*SEQUEL to Tricked Again. Possible character death.*
**PS: Possible character death doesn't mean I've decided to kill anyone, it just means I'm not sure of the end of the story yet.**
Morgan drummed his fingers on the table, looking out the window at the darkening sky. It had been a long day; but for reasons unknown, he just couldn't fall asleep. He glanced across the table at Hotch; his boss had his nose buried in paperwork, and it didn't look like he was up for a conversation. Exceedingly bored and growing restless, Morgan got to his feet and walked across the jet to where Reid was sitting alone, scribbling furiously in some notebook.
"Working on the fourth doctorate?" Morgan asked teasingly, sliding into the seat across from the young doctor.
Reid didn't answer; he looked like he was concentrating very hard. Morgan glanced around the plane; everyone else had fallen asleep. Letting out a long sigh of irritation, he attempted to talk to Reid again.
"What are you writing?" he asked.
Reid held up a finger and continued scribbling away. Morgan leaned forward, his curiosity aroused.
"Hey!" The book snapped shut and Reid's exclamation woke JJ, who was fast asleep on the couch opposite. She gave the pair of them a resentful look before returning her head to the pillow.
Morgan snickered, amused at the reaction he had incited. "Writing in your diary?" he teased.
Reid stuck his tongue out at his older colleague.
"Classy," Morgan commented.
Reid gave a disinterested shrug and pulled out a book.
"'On the Genealogy of Morality,'" Morgan read, "Looks like fun."
Reid frowned at him over the top of the book. "Can I help you with something?" he asked.
Morgan raised his hands defensively. "Wow, touchy."
Reid sighed, closing the book. "Sorry," he said, "I've been a bit tired lately."
Morgan frowned. "Nightmares again?"
Reid shook his head. "No. I've just been busy."
Morgan raised his eyebrows. "Busy with what?"
Reid laughed. "Like I'm going to tell you."
Morgan raised his eyebrows. "And why wouldn't you tell me?"
Reid gave him a condescending look, as if he should already know the answer. Then he returned to the book.
Morgan frowned. "Alright, then," he muttered. When Reid didn't respond, Morgan decided to change the subject. "Some case, huh?"
Reid nodded vaguely. "It was fun," he said.
Morgan's eyebrows shot up into the air. "Fun? A psychopath cutting up women and leaving their body parts inside libraries is fun to you?"
Reid shifted in his seat, his eyes still on the book. "I liked solving his puzzles."
Morgan rolled his eyes. Of course; Reid hadn't had to do any field work. He had been sitting inside the office the entire time, decoding the messages the unsub had left for the police.
"I never understand why they do that," Morgan said, "I mean, why give us clues?"
"Because they get bored," Reid muttered, turning a page. "If they get away with it for long enough, it just isn't fun anymore."
Morgan laughed. "Well, thank god for boredom, then," he said.
Reid didn't respond.
Morgan sighed. Reid was hardly being a better conversationalist than Hotch. Annoyed, he took out his earphones and put them in, turning up the volume and closing his eyes. He tried to steady his breathing and let the slow, rhythmic beats lull him to sleep.
Morgan opened his eyes some time later; he wasn't sure how long he had been asleep, but he assumed it had been a fair amount of time because of the terrible pain in his neck. He also noticed that Reid was writing in the book again. He squinted at the book, not moving a muscle so as not to alert Reid; but the younger man's handwriting was so messy that he couldn't distinguish the words.
Morgan let out a loud yawn, and Reid immediately returned the notebook to his backpack. "We almost there?" he asked Reid.
Reid shrugged.
"For someone who's tired, you sure didn't get a lot of sleep," Morgan commented.
"I don't sleep much anymore," Reid muttered. "Excuse me." He got to his feet; taking his bag with him; and headed towards the coffee machine.
"Of course you don't, you drink fourteen cups of coffee a day," Morgan muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
When the plane landed, Reid was the first to get off; he was gone before anyone else had even woken up. Morgan caught up to him just as he was walking across the parking lot.
"Hey man, you need a ride home?" he asked.
"Nope," Reid said, speeding up.
Morgan frowned, then jogged in front of Reid to stop him in his tracks. "You're not taking the subway, are you? It's two in the morning."
"Good night, Morgan." Reid pushed past him, and began walked briskly across the lot. He stared wordlessly after the young doctor as he heard Hotch coming up behind him.
Morgan turned around. "Hey, do you think something's going on with him?" he asked his boss.
Hotch shrugged. "He's been through a lot," he muttered.
"Yeah, but he's been acting all defensive and secretive lately, and—"
"As long as it isn't affecting his job, it's none of our concern," Hotch said. With that, he brushed past the younger agent and started towards his car, leaving Morgan standing there, bewildered and alone.
*Thanks for reading! So….what do you think so far? REVIEWS PLEASE*