Prompt: "bloom"

Word count: 505

Rating: K+

Characters: Reid/Morgan

Genre: General/Family

A/N: thanks to my buddy light in the shadows, or whatever her name is on fanfiction for the prompt. Also thanks to her for not being too weirded out that I just randomly came out and asked her for a random word. Anyhow, this is going to be a drabble collection, if you didn't figure that out. These will mostly be prompts, even if they are self-prompted.

"Bloom"

"Guys guys! Reid squealed with delight as he scampered into the bullpen. His face was flushed from physical exertion and he was breathing heavily, but a smile still cracked his face wide. "Look at this!" The other two team mates that he shared the bullpen with, Morgan and Prentiss, both humoured him and leaned in closer.

Prentiss spoke up first, "Oh Reid, that's pretty." She was evidently delighted too, but her voice was laced with a touch of "you do have a y chromosome, right?"

Morgan grinned, "Pretty flower for our pretty boy." Emily rolled her eyes, but it didn't dissipate Reid's cheerful mood in the slightest.

"Well yes, it is rather aesthetically pleasing." The young genius admitted. "Over millions of years, plants have evolved and adapted flowers that are bright and colourful to attract bees and other insects so they can pollinate-"

Morgan cut him off, not rudely, "I thought you had a degree in chemistry, not biology." he teased.

Reid patiently explained, undaunted "Well actually, botany a further subset of biology, and what I just described is high school level science." He opened his mouth to speak again to explain further, but Morgan cut him off.

"So you're saying we're at a high school level mentality?" Morgan looked like he was having way too much fun riling the younger man. He paid for it though, when Emily reached over and smacked him upside the head.

"You certainly do!" she snapped, but her sharp voice was dulled by her wide smile. She turned the megawatt expression to Reid, motioning him to continue.

He nodded in thanks and explained, grinning madly "This is a crocus. They bloom in springtime, by pushing up through the snow to find the sun. They're actually one of the cooler products of evolution." His eyes light up with a passion that Emily envied and Morgan quietly contemplated.

Reid had been through some horrible winters in his life. When he was only ten, his father walked out on their family, leaving a wife and mother who had minimal faculties to deal with the situation, which left Reid to grow up pretty fast. He was forced to make an adult decision that most "adults" would never have to make, sending his mother away when he was eighteen so she could get help and he could move on with his life. After joining the BAU, he had been held hostage numerous times, kidnapped, shot at, and been exposed and subjected to the dregs of humanity.

But yet, after so much snow had piled on him, he still pushed through and found the sun, still revelled in the sheer wonder that is life. He still held, if only a fraction, of the childish innocence that his mentor sought, that he had walked away from everything to find. Morgan wondered if Reid would turn out like that.

Morgan smiled, watching as Emily caught Reid's infectious joy, and they discussed the wonders of modern organisms. He said quietly to himself, "Don't stop blooming, Reid."

~Fin

A/N Gah, the ending didn't turn out like I'd hoped. Alas, I shall perhaps come back to it later. Hope you enjoyed everyone, and thanks for reading!