A/N: Hey guys, I'm back after more than a month. Figures I'd get writer's block as soon as I said I'd try to write a one-shot a week, hah?
Anyways, cardcaptor eternity wanted de-aged Reid so here you go! It came out more depressing than I originally planned but I've been feeling kinda down and nostalgic lately so that's probably where it came from. Anyways, hope you enjoy despite how short it is, and thanks for the bunch of reviews I got for previous chapters. You guys rock! Especially you Annber03!:)
Summary: An unsub turns Reid into a five-year old. Morgan reflects.
Warnings: None. *squints in disbelief*
Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds or Looney Tunes lol.
What Used To Be
The air was sweet with the decaying scent of leaves. A typical smell of autumn, overtaken with the water-logged streets slick with rain and oily leaked gasoline. There wasn't anyone around, which was fine by Morgan, and he looked both ways before crossing the street. The small child clasping his hand skipped happily aside him, his legs a blur as he tried to keep up with the adult's long strides.
"Slower!" he complained, and Morgan adjusted his speed for the young child, who chirped his thanks and beamed up at the man. They moved out of the street – the child joyfully leaping over the curb and onto the sidewalk – and then onto the tufts of yellowed grass drowning in frosty mud, hardened by the nip in the air.
Morgan clenched the child's hand a bit tighter and asked, "You warm enough, Buddy?"
The small kid swung on the agent's arm and said, "Yep!" The borrowed leather jacket Morgan had given him went down to the five-years old knees, and the sleeves had been rolled up at least four times to keep them from obscuring his hands. "Can I go play now?"
The excitement on the young face was unmistakable. The flushed cheeks, the askew glasses, the locks of golden blond hair spilling out from underneath the red tuque Garcia had knitted for him; it was simply adorable. His smile was contagious, and Morgan found himself grinning down at him, although his heart felt heavy with sadness and worry.
"Sure, Bud. Be careful though, it might be slippery."
The child paid him no heed and scrambled eagerly onto the gravel surrounding the playground, scattering rocks and clods of dirt and splinters of wood. Morgan watched as he climbed up the steps, paused, and turned back to wave on the platform he perched on. Morgan waved back then settled himself on the steel bench, eyes still glued to the kid.
Not just any kid though. The small child currently hovering next to the slide, possibly debating on whether or not to go down, was none other than their team's genius, Dr. Spencer Reid.
They weren't sure how it had happened, how it was possible, but Reid had been reduced to a five-year old (or at the very least, that was their closest guess since the small Reid didn't know his exact age). The child didn't remember that he was an adult, didn't remember much of anything except his parents – who were on "vacation" – and his team. But he was still a genius; even at that age, it was apparent. Reading through books flawlessly, in impossibly short periods of time and at a skill level far beyond a five-year old. Completing an entire Sudoku book in under an hour. Knowing and understanding things a young adolescent shouldn't even have necessary brain for.
Yet, he was also still a child. Refusing to eat his vegetables, talking a mile a minute to anyone that would listen, holding an ungodly obsession with dinosaurs, and thinking cartoons – preferably Loony Tunes – were hilarious. And even though they had only had to take care of little Reid for a month now, everyone had quickly sunk into a familiarity with the situation.
Morgan was the one that had first taken him in, and already a room back at his home was overflowing with colouring books, stuffed animals, and new clothes for the boy. Garcia was mostly responsible for those, and like the toque, had also knitted him mittens for the weather that was only going to get closer.
Little Reid was fine as well, surprisingly. He didn't seem at all concerned that his parents weren't around and happily stayed with Morgan, and then with Garcia when the team was in the field. And despite themselves, the team had quickly become attached to the small boy, unaccustomed to such a side of Reid.
That was the origin of Morgan's worry and grief. This Reid, so tiny and full of life, didn't know what lay in his future. All the bullying, his father leaving, him taking responsibility for his sick mother, Hankel. It made Morgan sick with longing, wishing his friend could stay like this, free from scars and nightmares.
"Morgan! Morgan! Watch me! I'm goin' down the slide!"
Morgan gave the child a thumbs-up to show he was watching and the little Reid finally went down the slide, not even hesitating. As soon as his miniature boots hit the ground he was off running and shouting gleefully at his success, his breath steaming in the chilly air. Morgan stood so that the boy collided with his leg, pulling on his jeans and beaming, face full of dimples.
"Did ya see me?" he exclaimed breathlessly.
Morgan laughed, throwing back his head and letting out all his emotions in the sound. If the little Reid thought it was a bit off, he didn't show any knowledge of it. He just took Morgan's hand and squeezed, hopping up and down. "Yeah, I saw Buddy."
"Swings?" he begged, but Morgan checked the time and knew his ten minute coffee break was almost over and that they needed to head back to the BAU.
"Sorry, little man. We have to head back now."
The child's face crumpled and he whined slightly, but he didn't break his hold on Morgan's hand. Despite little Reid being like most children one thing he didn't do was disobey or cry at random things very much, which everyone was most thankful for. Morgan guessed it was a result of his intelligence that gave him a higher maturity level then most five-year olds.
"Come on, let's get some hot chocolate," Morgan said.
The boy's eyes lit up immediately, and chattering away, he happily abandoned the thought of five more minutes of playing for a hot drink smothered in Garcia's special brand of whipped cream, cinnamon, and vanilla. Morgan was only half paying attention, but he smiled and nodded along, leading the boy back to the sidewalk.
Maybe it was selfish, but Morgan was quite content to never find a cure for Reid's de-aging and let him remain in this permanent, optimistic frame of mind where he could finally grow up happy.
A/N: I was going to make it longer but I kinda lost inspiration and didn't really know how to end it. In other news, I'm posting this to avoid homework and distract myself from the sounds of someone moving upstairs even though I'm the only one home. I'm really hoping its just the dog but there's no way in hell I'm gonna go check.
Fun fact: I was originally gonna make a de-aged story where Reid, Emily, Morgan, and maybe JJ get de-aged so the rest of the team needs to take care of them but I doubt I'll do that anymore. THAT story was supposed to humorous (because Morgan and Emily being like siblings would both be adorable and hilarious) but it was also supposed to carry a different view of Reid. As in he's a traumatized child because of all the bullying and isolation from his peers. However, I have a headcanon that when Reid was really young his family was actually pretty stable and happy, since his mother was doing ok and other children didn't really understand how much smarter he was then them, and therefore didn't turn against him (kinda like in Matilda). It was only when he got older and his mom's illness got worse that everything went to shit. I can relate Reid, I can relate.
Anyways, reviews would be appreciated.
