Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the ideas.

This is my Christmas Gift for MelloJason, as part of the gift exchange on Chit Chat on Author's Corner.

This is te end - sorry if I speed up the case a bit here - but it was never to be a full case fic story. A huge thank you to my Beta Flashpenguin who really helped me with the end of this (I struggle with ending stories at the best of times), she totally made this ending work.

. . .

Filled with dread, Morgan began to make his way towards the suspicious shape on the ground. It was far enough along the path to the Larson's cabin to be unrecognisable, but close enough to them to be noticeable. As he neared the snow dusted lump, Morgan realised his worse fears were coming to fruition.

Dropping to his knees beside the frozen form, Morgan made the futile checks for signs of life. Silently mouthing 'no', Morgan grabbed for his phone. He knew he was too late to do anything, but needed the reassurance that he had done something, anything.

Carefully turning the body as he listened to his phone ring, Morgan searched for ID. Giving the details of the scene to Rossi, who was the first to reply, Derek's heart become heavy with the fact of having to accept that while he and Spencer had been safe and warm, someone had perished only a matter of yards away. What had they been doing out in last nights storm?

Pulling a wallet from an inner pocket Morgan briefly searched through finding a University ID. The body had a name. The kid was in his first year, and had obviously come home for Christmas. Closing his eyes, Derek shuddered as the thought of having to tell a family that their son had been found deadon Christmas day, shook his soul.

Opening his eyes once more, his attention was caught by something shining on the snow a foot away. Reaching over he picked up the golden medal from the soft snow. Identical to the ones he and Reid had found the day before. Realisation dawned as his twisted the medallion through his fingertips.

Retrieving his phone once more he called Garcia.

"Christmas Grotto open and ready to grant wishes, what can I do for you my very own Secret Santa?"

Instantly Derek knew that none of the team had told her of his and Reid's current set of circumstance – something he was glad of. Facing her own brand of panic and sympathy was something beyond Derek right now.

"Angel, I need you to check out a name for me, Daniel Gilbert. Can you send out whatever you find to the whole team?"

As he finished speaking he heard her start to type; it wouldn't be long before they may have a few more pieces for their jigsaw.

. . .

Making their way back to the police station, Morgan and Spencer were amazed by the difference between the weather conditions in the secluded area they had been stranded in and the main town. Micro-climate didn't begin to describe it. The piles of white snow they had waded through to return to the SUV were rapidly replaced by grey mounds of icy slush as they hit the main drag of the town.

The discovery of the body of Daniel Gilbert had ensured that a way up to them had been guaranteed. The local police and Forest Rangers had worked together to retrieve the body. From then on their rescue had been a matter of procedure. Something both Reid and Morgan were silently glad of.

Hotch and Rossi were waiting for them to arrive, and JJ and Emily had joined them. Once reunited the team sat down, wading through the information Garcia had located for them and everything else that had been gathered the day before. Ideas were thrown in and discarded as they tried to make sense of the details they had. As each read, searched and cross referenced, Reid placed a bag on the table.

"Cookie anyone?" he asked

Emily's brow furrowed. "Where did you get cookies on Christmas day?"

Derek and Spencer both smiled, but said nothing.

"Magic," Spencer muttered as the bag was passed round.

. . .

By the end of the day they had pulled together enough to make a solid case against Daniel Gilbert. He had been a local lad, gone through the town schools, and recently started University. He was bright, but a loner, more interested in his books and writing then anything else. From the records that Emily and JJ had gained access to and the information Garcia had retrieved, it was obvious that Daniel had had a hard time fitting in at school and suffered badly at the hands of a group of bullies. Unfortunatly for Danile being intelligent has never been cool.

The bulk of this group of bullies being the town's athletics team - the very team his dad had pushed him to be part of - compacting the opportunities for torment. JJ and Hotch had drawn the short straw of going out to talk to the family, delving into places they really didn't want to in order to gain the information they needed.

Reid stood silently collating and filing the information that showed that the body Morgan had found that morning had been the serial arsonist that they had been hunting. Yet there was none of the satisfaction that he normally felt in solving a case. He hated the fact that the 'monster' they had searched for was a fellow tormented soul - the only difference being Daniel Gilbert had taken a pact with the devil and suffered for the consequences of his actions. Both of them had faced the same junction at some point in their life, they had just taken very differetn paths.

Morgan entered the room, and studied the quiet profiler.

"You alright?" he asked softly.

Reid nodded. "This is one Christmas I'd rather not remember."

Morgan could empathise with that.

"Come on, this is all ready for the locals to tidy up; we're heading back to the hotel to have a Christmas meal and plenty of drinks. 'No' is not an option - before you try it. This has been a rough few days for everyone, and I know how you are feeling, trust me. A family meal is just what the doctor ordered."

Reid looked into the dark orbs of Derek Morgan, he knew that no matter what he had a friend for life. Someone who could all too frequently read him as easily as he read a quantum physic text.

Closing the lid of the cardboard carton, Reid walked away with Morgan, physically turning his back on the case, even if he was not able to do so mentally.

. . .

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.

Burton Hillis, author

. . .

Taking the steps two at a time Morgan buzzed through the bull pen. There was not a chance of him staying second longer than necessary, beside Garcia had used her skills to secure him a place on the next flight to Chicago. It maybe thirty-six hours late but Morgan was heading home.

Pausing by Reid's desk Morgan slapped the young genius on the back. "You off soon?"

"Yeah," Reid nodded.

"Good, because I'm sure I'm not the only one with a mom looking forward to seeing her son."

Reid had to smile, Morgan was right, not matter how Diana Reid was feeling, she enjoyed her time with him.

Watching Morgan leave, Reid called out: "Happy Christmas, by the way."

Morgan turned around. He flashed a bright, wide smile toward the younger agent. "Happy Christmas Kid, see you in the New Year."

Reid watched his friend turn the corner and disappear. He had managed to have a Happy Christmas - albeit with his co-workers while trapped in the snow looking for an UNSUB - but it had happened! And it felt good!

Gathering up his folders, he reached for the lamp on his desk. His hand paused as his gaze fell on the picture of his mom that he kept hidden in the corner of his desk. Picking it up, he brushed of the bit of dust that had accumulated on the frame. It was a good picture of him and his mom taken during one of her lucid moments when demons weren't terrorizing and haunting her waking thoughts, and he had had a second or two of being able to be a real kid not burdened by responsibility.

Giving the picture another glance, he set it down. But this time, it went in the centre of his desk. Turning out the light, he gathered up his jacket. He was heading to Las Vegas to spend the holidays with her. No matter what, she deserved a Happy Christmas as much as he did.

Opening the drawer of his desk, he pulled out the homemade card he had created during the time he was making one for Derek. He slipped it in the pocket of his jacket, then made his way out of the bullpen.

Hitting the button on the lift, he waited. The ping of the lift sounded as the doors opened. Stepping on, he hit the button for the parking garage. He subconsciously patted the pocket. A small smile danced on his lips. He wondered if she would like it. Of course, it wasn't much, but it was from the heart.

And that's what Christmas was all about. Wasn't it?