Just an FYI: this is kind of a sequel to my story "Tea" but you don't have to read it to get this story. Just know the word "tea" is a code word for Morgan and Spencer when one of them need to talk.
Morgan gave one last look in the mirror before deciding that he couldn't wait any longer before leaving, if he didn't want to be late. He didn't really want to go out clubbing but he promised Penelope he would go with her and Lord knows he didn't want to make that women upset. He also figured going out, having a few drinks and just kicking it with his best friend might just help ease the tension from the work week.
He grabbed his keys and wallet before giving Clooney a quick head rub and was almost out the door when his phone went off. Figuring it was just Baby Girl he locked the door behind him and waited until he got into his car before checking it.
Pretty Boy: Tea
That stopped the profiler right in his tracks. He picked up his phone and canceled his plans, swearing up and down that he was going to make it up to her.
Morgan got to his partner's house in less than 15 minutes.
13 minutes and 6 seconds, Reid's voice echoing in his head. He went up the stairs, taking two at a time and knocked on the door.
Spencer opened the door, wearing his glasses, a CALTECH t-shirt and BAU sweatpants, with his signature mix match socks; a bright yellow one with blue ducks and a purple one with cowboys' hats. Easily one of the most casual looks he has seen the doctor in.
"You were going to go out," Reid stated with a pout after giving a quick glance to his newly arrived guest outfit.
Morgan just shrugged while letting himself inside, giving a quick sweep of the place. Noticing nothing seemed visibility wrong.
"Baby Girl understands."
"So I won't wake up tomorrow with my credit score in the toilet," he joked.
"Nah, she's not that mean. So what's wrong?" Knowing the younger man was just stalling.
"It's nothing really, I realized it was kind of stupid the moment I sent the text and-"
"Reid, just tell me," he interrupted.
He let out a sigh before taking off his glasses and running his hands across his face. "Today's Maeve's birthday and I spend most of the day in Richmond at her grave and then I tried having dinner at the restaurant where we were going to first meet but I just couldn't. I stated my name, took my seat and ordered a water, but once the waiter left I just kind of froze. It felt incredibly wrong to be there without her. I got back in my car and I had to just sit there for 10 minutes to calm myself. I mean the way I was shaking you would think I was going through withdrawals. I drove back here and took a shower because I just felt extremely uncomfortable."
"You went by yourself?" Morgan asked, not seeming to remember Reid ever mentioning going out there this weekend.
"Yeah, umm Blake was supposed to go with me but something came up so I just ended up driving there myself."
"I would have went with you," the older man said, knowing Reid didn't mean any harm by not inviting him but it still kind of stung that he didn't ask him first.
"I know, it's just that you were closing that deal today."
"That didn't take long at all. I'll make that drive out there with you anytime, Reid. Just let me know," he assured the younger man, really wanting to make it clear to kid that he meant it.
"Thanks, like I said it was stupid I think I just needed to see you or someone," he automatically corrected himself, not wanting to seem he relied on Morgan too much to make him feel better.
That made the profiler smile, "well I am not going anywhere, so why don't we order takeout and watch Star Wars, episode 4." He suggested.
"6," the younger agent argued.
"4 is better," which caused an eye roll from Reid because they had this argument every time they decided to watch Star Wars.
"Okay, we can watch 6 but we're having Thai tonight," Morgan compromised seeing Spencer already heading towards his DVD stand.
"That's fine, did you know that Yoda was not supposed to be in the 6th one? Which makes you really think if-"
Morgan smiled to himself while dialing the number for their usual. As much as he hated to admit it, he didn't totally mind Spencer's random facts. It just showed that the genius was becoming more and more like himself each and every day.
The Next Morning:
"You know sleeping on the couch, especially someone your age, will only cause more trouble for your back," Spencer informed him while making coffee and Morgan cracking his back before sitting on the stool.
"Calling me old?" He teased, while rising one eyebrow.
"I mean you are 8 years, 4 months and 22 days older than me. So…." Reid teased back, which caused an eye roll and a smirk from the older man.
"Watch it, pretty boy. I may be older but I'll never be old," Morgan defended himself while accepting the cup of coffee from Reid. He was going to ask about the younger agent plans for the rest of the day, when his phone rang. He softly groaned before answering it and hitting speaker.
"Hey, Hotch you have both me and Reid."
"Good, I don't have to call you both. Can the two of you meet me in the office around 2 today?" He asked.
"Yeah, we have a case?"
"Sort of, it's just easier to explain in person," which caused a questioning look to be exchanged between the two agents.
"Do you want us to come in now?" Reid spoke up.
"No, I'm at Jack's soccer game and I promised him that I'll take the team out to lunch. Rather they lose or win. But conference room? 2?"
"Yeah, we'll be there," Morgan answered for both of them.
"Well, that was weird," Reid observed once Hotch hung up.
"Very…" Morgan agreed, "Maybe Baby Girl knows," he continued with his line of thought before dialing her number. Which he was met with a dead end, once he got her voicemail.
"Guess we have to wait," Spencer said before taking another sip of his coffee.
"Well, I promised Clooney a day in the doggie park but I have to take him to the vet first."
"Is he okay?"
"Yeah, yeah he's fine. Just a routine physical. Do you want to come with and we just ride in together? I know Clooney misses you." Morgan asked, hoping that Reid would agree.
"Yeah, that sounds fine. Let me just get a quick shower and I'll be ready."
"She was not," Reid argued as they walked into the bullpen a few hours later.
"Oh, come on. She was definitely trying to get more than a sale from you, pretty boy. She didn't even glance in my direction, all eyes were on you," Morgan teased while going up into the conference room, which he instantly noticed only two files were laid out on the round table.
"Is someone trying to steal our boy genius?" Gracia asked while balancing three coffee cups in her hands and handing two to the agents.
"She tried selling him a dog, when we were at the pet store. Then tried to touch his hair and then complimented his shirt. And this was all after he said he was not an animal lover," Morgan explained while accepting the cup.
The genius just rolled his eyes while accepting his coffee and drinking from it. He was about to say something when Hotch walked in.
"Sorry I am late," he apologized, "Jack's celebratory lunch ran over and I had to set him up in my office. Which he scored 2 goals and one of them was the winning one." He announced with what could be classified as a smile. "Gracia, are you ready?"
"Yes, sir. Okay," she begun while pulling up images on the big screen and everyone took a seat. "So, over the past 5 months. 5 couples have been killed in Buffalo, New York. The first two couples, were found in their cars parked in their driveway, they were both strangled to death and found with their hands tied behind their backs. However, the last 3 couples that were found were violently beaten and then strangled. They were found lying next to their garbage cans in full view, with their hands also tied behind their backs," Gracia ended with clearing her throat.
"What's so special about the last couple? I get all the couples are interracial and the last two are homosexuals." Morgan asked.
"Oh, both the women and man identified as bisexual," Penelope answered.
"What's the connection between the victims?"
"All have moved in to brand new homes within the last few months and they were all found at the end of the month. The M. E's believed that they were killed around the 28th of each month. They weren't found in the same neighborhood though, it seems that the unsub is neighborhood hopping, however not going that far from the original kill. "
"So the unsub is obviously a racist and an even bigger homophobic," Morgan observed trying not sound bitter.
"We've been consulting on this case with the Buffalo FBI office, since the second killing. However they have no leads and seem to be stuck. They have an idea that sending in uncover agents, posing as an engage couple, will draw the unsub out again," Hotch chimed in.
The instant he said that both Morgan and Reid knew exactly why they were the only ones being debrief on this case.
"Normally," Hotch continued, "I would fight harder to keep two of my best agents from going undercover for nearly a month, 3 states up. However, the director just so happens to be really good friends with the lead investigator on the case."
"Of course," Derek said.
"So you two will be going uncover as an engaged couple, Morgan you will be working at the FBI office in Buffalo. Only the lead investigator and a couple of other agents know your real intentions there. So you'll be working this case but also posing as a regular agent. And Reid you'll be posing as a guest lecturer at the University of Buffalo," Hotch went on to explain.
"Marla and Eric Santos, the last couple who were killed, worked at the university and Willis Feller, the husband from the first couple was the head of the history department and pursing a second doctoral in Philosophy," the tech analyst explained. "Kevin is already in New York for a conference, so he is setting up the surveillance in your house and it should be all set up before you guys 'move in'."
"When do we move in?" Spencer asked, feeling the answer is way sooner than he is expecting.
"The jet leaves tomorrow at 9. When you land, a car will be waiting for you. There also should be a car waiting for you at the house, so you two won't have to rely on each other when you go to 'work'."
"The house is fully furnished, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, a living room, dining room, an attic, an unfinished basement, and a remodeled kitchen." Gracia explained while running pictures of the house on the big screen.
"Are you sure we're not married yet?" Morgan joked.
"You know it's not that uncommon for engaged couples to buy a house together off the bat. Some say that it makes the engagement and the life-long commitment that they are about to embark, seem more real. Especially if the couple is thinking about having kids." Reid explained, trying not to seem nervous with this upcoming assignment.
"We haven't been on one date and you're already talking about kids," Derek joked which seemed to ease the tension of the room.
"Now I know this is a lot to ask from the both of you but the director and Cruz are really nagging me about this. I trust that you two will do well. The team and I are just a phone call away and the closer to the end of the month, we'll be focusing as a whole on the case."
"How are we sure the unsub haven't already picked another couple?" Reid asked.
"Well, the neighborhood that you guys are moving into, there is no gay couples and it is mostly white..." Penelope stated.
"So, we'll stick out like a sore thumb," Morgan pointed out, which caused a sympathetic look from Gracia.
"You guys will do great. If we're done here, I would like to talk to Morgan alone in his office," Hotch said while getting up from the table.
"What classes am I guest lecturing?" Spence asked once both Morgan and Hotch was out the room.
"Glad you asked, junior G-man. I made sure they only got the best for you," she explained before launching into his classes.
Not even 10 minutes later both Morgan and Hotch were coming back into the conference room, their faces unreadable. Hotch bought in Jack and both said their goodbyes, Hotch reassuring them again that they will do well.
"Me and Penelope are going to do an early dinner, want to join us?" Morgan asked.
Spencer looked like he was going to say yes but denied instead, "I can't I promised my mom that I'll skype her. You don't have to take me home, I can just take the metro back."
"Nah, your place is on the way anyways. Plus, we're engaged now, pretty sure couples give each other rides," Morgan smirked while following Spencer out of the conference room.
He watched him grab a couple items from his desk and placed it into his bag before looking it over again.
"It's actually going to be kind of weird not being here for almost a month," Reid said once they got into the car.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. I had to make sure everything in my office was straight before leaving. Oh, do you think you can bring along that picture of the whole team, before Em left. Hotch thinks that having some personal pictures around the house will be good."
"Yeah, I can do that. Can you bring that picture we took together at JJ's wedding?" Reid asked, surprised when he first saw the picture in Morgan's apartment hanging in his living room.
"Yeah. That is a good picture of us, oh the one of you and Gracia with Henry's first Christmas, that's a keeper."
"Only if you bring the one with you and Henry, when you bought him that monster truck. Which I still don't think Will or JJ have forgiven you for," Reid teased.
"Whatever the kid loves it," Morgan said before pulling up to Reid's apartment. "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow around 8:30?"
"Can we make it 8:15, I want to stop for coffee. I don't have enough for tomorrow morning."
"Fine, but you're buying," he said, earning a smile from the younger man.
"Bye, Derek," he said while giving a little jog up to his apartment building.
This is the first chapter in the story and I would love feedback. Hate it? Love it? Anything you would like to see?
P.S. It took me way longer than I care to admit to think about Reid's socks lol.