DISCLAIMER: Criminal Minds and its characters are in no way mine, and, assuming you don't count my borderline obsession with it, I have absolutely notta to do with the show or CBS or anything else related.

OTHER: Meredith is my creation and not based on anyone- save for the smart-allect aspect of her, and if for some unfathomable reason anyone wants to use her in their work feel free, but please give me kudos, k.

And I'm sure it'll be obvious but… this is my first fic, well the first I ever actually put on paper rather than letting it roll around in my head for years- I just had to clear some space in there.

---Additional---It's not your imagination, I did post another story (sappy though it was) previously, but I still consider this my first as I was ¾ through this one when I wrote the other.

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Genial Transformation

by Msytic's Oblivion

Franz Grillparzer once wrote "Chance arrives unannounced. It emerges, and when it leaves, we are lucky if the changes it has produced are only external."

Caught in the Game

"Like fools we are caught in the game"

"No, he's not expecting me…"

"Then there's nothing I can do for you, Ma'am"

This guy was playing security by the book; Meredith figured he hadn't been on the job for more than a week- still fresh and gung-ho. Besides, she knew what the guard saw- a young woman here to pester someone who has more important things to do than deal with her petty problems. A young woman who, he assumed, was used to getting what she wanted by merely fluttering her long eyelashes and smiling. A young woman with nothing better to do than waste his precious time. That's what this guard saw, but that was because just about anyone seeing Meredith Holland for the first time would not have taken her for a fully tenured university professor- most of her students mistook her for a classmate.

"Please can you just call him- Jason Gideon, he runs the Behavioral Analysis Unit. He'll see me if he knows I'm here. Please?"

Agent Jason Gideon was going over his notes on a recent series of rapes in Atlanta when his phone rang.

"Gideon"

A look of surprised crossed his normally unshakable features, "I'll be right down."

He was out the door before the phone settled back on the cradle.

"Alright, Ma'am he's on his way."

Meredith thought he seems almost disappointed but she smiled warmly and thanked the guard.

Within moments Gideon was there and signing her into the building.

"What's wrong"

"That obvious, huh?"

"Well, you don't normally show up without calling first." Gideon couldn't suppress the smirk, "For that matter, I wasn't even sure you knew where this place was."

Meredith laughed, "Okay, point made."

"Come on, out with it, what's the problem?"

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"You did the right thing coming to me, you know that?" Gideon said as they entered the bullpen and almost collided with a very distracted Spencer Reid.

"Gideon I was just coming to see you. I was going over the…"

"Reid, not right now." Gideon exhaled deeply, "Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid, this is Professor Meredith Holland, she's going to be staying with us for awhile- unofficially; would you introduce her around?"

"Um, me, sure, ok."

"…and send Hotch to my office."

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Introductions done and life returning to normal- as normal as ever in the BAU- Meredith settled into the break room with a cup of tea and a book borrowed from Jason's office. She waited. She knew someone would be in soon to 'get some coffee' and talk to her. And if she had learned anything from her time with Jason she figured it would be Elle or Morgan, although she secretly hoped it would be Reid or Garcia- now THEY were interesting.

She didn't have to wait long. Elle came in before she finished the second chapter.

"You look comfy."

A smile, "I wouldn't go that far." Meredith knew how they worked; they liked for people to talk. She also knew how she worked and she loved to play the game.

Finally, it came- Elle caved.

"So, how long have you known Gideon?"

Meredith gave slight chuckle, "I've known him most of my life."

"Really?"

"Mmh."

Meredith laughed inside; sometimes it was just too easy.

"Well, I guess I'll leave you to your book."

Another smile.

As Elle left, Meredith wondered how long before Morgan came and what his approach would be.

Several hours later, to her surprise and relief the next person she saw was Reid. He was intently studying a file and muttering to himself.

"I'm glad I'm not the only one," she said. "But I usually do it grading term papers."

He jumped ever so slightly, "Sorry, I didn't realize anyone was in here."

Was it her imagination or was there a slight blush emerging on the young face. "There's nothing to be sorry about. You at least work here- last I checked I was just a visitor." She hoped she wasn't scaring him; she was truly fascinated by him.

"Well, being that we have a visitor I should be even more aware."

Ok, the words were a bit wary but the body language was calmer. It's a slightly different game but two can still play. With her sweetest smile and a slight giggle, "Yes, and as the visitor I should be out of the way."

It worked. He smiled. - a beautiful smile it was too. It was a "pinball smile". She'd read that book so many years ago and she had always hoped she'd get to see one and here it was, lighting up the room.

"Please sit-down, I could use a break from this book- the psychology of delusional sociopaths with hereditary psychosis is fascinating, but it can put a strain on the eyes."

A laugh, "You should try a dissertation on the philosophy of Frueding self and its socio-political impact on modern-day psychology."

Meredith gave a quizzical look… "I think I graded that paper."

They both let out small laughs as Reid pulled up a seat.

"So, do you mind if I skip the obvious question and just ask what they're in?"

"Pardon?"

"Your degrees- I assume there's more than one."

Reid looked taken-a-back, "Yes…"

"Listen, you're what 24, 25, and Jason takes the time to introduce you as Special Agent Doctor, not to mention that you ARE part of his team. No offense, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out you are one."

"When you put it like that. They're in Psychology, Sociology and Philosophy."

"Wow, so would it be a mistake to make bad Real Genius jokes? You know, like asking if you file your penis stretcher under D for toy?"

"Actually, I think it was H," he said it with a complete deadpan. Meredith half wondered if it was intentional or not.

"Ah, good point- so no resorting your desk then?"

"No."

"Damn. And I had all these plans!"

Ah, there's what she was looking for- another chuckle, good.

"What about you- Gideon said you're a professor."

"Yes at George Mason- I teach History mostly, a some lower level Philosophy and Anthropology, but don't worry my only PhD's in History, the other's are Master's."

Just then Gideon came in. "Mer, you ready to get out of here?"

A quick look at Reid told her the moment was over, ""Yeah, I'm ready. Thanks for the break Reid; can we talk more tomorrow?"

"Sure." That got a bit of a smile but still the embarrassment seemed to be back, curious.

"Great. 'Night."

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Silence. She could play the game with anyone but Jason- he'd always win. It was understandable; after all he was the one who taught it to her. She made it to Jason's SUV before she broke- she knew it was a pointless battle anyway. Maybe battle wasn't the right word, Meredith and Jason had been dancing this dance for over twenty years- it was their routine, but more than that, it was fun.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Meredith exhaled, for effect more than need, "Yes, I like him, alright!"

"I didn't say anything."

"After 23 years do you really think you have to?" Meredith's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

More silence, this time broken by simultaneous laughter from the pair.

They were a few miles from the Quantico headquarters; Meredith was going to stay with Jason until this mess blew over- if it even was a mess. She was already starting to doubt herself. Maybe the calls were just that. And she couldn't be absolutely sure about her apartment- she did have a full teaching schedule and three graduate students to keep track of. Who would blame her for misplacing things, even important ones ,from time to time? But then there were the gifts and the flowers; they came to her home and to her office and sometimes were just waiting in her classrooms. Damn-it, she just had to know.

Gideon's stony calm broke through Meredith's reverie.

"What is it?" she asked trying to put thoughts of the past six months out of her head.

"I think we're being followed."

Meredith blinked, "This happen often these days? Or…"

Gideon tried to smile, "Don't worry, just hold on and when I stop stay put!"

With that he pushed the gas and yanked the steering wheel hard to the right before slamming the brakes sending the large automobile into a controlled spin. It left the car behind them with little choice but to stop.

Gideon jumped from the SUV, gun drawn; he wasn't taking any chances with Meredith.

"Turn off the vehicle, drop the keys on the ground, and show me your hands," he ordered.

The driver of the other car killed its lights, Gideon moved in closer. Just then the car roared and bolted across the grassy median and away from them.

Gideon lowered his weapon and returned to Meredith.

As he climbed back into the drivers seat he said, "I don't think you need to worry about whether or not you were overreacting anymore. I already asked Hotch to do a little research, see if a similar MO pops up. Tomorrow I'll get Garcia on your phone records."

The rest of the drive was a blessedly uneventful one.

---------NOTES AND MISCELLANEOUS USELESS INFORMATION---------

A/N 1: The "pinball smile" reference really is from a book- Red Dwarf: Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers by Grant Naylor (the gestalt personality of Rob Grant and Doug Naylor).

A/N 2: For those who don't know, Real Genius is also real. 1985 starring Gabe (Gabriel) Jarret and Val Kilmer- great flick for those with a twisted sense of humour and an unhealthy obsession with misunderstood genii (well that is the proper Latin plural of genius :-P).

A/N 3: Regarding Reid's degrees- try as I might I could not find any mention of exactly what they were, so I guessed, based solely on what I thought a super-genius profiler would have studied.

---And just in case it needs to be said more clearly, NONE of the books/films/people/music/etc... mentioned herein are mine or have anything to do with me (well, I own copies of them but that doesn't make them mine now does it!)---