A/N: Okay, you guys have no idea how nervous I am right now. My final high school results come out tomorrow, and I'm seriously worried that I've failed Maths... I had 3 dreams last night, and ALL of them were about getting my results. So you know what I do to calm my nerves? Write more! Reid and Morgan are going to get to see Morgan's mum in this chapter. So let's read on, shall we?
Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of its characters.
Chapter Two: I've Never Been More Nervous
As soon as Morgan and Gordinski spoke to each other, the mood in the precinct became incredibly tense. Even the officers that hadn't been on the force that day knew that Gordinski had arrested Morgan for the murders Carl Buford had committed, even if they didn't know the whole story. All of them just stared, not knowing or caring how to alleviate the tension.
Morgan himself had no idea what to say. Other than a brief nod of apology from Gordinski while he was arresting Buford, Morgan and Gordinski hadn't even interacted since Morgan had been cleared of those crimes. Morgan knew that Gordinski knew the truth about his childhood. He just wondered whether it would make a difference.
Hotch, knowing Morgan wasn't about to say anything, was the first one to break the silence. "Detective Gordinski," he said, stepping forward and shaking the man's hand. "Agent Hotchner. I believe you know most of my team. Agents Jareau, Prentiss, Morgan-" the whole team saw Gordinski flinch at Morgan's name- "-and Dr Reid. I believe Agent Rossi is new to you."
Gordinski shook the hand of each team member in turn (except for Reid, who just waved as he normally did). When he reached Morgan, though, both men hesitated for a moment. Eventually Morgan stuck out his hand, and Gordinski shook it briefly before letting go.
"I assume you guys want to get started," said Gordinski, turning his back on the team and walking into the back room, where he already had evidence boards set up and waiting. The team exchanged glances with each other before following him.
"I've got info about the first victim over here, the second here, and the third over here," said Gordinski, indicating different areas of the boards in turn.
"Have you got anything about the days the victims disappeared?" Hotch asked.
"They all disappeared the day before they were found," Gordinski said. "All of them taken from semi-public places, during their regular routine."
"So he targeted these victims specifically," Reid concluded.
"How do you know that?" Gordinski asked.
"Because the fact that the victims were taken during their daily routines means that the UnSub is stalking his victims," Prentiss explained.
"So he's probably already picked his next target," Gordinski said bitterly.
"Probably," said Rossi. "And the other problem is, we have no idea how long he stalks his victims before he kills them. Or where he kills them, for that matter."
"That's what we need to figure out," said Hotch. "We also need to figure out why he's targeting these particular victims."
"Well, they're all in their late teens to early twenties, have brown eyes, and are brunettes," JJ mused. "Maybe they represent something to him."
"Alright," said Hotch. "Morgan and Prentiss, I want you guys to go out and check out the dump sites, see if there's anything you find. Rossi and I will talk to the victim's families. Reid and JJ, I want you to stay here and start a geographic profile, and then work on victimology."
The team all nodded, a pang going through Morgan and Reid when they realised they would be working apart all day. They really wanted to be together at a time like this, but they could both understand Hotch's reasoning; they could both be distractions to each other, and they didn't want Gordinski to become suspicious of their relationship. It wasn't what they needed right then.
"Is Morgan okay?" JJ whispered to Reid after all the others had left. She kept her voice as quiet as she possibly could, so only Reid could hear her. Detective Gordinski was still in the room, and they didn't want him to hear them talking about Morgan.
"I think so," Reid whispered back just as quietly. "He just has a lot on his mind, that's all. Working with Gordinski doesn't exactly bring back good memories for him. Not to mention he's taking me to meet his mother and his sisters tonight."
JJ giggled. "Good luck with that," she said, before Gordinski walked over to them. "What're you working on?" he asked.
"We're working on the geographic profile, trying to narrow down the UnSub's comfort zone," Reid explained. "Based on where the victims were taken from, we can assume that the UnSub lives or works in this area." Reid pointed at the map he had lying on the table in front of him, so he could sit down and still work on it, and the circle he had drawn there.
"Why the abduction sites, and not the disposal sites?" Gordinski asked.
"They're important too," said JJ. "But they indicate where the UnSub doesn't live. He wouldn't dump the bodies anywhere near his house or his work; it would draw too much attention."
"I see." Gordinski studied the board and the map that Reid and JJ had been working on, but both of them could tell by his expression that there was more that he wanted to say. Eventually Gordinski cleared his throat, and turned to look at Reid and JJ again. "Look, I just wanted to say that I hope there's no bad blood between us, after what happened last time with Agent Morgan. I realise I was wrong now."
JJ and Reid looked between each other, unsure of what to say. "You realised you were wrong in the end," JJ finally said. "That's what matters here."
"Neither of us can answer for Morgan," Reid added. "But as long as there's no issues with him, there should be none with me."
"Well, good then," said Gordinski, turning back to his work. JJ and Reid exchanged looks one last time before beginning work on victimology.
I hope this all works out, Reid said to himself. I really hope it does.
"So, how are you and Reid going?" Prentiss asked as she and Morgan walked from the car to their most recent crime scene.
Morgan chuckled. "I should've known you'd ask me that," he said.
"Well, answer the question then," Prentiss laughed.
"We're good," said Morgan. "Really, really good." He smiled, thinking of the young genius. "Spencer is… well, he makes me happy. Keeps me grounded. He's good for me."
Prentiss smiled. "Look at you, getting all sentimental." She elbowed him good-naturedly in the ribs. "He really is good for you."
"You doubted my words, Prentiss?" Morgan joked.
"No, I guess I didn't," said Prentiss. "How's he handling the fact that he's going to meet your family tonight?"
"He's nervous," Morgan replied. "He's afraid that they won't like him, or that they won't accept our relationship."
"And what do you think?"
"They'll like him, I know that much," Morgan replied as they examined the park bench where the last victim was found. "It's hard not to."
"Oh, they'll definitely like him," Prentiss agreed. "They already do. I remember when you were… well, otherwise indisposed, and Reid and I went to go talk to your family. The situation didn't stop them from feeding Reid your mother's birthday cake. And as soon as they figured out the reason that he was spouting facts about law enforcement officers being killers wasn't because he thought you were a murderer, and was because he is Dr Reid, they warmed to him even more."
"Betcha Spencer was shovelling that cake down," Morgan chuckled. "And I told you it's hard not to like him."
"Although, they only knew who Reid was because they said you talk about him," Prentiss said. Morgan stopped looking around the crime scene and looked back at Prentiss.
"I talked about all of you," he said. When Prentiss fixed him with a disbelieving stare, he added, "Alright, I talked about Spencer a lot more than the rest of the team, even then." Morgan sighed, looking around at the park surrounding the disposal site. "He would've had to dump the victim at night to avoid being seen," he mused. Indeed, even though the entire park had been roped off with crime scene tape, there were a lot of people walking past it, some of them craning their necks to see if they could see anything.
When Morgan looked back at Prentiss, she was still staring at him. "What?" he said.
"I'm just curious," Prentiss said. "Why did you talk about Reid so much, before you became more than friends?"
Morgan looked down at his hands, thinking for a while, before answering Prentiss. "Spencer has always meant the world to me," he said finally. "We've always been close; best friends. At first, I thought that that was the reason I talked about him so much with my family, but now… now I'm not so sure about that."
"You think that there was always something else there?" Prentiss guessed.
"I think I was always in love with Spence, or at least falling for him," said Morgan. "Maybe that's why I started calling him pretty boy in the first place. I mean, I can't have just suddenly had feelings for him in the moment that I kissed him and told him I loved him."
"That's true," Prentiss agreed. "These things certainly don't just crop up overnight." She grinned at Morgan, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "We really should get back."
"Yeah, I don't think we should leave Reid and JJ alone with Gordinski for too long," Morgan agreed, as the two agents began walking back to their car.
"You don't think Gordinski's over the issues the two of you had?" Prentiss asked.
"I don't know," Morgan admitted. "He might be, but if he isn't, and he says something against me, Spencer might snap."
"Reid? Get angry?" Prentiss said disbelievingly, as they pulled away from the curb.
"He does when he feels he can really relate to the situation, or when it affects him personally," Morgan explained. "And since it's me… well, let's just say that he wouldn't be very happy if Gordinski said anything."
"Don't worry so much, Morgan; JJ's with him," said Prentiss. "She's not going to let him get mad. But let's hurry back, just in case."
It didn't take Morgan and Prentiss very long to arrive back at the Chicago police precinct. When they arrived, Reid was sitting down at the table, his crutches leaning against it, and case files spread out around him. JJ was standing at the evidence boards, pinning things up and writing as Reid dictated. Gordinski was sitting at the table as well, on the phone to someone.
Morgan moved across the room, bending down beside Reid on the pretence of reading what he was doing. "How's he been?" he asked Reid in a low whisper.
Reid didn't have to ask to know whom Morgan was talking about. "Fine," he answered honestly, also in a whisper. "I think he's talking to one of the other detectives, about one of our victims. He only mentioned the case with you once, and that was to say he hopes there's no hard feelings, and that he realises he's wrong now."
"He does?" said Morgan a little louder than he intended, causing Gordinski to look over at him curiously.
"He didn't go so far as to apologise," Reid added. "But at least he wasn't being antagonistic."
"Where's Hotch and Rossi?" Prentiss asked, speaking up for the first time.
"They're on their way back now," JJ said from her position at the evidence boards. "They called a little while ago; they said two of the victims were single, while Isabelle Munroe was in a long distance relationship, they all lived alone, all were in college, and they all stuck to a routine. And all three were good girls. Never put a foot wrong."
"I'm almost sure that these victims represent somebody to the UnSub," Prentiss said. As soon as she'd finished talking, Detective Gordinski hung up his phone. "Anything interesting?"
"One of Carlie Grant's neighbours reports seeing a beat-up white sedan parked a few doors down from Carlie's house several times in the weeks leading up to her disappearance. Said she'd never seen it before or since."
"That could definitely be the UnSub," said Morgan. "We did think he was stalking these victims prior to taking them. This could prove it."
It wasn't long until Hotch and Rossi walked back into the precinct. "What did you guys find out?" Hotch asked Morgan and Prentiss.
"All of the parks were in busy areas," Morgan said. "A constant stream of cars and people went past the entire time we were there."
"And the park benches were out in the open, where anyone could see them," Prentiss added. "There's no way the UnSub could've dumped the bodies during the day without being seen. He has to leave them there at night."
Hotch nodded. "JJ and Reid tell you what we found out about the victims?" he asked. When Morgan and Prentiss murmured their assent, he said, "I don't think there's anything else we can do today. I think we should head back to our hotel and rest."
"Good idea," Rossi agreed. After a brief goodbye to Detective Gordinski, the team left the precinct.
It didn't take the team very long to arrive at their hotel. As they stood in the lobby, Hotch told them, "Luckily, we managed to get single rooms. Except for you two," he said, indicating Reid and Morgan. "I can see you sneaking into each other's rooms anyway, so you're sharing. And besides, I figured Morgan could use the moral support on this case."
Morgan and Reid both stared at Hotch, surprised at his kind action. While he welcomed their relationship, he normally didn't condone them sleeping in the same bed, let alone the same room, on cases. Especially when their relationship was still a secret to the FBI.
"Thanks, Hotch," said Morgan, smiling gratefully at their boss. "Now come on you," he said, grabbing Reid's arm. "We have to get ready, 'cause my mum's not gonna be happy if we're late."
Reid gulped, as if he was just remembering what he and Morgan were going to do that night. "O-okay," he stammered. He could see the team out of the corner of his eyes, smiling comfortingly at him. Reid didn't think he could bear to hear them say that Morgan's family would be totally fine with their relationship one more time; he didn't what them to convince him of the fact, then find out they were wrong. He followed Morgan straight up the small staircase to their hotel room, without looking back at the others. Reid noted dimly that their room was separated from the others, and remembering back on their case in Milwaukee when they'd shared a room, Reid knew exactly why.
Morgan moved across the room and, setting his go bag on the bed, began searching through it for the clothes he was going to wear to dinner that night. He found a shirt and pulled it out, but when he turned around to face Reid, the genius was sitting in a chair right beside the door, his eyes closed. Morgan could tell Reid was still conscious, though; he was wringing his hands, like he did when he was nervous.
"Spencer?" said Morgan softly. "Spence? Pretty boy?" At the sound of the affectionate nickname, Reid opened his eyes. "Are you okay?"
"Hmm? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," said Reid dismissively. Morgan crossed his arms and focused his disbelieving gaze on him. He knew Reid was lying; 'I'm fine' was his standard answer when he wanted everyone to think he was okay.
"Spencer," said Morgan. "Come on, who do you think you're talking to? I know you better than anyone, so I know when you're lying."
Reid let out a long sigh. "I'm scared, Derek. I can't help but think that your family aren't going to like me."
"Oh, Spence." Morgan crossed the room, dropping to his knees in front of where Reid was sitting. "I am telling you, you have nothing to worry about. They're going to love you."
"How can you be so sure about that?" Reid asked.
"Because I love you," said Morgan matter-of-factly. He reached out and cupped Reid's face in both of his hands, using his thumbs to gently rub small circles on Reid's cheeks. "They're not going to care that you're a man, Spencer. They're going to like you for everything that you are, because that's exactly the way that I feel."
Reid sighed again, Morgan touch beginning to sooth him. "I love you, Derek," he whispered.
Morgan pressed a soft kiss to Reid's forehead, then to his nose, and finally to his lips. "I love you too, Spencer. So much. And if nothing else, they will like you because of that."
"I hope you're right," said Reid. "I just can't help but feel that tonight will make or break me."
"You don't need to be so dramatic," Morgan chuckled. "You should just feel honoured that I'm bringing you home to meet my family. I don't think I've ever brought anyone home to meet my family before." He reached up, ruffling Reid's hair affectionately. "Come on, pretty boy. Let's get ready, okay? Get that vest off you."
"I thought you liked my vests," said Reid, slightly hurt as he used his crutches to cross the room to the bed.
"I do," said Morgan. "Which is why I bought you this." He reached into his own bag, pulling out a jet-black sweater vest. "I was hoping you'd wear this."
Reid took the vest from Morgan, looking it over as he held it in his hands. "You bought this for me?" he said. "When?"
"When I took Clooney to the vet the other week," Morgan replied. "I was just driving past the store, and I saw this, and I thought it would be perfect for you. You like it?"
"I do," Reid confirmed, and Morgan's face lit up. "Now can we get dressed and go, before I change my mind and baulk?"
Morgan chuckled. "Okay, Spence. Let's go."
In Reid's mind, it seemed like it was no time at all until they'd pulled up outside Morgan's childhood home. His nerves had risen again as they'd gotten closer, and as soon as Morgan stopped the car, Reid reached out and took his hand in comfort.
"Hey. It will be okay," Morgan said soothingly, squeezing Reid's hand in his. "Remember what I said? I promise you they will welcome you into the family with open arms."
"Into the family?" Reid repeated.
"Yeah. You know I can't see my future without you, Spencer," said Morgan. "You're my family just as much as they are." He leaned over and kissed Reid, feeling the genius's mouth pull into a smile under his own lips. "Now come on. My mum's waiting for us."
Morgan moved around to Reid's side of the car, opening his door and helping him climb out. "Get ready, Spence," Morgan said. "You're probably not going to want to eat for a week after eating one of my mum's dinners."
The two men walked to the front door, where Morgan knocked and waited. It wasn't long until they could hear the sound of footsteps approaching, and the front door opened, revealing Fran Morgan, Morgan's mum. The woman had shoulder-length, curly red hair, and was wearing a very kind smile.
"Derek!" she cried, stepping forward and hugging her only son tightly. "Oh, it's so good to see you!"
"It's good to see you too, mama," said Morgan, hugging his mum close. "You remember Doctor Spencer Reid, of course." Morgan stepped back so his mother could see Reid properly. Reid gave Fran a shy smile.
"Oh my!" she gasped when she saw that Reid was on crutches. "What happened to you?"
"I got shot in the knee, protecting a man from our killer," said Reid. "It doesn't hurt badly anymore, but I still can't walk on my left leg."
"Well, you must want to come inside and sit down, then!" said Fran. "Come in, come in!" she stepped aside, allowing Reid and Morgan to go past her into the house. To Morgan, she said, "Sarah and Desiree were very happy to hear that you were coming tonight, Derek."
"They aren't here yet?" said Morgan as they entered the living room. He placed a hand on Reid's shoulder, and indicated that he should sit on the couch. Reid did so, and Morgan took his crutches from him and leant them against the wall before sitting down beside Reid. Fran watched them curiously as they did so, taking the love seat beside them.
"No, they're not," she said once they were all seated. "Desiree's just finishing up her shift at the hospital, and Sarah had parent teacher night at her school. Desiree's a nurse and Sarah teaches third grade," Fran added to Reid. Reid just nodded; Morgan had in fact already told him this, but as Fran didn't yet know how close they really were, she had no idea of this. "Jobs nowhere near as dangerous as Derek's."
"Mama, it's what I love doing," Morgan protested. "And it's what I'm good at. I don't think I'd be as happy doing anything else."
"Relax, Derek," Fran laughed. "I gave up on trying to get you to leave the FBI years ago. You're too much like your father. Wanting to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. Protective." Reid nodded at the last word, murmuring his agreement. "I take it you've seen his protectiveness first hand- can I call you Spencer?"
"Of course you can," said Reid, a little surprised. "I'm the youngest on the team, so everyone's really protective of me. Derek especially so. Sometimes a little bit too much."
"Come on, Spencer, you're a disaster magnet," Morgan laughed. "You have to admit, you get in trouble a lot more than the rest of us. Therefore, we need to be really protective of you."
"If you say so," Reid huffed, which just caused Morgan to laugh even more and Fran to giggle softly. She'd been watching Reid and Morgan's exchange with a curious eye.
"Would you boys like a drink, while we wait for Sarah and Desiree?" Fran asked. "Coffee, maybe?"
Neither Morgan nor Fran missed the way Reid's face lit up at the mention of coffee. "Spencer practically lives on the stuff. Just make sure you have a lot of sugar. And I really mean a lot."
"Derek!" Spencer gasped, but there was no hurt in his voice.
Fran Morgan just laughed. "Don't worry, Spencer. I'll just bring out the sugar pot for you," she assured him with a smile.
As soon as Fran had left the room, Morgan scooted closer to Reid so they were sitting right next to each other, their bodies touching. "Derek, what are you doing?" Reid hissed quietly. "We haven't told your mother about us yet!"
"Well, maybe we should tell her when she comes back in," Morgan suggested.
"But what about your sisters?" Reid asked. "I thought we were going to tell them all together!"
"Spencer, I don't want to hide from my mother anymore," Morgan said. "I want to be able to hold you in front of her. I want to be able to kiss you in front of her. I want her to know how much I love you. I can't wait until my sisters get here."
"Derek…" Reid whispered, just staring at Morgan. "Alright. We'll tell her?"
"Tell me what?" Fran asked as she walked back into the room, carrying three cups of coffee, milk and sugar on a tray. She set it on the table and resumed her seat, looking at Reid and Morgan.
"Well, um…" Not knowing exactly what to say, Morgan reached out and took Reid's hand in his own. He squeezed it gently, smiling at Reid before turning back to face his mother. "Me and Spencer, well…"
"You're in a relationship?" Fran finished. Morgan nodded meekly. "Well, it's about time, isn't it?"
A/N: Bet you guys weren't expecting that ending, were you? That's okay, cos neither was I! Stupid muse... I definitely wasn't planning on Fran already having her suspicions about Morgan, but when I started writing, that's what came out! Oh well, did you guys like it? Please, let me know! I love reading all your reviews!
Oh, and Diamond Cobra, if you're reading this from whichever country you're in now, I've seen the Glee Christmas episode and you haven't! Mwahahahahahahahahaha! :P