Disclaimer: I have no affiliation to Criminal Minds or its characters. This is fiction pure and simple.

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Idontdanceigrand, Guest 1, Guest2, JennyCrum, More Than Gold, Wolfpawn, LoveforPenandDerek, Kids7hot2 and May as always.

Marinelvr84 - I'm so sorry you and your son are sick. Feel better.

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Virgin!

Chapter 14

A flash of red in the corner of his eye sent Reid scrambling out of his seat. The clacking of keys in the tense room seemed to pause at the loud crack of his chair on cubicle before starting up again. He glanced around but the bright hue had vanished. Unwilling to take any chances he decided to make a run for it. Morgan was wearing a red sweater. Eyes darting, head ducking he backed away from his desk just a couple more steps and he'd be free. The chatter in the bullpen rose exponentially when he tripped over Agent Carlson's chair and fell to the floor. Brushing aside Prentiss' concern he raced down the hall bursting into the break room.

Home free he closed his eyes, rested his head against the cool grey wood and sighed with relief. Sure he'd left his dignity all over the bullpen floor but he'd escaped once again. For the past three days he'd made himself the same promise, he would talk to Morgan and apologize for running from him without answering his question but every time he saw him he went into complete panic mode. There was only room for in his mind for guilt, sorrow and shame and no decent way to voice either.

"Morning"

Son of a bitch!

One eye popped open and confirmed his worst fear. Morgan at his 'bronze godliest' as Garcia would put it leaned nonchalantly against the counter dressed head to toe in - black? "You tricked me!"

The slow smug 'gotcha' smile that pulled at Morgan's lips was so very annoying. "I had to do something. You've been creeping about like you stole something. It's funny as hell to watch but completely ridiculous." He picked up the steaming mug and held it out to Reid. "You can't hide from me forever."

"I am not hiding fr…" He met the disbelief in Morgan's kind eyes with a wry smile as he stumbled forward for the cup. Reid's breath caught at the brief brush of the dark fingers on his. Heat seeped into his palms and he hang his head counting slowly until the tremors stopped. "I don't know what to say about – everything." He mumbled.

Morgan studied the sleek tumble of brown curls atop the bent head. Tips of the delicate pink shells of his ears peeked out. Drawn to the pale curve of his neck Morgan raised his hand then dropped it again. If there was anything of them left to salvage he couldn't keep touching him. "Don't say anything."

Reid's head snapped up, mutiny forming as he opened his mouth to argue. Morgan cut him off. "We have been friends a long time. It would be stupid to let something like this wreck us."

Subdued but interested Reid asked. "What do you suggest?"

"Well we need to plow through the weirdness. How about I pick you up tomorrow?" At Reid's skeptical look he hurried to reassure him. "I bought a new house it's a bit of a fixer upper. I'm handling the renovations myself. You can come with me and hammer some nails pretend it's my head."

"We'd be - alone?" Reid didn't mean to but the word still slipped out suggestive and lingering painting the air around them with heat.

Morgan evaded the glistening hazel pools. "We'll be fine." He croaked. This was clearly a lie but if he said it long enough it could come to pass. He battled himself even as desire crawled into his chest, curled up and settled in with no intention of ever leaving. Deflect. Deflect. "Uh! I'm stunned I thought when I asked you, your mind would go straight to John Wayne Gacy, Jr."

"The serial rapist who murdered teenage boys between 1972 and 1978 and buried 27 of them underneath the floorboards of his house? Why would I bring that up?"

"Those are the kinds of things you say."

"I am capable of having a normal interaction with people of average intelligence."

"Are you calling me stupid?"

"If the average sized brain fits."

"Ouch!" Morgan faked hurt clutching at his chest. "You wound me."

They bickered falling back into the rhythms of their long-term friendship with reassuring familiarity. Even as they made new plans to repair their bond the pantry door hang open besides them a subtle reminder that some doors can never be completely closed.

xxXxx

Reid wandered around the ground floor of the colonial style house. It was big, bare and every square footage screamed 'family home'. In spite of the sawdust still covering every surface it was obviously in the process of being lovingly restored. He itched to race upstairs and explore every nook and cranny but Morgan had warned him against the loose staircase.

He had always assumed that when he got older he would meet someone and they'd build a home together and until that day came he would live in his tiny apartment. Maybe that didn't have to be so. He could buy a house on his own. Things between him and Morgan could go back to normal. They already felt more and more like their old selves. The ride down had been an extension of yesterday's camaraderie, which was such a relief from the crippling shame that had plagued him since that awful night.

For a moment he felt a terrible sense of loss. He replayed the last moment, the last question, the last chance he'd had to get the love he wanted before he run. But even now the very thought of taking that final step stole his breath and sent panic clawing through his chest. Tormented by insecurity he lived in absolute fear of getting Morgan and then inevitably losing him.

"Reid?" Morgan called again advancing on the unnaturally still form of his best friend. He dropped the heavy toolbox on the rickety table. Along with a fragile dusty chair, they were the only rejects from the previous owners possessions left in the house. "Reid?"

Finally snapping out of his reverie Reid turned round giving Morgan an odd smile. Emotion blazed out of his sad eyes. He was such an open book but his misery was a reminder that they were supposed to be moving back not forward.

Reid brightened at the sight of the toolbox rushing forward and carefully opening it. This was a whole new experience for him. Since he was a kid he'd been more intellectually than physically inclined, chess an easy pick over building things. Now he couldn't deny his fascination with manly tools and the many wonders they hid. He frowned at the new tools on the inside of the box, rechecked the beat-up outside then looked at Morgan. "I don't know what to ask."

"It was my dad's but over the years I've replaced the tools with new ones but I kept the box."

Picking up a screwdriver with a flat edge Reid tossed it from hand to hand. "Wow! My dad never let me touch his tools." An exuberant toss missed his right hand and sent it tumbling to the floor.

"Gee I wonder why." Morgan said sarcastically before chasing after the rogue instrument.

"What are we doing?" Reid picked up a saw waving it in the air. "Can I use this?"

"No. You…" Morgan grabbed it out of his hand before replacing it with a bright yellow and black object. "…use that."

"Measuring tape?" He squeaked voice high at the slight snub. "I want a big tool."

Morgan's hair trigger libido already under great strain the whole ride over was chomping at the bit. The damn vanilla scent lingered in his nostrils mercilessly teased his senses. He was sure he could smell Reid on him and despite several washes was unable to get him out of his sheets. Several deep breaths and a stern reminder that they were friends, just friends from now onwards barely helped the resolution.

"This one." Reid crowed. "This is the one." He glanced over to find Reid blatantly fingering the 24-inch adjustable wrench.

Morgan cracked. "Stop that."

"What?" Wide innocent eyes peered up at him. "I was just testing my grip. I'm I doing it wrong?"

"Believe me." Morgan ground out. "Your – grip – is – FINE!"

The tone in his voice must have given him away because after an embarrassed "Ohhh!" Reid colored dropping the wrench.

Three beats of silence passed. All the reasons they stopped having sex ceased to matter. "No!" Morgan ordered when Reid took a step forward, relieved when the sexy genius didn't listen.

They crashed together kissing like breathing, natural, necessary. Morgan ate at his mouth hands fisted in his hair. Reid fought for breath, lust an impenetrable smog swallowing him up. The thought that he could ever stop doing this was absurd. Unseeing they bumped into the wobbly table sending the toolbox to the floor. Scarred and battered it gladly absorbed one more dent.

Morgan ripped through the barrier of Reid's clothes until he stood naked before him. Collapsing to the flimsy chair he dragged Reid into his lap nipping and sucking at his long neck and hard nipples. The slim hands made quick work of his belt stroking and pulling at the exposed length.

Craving the dark taste of him in his mouth, Reid tugged at the thick muscles that wouldn't let him go. His pleas went unanswered then unspoken at the slight probing of a hot wet finger between his cheeks. Impatient he ground back on Morgan's fingers the preparation quick and desperate. Morgan pushed inside him, taking him, possessing him. It was intense and exhilarating. Grabbing the strong body as tight as he could, he wrapped his arms around the sturdy shoulders rising and falling picking up the tempo in the ancient dance.

Rough denim scratched the inside of Reid's thighs as their rhythm got deep and hard making up for lost time. Taking exception to every violent move, the spindly chair squeaked in protest. One leg fractured with unheard warning before giving out tossing them to the floor. A tight grip on the slim hips Morgan kept them together rebuilding rougher better. Lips fused blocking the eager cries that erupted in long held out passion. Heads tossed back, spines bowed they exploded in orgasm.

Reid crumpled on to Morgan's larger frame his heart pounding in his chest. He couldn't move. Didn't want to. The mess they had made slowly came back into focus and he fought a nervous giggle. "We might need a new plan." He picked up the stray tube of lube and held it in front of Morgan's face.

"I was a boy scout?" Morgan grinned cheekily.

Reid could no longer suppress the snicker that led to a full-blown laugh. Morgan joined in both of them in stitches, clinging to their sides.