Reid picked up a marker and started to write on the board.
"The Raven was first published in January 1845, its protagonist is a man who is morning the passing of his lover Lenore. " As he spoke Reid drew a linking hierarchy starting with Edgar Allan Poe himself.
"Poe was born in here in America and moved to Scotland in the UK when he moved back to America he went to west point." He informed the team.
"So he could be in New York?" asked Morgan hopeful of a breakthrough.
"I'm not sure!" Admitted Reid as he scratched his head.
The team decided to leave Reid to it, he often thought better when he was on his own.
Morgan took a deep breath to steady his nerves then he called JJ into the kitchen. She followed him but neither spoke when they reached their destination as there were other agents getting coffee.
When they were finally on their own Morgan spoke, "Look I didn't mean to be so brash earlier but this is all new to me and I have to understand it before I say anything. I might never say anything." Morgan told JJ.
"Seriously, you love this young amazing guy and you are going to do nothing about it?" Demanded JJ.
"Are you for real? Have you seen the state the kid is in?" Asked Morgan as he gestured to the door.
"So you don't want to be with him because he is in a state?" JJ suddenly became angry.
"No, I don't want to tell him how I feel because he doesn't need that right now. He is already so mixed up about Misha and Hotch it would be selfish to expect him to have to deal with my feelings too. And ok so I'm freaking out a bit ok?!"
"Why is it freaking you out?" JJ couldn't stop herself from asking and regretted it once she had said it.
"Well it could be that I'm in to chicks or that when my best friend needs me I've suddenly got the hots for hm." Exhaled Morgan.
"And you are sure that's what it is? Could it just be because you wanted to protect him?!" again JJ felt she had said the wrong thing.
"Well I've never gotten an erection helping an old woman across the road." He snapped.
Everything was quite for a second then JJ laughed.
"I'm sorry that was just too gross." She said holding her stomach.
Just then the door opened and Blake walked in.
"What's so funny?" she asked as she walked passed the duo to fill her mug with coffee.
"Oh eh Morgan here was just telling me his latest chat up line." Lied JJ.
"Ok, give it a spin!" said Blake smiling.
"On you?" Asked Morgan shocked.
"Why not?! I could do with a laugh." She chuckled in anticipation.
"Only if you're sure, I don't want to step on a brothers toes!?"
"Oh please I promise not to throw myself at you." This time Blake snorted.
"Hey don't make promises you can't keep." Morgan winked.
JJ hit him playfully.
"Fine!" Joked Morgan as he walked closer to Blake. "Are you a parking ticket? Coz you got fine written all over you baby." And just for extra effect he added the Derek Morgan grin.
Both female agents were silent for a moment.
"Did nothing for me how about you?" Blake asked JJ.
"Na must only work on 23 year olds." She laughed.
"Aw hey now be nice!" whimpered Derek as the woman left together.
Morgan walked out of the kitchen and looked across the hall there he could see Blake walking into the ready room to talk to Reid, who already had two full boards of information.
"Don't worry I won't say anything. Quick thinking by the way, you don't actually use that line do you?" Whispered JJ over Morgan's shoulder.
Morgan turned to face JJ, he smiled and winked at her, laughing she walked away.
Just then Hotch and Rossi came down the stairs from their offices.
"Penelope found a match from the security tape. She knows the identity of the guy who dropped off the envelop." Hotch told the group.
"I want to go with the team." Everyone looked up, Reid was standing there looking resolute.
"You are needed here." Hotch gestured to the ready room.
"If there is a clue there it's not going anywhere and no bodies have turned up this is our best lead and if this is him-"
"Reid we know the man on CCTV is not likely to be him but some accomplice." Interrupted Hotch.
"And it might be the killer on some down ward spiral." Reid grasped at straws and the whole team knew it.
"I'll team up with Reid and we will stay in the car." Suggested Morgan.
"Fine but I don't want any contact between Reid and the suspect. I'll have to call in a few favours just to get our team the search warrant." Griped Hotch as he headed for the door.
O0oo0o0o0oo0o
Two Chevrolet Tahoes' pulled up outside a middle class house. The grass in the front garden was dying and the post box at the gate over flowed with post.
"I'm not sure anyone is here." Blake said over her earwig.
"Just stay alert. Sam Scholl might still be here." Ordered Hotch, speaking to the whole team.
Suddenly from where they were parked Reid saw movement in one of the other gardens and gave chase.
"No Reid! Damn it. Hotch you've been made UNSUB is on the run heading east through the rear of the neighbours back lawn Reid is in pursuit." As he spoke Morgan climbed out of the car and joined Reid in perusing the UNSUB, Reid still had the lead.
Morgan reached a house for sale and saw that the door had been forced.
"FBI!" Morgan shouted. "Reid!" he yield.
"In here!" Reid had been struggling with the UNSUB somehow the UNSUB had Reid's revolver.
The UNSUB started to run from the sitting room to the kitchen but when he heard Morgan enter the room he started to shoot, pointing the gun at Reid by accident.
Morgan pushed Reid up against the wall out of the way. The pair were inches apart, Morgan's hand was holding a fist full of Reid's shirt and cardigan from where he had push/pulled Reid out of harm's way. When Reid took a breath in he could tell he was breathing in Morgan's breath, he could smell Morgan's sweat. They both breathed heavily; out of nowhere Reid had the sudden urge to kiss Morgan. Their eyes stayed on each other's and for the first time Reid noticed that just around the purples of Morgan's brown eyes were flex of colour almost the same as honey.
So much had happened in this split second, so much had changed. Reid put a hand on Morgan's and started to lean in just then JJ came in through the front door with her gun at the ready.
"Watch him." Morgan pointed at Reid. "UNSUB is armed and dangerous." He shouted as he left the same the UNSUB had only a second ago.
"You ok?" JJ asked a shocked looking Reid.
"Yeah I'm fine, just my pride." He explained that the UNSUB managed to get his gun. But he didn't tell her the real problem, had Reid actually felt something or was his brain playing tricks on him?
Suddenly there was a shot close by just as the rest of the team entered the building JJ told Reid to stay there and she headed the search for Morgan.
"Derek!" She shouted.
"Derek, can you answer me?" as she moved towards the next garden fence he answered.
"Yeah I'm fine." He didn't sound relived.
JJ looked over the fence and the farthest end of a large garden Morgan was crouched over a body.
O0o0o0o00o0o0oo
Back at HQ.
"Did I not expressly ask you not to interact with the UNSUB?" Hotch demanded of Reid.
"Yes, but-"
"And you disobeyed that order?"
"Yes but-"
"I'm really trying to understand Reid but every time I give you the benefit of the doubt-"
"I take full responsibility Hotch." Said Morgan standing up. "If I didn't convince you I would look after Reid then he wouldn't have lost his weapon and the UNSUB wouldn't have killed himself."
"He was our only lead in the case and now he is dead!" even though Hotch addressed no one Reid still felt he was to blame.
"There was his cryptic message." Piped up Morgan.
"Yes but we have no idea the "she" he mentioned." Hotch picked up a piece of paper and read it aloud.
"The UNSUB came to a halt a ten feet away. He seemed to have injured his leg after the last fence. He stood there shaking, trying to hold the gun but it didn't seem he had much experience with guns. He held the gun up and aimed it at me. "You don't have to do this. Put the gun down and we can both leave." I told him, to which the UNSUB replied "I can never leave, there isn't a place he wouldn't find me."
"Who is he Sam?" I asked the UNSUB hoping he might lead us to the real killer.
"I can't- my family- he gave me a message." The UNSUB'S behaviour seemed to change, he became more subdued and spoke without emotion. "If the right clue you follow a bird you will bring back to the nest, where she once laid her head upon your warm bosom and breast. If wrong you will be blue and hollow for a bell that I ring so fulsomely into eternal rest."
"Look whoever he is we can keep your family safe-"
The UNSUB then used Agent Reid's weapon to commit suicide.
Shortly after I heard Agent Jareau called to me, I replied that the UNSUB was no longer a threat.
Hotch stopped reading even though there were still a few pages, he threw the report onto his desk.
"You can both leave, I have some damage control to take care of." Hotch said angrily as he picked up his phone.
Morgan left without another word, Reid followed him out the door. When they reached the bottom of the stairs Reid reached out a hand to Morgan's shoulder.
"Thanks for what you did back at the house, and up there." Reid pointed to Hotch's office. He smiled as he let go of Morgan's shoulder.
"Thanks"! you think thanks covers what you did?" Morgan was getting louder and louder.
Reid's smile vanished.
"You think that putting the team in danger is covered by "Thanks"? You deify an order and almost got yourself killed. Damn you almost got me killed not to mention our only living whiteness is now dead! But hey at least your grateful!" as he spoke Morgan became burgundy in the face.
"Hey Derek!" Scolded JJ as she joined them. "Rain it in!"
"Whatever!" Huffed Morgan as he turned and headed to his office.
O0o0o0o0o0o
JJ stormed into Morgan's office.
"What was that?!" she demanded.
"The kid nearly got us killed!" Morgan said as he shoved his own copy of his report into the filing cabinet.
"Yes, but he didn't need that. You humiliated him in front of the whole section like that!"
Morgan didn't respond to JJ this time.
"You know he is back up in Hotch's office trying to resign?! Thinks he is dragging the team down." JJ informed him.
"He can't!" Suddenly Morgan was shocked and his anger drained.
"Morgan I get it ok. I know you are finding it hard to work with Reid when you have feelings for him but you can't make this all his fault. You need to find a way through this before it ruins your friendship, even if that means you telling him." She spoke the last part gently.
"I'm not telling him! And you promised not to tell anyone?!" just as quickly Morgan was back to being angry.
"I know but I'm just saying, neither of you can continue like this! He is even prepared to leave the BAU. " JJ sounded desperate to get through to Morgan.
"Not if I have anything to do with it!" Morgan stormed out of the room and all the way to the bull pit.
Reid looked devastated, his head hung but when he saw Morgan he walked the other way.
"Reid?!" called Morgan but Reid kept walking.
Morgan walked quickly to the stairs and took it two steps and a time.
He knocked on Hotch's door but opened it without waiting for an answer.
"You can't let Reid quit!" he blurted out.
"I'll call you back." Hotch said to someone on the phone.
"I said I would take the fall for what happened-" Morgan began to rant.
Hotch held up a hand to quieten Morgan.
"I haven't accepted Reid's resignation." He reassured Morgan.
"Ok." Morgan took a deep breath.
Hotch walked around Morgan and closed the door.
"The way you spoke to Reid-" Began Hotch.
"I didn't mean to- I mean I was just angry at the kid for-" He tried to give Hotch an explanation, a believable yet untrue one.
"Morgan right now this team is trying to pull itself back together. I understand that this hasn't just affected Reid, it has affected the whole team. Even still Reid and the rest look up to you and if they see you disrespect Reid like that-"
"I didn't mean too and I know that's not an excuse. I should never have said that to him I just-" Here was a perfect place to say the truth, to tell Hotch that He couldn't work with Reid anymore and that he felt himself to emotionally attached to partner him in the field.
"Maybe I've just been spending too much time with the kid?!" coward Morgan called himself.
"What do you suggest?" Asked Aaron as he sat in his chair.
"Maybe Blake could stay with Reid for a while, just till you think he is managing better." As he spoke Morgan shrugged.
"I think that's a good choice I think Blake would agree to that. Of course JJ would be our first choice but what with Henry she would miss out on some precious time and I don't think Reid would want his godson seeing him so upset." Mused Hotch.
"Exactly!" snake, Morgan also added to his own insult.
"Ok I'll inform Blake now. I will have Reid reassigned to one of the others when he gets back to active duty." Added Aaron.
Morgan stopped and took a breath.
"Reid has to go through retraining; a suspect obtained his weapon, its mandatory." Aaron said without looking up once.
"Hey you're the boss." Morgan said lifting his hands in a whoa way. Back stabber rang inside his head as he left Hotch's office.
O0o0o0oo
The following days were tense, even Morgan's hellos' got next to no response from Reid. If one of the other team members were in the room Reid might grunt to Morgan in response.
Three days in and Morgan had enough as the team filed out of the ready room after yet a non-update update on how Sam's family didn't know he was mixed up in anything and had no leads. Morgan waited for Reid and he to be the last two there. Reid a little pre occupied with a pocket book of The Raven hadn't noticed that Morgan had locked the door.
"Do you mind I'm very busy." Reid said as Morgan blocked his path.
"Look I know that I said some downright mean things but-"
"That's right you did!" suddenly Reid closed the book and held it so tight his knuckles were white.
"Look I tried to make that right! I've apologised in person again and again, I even circulated a memo!"
"A memo?! Do you hear yourself? You are supposed to be my friend but you get Blake to babysit and now Hotch told me I have to be teamed with JJ when I'm back in the field. Is that how little you trust me? Care-" Reid caught himself before his real question came out.
"No one is babysitting you! Besides I'm sure you could do with a break from me and of course I trust you." Morgan knew what Reid had almost asked and if he had real balls he would have answered. Of course the real answer was that Morgan cared more than Reid thought and the idea that Reid felt Morgan didn't care at all hurt Morgan so much it was like a fiery pain in his chest, he had to stop his eyes from watering.
"It doesn't feel like it."
"Tell me how to put this right?" Morgan wanted to say more, wanted to get closer to feel the zap he felt when he pushed Reid out of the way of the bullet.
Morgan's mind went straight back to the moment where Reid's minty fresh breath filled his nostrils and gave him shivers, where all he wanted to do was kiss Reid's lips and not stop kissing him until his lips had felt every inch of him. He wanted pull Reid's cardigan off and rip open his shirt.
He forced his mind back into the room.
"So I don't see how that can change." Reid had been speaking the whole time and Morgan had only heard bits of it.
"Look Reid I'm trying here. If you change your mind and you think we can be buddies again then cool, but it's up to you." Suddenly Morgan unlocked the door and left.
Reid was standing there open mouthed, Morgan had acted so abruptly. He stood there and through the glass door he watched Morgan head for his office.
After a few minutes deciding what he should do Reid headed to Morgan's office. As he reached the door he heard voices, JJ said something then Reid heard his own name.
"You don't get it!" Morgan shouted at JJ.
"Why because I'm a woman?!" She asked not entirely offended.
"Yes, sort of I don't know. All I know is that as a straight guy its wrong ok?! A guy who wants to kiss another guy and do …. That stuff (Here Reid was sure Derek had made a gesture but he didn't see what) that's not right?!"
Standing there Reid felt all the blood drain from his face so much so Reid was sure every pint of blood in his body were pools in his shoes.
Using the wall for support Reid made his way back to the bull pit.
(meanwhile in Hotch's office)
Aaron's phone rang.
"Hello BAU Section Chef Agent Hotchner"
"Don't you ever get sick of that?" a distorted, but clearly male voice asked.
"I'm sorry?! Who is this?" asked Aaron.
"Don't you ever get sick of hearing your own job title, your own name? Do you ever get sick of saying it, every day, every time you answer the phone. Does it all not become a little monotonous?"
"Who am I speaking too?" Aaron tried to get the caller to keep talking as he sent Penelope a IM from his laptop about tracing the call.
"You can call me "The Raven" if you like." Now there seemed a sneer to the callers tone.
"We have been looking for you." Hotch said trying to keep the conversation flowing.
"Not very hard I see. Poor Mr Scholl is dead and even with my clue you are no closer than you were before Misha Owens died. All this death Agent Hotchner, and no close to finding me." The Raven chuckled at this.
"Then why give yourself away by calling?" Asked Hotch.
"Well I have to give the FBI a leg to stand on, how else will they hang themselves." Again the Raven laughed.
"Did you want to confess?"
"What I wanted Aaron was to see if you are any better at saving your own?!" when he spoke the Raven had emphasised the word Aaron, but now the Raven waited holding his breath.
"My own?" it was less of a question and more of a demand for information.
"Well I happened to bump into an old colleague of yours the other day. Would you like to say hello?" Asked The Raven.
"Agent Hotchner?" Pleaded a female voice.
"Now who could that be?" The Raven asked jeeringly.
"Ag-agent Seaver?"Guessed Hotch.
"Ah well done! And they say Reid is the genius." Mocked the Raven. "Now before you go all heroic on me and demand that I not hurt her or something just as boring, I have a few instructions, which if you follow the lovely Ashley will be just fine. First I'm guessing the wonderful Penelope Garcia is telling you she has tract me down."
The Raven was correct Garcia had just IMed Hotch back with a location.
"I know what you're going to say Aaron and yes an entirely predictable choice of hide out but let's face it you still didn't think to look. Instruction number two, come alone. Ugh so predictable I almost couldn't say it, but still a pretty little life hangs in the balance. Oh and I will know if you bring back up, like that bad boy Derek or that MILF JJ, I must admit Blake isn't my type too much self-loathing and that Rossi, all that Italian American bravado, I think Emily was right to get out when she did," Showing off his knowledge of the team The Raven hoped it would be enough to scare Hotch into coming alone.
"How will I find you?" Hotch asked through clenched teeth.
"Got to the point Penelope gave you. After that follow the signs." The Raven hung up.
Hotch grabbed his coat and his gear.
Just as Reid reached his desk Hotch came rushing out of his office.
"Hey did you get a lead?" Asked Spencer as Hotch passed.
"Stay here!" Ordered Hotch roughly.
"Not on active service remember?" Reid called after him as Hotch continued to the lifts.
Moments later JJ entered the bull pit.
"Hey Reid do you know where Hotch is going?" She asked.
"No, why don't you ask Morgan." He didn't know exactly why he was so angry with JJ maybe it was because she had listened to Morgan and not fought Reid's corner.
"I was just with Morgan." JJ answered honestly not catching onto Reid's sarcasm.
Morgan headed down to see Penelope, he needed to get her opinion on the whole Reid thing and he had the excuse of looking for Hotch as a perfect cover.
When Morgan got there however relationship advice went out the window. Penelope was nervously pacing back and forth in her office.
"Wow baby girl what's wrong?" Morgan asked as he placed two hot chocolates on the nearest desk.
"I don't want to tell you." She said still pacing. "Well it's not that I don't want to tell you it's that I can't. So I don't want to get into trouble so I don't want you to get into trouble, so I guess really I don't want to tell you because I don't want either of us to get into trouble."
"Doll face, calm down because you are making no sense." Gently Derek took both of Penelope's hands and stopped her walking.
"Hotch is in Spencer." She blurted out.
"Hotch what?"
Penelope realised the confusion. "Ew no, he is in Spencer West Virginia." Penelope points at a screen.
If he were to tell the truth Morgan was a bit relived by the explanation even if he still had no clue why Aaron was there.
Penelope started to fidget.
"And what is Hotch doing in Spencer." It felt strange to say and also caused a strange filling in Morgan's stomach like he had just been punched in it.
She hesitated for a second.
"A man calling himself The Raven phoned Hotch-" before she could finish Morgan went to leave.
"You can't go after Hotch, The Raven has Agent Seaver!"
Morgan stood still, of course there was a reason Hotch went by himself.