Disclaimer: CM's not mine (which I know, comes as a surprise to many of you) and the idea to the story was given to me by Chit Chat on Author's Corner's New Years Challenge.

My assigned pairing was: JJ/Morgan friendship

My assigned promts were: sparkling cider, party hats and ball dropping

Author's note: Whoever gave this request: This one's for you ;)

A glass of sparkling cider was thrust into his hand and Morgan absentmindedly took a sip of it, his eyes not moving an inch.

"You know, it's really not healthy to be standing in the corner all alone on New Years Eve. And the fact that it's you just make it plain disturbing."

"I'm not really in the mood for partying..." Morgan forced his eyes away and down in the face of his old colleague and good friend. "Even though you're doing a wonderful job, JJ." The woman in question smiled at him and held her glass up, acknowledging his praise. "And you look great too!"

"You flatterer! I do hope this will dress will help making me enter the new year with a bang. Will has been kinda neglectful lately – if you catch my drift."

Morgan's eyes grew wide at the crude comment while JJ snickered and sipped from her glass again.

"JJ, are you drunk?"

"I'm tipsy, thank you very much! A true hostess doesn't get drunk when her guests stands around in corners gaping at... other... guests..."

"I don't think I've ever experienced you like this JJ..." Morgan was worried but also more than a bit amused. He knew JJ probably didn't have that much free time and occasions fit to be drunk, and Henry was sent to bed and everything was alright. But this was just extremely unlike her. When her gaze turned serious and she looked at him almost sober he felt a wave of relief wash over him and he took another sip from his glass. And wished she had handed him a beer in stead of cider. Sparkling cider even.

"I haven't experienced you like this either, Derek." Morgan felt a shiver run down his spine. JJ had used her 'Mother Voice'. "What is wrong with you? Are you ill?"

"No, no of course I'm not ill! I'm just not... in the mood..." He made the mistake of looking straight into her eyes to show how sincere he was. Shit – the 'Mother Look'! "There's really nothing wrong JJ, I promise!"

JJ gave him a disbelieving look but let it go and they stood in silence and watched the people around them.

"Rossi is quite a dancer, don't you think?" Morgan asked casually as he noticed the older man spinning Prentiss around on the 'dance floor' next to the dining table.

"He is. And Emily certainly seems to be enjoying herself." JJ smiled and sipped from her glass. "Just as you should."

"I told you I'm not in the mood."

"Right... You did say that..."

Again the silence. Morgan found Hotch to be sitting on the couch with one of JJ's friends in an animated discussion. They had been going on about some law the entire evening much to everyone else's amusement as the chemistry between them was as obvious at it would get with a neon sign.

"What was the name of you friend again?"

"Which one?"

"The one Hotch is talking to?"

"That would be Betty. She's an attorney."

"That doesn't come as a surprise."

"If it did you'd be a terrible profiler." JJ smiled at him. "And I know that isn't true."

Morgan let out a dark laughter. If only he had the same trust in his abilities.

"Don't you think he looks handsome with the hat?"

"He does indeed. But I didn't expect orange bowlers to be that good on him." JJ flashed him a confident smile.

"It's my duty as a hostess to know who looks good in what. Just like I knew your hat would be amazing on you." JJ's comment made Morgan grin at her while he touched his lime green top hat unconsciously.

"I never knew this was my color..."

"I did."

Morgan looked around the room again.

"The big Minnie Mouse bow actually doesn't seem so out of character for my Baby Girl."

"She helped pick out the hats, so of course she could chose her own hat too. But I approve of it, and I would have picked it out myself." JJ took a sip from her glass only to discover that it was empty. "Although I probably wouldn't have picked a bow with that much glitter. Need another glass?" Morgan looked down and found his glass to be empty as well.

"Could I get a beer in stead maybe?"

"No."

"Then, yes please."

Morgan watched her as she walked over to the bar and poured them two full glasses. She really did look beautiful, and of course her princess crown was just the right thing to top off her navy blue dress.

He let his eyes wander and they immediately found what he had been watching the entire evening, if he wanted to admit it or not.

"Why don't you just go talk to him?" He jumped slightly as he hadn't heard JJ return to his side.

"Talk to who?" he said and took the glass from her hand. She cocked a brow and Morgan couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Mothers.

"You've been avoiding him all evening. He's even beginning to notice it now."

"Who are we talking about?"

"Don't try to play games with me Derek! I know how you feel about Spence, and you are acting incredibly stupid about it right now!"

Seriously, mothers! How did they do it? This one wasn't even his!

"I'm not avoiding him..."

"Spencer." JJ interrupted. "And you're even trying to avoid his name. And I mean it – incredibly stupid!"

"What do you want me to do, JJ?" He leaned closer to her, frustration starting to seep into his voice. "Walk up to him and say 'Hey, Pretty Boy. I just want you to know, that I might be in love with you and certainly have been attracted to you for several years now'?"

"Yes, I'd like for you to do that." JJ shrugged. "Or you could just walk up to him and say that you think he looks beyond beautiful with that purple hat and ask if you can kiss him when the ball drops."

Morgan looked at her speechless.

"I can't do that!" He said in a loud, angry whisper.

"Of course you can, it's just a matter of walking up to him and open your mouth. I'm sure you won't be able to stop yourself from actually saying it if you get that far. And you know it too. That's the reason you haven't been able to talk to him the entire evening."

"Really! You...!" Morgan felt the urge to yell at her, but he knew. He knew she was right and the yelling part was just a defense reaction. But that didn't change the fact, that he wouldn't say it to Reid. "Where did your husband go?"

"You are not...!" JJ's eyes shot daggers at Morgan when tried to change the subject. She narrowed them. "But if that's the way you want to play, SPENCE!" she called and gestured for the young man to com and join their conversation.

"Nonononononono! No!" Morgan whispered and took a big sip from his glass almost choking on the cascade of bubbles in his mouth.

"Hi Spence, are you enjoying yourself?" Reid nodded and gave Morgan an uncertain and shy smile. "You know, we were just talking about how cute you look with that hat on!" Reid paled and his hand shot to his head where he ran his fingertips over the purple paper.

"I feel kinda silly for wearing this..." He blushed and Morgan felt his heart skip a beat. Stupid woman for doing this to him. To both of them.

"Oh, wait! There's my husband!" JJ bulled her dress lower and adjusted her breast to the amazement of Reid who gaped at her. "I better go say hi," she said with a wink and rushed towards the lucky man.

"How much did she have to drink?" Reid wanted to know.

"She claims that she's tipsy – not drunk. I don't know what the difference is – she sure looks drunk to me."

Reid nodded and the silence between them just wasn't as comfortable as it had been when the other part were JJ.

"You really do look... cute... with that hat." Morgan hated himself for sounding so awkward.

"Thanks." Reid blushed slightly again and looked down. The silence was still of the uncomfortable kind.

"Why have you been avoiding me?"

"I haven't I just thought it looked like you had a lot of fun and I didn't want to interrupt you in the middle..." Morgan let the words trail of. He knew exactly how fake he sounded and the hurt look on Reid's eyes were killing him. "Actually yes, I did." Deep breath. "To tell the truth, I think you look beyond beautiful with that purple hat and I wanted to know if I can kiss you when the ball drops?"

Reid gaped at him.

"But if I can't please just forget that... Oh, no – you can't do that... Then pretend that I didn't..."

"You can..." Morgan looked at Reid out of the corner of his eyes and found him to look down on his feet again, now with a healthy blush and a pretty smile. "Kiss me that is."

Morgan looked up with a smile to find JJ looking at him. When she saw his smile she punched the air and placed a large kiss on the very confused Will DeMontagne.

The silence suddenly wasn't that bad and Morgan reached over and took Reid's hand.

Easy as that.

Easy as that. Who would've thought :o