Disclaimer: Unfortunately still doesn't belong to me

Warnings: See first chapter

Beta: Dragon Claymore

CWC: 1,715

Chapter 4: Derek Suspects Something

The next morning Reid slowly pulled his sore and bruised body to the shower. He hissed in pain as the water hit his backside. After showering, he opened his go-bag and took out an outfit that wouldn't be too hard on his body. He shook his head; there'd be no sitting for him today. Just as he was pulling on his shirt, someone knocked on the door. He slowly walked over to it and opened the door to see Morgan standing there.

"Hey, man, you ready? We're all going to breakfast downstairs and then we're gonna head to the station."

"Okay, I just need to get my bag," Reid said and slowly limped over to the bed. Morgan frowned.

"Reid, you okay, man?"

Reid turned his head and nodded, "Yes, why?"

"I dunno, just that you're limping, man."

"Oh, I accidently slept the wrong way and woke up with a cramp in my leg. I should be fine soon," he lied.

Morgan nodded, "Well, let's go."

Reid nodded and followed Morgan downstairs to the lobby where everyone was heading into the restaurant to have breakfast. JJ noticed him limping and went over and gently touched his shoulder not noticing his flinch.

"Reid, are you alright?"

Reid nodded, "Yes, just a cramp."

Reid didn't notice Morgan look at him funny. Throughout breakfast Morgan watched Reid and noticed how he fidgeted in his seat, how he kept his head down, and didn't talk to anyone unless he was spoken to first. Being a profiler, Morgan knew something was wrong. The only problem was addressing it with Reid. After breakfast, the team headed back to the station where the detective greeted them.

"Leon Gray was found dead around four this morning on in the middle of Park View Boulevard."

Reid automatically went to his map and put a pushpin that indicated Leon Gray and placed one where he was abducted and one where he was dumped.

"Okay, this doesn't make sense. According to Thayer, Leon wasn't in his group because he was too old. And all of the kids before that the Unsub murdered were around the ages of the four previous victims. So why Leon?" Morgan wondered.

"Maybe the Unsub's switching M.O.'s?" Elle wondered.

"It's possible. What do you think, Reid?" Hotch asked.

Reid shrugged and continued to look at the board. Hotch frowned.

"Reid, I asked you a question. We need to have your input."

Reid shrugged again and then walked out of the room toward the bathroom. Both Hotch and Morgan looked after him frowning for completely different reasons.

"What was that about?" JJ asked. Hotch just shrugged.

{~CM~}

2 hours and plenty of coffee later, they weren't getting any closer to catching the Unsub. JJ had released a statement to the public, Reid had said something about a house being in the middle of the Unsub's comfort zone, but when Gideon and Morgan went to check it out, there was nothing there. The team was tired, exhausted, and hungry. At the moment, Reid was busy trying to see what he missed on the geographical profile.

"Reid, stop. Trust me, there's nothing you haven't already checked out. Let's go get some food and then look at it with fresh eyes," Hotch was saying. Reid didn't move.

Morgan noticed how Reid completely ignored Hotch. What the hell is wrong with this kid? Hotch tried again.

"Reid, don't worry about the geographical profile, right now. I know you're just as hungry and exhausted as the rest of us, so come on."

Again Reid didn't move and refused to look at Hotch. He limped over to a side on the board. He didn't look up until Hotch sighed and Gideon walked over to Reid and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Let's go get some food, kid."

Morgan saw Reid flinch but nod. The team went to a restaurant not far from the station. Reid fidgeted again, but tried not to be noticeable. But Morgan was noticing everything about Reid today, and not just the bad things. He noticed how Reid pushed his hair back behind his ears when he was nervous, how full and kissable his lips were, shit! Nice going, Derek. He's your freaking coworker. Morgan had never actually been out with his coworkers or anyone for that matter about his sexuality. He knew that possibly starting something with Reid could be dangerous.

He looked up and saw Reid head toward the bathrooms. After a few minutes, he stood up and headed to the bathroom as well. He found Reid staring at himself in the mirror.

"Reid."

Reid jumped and turned and saw Morgan standing by the door. "Yes?"

"What's going on with you, man?"

"I don't know what you're talking about?"

Morgan nodded, "I think you do. Let's see, you've been limping all day, you can't sit down for two minutes, you don't talk unless someone talks to you directly, oh yeah, and you've actually disobeyed a direct order from Hotch, twice today."

"Morgan, I appreciate the concern, but I'm fine."

"Like hell, Reid. Look, I'm not gonna push you, but if you ever wanna talk, I'm here, pretty boy. My door's always open."

Reid nodded and turned back to the mirror. Morgan sighed and left the bathroom. As he headed back to the table, the team started packing up.

"We got a call from the station, they have a suspect in custody," Hotch explained.

{~CM~}

The next afternoon the team was seated around the table trying to review everything they had and figure out where they were going wrong that caused them to come up blank. Morgan's phone rang and he immediately put it on speaker.

"Go ahead, beautiful."

"Okay, so I went through all the footage you guys sent to me from those cameras you found."

"And…? What did you find?" Elle asked.

"This is why I don't like to be cut off, gorgeous; I was just getting to that."

"Sorry, Garcia," Elle smiled.

"Okay so anyway I was looking at the footage and I found something interesting. All those children whose bodies were dumped in those different places? Each of them took a John there. And here's the clincher ladies and gentlemen, it was the same man."

"The same one? Are you sure?" Gideon asked.

"You're doubting the skills of Penelope Garcia? Yes, I'm still working on getting a facial image. It's gonna take some time but I should have it for you all soon."

"Keep us posted, Garcia."

"Yup," Garcia said and hung up.

"Okay, so, maybe this guy, approaches these teens and you know, before he has sex with them, gets them to indulge in their personal lives," Morgan said.

"Yeah, but how?" JJ asked. "You don't just tell any old stranger about your father molesting you."

Gideon nodded, "True, he's gotta be using some kind of ruse. Only problem is, what is it?"

Morgan stood up and started pacing, "Okay, say I'm the Unsub and I've just picked up a prostitute," he says walking toward Reid, "I've brought you to a nice place where we can have sex. What would I say to you to get you to open up to me?" he asks Reid.

Reid fidgets and tries to back away. Hotch frowns.

"Reid!"

Reid fidgets again, "Uh…w-well, if we'd have g-gotten naked already then y-you'd see m-my bruises. I-it's possible that you ask them about what happened to you a-and if they get nervous, you t-tell them a story about you being a-abused the same way."

Morgan nodded, "That's it! The Unsub is using the ruse of mutual abuse. Whether it's real or fabricated is a different story."

Reid opened his mouth to say something but shut it again when he earned a glare from Gideon.

"Reid, where you gonna say something?" Elle asked. Reid shook his head.

Hotch sighed. Morgan's phone rang again and he took it out and put it on speaker.

"Alright so I've got face recognition of the John. I'm sending the picture to your phones now. His name is Henry Winters."

"What can you tell us, Garcia?" Hotch asked.

"Well, let's see…okay, so Henry was your typical poster boy in school all the way up to high school. I mean, good grades, respectful, extracurricular activities, you name it. High school came and everything changed."

"What happened?"

"Grades started dropping, started doing drugs, and there's a report here that a teacher made about him coming to school with bruises. That report was never followed up on, though. Dropped out of high school in his junior year."

"Where is he now, Garcia?"

"I'm sending you both his work and home addresses."

"Thanks, baby girl."

"Always."

Morgan hung up the phone. Hotch nodded.

"Alright we're gonna need to split into two teams. Morgan, Elle, and Reid, I want you to check out his work. Gideon, JJ, and I will head to his home residence."

{~CM~}

Another two hours had passed and the team was finally on the jet heading home. Morgan saw Reid curled up in one of the seats reading a book. He saw how he kept fidgeting in his seat like he was trying to get comfortable. Another thing that clued Morgan into their being something wrong was how Reid wasn't leaning against the seat. He was sitting rigidly upright like the seat was plastered against his back. As the plane landed, everyone got off and headed toward the cars.

"Hey, Reid, you need a ride, man?"

Reid shook his head, "I'm fine."

"C'mon, pretty boy. Let me take you home. It'll be a while before a bus comes."

Reid sighed, but nodded and followed Morgan to his car. He got in the passenger seat and gave Morgan his address.

"Wow, you're not that far from me at all."

Reid just shrugged and looked out the window. Morgan tried to engage him in conversation a couple times but failed. When they reached Reid's apartment, Morgan turned to Reid.

"Reid, I know something's wrong. Something's bothering you, but I'm not gonna push. Just remember my door's always open. Call me or come by anytime," he said and handed Reid a piece of paper with his phone number and address.

"Thank you," Reid said before waving and entering the apartment.

TBC...