A/N: Aughhh, I've had a hell of a time with this chapter, for some reason. Hope it was worth it-it's mostly humor and plot development, but I'm trying to get our boys together. Warning-alcohol usage in this chapter!

Please review, loves.

Seds

6:45 PM.

Reid's phone buzzed on the nightstand where he'd left it hours earlier, right next to his head. He groaned, struggled to wake up and fumbled for it, then checked the number. Morgan. He flipped it open and gasped, "Hey."

"Hey. Where are you? Everybody's here already, even Hotch."

"Oh..." Reid rubbed a knuckle into one bleary eye and forced himself to focus until the words meant something to him. Oh, yeah. The end-of-case celebratory drink-a-thon... He'd promised to meet the team at the bar at 6:30. He couldn't believe he'd slept so long, but, God, he'd needed it. Even now, he felt as if he could sleep for a month. "Right. Sorry. I'll be there in a few."

"Okay, man. But, you better hurry. These party animals are getting the jump on you-you don't want to be the last one sober, or they'll all make you drive them home."

"Good point. Don't worry, I'll be there." He started to click off, but Morgan said, "Reid?"

"Yeah?"

Morgan paused a moment before asking, "You okay?"

Reid stared up at the ceiling and smiled at the concern in the warm voice. It was the voice he'd heard comforting him while lying in those strong arms, the voice he'd heard in his dreams. Something about it just made him want to curl up next to the man and nestle into his chest. "Yeah, I'm fine. Stop worrying."

He could hear Morgan sigh. "I'm not. I'm just... checking."

Reid made himself sound a little more cheerful. "Honest, I'm fine! I just slept too long, that's all. Really, don't worry. I'll see you soon."

"Okay."

"Hey, Morgan?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't overdo it on the booze, yourself. I have a feeling you're going to have to drive me home." Morgan could hear Reid's smile through the phone. It sounded damned good, and he smiled, too.

"Absolutely no problem, kid. It'd be a pleasure."

Reid's smile widened. He sat up cross-legged on the bed, thinking. Morgan in his dreams, good dreams, he'd felt so secure lying next to him, and now... He had to tell him. Had to tell him he'd figured some things out, tell him he'd been wrong about a lot of stuff, wrong about... But, the words wouldn't come, and instead he hedged. "Yeah. I, uh, want to... I really want to see you. You know?"

Morgan nodded, feeling a little charge of happiness warm his chest. "I want to see you, too. So, hurry up and get your ass down here, and-"

"No, Morgan-I mean... I want to see you, and... I want to talk. Later, when it's just us. Tonight."

Morgan listened to the silence, mentally checking to make sure he'd heard right. "Wow. Damn. That's... That's great, babe. I'd really like that."

Reid laughed, already feeling more relaxed. He teased, "Of course, I want to do some other stuff, too."

Morgan chuckled. "Me, too. Definitely."

"Yeah. But-I wanted you to know that-that's not the only reason I... I mean-I'm sorry, Derek. I know I've been-"

"It's okay. Don't apologize. I just... I just can't wait to see you. You know, later. When it's just us."

"Me, too."

"Okay, Spencer. Later."

"Later." Reid clicked off, stood up and walked to his bathroom to make himself presentable. He stared at his image for a moment. He was looking forward to the first drink of the evening. Maybe it would make things easier.

Later.

10:33 PM

"Clearly, Reid can't hold his liquor," Prentiss observed as she swirled ice in a glass filled with amber liquid.

"He doesn't drink very often," JJ noted. "Maybe we should take him out more, get him used to it."

Prentiss shook her head. "I don't think it would help. He's tall, but he has no body fat-the booze just shoots through his blood stream and goes straight into his giant brain and scrambles all his circuits."

Garcia snickered. "Yeah, there's no padding on him anywhere to soak it all up."

"You know, I've never seen him drunk," Rossi said thoughtfully. "Somehow, I don't think he would have reached this point on his own." He cast a chastising look at Garcia, then spoke directly to Morgan. "She's cruel, isn't she? Reminds me of those people who blow marijuana smoke into their dog's noses to get them high."

Garcia opened her mouth in mock horror. "How can you say that? I'm just trying to help the boy loosen up!" Garcia's methodology for "loosening Reid up" had included daring Reid to throw back a series of tequila shots, then surreptitiously supplementing his gin and tonic with straight gin.

"I think you succeeded." Prentiss gestured in the direction of the bathroom, from which Reid unsteadily emerged. He attempted to negotiate his way back to the table, but his long, lanky legs were no longer working in tandem with one another, and he wavered for a moment with his hands outstretched, obviously recalculating his route before taking another few steps.

"I don't think he's going to make it," Hotch said dryly.

"He'll be okay. I'm just glad he finally came out. I thought I was going to have to go in there and pick him up off the floor." Morgan was watching his lover's progress with a half-smile on his face, but inwardly he was worried. Reid really wasn't much of a drinker-and, if he needed to get thoroughly blitzed before finally having the kind of talk he'd hinted at, that was not a good sign for their relationship. Morgan studied the label on his beer bottle and tried to fight off feelings of disappointment.

Suddenly, he felt the team's attention being seized and he looked up. They all watched in amazement as a pretty girl who'd been standing at the bar waylaid Reid, and after only a moment's persuasion, led him out onto the dance floor. Morgan's lips twisted into a disgusted smirk; the girls hooted in delight.

"I don't believe it." Rossi swallowed down the last of his drink and shook his head in mock sympathy. "That poor boy. He's going to wake up in some strange girl's bed and never know what hit him."

Morgan was watching the action on the dance floor intently, but snapped his head back to look at Rossi. He started to say something, thought better of it, and swiveled again in his chair. Hotch took note; his amused grin turned to a wry smile and he quietly began readying himself to go home. Whatever it was that was about to happen that evening, he intended to be able to claim plausible deniability.

At the same time, Prentiss smiled, stood up and stretched. "Yeah-the worst of it is, he won't remember how great it was. Well-as much as I would like to see how the kid's fortunes go tonight, I'm exhausted. I'm going home while I'm still fit to drive. Tell Romeo goodnight for me."

Rossi nodded in agreement. "Not a bad idea. Ladies-gents-good evening to you all." Rossi threw some bills on the table and pulled on his jacket.

"I'm right behind you, Dave," said Hotch, doing the same.

"Me, too." JJ started digging through her purse for her keys.

"'Night, lightweights." Garcia thoughtfully sipped her drink, then looked at Morgan. He was still watching Reid-the dancing, which had been rather comically pathetic at first, had morphed into a slow, near-standstill grope session on the girl's part. She was wrapped closely around the young profiler, and he was holding onto her. Morgan told himself it was the only way he could stay upright without falling, but he was getting increasingly irritated.

"Garcia, this is all your fault-go rescue him, will you? He's not equipped to deal with booze and predatory females all in one night."

"Oh, let him have some fun! Haven't you noticed how mopey he's been lately? He's had a hell of a time of it, he deserves to blow off some steam."

Morgan thought about how he and Reid had been regularly blowing off steam together and he shifted uncomfortably.

"No, he's too drunk. I'm going to go get him." Morgan started to stand, but Garcia put a hand on his arm.

"Morgan! Leave him alone-what are you, his dad? Do you want him to die a virgin?"

His mouth tightened and he pulled away. "I know what I'm doing." He strode off to the dance floor, leaving Garcia with a questioning expression on her face. She tapped her finger against her bright red lips and carefully watched Morgan's posture as he headed to the swaying couple.

Reid pulled just far enough away from his dance partner to be able to look into her eyes and smile. The girl reached up, Reid leaned down, and she whispered something into his ear. Reid broke into a laugh, and was still laughing when Morgan walked up to the pair. Reid's already happily goofy expression brightened even more at his approach, and he exclaimed, "Hi, Morgan! Hey, you want to dance, too? Tiffany's got a friend- Oh, by the way, this is Tiffany-Hi, Tiffany!" He waggled his fingers at her and she giggled. Morgan rolled his eyes.

"Hello, Tiffany. Excuse me," he said pointedly to the girl before turning his attention to Reid. "Reid, come on. We need to go."

"Wha-huh? Go? Go where?"

"Hey, back off, big guy-we're having a good time," Tiffany protested. Morgan ignored her.

"Reid, now."

Puzzled, Reid looked from Morgan to the girl then back at Morgan. "We... have to go? Where? How come?" His eyes widened and he leaned forward, heavily supporting himself with one hand on Morgan's shoulder, and whispered loudly, "Is there a case?"

"No!"

"Then, why do we have to... go?"

"We just do. Now, come on." Morgan pulled Reid away from the girl. "We had plans tonight. Remember?"

Reid frowned, then apparently remembered at least part of what they'd discussed doing later that night, and giggled. "Oh, yeah... 'K. Bye, Tiffany! It was nice to, uh, meet you... You're a good dancer!" He grinned that amazing grin that never failed to hit Morgan right in the sex glands, then waved goodbye like a three-year-old and allowed Morgan to lead him shambling away. The girl stood with her hands on her hips and stared after them, then shrugged and went back to the bar.

Morgan stopped at the table where Garcia was now gathering her things.

"Well, I guess we're out of here. You, too, baby girl?"

"Oh, what-I'm going to sit here like an idiot all by myself?"

"I thought Kevin was going to join you."

"Nah. He wants me to come on home."

"All right, then."

"So, what are you doing with Good-Time Spencer Reid, there?"

"I'm going to take him back to his place and put him to bed."

Garcia raised an eyebrow and started to say something, then caught herself and pursed her lips together instead. She thought a moment then said, "Well, be sure to make him drink lots of water, and give him a couple of aspirin." She then stage-whispered directly into Morgan's ear, "And, if you'll come over and install my new garbage disposal tomorrow, I promise I'll never tell Wonder Boy how bad you cock-blocked him this evening."

Morgan grimaced. "Aw, Garcia, come on..."

"Now, no complaining. You said you'd do it last week, but here I am, still all disposal-less. I obviously need some leverage to fit my needs into your busy schedule."

"Can't Kevin do it?"

Garcia gave him a look. Morgan nodded.

"Okay, okay. I'll come by in the afternoon."

Garcia smiled in satisfaction. "Good! Well, good night, guys. I'll see you Monday."

"Good night, Garcia!" Reid said happily, hanging onto Morgan's arm and waving again.

"Good night, boy genius. 'Night, chocolate sex-god. Be... good."

Morgan took no notice of Garcia's suggestive tone as he was too busy keeping Reid upright. "Later, baby girl." He steered Reid out to the car, made sure he buckled his seat belt, then headed to Reid's apartment.