Disclaimer: I have no affiliation to Criminal Minds or its characters. This is fiction pure and simple.
Thanks for your reviews.
eideticMeMoRy22 – Welcome and thank you
Maryhell, Sue1313, sharkbaitz17, Nannily, Cacamilis, Irishgirl9 and jenny crum – Thanks for your reviews and for unifying in your hate/suspicion of James.
The Lost and the Broken
Chapter 11
JJ pushed aside yet another overflowing stack of papers in her quest for the elusive cold case files. She covered her nose blocking the violent sneeze just in time. "Spence honey, this place is a pigsty. When did you last clean up?"
Reid poked his head up from underneath his dining room table. "It's not filthy just messy. The kind of mess that gets made when a person is changing places of residence."
"You're moving? Oh my God! Did Derek ask you to move in with him?"
"Not yet."
"What do you mean not yet?" She pushed aside some old maps and perched delicately on one of the chairs ready to listen. Nothing fascinated her more than the dynamics of the Morgan Reid relationship. "Are you sneak-moving in?"
"I don't know what that means."
"You know like when you stay over at a boyfriend's and on your way out you leave a toothbrush. Then next time you leave shampoo or contact solution then something else each time you're there until you've basically moved in." She picked at her thumbs to avoid Reid's stare. "Stop judging me. I was young. My first forays into relationships were difficult, not to mention humiliating."
"I bet you're glad you met Will." Reid quipped.
"Ha! Freaking ha! And yes I am. Stop ducking the question."
Reid blushed. He did have a lot of stuff over at Morgan's already and he did think of it as home. "I'm not 'sneak-moving in' he got me a key. I found it while I was going through his drawers. We have a date tonight, he was nervous when he asked me. He's never nervous so he'll probably bring it up tonight. I want to be mostly packed up when he does."
"When you say 'going through his drawers' you really mean 'snooping'?" JJ punctuated with her fingers.
"Yes." He replied without shame. "I had to move panties out by the shovelful. What kind of woman leaves their underwear at a strange man's house?"
"The kind of woman that's not used to wearing underwear."
"Thank you for putting that image in my head."
"Come on. You know you have nothing to worry about. I never thought I'd live to see the day when Derek Morgan was this whipped."
A beautiful smile lit him up. "He is. Isn't he?"
They worked in harmonious silence both keeping an eye on the clock. The files had to be faxed to the District Attorney's office in Arlington by 2 o'clock.
"So?' JJ spoke up first. "Should I conclude that the hunky surgeon is no longer a problem?" She turned around when he didn't immediately reply. "Reid? What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything." Reid pretended to check some boxes. "He asked me out." He mumbled.
"Oh my God! Reid. I know you have an IQ of 187 but when it comes to relationships if you were any slower you'd need to be watered once a week."
"Hey!"
"Listen to me." She got in front of him. "Shut it down before it blows up in your face."
xxXxx
Reid waited impatiently outside his door. Morgan was late by three minutes he was so anxious it felt like three hours had crawled by. When he heard the familiar growl of his motorcycle he made his way down the path. He held back from flinging himself into Morgan's arms like he usually did.
Morgan's arms that were always ready to catch him dropped. "Where's the love, kid?"
"Over 5000 motorcycle related fatalities are reported in the US every year." Reid stared at him in disapproval. "I don't like it and I especially don't like you riding it."
"Hey, I had hoped that we were growing on you." Morgan mock surrendered patting the cool metal. "But I can and will call a cab as soon as you give me some sugar…" Reid shuffled over kissing him briefly but sweetly. He was still shy about public displays of affection especially when he had to be the one to make the first move.
They stood outside his building Morgan holding him stroking his back while they waited for a more reliable means of transportation. Reid knew he was just as likely to die in a car but he felt comforted by the thought of four wheels instead of the two that would have been keeping him from the asphalt.
"Should we wait inside?" Morgan was caressing the small of his back.
"They are – uh - tenting for termites." Termites? What a crappy excuse!
"They are tenting just your apartment?"
Think faster. "They are starting with my place."
"Okay" Morgan narrowed his eyes at him. "You know I'll get it out of you one way or another."
"Can you feed me before the torture commences?" There was no way he was letting Morgan inside seeing as he'd gone overboard as usual and packed up all his stuff. He had no idea what had happened he'd only meant to put aside the books but he'd zoned out popping bubble wrap. By the time it was time for their date his apartment was strewn with boxes and packing tape.
"Whatever you want, baby."
They dined at a small family style Italian restaurant. Good food and good wine combined with the quaint atmosphere should have relaxed him but by the time they got back to Derek's house Reid had a mild case of whiplash from turning every time Morgan reached for any thing. No key had materialized. He was disappointed, pouting and on the verge of tears.
The coffee he offered to make was as good as a distraction as any. He could hear Morgan playing with Clooney in the backyard. He knows. All this has been a game just to mess with you. When he heard the door open he couldn't take it any more
"He kissed me." Reid blurted as he turned around. Too late he saw the bright blue box with the silver ribbons in his hand.
"Who? Why I'm even asking? It was your doctor friend wasn't it?" The temperature in the room plummeted at the chilly tone. Reid could only watch as the blue box that bore his hopes and dreams disappeared back into corded jeans. "You need to start talking Spencer cos you are scaring the fuck out of me. Do you want to be with him?"
"NO! Of course not, I love you. You know that."
"Do I? You told me to trust you but every time I turn around there he is. Now he's kissing you and you're lying to me. How I'm I supposed to believe you?"
"He kissed me. I never kissed him back."
"Can you tell me that you didn't want to?"
"I didn't. I DON'T"
"When did this happen? Last week at the café where I wish Clooney had killed his ass?"
"I-I-" Reid paused to steady himself. "I was teaching him chess and we argued about the accuracy of Heroes. Even at its peak it was a highly overrated show, so many inconsistencies…" He was rambling. Get to the point. "He wanted to go by his house to show me an article about hereditary sensory autonomic neuropathy to prove that it was possible for that cheerleader to survive the fall off the bridge and I…"
"You were in his house?"
"I know it was stupid which is why I stopped seeing him and taking his calls. The meeting at the café was purely by accident."
Morgan turned on his heel and stormed out into the living room. Reid followed him like a lost puppy. "I am sorry." He could hear the panic in his voice. It overshadowed his ability to submit a coherent defense.
"I am here. Making plans for us and our future together…" Disappointment once again gave in to rage and Morgan snapped at him. " I'm always right here Reid. Where are you?"
"I am here too." Reid's voice wobbled dangerously.
"No you're not. If you want to leave there's the fucking door." He made it to the stairs before he came back whistling for Clooney. "You know what? I'll go." The resultant slam was followed by the crash of an unstable picture frame then dead silence.
Morgan let himself back in. Two hours of walking, screaming and debate still hadn't loosened his anger. Clooney shot past him wisely heading for his doggy bed. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Reid passed out on the couch. He approached him slowly heart heavy in his chest. The dried streaks of tears on the perfect porcelain skin drained him till he stood empty and exhausted his only desire for the man that lay before him. He drew got a blanket from the linen closet and headed back covering him carefully.
Reid stirred, reddened brown eyes opening slowly "Morgan? You came back."
"Of course I did."
"Because you live here?"
"I love you. There's no where else I'd rather be."
"I love you too." A pale hand took his dragging him down until he lay under his genius. Reid draped on top of him pressing lazy kisses on his brow. "Ask me." He breathed into his neck.
"Baby…maybe you need sometime to figure out what you want."
"No. I don't need time. I want to be here. I belong with you. Ask me."
"Spencer Reid," he stopped to breathe. "Will you move in with me?" A sweet mouth covered his, brown tresses falling into his eyes. "Is that a yes?"
"There's no place I'd rather be."
An intense fevered reunion later, Reid was passed out in his arms still holding on pretty tight to his key. Morgan stroked his hair unable to sleep, for the first time he worried about what the new day would bring.
He is going to break your heart.
AN: No, you did not miss a chapter. I had laid the groundwork for the kiss with James just hadn't mentioned it outright. I wanted to reveal it the same way Morgan would have heard it. So you can have the same WTF reaction he did. I hope I pulled it off.
