Current mood:	pleased
Entry tags:	morgan/reid

Miles To Go Before We Sleep, Part Nine, Morgan/Reid
Title: Miles To Go Before We Sleep, part nine
Authors: innerslytherin and severity_softly
Pairing: Morgan/Reid
Rating: NC-17/FRAO this part (up to NC-17 for the entire fic)
Summary: After Reid goes off the rails in Texas, Morgan decides Reid needs a friend to support him through whatever he's going through. Several cases and "awesomely" bad sci-fi flicks later, they both realize "friendship" isn't exactly what they want...but sorting through the baggage that stands in the way of a closer relationship is more difficult than either of them expected. Starting immediately after "Elephant's Memory" and running beyond the end of "Lo-fi", this is a multi-chaptered, non-WIP fic.
Word count: this part, ~9,700; overall, ~130K
Spoilers: Entire series - specifically Profiler, Profiled, The Big Game/Revelations, Elephant's Memory, In Heat, Tabula Rasa, and Lo-Fi
Warnings: Overall: UST, references to past sexual abuse, drug use/references to past drug use
Notes: Written in RP format. Not currently AU, but it will be after season four starts, as we're writing our own ending to Lo-Fi. :) Also, we're beta'ing this ourselves now, so if you find any glaring errors, feel free to point them out! :D
Chapter Notes: This chapter has some dialogue lifted from "Lo-Fi".

Previous Parts: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven 1/2, Part Seven 2/2, Part Eight



Reid woke up slowly the following morning, tangled in sheets and Morgan's arms. He shifted slightly, snuggling closer to Morgan with a contented sigh. It was nice waking up in someone else's arms.

Morgan hummed sleepily and tightened his arms, not opening his eyes. This had already been one of the best weekends he could remember, last night notwithstanding, and Sunday stretched lazily in front of them, with no plans except Reid's letter to his mother. Morgan didn't even run on Sundays, so he could stay in bed with a warm, naked Reid for as long as he wanted.

"Morning," Reid whispered, not opening his eyes either. He kissed Morgan's chest but saw no other reason to move.

Morgan stroked a hand over Reid's skin, breathing deeply. This was easier than he'd expected it to be. He kept wondering when he was going to fuck up again. What would happen if he made Reid really angry? He wasn't sure if he'd ever seen Reid really angry. He let out a slow sigh and pushed away the worry. "This is the best way to wake up," he murmured.

"Yeah," Reid agreed, tilting his chin to kiss Morgan's jaw. There was no question he was in love with Morgan. Every time there was a still, quiet moment, Reid couldn't stop himself from thinking it, even if that little tug in his stomach that warned him that this might never work was growing more noticeable each day. "Was it like this... with the others?" Reid ventured to ask, hoping Morgan wouldn't read right through that question.

Morgan tightened his arms again, opening his eyes and shifting to look at Reid. "Silly boy," he said quietly. "The others got kicked out of my bed at dawn, if they stayed that long." He traced a finger down Reid's cheek. "You're different, don't you get that? You're important to me." He kissed Reid softly. "I know I'm probably going to fuck up at some point, but it will never be intentional. I'm not perfect, but I'm not looking anywhere but at you, Spencer."

Reid held Morgan's gaze for a while, noting the sincerity there, and his heart felt too big for his chest. His lips curved softly as his gaze traced the hazy lines of Morgan's lips. He leaned in to kiss Morgan tenderly.

"You have the most beautiful eyes," Morgan murmured when their lips parted. "You're amazing, Spencer Reid. And you want me. That's even more amazing." He smiled and kissed Reid again.

Reid couldn't help but snort at the compliment, feeling himself blush slightly, but he hummed happily into the kiss. "Who in their right mind wouldn't want you?"

Morgan laughed. "You know, I did strike out from time to time. And obviously, I was afraid you weren't going to want me." He kissed Reid's nose. "I'm a lucky man." His lips sought Reid's, the kiss beginning tenderly but gaining heat as it continued. He shifted, pressing against Reid's warm, naked body.

"Mmm," Reid hummed, matching Morgan's increased intensity. This was nice. And different. He liked the way the calm of sleep made this feel even better. He hooked a leg with Morgan's and deepened their kiss.

That response sent desire burning through Morgan. "Spencer," he breathed, rolling them so he was partially on top of Reid. He slid his fingers into the soft hair, kissing him again hungrily.

Reid made a pleased noise at the weight of Morgan's body against him. His body seemed even more eager first thing in the morning than it did normally, and his hands slid down to cup Morgan's ass, wondering only belatedly if this was too much too soon after last night.

Morgan groaned quietly and pressed down against Reid, his lips traveling along the stubbly skin of Reid's jaw. "Sexy," he managed. "Want you."

Reid sucked in a breath and shifted up against Morgan when Morgan pressed down, gasping softly at the pressure on his already hard cock. Reid kneaded his hands softly against Morgan. "Anything," he whispered, and was struck for the second time by how easy it was to offer 'anything' to Morgan.

"Anything?" Morgan repeated, liking that Reid still offered him that, that Reid trusted him so much. "God, Spencer," he whispered. He stroked one hand down Reid's side, deciding immediately that Reid would get the blow job they had postponed last night. He kissed Reid firmly, then pulled away and kissed down his throat to his chest. He still felt hazy from sleep, and relaxed by Reid's easy response to him.

Reid smiled softly, pleased that Morgan seemed to like that offer. Reid knew, realistically, that when it got time for everything, he would be nervous, but he wasn't worried about that yet. He licked his lips, pressing up against Morgan's mouth. "Morgan," he whispered, "yes."

"Beautiful," Morgan breathed, nuzzling at Reid's chest. He licked at a nipple, but as much as he wanted to really spend time on Reid's body, arousing him further, he was anxious to get to the part he'd been unable to finish last night. He knew he didn't have to prove anything...but he wanted to prove to himself, at least, that he could--and more than that, he wanted to do this. He wanted to make Reid gasp and shiver and lose control.

Reid laughed softly. "I'll find a way to make you stop saying that eventually," he murmured, stroking Morgan's shoulders and wondering if Morgan was thinking about trying to suck him again. The thought caused Reid's prick to pulse with need and his mind to come alert again, wondering if he should worry.

"Never," Morgan said, smiling against Reid's skin. "But if you ever get that awful haircut again, I'll never stop teasing you, either." He glanced up at Reid to let him know he was mostly kidding, then licked lightly at his belly button, remembering the reaction that had got before. His hands slid down to rest on Reid's hips.

Reid couldn't help but frown. "Thanks," he said, his tone flat though he wasn't really bothered. He gasped and squirmed a second later, but Morgan's hands held him in place and he forgot it. Oh God, Morgan was going to try again. Reid wasn't sure if he should say anything or not.

Morgan just hummed and nipped very lightly at Reid's stomach. He loved the way Reid reacted to this, the way his slender body almost hummed with his excitement at everything Morgan did. He loved that he was the one showing Spencer what physical pleasure really was. "Spencer," he mouthed inaudibly, and turned his head to let his breath gust across Reid's cock.

Reid had gone from relaxed to breathless before he'd realized, and he reached down to curl his fingers against Morgan's shoulder. "Oh God," he whispered, his breath shaky between nerves and desire. "Morgan."

"Mm." Morgan smiled. "You're beautiful," he said, and lowered his head to swirl his tongue around the head, sucking in a little breath through his nose at the taste of Reid. Oh, God, yes, he could do this. He stroked his thumbs across Reid's skin, still holding his hips down against the bed.

"Oh!" Reid gasped, automatically pressing against Morgan's hands for more, the feel of Morgan's tongue there lighting his nerves on fire. Even that small taste was more than he'd had the night before. Reid fisted his hands in the sheets and tried to keep his hips where they were, panting.

Morgan made a pleased noise and glanced up, his gaze hungry. Not wanting to tease, he took a deep breath, then closed his lips around Reid, working his tongue against the sensitive flesh and not looking away from Reid's face.

Reid whimpered, the sensation washing over him in a flash of heat. Morgan's mouth was searing against Reid's skin. "Oh my God," Reid moaned, then bit his lip, forcing his hips not to move when they instinctively wanted to push deeper.

That was gorgeous. Morgan hummed, sliding down, taking Reid deeper. He wanted to make Reid breathless with pleasure, to erase his inhibitions. He stroked a hand from Reid's hip to caress the inside of his thighs, trailing lightly along the skin.

Reid bit his lips, sucking in a breath at the way Morgan's fingertips brushed his skin, every touch sending little thrills through him. He uncurled his fingers to stroke them along Morgan's head, feeling the way Morgan slid down on him and moaning, "M-Morgan."

Morgan hummed a laugh, still watching Reid's face. He was enjoying this, enjoying the reaction he was getting from Reid, and it was easier, after having slept naked beside him all night, to remember this was the man he cared about. He slid his hand up further, cradling Reid's balls lightly, just rolling them in his palm.

"Oh yes!" Reid gasped, suddenly realizing why Morgan had liked it so much when Reid had hummed around his prick. His fingers slid to Morgan's jaw and he shifted, pressing into the light squeeze of Morgan's hand. God, he wasn't going to last very long. For all the times that he could have imagined this over the course of his life, the reality was much, much better.

That reaction pulled a groan from Morgan, who massaged Reid gently, trying to gauge how sensitive he was. He bobbed his head, sucking. Reid had never done this before. Morgan was the first person, the only person, to ever give him this pleasure. It was an incredible feeling.

The vibrations that Morgan's groan sent over Reid's prick had him arching off the bed, panting hard. "Oh... I... Nnnggg," he managed, and then finally, "Fuck. Morgan." It was probably ridiculous to be embarrassed by the words that just passed his lips while Morgan was sucking him, but Reid felt his cheeks go warmer than they already were.

That sent a jolt of lust straight through Morgan. He had just made Reid swear. He groaned again, working his tongue against Reid's cock. This was amazing. He squeezed Reid's balls a bit more firmly.

"Ah!" Reid gasped, his hips jerking involuntarily. He could feel the exquisite tension coiling low in his body, and he squirmed, his nerves firing so fast he could barely keep up. "I'm-- Morgan! I'm going to--!"

Morgan pulled back, unsure for a moment, then hummed again--acknowledging Reid's words, and knowing it would push him over the edge.

Reid's eyes flew open, both at the realization that Morgan wasn't pulling away, and at the way Morgan's hum sent him hurtling toward orgasm. He lifted his head to look at Morgan, watching how his cock disappeared between Morgan's lips, and came hard, moaning and dropping his head back to the pillow again. He arched off the bed, taking in the way it felt to pulse his release into Morgan's mouth, and then collapsed, full of amazement and barely able to breathe.

Not choking was easier than Morgan remembered. He pushed down a swift jolt of anxiety and managed to swallow and ride out Reid's climax without panicking. Feeling inordinately proud of himself, he pulled away slowly, licking Reid clean, then sat back on his heels to look down in satisfaction at what he'd done. Reid looked as if he'd lost the ability to think, let alone move. It was a good look. Morgan lowered his eyelids, smiling slowly. "You are damn sexy."

"Mmm," Reid hummed, the noise dull as he felt too relaxed to even bother making much of an effort. He thought he'd like to have Morgan back against him, but he didn't have the energy to suggest it just yet. In fact, it was amazing he didn't feel self-conscious right now, but he let the thought slip away into the rest of the nothingness that had invaded his mind.

Still smiling, Morgan leaned in, pressing his palms lightly to Reid's stomach and stroking slowly upwards. God, he was the most beautiful creature, both inside and out. He was intelligent, fascinating, endearing, addictive... Morgan stretched out alongside Reid and kissed him lightly, sucking in a breath at the pressure of Reid's hip against his erection.

Reid sucked in a breath, pressing up into the feel of Morgan's hands, his nerves still tingling all over his body. He smiled, doing an awfully lazy job of returning Morgan's kiss, and murmured, "Thank you."

"My pleasure," Morgan whispered, his tone only slightly teasing. He dipped his head to kiss Reid's jaw, figuring he had some time to kill before Reid was able to really do any strenuous moving. "Beautiful man," he breathed, nibbling lightly.

Reid hummed a pleased noise, accepting the compliment far more easily now that he was near dead from orgasm. He rolled to wrap his arms around Morgan and kissed him.

"Mmm." Morgan returned that kiss enthusiastically. Man, he loved how open and affectionate Reid was with him. He held Reid close, glad that he'd gotten through this all right this time.

Reid smiled. He kissed Morgan softly, stroking his fingertips along the back of Morgan's head. "Morgan," he whispered against Morgan's lips, but when he opened his mouth again, Morgan's cell phone started ringing. Reid blinked and reluctantly let Morgan pull away, letting out a sigh.

What lousy timing. Morgan groaned in disappointment and kissed Reid swiftly, then rolled over, reaching for the phone on his bedside table. When he glanced at the caller ID, he knew the weekend had just been ended. He took a deep breath, telling his body to calm the hell down, and flipped the phone open.

"JJ?" he said, glancing at Reid. He listened as she sketched the basics of the situation. "Gimme thirty minutes," he said, and hung up. He glanced over at Reid. "Sorry, honey, I've been called in to work," he said, attempting a light tone.

Reid pursed his lips and frowned slightly. "Let me guess--" he murmured. His phone started ringing mid-sentence and picked it up, forcing the fog from his head. He listened to JJ, told her he'd be on his way, and then flicked the phone shut. "Could have saved her some time," he teased quietly, and then kissed Morgan again, wondering if he should apologize for not being able to reciprocate, before reluctantly getting up from the bed.

Morgan grinned. "Mmm, by volunteering to roll over and whisper it in your ear?" he teased back. "Come on, pretty boy, you take the shower first while I let the neighbor know Clooney needs feeding."

Reid nodded, then was momentarily struck by the fact that he was completely naked, just standing there. After a moment, he gracelessly pulled Morgan's sheet off his bed and wrapped himself in it with a lopsided grin. "Wonder why she called you first?" he said, a hint of playful competition in his voice.

Morgan grinned. "You know, I saw all that just last night," he said, glancing down at Reid's sheet-wrapped body. "I sure hope I'm gonna see it all again soon."

Reid felt his cheeks heat as he snatched his clothes out of his bag and started toward the bedroom door. "It's different like this," he murmured, but he glanced over his shoulder at Morgan when he got to the door. "You'll know where my room is," he added, and then slipped out of the bedroom.

Morgan raised his eyebrows, his lips curling up. Was that an invitation? He sure hoped so. Whistling for Clooney, he headed to write a note for the neighbor and let the dog out into the back yard. When Reid was finished with his shower, the coffee was ready and poured into two travel mugs, and Morgan took a quick shower himself. Less than fifteen minutes after he got JJ's call, they were on the road, heading for Quantico.

Reid was nervous showing up at work with Morgan, but it would have been suspicious for all the wrong reasons if he had driven home to take the VRE and shown up late. By the time they reached Quantico, his brows were starting to cloud over in a frown again as he refocused on work.

Morgan tried not to look as if anything were odd about showing up at the exact same time as Reid. He had a feeling he wasn't necessarily pulling it off, but it might just be because Garcia was smirking at them both as they walked into the BAU. Ten minutes later, they were on their way to the jet, Garcia in tow.

Garcia tried - tried rather impressively, actually - to keep her mouth shut about Morgan and Reid showing up to work together. She wasn't certain anyone noticed, but they were profilers, and Garcia had sworn she caught JJ and Prentiss exchanging glances. Finally as they headed for the jet, she found herself walking beside the two of them, biting her lip to keep from grinning at how utterly cute the entire thing was. "Let me guess, 8:30 mass at Our Lady of Angels?" she murmured.

Morgan shot her a look, but didn't say anything. Reid could handle this one.

Reid glanced between them, cleared his throat, then stared at the ground.

Garcia had to cover her mouth to stop her laughter.

Morgan sighed. Maybe Reid couldn't handle this one. "When was it you said your little geeky studmuffin was dragging you off to Italy?" he asked her. His tone said it couldn't happen soon enough to suit him.

Garcia finally snorted when she couldn't contain it, and stepped between them, hooking her arms in theirs. "Ooh, that's a great slash ship name for you two, Geekystudmuffin," he said, beaming at them.

Reid fought not to cover his face with his hands, and managed only to breathe, "Oh my... Garcia."

Garcia gave him a toothy grin. "Let me guess. Kirk/Spock, right? Classic."

Morgan looked from Reid to Garcia and back, and said, "I know I'm missing something here, but I don't wanna know. Garcia, you cut it out, or we won't let you on the jet."

It was clear Reid wasn't answering (aside from his blush), so Garcia turned back to Morgan pressing her hand to her chest. "Oh, why do you have to hurt me?"

"Baby, I love you," he said, giving her a sweet smile, "but why are you hurtin' me so? Make this easy, sweetness."

"I tease because I love," Garcia replied, but her tone had softened considerably and she let both their arms go, letting her eyes fall on the jet at the end of the tarmac. "I gotta say, that is one sexy metal bird."

Morgan shook his head. "Here we go again. She gets so excited when we let her out of her cage." He draped an arm around her shoulders to let her know she was forgiven. From the plane, Rossi called a greeting to Reid, who glanced at Morgan and hurried ahead of them. Morgan held Garcia back, knowing she'd embarrassed Reid and wanting to give him a moment to compose himself.

By the time Morgan and Garcia got on the plane, followed closely by Prentiss, Reid was already settled in with Rossi and Hotch, discussing victimology. Morgan refocused himself on the case.

The flight to New York City was quick--it almost seemed to take longer to get to the FBI field office from the airport--and then the team jumped headlong into the case.


*****


The first day on the case had been long. It had seemed to Reid like he was spending as much time explaining his job to the detectives as he was actually doing his job. Between that and the tension on the streets, the thinly masked hostility many of the local detectives held for the BAU, and the sixth body, the day had been trying. It was promising, it seemed, that the unsubs were communicating with them though. On the flip side, Morgan seemed to be feeding off the tension in the room like Reid had never seen before, and Reid hadn't had a single moment to get Morgan alone and see if he was okay.

Oh. And JJ was pregnant and marrying Will. Reid's lips quirked at that thought, in spite of everything, though a moment later his smile was laced with sadness as he remembered how happy Hotch had once seemed to be with Haley.

He put on his glasses and padded to bed in his pajamas. He hadn't seen Morgan when he came in to the hotel. He'd given Garcia a quick call to find out what room he was in (which she'd told him after a fair amount of teasing), and Morgan hadn't been there either. Reid settled into bed, flipped on the TV, and then flipped it back off as images of today's crime scene flooded the screen. He needed a break for the night. He needed Morgan, a bowl of popcorn, and Frankenhooker, but he was willing to settle for just the first one.

Morgan had been avoiding contact with both Reid and Garcia since SSA Joyner had given him shit about getting out on the street. They both knew him too well. He was angry and he was stressed and he really just wanted to snuggle into bed with Reid and not answer any questions. When he got to the hotel he debated just going to his own room, but at the last minute he asked the desk clerk which room SSA Reid was in. In the elevator up, he chewed his lower lip and thought about having to discuss Joyner. God, but he really wanted to be given some space on that...but he wanted Reid's arms around him. He wanted to be reminded that he did, occasionally, have a good fucking idea.

Create a profile, my ass, he thought, clenching his jaw and watching the numbers climb. She brought us here to save her own ass, and apparently flirt with Hotch while she's at it. Morgan wasn't here to save anyone's job. He was here to stop a serial killer. Or, apparently, a team of serial killers. He was here to save lives. And he could do profile work just as easily while working the streets as he could standing in a damned office twiddling his thumbs.

The elevator doors dinged open and he stepped out, then paused. According to the signs, he could turn left for Reid's room, or right for his own. He hefted his bag higher over his shoulder and stared at the floor, then finally turned left. Hell, this might be the only chance they got to spend time alone together on this case, and he suddenly needed that desperately.

He paused for a moment outside Reid's door, then knocked softly, hoping Reid was still awake.

Reid's eyelids were getting heavy, just lying in bed, the case going over and over in his head until it all just bled together. He sucked in a breath at the knock and pushed himself up off the bed. When he reached the door, he looked through the peep hole and smiled faintly before pulling the door open. "Hi," he whispered, and stepped aside to let Morgan in.

Morgan's lips curled automatically at that greeting, and he stepped inside quickly, setting his bag on the floor. "Missed you," he murmured. "I'm glad you weren't already asleep." He wanted to take Reid into his arms, but he hesitated, not sure why.

"I was getting there," Reid admitted, shutting and locking the door, then closing the u-latch. It felt awkward, and Reid wasn't sure why. Normally Morgan would have kissed him or wrapped his arms around him by now. "Will's here," he said, rolling on the balls of his feet before he reached out to slide a hand down Morgan's arm.

"Will? JJ's Will?" Morgan asked, automatically gravitating towards Reid as soon as Reid touched him. "What's he doing here?" Suddenly it seemed stupid that he was hesitating just because they were here, in a hotel, on a job. He closed his arms around Reid, leaning into him.

"Yeah," Reid murmured, smiling slightly now that Morgan was holding him. He draped his arms over Morgan's neck. "JJ's pregnant," he added. It probably wasn't his place to say anything, but Morgan would know soon enough, and Reid trusted Morgan to be discreet, even to act like he didn't know if that seemed appropriate.

"Really?" Morgan tightened his arms around Reid, wondering for the first time if he regretted things not working out with JJ. "I guess that might explain why she finally came clean about it." He buried his nose in Reid's hair, closing his eyes. "Do you...mind?" he asked finally.

Reid drew a deep breath, enjoying how nice this felt, but his brows furrowed when Morgan finished. "Mind?"

"I dunno, you liked her," Morgan said, but Reid's confusion had been answer enough, really. He kissed Reid's temple.

"Oh," Reid said. He thought about that for a moment, then drew his fingertips along the back of Morgan's head. "No, I don't mind." He turned his head to kiss Morgan's cheek. "I liked you more."

Morgan smiled, pulling Reid closer. "That is very good to hear," he murmured. "Mmm, I needed this so much tonight." He leaned into Reid, liking his slender strength.

Reid pulled back so he could look at Morgan, his eyes traveling Morgan's face before flicking back and forth between Morgan's eyes. He wondered how exactly he was going to bring up Joyner. After a moment, he kissed Morgan's lips. "Get changed and come to bed," he whispered, pulling away and padding over to his bed.

Morgan's smile widened, glad Reid was going to let him stay. He'd been prepared to be sent out after a quick visit, considering they were on a case...but then again, if Will was here, he didn't feel quite so bad. He made quick work of getting into his pajama bottoms and brushing his teeth, then climbed in bed, pressing against Reid again.

Reid smiled, and wrapped his arms around Morgan. He kissed Morgan's forehead, stroking his fingers down Morgan's back, and finally just said what he was thinking. "What's wrong?"

Morgan sighed, liking the way Reid was touching him, even if he didn't want to talk about this. "She's wrong, man. And Hotch didn't even hear me out, he just shot me down like I was--" He broke off and shrugged. "It just pissed me off."

"Well..." Reid sighed and held Morgan closer, then shifted to pull the covers up around them a bit. "They made a call." He was trying to be very careful. He didn't agree or disagree with either side of the argument Morgan and Joyner had. Both of them had valid points. Then again, it was Morgan here in Reid's arms. Reid sighed and kissed Morgan's forehead.

"I can see why she's pissed other people off," Morgan said. "You know, Hotch is a pain in the ass sometimes, but at least he doesn't think he's the only person in the world with a valid opinion." He snuggled against Reid, relaxing. The tension that had built all day was finally draining out of him. What would he do without Reid? He smiled faintly, pressing his face into Reid's neck.

Reid nodded, thinking back about the day. It had seemed Joyner was only really like that with Morgan. "I spent as much of my day explaining my job to people who rolled their eyes at me as I did doing my job. I think they would be angry we were here whether she was here or not."

Morgan laughed softly. "Hmm, I brought my own computer," he murmured, recalling what Detective Bruston had said upon meeting Reid. He kissed Reid's neck.

Reid pursed his lips, frowning a bit even though he wasn't upset in the least. "Property of the BAU," he deadpanned.

"Mmm, no, property of Derek Morgan," Morgan corrected, smiling. He pulled away enough to kiss Reid slowly, then settled his head back down on Reid's shoulder.

"Hmm," Reid hummed into the kiss. It relaxed him enough that when Morgan settled again, Reid closed his eyes. The idea of doing more was tempting, but they both needed their rest for tomorrow. He settled deeper into the covers. "Did something happen between you and SSA Joyner?" he asked finally.

"What do you mean?" It struck Morgan a moment later that maybe Reid was asking if they'd slept together. "I'd never met her before today."

Reid frowned. "I didn't think you had." He shifted a bit, leaning into Morgan. "She's not butting heads like that with anyone but you. Not that I've seen." He didn't say that it was probably because everyone else complained behind her back, whereas Morgan was outright arguing with her.

"Hey, I'm not going to sit back and let the woman walk rough-shod over me just because we were 'lucky to steal her from Scotland Yard'," Morgan said. He was tensing again. This felt like an argument, and he didn't want to argue with Reid. He just wanted to be told he was right, that his idea wasn't as stupid as Joyner had made it sound. This is New York City, a few more cops aren't going to make a difference. Like Morgan hadn't been a cop in Chicago, like he didn't know damn well that sometimes it was sheer luck, but that sometimes a single cop could make a difference.

Reid swallowed and stroked his hand down Morgan's back, deciding it was probably best to drop the conversation. Morgan was obviously still upset, and Reid didn't think he had anything to say that would make it any better. He closed his eyes. "Let's get some sleep."

"Reid," Morgan said after a minute, shifting one of his arms so he could slide his hand up underneath Reid's t-shirt. He didn't want to do any more than this, but he wanted to touch him. "Spencer. Thank you."

Reid shifted to put his hand on Morgan's, the thin fabric of his t-shirt between their hands. His mind was racing too much to sleep, wondering why Morgan was pushing so hard with Joyner, and why Joyner seemed so set on dismissing Morgan. He sighed though, trying to relax his mind enough to sleep. "For what?"

"For this." Morgan brushed his lips against Reid's jaw. "Listening to me. Being here. I'm...not really used to having this."

Reid smiled and tilted his head into the soothing caress of Morgan's lips. "You're welcome."

Morgan closed his eyes, smiling. He wasn't used to having it, but he could definitely get used to it. And I don't ever want to lose you.


*****


Morgan groaned when the wake-up call came, not wanting to leave the warmth of Reid's arms. "Make it stop," he muttered, pressing his face against Reid's chest. Even half-awake, he knew better than to answer the phone in Reid's room. When Reid shoved him off and rolled to answer it, he made himself sit up, rubbing his hands over his face. He ought to go to his room to shower, for efficiency, but if he got in the shower now, Reid could have coffee made by the time he got out.

Reid rubbed his eyes, hanging up the phone and shoving his glasses on his face. "I liked this better Saturday," he mumbled, trying to wake up.

Morgan leaned over to kiss Reid quickly. "Me, too."

Morgan showered and Reid made coffee, brushed his teeth and put his contacts in. By the time Morgan was done, Reid had already downed one cup of coffee and was working on a second, which he left on the bathroom sink as he slipped into the shower. Not too long after that, he and Morgan were leaving their room to go to the field office, Reid's hair dampening his collar and tie a bit.

Morgan felt better after his shower and a cup of coffee, though he still wasn't eager to start the day. He paused before opening the door and turned, sliding an arm around Reid and pulling him close for a hungry kiss. "I hope we get back earlier tonight," he murmured, and pulled away again, grinning.

He was still grinning when he opened the door and stepped outside--and nearly ran into Dave Rossi.

Rossi's eyebrows went up as he took in Morgan and Reid coming out together. He put his hands in his pants pockets, his lips curling up. "Good morning, Derek, Spencer."

Shit. Morgan pressed his lips together and gave Rossi a brief nod. He hadn't even thought to check the peephole before opening the door. Stupid, careless...

The smile on Reid's face slid a bit and he raised his eyebrows to acknowledge Rossi, hoping he didn't look quiet as jarred as he felt all of a sudden. "Morning," he said. "We were just, ah, discussing a few details of the case." Right. Like Rossi won't see right through that. My hair's still wet and I was grinning like an idiot when I came out.

"Discussing a few details of the case. Right." Rossi had a precise way of saying things when he knew you were lying, Morgan thought. Shit.

He shrugged. "I just had a few things to get off my chest. You know." He glanced around. "Joyner." He shrugged again, supposing Rossi wouldn't buy that either.

"Ah. Of course." Rossi turned and headed down the hall, obviously expecting them to follow him. The man had the damnedest timing. Not to mention sheer blind luck. He'd caught Garcia and Kevin, and now them.

Fuck. Morgan shrugged and followed him.

Rossi wasn't buying any of it. That much was clear. Reid darted an almost apologetic glance at Morgan when Rossi turned his back, and then stepped a few feet ahead to put himself in step with Rossi. "When are we expected at the briefing?" he asked, brightening his tone and readjusting his bag over his shoulder. He knew the answer already, and Rossi likely knew that, but Reid suddenly felt like he needed to prove he could focus on the case.

"Seven," Rossi said, glancing over his shoulder. "And I suggest you grab breakfast on the way, because we probably won't have time for it later. Why don't you ride with me since we're going the same way, Spencer. Derek, you might take a look for Emily on your way out."

Morgan watched Rossi's shoulders, trying to figure out what Rossi was planning to do about this. If anything. Heck, maybe he didn't care. Just before they got to the elevators, Morgan glanced over at Reid, hoping he wasn't angry.

"Sure." Reid nodded and followed behind Rossi, wondering if Rossi was going to say anything once they we alone. He saw Morgan's look out of the corner of his eye, but Reid didn't return it, hoping Morgan wouldn't be angry at him for it later.

"Have a good one," Morgan told them, flipping open his phone and dialing Prentiss. He headed down the hall towards her room and leaned against the wall across from her door.

Rossi waited until the elevator doors closed behind them. "So. Derek? It's about time."

Reid felt a wash of... something go through him, and he hoped for one wild moment that Rossi might just let him play dumb. "Ah, um, I'm sorry, what?" Somehow, he doubted it would work.

Rossi snorted. "Come on, I've seen the way he watches you, how protective he is. Of course, there are those new rules, so I wasn't surprised no one ever said anything..." He folded his arms across his chest. "This is new, though, isn't it? His head isn't in the game right now."

Reid rolled onto the balls of his feet and back down anxiously, and leaned back against the elevator wall. It was useless to deny it any longer, but that didn't make this any more comfortable. "Those rules aren't exactly new," he murmured, unable to help himself. He did at least refrain from giving the year they were added.

Rossi shrugged. "They're new since I was with the Bureau last time." He gave Reid a faint smirk.

"This thing is relatively new, yes," Reid belatedly answered. "Since Miami." He shifted. "You're not going to say anything, are you?" He thought he knew the answer already, but he had to ask.

"I know how to keep my mouth shut, Spencer. And as long as the two of you are doing your job, I don't have any problems with it. If I think either one of you is distracted, then we'll have some words."

Reid nodded, but he wasn't really sure what to say. After a moment, he went back to what Rossi had just been saying. "His head is in the game," he said. He wasn't sure he believed it.

"If you say so." Rossi didn't sound like he was sure, but the elevator doors swished open and he walked out, leaving the topic behind them.

Reid stood in the elevator and watched Rossi walk away. I hope so, he thought, and then the doors started to close. He jumped to catch them, and then hurried after Rossi.


******

Morgan stared at Hotch, unable to push back the anguish that someone else, another innocent person, had died because of Kate Joyner's stubbornness. "I said to put us at express stops 14th, 42nd, 59th, and that's exactly where they hit!" Joyner wasn't even looking at him. Did she really hate him that much, just because he was good at his job? Did she blame him for being right?

Hotch turned to face him, brows lowered. "It's not your place to have this discussion."

A thrill of cold anger went through Morgan, along with astonishment at being slapped down like that. "My place?" He knew he was pushing his luck, but this was ridiculous. They could have prevented today's shooting.

Hotch frowned in warning. "You need to back off."

Morgan stared at him. Back off? What the fuck? "We got seven bodies, man!"
Hotch's voice rose, his speech pattern becoming more clipped as his own temper rose. "Which is exactly why we need to stay focused."

Morgan raised his eyebrows. That was rich. "Focused," he repeated, and moved closer to lower his voice. "From where I'm standing? All your focus is on her."

From the corner of his eye, Morgan saw Joyner roll her eyes. It fanned his anger, but he forgot it at Hotch's next words: "Take a walk. NOW."

Staring at Hotch in angry disbelief, Morgan clenched his jaw. Hotch was calling him on this? Joyner had done nothing but give him attitude from the moment he walked into the field office, and Hotch was reprimanding him? He glanced at Rossi to see if he agreed with Hotch, but Rossi wouldn't meet his gaze. Fine. If that's the way this was going to be, fine.

Morgan shook his head and left.

"I'm so sorry, Kate," Hotch said, turning back to her after Morgan had stormed off. "I don't know what's going on with SSA Morgan. He's usually incredibly easy-going." He shook his head, frowning. What was going on with Morgan? He was never shy about expressing his opinion, but he was never insubordinate about it.

"I'll talk to him," Rossi offered, glancing away. Hotch followed his gaze to where Reid was still staring after Morgan, his mouth open. "He just needs some time to cool off first. He's a fine agent, SSA Joyner," Rossi added; Hotch wondered if the reminder was for him, as well. "We all get a little too emotionally invested sometimes."

"Of course," she said, her tone cool. "In the meantime, Aaron, if you'll excuse me, I need to talk to the mayor."

"Of course," Hotch murmured, preoccupied with the little pang of concern that had hit him when he saw Reid's shock over Morgan's behavior. Hotch wasn't blind; he knew--the whole team probably knew--that Morgan had been instrumental in bringing Reid back from whatever precipice he'd been approaching in Texas. Hotch had always thought he detected an understated friendship between the two men, marked by teasing and a quiet competition, but with compassion and understanding, as well. Morgan protected Reid, more than he did the rest of the team.

He shook himself, turning his attention back to Morgan's blowup. This was so unlike him, it made Hotch wonder if, somewhere along the lines, Morgan and Kate had...but no, she hadn't known anything about Morgan before the team walked into the field office two days ago. But this couldn't be about the possibility of a promotion if she failed here. Morgan had been the one who convinced Hotch to come back to the BAU after he was suspended. He'd flat-out said that the team needed Hotch to lead them, even though Morgan could have put himself forward for that position. He couldn't be looking to leave the BAU just for a promotion after saying that. Could he?

Hotch's gaze wandered back to Reid, who didn't seem to be shaking off the spectacle very well. He sighed and crossed the bullpen.

"I don't suppose you know what's eating at Morgan?" he asked quietly. He didn't like presuming on the friendships within the team, but he couldn't afford to have them coming apart at the seams when they were facing a case like this.

Reid hadn't seen Hotch coming. He snapped his mouth shut, cleared his throat and looked back at his map when Hotch spoke, because that was what he was supposed to be doing, not gawking after Morgan. He rocked on the balls of his feet a moment, distracted still. This was just how he'd seen Morgan's explosion, across the bullpen and through the intricate grid patterns laid out before him. Focus, he told himself. He wasn't sure it was working. "I, ah... No. I have no idea."

Hotch frowned. "I've never seen him act this way before." Except when they were pushing into his past in Chicago. But this wasn't the same sort of situation. He shook his head. "I shouldn't have said anything about the field office. I never imagined it would affect his focus on the case."

Reid frowned at that, and blinked at his map for a moment, looking right through it at nothing, before he turned around to face Hotch. "What about the field office?"

Hotch glanced around, though he knew Kate wasn't nearby, and lowered his voice. "Kate's desperate to save her job, which is part of why she was so quick to call us, once the joint task force was formed. She...doesn't mesh well. Politics. You've seen how she doesn't pull any punches. Anyway, brass has their eye on Derek to head up the New York field office, if she can't pull this case together neatly."

Reid felt like he'd just been punched in the gut. He felt ill. Why hadn't Morgan told him that? Was that really what this was about? Morgan had been talking before about how the BAU wore people out. "You think he--" Reid shook his head and then sat on the edge of the nearest desk, finally looking up at Hotch and hoping he was hiding the overwhelming fear and hurt that had just hit him. "Do you think he wants her job?"

Hotch shrugged, looking at Reid more closely. "It would be a good move for him, career-wise. But I can't imagine him doing anything other than the BAU. He's good at his job, and he has a passion for it." For much the same reasons Hotch did, though of course they didn't talk about that. "Regardless of whether he wants it or not, I would expect his focus to be on the case, rather than on her."

"Maybe he's tired," Reid managed to say, his tone surprisingly even, if flat. He glanced over to where Rossi had left not too long after Morgan. Morgan promised he wasn't going to leave me, he thought, but that thought was almost immediately followed by, 'it would be a good move for him, career-wise' ... he was talking on Saturday about needing a break from the BAU. Reid swallowed hard. "Is Rossi going after him?" He fought the impulse to offer to go after Morgan himself.

"Yes, Dave said he'd talk to him." Hotch didn't like the way Reid was reacting to this. Sometimes he forgot to consider Reid's emotions when he talked to him about things. It wasn't that he only valued Reid for his exceptional mind, so much as he just got used to Reid having intellectual reactions to things rather than emotional ones. "Reid, I'm sure it will be fine. Morgan just needs to be reminded why we're here."

Reid's eyes snapped back to Hotch's when he heard the tiny underpinnings of concern in Hotch's voice. They were never overstated, but over the years, Reid had come to recognize that tone. He remembered the plane ride back from Texas, what Hotch had told him, and straightened. He hadn't noticed his shoulders had rounded a bit. "You're probably right," he said.

Hotch touched Reid's shoulder lightly. "Get back on the profile. This will all work out." He tried to put a little warmth into his voice, to let Reid know he understood. He nodded once and left. He didn't want to lose Morgan, either. He valued every member of his team, and he was proud of the way they worked together. But he knew he had to think of Morgan's career. He'd already sabotaged his own, and while he was exactly where he wanted to be, he couldn't make the mistake of thinking people wouldn't move on.

But I need his head in this case, he thought. Dave, I hope you can bring him around.

Reid nodded and stood again. Getting back on the profile wasn't as easy as it sounded with everything that was going through Reid's mind. In fact, when Hotch sent him to the crime scene later with JJ and Prentiss, Reid was glad to get out of the field office. He was able to regroup and focus once he wasn't staring through his glass map at the spot Morgan had had his blow up. And he didn't have to see Morgan come back either. If he came back. God, he hoped Morgan came back.

By the time Reid got back to the hotel that night, he was tense. He was starting to get the feeling that they were looking at this case in the wrong way, but it wasn't quite clicking yet why. Rossi caught him on the way to his room, telling him Hotch wanted them to go back over the profile tomorrow. Neither one of them said a word about Morgan, but Reid didn't miss the discerning eye Rossi fixed him with.

When Reid finally got back to his room, he spent the first ten minutes pacing before forcing himself to sit. Then he made himself a drink from the mini bar, which he just stared at. It took some convincing, but he finally forced himself to remember (and listen to) what he'd learned in his meetings with the Beltway Clean Cops, that as much as he wanted to forget, to escape what was bothering him, it was only a temporary fix. He dumped the drink and left his room, making his way quickly down the hall to pound on Morgan's door. Please be there. You can't have left without telling me.

Morgan was hiding. He knew full well that's what he was doing. He'd apologized to Joyner, she'd reciprocated by ordering them out on the streets the next day, and Hotch wasn't saying anything about the blowup. He couldn't quite bring himself to face Reid, though, not after the way he'd acted. He'd made an idiot of himself in the middle of the field office, and Reid had been there for all of it.

He'd come back to the hotel and gone directly to his room. He made himself a drink, bolted it down, and got in the shower, turning the water as hot as he could stand it. He'd just got dried off and was staring at his clothes, trying to work up the guts to put on his jeans and go see Reid, but wanting to just put on his pajamas, make another drink, and collapse in bed.

That was when someone pounded on his door. He jumped, jerked on his jeans, and ran to the door, grabbing his Glock on the way. When he looked out the peephole, though, he saw it was Reid, and relaxed. Then he remembered why, exactly, he'd been hiding and felt a jolt of adrenaline for another reason entirely.

With a sigh, he opened the door and stood aside silently for Reid to come in.

Reid's forehead hurt, and he realized suddenly how deeply he was frowning, forcing his brown to un-furrow as he stepped inside, thought he didn't loosen his arms, which were crossed tight in front of his chest. He paced a few feet in the room and turned to face Morgan, waiting for him to shut the door before speaking. "Do you want to tell me what's going on now?"
Morgan tensed. Okay, this wasn't going to be fun. "What do you mean? Look, I apologized to Joyner. I'm over it. My head's in the game."

Reid stared at him. Morgan still wasn't going to tell him? "Right. That's it?"

"Spencer, what's going on?" Morgan demanded, his brow furrowing. "Have I done something? This isn't about Rossi, is it? Okay, I'm sorry he caught us, because he's a coworker. But at this point it's almost a joke trying to keep our relationship a secret. It's gonna come out." This sucked. He wanted to pull Reid close and hold on to him, to let Reid's body remind him that he was strong. He wanted to relax, not fight with Reid. And he didn't even know what they were fighting about. After a moment he went back to the minibar and made himself another drink.

"No, this isn't about Rossi," Reid said quickly. He watched Morgan make himself a drink, but didn't move from where he was standing, only turning to watch Morgan, his foot tapping the floor until he forced himself to stop it. "This is about you not telling me things."

Morgan turned, confused for a second longer, and then it all flashed. "Oh my God, don't tell me you've heard the big rumor, too. Reid. I am here--the team is here--to catch a group of unsubs who are shooting people at random and terrorizing the city. I'm not here to save Kate Joyner's ass. I'm also not here to sabotage her job. I don't give a damn about the New York field office, man! You oughtta know that!"

The fact that Morgan had just raised his voice made Reid's temper flair. Maybe he should have had that drink. "You told me you were getting tired! You told me you wanted a break, Morgan!"

"I said I wanted a vacation, Spencer! I didn't say anything about quitting the BAU." Morgan stared at him, hurt despite himself that Reid would believe he would even think about leaving. "Spencer, I said I wouldn't leave you. Is this how much you trust me, that you come in shouting when you hear a rumor that brass is thinking about offering me a job if someone else screws up? Man!" Morgan thumped his hand against the table and turned around, pacing over to the window and taking a gulp of his drink.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Reid said, feeling affronted. He did trust Morgan, but even Morgan had to see how strangely he'd been behaving. The only way it added up was if Morgan really was thinking of leaving. "Didn't you think it would be better for me to have heard that from you? You stormed out of the field office today! You fought with two superiors in front of everyone! Then on top of that, Hotch has to tell me my boyfriend has a job lined up in New York if Joyner fails at this case. Don't try to make me seem like I'm being irrational."

Morgan spun around angrily, though he couldn't help feeling a pang of something that Spencer had just called him his boyfriend. "All right, fine, I'm the bad guy here. I just shot my mouth off because I felt like Hotch was taking her side, all right? I didn't come here to save someone's ass. I came here to stop people dying! All Hotch is looking at is Joyner, and in the meantime she's treating me like I'm some dumb asshole who just wandered in off the streets! She doesn't have to make me look bad to make herself look good! Am I really so off-base being pissed about that?"

Reid shook his head. "She's doing her job," he said, trying to reign in his anger and failing. "They're both doing their jobs, with a hell of a lot more professionalism than you have been!" As soon as the words were out of Reid's mouth, he regretted them.

Morgan straightened up, staring at Reid with eyebrows raised and mouth open. "Oh," he said, his voice suddenly quiet. "All right, then, Doctor Reid, I apologize for not conducting myself in a professional manner. I apologize for occasionally letting my emotions get in the way. You're right, I ought to not be angry that we have seven bodies and no leads." He drained his glass and set it hard on the table, then folded his arms. "Why don't you school me on how to do my job with professionalism?"

"Morgan," Reid said, not liking the cool, angry tone of Morgan's voice, but not feeling entirely like apologizing or even offering that his words had come out wrong after the way Morgan had called him 'Doctor Reid.' His scowl hadn't slipped, but he tried to lower his voice too. "She--"

There was a knock on the door that caused Reid to jump, and then Prentiss' voice sounded through the door. "Ah, guys?"

Reid went cold, and he shot a glance at Morgan. They were caught, and this was likely the worse possible way for them to have been caught, but it wasn't Reid's room and he wasn't about to answer. He tightened his arms over himself and glared.

"Fuck," Morgan muttered, and stalked across the room to jerk the door open. The night couldn't get any worse. "Emily," he said, giving her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Prentiss' eyes traveled Morgan's face, then darted to Reid, who still had his back to the door. Her lips thinned and she raised her eyebrows at Morgan. "Everything all right?"

Morgan folded his arms across his chest. "Fine. Reid was just correcting my thinking on stuff." He wanted nothing more than for Reid to go. They obviously weren't going to work things out tonight, not with the entire damn team eavesdropping through the walls. God, maybe this had been a horrible idea.

"Obviously someone had to," Reid said, his voice waspish, and he finally turned and started towards the door, pushing past both Morgan and Prentiss without looking back. "Sorry we woke you," he muttered over his shoulder, sweeping towards his room.

Prentiss watched him go, grimacing slightly when Reid's door slammed behind him, then looked back at Morgan. "What's going on, Morgan? You've never acted this way before."

Morgan clenched his jaw and glanced away, but not before he saw Hotch's door open. "You, too?" he demanded, watching Hotch head for Reid's room. God, they had just made a spectacle of their relationship the same day as his blowup at Joyner and Hotch. He was starting to hate New York. "Look, Rossi told me to get over it, I got over it. But when Reid starts coming down on me for acting unprofessional and not telling him about a job I haven't even been offered, let alone am I planning to take it--" He shook his head and held his hands out to his sides in a gesture of surrender.

Down the hallway, Hotch was at Reid's door, and for a moment it looked as though Reid wasn't going to let him in, but then the door opened and he slipped inside. Prentiss tilted her head at Morgan and tried to soften her voice. "What else was he supposed to think?" she asked. She didn't add that they'd all been thinking it. That would only make Morgan more defensive.

Morgan sighed. "The BAU is--I don't know if I'll ever be able to quit this. This is the whole reason I went into law enforcement. To protect people. To stop the people who victimize others." He licked his lips, thinking. It was easier to answer when he didn't have someone in his face, shouting...but he should have said this to Spencer, he realized suddenly. Still, why hadn't Spencer trusted him? "I don't know, I'm just tired, man, that's all. This job wears you out sometimes, and..." He shrugged. "Look, I really don't want to talk about it."

Prentiss nodded slowly, eying Morgan for a moment longer. He seemed calm now, and that was probably the best she could hope for. "All right," she said. "You might want to tell all of that to him, though." She glanced down the hall and hoped Hotch was doing some good. "Tomorrow night," she added. "Let it rest for now."

Morgan rubbed his forehead. "This is not how I'd imagined all of this coming out," he muttered. "This whole case is a nightmare, and then this..." He sighed. "Sorry, hey, I shouldn't dump on you. Sorry we disturbed you."

"Hey," Prentiss said quickly, holding Morgan's gaze, "You can talk whenever you want to, you know." Her lips curled slightly. "'I can have oodles of charm when I want to,'" she said, wondering if Morgan would catch the reference.

Morgan laughed and nodded, recognizing the Vonnegut quote. "Yeah, all right," he said, looking back at her. "Thanks."

Prentiss' smile warmed at the recognition, and she nodded again, turning to go. "Get some sleep. We'll need it."



Part Ten