue.)

They have a set of matching scars now.

Moonlight ghosts over them, raised and silvery. Fingers glide and dance, caress and withdraw, memorise and understand.

They say that their own scars are ugly, and the others a weird dichotomy and a mesh of tangled confusion, but god, they are there.

...

He grasps her hand firmly in his as he leads them around the ballroom. They glide and step and give and take and balance, and he allows himself to relax slightly, to enjoy. The team usually hates (and actively avoids) these pompous formal occasions, but they've been through too much this year to simply care, and family is far more important.

It's not Morgan's type of music, not his usual scene, but he still affectionately shakes his head at a dancing Prentiss, as she smirks at him hovering around the drinks table, trying to impress any young female agent happening to pass by.

He ruefully shakes his head as yet another group of agents give him a teasing smile before heading off in clusters, and if this were any other night, he'd feel slightly miffed, but he spies Reid and Garcia animatedly gesturing and talking while walking towards him.

(And he's slightly surprised that Reid hasn't tripped yet.)

Not long after – so, five minutes of solid theorising as to the origin of the crack in the wall in Amy Pond's bedroom, and another ten minutes of speculation as to the canonical accuracy of the upcoming Marvel films, plus an interrupted two minutes on strategies to escape and survive a zombie apocalypse – he sends a look of pure desperation in JJ and Rossi's general direction, hoping that they'll break off whatever riveting conversation they're having with Strauss to save him from this lunacy.

And Rossi does notice, and grins knowingly at him, before tugging on JJ's arm, making some elaborate excuse and leaving.

(Because family looks out for each other, right?)

Swiping a drink from the table, JJ notices her best friend and her mentor, and feels her heart ache and swell at the image. She remembers the briefly stoic, yet lost expression on her ex-supervisor right after she came through the entrance to the Visitors' Lounge, and the calm defiance as he handed her the envelope right before she boarded the plane, daring her to say something, say anything.

She smiles softly as Hotch passes by, and sends him a nod of encouragement (approval?) and sees him visibly lighter. And she glances next to her and sees that Rossi has done the same, and she laughs lightly, raises a slight toast with him, and feels that everything could be okay.

...

There is a faint buzz that they are both only peripherally aware of. She leans in further, and he takes the moment to quietly whisper in her ear. It is slow and languid and aching and precious, and maybe he really shouldn't do this in a corner of the large room (he's not one for career suicide), but he really doesn't give a damn right now.

"You're beautiful."

She stills momentarily, uncertainty etched on her face as she glances up. He elaborates as she passes him a quizzical look.

"When you were away, I couldn't sleep. And that manifested into seeing you. I couldn't tell you then, so I'm telling you now."

A look of understanding, and a genuinely warm smile graces her face.

"Thanks," she whispers shyly. "And I finally got it the other day. You said you left Jack at Jessica's that weekend."

"I did." The segue is unexpected and the confusion on his face is adorable, and she tries valiantly to suppress a smile.

"You always have Jack on the weekend. But you knew, didn't you? You knew something was up."

(You knew there was something deeper.)

She's not naïve enough to believe that it's some calling or sign or whatever, because this is definitely more than just another cheesy flick that she and JJ and Garcia have got together to watch. It is infinitely more real and has so much potential, and it hurts a lot more, dreams a lot more, and is so so alive.

He sees the emotions flit across her normally guarded face, and he draws her in closer, breathes, loves, captures the intensity of her smile and locks it away forever.

"Yes," he grins, wry and gentle. "I knew. From the very beginning."

...

So. Uni started and my muse ran off in the opposite direction. But this is finally complete, so thank you all for reading/reviewing/favouriting/following. It really means a lot to me!

Until the next time.