A Moment Like This.

Ch. 1. Working a case.


Ali's POV...

"Could tonight be any slower?" my best friend, Tina asks. She is only half complaining.

"It's Monday Tina." I reply, as I make a Sex on the Beach for a customer. Mondays are always slow at the Midnight Bar/Lounge, where Tina and I both work. She just nods as she makes two screwdrivers.

Monday or not we have enough regulars to keep us both fairly busy. Movement catches my eye and I look up in time to see the newcomers walk in. Two men and both wearing guns on their hips.

"Newcomers." Tina points out. I had been about to tell her that.

"Uh-huh." is my not so intelligent answer. Tina just laughs at me and heads down to the other end of the horse shoe shaped bar. Glancing up from the counter I had been cleaning, I see the taller of the two men has sat down.

I walk down to him, looking him over as I do. His dark brown hair is just long enough to touch the collar of his blue button down shirt. I'd guess he probably started the night with a tie on, but it's gone now. I'm curious to know what he does that requires a gun.

"Hey there handsome, can I get you a drink?" I ask, making some effort to seem normal. He turns to me, surprised to realize I am talking to him.

"Sure. Rum and coke please." he speaks softly, no hint of an accent in his voice. Or at least not that I can tell. I make him the simple drink with ease. Having been a bartender for years now, I could make it blindfolded. As I gave him the drink, an order for a round of shots comes in. I can feel him watching me pour the six shots, three Jack, three Tequila.

"Another?" I ask, noticing that he is done. He must of either really needed that drink, or been very thristy.

"Why not." he says, as he pushes the empty glass back to me.

"Bad day at the office?" I inquire, while making his new one.

"Yeah, you could say that. Thanks." he replies when I set his second drink in front of him. I get busy with some customers and for a few minutes am too busy to talk.

However I notice he keeps looking around the almost empty bar. His friend is engrossed in conversation with Tina. So what he's looking for, I haven't a clue. Customers taken care of, I take the chance to talk to him. I still don't know why he carries a gun, and I am really curious now.

"So what brings you in tonight?" I ask, as he finishes the drink.

"I'm a...here with the FBI." he tells me, pulling his badge out of his pocket. Well that explains the gun. I have to say I am both surprised and impressed, cause he doesn't seem the type. I don't get the chance to ask anything more before he starts explaining.

"The local police called us into help with a string of recent murders in the area. So tonight my team and I are canvassing area bars where we know the unsub likes to hunt for victims. Actually I am a member of the Behavioral Analysis Unit, and we profile how the criminals behave in order to figure out how best to catch them."

"Unsub?"

"It's short for unknown subject. It's what we call the criminal we are profiling." he answers. That makes sense, I'll have to remember that term for my criminology class.

"Yeah the police have warned us about a killer on the loose. Asked us to stay in groups and report any suspicious activity to them right away. Is there anything else I should be on the lookout for?" I can't help the question.

"Just be careful and lookout for a loner. The unsub would keep to himself and just stare at women. It's most likely a white male in his late twenties to mid thirties. Intelligent but socially awkward, especially around women." he continues explaining, and as he talkes he pulls a white business card out of his wallet. He sets it on the bar.

"If you see anything or anyone threatens you, call me. Don't try to approach the unsub if you see him. Just call me and let my team and I handle it." he says, when I pick up the card. I look down to see a phone number under the name, Dr. Spencer Reid.

"Another drink, Spencer?" I change the subject when he picks up his glass, only to realize it's empty.

"Sure." he says, taking a glance down the bar. Tina and his friend are still talking, and he has a drink in his hand.

"Last call, y'all. Last call." Tina hollers. I get busy filling some orders, and as I do I see Spencer's friend head down the bar to talk to him. Part of me wants to eavesdrop, but as I work I move to far away.

Morgan's POV...

Tina announces last call. She then promptly gets busy with orders, so she goes down the bar leaving me alone. I saw Reid talking to the pretty brunette bartender. I want to see how he's fared.

"Doing ok down here kid?" I've had a few drinks so I feel the buzz of alcohol. I know he's had several too. Having never really seen him drink, I'm not sure what his tolerance is.

"Yeah, I'm doing ok." no hint of a slur in his words, so he is holding his liquor well it seems. I don't miss how quickly he picks up the glass and finishes the drink. He'll do that to try and avoid talking. I grin, it won't work with me.

"I got a bet for you." inspiration suddenly striking. I know Hotch'll be upset, we are technically working, but this is too good to let pass.

"The hot bartender," I begin. He sets down the glass, a nervous look on his face.

"I'll bet you two hundred dollars, that she won't sleep with you." I know this seems mean, but I know him well enough to know I've just given him a challenge. He may not see it right now, as he is far too buzzed but he loves challenges.

"Your confidence in me is astounding." he replies. Yea he missed the reverse psychology in what I said. I know he knows that I actually have every confidence in him. I've worked with him for eight years now, I've put my life in his hands.

"Come on man, just go for it." I encourage as the bartender returns. She stops in front of us, two shot glasses in her hands.

"Shots gentlemen?" she asks, filling both glasses with Jack Daniels. Oh this girl is good. A shot will help Reid with his nerves. I take the offered shot and down it. He follows suit and she and I both laugh a little at the look Reid makes.

"Another?" she asks him more so then me, but I give her the go ahead. She refills my glass and after a hesitant nod, she pours Reid one too. She then walks away to fill one last order and start helping Tina clean up.

"Bet?"

"I'll do this, but I have a term to make." he says, picking up the small amber filled glass.

"Shoot."

"You have to fess up to Garcia that you have feelings for her." he finishes with a smug smile. I had figured he'd say that.

"Fine. You get laid and I'll fess up to Garcia about my feelings." I summarize, picking up my glass as I talked.

"Now you've got a bet." he says as we toast to seal the agreement and toss back the shots. Ahh the burn warms my whole body and I savor it.

"Good luck, kid." I tell him, clapping him on the shoulder. I see Tina at the end of the bar, so I set the glass down and head back to her. She made me a rather tempting offer, but I think I'll pass.


A.N. So here we are, another CM adventure in the making. As usual I don't own the Criminal Minds crew, I just enjoy playing in their world, and with a certain Dr.