Plutobaby494: Ok, here's the next one!

Disclaimer: Don't own Criminal Minds!! Only own the few police officers and the victims!! They are all mine!!

ON WITH THE FICCIE

Chapter 4

Reid stared out the window at the passing surroundings with indifference throughout the whole ride. He gripped his pack tighter against his side and leaned his head against the warm glass. He could feel the heat penetrating as the sun rose over the ragged mountains to the east.

He could hear Morgan -who was sitting in the front seat- talking amiably with the cop that was their escorting them to the police station. JJ sat to the right of him in the back seat of the air conditioned car. She added to the conversation ever so often.

He closed his eyes and tightened his grip on his bag, twisting and turning the strap in between his clenched fists. He grimaced as the car hit a bump and hit his head against the window, not helping the migraine that had steadily gotten worse since this morning.

Reid sighed in relief as the road evened out and the car stop bouncing. He heard his name being called but didn't answer waiting for the throbbing in his head to stop.

A hand griped his shoulder tightly and he winced, jerking away from the window as if it had burned him. JJ took her hand back but kept it mid-air in case Reid still needed her

His world spun as the pain slowly dulled and he noticed his breathing had quickened in panic. He felt his heart still beating quickly under his chest and took a deep breath slowly filling his lungs and than exhaling.

He looked up and found two pair of worried eyes and one confused one on him. JJ was still staring at him with worried eyes and Morgan was spun around in his seat looking back at Reid.

"Are you ok?" JJ asked, seeing Reid had calmed down. She wanted to grab his shoulders again when he saw that he was still unsteady but stopped herself in time.

Reid nodded but regretted soon after when pain flared up at the movement. He forced himself past the pain.

"You sure, man?" Morgan asked, seeing tenderness in his friend's eyes. He didn't know what was wrong with him but he knew something was.

"Yea," he answered verbally, not wanting another bout of pain from the quick movement.

He looked out the window to avoid his friend's worried gazes and was surprised to see the car was stopped and pulled over to the side of the road. He looked to the cop in the driver's seat with questioning eyes.

He opened his eyes to ask why, but was cut off when the nameless cop answered before even hearing the question.

"You weren't looking so good and I didn't want to cause an accident making sure that you were ok," he said looking apologetic.

"Oh," was all Reid said, not wanting to share his personal weakness with some man who he hadn't even properly met.

The man looked sorry and a little confused as he spoke, "Are you sure you're ok. The hospital's not far from here,"

Morgan looked sharply at the man for mentioning the H word. Ever since Reid's encounter at the hospital, they had all been a little wary of them. But he didn't say anything.

Reid declined with hope that the cop couldn't see through his façade and wouldn't share his worries with Hotch. But to his relief, the cop just nodded and started the car.

They pulled back onto the main road and Reid had to stop himself from leaning against the window once more. His head had stopped throbbing but he still felt the dull twinge lingering in the back of his mind, ready to attack again at any moment.

The cop started a conversation again, breaking the stony silence. Reid sent him a silent thanks, he didn't know how much longer he could take it.

JJ and Morgan started up again not noticing their friend's silence.

They arrived at the police department a few minutes later and JJ quickly stepped out of the car, Morgan following her. Reid was the last to exit and noticed that Hotch, Gideon and Prentiss were already inside. They must have noticed their stop and had opted to wait inside for the rest of their team instead of standing in the blistering sun.

Morgan didn't object but just headed towards the front doors, ready to feel the full blast of the air conditioned room.

He was very disappointed when he felt the air was just as hot, if not hotter, on the inside as it was on the outside.

Reid shifted uncomfortably in his sweater vest as the heat penetrated through his layered clothes. He ignored the urge to take off the top layer, wanting privacy still to himself and just pulled his jacket tighter around him.

He heard his name being called with JJ and Morgan's and they all looked up at Hotch, who was beckoning them over. Reid sighed and followed his friends, ready to help with the case.

&

Morgan panted as the small classroom sized fan quickly blew a small gust of cold air towards him than moved on. The room was scorching hot as the team sat around a rectangular table talking about the unsub.

He looked over at Reid, who was doing his best to claim that he was not hot. He still had his dark sweater vest on covering another shirt. He must be uncomfortable.

Everyone else had discarded some layer of clothing. Hotch had lost his blazer and had his front buttons undone on his shirt. Gideon had the front of his shirt undone and his jacket was slung around his chair. JJ and Emily both had their shirts as open as possible, until it was considered indecent.

He grimaced at the heat and than looked towards Reid, who had made no move to remove some of his clothing.

"Reid, aren't you a little hot?" he commented, interrupting whatever Gideon had been saying. Truthfully after the first couple hours, he had lost interest in talking about the case and found arguing with the local cops on why they air conditioner was broken and why weren't they doing anything to fix it, seemed better. He knew it was bad and irresponsible. After all, this lunatic had killed three people and who knew when he was going to strike next. If Hotch or Gideon had ever found out, he was sure to get a reprimand.

So when the thought of talking about Reid's clothing came, he took it.

Reid shifted, seeing he had everyone's attention.

"No, I'm fine," he answered, not budging.

"Come on man, I'm getting hot just looking at you" he argued, heatedly.

He heard JJ and Emily snicker and saw Reid blush. He groaned as he realized his words came out completely wrong.

"Didn't know you swung that way, Morgan" Emily's amused voice asked in midst of her giggles.

Reid blushed harder and looked to his lap, wringing his sweaty hands.

Morgan groaned, "You know what I meant," he all but growled as fold his arms on the table and laid his hands down on them.

Hotch cleared his throat "I think we should return back to the case" he said his voice authoritative. Morgan couldn't be sure, but he thought from the looks both Gideon and Hotch were sending him he was being scolded. He couldn't help but hear the protective part of Hotch's voice as he redirected the team back to the case. JJ and Emily immediately stopped laughing and Morgan lifted his head from his arms.

"We're obviously not getting much done here. Morgan and I will go to see the family of the last victim, while Gideon and Reid stay here to go over the facts," he said, he himself dying to get out of this heat.

He didn't see Reid go pale and wring his hands harder and Gideon's musing glace. He had tried to get the young man alone all day but had no such luck.

"What about me sir, should I join you?" Emily asked with hope. She too was dying to get out of this room.

"No I want you to go to the dump site and see if you can find something. Take JJ along for damage control," Hotch said.

Emily smiled and gathered up some things she would need, before nodding to JJ. They walked out.

Morgan gave Reid one last glance before exiting himself not waiting for Hotch. He stepped out into the bustling room and sighed at the mess.

Two police officers were in a heated argument, about what he wasn't sure they even knew. Hotch stepped out behind him and Morgan turned to meet his boss.

"You ready?" he asked. Morgan nodded and started walking towards the front doors.

They rode to the victim's house in silence and Morgan was relieved that the air conditioner in the car was still working.

They were at the house before they realized it and Hotch stopped the car. They both didn't hurry to get out of the air conditioned car.

He looked over at his boss and finally decided to tell him what was on his mind since they had landed in Junction.

"Something's wrong with Reid?" he said bluntly.

Hotch nodded. "I know"

Sudden anger swelled in Morgan's at his boss. Why wasn't he doing anything about it?

"So why haven't we done anything about it?" he said.

Hotch looked slightly startled at the younger mans cross voice, but quickly put on his stoic mask that he had perfected in his swat days.

"What would you like me to do, Derek? He's already been cleared by the psychiatrist to come back to work. We can't force him to talk and if he doesn't want help than we can't do anything about it," Hotch answered seemingly emotionless.

"Why, if he would just talk to us, tell us what's wrong, than we could help him" Morgan retaliated lying back against the head rest, glaring at the windshield with conviction.

Hotch sighed and closed his eyes, bringing his hands up to rub his temples, feeling the heat and Morgan's questions finally getting to him.

"He was in pain" Morgan said quietly, all the anger gone from his voice. He sounded scared and Hotch had rarely seen Morgan scared.

He opened his eyes to see the younger man looked impassively out the front window. He didn't seem to be looking at anything, just lost in his own head.

"What?" Hotch asked concerned. Had something happened?

"It seemed like just a headache but when he looked at me. It was like the pain that he wouldn't say was screaming at me, to help him. But I don't know how!" Morgan said. His voice had started out strong but ended up in a whisper.

Hotch didn't know what to say, and for once he didn't have any answers.

He always knew how to handle his team, their ups and downs was what he had mastered. The only thing he had regretted was not seeing Elle before it was too late. She was new to the team and Hotch was still getting to know her. It seemed like a stupid excuse now.

Hotch remembered when they had first found Reid. The young man had looked so broken staring down at Tobias's body and he had found himself needing to touch Reid, just to make sure he was still with them. When Reid had hugged him and Hotch felt his tight grip, he knew that he had felt the same. Reid needed someone to anchor him to reality and Hotch had readily become his hold.

When they had first found him in that cemetery, they had been so overjoyed that they had found him alive. They didn't think of the after affects that came with it. As Hotch had helped Reid stand, Morgan saw that he was still dazed and in shock. Reid had made it to the ambulance before collapsing into unconsciousness.

"Is that why you stopped?" Hotch asked finding his voice.

Morgan just nodded, not needing to say anymore.

Hotch sighed and looked out at the street, almost seeing the dry air in front of him.

"Come one, we have a job to do" he said, climbing out of the car they had barrowed and shut the door. Morgan sighed also and pulled himself together before getting out and following his boss.

The case was the last thing either of them wanted to do. They both wanted to go back to that small, cramped, hot room and shake answers out of their friend. But Jonathan Rut, Samantha Rawlings, and Kevin walker's killer needed to be found. More innocent people would pay if they failed.

They both knew that Reid would have to wait.

TO BE CONTINUED

Plutobaby494: Well, not much changed but there were some differences. Please review, it'll insure I get them up faster! Tell me what you think!

Thanks to all my reviewers. You guys keep this story alive.

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