"Why would I need luck?" Freddie asked nervously.
"Because that team is like a freaking guild. They're just now starting to really include me in things that might be going on, and JJ and I have been together for very close to forever. "Freddie raised an eyebrow. Seeing the action, Officer LaMontagne amended, "Well, we've been together since 2007, anyway."
Freddie nodded. On any other day, this would have been the most boring conversation ever, but he needed the normalcy of a conversation - any at all was better than nothing at all. So he asked the cop another question about the team, and then another, and another. Little by little throughout the evening, question by question, Freddie asked Officer LaMontagne and the other man answered with what he knew. It was in this manner that Freddie learned about the people that he was soon to be working with. Also in this way, both Freddie and Officer LaMontagne reached the uneasy brink of a friendship that they hadn't expected - the same thing that had happened with Penelope and maybe, Freddie mused, even with Derek Morgan.
Late that night, Freddie got the chance to discover just what it was that he might be able to develop with Agent Morgan. The imposing African-American was going to put him up for the night. Or as Agent Morgan had put it, "Put up with him for the night."
As he walked in the door behind Agent Morgan, Freddie took a step back in surprise as his heels were assaulted by a jumping terrier.
"That's Clooney." Agent Morgan introduced with a small laugh, tossing his go bag onto the floor and scooping up his dog. "Clooney, this is Freddie. He's going to be staying the night with us." He leaned forward and Freddie heard him whisper in Clooney's ear. "It's your job to make sure that he doesn't steal anything."
Freddie couldn't help but wonder if maybe the man wasn't kidding. "I'm a hacker," Freddie dropped his own bag onto the floor and looked around. "Not a thief."
The other man cleared his throat uncomfortably and put Clooney back on the floor. "Yeah... Well, anyway, you can sleep in the guest bedroom tonight - it's the first door to the right."
Freddie found the room and quickly changed into pajamas. Crawling into bed, he instantly fell asleep, thanks to the sheer exhaustion caused by his day. Thus ended the longest day of his life. And his first day with the BAU.
The next morning, Freddie woke up slowly. He looked around in confusion before it all came rushing back to him and he realized where he was and why he was there. With rays of sunlight streaming through the window and birds singing, the weather promised a wonderful day. His upcoming new job, however, promised nothing of the sort. He groaned and pulled the blankets over his head.
Just in time for Derek Morgan to come bursting in with Clooney at his heels, a flurry of noise and happiness. Freddie wanted nothing to do with either of them at the moment.
"Rise and shine, kid! We gotta be at the office in forty-five minutes or else Baby Girl will have both of our heads."
Freddie rolled over and squeezed his eyes shut, intent on ignoring his host - or captor, whichever was more accurate. He grunted as he felt a solid weight with prodding claws land on his stomach. Clooney. He shoved the dog off of him, and off of the bed, with one solid swipe. Clooney yelped in surprise.
"Hey," Morgan snapped. "Don't you mess with my dog." He yanked harshly on the covers, and they flew off of Freddie and off of the bed. "Now, get up. It's time to go to work, you misplaced little momma's boy."
"I am not a momma's boy!" Freddie objected, finally sitting up as he came to the realization that he had no other choice.
"Yeah..." Morgan mused. "Sorry, but I doubt that."
"You don't even know me," Freddie grumbled, getting up and yanking on a pair of jeans.
He followed Derek Morgan into the hallway, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
"One thing you're gonna learn about profilers," Morgan informed him, tossing him a granola bar from across the kitchen. "Is that they always know you better than you think they do. And when the time is right, they aren't afraid to use their knowledge of you against you. So step carefully." Morgan paused. "And just so you know, stay away from Alyson."
"Alyson?" Freddie ripped open what was apparently to be his breakfast. "Who is that?"
"The blonde who was on the tarmac when we got there, with Rossi. I know you saw her."
"Oh, yeah." Freddie shrugged. "You can relax; I already have a girlfriend. She lives with her dad in Florence, Italy."
"Italy, huh?" Morgan asked skeptically as he grabbed his jacket and the two headed out the door.. "That's a long way from Seattle."
"Yeah, it is." Freddie said, buckling up as Morgan backed out. "But it's been okay. It works for us."
"That's gotta be hard though, especially for a couple of kids like yourself."
"Yeah," Freddie stared at his hands. "I don't want to think what she's going to say about all of this."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I haven't talked to her since you guys came around." Freddie admitted.
"She doesn't know that you're relocating to Quantico?"
"Nope."
Morgan hissed through his teeth. "I'm not exactly known as being the greatest guy when it comes to long-term relationships, or pretty much relationships in general, but even I know that's not a good thing, kid."
"So, what do you suggest, Dr. Cupid?"
Morgan snorted. "First, that you find more inventive insults. Second, that you give her a call. You've got twenty minutes 'til we're at work."
"You want me to call her now - while I'm in the car with you, a guy that I barely even know - and explain everything in under twenty minutes? Great plan. I can totally see why you don't do good in relationships."
"Fine." Morgan snapped at him. "Don't do it. I'm trying to give you some advice, because this job and all is going to turn your life upside down and inside out and I thought that maybe a familiar voice would do you some good, but if you think not, then don't do it. Just forget I said anything and I won't try to help you out any more."
Freddie sighed. "Listen, man, I really do appreciate you trying to help, and believe it or not, I really am grateful for this job and the second chance and everything, but Carly..." Freddie trailed off, trying to find the right word. "It's not that she's awful or anything, because she'd not, but it's just... with everything that's gone on with my mom, I've grown up a lot in a really short amount of time, and she hasn't. She just seems really naïve. I know she's not - that she's always been really bubbly and innocent and it's just me, that I'm the one who's changed - but she seems like a lot more work now then she was when we started our relationship. It's not the same anymore as what it used to be."
Morgan blinked, surprised at the outpouring of information. "It sounds to me like you two are going down."
Freddie snorted. "Thanks for the great advice and encouragement!"
"Hey," Morgan shook his head. "I've been in your spot often enough to call it how and when I see it. Just saying."
Sighing, Freddie dug his cellphone out of his pocket. "I think I'll send her a text, just to check in."
"Good plan." Morgan smiled. "And, hey, call her a pet name. Girls love that."
Good morning, sweetheart.
Two updates in two days! I think that this may be a new record for this story! Please review and make my day! Thanks, everybody!:)
