Current mood:	drained
Entry tags:	morgan/reid

Miles To Go Before We Sleep, Part Ten, Morgan/Reid
Title: Miles To Go Before We Sleep, Part Ten
Authors: innerslytherin and severity_softly
Pairing: Morgan/Reid
Rating: R/FRM 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, ~11,000; 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 a few lines of 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, Part Nine


Last night had been awkward and embarrassing. Reid followed Rossi to the field office, hoping they could all just move on. Whatever was going to happen with Reid and Morgan, was going to happen, and after a night alone, Reid had accepted that. Hotch had reminded him the night before that he had to let it go the next day, and Reid had been slightly resentful, in his angered state, that Hotch thought he needed to remind Reid, but Reid knew Hotch hadn't meant it in an insulting way.

If anything, Reid thought, I should be glad he doesn't want to fire us for breaking the fraternization rules. Of course, it helped that the fight happened at the hotel and not while they were actually working... and who knew what would happen once the case was over. Even if they weren't fired this time, they would be if what happened last night ever happened again.

Multiple unsubs, .22, Death card left at the sixth crime... but nothing at the last one. Reid absently poured sugar in his coffee at the field office, running the case over again in his head, and then someone stepped up to the counter next to him. He glanced over to see Morgan, and his stomach lurched, but he forced himself to stay calm. "Morning," he said softly. I'm sorry, he thought.

Morgan hadn't slept well. He'd tossed and turned all night, his thoughts going around and around between the case, the field office, and Reid. He'd told Rossi the truth when he said he was afraid of what the BAU was going to do to him. They saw too much ugliness, too much death. At the same time, he always told himself that he was making a difference. Then again, if he weren't in the BAU, Reid would be free to stay. They could maintain their relationship and not be breaking any rules any more. It wouldn't be fun, since their schedules would be completely different, but it would be doable.

Then again, he knew Reid wouldn't see it that way. He'd see Morgan walking away from the BAU and walking away from him, and that might be the end of their relationship. And whatever else Morgan wanted, he didn't want to lose what he had quickly come to realize was the best thing in his life.

He cared about Reid. And if he wanted to do this right, he had to be willing to work at it. He would do whatever it took to make things work.

He'd spent hours lying in his bed or standing by the window with that thought echoing in his head. He'd managed to drift off sometime before dawn, but he was running on maybe an hour's worth of sleep, and coffee was the only thing that would get him through the day. When he'd seen Reid standing by the coffee, he felt a wash of fear tempered with relief. They couldn't settle things now, but he could at least show Reid that he wasn't walking away just because they'd fought.

"Morning," he murmured, wishing he weren't hyper-aware of the rest of the team watching them. It was ironic that, of all of them, Joyner was the one he was most comfortable around now, simply because she didn't know about him and Spencer.

Reid wasn't really sure what to say after that. There really wasn't much to say, or at least nothing they could say here. Morgan gestured to the sugar and Reid handed it to him, letting their fingers brush on purpose, though he tried not to think much of it. "You're with JJ today?" he said, though he already knew the answer.

That touch sent a spark up Morgan's arm. He nodded, glancing up at Reid. "Harold Square," he elaborated. "You out on the street?" He hadn't heard all the assignments, but he had a feeling they would keep Reid in the office.

Reid shook his head and looked at Morgan. "No, I'm here." This had to be the most uncomfortable conversation they'd ever had.

Morgan nodded again, his lips quirking. "Guess I don't have to tell you to be careful, then," he murmured. He kept his gaze on Reid's, wishing he could say more.

Reid felt a little of the tightness leave his chest at the hint of a smile on Morgan's face. "You never can tell," he said, then rocked on his heels, darting an anxious glance at the coffee pot, then back at Morgan. "Be careful," he said, low enough that only they would hear unless someone was trying to eavesdrop.


Morgan's smile strengthened. "You too," he replied. "I'll see you tonight, pretty boy."

Reid had never particularly liked that term of endearment, though he'd gotten used to it and it didn't bother him. Today, though, just hearing it made him smile a bit. "Yeah," he breathed, then nodded and started off toward Rossi.

It wasn't too long before it was just Reid and Rossi left at the field office, and they spent some time going over the same material they had the day before, combing through it in detail. It wasn't until they got back to the Death card, and Rossi's assertion to Detective Bruston that the card was left for just them, that things slid into place in Reid's mind.

Breathe, he told himself quickly, wanting to make sure Rossi saw it too. "If you saw all of these traits completely out of context, what would be the first profile to pop into your head?"

Reid watched as it clicked with Rossi. Terrorism. "Who do we have out on the streets?"

Reid swallowed his nerves and got Garcia on the phone, trying not to think about how Morgan was out there and they hadn't resolved their fight. Not really.

Everyone was out there, and the next couple of hours moved in a sort of blur of motion: the security cameras hacked, a seventh murder, Detective Cooper getting shot. Reid and Rossi told Hotch what they'd figured out, and then they were all back at the field office, going over the case from a new perspective.

A cold feeling had settled into the pit of Morgan's stomach from the moment they first spoke the word terrorism. It wasn't the first case of anti-terror they'd worked, and it wouldn't be the last, but the span of this was greater than the attempt to blow up a newly-opened mall or any of the other cases they'd had. This was the entire city of New York that the terrorists--home-grown terrorists, if their profile was correct--were trying to lay siege to.

Reid was shining, though. He'd figured it out. He was doing a lot of the talking as they hashed out the situation, and Morgan took comfort in the way Reid focused on the situation. It steadied Morgan. Joyner had taken a step back, too, letting Hotch have the reins, and Morgan thought that was the best decision she'd made since she'd called them in. Hotch gave them all their assignments and the team began to scatter, with plans to reconvene early the next morning.

Morgan finished up at Homeland Security and stopped by the police department to pick up Penelope on his way back to the hotel. He had just turned on the ignition when the music from the radio cut off abruptly and the announcer came back. "We've just received word of an explosion outside FBI headquarters at Federal Plaza. There is no immediate information about what may have caused this, but law enforcement is evacuating the vicinity of the blast."

Morgan stared at Garcia. Was anyone on the team still at the field office? His cell phone rang, and he had it to his ear before the second ring.

"Morgan. What's happening?" He listened numbly as the agent on the other end informed him that several people, including one of their team members, had been severely injured in an SUV explosion. Reid. Where is Reid? He got the location of the hospital where they could meet the ambulance and dropped the phone, pulling out into traffic with one hand and flipping on the emergency lights with the other.

"Who is it?" he demanded of Garcia. "Find out who it is. Is it Reid? What happened?" His heart was racing. Why hadn't they known who it was?

Garcia yanked her seatbelt on as Morgan pulled out, then fumbled for her phone, rattled. "Okay. Okay. JJ. I'll call JJ," she managed, then hit JJ's number on her speed dial. JJ always had tabs on the team, she would know what was happening.

"Good. She was going to Port Authority with Reid. Get her." Morgan's hands were tight on the wheel. He kept accelerating, knowing he was skating the line between urgent and reckless and not caring. Reid, pretty boy, you have to be okay, he thought. Oh, God, please. Please, don't let this happen. Please. He took a corner almost too sharply and forced himself to ease up a little on the gas, his gaze darting between the rear-view and the streets ahead of him.

Garcia's heart flipped and she grabbed the 'oh shit handle' as they flew down the street. JJ picked up after a moment, and Garcia let out a relieved sigh. She wouldn't feel better until she knew they were all safe, but every person she talked to would make her feel a little more relieved. "JJ. Oh God. Where are you and Reid?" She listened for a moment, cold washing over her, and she turned half to Morgan, though she couldn't really look at him. "You're at the hotel... Reid went to Port Authority by himself," she repeated for Morgan. "JJ, have you heard the news?"

The hotel? Morgan's stomach felt like it was twisting in knots. "Why is she at the hotel? Reid's alone? Get him, Garcia! Make sure he's okay!" He knew there was always a possibility they could be hurt. Hell, he'd watched Reid die once already. But not like this. Not when they hadn't patched things up after their fight.

"Oh, God," Morgan whispered. He slammed a fist against the steering wheel and hit the brakes as some jackass ignored the flashing lights and cut him off. Swerving around the guy, Morgan tried to formulate a real prayer, but all he could think was, "God, God, God. No, please, God."

Garcia put her hand out to grasp Morgan's shoulder, hoping it was soothing and willing him to calm down because she couldn't just hang up on JJ to find Reid. She explained as much as she knew to JJ, and after a moment she had a panicked Morgan in one ear and a relatively calm but understandably shaken JJ in another. JJ got another call, probably the same person who called Morgan, and Garcia let her take it.

"I'm calling Reid right now," she said as soon as she hung up, and hit Reid's speed dial number. A moment later, she drew a deep breath and looked at Morgan. "It went straight to voice mail. I'll try Hotch."

This was not happening. This could not be happening. Morgan accelerated again. There was no reason for Reid to have his phone off. He'd been heading for Port Authority, but the last Morgan had heard, JJ was going with him, so obviously plans had changed. What if he'd been delayed leaving the field office? What if-- No, he couldn't even think that. "God, please, please," he breathed.

"Voice mail," Garcia said again, pushing Rossi's speed dial number after that. Rossi was barking at her as soon as he answered. "Ah, no sir. I'm-- I-- With Morgan, sir. No. I--"

"What?" Morgan snapped, glancing at her and then back to the road. "Garcia, speaker!" He had to know. Even if it was the worst, he had to know.

Garcia glanced at Morgan. "He's just--" She took in the look on Morgan's face and hit speaker.

"You're with Morgan where? What's happened? I got a call from some agent who said we had to get to the hospital."

Morgan sucked in a breath. Rossi didn't know, either. Rossi wasn't hurt. JJ wasn't hurt. Reid's phone was going to voice mail. He clenched his jaw and drove. He didn't want anyone to be hurt, but not Reid, please, it couldn't be Reid.

Garcia watched Morgan for a moment, but when he didn't respond to Rossi, she finally did. "We don't know, sir. We only know JJ's okay."

"You haven't got anyone else?" Rossi demanded. "You call Spencer and Hotch, I'll call Emily. Call me back." The call cut off.

"Dammit!" Morgan exploded, and checked the street signs. They were close to the hospital. He almost dreaded getting there, but he didn't slow down.

Garcia opened her mouth to tell Rossi they already tried Reid and Hotch, but the phone clicked off, and Morgan's outburst caused her to jump. "Morgan," she said, touching his shoulder again. "We're useless if you get us killed," she said, hoping her tone was soothing rather than placating.

"We're damned useless anyway!" Morgan snapped, but he took a deep breath and slowed down a little again. "Try Reid again," he pleaded.

Garcia watched Morgan for a minute, wishing she could do something to impart calm to him, then dialed it again. She shook her head, but didn't say anything.

Morgan pulled the SUV up to the curb in front of the hospital, ignoring the fact that the front bumper was obstructing a fire hydrant and the back end was cock-eyed and sticking into the travel lane. "Come on," he ordered, throwing the door open and running for the entrance.

"But you--" Garcia started, but Morgan wasn't stopping to fix his parking, so Garcia just hurried after him.

Morgan had his badge out and up, shoving it into the face of the first person in scrubs he saw. "FBI. Where'd they take the FBI injuries?" he demanded. The woman stared at him for a moment, then pointed. He followed her gesture and went weak in the knees. Reid.


Reid was sitting in a chair against the wall, alone, his head in his hands. He hadn't seen them. Morgan could hear the woman talking at him, but he ignored her, crossing the room to stand in front of Reid. He wanted to reach out to him, touch him to prove he was really all right. Instead he just stared, breathing hard, unable to think of a single word to say.

Reid's eyes snapped up when Morgan just showed up in front of him. His eyes were stinging, and he held Morgan's gaze a moment. He could see the panic that had been on Morgan's face, that sort of dread was slow to fade, and Reid wanted to touch Morgan, but he wasn't sure what the right way to behave in this circumstance was. "It's Hotch," he finally managed to whisper, his voice breaking when the name came out. "Joyner too."

Morgan grabbed Reid's shoulders, feeling sort of light-headed with a strange combination of relief, guilt, and unhappiness. "God, Spencer," he managed, his voice strangled. "I thought it was you." He stared at Reid for a moment, then jerked him into his arms, holding on to him tightly. "I could have lost you," he whispered.

"I'm fine," Reid whispered, reaching up to grip on of Morgan's hands tightly, because it was only Garcia standing there. "I'm sorry. Cell phones in hospitals."

Morgan sucked in a breath at how hard Reid was holding on to his hand. "I could have lost you," he repeated, pressing his forehead against Reid's neck. "You could have died without ever knowing how much I love you."

A little spasm of happiness ran through Reid at those words. It was only unfortunate that given the circumstances, the words were nearly impossible to enjoy very long. "Shh," he whispered, unwilling to push Morgan away even if they were toeing the line of responsible work behavior. "I'm okay. Hotch... he..."

Morgan squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, then let out a quick breath and pulled back, nodding. He had to pull himself together. It wasn't Reid, but it was a team member, and this was business. "What happened?" he asked. He didn't look at Garcia. His face went hot as he thought about the way he'd just acted...but he couldn't quite bring himself to regret it.

Reid gave Morgan's hand a final squeeze before letting go. "There was a bomb in their car," he said, trying to hold it together. He was close to Hotch, and Hotch had been a mentor to Reid in a lot of ways, especially in his early days on the team. Reid glanced at Garcia, realizing she was standing to the side watching them. "It's bad," he breathed, his voice barely audible.

Garcia was torn between being touched at Morgan's display, wondering if Morgan had lost his freakin' mind, and wanting to break them apart to get information from Reid. Luckily, she didn't have to do that, and she glanced between Morgan and Reid for a moment before nodding at what Reid told them. "I'll go call Rossi back," she whispered, giving Morgan's shoulder a fortifying squeeze and heading out of the hospital where she could safely use her cell phone.

Morgan took a long, shaky breath. He grabbed Reid's hand and tugged him down into the chair beside Morgan. He didn't want to stop touching him, but forced himself to let go of Reid and clasp his hands together. "You weren't there, were you? What else do we know?" He could pull himself together. He had to. "JJ's on her way here, probably Will, too. Rossi will be, if he isn't already. He was gonna call Prentiss." And we still don't know if Cooper's going to be okay. This case is out of control. He pushed down a rising sense of panic. Rossi would be here soon. Morgan didn't have to make any decisions.

Reid nodded, glad everyone else was safe. "I got the call on my way back from Port Authority," he said, "I don't really know what happened, except that someone said it would have been worse if they'd been in the car. Joyner... SSA Joyner is in better shape than Hotch is, from what I've heard," he said quietly, his eye prickling again.

"Okay, they weren't in the car. That means the device was timed. If there was a trigger, or if the unsub had been watching, they wouldn't have messed up." Morgan thought about that. There was no question in his mind that this was tied to the shootings. The unsubs knew the FBI was after them. They wouldn't hesitate to move against them. "Did you come straight here, or did you go to the scene?" He wanted to see the device. Joyner would surely realize that his experience with the bomb squad-- No, not Joyner. Someone else will be handling this case now. He clenched his free hand into a fist and pounded it lightly against his knee.

Reid drew in a breath, trying to force away the ever-threatening tears and tell himself he still had a job to do. If anything, they needed to focus even more now with two agents out. But Hotch... Reid wiped his cheek and straightened, frowning. "I came straight here." He glanced at Morgan, and then back down the hall as JJ and Will came towards then, followed shortly by Prentiss. "Hotch and Joyner are badly hurt," he told them, his eyes still glassy. "There was a bomb in their car, but they weren't inside it." He glanced back at Morgan. "We need to get ATF on this, and you should go down there," he added, and then wondered if he should be making that call--not that he didn't know that's what needed to happen anyway. Wait, who was making the calls? "Some one needs to find out who's heading the case now..."

"Where's Rossi?" Morgan asked, looking around. He should be here by now. Morgan had seniority over the rest of them, but Rossi would probably want the case, and Morgan didn't have any problems answering to him. "JJ, can you get Haley on the phone? She ought to be notified. Wait, see if you can get any more information, then call Haley. And you're right," he told Reid. "I do need to get with ATF, but I want to make sure Rossi's here before I take off. And you need to keep me posted on Hotch and Joyner's conditions." He glanced around for Garcia, wondering if she were waiting on Rossi.

Reid watched as JJ jumped into action, and Will stepped aside, and when Morgan finished, Reid glanced back at him, concerned. Was Morgan keeping him at the hospital because it was the best place for him to be on this case, or because it was the safest place to keep his boyfriend? He opened his mouth, but Prentiss interrupted.

"Rossi's on his way," she told Morgan, "I can check out the scene with you."

Morgan frowned slightly in thought. "Good. All right, Reid, ask JJ to stay here. She can prepare a statement for the press and keep us posted on Hotch and Joyner. When Rossi gets here, see if he needs you, otherwise come back to the field office. I'm going to have Garcia get back in touch with the surveillance command center." He didn't wait for an answer before he stood up, touching Reid's shoulder briefly. He glanced at the others, then caught Prentiss' gaze and motioned for her to come with him.

They were on their way out the door when Rossi strode in. "Where are we?" he asked Morgan.

"It's Hotch and Joyner. We don't know much more than that. Prentiss and I are heading back to the scene to get ATF on it. Reid'll brief you on the rest."

Rossi nodded. "What do you want me to do?"

Morgan paused. "What?"

Rossi's expression didn't change. "What do you want me to do?"

Morgan took a moment to process that--Rossi was looking to him. "I want you on the profile. Use Reid if you need him, you guys've done the most with this."

"Someone's going to have to issue a statement."

"That's JJ's job, and she's good at it. I'll try to divert the mayor to her." Morgan met Rossi's gaze. "I don't want anyone thinking I'm trying to take credit for this."

"I know that. Go do your job, Derek." Rossi headed back to where the rest of the team was gathered.

Reid jumped out of his seat when Rossi walked back. He briefed Rossi on what little he knew about the explosion. JJ hung up her phone and told them that Haley and Jack were getting flown in.

Reid nodded and thought for a moment. "Doesn't Hotch have a brother here in New York?"

JJ thought about it, and then said. "Ah, yes. Sean, I think. I'll get him."

"Good," Reid said. "Call me if there's any news on Hotch and Joyner's conditions." He felt guilty leaving, even if he was relieved Morgan wasn't actually holding him back for personal reasons, but he headed out of the hospital with Rossi anyway.

He drove back to the field office behind Rossi, Morgan, and Prentiss, a tiny feeling of relief washing over him after they had been driving for a few moments without incident, and it wasn't long before Reid and Rossi were upstairs and back on the profile. The office was empty except for the two of them, and for a while they just went back over what they already knew. After about forty-five minutes, Morgan strode into the office looking tired.

"I sent Prentiss home, told her to get some sleep," Morgan said. He poured himself a cup of hours-old coffee and slumped in a chair. "ATF is on the scene, but they'll be picking up bomb fragments for the rest of the night. It looks like it was a fairly small charge. They definitely intended to kill, but they weren't going for widespread damage." He glanced from Rossi to Reid. "You guys come up with anything?"

Reid glanced at Rossi and back at Morgan. "They hit at night this time, rather than midday, and if the bomb was small enough that it was only meant to kill the agents in the car, maybe their interaction with us wasn't just for us, but about us. This is about as personal a terrorism gets. They didn't take out a building full of agents, they took out two." He dropped his head back against the chair and sighed. "Or tried to," he reassured himself.

Morgan nodded, frowning. "Have you had any more word from JJ? She called once to tell me Hotch was still in surgery, and that she's got a press conference scheduled for eight."

Rossi shook his head. "She hasn't called. What now?"

Morgan drained his coffee cup. "I'm going back to the hospital. We can't do any more tonight, not until ATF is done. You two go back to the hotel and get some sleep. Make sure they've checked your cars." He rubbed his forehead and stood up. "I want everyone back here by seven."

Reid rolled his head to look at the clock. It was getting late and they would all need to be alert tomorrow. He sighed and pushed out of his chair, nodding his agreement. He hoped Morgan would find his way to his room tonight. Reid just wanted to hold Morgan. after they'd fought the night before and now all of this... Of course, Reid understood if Morgan didn't come. He hesitated and turned around, glancing at Rossi awkwardly, before looking at Morgan. "Are you coming back after you meet with JJ?"

Rossi coughed. "I'll head on down and make sure they've cleared the car," he said, and left.

Morgan sighed. "Someone has to be there when Haley and Jack arrive. Rossi gave me the case, so that makes me it." He looked regretfully at Reid.

Reid watched Morgan for a moment. "I had JJ call Hotch's brother too."

Morgan nodded. "Good... You're welcome to come to the hospital with me, but I don't know how late I'll be there." If he were entirely truthful, he would probably stay there until Hotch was out of surgery, at least. With Rossi gone, he threw caution to the wind and took the few steps to Reid, wrapping his arms tightly around him. He wanted to beg Reid to come with him, but they didn't both need to lose a night of sleep.

Reid pressed his face to Morgan's neck. "I want to," he said. "Hotch..." Reid broke off before he could finish, knowing Morgan had to know how Reid felt about Hotch. He shook his head. "You need sleep as much as the rest of us do with two agents down." His fingers curled into Morgan's shirt. "Especially if you slept as badly as I did last night."

Morgan took a deep breath and lifted a hand to bury in Reid's hair. "I hardly slept at all," he admitted. "I spent all night stewing about our fight." He thought for a moment, then gave in. "Come with me. Please."

Reid drew a deep breath. "Sleep deprivation of even the mild variety, less than six hours a night, can cause impairment similar to that of alcohol intoxication. Poor coordination, reaction times and judgment. You need sleep. You're heading the case. I'll go."

"Did you get more than six hours of sleep?" Morgan asked, pretty sure the answer was no. "I can't stand the idea of not checking on him, Reid." He thought of when Elle had been shot; Gideon hadn't left the hospital for days. And Penelope... He sighed and turned his head to kiss Reid's hair. Reid was right, though. He couldn't lead the team effectively on one hour of sleep in the last forty-eight. And if they got close enough to nail these bastards, he wanted his reflexes intact.

Finally, Morgan nodded. "All right. Send JJ back to the hotel. Haley and Jack ought to be arriving soon. It's only an hour by plane." He pulled away a little, looking at Reid. "And make sure to check your car. Who knows what these assholes will do next?" He wanted to really kiss Reid, but it felt a little strange to be like this, even though the field office was empty. "I have a feeling I won't be able to sleep until you get back," he said wryly. He pulled out his wallet. "Extra room key."

Reid nodded and pulled away, taking the key with a small smile. He was surprised and pleased that Morgan gave in, but both of them were already sleep deprived, and Morgan was more likely to be out on the streets than Reid was. He slipped the key in his pocket and gave Morgan's hand a squeeze. "Yes, sir," he murmured, and then started towards the elevators.





By the time Reid got back to the hotel it was later than he'd planned. Sean was already at the hospital, but JJ was harder to talk into leaving than he'd expected, even after Haley and Jack had gotten settled. Reid couldn't bring himself to leave before Hotch was out of surgery either, but he eventually found himself back in his room, picking up his toothbrush, pajamas, glasses and contact case, before heading down to Morgan's room.

It was dark inside and Reid hovered in the doorway for a moment, not wanting to flip on the light without warning but not willing to step inside until he knew he wasn't going to be plunged into darkness as soon as the door shut behind him. "Morgan?" he whispered.

Despite himself, Morgan had fallen asleep, but the door opening had woken him. His body ached with exhaustion, but he forced his eyelids open. "Sorry, forgot the light," he muttered. "Get the bathroom light, not this one." He was glad Reid had come. "Time s'it?"

Reid glanced dubiously at the bathroom. He wasn't certain that would be enough light, but he finally slipped inside and darted towards the bathroom to flip the switch before the door closed. "It's almost two," Reid said, stripping off his clothes to change and get ready for bed. "Hotch is out of surgery. He's still critical. Joyner is stable." He glanced out of the bathroom at the lump of Morgan in bed and wondered if Morgan would remember this tomorrow. "Hopefully she'll be well enough to talk to us tomorrow." He took out his contacts and switched to glasses, then stood in the bathroom door, trying not to panic. "Can I turn on the desk lamp?"

Morgan tried to force his mind to work. Hotch was out of surgery. "Y'r late," he mumbled, and, with a supreme force of will, rolled onto his back and draped an arm over his eyes. "We're gonna work on this darkness thing." The last word was swallowed in a yawn.

Reid's chest loosened at that, and his lips curved slightly. He ventured into the partial darkness and flipped on the lamp, and then the rest of the tightness in his chest went away. He slid into bed and wrapped his arms around Morgan, snuggling up at Morgan's side. "You sleep just fine on the jet with the light," he whispered, and kissed Morgan's neck, closing his eyes to settle in and finding the weariness of his body hitting him fast. Nearly as soon as he let himself rest, his arms and legs felt heavy.

"Mmm." Morgan lowered his arm to wrap it around Reid, smiling sleepily. "I've seen you work yourself up over it," he murmured, turning his head to nuzzle Reid's hair. "Gotta get over that. You're safe with me."

"I know I am," Reid whispered sleepily.

Morgan's breathing was deepening again, and his eyelids felt stuck shut. He wanted to say something else, but he couldn't remember what it was. "Love you," he breathed, and slid towards sleep.

Reid felt another little spasm of happiness going through him, one he could enjoy a little better now that they were alone and more relaxed. "Morgan?" he said, waiting for the tiniest bit of acknowledgment for Morgan, which came in the form of a little hum and a barely raised eyebrow. "I love you too."





Morgan woke with a sense of urgency like a boulder in his stomach. He was pressed against Reid's back, arms wrapped around him, their bodies curled together and Reid's hair tickling his nose. That was all right, that hadn't caused this feeling. The windows were just beginning to get light, so he hadn't overslept. Then it rushed back in. The explosion, Hotch, the fact that Morgan was now lead on a wide-scale terrorism case. Morgan took a long, slow breath and just managed to keep in a groan.

Reid was drifting in and out of sleep, but the heaviness in his body told him he was nowhere near rested. Still something was moving against his back, something that was still new enough to distract his mind from sleep, the slow rise and fall of Morgan's chest. "Mmm."

Morgan couldn't help it; he smiled and nuzzled the back of Reid's neck. Just having Reid here with him was a comfort, even though the rest of their situation sucked. He thought about his panic last night, when he'd thought he might have lost Reid entirely. He couldn't stand that feeling--but he knew he was going to have to figure something out, because they were both federal agents. He couldn't do more to protect Reid than he had always done.

"Spencer," Morgan whispered, splaying his palm against Reid's chest and kissing his ear.

Reid didn't feel like he could wake up. Of course, it felt safe and warm wrapped up in Morgan like he was, and he knew that had a lot to do with it. "Morg'n," he breathed. "Don't suppose we c'd stay here all day..." he added, and then started waking up as the reasons they couldn't do that started to flood his mind again.

Morgan laughed softly. "Wish we could. I'd like nothing better." He vaguely remembered Reid's coming in late last night. He thought they'd talked about the light, for some reason. "How was Hotch when you left the hospital? Did Hotch's brother and Haley and Jack get in okay?"

Reid smiled a little. Morgan hadn't heard a word he said last night. "Hotch's critical. Joyner stable. Sean there when I got there. Haley and Jack fine," he mumbled, wishing he was awake enough to form more complete and informative sentences.

"Critical." Morgan took a deep breath. There was nothing they could do about that. But they should get up and get ready for the day. The wake-up call hadn't come yet, but if he was awake, he might as well be preparing to work. "Man, this is gonna be an awful day." He tightened his arms a little around Reid, pressing his face against Reid's hair.

Reid nodded, though it felt a bit like forcing his body to move. "I love you."

Morgan felt a jolt of happiness go through him and he smiled again. "Okay, maybe not such an awful day," he whispered, dipping his head to kiss Reid's shoulder. "God, Reid, it feels like it's too soon to say things like that, but...I've known you for years. We were already a good team. It's just...easy to love you. Like I've already been doing it all this time." He closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of Reid's skin.

Reid's lips curled, glad to know Morgan had heard him this time. "Love is chemical," he murmured, "Dopamine, norepinephrine and phenylethylamine released in the brain, and men actually produce it more readily because of their more visual nature." He drew a deep breath and released it, still not fully awake, mostly reciting from memory rather than thinking. "Can't fight it."

"You don't really believe it's all just chemicals, do you?" Morgan asked, curious. They definitely had chemistry, but this was more than that. Morgan would never buy the chemicals theory behind love. He kissed the spot behind Reid's ear, not wanting to get up yet.

"Mmm," Reid hummed, tilting his head to let Morgan's lips kiss more of him. "People in love also have decreased levels of serotonin, similar to that found in the brains of people with obsessive compulsive disorder." Reid thought back to how singly focused Morgan had been on Reid when he'd come into the hospital the day before. Reid turned in Morgan's arms finally and kissed Morgan's lips. "Of course, it doesn't just happen unless the right set of circumstances are present."

"Like just the right know-it-all geek meeting the perfect obnoxious jock?" Morgan teased, and kissed Reid again. "Like two people working side by side, trusting each other in life-or-death situations, for years, and finally one of them admits he's not entirely straight?" That was the first time he'd said that out loud. It felt a little strange, in a way that just being with Reid didn't feel weird.

Reid pulled back to look at Morgan, a soft smile on his lips. He nodded and then kissed Morgan again. "Compatibility. Attraction," he whispered and hooked one of his legs with Morgan's. He wished they were naked, though he knew it was probably for the better.

Morgan smiled and lifted a hand to run it through Reid's hair. "Do you believe me now, that I'm not going anywhere?" he murmured. "I honestly didn't think the field office thing needed discussing, Reid. I gave it a few minutes of thought, but not seriously. I couldn't stand being that far away from you."

Reid held Morgan's gaze for a moment, wishing it was easy to say yes, but knowing his fear of abandonment was going to be difficult to get over. He nodded anyway and kissed Morgan. "I'm sorry I said what I did."

"Hey, you were right. I was acting unprofessional. And now I'm lead on this case, and frankly I look like a jackass. I never would have wanted this to happen." Morgan kissed Reid again. "Anyway. I am tired. I do get worn down sometimes. But I became a cop to protect people from the things that happened to me. To stop people like Carl from hurting innocent people. And I always knew I wanted to be BAU. I could've had a job in the Chicago field office if I'd been interested in general law enforcement. But I came to Quantico because this is where the work is. And I'm staying in Quantico. Partly because this is where the work is..." He brushed his lips against Reid's. "And partly because this is where you are."

Reid smiled, feeling better the longer Morgan talked. He wrapped his arms around Morgan's shoulders and pulled him close for a needy kiss. He sighed, deepening it and pressing closer until he had to pull away and breathe. "Mmm'Morgan, I love you."

Morgan decided they could stay in bed until the phone rang. He held Reid close, stroking his hand up and down the graceful lines of Reid's back. "I love you, too, Spencer," he replied, warmed by the feeling that maybe he was really getting through to Reid. "You know, we're probably going to hear more about this from Hotch," he said, then felt a pang of anxiety as he remembered that Hotch wasn't in any position to be lecturing anyone right now. For that matter, he'd welcome a chewing-out from Hotch, if it meant the man was going to be all right. He changed his mind again. They should get up now so Morgan could swing by the hospital on his way to the field office.

All the happiness Reid had been feeling drained away when Morgan mentioned Hotch. A frown formed on his face and he pressed his face to Morgan's neck. "We should go to the hospital," he whispered, not really wanting to get up, but knowing they needed to.

"Are you a mind-reader, too?" Morgan asked, smiling faintly. "I was just thinking we oughtta get up and stop by there on our way to the field office." He shifted so he could kiss Reid softly. "You want the shower first, or me?"

Reid hummed into the kiss and pulled away reluctantly, swinging his feet off the bed and rubbing his still-heavy eyes. "Should I go back to my room?" he asked. "Everyone knows, but it seems more of a conflict with you leading the case now, doesn't it?"


Morgan sighed and sat up. "They ought to know I won't play favorites. But purely in the interest of saving time, maybe you should. We could be out the door in twenty minutes." His head ached. He'd have to pick up a tall cup of coffee somewhere before the hospital.

Reid nodded and leaned back to kiss Morgan again. He shoved his glasses on, gathered his things and slipped out the door a few minutes later. He showered and got ready, noting those dark circles under his eyes that had been so prominent when they'd been in New Orleans were back. His phone rang right as he was heading for the door and he picked up and hung up again to turn off the automated wake up call. He pushed out of his room with a yawn, slinging his bag over his shoulder and starting down the hall.

Morgan opened his door when Reid knocked. He stepped out instead of inviting him in, and fell in beside Reid on the way to the elevators. He wasn't surprised to see Prentiss come out of her room just as they were reaching the elevators.

"We're heading to the hospital," he said as she approached.

Prentiss looked between the two of them and followed them into the elevator. They both looked tired, Reid especially. She didn't think any of them had likely slept well last night--if they had, the three of them wouldn't be up and heading out a full hour before they needed to leave--but Morgan and Reid were probably going on two nights of bad sleep. "I figured. I couldn't sleep either. I'll go with you," she said, then glanced at Morgan. "Unless you want me to go see what ATF managed to get together over night, check out the scene in the light of day."

Morgan looked at her. "No, come on. Hotch is family. He comes first." It might not be the best decision from a strictly law-enforcement standpoint, but whatever else the BAU was, they were family, and an extra half-hour wouldn't make that much difference.

Prentiss nodded and leaned back against the elevator wall. Reid filled her in on the latest news he'd heard at the hospital last night.

"So Joyner'll be able to talk to us?" she asked.

"I don't know. She wasn't awake last night, so I guess we'll have to see." The elevator doors opened and they all headed out. "They both apparently took a significant amount of shrapnel, Hotch closer to the explosion."

Morgan nodded. "They're both lucky not to have been in the truck. I just hope..." He sighed. "Reid, did you talk much to Mrs.--ah, Haley?" He couldn't bring himself to call her Mrs. Hotchner, not when she'd filed for divorce.

Reid shook his head. "Not for long. It was starting to get late, and JJ didn't want to leave." He straightened his tie, pushing the knot up against his Adam's apple. "She was upset, but she's handling it as well as could be expected."

"If nothing else, he's still the father of her child," Prentiss said, as they stepped through the revolving door at the front of the hotel.





When they reached the hospital, Morgan wasn't surprised to find Haley and Jack there. Jack was asleep in a chair, and Haley looked like she'd had too much coffee and hadn't slept at all. What did surprise Morgan was finding Will in the waiting room, too. He nodded at Will and went over to greet Haley.

"Ma'am. How is he?"

Haley looked up and nodded at Morgan, then shoved her hair behind her ears. She glanced over at Jack, smoothing a hand over his shoulder after she was satisfied that he was still asleep. "They got his blood pressure stabilized around five," she said, giving Reid and Prentiss a small, strained smile, which slipped off in a matter of seconds. "He's burned... he..." Her eyes watered, but after a moment she shook her head, forcing calm. "He went into shock last night, but his blood pressure is stable now, and they have him on fluids and oxygen. He's still critical, but he's... stabilizing." She couldn't say the word 'stabilize' enough.

Morgan nodded. "Good," he murmured. "That's...good." He rubbed a hand over his face and nodded again. "I know it's probably not much comfort, but we're gonna find who did this and get some justice." He glanced at the sleeping toddler. "Does Jack understand what's going on?"

Haley nodded and glanced at Jack. "In a general sense, yes. He knows daddy's hurt." Jack kept asking to see daddy, but Haley didn't offer that much information.

"Is there anything we can do?" Morgan kept his focus on Haley, knowing that sometimes all you could do was listen.

Haley pressed her lips together, her attention on Jack as he shifted in his seat. She waited until Jack was settled, and looked back at Morgan. "Catch them," she said softly, then dropped her gaze to her lap, willing herself not to get emotional.

Prentiss' brows drew together and she slipped into the seat next to Haley, touching Haley's shoulder gently just as Haley dropped her head into he hands. "We will," Prentiss said, glancing up at Morgan and Reid.

Reid swallowed and glanced at Morgan. "I'm gonna... go check on SSA Joyner," he murmured.

"Um," Haley said, forcing the word out as an interruption before Reid left. "Ah, Kate's, ah, awake," she managed, and wiped her cheek with the back of her hand.

Morgan nodded again. "Good. Reid, I'll come with you." He touched Haley's shoulder briefly. "Just let us know if there's anything we can do."

He turned and followed Reid, knowing Prentiss would be better company for Haley right now than either of the men. "Joyner's awake," he murmured. "That's good." It would be better if both Joyner and Hotch were awake, but he'd take any blessing he could right now.

Reid started towards the desk to ask where Joyner was. "Kate?" he murmured to Morgan, not really expecting and answer. Everyone noticed Hotch and Joyner seemed to have known each other fairly well.

Morgan glanced over at Reid, raising his eyebrows in acknowledgment, but didn't say anything.

The nurse pointed them the right way and they started down the hallway to Joyner's room. Morgan paused by the open door to Joyner's room, suddenly wishing he were anywhere but here. He took a breath, steeled himself, and knocked before peering inside.

Kate Joyner shifted and turned her head on the pillow to look at them. She had a bandage on her forehead and both forearms, as well as numerous small cuts. "Agent Morgan," she said, sounding tired. "You don't have to visit me as penance, you know."

Something about the woman still got Morgan's back up, but he had to respect her forthright nature. He tilted his head a little and gave her a grim smile. "Nah, I know you wouldn't appreciate that gesture. I'm here for your statement." What a strange situation, leaving the application of compassion in Reid's hands for once.

Reid's eyebrows went up. How could he have forgotten so easily that this would be awkward? He swallowed, and supposed the idea that Hotch was in bad shape had temporarily erased any memory that Morgan and Joyner did not get along from his mind. He rocked on the balls of his feet for a moment, looking between them, and then quickly moved forward, so that he was closer to her bed than Morgan was, sort of, but not really, putting himself in between them. "You, ah, look better than I had expected."

Joyner let out a dry laugh. "I'm not sure that's a compliment, Dr. Reid," she said. She sighed. "I didn't notice anything out of place. Aaron had gone ahead of me to the SUV when I got a call from the mayor's office. I beckoned him back, thinking we were going to be delayed." She closed her eyes, breathing slowly. "I didn't even realize what was happening. I saw the flash of light, I saw Aaron falling forward. I put my arms up to cover my face instinctively." She opened her eyes again, looking at Reid. "That's the last thing I remember before waking up here."

Morgan nodded, even though she wasn't looking at him. It was pretty much what he'd expected. It explained how they'd both survived the explosion, if neither of them were actually in the vehicle. "You were inside the building still?"

She nodded. "I was 'lucky'. Only shrapnel wounds." Her tone conveyed both the irony of that diagnosis as well as the knowledge that she could have ended up like Hotch.

Reid nodded and glanced at Morgan briefly. "Do you know if Hotch had gotten in the car at all? Maybe started the ignition?" They would probably be able to tell if the bomb was remote detonated or not by looking at the fragments, but that was if they got enough of it, and it never hurt to start putting together pieces for the new profile as soon as possible.

Joyner's brown wrinkled in concentration. "No. He'd opened the door. Then I gestured, and he closed it. That was all."

"Not an ignition trigger, then," Morgan said. "You didn't see anyone hanging around?"

"It's a city street," Joyner said, glancing at him. "Of course there were people around. I wasn't really paying attention."

Morgan nodded, trying not to look judgmental. He was glad she was all right. But he really wished she'd stop with the attitude.

Reid's lips thinned at that exchange, but he didn't look at Morgan this time. He wasn't taking sides in this, not even now. "Is there anything we can do for you?"

"Just catch the bastards," she said, her gaze hardening.

Reid fished in his pocket for his card, knowing she wouldn't have her cell phone or Hotch as a handy reference for his number. "If you think of anything else, give me a call." He hoped if he had her call him instead of Morgan, it would lessen the possibility of creating more tension between them. He set his card on the table near her bed and started out, following Morgan after he turned to leave.

"Dr. Reid," she said, her voice quiet. When he turned back, she was watching him. "Tell Aaron I'm sorry."

Reid's lips parted in surprise and he stared at her, a number of responses running through his head, everything from he's not awake yet to it's not your fault. After a moment, he swallowed all of those and nodded. "I'll tell him," he managed, his voice cracking a little. He glanced significantly at his card and left the room.

Morgan was waiting in the hall. "They'll let us in to see Hotch one at a time for five minutes," he said. He felt like he ought to go in, but he mostly just wanted out of this hospital. What could they do, anyway? Hotch hadn't woken.

Reid's heart seized in his chest, both terrified to see Hotch like he was and desperate for it, just to see that he was still breathing and fighting. He nodded, trying to steady himself to see Hotch while his mind kept going back to what Joyner told him. "She doesn't know he's not awake," he murmured.

Morgan frowned, glancing back at Joyner's door. "Let's not tell her," he murmured. She must know Hotch was in worse condition than she was, but they didn't need to make her feel any worse. "You go on in first."

Reid nodded. He hadn't intended to tell her, but he somehow felt better not being the only one who knew she was out of the loop. He glanced up to meet Morgan's gaze, then down the hall to where Prentiss was with Haley. "Are you sure?" he said, but he could tell by Morgan's answering expression that he should go.

Reid slipped inside Hotch's room. Hotch's hair was singed in places and Reid was certain that there were burns covering Hotch's body that he couldn't see, but Hotch's face was only a little scratched and bruised. Of course, if he was walking away from the car and fell forward, that would explain that. "Hotch," he whispered, the steady beeping of machines cutting through his voice. He hesitated for a moment, and then settled himself down on the edge of the bed, taking Hotch's hand in his gingerly.

"You can't leave us," he blurted, before he could stop himself, and as soon as the words were out tears started rolling silently down his cheeks, all the fear he was feeling for Hotch rushing to the surface of his thoughts. "I don't have much time to sit here with you, and I have so much to say. You can't leave me-- us. I guess... that's the most important thing." Reid looked down, ignoring the moisture that ran down the length of his nose. "Who else could keep us in line? It's hard for you sometimes. I don't think anyone else could take it." He swallowed, his mouth feeling dry, and drew in a few deep breaths. "I know that you've cut me so much slack, especially lately, and I don't even deserve it... Thank you... And Morgan and I are looking forward to a good lecture when you wake up." Reid breathed an unhappy laugh and ran his thumb along an uninjured part of Hotch's wrist.

"Gideon..." Fresh tears welled up, but Reid kept talking. "Gideon may have taught me how to be a good profiler, but you've taught me how to be a good agent--are teaching me. You teach me everyday, and... do you have any idea how cool you actually are?" He laughed, feeling silly even saying it. "In the courtroom... in Roanoke... Hotch, that was amazing."

Reid looked at Hotch again, wondering if Hotch was hearing any of this, and just when he thought he had it under control, a new wave of emotion hit him and his face twisted. "You should really smile more," he started, his voice breaking, and then quickly changed tack, "And you understand me. Or try to, and even when you don't, I've never doubted that you respect me, even when I doubted that much in everyone else." He glanced up. "You can't leave me."

Morgan glanced at his watch again and sighed. He'd actually given Reid a couple of his own minutes, but he ought to go in and say something. He knocked lightly on the door, but didn't go in yet.

Reid sucked in a sharp breath and let go of Hotch's hand, wiping at his face stubbornly. "Agent Joyner wanted me to tell you that she's sorry," he mumbled, knowing he needed to pull himself together. "She doesn't know how bad you are, and we're not planning on telling her." He glanced up at Hotch again, rubbing the last of the wetness from his lashes. "I have to go. Morgan, and Prentiss, and Haley should be in here. Jack's here too." He paused and stood. "You can't leave any of us," he said with finality. He stood there for a moment and then turned to leave the room, rubbing his eyes once more before slipping outside and clearing his throat.

"Sorry," he mumbled to Morgan, crossing the waiting room for a cup of coffee in a silent request that no one mention the redness that was surely around his eyes.

Morgan let his arm brush Reid's as they passed each other, but he didn't say anything as he headed into the room. He glanced over his shoulder, then shut the door behind him.

"Hey," Morgan breathed, lowering himself into the seat by Hotch's bed. He didn't say anything else for a minute, just watching his boss' chest rise and fall with regular breaths. It hurt to see Hotch like this. He was a strong, capable man, a good agent, the silent rock of the team. Morgan clenched his jaw.

"We're gonna find out who did this to you, man. I promise, we're gonna end this." He leaned his face in his hands for a moment. "Rossi gave me the case, Hotch. He expects me to call the shots. I just keep asking myself what you would do. I know I shot my mouth off at you, I gave you shit for taking her side. But man, I just want you back with us. You're the only one who can run this unit."

He looked at Hotch's placid face for a moment longer, then stood up. "And just so you know, I wouldn't take it. I love the BAU, and I love Reid. I'm not going anywhere. So hurry up and get better." He covered Hotch's hand with his for a moment, then cleared his throat and left the room.

Prentiss went in to see Hotch after that and then Haley went in, Jack on her hip. Reid, Morgan and Prentiss headed off to the field office. Reid drank his first cup of coffee on the way, grateful for the time alone in the car to compose himself. When they walked in to the office, JJ and Rossi were already in the bullpen. Reid settled in a chair between them and started right in with what they had learned from Joyner, explaining what she'd told them without preamble. "So whatever this was, it wasn't started with the ignition and it wasn't remote detonated," he said finally. "With this level of organization, the unsubs wouldn't have missed Hotch and Joyner if they'd been within line of sight."

Rossi nodded. "Derek, ATF has some fragments for you. They've got them in the conference room. They haven't found any sort of detonation device yet."

"Right, I'm gonna check those out in a minute." Morgan glanced over at JJ. "The press conference all set up? I want you to liaise with the mayor's office, too." JJ nodded and made a note to herself. Morgan didn't want his presence on the case to be at all obvious. He had something to prove to the rest of the team now, which was probably exactly why Rossi had done that. He had to step up. "Prentiss, can you get in touch with Bruston and find out how Cooper's doing today? I want to keep Bruston involved in the case."

"I checked in on him while you were in with Hotch," Prentiss said. "He... he didn't make it." Her lips thinned and she glanced at the detectives scattered around the bullpen. "Do you want me to take Bruston with me back to check out Hotch's SUV again?"

Morgan swore. He'd liked both detectives, and Cooper had been a good cop. "Yeah. Bartleby is going over footage from outside the field office for the past few days, but it's hard to say if she'll see anything. Garcia's working on IDing the unsub who shot Cooper." He folded his arms across his chest. "Dave, you and Reid update our profile. Keep me posted."

He headed for the conference room as the team scattered. Once he'd introduced himself to the bomb tech, they got started on studying the fragments and reconstructing it. It was a painstaking process, but you could learn a lot about the unsub from his bomb.

An hour passed and Prentiss had called up with a partial fingerprint left on Hotch's car that Garcia was now analyzing along with her face recognition software on their shooter. Morgan was still in the conference room, and Reid was frowning deeply as Rossi went over the points they knew already out in the bull pen. Something was bothering him, and after a while, he interrupted Rossi mid-sentence. "They made a mistake."

Rossi broke off, turning to look at Reid. He'd learned quickly that, despite a certain lack of people skills, Spencer Reid was an excellent profiler. "What mistake?"

Reid glanced up at Rossi. "So far, they've killed everyone they intended to kill. They've toyed with us, interacted with us. Even when one of their own was shot, it was clean, no evidence. Now we have a partial fingerprint and a missed target? They're going off book, going from organized to disorganized. They've never done this before." He glanced over at the conference room, willing to bet money the bomb Morgan was piecing together lacked the subtle sophistication the rest of their terrorist tactics had possessed.

Rossi nodded slowly. "They missed a target. Something threw them off their game. That doesn't seem like standard al-Qaida SOP." He frowned. "You know, when we talk about terrorism these days, we automatically assume there's a connection. Do you have figures on the use of car bombs by terrorist groups in general and al-Qaida specifically?"

"Car bombs used to be Al-Qaeda's signature tactic, but the usage of them has been steadily declining. There were over 80 attacks in January of last year alone, compared to the handful at the start of this year. They lately seem to be leaning more toward the individual suicide bomber, suicide vest. And that explosion last night was fairly small, comparatively, to the typical car bombs they used to use." He frowned.

"Okay, not al-Qaida." Rossi sighed. "I need a cup of coffee. Why don't you go see if Morgan's got anything to say about the bomb yet." He headed out, trying to reformulate his thoughts into a new theory.

Reid nodded and pushed from his seat, wandering into the conference room and knocking on the open door as he stepped inside. He walked up to the table and looked down at the bomb that Morgan had mostly put together. "A pipe bomb?" he said, collapsing into the chair across from Morgan.

Morgan's eyes were burning. He leaned back, rubbing the back of his hand across his forehead. "A pipe bomb with reinforced steel rod," he elaborated. "Reid, I know this bomb. I've assembled it more times than I care to think. I bet you anything when the lab results from the powder residue comes back, we'll find out it's ammonia nitrate, potassium chloride and aluminum powder. The only difference is they used a timer instead of a mercury switch." He looked at Reid, wishing he could think of any way this couldn't be Bale.

Reid's eyebrows lifted and his lips parted. "Bale's bomb?" He leaned forward to take another look, trying to remember the reconstruction Morgan had done not too many years ago. "Fits with them studying other cases, and it fits with what Rossi and I were just discussing. This isn't Al-Qaida, and something's thrown them." He sat back in his seat and looked at Morgan. "Any word from Garcia?"

Morgan nodded. "The fingerprint wasn't a hit in IAFIS," he said. "Let's hope her face-recognition software makes a match, or our shooter's going to remain an unknown subject." He sighed and shook his head. "So if we're not dealing with al-Qaida, what do we have? There's no way to know if this is even politically motivated." He slumped forward, discouraged. "I hope JJ's presentation of the profile to the media gets us somewhere. Otherwise..." He looked up and met Reid's gaze unhappily.

Reid nodded, still frowning in thought. "If it's not politically motivated, why Hotch? Why an FBI car? Why not more civilians?" He stared at the bomb, as if it might give him answers. "This was an experiment. Terrorists don't typically use pipe bombs, not in car bombings. They were comfortable with the guns, but now they're out of their comfort zone. They're still ramping up to their primary target, only now they're experimenting as they get closer to it, figuring out the most efficient way to blow it up."

Reid crossed his legs and shifted a little. "They made it look like they were going to shut down the city, targeting points of entry. The question is, have they not done that yet because we have people stationed there now and they don't have enough people to overtake them, or have they not done it because it was never their primary target?"

"But why try to make it look like al-Qaida if they are politically motivated? Usually groups with political aims want to take credit for their own actions, as part of their cause." Morgan rubbed a hand across his forehead. "You're right, though. Terrorists are more likely to use ANFO than pipe bombs. We're behind these guys, Reid. We have no idea what they want, we have no leads, and now we're down three people. This is pissing me off."

Reid nodded. He'd just been thinking they were going to have to wait for another bomb to get a good read on the situation, but he'd decided not to say what they already both knew. "Let's just hope Garcia and Bartleby come up with something. Until then... we wait."

Part Eleven