A/N: When I introduced Matt Taylor, the thought was always in the back of my mind to get him into some CM episodes. I've touched on a few. However, there were more I wanted to attempt. But honestly, the more I thought about it, the more I didn't want to step on CM canon any more than I've already done.
So I put that idea on the backburner until a flash of inspiration gave me a thought of how I could do it. This story is that. Plus it gave me a really good excuse to dig through my DVDs and re-watch the episodes I had picked after reviewing all the episodes titles and synopsis's at iMDB. Some may go into length for the episode; some may be just a scene. And just head's up; I still may walk on CM canon. But just a little.
Like Fraulein Maria said in The Sound of Music, "we start at the beginning; a very good place to start." And along the way, I just may give a little more backstory into Matt's life.
Like always, this is a fully written story. You will get a chapter a day.
All rights to Criminal Minds and the characters belong to Mark Gordon Productions, CBS and ABC Studios.
*Knightly bow*
Chapter 1
The BAU team got on the Gulf Stream one dog-tired crew. They had hunted and battled an unsub in Eugene, Oregon for eight long days. Morgan plopped down on the couch seat to his left and buckled in. He obviously was going to spread out as soon he could. Reid took the seat across from him in the two-top of seats and yawned. JJ crawled into Matt's usual seat in the four top. Emily groaned sitting down across from her. They yawned together.
Dave and Aaron boarded and headed for the two top of seats in the back. Matt, getting on last as usual, looked in the cockpit. "Tell me we've got clear weather home." Chuck was listening to the tower through his ear piece.
Angie turned in her seat, after shutting the jet door. She smiled. "Other than the usual bumps over the Rockies, it should be smooth flying."
Matt yawned. "Thanks Angie," he said shutting the cockpit door. He moved down the aisle. JJ looked at him. He shook his head. "I know all I need from the them," he said, sitting down next to her. "I've moving there," he pointed to the other couch, "as soon as I can." Emily already started to doze off. Matt used his foot to gently nudge her. She shook awake. "Wanna buckle your seatbelt first," he smiled. He pointed at JJ, listening to Hotch and Dave buckle in. "You wanna do the honors?"
JJ smiled and pushed the button. "Cockpit," Angie said.
"Angie, get us home please," JJ said.
"Roger that JJ," Angie said. "Cockpit out."
Fifteen minutes later, they were at cruising altitude. Matt got out of his seat next to JJ and headed for the bathroom. He came back out, grabbed two pillows and a blanket from the overhead bin. He tossed them on the couch and they grabbed two more blankets. He tossed one to JJ and the other to Prentiss.
Taking off his shoes, he put the pillows in place and collapsed onto the couch, putting the blanket over his long legs and pulling it up around his shoulders. "Don't you usually tuck him in," Dave said to Hotch with a smile.
"No; he's a big boy," Hotch yawned.
A minute later, Matt Taylor was conked out. Soon after that, the dreams started.
-00CM00-
Matt stood around in the background as it became acutely clear that Hotch and Reid were now involved in a hostage situation with the unsub Phillip Dowd. Matt was still new to the team; they didn't know him and really didn't trust him. Matt's feelings were a bit different. He trusted the team that Aaron had assembled. Yet he was still learning about them; how they'd react in different situations.
It was a tough call for Matt. As the Assistant Unit Chief, it should have been his place to step forward and take charge. But Jason Gideon was all over that. And while that deeply bothered him, this was not the time to pick that fight. There were two team members in danger; one being his partner. All of the SWAT team members from the Des Plaines PD were gearing up. He couldn't grab one of them.
So instinct kicked in. He had to make his own play. He silently backed away from the group gathering in the lobby and pulled out his cellphone as he headed out a side door.
"Office of Excellence," Garcia answered.
"Garcia, its Cob."
"Excuse me?"
"It's Matt. Triangulate my position right now using my cell phone and pull up the schematics of the hospital as well."
"Sir?"
"Garcia, just do it."
"Yes sir." Matt heard her typing away.
"I'm specifically looking for a side door that is near the ER and the largest AC ceiling duct work that goes directly into the ER that is near that door."
"Sir….."
"Garcia, don't ask; type." He heard her pounding away more.
"Sir, go around the corner to the left and high-tail it to the door just past the ambulance bays of the ER. And btw, I know what is going on. How more can I help?"
"Keep giving me navigation."
Garcia was still monitoring the position of his cellphone via GPS. "When you go in, go straight to the large hallway and then look up for the nearest ventilation duct," she hurriedly said. "Take a left in the duct. It'll take you straight into the ER."
"How far will I be from the ER?"
"Sir, there's a duct connection bracket every four feet. You're….." he heard her counting, "ten away."
Forty feet; I can make that in a hurry. "Thanks Garcia; signing off for now." Matt ended the call, putting his cell on quiet mode. He grabbed two orderlies that were fleeing the scene.
"I need to get up into that ceiling duct," he pointed, "now." They looked at his FBI bullet proof vest and got him hoisted up.
The duct was large enough for him to crawl through on his stomach. Thank God for Marine boot camp training crawling on your belly. And then those extended sessions with recon. While he quickly, yet quietly, covered the distance, the open air vent into the ER lobby echoed the words coming from the area. He heard Hotch tell Dowd "I'd like to kick the snot out of this kid."
Matt smiled, recognizing Hotch's plan immediately. I hope the Kid catches what Hotch wants. He stopped short of the open vent and silently stuck his Marine recon knife in the ceiling tile before the vent. He quietly pulled a corner of the tile up. With his left hand, he pulled out his retractable mirror, stuck it in his mouth to extend it and then lowered it down the opening.
He looked into the mirror to see Hotch kicking Reid sitting on the floor. Dowd had his back to him. Matt swung the mirror around to look at where the rest of the hostages were. Matt smiled. Hotch had them out of Reid's line of fire.
Matt pulled his mirror up and silently got the ceiling tile out of place. None of the rest of the hostages will notice. They're all watching Hotch. He heard Hotch end his berating of Reid along with the kicking. It's go time.
Pulling his Glock from his holster, silently shutting off the safety, he softly lowered his head and right arm down from the opening. He quickly recognized Dowd's demeanor change. Dowd raised his rifle.
Before Matt could react, Reid fired the shot from Hotch's extra weapon he had strapped to his ankle. Dowd crumbled to the floor.
"We go now," Sergeant Weigart said.
"Federal Agents," Hotch said, rushing to the ER door as Matt quickly turned in the duct and dropped from the ceiling.
He looked at Reid, pushed Dowd's rifle away and knelt down to check Dowd's carotid artery in his neck. "Nice shot kid," Matt smiled, holstering his Glock.
Hotch turned around from opening the door and noticed Matt. "Hey Hotch," Matt smiled. "Want them off," he asked, pointing to the flex cuffs on his wrists. Hotch held out his hands. Matt pulled his knife out, hitting the speed open latch. The knife sprang out.
"Is that Bureau approved Matt"
"Hell no," he smiled. "It's Marine recon approved however; and it gets the job done," he said, as he cut Hotch's flex cuffs. Matt moved to do the same for Reid as the SWAT and BAU team moved in.
Matt looked at the red spot on Reid's cheek as he helped him up off the floor. "You OK Reid?"
Reid just nodded his head. "Thanks for the back-up. I saw the mirror come out of the ceiling and knew it was you. I didn't worry about the shot. I just fired."
"You did it right Kid," Matt smiled, rubbing his shoulder. "Nice work."
Morgan looked Matt. Gideon did as well. Matt turned to them. "That's how I do things in my world. While I'm the assistant Unit Chief, my first and foremost job is tactical. You two need to wrap your heads around that," Matt said. He stared at them long and hard and then moved out of the ER.
Matt went out the first exit door he could find, breathing in the cool Iowa fall air, letting it relax himself. He pulled his cellphone out and hit the speed dial. "Sir?"
"What? No snappy Garcia sass," he smiled into his cell. "Everyone is safe Garcia; stand down."
Garcia smiled. "Thank you for the update sir."
-00CM00-
Hotch and Matt sat in the back two-top of seats on the jet winging towards home. They were both doing paperwork. Hotch looked at him. "You're good; you've earned your reputation."
"Hotch?" They rest on the jet, not really sleeping, strained to hear the soft conversation; including Gideon.
"You're a team player," Hotch smiled.
Matt smiled back at him. "I thought you knew that bringing me in the door." Hotch nodded. "You are my partner Hotch; I'll have your back. And every member of this team as well. I was hired to be tactical lead. That means I put my butt on the line for the rest of this team."
"With a pregnant wife Matt?"
"And it's twins," Matt smiled. Hotch just shook his head. Matt turned serious. "Aaron, Abbey accepts that every day I go out the door. My wife knows me; who I am and how I do a job. And she still married me," he smiled with a wink.
Hotch smiled. "You got very lucky my friend."
"Yes, I did," Matt smiled back. "Hotch, that's just me. You asked me to do a job. I'll give you 110 percent every day I walk in the door. That's the way I was raised. It's the only way I know to do a job."
"Thanks Matt," Hotch smiled. "I knew I made the right call with you."
Matt eyed him. "We're good?"
"We're more than good partner," Hotch smiled.
-00CM00-
The next morning, Garcia was in her miniscule lair, doing her usual for the team. Matt softly knocked on the door and entered. Garcia swung around in her chair. She looked at him and started to stand up.
Matt shook his head with a smile. "Sit down Garcia; it's all good." Garcia sat back down. "Garcia, I just wanted to stop in and thank you for your back-up yesterday. It was huge," he smiled.
"My pleasure sir," Garcia smiled. She shied a bit. "Sir; can I ask a question?"
Matt leaned a leg up on her table top behind her screens. "Sure," he smiled, sitting down. "Fire away."
"What's up with the Cob business?"
Matt rubbed his left upper arm. "A big ass tattoo," he smiled.
"Or maybe you're just a snake like that," Garcia asked, with a slight smile.
Matt laughed. "Maybe that too Garcia," he smiled. "However, you were amazing yesterday. I deeply appreciate your back-up and my reports to Hotch that go Section Chief will reflect that," he smiled. "You rock Princess P," he smiled.
Garcia beamed. "And you've got game Sir Cob."
Matt laughed again. "Let's keep that point our little secret until I can get the rest of the team to believe that."
Garcia smiled. "Sir, I think they're all starting to get that."
###
A/N: I won't play the "name the CM episode" game with you. Those scripted words used here belong to Andrew Wilder, the writer of L.D.S. K.