Hey. This is my first Criminal Minds Fanfic, so please be nice =]
"Do you ever have nightmares?" Derek couldn't get that innocent question out of his head. It wasn't the question that made his whole body ache with worry, it was the way in which Spencer had asked him. He sounded like a kid asking his idol if he was ever scared. Derek didn't like the idea of being Spencers' hero. Spencer had seemed so sad, more insecure then Derek had seen lately, he hated that the young boy, because that's all he was, just a boy, had to suffer the nightmares they saw every day in his dreams too. His face was there every time he closed his eyes, his perfectly flawless face scared with shadows under his eyes from lack of sleep. Sitting up from his bed, Derek stared at the clock, it was almost eleven. He wasn't too sure what had come over him, but he had his cell in his hand and was pressing 3 on his speed dial and was listening to the ringing tone of Spencer Reids phone.
"Hey, what's going on?" Spencer's very much awake voice worried him. It had been a long day and Jason had dismissed the team saying that they should all get some sleep.
"You're not asleep." Derek stated.
"Neither are you." Spencer countered. "Was there something wrong?" Spencer asked sounding nervous.
"I was just worried." Derek answered truthfully. "You should be asleep."
"I'm not tired enough," Spencer answered just as truthfully as Derek had.
"Nightmares don't come if you're too tired." Derek stated remembering from his past experience.
"Or with sleeping pills, but statistics say that over 60% of people who take sleeping medications become addicted." Derek couldn't help but smile at the young boys never ending knowledge.
"I can't sleep either." Derek says. "How about I come over? We can watch Star Trek and you can show me all the mistakes in physics and I can roll my eyes and laugh?"
"Doesn't sound like something you'd normally do when you can't sleep Derek."
"Always up for trying something new." Derek chuckled. "So... you in?"
"Yeah... yeah I'd like that." Derek grinned and pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweater.
"I'll see you in ten."
Derek drives down town to Spencer's apartment he isn't too sure what he's doing but he doesn't want Spencer to be alone when he feels like this, he knows that Spencer has been alone in his life too often. He knocks on the door and a few seconds later a topless Spencer, wearing long pyjama pants answers the door. "Hey." Spencer smiles.
"Hey, you alright man?" Derek asks and pats his bare shoulder. Spencer nods and they head into the apartment.
"Yeah." Spencer smiles softly at him. "My DVD in the lounge is broken, if you still want to watch them it would have to be in the bedroom." Spencer says.
"To the bedroom it is." Derek grins. He takes his shoes off at the door and adds them to the line that is already there. Spencer smiles at him, silently telling him thanks before showing him to the bedroom. Derek takes a few minutes look around, a large double bed that he knows only sleeps one person on regularly, book shelves on the far wall packed with books, a closet full of his tweed jackets and jeans, and a plasma screen attached to the wall. "It's nice." Derek smiles. Spencer nods nervously.
They climb on the bed and lie down next to each other as they watch the DVD's. At some point through the second episode Spencer stops talking about what mistakes are made and what mistakes he is surprised that haven't been made and when Derek looks down he sees that Reid has all but curled in on himself with his eyes closed. Derek recognises the position he is in as trying to protect himself, to shield away the nightmares. He smiles, when ever he sees Spencer sleep he is always reminded of how young he is. He wraps an arm around his shoulders pulling him closer, unfolding himself. Spencer opens his eyes slowly and looks up at Derek.
"Thank you." Spencer whispers before closing his eyes again. Derek watches and he can see the worry lines and fear slowly disappear. That sight is his lullaby and he slowly finds himself being pulled into slumber with a sleeping Spencer.
That night, both men slept and the nightmares didn't dare to disturb their peace.
