Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal minds (CBS does) or any of its characters (I wish) and I am not making any profit from this (I poor, I own very little in fact). Not beted all mistakes are mine.
I know it's not Winter yet but I can't help it….hope you enjoy.
"When it snows, you have two choices: shovel or make snowangels" – Unknown
"The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event" - J. B. Priestley
Snow came early for Quantico and fell heavily covering the city in a fine white blanket and closing many businesses early. Jack Hotchner's school let out early and Jessica was unable to get out of work to watch him. Aaron had gone to lunch early to pick him up and would keep him at the office till the end of the day. Hotch had kept him in his office for a while but had passed him off to Garcia for a while to look over some of the more grisly case files they had finished recently. About an hour later Morgan looked up from his seemingly endless paperwork at the sound of childish laughter. Jack was standing by Reid's desk while the helpless genius was being wrapped up in his own long purple scarf by Garcia. He looked over at Morgan with a pleading look but he just shook his head and chuckled as Garcia gave him a spin. Prentiss's own laugh came at this and Morgan relented after a moment.
"Teaching Jack how to catch the bad guy?" he joked.
"Not at all my love," Garcia glanced at him. "I am teaching him proper winter scarf safety before we go out."
"You're going out?" Prentiss asked as she walked around into Morgan's view.
"But of course, the snow has let up and it's the perfect way to go out and burn off some energy." Which meant that Jack must have been getting riled up from sitting still too long. Even Garcia's cave of wonders couldn't hold his interest forever.
Even though Morgan still had a mountain of paperwork and forms to fill out, playing in the snow sounded like fun. He hadn't played in it for a long time, and with Garcia and Jack it could be very interesting. If he could convince Reid and possibly Prentiss to venture out the possibilities were endless. Garcia must have thought so too as she leaned down into Reid's captive face.
"Would you like to come to my baby genius?" She batted her eyes at him and smiled.
"Yeah Reid, you're all done with you work anyway" Morgan added looking at his desk.
Reid pouted and seemed about to protest when Prentiss cut him off.
"Has Reid ever played in the snow?" Prentiss was disbelieving and an eyebrow was raised as emphasis. Reid turned pink at her question and the answer was obvious.
"That settles it, you are coming with us my dove. You too hot chocolate" Garcia pointed at him.
Morgan smiled "Anything for you and Jack." With that he set his currant report aside and got up and stretched. "You may want to untangle Reid or you will be pulling him along in the chair."
"You do it I have to bundle up our youngest crime solve" with that said Garcia held out her hand to Jack. When he took it she led him back to her office to get ready.
"You coming Prentiss?" Morgan looked over at her as he walked over to Reid's desk.
"No, I will leave the freezing to you boys and Garcia" she sat back at her desk and reopened the folder she had been reviewing before Garcia and Jack's interruption.
"Suit yourself" he shrugged and turned his attention to Reid. "Got you good didn't they," he chuckled again as he quickly unwound his friend. "Hurry up and get ready" he patted Reid on the shoulder and went back to his desk for his coat, scarf, gloves and hat. Despite the amount of cloths he had to put on to go out he was still ready before Garcia and Jack returned. They came down not long after with Garcia in a long pale pink woolen coat, pink snow books, pink hat and red gloves. She had no scarf and looking at Jack he saw it wrapped firmly around his neck and even his ears as it was so large. Jack had on a black puffy winter coat, woolen cap, and his own snow boots with Captain America on the side. He must have borrowed Hotch's gloves as they were big on him. They had to wait on Reid though as he pulled on an extra sweater, a fleece lined winter coat, wool hat, ear muffs, wrapped his previous bonds of a scarf around his neck, pulled on his gloves and changed into winter boots. "You preparing to go to the North Pole or something?" Morgan teased, to which Reid gave him a glair and finally came out from behind his desk.
"Enough chatter, out we go" Garcia began shooing Jack and Reid to the elevator.
Morgan followed them not waiting for Garcia to call after him. They traveled to the ground floor and out of the lobby into the cold. There weren't many people in front of the building and there was a large patch of untouched snow to the right of the building. The sun was shining on it making it shine and Morgan almost had to squint. It was perfect for a little playing and Morgan looked up and could see Hotch's window. If he wanted to Hotch could check up on them or just see Jack playing. Thinking it would be good for him, Morgan pulled his phone out from inside his coat and sent a quick text to Hotch. Putting it away he went over to the sunny snow patch where Garcia had dragged Reid following Jack.
"It's so perfect I almost don't want to touch it" Garcia sighed. "I know let's make snow angels in if first before we trample it to mussyness" Garcia clapped her hands together.
"Alright baby girl" Morgan stepped up beside her and picked a spot for himself. "Hey Jack how about you make yours between Reid and me?" he looked over at Jack. Jack nodded back and looked over the snow again. Morgan turned to Reid only to see puzzlement on the genus's face. "Have you ever made a snow angel before Reid?" he didn't tease his friend as he might have earlier. While Reid may never have had the chance to 'play' in the snow as it were didn't mean he hadn't done other things in it. But if he hadn't it was through no fault of his own.
Reid looked down before shaking his head "didn't have the time or there wasn't the right conditions for such a task."
"No problem kid" Morgan reassured him. "Hey Jack you want to show us all how to make the perfect snow angel?"
Jack nodded vigorously "I can" he all but squealed.
"All right then, I'm gonna put you down in the perfect spot okay" Morgan caught Jack under the arms and lifted him up. Walking a narrow straight line one foot in front of the other he carried Jack out into the sunny patch of snow. Then taking a wide stance he leaned over and set Jack on his feet. "Hold onto my hands, I'm going to lower you down slowly" Morgan made sure he had a good grip on Jack's loose gloved little hands. He then lowered Jack into a seated position and let go so Jack could lie down with his arms spread out at his sides in a big T.
"Watch me!" Jack cried and began sweeping his arms almost to his legs which he pushed outward. Then he brought his legs back together and swept his arms up to his head. He did this several times pushing the under him down and away. When he was done he lifted his arms in front of him. Morgan took hold and pulled Jack up into sitting then to his feet before lifting him and retracing his steps. This left a child sized imprint in the snow that looked like the little angels Reid had seen his dad put up on the Christmas trees they had before his mom got sick.
"That's beautiful Jack" Garcia praised him and he smiled at her. "My turn, help a girl out my chocolate muffin" Garcia walked out next to Jacks angel and waited. Morgan smiled and went over to help Garcia down. She made her angel much quicker and it looked a little different when Morgan helped her up thanks to her long coat.
"I'll go next" Morgan flopped down next to Garcia's angel. He made his as large as possible almost touching Garcia's. As he sat up a light fine snow began to fall and he looked up at the sky. The sun was still out but clouds were moving in again. He got up and made his way back to the others without disturbing the snow angels. "Alright Reid your turn before the snow cover our angels, let's put yours on Jack's other side, you need some help?"
Reid who had been watching intently nodded and tried to make as few marks in the snow as he went to were Morgan had directed him. Morgan followed and when Reid got to the right spot he turned and faced him. It was getting darker as the sun was finally covered up but the snow was still a fine powder, almost a mist.
"Okay nice and slow" Morgan took Reid's hands and gently set him down. He waited for Reid to lay down before taking a step back. He watched as Reid made his slow movements as if he was calculating. After a moment a smile appeared on Reid's face and his movements sped up. Reid moved his head, tilting it back and shaking it side to side in small quick jerks. It caused his longish hair to come out from under his hat and create a halo in the snow around him. As if someone up there somewhere saw Reid's happiness and smiled a break in the clouds formed and a ray of sun fell on where Reid lay and Morgan stood. Reid chose then to sit up and the sun shown off the snow beneath him reflecting back up. It gave the appearance that Reid had wings for a second.
"I want to see now" Reid broke the moment as he held out his hands for Morgan's help up.
Morgan shook his head at the thought he'd just hand and grasped Reid's hands. Gently pulling him up as to not disturb Reid's creation they took a few steps back. He watched as Reid smiled glancing back and studying his snow angel. To Morgan it was perfect. The wings swept wide and arced above a haloed head and the 'gown' of it seemed to billow.
"Beautiful just like Jack's" Garcia marveled at Reid's angel. They both stood looking at the row of angels before Garcia brought a camera out of somewhere and snapped a few pictures.
While she and Reid were distracted Morgan built two snow balls and handed one to Jack before whispering his plan in Jack's ear. Jack smiled and nodded his head taking the snow ball with care. When Garcia had put her camera away, Morgan glanced up at Hotch's window then at Jack and nodded. "Hey Reid, Garcia" Morgan's voice was loud and the pair turned to face him. That is when he and Jack let their snowballs fly.
Morgan's snow ball hit Garcia in the side and she gasped before smirking and bending down to gather snow for her own snow ball. Jack's snow ball was less accurate, hitting Reid on the hip and upper leg. He just stared and blinked at Jack for a few seconds. Then he saw what Garcia was doing and Morgan was already giving Jack more ammunition. He quickly tried to follow their lead but wasn't as successful the first time around and was hit with another snow ball. His second snow ball brought him better success and from there he only got better. At making snow balls at least as his aim was still poor and he only hit his target now and then.
They had been at it a while when the snow started to come down heavier and it got darker. Morgan looked over at Reid who had lost his hat; his scarf flying loose was being bombarded by Jack's snow balls as well as a few from Garcia every now and then. Morgan spotted Reid's hat and picked it up before making a monster of a snow ball.
"I think we should go in soon, it's getting colder and I don't want Hotch to be mad at us for Jack catching a cold." Garcia said after she had been hit with a few more snow balls.
"Or someone's paperwork not being finished" Reid put in shot Morgan as he was simultaneously pelted by Jack and Morgan.
"Alright, alright" Morgan relented before sending his one last big snow ball at Reid as he turned his back to him. The snow ball hit Reid squarely in his upper back below his neck and spread out to his arms as he raised them and scrunched his neck down. Jack laughed and Garcia giggled as Reid turned to face them in that position.
"Funny Morgan, very funny" Reid said, but he didn't sound hurt and more annoyed then angry. He then shook himself to get rid of both the snow stuck to him from their game and Morgan's last assault as well as the snow that had been falling on him. Again as with when they started the clouds parted and a ray of sun broke through. It landed on Reid and lit the snow falling from and around him in a shiny white fire of light. His hair which was wet shown as well, a halo of light around his head. The snow from his back and arms lifted into the air and floated to the ground half in mist swirls. A pattern of wings much like that of his now ruined snow angel defined themselves. Reid stared at Morgan his brown eyes lightened by an inner smile as a large grin spread across his face.
All Morgan could do was stare at Reid and the vision he made. He could almost believe that Reid was an angel at the moment. But then the moment was broken when something very cold hit the back of his head and something hard hit the middle of his back. He spun around quickly to see Garcia and Jack standing behind him. They each quickly pointed a finger at the other as he narrowed his gave at them. He could hear Reid laughing behind him.
"What goes around comes around my dear" Garcia imparted her wisdom of the day on him and he laughed.
"Sure, now let's go back in; I'm sure we might be able to find some hot chocolate somewhere in the building." Morgan turned and Jack shot ahead of him to Reid's side. They walked back through the lobby getting a few stares as to the state they were in and rode the elevator back up to their floor. Hotch was waiting for Jack with hot chocolate and his own dry coat so Jack wouldn't be cold.
"There's more for you but you can find your way to the break room to get it" Hotch told them.
Morgan nodded at him "thanks" and he hurried to catch up with Garcia and Reid who upon hear there was warm beverages waiting went ahead. Reid handed him a warm mug as he entered and Morgan handed him his hat back.
"Thanks" they said in unison and Garcia laughed. They finished their drinks quickly and went back to their work. On his way past Morgan's desk Reid took a few files and Morgan smiled at him. Time seemed to fly by in their good mood and sooner than Morgan thought Hotch was tell them to head home for the night.
This day would be a memory Morgan would keep with him forever and think upon with every first snow.
(Okay so not so much wings in it but it's what I thought of. Please click the little button below that says review and tell me what you think. This is a two shoter of sorts, the second part to be added later today or tomorrow at the latest.)
