Adam didn't move his arms

by homesickdelko

Adam has a thought that might just crack this case. But what happens when Reed is involved in the case? When Mac told Adam and Reed to go and talk, did he realize that they were already falling in love with each other? SLASH! Adam/Reed. Full of fluffy o-o :)

A/N: Adam/Reed fic! I always liked them, and there is only one known story on ff with them together :/ I hope you enjoi! ^-^ Love always ~Julz~

There was something in his boss's face that puzzled Adam. He paused in his walking down the hallway to study the man through the glass of his office. He was sitting at his desk flustered, and there was another person in his room, sitting on his couch. Adam didn't know if he should walk in, or not. He did have some DNA results he had to get to Mac, but now didn't seem like the best time. He walked towards the autopsy lab, to ask Sid a question. Adam had hardly went to the autopsy lab, but he had a few questions for Sid about the teenage Vic. He walked in to a rather cold room, it was eerie, but then again, this was a room for the dead.

He saw Sid talking to Hawkes near a new victim; A man, mid 30's probably 180 pounds. He walked over silently.

"Adam! What brings you down here?" Sid asked curiously. He was surprised, with, was that a bit of cheer in his voice? Adam ignored it.

"The Vic, I analyzed one of her hairs that were found at the scene, and some of her skin and blood. Her hair seemed rather brittle, and her skin was dry. And based on her blood she seemed anemic. I'm just curious about how much the Vic weighed?"

"Umm, I want to say around 80 pounds. She was rather thin for her age, underweight really."

"I think our Vic was anorexic. What's you're opinion? What about her teeth and esophagus?"

"Her teeth were decaying, and her esophagus seemed… burnt almost."

"Stomach acid." He mumbled to himself. "Sheldon, when you got to the scene what was her body temperature?"

"86 she had been dead for 12 hours."

"No… If my theory that she was anorexic is correct, then our TOD was sooner. Her body temp would have been low already"

Sheldon looked at him. "How did you figure this out?"

"Her internet history. Sid, what was her official COD?" he asked.

"Strangulation."

He felt his pocket vibrate, and he took out his phone.

"Boss, hey I think I have something."

"Adam, come to my office."

He hung up, looking at Sid and Hawkes. He looked excited.

"I keep telling you, ." He said turning around to go back to the lab.

"Boss," said Adam, knocking on the glass door. The kid that was in the room earlier was still there.

"Adam what do you have?"

"Our Vic, I think she was an anorexic. I was processing her hair and noticed that it was abnormally brittle, and dry. Her skin was dry and dead and her blood didn't seem to have gotten much oxygen. I went and talked to Sid, and on arrival she weighed in at 80 pounds. So I went and checked her internet history, and found that she visited these Pro Ana websites."

"Pro Ana?" Mac interrupted.

"Yeah, teenage girls giving each other tip on how to starve themselves, and purge, and fast and things like that. They promote anorexia for quick weight loss."

"Where are you going with this Adam?"

"With our Vic being so underweight, her body temperature would have been low as well."

"Meaning our Time of Death would have been off."

"According to her mom, she was home when we had predicted the TOD."

"Our case just got a hell of a lot more complicated."

He nodded.

"Was there something else you needed Mac?"

"Yeah, you've met my son, Reed." He said. Adam turned to look at him.

"Hey," said Adam softly.

"Hi."

"Reed goes on an internet site called tumblr," Said Mac unsure of what it was exactly.

"Tumblr? I have a tumblr."

"I follow, or well followed I guess, your vic. I knew her sort of, we would meet up at cons sometime. Or when I was doing a piece for something."

Adam nodded, giving Reed the okay to continue.

"Well, she. She." Reed hesitated.

Adam looked at Mac hesitantly.

"Here," Reed whispered handing Adam his computer. He sat down on the leather couch next to Reed and settled it on his lap. He scrolled through her blog. Her theme was rather simple. An anime panda's background, music played, and the links to her ask, FAQ and other links were placed beneath her description. It was a four column blog, and all of the posts were black and white. Adam scrolled through it, his face emotionless. There were suicide pictures, self-harm pictures, eating disorder pictures, just all around depression.

"So this supports my Eating Disorder theory," said Adam quietly.

Reed cleared his throat, "She had her food diary on her blog, here." He said scrolling to the top and clicking on a link.

"Rules," Said Adam reading off the page. "Do not go over 300 calories, or over 20 grams of carbs. Can't eat anything with more than 10% of calories from fat, and net must be 0.

Highest Weight: 139

Current Weight: 82.7

Goal Weight 1: 130

Goal Weight 2: 115

Goal Weight 3: 110

Goal Weight 4: 99

Goal Weight 5: 90

Goal Weight 6: 80

Underweight goal: 0"

Mac looked at Adam, then to Reed.

"Reed is it okay if you talked to Adam. Let him know everything about the vic."

Reed nodded, "Where and when?" he asked facing Adam.

Adam looked to Mac.

"Its work Adam, did you get those DNA results?"

Adam looked down at the folder he had placed beneath Reed's laptop.

"Oh yeah, we analyzed the skin under her finger nails. Nothing in CODIS, but the bruises are the same size and shape of her best friend." He stood up, closing the computer handing it back to Reed, and handing the folder to Mac.

"I'll send Danny. You two, go." He said pointing his fingers at the two men; boys would be a better word.

Reed stood up, his messenger bag in place, and walked out of the office with Adam.

They walked together silently through the lab, until they were alone in the elevator. Adam broke the tension.

"So, I think the last time I talked to you was like four years ago," said Adam awkwardly.

"Yeah, you're the one who tracked me down, after I told Mac the last thing I could see and what I could smell, you figured it out."

"Yeah, it doesn't seem that long ago."

Reed looked at him and smiled, "in a way you saved my life."

Adam wasn't one for complements, he hadn't usually gotten them, and so he didn't really know how to take them. He just nodded.

"How old are you now?"

"26,"

"What college did you go to?"

"NYU, I graduated four years ago."

"Oh me too. I graduated like six years ago."

"Making you 28 if I'm right?"

"27, my birthday is in the middle of the school year."

"I'm assuming your major was forensics?"

"Yeah, and you're a journalist right?" he asked stepping out of the elevator next to Reed.

He nodded. They walked out of the lobby, down the street, unsure of where they were going.

"There's a coffee place down the road that's good. On 7th street," said Adam.

"Mochacocoa?" asked Reed

Adam grinned, "Yeah."

"Yeah, me and my ex used to go there."

"Oh well we don't have to go…." He trailed off.

"No, seriously dude, its fine." He laughed a little.

They say it takes 7 seconds to fall in love, but Adam began to think he had just beaten that record. He hadn't really talked to Reed much, but for some reason, he could feel goose bumps rising on his skin when Reed accidentally touched him when they were fighting the crowed. He must be going crazy, he hardly knows Reed, not to mention how he's Macs step son. All feelings aside, he had a job to do. He knows the victim, and could help solve the case. Within seconds they had reached the coffee shop, or well the line that lead to the cashier in the coffee shop. Adam looked at Reed, questioning if the coffee shop was a good idea.

"Maybe another time," Reed said quietly, moving closer to Adam to avoid a bike rider. Adam nodded, Reed's words echoing in his mind. 'Maybe another time.' That left room for opportunity. That meant they might see each other again.

"Central Park is quiet; I think it would be easier to talk there." Reed said.

"Okay, it's not that far, you want to walk?" he nodded. They walked in silence for about fifteen minutes, until they reached the park.

"Do you have a specific place you want to sit or do you want to just wander?" asked Adam.

"We can get lost, wander, sit, do whatever. I'm not a picky kind of guy." He said smiling at Adam.

Adam blushed slightly, not enough for Reed to notice. They walked and took a bunch of turns before sitting on a bench. They had talked about simple things, school, work, the future, family, and video games. But when they sat down, the conversations between them became more serious.

"When was the last time you had talked to Stacy?" he asked carefully. Reed's mode switched from fun and charismatic, to sad. His eyes became glossy, trying not to cry. He hadn't spoken because he feared his voice wouldn't be steady, and would croak.

"It's okay to cry," whispered Adam, "I won't judge you."

Reed met his eyes with Adams. A tear fell. Instinctively, Adam wiped it away. But he hadn't moved his hand away; he held the side of Reed's face in his palm. Reed didn't flinch away; he just looked at Adam into his eyes. Things were said without any words, emotions floated in the air.

"I'm not afraid of you judging me," he whispered. Adam didn't respond, he could tell Reed wasn't done. "I have to be strong, for her, for Mac, for everyone. I can't let down my guard."

Adam wrapped his other hand around the younger man's back and pulled him into a soft hug. Reed wrapped his arms around Adam, sobbing into his shirt.

Adam tried to soothe him, rubbing his hand s up and down Reeds back. "It was her best friend," he whispered. "She came to me, after she killed her; she asked me what to do. I told her I couldn't help her. She didn't know about Mac." He looked up into Adams eyes, not moving his arms from around him. Adam just looked at the boy, the fear in his eyes.

"When did she come to you?" Adam asked softly.

"Monday."

"If we count out the fact that she was anorexic, and so underweight, she would have been dead for 12 hours before we found her. She was reported at 2 am Monday morning." Adam moved Reeds hair out of his eyes. He didn't move at Adams touch, he was finding himself to like it.

"She was online at 2 On Sunday. I mean, it could have been anyone. But she was reblogging stuff."

"Is that the last time you saw action on her account."

Reed nodded.

"What about her friend?"

"She's 17, a junior I think. She was talking to me online, and told me that she killed Stac. She asked me for money, she asked me to buy her a plane ticket out of here. I asked why she killed her, and she said because she had reached her goal weight before she had."

"Can I ask you something, because someones going to ask it a lot more harsh then I will."

"Yeah," Adam looked Reed in his eyes, they were still puffy, and blood shot. The tears left traces on his cheek.

"Why were you, a 26 year old man, talking to a 17 year old girl?"

Reed looked at him. "I didn't want to do anything with her. I just, I felt like I needed to protect her. Not in a sexual way, but in a brotherly way."

Adam nodded. "It's not a bad thing, but age difference is going to raise a bunch of unwanted questions. About who you've dated, if you're dating someone now, the last time you had sex. Your personal life is going to be ripped to shreds."

He hadn't realized his arms were still around Adam, and that Adams arms were still around him. Reed had felt something for Adam since he found him, since he practically saved his life from behind a computer screen. He moved his hands from Adam, because what he was about to say could ruin everything. Adam didn't move his arms.

"There is someone sort of. He doesn't know. I mean, I doubt he likes me just."

Adam looked at him. "Is he gay?" He was more blunt, yet gentle with his question.

"I honestly don't know, and I doubt it. I've just felt something for him, for a long time. I don't think he is."

"I believe you, but the trouble is people are going to want evidence. Proof that you've dated men before."

He nodded.

"Reed, I know it sucks. Feeling like no one understands, having to hide for such a long time. I know how much it hurts, and how confusing it is. Even though not everyone will accept you, the people who truly care about you will."

Adam still didn't move his arms.

"How do you know?" Reeds heart was pounding. Maybe, just maybe, Adam might like him too.

"I'm in the same boat as you." He whispered.

He looked Reed in his eyes, studying them. They were a darker shade of green, with little specks of brown and yellow, and a yellow ring around his pupil.

Reeds hair fell back in front of his eyes. Adam moved the strands behind his ear.

"Do you, uhm, have someone?" Reed asked cautiously.

"No. I don't really make much of an effort at putting myself out there."

"Yeah, I don't either."

Silence.

"Adam-" His phone began to ring. He looked down, and saw Mac's name.

"Mac," he cursed.

Finally he moved one of his arms off of Reed.

"Boss," he said.

"Adam, where are you?"

"I'm still with Reed."

"Is he doing okay?"

"Yeah, he's hanging in there." He said looking at Reed, who seemed to be watching Adams lips.

"Good, bring him back to the lab when you're done. Also, we picked up the Best Friend, her names Katheryn, Flacks interrogating her with Stell right now."

"Alright Boss," he said. Mac hung up the phone.

He looked back to Reed, "You were going to tell me something." He whispered.

"It's, its nothing."

"It had to be important if you brought it up."

Of course it's important! Reed wanted to yell. 'I think I'm in love with you!'

He couldn't just say that, he didn't know what to say. But this might be his only chance to see Adam. Then of course there was the aspect of rejection. Whenever Reed liked someone, he was rejected. More times than not anyways.

"Reed," Adam said putting his hand on Reeds knee. "What is it that I need to know?"

He sighed then looked into Adams soft, accepting eyes. He gave in.

"I've seen you at the lab, and sometimes I just stop, to watch you. To watch how thoroughly you handle evidence, and how sweet you are to everyone around you. I watch, just for a second longer than anyone normally would, and I look at your hands how they gently work at the DNA. Or how you're lips softly move to the rhythm of the music you're listening to, and I can't help but wonder, what would your lips feel like on mine? How would your hands move across my body? How would your hair feel if I could just run my fingers through it? How would your lips taste against mine? And then I realize you're an employee of Mac. You probably have no attraction to a journalist barley making it on his own. I didn't even know you were gay until ten minutes ago. It seemed hopeless." His head had been down when he spoke, he couldn't bear to see the disgust that would haunt Adams face.

He was afraid to look up, but he hadn't needed to. Adam took his face in his hands, and looked at him, before taking him into a soft kiss, before claiming him as his own. Adam moved at a rhythmic pace, running his hands through Reeds soft hair. Giving him everything he had asked for. He traced the outline of Reeds lip with his tongue. Reed was breathless by the situation, had he anticipated this? No. He had dreamed of it, but those were just dreams. What if he was dreaming now? There was no way to tell, and frankly he didn't want to know. He didn't care as long as he was in Adams arms.

He moved his lips to Adams ear, "Is this what you want?" he whispered breathless.

"Yes," said the slightly older lab tech bringing the younger man closer. He pulled him into a warm hug, holding him, and never letting him go.
"What about Mac?" Reed whispered softy.

"What about Mac?"

"He's going to find out."

Adam adjusted himself to look at Reed, "He cares about both of us in different ways, but he wants us both be happy."

"Yeah, you're right." He whispered, going back in for one more kiss.

They'd been dating for a few months now, and they never built up the nerve to tell Mac. Of course he had his suspicions; Reed would come by the lab more often to say hey to Mac, even after the Stacy case was over. The only person they had been willing to openly tell was Hawkes, only because they were looking for words on how to tell Mac. Adam couldn't just barge into Macs office, Reeds hand intertwined with his, and say "Hey Boss, I meant to tell you, but I'm sleeping with your step son."

They both felt they would be disowned if Mac found out, even though Hawkes had assured the both of them that Mac would be happy for them. Hawkes knew that Mac already knew, he had walked in on a conversation him and Stella had been having, and joined in. He didn't let Adam know that though.

"Adam, trust me, it'll be fine"

Adam still winced at the thought at telling Mac. Did it break some sort of law? It couldn't if Danny and Lindsay were still together. Finally Adam caved; he knew he had to tell Mac, best after shift so Reed could be with him.

"Okay," Adam said. Hawkes smiled at him.

"I'm really happy for you Adam."

"Thanks Hawkes."

Hawkes gave him a friendly hug, messing up Adams hair.

"You promise he won't murder me?"

"Adam, it'll be fine." He gave a sincere smile. This had to be one of the most anxiety racking things Adam had done. Adam had learned a lot about Reed, things he had never told anyone. Adam promised to keep his secrets. Reed did the same for him.

He sighed looking at Hawkes.

"Shift ends in twenty minutes; you might want to text him and tell him what's going down."

"Yeah, yeah okay" he said biting his nails.

Hawkes slapped at his hand, "Stop that, you could ruin evidence." There was a friendly tone in his voice. Hawkes patted him on the back and walked away. Adam was still in the DNA lab, still dressed in his white lab coat.

The DNA was processed and the results had already been handed off to Mac. He took off his lab coat and walked to the locker room. Calling him seemed more appropriate. He made sure no one was in the locker room before dialing the number. Reed was number two on speed dial.

"Hey, what's going on?" asked Reed with his charismatic charm Adam couldn't resist. He couldn't help himself but to smile.

"Hey, what are doing right now?"

"Working on a piece, why what's up?"

Adam bit his lip.

"I was thinking we could tell Mac. Together, you and I."

Reed could sense Adams anxiety through the phone.

"Yeah I mean if you want to."

"Do you want to?"

"I've been putting it off until you were ready. Are you ready?"

Adam smiled, and Reed could feel it through the phone.

"Yeah."

"Okay, I've actually been outside waiting for you. You want to come get me, it would make it a hell of a lot easier considering the security guard doesn't believe I have a family crisis every day." Reed chuckled.

"Yeah sure, I'll be right there."

"Okay" Now Adam could feel Reeds smile.

"Bye."

He hung up the phone, and turned around. He saw Flack, his arms crossed, a smirk painted on his face. Adam looked like he'd seen a ghost. How long has Flack been standing there? What had he heard? Flack could see the fear on Adams face. He continued to smirk at him.

"How, umm, how long have you been standing there?" He asked nervously.

"Relax, it's not like I heard something I don't know."

"How'd you find out?"

"Well, I don't think Reed was standing outside the building everyday waiting for Mac. I'm a detective, Ross, give me some credit."

Adam laughed a little, his nerves calming.

"Don't worry, Mac won't mind."

Adam went back to over thinking things. "Who else knows?"

"Were CSI's Ross, we can pick up on things rather easily. Besides, saw your Facebook on your computer in the break room. Didn't mean to snoop, but I walked by Reeds name, and got curious. Didn't read your messages so relax, I just your IM thing or whatever open."

"Chat."

"Yeah, whatever. Better go downstairs and get him, don't want to keep him waiting."

Adam felt like a younger brother, and it was like Flack was pushing him on to go ask out a girl. Well, guy.

Adam pulled on his hoodie and walked out of the locker room, down the elevator, into the lobby where he saw Reed sitting.

He walked up to him, reach out his hand.

"Ready?" he asked softly.

Reed looked at him and smiled. "Yeah."

He grabbed Adams hand and walked with him to the elevator. In a matter of minutes they reached the crime lab where they walked together. They weren't holding hands, they just looked like friends. Maybe that's why everyone was acting normal, or maybe it's because they knew it would make the two uncomfortable if they said something.

Mac was in his office, looking over old case files. Stella was there too, talking about how two of the unsolved cases might be connected. Adam knocked on the glass door and opened it enough for his head to peek in.

"Mac, hey um, can I talk to you about something?"

"Sure come in Adam," he said softly.

Reed followed closely behind him.

"Reed what are you doing here?"

Had the CSI really not figured it out already? Was he that oblivious to the fact that his best lab tech had fallen in love with his step son? Stella looked at Mac, than to Adam and Reed, who stood awkwardly next to each other. "I'll talk to you later Mac" she said walking out.

The team had formed a little group together in the break room, where they could see what was happening in the office. Watching like Hawks (no pun intended); they took note of every move Mac made. They all knew Mac had had his suspicions, but they didn't know whether or not he knew for a fact.

"Mac," they said in sync. They both stopped after realizing it, not wanting to interrupt one another, leaving them in an awkward state of silence.

"Mac," began Reed.

Mac looked at him, all three men were standing.

"What is it Reed?" he asked, glancing at Adam, who was looking at Reed while his head was facing the floor trying to hide it.

Reed looked over to Adam, unsure of how to do this. He had rehearsed it in the mirror a million and one times, but know at the scene he had forgotten every line he said.

Adam turned to look at Reed, giving him the okay to say something. Mac found their body language quite amusing. They were failing at being secretive. He could see the love, the emotion in their eyes. He could see the genuine fear and genuine commitment when the two passed gazes.

Adam, chewing on his lip, intertwined his hand with Reeds, and motioned him to tell Mac.

"Mac, I, I fell in love with your lab tech. And there was an off chance that he could ever feel the same way, but he did, does."

Mac didn't look surprised; he was wearing the same smirk Flack was in the locker room earlier.

"Please don't fire me," Adam added quickly when Reed was finished.

Mac smiled, and then laughed. "Why would I fire you? You're happy Reeds happy, and if I had, it looks like I might get trampled on by the rest of the team," he said moving his eyes over to the break room. They all pretended to act like they weren't paying attention.

His attention moved back to Reed and Adam.

"Congratulations, both of you." He said walking to give them both a hug.

Adam and Reed sighed in relief.

"Thanks Boss."