Hello again. Hope you enjoy. Disclaimers in earlier chapters.
Of all things, it was an article in the newspaper that made Morgan's day.
CHARRED APARTMENT BUILDING RISES FROM ASHES
After a devastating fire that left six people homeless, a well-known apartment complex is pleased to announce the opening of its new Phoenix addition. The original building, which was left gutted by the fire, has been refurbished and is seeking new tenants.
The original skeletal walls of the building survived, and workers used these supports to rebuild. The new building now boasts new interiors, more space, and more modern hookups for electrical and plumbing that its predecessor.
"It's a shame, seeing as those people lost everything in the fire," manager Charles Wilson said. "Hopefully some of those folks will consider moving back, especially with the upgrades to the existing building."
The original building was one of the oldest apartments buildings in the county, and had been classified as a potential hazard for several years. However, codes were kept up to date on the structure, and the fire is believed to have been caused by a wiring malfunction.
Sitting at his desk trying to ignore the fourteen files laying in wait on his desk, Morgan decided it was time to take a personal day—for him and for Reid.
"Getting coffee?" Prentiss asked, holding out her cup. "Two cream, no sugar, and please for the love of God make it strong." She herself had twenty files on her desk, seeing as Reid finally paid back all the files that the two agents had dumped onto their young colleague. Reid himself was currently on lunch and would be back any minute.
"No coffee," Morgan said. He was on a mission.
Taking the steps two at a time, Morgan clutched the article in his hand and tapped on Hotch's door. He could hear the sounds of paperwork being shuffled and snippets of a phone conversation.
"Come in," Hotch called. After making his polite good-byes, he hung up the phone. "What's up?"
"Hotch, I need a personal day. And so does Reid, but he doesn't know it yet." Morgan's face was brighter than fireworks on the Potomac at the Fourth. "Check this out."
Taking the article from his younger colleague, a small smile cracked Hotch's stony exterior. "Moving day, huh?"
"And not a moment too soon. He's driving me insane."
"If I recall, it was your idea to let him stay with you. I offered…"
"And I've since learned that though I love the man like a brother, he seriously needs his own space. I want to get this back for him, Hotch." A mischievous smile flittered on Morgan's face. "But I need a little help…"
The entire team was there on Saturday morning. Everyone, that is, except Reid. Morgan and Hotch had given the young agent a little "assignment" to accomplish, claiming it was needed for a case that was pending in court.
In his place were both Kevin Lynch, whom Garcia wrangled with her special charms from the IA computers, and Will LaMontaigne. The willowy man from New Orleans had just finished settling into JJ's place and was happy to help.
"You mean you all are movin' him out, and he doesn't know?" the man drawled, surprised at what he was being asked to do.
"Call it a surprise, Will," JJ said. She was packing clothes into boxes.
"For whom? Reid? Or for you all?"
"Both," Morgan called out as he and Hotch heaved one of the massive bookshelves out the front door and into the U-Haul.
"Okay, cher," Will said resignedly. "What's first?"
"Oh my God, what IS this thing?!"
"Um, how about by collecting Reid's pet gerbil? Seems Em's found him…" JJ smiled, imagining the stoic woman in the middle of a freak out session.
"Now it's crawling out of the cage--!"
That voice was definitely not Emily's.
"What are you..?" Garcia shrieked. "Kevin, put the broom down!"
"What sort of person keeps a rodent as a pet?! They bite, they carry disease, they could give you fleas…"
"Don't you keep a pet snake, Kevin?"
"Yeah, an animal that eats rodents." JJ couldn't help but laugh as she heard the technical analyst searching for Darwin the gerbil: "Here, rodent, rodent, come to Papa…come here so I can put your vermin-filled body back into the nice fish tank that should hold fishies…"
It had taken nine hours to finish up all the paperwork for the upcoming court case. There had been interviews to watch, profiles to assess, paperwork to fill out, prep work with the prosecuting attorney to go through…
Reid was never so happy to hop on the train and head towards Morgan's house. It seemed like everyone had vanished—JJ had an emergency doctor's appointment, Hotch had to see about his son, Garcia was called away on work for IA, Rossi had had to keep an appointment with his publisher, and Morgan and Prentiss vaporized after lunch. The young agent wondered if he was being set up for something, but he let the worry drop for the moment. All he really wanted to do was go hide in his room, play with Darwin, and then curl up and watch an old Road Runner cartoon—or twelve. He had taken the lesson on using humor to cope with his work seriously, and though Chaplin was a classic, there wasn't anything funnier than watching that Coyote keep trying to catch the clever bird that never stopped.
After twenty minutes the train stopped, and Reid strolled down the six blocks to Morgan's house. He could hear voices floating from the patio, and there was a wafting smell of something cooking.
"Seems the guest of honor's finally showed up!" cried a cheerful voice.
"Hey Reid," said Emily, giving the agent a quick hug. "Hurry up and eat before Morgan and Rossi get the last of it."
"There's plenty more where it came from," called out Will, who was proving to be more than just a capable detective. He pulled a large pot off the stove and drained the water off into the grass. "Just keep those ones away from the grill, okay? Lost two racks already from them…"
Reid was staring at the patio table. The entire thing was covered in food—green salad, potato salad, macaroni salad, corn-on-the-cob, baked beans, cornbread, some sort of odd shrimp and tomato soup, jambalaya, brown rice…the list was endless. On a smaller table lay the items that had come off the grill—several racks of pork ribs, small steaks, even a few pieces of chicken.
"You going to stare at it, or eat it?" Rossi teased gently, handing Reid a plate. "I promise, the ribs are excellent."
"Only cause you ate half a rack yourself," Will called out, laughing.
"I..what…huh?" Reid said, still trying to piece together what had brought his colleagues together like this.
"Relax, kid, it's a party," Morgan called out from his chair on the far end of the patio. "Have a seat and stay a while."
"Um, all right…just as soon as I change…"
He hurried down the hall towards his room, hoping to find something a little better than the clothes he'd just spent all day in. contrary to popular belief, Reid did try to dress for the occasion—it wasn't his fault that half of the clothes he owned were work clothes. As it was about eighty degrees outside, he wanted to find something lighter, preferably with short sleeves. Maybe a white shirt…
When he opened the door, a loud shriek escaped his throat.
"Morgan!!"
The next sounds he heard were of feet racing towards him. Reid stood in the doorway, his jaw still making contact with the floor.
"What's the matter?"
The young agent looked at this friends and colleagues. "Where's all my stuff? Did someone break in?"
All at once, the small group assembled around him yelled, "SURPRISE!"
"Some surprise," Reid groused. "Seriously, where's my clothes? And Darwin…?"
"It's all at your new apartment, Spence," JJ said though gales of laughter. "We found you a place you'll like."
Fear crept through the younger man's spine. "R-really?"
"Yep. Check this out," Morgan said, handing Reid the article that had set the whole thing in motion. "Come to find out, you were paid up with them through the middle of 2010—though how you did that I'd like to know…"
"Planning ahead," Reid said simply. There were a few scattered chuckles. "So…I'm moving back home?"
"No, Reid," Garcia said. "We already 'moved' you."
"And that rodent too," Kevin groused. Though he and Reid got along well, he still privately wished he could've let his Molly have the squirmy creature for a snack.
"So, how about coming back outside, having some dinner, and then just relax for a couple before going over?" Emily said finally. "Darwin's fine—clean and changed and everything—and we'll worry about the rest later, okay?"
For the first time in a long, long, long time, Reid broke into a very wide grin.
"Last one out there does all the dishes…"
I'm thinking that's the end folks. All is well, and everyone's happy... :) My job is done.