Thank you Maxandkiz for your inspiration! Without you, this chapter would never have happened.

I do not own Criminal Minds or any of its characters. I think it's pretty clear that they own me.

XOXOXOXOXO

Two hours later, Reid was still asleep. Hotch was considering waking him so he would be able to sleep tonight when there was a knock at his door. Reid stirred as Hotch rose to let Morgan in.

Opening the door, Hotch greeted a relatively subdued agent. Morgan was clearly worried about Reid, "How is he, Hotch?" Came the quiet inquiry.

With a reassuring nod, Hotch confirmed, "He'll be fine. Come in."

Slowly coming awake, Reid rolled over on the sofa and winced as his still sore butt made contact with the cushion beneath him. Without thinking, he let a small moan escape before clamping his mouth shut.

With a good guess at what had happened here, Morgan chuckled softly. As sorry as he felt for the kid having to go through this, Hotch had certainly given him what he deserved. Walking into the living room as the kid gingerly sat up, Morgan teased, "You look well-rested."

Reid rubbed his face with his hands trying to push away the remaining sleep-induced fog. He blinked up at the two men trying to get a feel for the mood in the room. Hotch seemed relaxed. Morgan always appeared in control no matter the situation. It took knowing him for as many years as Reid had to pick up on the subtle underlying tension. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Long enough." Was Hotch's mild reply.

Standing, the young man sheepishly faced his friend, "Morgan, I . . . "

Before he could even get started, Morgan cut him off with a friendly pat on the shoulder, "It's okay, kid. We're good."

Reid searched his face looking for the truth. He couldn't believe he could be so easily forgiven.

Hotch was also surprised by this proclamation of goodwill, but he didn't want to discuss it in front of Reid, "Go get dressed. Morgan's going to drop you off at the NA meeting tonight.

This time the young man didn't even try to suppress his groan. He had hoped Hotch would forget, though he didn't truly expect he would.

"Are they really so bad, kid?" Morgan was genuinely interested. It wasn't like Reid to complain about things like this, especially when it was an order from Hotch.

Reid sighed and answered, "No, I suppose not," but he still sounded like a pouting child being forced to do his homework. He jammed his hands in his pockets and slowly moped his way to his room.

The older men let him go hoping his mood would improve before he returned. Hotch gestured for Morgan to take a seat on the sofa as he sat in his chair, "How're you doing, Morgan?"

Morgan was nothing if not honest, "Still pissed off, but I'll get over it."

"You're hiding it well." This was not a commendation. Morgan picked up on the tone and gave his boss a hard look. Hotch pressed on, "I think you need to talk with Reid about it."

"Hotch, talking with him isn't going to change the fact that he bought those drugs – on my watch."

The older man thought that might still be bothering him, "No. It won't. But he needs to hear from you how you're feeling about it."

"I don't see what good it would do. You said yourself he's hurting right now and that I need to be there for him. Telling him how I feel about this whole thing would just hurt him more. Huh-uh. I'll get over it and just make damn sure that this never happens again."

Hotch's eyebrow raised and he nearly cracked a smile, "Really? How are you planning to ensure that exactly?" The reaction was unexpected, and Morgan gave his boss a questioning cock of his head. Hotch clarified, "You can't live his life for him, Morgan. We can set certain parameters, and enforce consequences when he steps over them, but he has to make his own decisions. If he decides to use again, we won't be able to stop him." Morgan looked as though he was giving this some serious thought. Hotch optimistically asked, "So, will you talk to him?"

"I'll think about it," was the resistant retort.

"Think about what?" Reid's entrance took both men by surprise. They hoped he hadn't heard any of their conversation.

"Ummm . . . think about taking you to meet the team for dinner at the Birch and Barley tonight after your meeting." It was an obvious obfuscation, but Reid didn't push it further. "You ready to go?"

Reid looked at his shoes and gave a petulant shrug. The older men exchanged a look of frustration, but again let it go.

"Where's your jacket, Spencer?" Hotch asked.

Still studying his shoes, Reid mumbled, "I'm fine without it."

"It's going to be cold tonight. Go get your jacket."

Reid raised his head and looked distinctly like he wanted to argue, but one look at the forbidding expression on Hotch's face changed his mind. He pursed his lips, turned on his heels and disappeared into the bedroom.

Hotch quietly asked, "Are you sure you want to take him tonight? He's in a mood."

"We'll be fine, Hotch."

"Alright, I'll meet you at the pub afterward. Don't let him push you. Set limits and enforce them, Morgan. He'll appreciate it later."

Morgan gave a serious nod of understanding as Reid returned wearing a light jacket. Hotch knew the young man had chosen the flimsiest jacket he had out of spite, but decided that if he got cold tonight, he would have to live with the consequences of his decision. Getting a little chilly tonight might make him think twice next time.

Morgan headed for the door, "Let's hit the road, kid."

Reid obediently, yet apathetically, followed.

XOXOXOXO

Morgan pulled his truck up in front of the old church where the NA meetings were held. They were 20 minutes early, so he cut the engine with every intention of keeping the younger man company until he had to leave. Instead, Reid quickly unbuckled his seatbelt, opened the door and prepared to hop out.

"Where ya goin', kid. It's early."

Standing outside the truck now, Reid turned back to face the older man, "It's fine, Morgan. They have coffee inside." He seemed sad, "I'll meet you back here afterward?"

Morgan was at a loss as to how to help the kid. With a furrowed brow, he simply responded, "yeah. I'll be here."

Reid closed the door, and looking like he had just lost his best friend, brooded his way into the building.

XOXOXOXO

During the meeting, Reid ignored the speakers. He used the time to think about why he was feeling so upset. Hotch's punishment wasn't the problem. In fact he had felt better than he had in days about his relationship with the older man after it was over. He wasn't even all that upset about being made to come to this meeting. His reaction to it had simply been an excuse for his dark mood. Morgan didn't seem angry with him anymore, so why was he still thinking about it? Everything was fine now. He could move forward. But he still felt stuck.

When his turn came to speak, he took a pass, as he always did. They could make him come, but they couldn't make him participate. Besides, he wasn't even entirely certain what tonight's topic was.

As the hour passed his thoughts continued to swirl, 'Morgan was so angry before. Hotch said he was angry at himself, not me. But I caused it. It was my responsibility. He should still be mad at me. Why isn't he? He doesn't trust me anymore. Why should he? I won't do it again, that's for sure! But how do I make him believe that? Why should he care anyway? He doesn't care now. I pushed him too far. He'll never trust me again. There's nothing I can do.'

He was drawn from his thoughts as the group began to stir. He stood when they stood. Automatically, he chorused the final invocation with the rest of the group. Throwing his jacket back on, he stalked out of the room without a single word to anyone.

He was surprised to find Morgan waiting for him outside the meeting room. The older man had had an hour to think as well. "Hey kid," he greeted with a half-smile.

The look Morgan received was very nearly a glare. This sealed it. Hotch was right. They needed to get a few things out in the open before this kid imploded. He didn't want to do this outside in the dark pickup, so he said, "Come on. We need to talk," and led the young man down the hall and into a private classroom he had scoped out earlier.

Once they were both inside, Morgan closed the heavy door and turned back to find Reid already on the other side of the room. His attention was on a set of construction toys. Morgan studied him for a moment before slowly crossing over to stand behind the young man. He was half-heartedly tinkering with the bits and pieces in front of him. Morgan started, "Want to tell me what's goin' on with you right now?"

He received a sulky shrug in response. Morgan could feel his blood pressure rise. This kid knew how to push his buttons when he wanted to.

"Turn around and look at me, kid," the older man demanded.

He was surprised when the answer was, "Why? You're the one who wanted to talk. So talk." He continued fiddling with the toys not even attempting to comply.

That was it! Morgan knew what he had to do. He didn't think twice. Grabbing Reid's arm, he spun the startled young man around. Propping his left leg up on a child's chair, he deftly flipped Reid over his knee.

"Hey! W-what are you doing?" Reid demanded as he squirmed, trying to get away.

Morgan easily held him in place, "If you're going to act like a petulant child when I'm trying to have an adult conversation, I'm damn sure going to treat you like one."

Unfortunately for the young man, he had chosen to display his attitude next to a table of art supplies. Morgan snatched the heavy wooden ruler out of its container and snapped it down smartly several times covering Reid's already sore butt. His slacks did nothing to protect him. "Hey! OW! Ah-Owww! Morgan! Stop!"

Having fully covered his target area, he paused, "Are you going to act like an adult and talk to me?" Morgan queried the still upended young man.

Other than the angry huffing, he received only silence from Reid. He took this as non-compliance and adroitly applied another two circuits of swats to his squirming recipient.

"Nooo! Morgan! Owwww! Pleasssse!" By the fourth excursion Reid was lying limply over Morgan's knee, simply crying.

When Morgan stopped spanking, Reid didn't hesitate to cry out, "I'm sorry. Please. I'll be good. I'll talk."

This was the Reid he knew. Morgan dropped the ruler and helped the crying young man to stand.

Trying hard to contain his crying, he stood hanging his head and rubbing at his flaming backside. The kid was really upset. Morgan wasn't good at this part, but he knew what he needed to do. Gently turning Reid to face him, he stepped in close and pulled the young man into a hug. Reid buried his head in Morgan's shoulder and continued to cry as the older man rubbed comforting circles in his back.

Still submerged in Morgan's shoulder, Reid finally reduced to sniffles and an occasional hic-up. He started talking before Morgan released him, "I-I'm s-sorry, Morgan. Please don't hate me."

Startled by the plea, Morgan grabbed both of the young man's arms and held him away so he could see his face, "I don't hate you kid. What would make you say that?"

Trying to rub at his wet face though Morgan's hand on his arms prevented this, he answered, "I deceived you when I bought the dilaudid. I didn't tell you I had it when I knew I should." He started to cry again, "I-I'm really sorry, Morgan."

Morgan pulled him back into a comforting hug. He let the young man cry for a while before reiterating, "I don't hate you, kid. I couldn't if I wanted to." Reid was back to sniffling again, so Morgan eased him back to see his face. Offering him the box of tissue from the teacher's desk, he continued, "Look, I'll admit. I was angry – no I was pissed – when I found out what you'd done. Hell, I'm still angry about it. You went out of your way to position yourself, and me, so you could get to those drugs, man. You manipulated me."

Reid looked like he was about to start crying again. He hated the thought of disappointing his big brother so badly, and he was sure he could never make it up to him.

Seeing Reid's face, Morgan hurried forward, "But I was reading some of the literature out there in the hall while you were in that meeting. One of the things it said was that it is possible for someone to become so overwhelmed or upset that they go on autopilot and end up finding they've bought drugs or alcohol without realizing they had done it. We were heading into a case that was set up to bother you, kid. It makes sense that this would happen to you at that time."

Reid continued to sniffle quietly, "Can you ever forgive me?" he begged, staring at the floor.

"Look at me," Morgan gently ordered. When he had the kid's full attention, he sincerely finished, "There's nothing to forgive. As far as I'm concerned, it was this drug's fault." Reid guiltily broke eye contact. He felt he was weak for letting drugs have such control over him. Morgan saw this and continued, "Hey, we're going to fight this thing together. You got me?" Receiving a childlike nod from his friend, he said, "We can beat this thing. You, me and Hotch. Okay?"

He only received a small, sad smile from the kid. Something else was bothering him, "What kid? What're you thinking about?"

"Will you ever trust me again?" Reid blurted out.

"Trust you?" Morgan almost lied again, but stopped himself, "Kid, until you get this drug addiction under control, I will be watching you like a hawk. But it's not you I distrust, it's the dilaudid. You, I trust with my life."

Searching the older man's face and finding the truth in it, suddenly Reid felt better. He felt safe. He was almost nearing happy. Smiling, he met Morgan's eye and joked – actually joked! – "but not with my life."

With a light-hearted smile, Morgan replied, "Nah, kid. You can do what you want with your life – orders from Hotch – but if you screw up, he and I will be there to catch you."

Reid reached around to rub at his backside again, "Yeah, I noticed."

Morgan chuckled and threw his arm around Reid's shoulders, "Come on, kid. Everyone's waiting for us at the pub."

XOXOXOXO

Oh, that was a fun chapter to write! :) Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Please drop me a line and let me know.

Thanks for reading!