Prompt: Comes from the CM episode "The Stranger" and is the opening quote used: "Sometimes human places create inhuman monsters " - Stephen King

After cleaning up the mess Reid had created in the bathroom, Morgan searched the bathroom for any other vials or needles. He didn't find anything and by the time he left the room everything was put back together. Walking into the bedroom, he found that Reid had retreated back to his bed. The younger man was sitting with his back against the headboard. He was hugging one of his pillows close to him, with his knees drawn up in front of him. Morgan could see the beads of sweat on Reid's forehead and the slight shivering despite it being warm in the apartment.

~He's starting to feel the effects of withdrawal, ~ Morgan thought as he watched the younger man. He hated to ask what he was going to ask but it had to be done. "Reid, I need to know for sure what you're on."

"Dilaudid," came the one word reply. Reid didn't look at Morgan but instead kept his gaze straight ahead.

"You have any more other than what was in the bathroom?" Morgan asked.

"One vial and some needles in my bag," Reid replied, his voice void of emotion. "The bag is by the door."

Morgan had figured he'd have some in his messenger bag. He took Reid telling him where it was at as him resigning himself to Morgan looking through it. The dark-skinned profiler nodded. "Reid, I want to search this place. Make sure there isn't anything else hidden anywhere. It would only be a temptation to you later," Morgan said sadly, hating himself but knowing it was the only way to be sure.

"I know."

Morgan walked toward him. Reaching the side of the bed, the older man picked Reid's cell phone up from the bedside table. "Here, call yourself out sick. Neither one of us is going into work today," Morgan said, as it was already well past midnight.

"What about you?" Reid asked, as he took the phone from Morgan.

"I'll wait a bit and then call in telling them I need to take some time off for a family emergency," Morgan replied, picking up the two mugs of coffee, the liquid now cold. His own was almost full and Reid's mug only half-empty.

"I don't want you lying. If they find out . . ."

"I won't be lying, Kid. I consider you family, so don't worry about me," Morgan told him.

Reid nodded and flipped open his phone. Turning, Morgan walked out of the bedroom as Reid started to place the call. He paused at the door only long enough to transfer both mugs to one hand and reach down for the messenger bag. With all three items in hand, Morgan headed for the kitchen. Reaching the room, he placed the bag on the counter, took the mugs to the sink, dumped the contents down the drain and placed both mugs on the counter. Leaning back against the counter he unclipped his cell phone.

"Hey, Derek. What's going on?"

"He's ready to quit, but like I thought, he's refusing to go through a treatment program. He's determined to go through this on his own. Can you help us out, Eric? After everything you've told me, I'm scared for him."

"Your friend knows you're asking for my help?"

"Yes, and I got him to reluctantly agree to it," Morgan told him. Reaching up, he trailed one hand back over the top of his head, as he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Man, I hate some of the things I've had to do and the questions that I've had to ask. I know I have to search his apartment, and he seems resigned to it but it just doesn't seem right, Eric. I'm supposed to be his friend."

"Which is why you're doing all of this. Dealing with an addiction is never easy and it isn't just the person with the illness that gets hurt. Sometimes human places create inhuman monsters."

"Don't get all philosophical on me, Eric. I'm not in the mood."

"All I'm trying to say is that things aren't as they should be right now. Your friend isn't acting like himself, and some of what you have got to do to help him isn't going to feel like something a friend would do. Just remember, you're doing this because you care about him and once he's past his addiction, he'll understand even if he doesn't now."

"I sure hope you're right," Morgan said.

"I am. I may not know everything, but this is one area in which I have experience," Eric told him. "I'll be there as soon as I can. I've got to put a few things in order, and make sure I have what I need before coming over. Did you find out for sure what he's on?"

"It's Dilaudid."

"Good. I like knowing exactly what I'm dealing with."

"He's already showing withdrawal signs."

"Do you know if he has any of the drug on him?"

"He broke three vials and he said he's got one in his bag, which I've got here in the kitchen with me. I haven't checked the bag though."

"Check for it now," Eric instructed.

"Okay," Morgan said, stepping away from the counter he was leaning against and crossing over to the one where the messenger bag was sitting. "Do you mind explaining why I'm doing this?" Morgan asked as he tucked the phone between his head and shoulder, and reached out for the bag. Opening it, he began searching for the vial and needles Reid said was in it.

"Because I need to know if I need to 'waste' some here at the clinic before I leave or not in case it's needed."

"Needed?" Morgan said, stopping his search. "Are you saying you may purposely give him it. I thought we were supposed to be helping him quit."

"We are but Dilaudid, even when it is being used in the correct manner, is something that the dose should be tapered gradually and not just stopped. Depending on how much he has been taken and how often, it may be necessary to ease him off the drug if the effects of the withdrawal get to be too much for his body to handle. So, is there some there?"

Morgan went back to the search. It wasn't long before he came up with the vial. The needles weren't far from it. "Yeah, there is a vial in his bag."

"Good. Less paperwork. Once he's past the worst of the withdrawal symptoms, we'll waste it. Meanwhile, I need to finish up here, call out of work for a few days, and stop by and talk to my wife before coming over there. If you can, get him to drink some water. Dehydration is going to be something we're going to have to fight against, once the nausea sets in. Don't hesitate to call if you need me before I get there."

"Okay," Morgan said, placing the vial on the counter and closing the bag. He gave Eric Reid's address, informed Eric that he would leave the apartment door unlocked for him and then ended the call.

Morgan put his cell phone back in the clip, and then finished looking through the messenger bag. He didn't find anything else, which helped Morgan's mood a little. ~At least he was honest about that, ~ he thought, picking up the vial and needles and tucking them away in a cabinet above the stove. Grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge, and the bag off of the counter, he headed back to Reid's bedroom. He'd check on Reid and then, if Reid wasn't in the mood for company, Morgan figured he would get the unpleasant task of searching the apartment over with.

Morgan finished putting the books back on the shelf, satisfied that he had searched the apartment thoroughly. Reid had even produced the key to the locked drawer of his desk without Morgan having to ask, for which he was thankful. He hated doing this but knew it had to be done. He was just thankful it was over and even more so that the search hadn't uncovered anything. At least Reid had been truthful about how much of the drug he had on him. That in itself felt like a small victory.

The task completed, Morgan headed in the direction of the bathroom, where Reid had been the last time he checked on him, about fifteen minutes ago. Nausea from the withdrawal had set in, and Reid had been violently emptying what little contents there was in his stomach, into the toilet, the action only aggravating the bruises he had from the bar fight earlier. Morgan had tried to comfort him, only to be pushed away by his friend. He at least wanted to check on Reid, even if the younger man still didn't want him to stay.

Morgan found Reid where he had left him, on his knees, bent over the toilet bowl. As he stepped into the room, another bout of dry heaves racked Reid's body, the sounds mixing with the soft cries of pain the younger man was making. With a sigh, Morgan walked further into the room, grabbing the bottle of water off the sink that he had left the last time, as he passed by. Bending over, he gently eased Reid back away from the toilet, as the bout of dry heaves had come to an end. Reid didn't resist him this time, and Morgan settled himself on the floor, back to the wall, with Reid leaning against him, soft sobs shaking his body.

"Shhh, just relax for a bit, Kid," Morgan told his friend softly, as he placed the bottle on the floor next to him for now.

"I can't do this," Reid said softly. There was a tone of defeat to his voice.

"Yes, you can. I know its going to be hard but you don't need the drug," Morgan told him, having a feeling he knew how far Reid had gotten on his other attempts to quit. "Do you really want things to continue how they have been going - snapping at your friends and picking fights in bars?"

"No."

"Good, because that's not you, Reid, and we all know it. That's why we're all sticking by you, despite how you've been acting. It's the drug that is making you do those things."

Reid didn't reply as he rested against Morgan, the sobs continuing but the heavy breathing slowing. They remained that way for a few minutes, Morgan not knowing what else he could say to his friend. After awhile though, Reid pulled away from him, leaning his head back over the toilet as dry heaves racked his body again.

Getting to his feet, Morgan went to the cabinet under the sink remembering the basin he had seen there, while straightening up the room. Leaving the bathroom, he took the basin out to the bedroom and placed it on the floor near the bed. Returning to the bathroom, he knelt down next to Reid and reached for the bottle of water. Picking up the bottle, he unscrewed the cap and held it out to Reid.

"Take a drink."

Reid's reply was a quick shake of his head. Not backing down, Morgan insisted again. Giving in, Reid took the bottle from Morgan, who figured the younger man had given in simply because he didn't have the strength to fight it. Reid took two sips and then handed the bottle back to Morgan who twisted the lid back on. It hadn't been much but thinking of Eric's words and knowing how he had felt the last time he had spent the night throwing-up, Morgan figured it was at least something.

It wasn't long before Reid was leaning over the toilet bowl again, dry heaves racking his body. Morgan was relieved that nothing came up. At least Reid was keeping the fluid down for now. Morgan waited for the latest bout of dry heaves to pass before reaching down to help Reid up off the floor.

"Come on, Kid. Let's get you somewhere where you can rest."

"There's no way I'm going to be able to sleep the way I'm feeling," Reid replied, not resisting Morgan's helping hand up. He knew he wouldn't have the strength to even if he felt like it.

"Yeah, well that doesn't mean you can't lay down and rest," Morgan said, guiding Reid toward the door and out of the bathroom.

It wasn't long before Reid was on the bed, curled up in a ball, facing away from Morgan, who sat on the edge of the bed. The older man noticed that his friend was laying with his arms crossed across his abdomen. Sweat beaded Reid's face, but even in his curled up position, Morgan could see he was shivering.

Morgan wasn't sure what he should say. He didn't know what he could do to ease his friend's discomfort. The dark-skinned profiler settled for sitting there in silence, hoping that his presence would be some comfort. When Reid started gagging, Morgan held the basin for him until the spell passed. It was during one of those spells that he heard the apartment door open.

"Derek," Eric called out, followed by the shutting of the apartment's main door.

"In here," Morgan called out, relief flooding through him at the sound of his other friend's voice. He knew he had to be strong for Reid, and was grateful that he was going to have Eric there to be strong for him.

Footsteps caused him to look away from Reid to the doorway, his eyes falling on the form of Dr. Eric Rollins. Morgan expressed his gratitude to the doctor silently with his eyes, even as Eric Rollins walked purposefully into the room, already starting his assessment of his patient.