AN: Well, I had planned on updating yesterday but just wasn't in the mood to do much of anything at all. Finally got through editing the chapter so I hope you all enjoy it! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, any words of encouragement or constructive criticism are much appreciated.
The sound of his alarm going off woke Spencer Reid up at eight o'clock on Monday morning. Slowly, he stretched and sat up on the futon that he had ended up sleeping on last night. He reached over and turned off the alarm clock, which was currently sitting on top of a stack of boxes. The boxes contained the things which had been in his dormitory at the Academy. The rest of his belongings still needed to be shipped out to him from Las Vegas, where he had put them in storage.
Reid had been able to find an apartment on Sunday, with the help of Agent Gideon, who had spent the morning helping him with the search. Reid had then spent the afternoon packing his things up in his dormitory room and then his new boss had come over and helped him move everything from the dorm to the new apartment. Agent Hotchner had even brought over some old furniture that he had stored out in their garage for him to use to start off with. He still had a few things to buy, but he was grateful for the help his two new co-workers had provided.
As he headed for the kitchen to make some coffee, Reid went through his mental list of things he had to do today. He knew he was going to be busy all day, and probably nowhere near being settled by the end of it, but at least the activity would keep him from worrying too much about starting his new job tomorrow.
The fact that he had already met two of his new co-workers helped to ease his nervousness a little. There were still three other agents on the team he had yet to meet. He was worried about how they were going to accept him. Would they be as nice as Gideon and Hotchner had been so far? Were they going to take him seriously? Were they going to accept him?
~There is no use worrying about those things, ~ Spencer told himself as he put the coffee on to brew. ~There is nothing you can do right now about those things.~
Still, he knew he wanted to make a good first impression on his new co-workers the following day. Fitting in had always been a problem for him. He was hoping that this time things would be different. That this time, being the youngest wouldn't matter quite so much. That being smart would be a benefit and not a reason for people to ridicule him.
His classmates at the Academy hadn't been quite as bad as the kids he had gone to high school or college with had been. Sure there had been a few who had taken pleasure in giving him a hard time but for the most part, it hadn't been too bad. Most of his fellow trainees had been accepting, though he hadn't gotten close to any of them. He could only hope that the trend would continue.
It wasn't long before he was standing at the counter, a pad of paper in front of him, and a cup of coffee nearby. Picking up a pen, he began to write.
Dear Mom,
With the help of my new boss, Agent Gideon whom I told you about when I called you on Saturday, I've managed to find a place to live. This apartment is nothing fancy, statistically speaking on the small side for an apartment actually, but it'll do. It's in a nice neighborhood and the building is well maintained. It's also close to a bus stop, and as I'll be relying on public transportation for a while, that's a good thing.
It's a one bedroom, one bathroom apartment. It has a nice living area which is separated from the kitchen area by a counter. There would be room in the kitchen area for a small table. I was thinking about buying one but then again I may just settle for buying some stools to put around the counter for now. Sitting at the counter would remind me of you, and the times growing up, that I spent at the counter watching you cook and bake while doing my homework or reading whatever book I had currently been interested in. Memories like that make me feel closer to you . . .
As Agent Derek Morgan walked off the elevator later that morning, his gaze went automatically to Agent Hotchner's office. The office had stood empty for the last five months, except for the janitor's entering to clean it, and the other agent stopping by in the evenings for short periods of time here and there. That was supposed to be changing today, as Agent Hotchner was done with his temporary assignment at the Academy.
Five months ago, Agent Morgan would not have admitted to looking forward to Hotchner's return. The older agent reminded him of a drill sergeant at times. Always serious, Morgan didn't think he could remember a time in which Hotch had ever smiled, though Nichols had assured him and Robbins that he did on occasion. Nichols even swore that Hotch did have a sense of humor, though Morgan had yet to see it since joining the BAU. All Morgan had seen was a tough as nails, critical, veteran agent, who somehow seemed to find every mistake he made but seemed to miss most of what he had done right. The only piece of mind Morgan had gotten was the fact that Hotch had been just as critical, if not more so, of Robbins.
Now Robbins wasn't here and neither was Collins. Morgan had a feeling with Collins gone, Agent Hotchner was going to be stepping into the unofficial role of Unit Chief Gideon's second in command. That prospect made Morgan nervous, though he had to admit that there had been a hole in the team with Hotch gone. He had thought that feeling would be repeated when Collins had left but it hadn't. The difference between how he had felt about the two senior agents' absence from the team had told him something. Somewhere during the short time he had been with this team, he had developed a respect for Agent Hotchner much like he had quickly formed for his unit chief.
As he looked toward the office, Morgan saw that the light was on. Agent Hotchner was already at his desk, his gaze on the desk in front of him. It was a familiar scene and one that gave Morgan hope that things were going to start getting back to normal around the place.
~No, not normal. At least not yet, ~ Morgan told himself remembering the news broadcast he had seen Saturday night and then the article in the paper Sunday morning.
Neither had come as a surprise to him following Hudson's announcement when they had met Saturday evening at a bar in the city to hang out. Nichols had done a little "investigating" as the veteran agent like to put it whenever he went looking into computer files he shouldn't have had access to. Hudson had informed Morgan that they had indeed assigned one of the new agents to not only the BAU but to their team specifically. Apparently the new agent, Spencer Reid, was going to be their replacement for Collins. Morgan wasn't sure how that sat with him. Replacing a well-respected veteran, with a wet behind the ears new agent, that technically wasn't even old enough to be an FBI agent anyway, was not a wise move in his opinion.
While Morgan might not have been sure how he felt about it, Hudson had left him with no doubts about how he felt. Morgan could tell his co-worker was not happy about it, when he told him what he and Nichols had found out the day before, just by the tone of his voice. Twenty minutes later, when they saw the news broadcast on the tv at the bar, he had further enforced his opinion. Hudson had gone off on how it wasn't right for someone to be handed things just because they had done something no one else had done. Everyone should have to work for what they got and being assigned to the BAU's elite team right out of the academy was a gift not something that was earned. The tirade had gone on for twenty minutes, and had included some choice words about Gideon, who had been mentioned as supporting the decision, which Morgan knew he would never repeat. Nor did he think that Hudson would ever repeat those things to their boss' face.
"Morning, Morgan," Hudson said as we walked down the steps into the bullpen.
"Morning," Morgan replied, taking off his suit jacket and hanging it over the back of his chair. "How was the rest of your weekend?" he asked, sitting down.
"Fine. I slept in Sunday and avoided any news outlets. I enjoyed a nice lazy day on the couch watching old movies."
"What happened to the blonde you left with?"
"I dropped her off at home around midnight. Why?"
"Oh, just figured the way she was hanging all over you at the bar that she would have spent the night with you."
"Yeah, well it may have happened if she hadn't gotten sick from drinking too much tequila," Hudson replied, a trace of disappointment in his voice as he sat down at his own desk across the aisle from Morgan.
"Did you guys see the article about this new kid who is joining us?" Nichols asked, strolling into the bullpen. Morgan looked in his direction to see the other agent holding up the Sunday newspaper.
"No, and I don't want to," came Hudson's reply, as he turned on the computer at his desk.
"Jealous, Hudson?"
"Of a wet-behind the ears kid who isn't technically old enough to be an agent. Not hardly. I give him a week before he quits."
"I don't know about that," Nichols said. "I'd say the guy doesn't give up on things too easily."
"Why's that?" Hudson asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"After finding out he was going to be on this team, I got curious and did some research. He graduated highschool at the age of 12. Then he graduated from Cal Tech at the age of 16 with not a double major but three majors. He had his first doctorate the following year."
"First doctorate?" Morgan asked.
"If your talking about our newest team member he has three doctorates in Mathematics, Chemistry and Engineering as well as BA's in Sociology and Psychology," Agent Gideon said as he inserted himself into his subordinate's conversation. The other three agents looked to find him on the upper level, hands resting on the railing.
"Great, I'm going to be working with Encyclopedia Brown," Morgan said softly, getting a smile out of Nichols who was now leaning against the side of the former agent's desk.
The comment earned Morgan a look from his supervisor even as Hudson added his own commentary.
"Probably some stuck-up, spoiled rich kid who thinks he knows everything."
Gideon's gaze moved from Morgan to Hudson. He fixed the latter with a pointed look. "Dr. Reid is a gifted individual whose talents will add something to the dynamics of this team, just as every agent I bring in does. He still has a lot to learn, just as every agent coming out of the Academy does, and I feel confident that he will learn quickly given the caliber of agents that are on this team." Gideon let his gaze move from Hudson, then Nichols and finally Morgan as he continued speaking. "Every agent in this bureau is continually learning new things. It's what allows us to grow and get better at our jobs. The day you think that you have nothing to learn is the day you are no longer an asset to this team or the bureau. Do I make myself clear?"
There were three variations an affirmative reply to the Unit Chief's question.
"Our newest team member is scheduled to join us tomorrow but I think introductions are going to have to wait until later in the week. I've got a new case I want to run past everyone. We meet in the conference room at ten," Gideon told his team.
Gideon heard a chorus of yes sirs, as he pushed away from the railing and headed for Agent Hotchner's office.
"Real, smooth there, Hudson," Morgan told the other agent when Gideon had entered Hotch's office.
"Doesn't mean I'm not right," was Hudson's reply.
"You're determined not to like this new guy, aren't you?" Nichols asked. Hudson didn't bother replying as he pretended to be engrossed in whatever was currently on his computer screen. Nichols looked to Morgan. "What about you?"
Morgan shrugged. "He's going to have to prove he belongs here. I don't trust anyone blindly, especially not some rookie agent just out of the academy. I saw quite a few rookies during my time on the force get themselves and their training officers seriously hurt because of stupid mistakes. I don't plan on being a victim of that," Morgan replied, realizing the words sounded more hostile than he had intended them to be. However, he couldn't take them back nor did he really want to.
"You were a rookie once too," Nichols pointed out logically.
"And I was smart. I listened to those with more experience and did what I was told."
"Well, that sure wore off somewhere along the way," Hudson quipped, revealing that he had been listening to the conversation despite his attempts to appear non-interested.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Morgan asked.
The question was answered by both of his co-workers who managed to spout off a couple of instances each of times when Morgan had either disregarded what Gideon or Collins had told him to do and went off on his own. After Hudson named a second instance, Morgan held his hands up.
"Okay. Point taken but I'm not some rookie any more."
"No, but things like that is almost what got your application to the team overlooked," Nichols informed him. "The phrases loose cannon and not a team player were part of the reputation that preceded you here."
"If that's true, then why am I here?" Morgan asked, not that he thought the other agent was lying. Nichols had been with the team from the beginning. Morgan knew there was no reason for him to lie.
"Gideon saw potential in you, just like he has every agent that has been a part of this team. So far the only one who hasn't worked out was Robbins."
Deciding the conversation was getting too personal for his liking, Morgan decided to move it in another direction.
"So what's your thought on our newest member?"
"I trust Gideon. He's got to see something in this guy if he's bringing him onto this team. That's enough for me until this Reid does something to prove to me otherwise," Nichols replied.
The three co-workers got quiet after that statement. Hudson really did start working on something work related on his computer and Morgan was thinking about everything Nichols had said. Having things he wanted to do before the team meet for the case, Nichols pushed away from Morgan's desk to head to his own office. He had only taken a couple of steps when he turned back to Morgan.
"Care to explain the Encyclopedia Brown reference?" Nichols asked.
"You've never heard of Encyclopedia Brown?" Morgan countered. Nichols shook his head. Morgan smiled, amused to have brought something up that the team's research geek didn't know about. The computer specialist was forever brining up some kind of obscure piece of trivia up during conversations. "Look it up," the younger agent told him.
"I will," Nichols responded. "While I'm at it, maybe I'll see what I can find out about Derek Morgan too."
"The articles covering my time as a quarterback for Northwestern would be an interesting read," Morgan told him.
"I'm not much of a football fan," Nichols told him as he started back toward his office again.
Morgan laughed and sitting a little straighter in his chair pulled the top file off the stack on his desk. He had some paperwork to get done before the team met.
"Everything okay out there?" Hotch asked as Gideon sat down in the chair across from the other agent. He nodded his head toward the bullpen.
"I don't know," Gideon admitted. "I expected a little resistance to brining Reid in but I'm sensing some hostility from Morgan and there is open hostility from Hudson. Truth is, I don't know much about Hudson. I can't predict how he's going to react but all the elements are there for him to not be accepting of Reid. Hudson's competitive. He's been passed over for a position on this team twice before and twice for other teams. Now here comes a 22 year old who gets a position in the BAU right out of the academy and is getting all kind of media attention."
"Yeah, you put it that way, I might be a little miffed to," Hotch agreed. "Not to mention, being a new guy on the team, he could very well feel threatened."
"Then I guess my job is to make sure he knows his job isn't threatened by Reid joining us," Gideon replied. "We're headed for a rough patch. With Robins and Collins departure followed by bringing in Hudson and now Reid, the team dynamics are in uncharted waters. I've got to make sure I can keep things together while we all figure one another out."
"You did it before," Hotch told him. "You formed the first team in the BAU with everyone saying you were crazy for even trying it. It worked then, we can make it work now."
"I just hope this wasn't a bad idea," Gideon said.
"Bringing Reid in?" Hotch asked. Gideon nodded slightly. "You're having doubts about his ability to do the job?"
"No, it's not that. He is going to prove himself to be a valuable asset to this team. He's actually already helped us solve one case, as I told you on our way back from the last case," Gideon said. "However, fitting into a team environment while you're still figuring out how to put everything they threw at you in the academy to practical use in the real world, is going to just complicate the adjustment period. You do remember what your probationary period felt like?"
"It seems like a long time ago, but yeah I remember," Hotch said.
"Reid isn't good with groups, I got that much from talking to his instructors and my interview with him showed that he's very self-conscious. Guess it's to be expected as I'm sure his school years were hard. You know how kids can be, singling out anyone who isn't like them, and there's no doubt that Reid stuck out. Hudson and Morgan giving him a hard time could very well push him to want to quit."
"With all due respect, it's not your responsibility to worry about that. I'm his assigned Probationary Agent. Getting him through his first two years is my responsibility. Let me worry about Reid and I'll help where I can with the other two too."
"Team effort, right," Gideon remarked. He sighed before continuing. "Well at least he'll get at least one day to settle in without the others watching his every move."
"Another case?"
"Yeah. Charleston, South Carolina. Briefing starts in," Gideon glanced to the clock on the office wall, "forty-five minutes. I want you there of course but with Reid starting tomorrow you need to be here. It'll give you time to catch up on things and work on that proposal for us. Also, I was supposed to do that interview at Lee on Wednesday morning. Why don't you and Reid cover that? Should be something uneventful for the kid to get his feet wet on."
"No problem," Hotch replied.
"I should go get ready for the briefing," Gideon said, getting to his feet. He started for the door. Halfway there, he stopped and turned back to Hotch. "That reminds me, I was thinking that the briefing and reviewing the potential cases is something that we could shift to this new position. Give the brass another reason to justify it."
"Consider it done," Hotch told his boss with a nod.
Gideon nodded and then finally left Hotch's office. Hotch turned his attention back to what he had been working on before his boss had paid him a visit.