Ridin' the Storm Out

"It's a hard life to live but it gives back what you give."

Once Gideon had left and Meredith had finished her hot chocolate, Reid sat down on the couch next to Meredith; he put his hand on her shoulder. That was all it took for her to collapse against him. She wasn't crying, she just wasn't up to fighting, so she let herself fall and feel. He was warm, his heartbeat soothing, he was safe.

"Reid."

Meredith could just hear Gideon's voice, "Is she with you?"

"Right here; just a sec." To Meredith, "Mer, it's Gideon."

"Dad?"

"You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"I've made some arrangements, I want you to go with Reid and try to get some rest."

"Ok," a short chuckle, "I'll try, but…"

"I know, just try. Will you do that for an old man?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Good, put Reid back on."

Meredith handed the phone back to Reid.

"Reid, take Meredith back to your place- I'll call you when we've got something."

Somehow he managed to furrow his brow and widen his eyes simultaneously, "My place?"

"Yes, your place. It'll be safer than a hotel and Mer will feel more comfortable with you."

Shaking off his surprise, "Right."

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Reid fumbled for his keys; he didn't often have people over, let alone someone like Meredith. "It's not much…"

"Would you stop that!" Meredith gave him a playful swat on the shoulder; she was trying to keep her spirits light- for both their sakes.

He tossed his keys on the table and flipped on the light. Pointing, "the bathroom's right here, the kitchen is through there on the other side of the living room and that's the bedroom- not much."

There it was again, why wouldn't she let herself say what she was thinking- damn-it Spencer, it could be a cardboard box and I'd be happy as long as you were here! But of course she couldn't let herself say that; not right now, she was just getting her control back. Instead she asked, "Do you think I could use and abuse your shower?"

Reid looked as if she'd just asked the most absurdly obvious question in the world, "of course. There's a towel or two next to the sink."

When Meredith returned from her shower, she noticed there were now blankets and pillows lying on Reid's sofa. She thought about earlier, lying on him, but she tried to push those thoughts out of her head… tried.

"Spencer?"

No answer. She heard noises from the area he'd indicated was the kitchen, so she finished towelling her hair, tried to pull her t-shirt down so she felt a little less indecent, and sat down on the sofa. Her eyes wandered over the shelves of books and files around the room, she chuckled inside- looks like my place only organized.

Reid came in within moments, "Tea?"

"Love some."

He handed her a cup, placed sugar and creamer on the coffee table in front of her, and to her delight, sat down next to her.

She took a sip, smiled; he was studying her. She knew because it was what she would have done. "Ah, thank you, for everything- the tea, the shower," patting the pile next to her, "the blankets."

Reid actually seemed startled by the last comment, "No, I was going to take the couch."

Meredith's heart skipped a beat, she knew he was being polite but still. She half glared, half smirked at him, "I can't push you out of your own bed- I've already invade you home."

"I insist."

Meredith was on firm ground here; she had her own standards when it came to being a houseguest- regardless of the circumstances. She put down her cup and turned to face him, "and I insist that there's no way I'm taking your bed!" -not without you in it she added to herself.

It was like two rams locking horns, neither giving an inch nor taking their eyes off the other. Until, Meredith did the unexpected- she stuck her tongue out at him. Reid almost jumped. "Ha, I win," she declared triumphantly.

Reid just stared at her in astonishment- face blank, eyes blinking.

"What? You jumped, broke contact first, therefore I win," taking another sip of tea, "I get the couch, you take your bed. Simple." She turned back towards him. His expression had changed, softened, but still full of confusion. He leaned towards her ever so slightly. Meredith mirrored his motion. A quick smile flitted across her face. Her hand touched his cheek- hesitant- they kissed.

Meredith let her head fall against his, her hand sliding from his face to the back of his neck, "how about we share the bed?" she whispered.

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They were in his bed. Meredith was asleep with her head on his chest. But Spencer Reid was wide-awake. How could this be? She's beautiful, smart, funny. What does she see in me? It must be one of those tense situation relationships- the ones that never go anywhere. Why not Gideon, they obviously have a history? Or Morgan, he's the smooth talker. Reid couldn't understand it. He kept going over the facts- it didn't add up. He thought about their aerodynamic experiments earlier that day- she actually made him laugh, a lot. He thought about the kiss she gave him when she and Gideon left that evening and the tingle he still couldn't shake. He thought about how peaceful she was resting on him in Gideon's office, and the peacefulness she brought over him. He thought about the warmth of her body lying next to his right now, her breath easing in and out over his chest, the feel of her heart pumping rhythmically. He thought. He wondered. He questioned. Can she actually care about ME? Somewhere deep down he dared to believe.

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The shrill chirp of Reid's phone seemed to resound throughout the apartment. Cutting it off in the second ring Reid answered managing to sound only slightly groggy, "Hello?"

"Reid," Gideon's smooth voice replied, "everything alright there?"

Reid did his best to disentangle himself from Meredith with out waking her. "Gideon, yeah, we're good," he slipped from the bed and out into the living room closing the door behind him. "Mer's still asleep, do I need to wake her?"

"No, let her rest. I just wanted to check-in."

Reid waited, Gideon seemed to be wanting to say something, but Gideon was a master of the game and Reid knew this, which meant that if the answer hadn't come by now it wasn't going to.

"Any news?" Reid prompted.

A deep exhale came from the other end of the line, "A few leads; nothing solid yet." Gideon quickly changed the subject, "either of you need anything?"

"Well, I think Mer would appreciate a change of clothes."

"Of course, you got it. I'll have Elle drop by with some of her things. Anything else?"

Reid had a sudden thought, and why not, nothing else in his life made sense at the moment, "Actually…"

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Back at the BAU Gideon sat staring at his phone, a whimsical smile playing across his face. He had called to check in as he said and he had planned to catch Reid up on the night's events and findings, but there was something in the voice that answered the phone. Gideon hadn't found it distressing, rather reassuring, and the father in him couldn't allow him to bring an end to it just yet. After all, it wasn't really necessary at this point, and what information they did get from last night would only serve to upset Meredith more. All they really had to go on were florist records- so far all ordered on-line from public computers and paid with those blasted pre-paid debit cards, therefore virtually untraceable- some smudged prints from Gideon's house- no hits yet- and several handwriting samples. All of which was indeed very valuable, but it didn't give them a name or a face.

He pushed back from his desk, rubbed his hands over his tired face, fingers resting in a steeple formation at his chin, while he determined his next course of action.

Approaching his team, "Alright people, where are we?"

"Almost done mapping the florists, but we're still waiting on the prints."

"Where's Hotch?"

"He's in QD with the letter."

Gideon sighed and nodded to no one in particular, "Elle, I'm going to run by Meredith's place and pick up some of her things, then I'll need you to take them to Reid's."

"Sure, why the cloak and dagger?"

"I don't want to give this bastard any better chance to find her then I have to."

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She looked so peaceful; he watched her sleeping from the doorway- Reid was amazed at how beautiful watching someone sleep could feel. He was glad Gideon hadn't asked him to wake her, he wasn't sure he would've had the heart to. But that was hours ago and Elle would be dropping by shortly; he couldn't put it off any longer.

Quietly, gingerly he eased into the room and back onto the bed. Meredith moaned slightly, but didn't wake. Sliding up next to her, running his elegant fingers across her hair, he whispered her name, "Meredith." Her eyes fluttered, on the verge of waking.

Reid realized he was out of his element here. His brain said one thing- come on just wake her up and get a move on, no reason to be fussy about it- his body said another- hold her, let her hold you- and his common sense wasn't even speaking the same language- placide excito sua et carpo sua et animadverto venio (although it was making the most logical argument and issuing the advice he was attempting to follow). If this is what being in love is no wonder shrinks are never out of work!

"Meredith," he called again, a little louder than before.

This time her eyes opened slowly, turning to look into the deep soulful eyes pouring like water over her. She smiled, and turned her whole body towards him. "What time is it?"

Absently caressing her hair, "Time to get up. Elle's bringing some things by for you. She should be here soon."

Instead, Meredith nuzzled her head into Reid's tender caress, not wanting the feeling to end, all the while knowing it had to. She began to drift away- not back to sleep, but into her thoughts. She'd learned long ago that her mind was a frightening place, she knew she couldn't allow herself to be swept away by it. She had to focus, focus on what was pulling at her, focus on the fear. In doing so, she realized she was terrified not for herself but for the two men she cared for most and of the danger she was sure she'd put them in.

Thankfully, Reid snapped her back to reality. Whether it was the speed of his motion or the touch of his lips on hers that brought her back she couldn't tell, and didn't care to.

She sighed, releasing Reid's lips, "has Jason found out anything?"

"Nothing he's shared with me," Gideon hadn't told him everything, he knew that, but he also knew Gideon, and that he must have a reason for not filling Reid in.

"But, he did call?"

"Yes, a few hours ago. He said it was just to check in."

Meredith nodded knowingly.

"I was going to start some coffee…"

With a hopeful grin," Can I help with anything?"

"No," rolling himself off the bed and easily into a standing position, "you can relax."

"And that's it," he added as he strolled out of the room and towards the kitchen.

Meredith wasn't sure what had happened but she knew she approved- Spencer was being himself. He was finally showing the confidence and strength she'd only seen hinted at before. She thought it was one of the most perfect things she had ever seen.

Fifteen minutes later, Meredith was wrapped in a woolly blanket on Reid's sofa, sipping some rather sweet coffee and trying not to ogle too overtly over Spencer. He was fidgeting with something by the television- what, she had no clue. Simultaneously, they both froze. There were footsteps in the hall- apparently the last 24 hrs had them both extra sensitive. The footsteps stopped as the trill pulse of a cell phone rang out. A muffled, "Greenaway." Spencer and Meredith exchanged glances and burst into laughter at their shared over-reaction, as he opened the door for Elle.

Elle smiled quickly, as Reid took the battered backpack from her and ushered her into the apartment.

"Yeah, Gideon, I just got here."

"Ok, uh-huh, hold on a sec." Then to Meredith, "how fast can you be ready?"

Meredith rolled her eyes, after twenty-some-odd years Jason still couldn't admit she could dress faster than he, "five minutes or less... but tell him ten," she winked, "it'll make him feel better."

Elle tried to suppress a chuckle, as she said into the mouthpiece, "30 minutes. You got it."

"Gideon thinks we've got something," Elle announced to her audience- one of whom was already in the bathroom changing.

---------NOTES AND MISCELLANEOUS USELESS INFORMATION---------

A/N 4: For those concerned, NO, Reid and Meredith did not have sex.

APOLOGIES: for my Latin- it was 2:30 in the morning and almost 15 years since my last Latin class, so my tenses and cases and such are probably buggered- the rough translation should be something along the lines of "gently wake her, hold her, and see what happens"