So, I've been watching Criminal Minds like crazy lately (Spencer is too adorable!) and of course, my mind was flooding with fic ideas. I'm going to try to sort through them and put together a worthwhile-fic, but I wanted to go ahead and post a little preview to see how the readers will react. :)

Jacklin's faceclaim is Bryce Dallas Howard. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or Reid (dangit!), but Jacklin is my own, as is the plot. :)

Morgan walked up to Reid's desk and grinned slightly as he saw the genius staring wordlessly at one of the photos on his desk. The photo was of an attractive young woman, with wavy auburn hair and light-blue eyes; in the photograph, she was surrounded by the team and proudly holding a certificate.

"You should just ask her out already..." Morgan laughed.

Reid jumped and looked up at the agent, his face turning a slight shade of red. Morgan was one of the few agents that could get away with teasing Reid about Jacklin McDonagh. And he knew it...

Jacklin had joined the BAU a couple of years back and had proven to be a good profiler. While she was good friends with the rest of the team, her bond to Reid was somewhat closer and intimate; they often rode together and she could even beat him at poker or blackjack on occasion, and she was also one of the few that he had confided in about his headaches.

"I don't know what you-"

"Don't try to lie to me, Spencer," Morgan interrupted.

Reid pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, "I don't-I'm not sure how to, uh...she's a good friend, Derek."

"And you don't want to risk losing that friendship," the agent smiled knowingly. "But she could feel the same way, ya know."

"I know," Reid replied. "It's just that she's trying to focus on this case, and a personal discussion is not what she needs right now."

"Maybe she needs to be reminded that there's someone she can talk to," Morgan suggested. "Just give her a call..."

Reid frowned as he watched Morgan walk away. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, pausing before he dialed the familiar number.

Jacklin fished her phone out of her pocket and pressed it to her ear, struggling to hear over the sounds of the bar. Clancy's was her hangout of choice, as it was smaller and quieter and she found that the crowds were far more tolerable. But her informant had chosen this bar, so she grit her teeth and slid around the crowds.

"McDonagh," she answered.

"Hey, Jacklin," Reid said quietly.

"Reid! What's up?"

"Morgan and I were talking and, uh-"

"You're going to have to speak a little louder," Jacklin interrupted.

"I can't; I'm still at my desk," Reid protested.

"Hold on."

Jacklin pushed through the crowds around the pool tables and found a booth in the corner. Leaning against the cool leather, she turned her attention back to her phone.

"All right, whatcha need?"

"I don't really 'need' anything, per se," Reid replied. "It's more of-well, it's like a question mixed in with a few statements..."

Jacklin smiled as Reid trailed off. She laughed as she prodded, "C'mon, Spence, just spit it out."

"Morgan noticed one of my habits and now he's teasing me about it. Well, he's always teased me about this habit, but these last few days, he hasn't let it go. But anyway, I have a couple of photos that I look at regularly and he's taken it to mean..."

As Reid continued to ramble, Jacklin watched one of the men standing at the bar. He glanced over at her and his eyes narrowed before he slowly approached the booth. He dropped a small envelope on the table and gave her a small nod. He slipped back into the crowd as Jacklin glanced inside the envelope, a confused sigh escaping her lips.

"Jacklin?" Reid asked.

The redhead frowned as she realized that she'd missed most of Reid's conversation just now.

"Sorry, Spencer," she apologized. "But I think one of my guys just gave us a lead."

"Okay, great. Bring it in..."

"Right," Jacklin said.

She hung up and sighed. She had caught the disappointment in Reid's voice and made a mental note to catch up with him later. She slipped the envelope into her bag and made her way out of the bar.

Reviews are much appreciated; I want your honest opinions, but please, no flames. :)

Kristy :3