A/N: Hey everybody, I'm sorry that it took me so long to update and that this chapter isn't the best I've ever written, but my final paper is taking up a lot of my time… so yeah, I just hope you will like the new chapter and comments are, as always most appreciated *puppy dog eyes*

.

And thank you to ladykale1985, PinkHimeLacus, IchigoPudding, LoveforPenandDerek, 68luvcarter, ReadingYourThoughts, dracosgoddess123, finlaure, SagepunkSom, GabrielReid, blackwolfs900, cha25, Cowboy'sMontana, Hatsu-Kidamaru, ShindouRen, Blue-Eyed Chica, 9-tailed trickster, Sesshomarubaby18, Prats 'R' Us, Animelover120 and Raven Almasy for the comments to the last chapter *hugs you all*

.

Disclaimer: None of the CM characters belong to me… I just borrowed them for this little story… my OC'S do belong to me though… this story doesn't mean to offend anybody… this is just for fun… and not for money either...

.


Chapter 6


.

"If I were you, I'd accept the invitation…"

The statement hung in the air and for a moment neither of the two spoke.

Rossi because he had said everything he needed to say for now and Reid because he still had to recover from the shock after hearing Rossi's words.

He had expected to hear a lot from the older profiler, but not those words.

"What?" was all he could ask, since he had no idea what else he could say or what he should think now.

Rossi couldn't help but chuckle at the dumbfounded and almost horrified look on Reid's face.

"Well, I think it would help you to build up some more confidence and it would also help Hotch and Morgan and maybe even your relationship", he explained with a small sigh.

That Reid, for all his genius, didn't get what Rossi wanted to say proved once again how socially insecure the young man was.

"But… if I go out with Sinclair they might think that I have given up on our relationship… and that's maybe even what they're waiting for… an excuse to tell me that it's over…" Reid once again started rambling and for a second Rossi regretted that he had made the suggestion without explaining why first.

"Reid…" He started, putting both of his hands on Spencer's shoulders to calm him and to get him to listen.

"Reid, I don't think that they will use it as an excuse to end your relationship with them… quite the contrary. I think it would give them something to think about and it would stop them from taking you for granted."

His explanation seemed to get through to Reid, because the young man stopped the nervous fidgeting and looked straight into Rossi's eyes.

"You really think so?" He questioned, a hopeful tone in his voice.

The last thing Reid wanted was for his relationship with Derek and Aaron to end, but right now he really had no idea what he could do to stop Hotch and Morgan from pulling away from him… and he just didn't have the courage to confront them and ask them if he had misunderstood some things, because he feared the answer.

"Yes, I do think so." Rossi answered with conviction and he let go of Reid to give the younger man some space.

"And besides, see it from your perspective. What have you got to lose?" The older profiler stated and Reid started to think about his words.

.

Yes, what had he got to lose?

Right now he thought that Derek and Aaron didn't love him anymore, so maybe looking for somebody new might be a good idea and Leon Sinclair wasn't exactly unpleasant to look at, even though he paled in comparison to Hotch and Morgan.

And if Hotch and Morgan indeed still loved him, they would maybe start to fight for him and see that they couldn't take him for granted…

So, if Reid thought about it, he really had not much to lose.

/What's the worst that can happen? That Morgan and Hotch tell me to go and leave them alone, which is what I've suspected for quite a while now anyway…/ He mused in his thoughts and pushed aside the little voice in his head that constantly whispered that he loved Aaron and Derek and that he couldn't do this to them, no matter how hurt he was.

"Maybe you're right…" He whispered, looking at Rossi with a hint of doubt and a big part of determination to accept the invitation in his eyes.

Rossi patted his back and gave him a small smile, hoping that his plan would work out.

"Come on, let's get the coffee so that Emily won't rip some heads off because she doesn't have her daily dosage of caffeine." He told him, wanting to change the topic, so that Reid didn't feel like he needed to talk about his relationship anymore.

"Yeah, that's a good idea. I need my caffeine fix too." He agreed and the two finally entered the coffee shop.

/And besides, who knows if I even have time to go. The case comes first./ He thought.

The two agents ordered coffee and a few donuts for the whole team and even some for the officers at the station before they returned to the hotel where they met up with the rest of the team.

Spencer kept his distance from Hotch and Morgan and concentrated on the case.

.


.

Luckily the case demanded enough attention so that Reid didn't find himself alone with Morgan or Hotch and he didn't have much time to think about the status of his relationship.

And in addition to that they finally were able to arrest their UnSub, so the case was closed and the team would travel back to Quantico the next day.

So Reid had finally decided to accept Sinclair's invitation, not so much to show Morgan and Hotch that he could get a date, but more because he really wanted to hear that lecture.

He was in his room, or better Garcia's room, because he hadn't wanted to go back to the room he shared with Derek and Aaron.

The two hadn't even attempted to talk to him when they had gotten back to the hotel.

And that in turn made Reid even more determined to go through with this and meet up with Sinclair and have a nice evening.

It wouldn't be more anyway, because by this time tomorrow he would be back in Quantico anyway.

Right now Reid was standing in front of his mirror and tried to get ready… he was fighting with the tie of the suit.

At first he hadn't even wanted to wear it, but then Garcia had convinced him that it would be impolite not to wear it.

To his surprise she had been all for the date and Spencer had the nagging feeling that she had talked to Rossi about this.

"Come on, let me help you, baby genius."

Garcia, who had watched him for a few minutes now, walked over to Reid and tied the tie.

"Let me look at you." She said with a small smile and took a step backwards to look Reid over, an appreciative smile on her face.

"Damn, you look handsome, baby genius. And if I didn't know for sure that you prefer men to women, I would try to proposition you myself."

She grinned when she saw the blush on Reid's cheeks.

"Umm… thanks, I guess…" Spencer stuttered and ran a hand through his hair, messing up the carefully styled look that Garcia had spent half an hour on, because she had insisted that he needed to look good so he could make Morgan and Hotch jealous and so that he could show Sinclair what he could never have.

She was about to scold him for messing up her work, but the slightly tussled look his hair now had, made him even cuter, so Garcia decided against it.

Reid needed to be on his way anyway, or he would be too late.

"Are you ready to go?" Garcia questioned and brushed away some pieces of fluff from Reid's shoulder.

The young man shook his head.

"No…" He answered, suddenly not so sure if it was a good idea that he had accepted the invitation.

Garcia only chuckled and slowly pushed Spencer towards the door.

When they were there, she kissed her index and middle finger and pushed them against his forehead.

.

"You go out tonight and have fun and tomorrow when we're back in Quantico you, the bossman and my choco muffin are going to fix your relationship." She whispered, before she nearly pushed him out of the door, shutting it behind him, before she shut the door firmly behind him before he could get back into the room.

"Garcia!" Reid protested and banged against the door once, but then he realized that the tech whiz wouldn't let him back into the room and if he didn't want to spend the night sleeping on the hotel room hallway, he needed to go out with Sinclair.

/And who knows, maybe it's going to be a nice night…/ He tried to convince himself and then he slowly started to walk down the hallway towards the elevator.

Before he could reach it, however, suddenly a hand clamped over his mouth and another one over his eyes…

.

to be continued..