Chapter Twenty Three: With All Due Respect, Fuck You

A/N: Hey, all. I'm much better now! Thank you so much for being patient.

-Listenin' to the Blues

About an hour after arriving in Chicago, the team finally walked into the State Police Department. The best person that could have possibly greeted them at the door was their favorite chum from the windy city, Detective Stan Gordinski. Fucking perfect. He was much older. The lines on his face were more pronounced, the skin at the side of his lips sagged a bit, and his eyes had a greyer tinge to them, but other than that, he looked like the same hellish son of a bitch he was when Spencer first met him. This was not starting off to be a good day. Not at all.

Gordinski smiled broadly, "Well, well, well. How long has it been, Derek? Five, six years."

Derek nodded stiffly. He had earlier decided that if his arch-nemesis still remained a part of the Chicago PD, he wasn't going to say much. The last thing he needed was to shoot his mouth off at a cop and get himself suspended, because of all the people in the Universe who would file a formal complaint Gordinski would be him.

Prentiss said bitterly, but calmly, "It's a tragedy that it wasn't more."

Gordinski chuckled, "Oh, Prentiss, you're still a feisty little thing, aren't you?"

She replied, "Only for you, sir."

He laughed aloud, "Wow, It's been a while since the team was in here, hasn't it? Well, I would like to say the whole Behavioral Analysis Unit was in attendance, but word on the street says you've fired a member and are bringing an adjunct in his stead. Please tell me that isn't true."

Spencer shoved down his rising anger and spoke, "It's not. I chose to step down."

Gordinski paused with a knowing look on his face, "But why would you do a thing like that? You could have been tenured after a few more years like the rest of your coworkers."

The detective's eyes passed between Derek and Spencer with a haughty smile on his face. Fuck. He knows Spencer and Derek are intimate. It's sad how obvious his knowledge is. Spencer smiled and gave his scripted answer anyway. He has his job to consider here. "It isn't about money and career safety. It's about stretching myself out to more units. I didn't want to confine my help to just one section of the FBI, because you'd be surprised how much it's needed."

Gordinski began to laugh, "Oh, really? You see, other word on the street says you've been—"

Hotch raised his hand, "Are you going to show us to our office?"

"Sure, sure," Gordinski scratched the back of his neck as if he knew way too much. He always does. He turned and gestured for them to follow him through the department. As Hotch passed by Spencer to lead the group, Spencer moved his hand to the side to brush against Hotch's in thanks. Hotch glanced over at Spencer at the touch and offered a quaint, but genuine, little smile. The guy's a good ally to have, and it's really nice to be reassured he was on their side. Lord knows what Gordinski could have said, but by the looks of it, it would have been detrimental.

The door opened and the office was tiny. I mean, smaller than small. It couldn't be more than a 17x20 space. He couldn't expect them to work with this. They never do. Gordinski patted Derek's back and chuckled "We should talk later, you know, catch up. I've heard great things, and, well…not so great things" before leaving them alone in the room together.

Hotch replied, "We can't all fit here, so I'm going to take Rossi, and Prentiss. JJ, Reid, Morgan, I'll leave it up to you to set up the area and do more research. We're going to need a geographical profile, Reid, that's your territory. We're going to have to decide whether or not to give a press conference, JJ, we'll talk. And, we're going to need a file check and someone to help Reid build his profile, Morgan, since you are responsible for the premature, I'm relying on you for that. I'm taking Prentiss to the scenes and Rossi, how are you on visiting the families?"

Rossi nodded, "Good."

Prentiss replied, "Okay."

Spencer gave a thumbs up, "Makes sense."

JJ shrugged, "Gotcha."

Derek responded, "Alright."

"Good," Hotch said, starting out of the door, "Everyone, keep your phones on. Except Reid."

Spencer paused, "Why is that?"

Hotch held back a chuckle, "Because I'm still trying to forget our last conversation."

The room cleared out and Spencer's face grew livid. He turned and pulled his satchel over his head, pulling out his file. Hotch was talking about when Spencer called him while he was fantasizing about Derek. Hotch was talking about when Spencer screamed out Derek's name and he thought he'd heard them together. Hotch was talking about hearing him come. Spencer's face grew darker and darker. He desperately didn't want to talk about it at all, nevertheless bring it up in public. All Spencer really wanted to do was dismiss it. He groaned, why can't Hotch?!

Derek asked with a strange look on his face, "What was he talking about?"

Spencer's back was still to him and JJ, "Nothing."

JJ grinned, "What happened between you two on the phone?"

Spencer ran his hand through his hair and groaned, "Please, stop asking. It's really none of your business."

Derek began to smile, "Oh, I can just tell this is going to be good."

Spencer glared at Derek, then proceeded to think it over. In the grand scheme of things, Derek didn't really, really need to be involved, but he was still kind of a part of it. Hotch did think that he was overhearing him having sex for at least three minutes. Spencer sighed, "I'm telling Derek, but I'm not telling you."

She gasped and clutched her chest, "Why not me?"

Spencer whimpered, "Because it's too embarrassing and I'm sleeping with him, not you."

Derek began to smile and strode over to Spencer, "I knew fucking you had benefits."

As Derek approached him, Spencer flushed a darker shade of red. He really didn't want to be talking about this, but, Derek does kind of have to know. He glared at JJ to start setting up on the board and yanked Derek to the far side of the room. Derek leaned up to Spencer's lips and Spencer hissed, "There was one night before the break up when I went home alone, and I was lying in my bed. It was late and I was researching and... you know what happens around one in the morning when you're tired and male and can't keep your head straight. It's a guy thing!"

Derek chuckled, "Sure. Blame it on your gender."

Spencer replied under his breath, "Well, I don't know how I started thinking of you, I was reading articles and reports on velociraptors, and that has nothing to do with sex. But suddenly, my hands were on my skin and in my hair, and then I somehow ended up… well, you know!"

Derek laughed, "I'm not even sure you know."

Spencer lowered his head in shame, "Cut it out, Derek."

Derek winked, "I would have given so fucking much to have seen that."

Spencer fidgeted with his fingers, "I'm sure you would have! Just wait. It gets worse."

Derek shrugged, "Well, it didn't start off that bad…"

Spencer buried his face in his hands and breathed out, "I ended up calling out your name over and over again and my phone slid under my back when I was getting… close, but it had already called Hotch by that point and he was listening and he heard when I... when I…"

Derek gasped, "Get out."

Spencer replied, "I wish I could."

Derek asked, "How much did he hear?"

Spencer hid his hands in his face, "Everything. Apparently, I was so into it, he thought you were actually there, making me… excited."

Derek paused, "I don't know whether to laugh or cry."

"Cry!" Spencer grimaced, "Your boss just found his way into something that is none of his business whatsoever!"

Derek furrowed his eyebrows, "Why did he stay on the line so long?"

Spencer sighed, "To fire us!"

"Good fucking thing it was just you!" Derek began to chuckle, "I can't believe you called Hotch. Of all people. Hotch."

Spencer sighed, "I wanted nothing more than to be stricken down by God's holy reign."

JJ shrieked, "You pocket dialed our boss while you were masturbating to Derek?!"

Spencer looked across the room at JJ, "How did you even hear us saying that?"

JJ replied, "I'm a mother, I hear everything. Besides, Morgan sucks at the quiet game."

Derek folded his arms, "People keep saying that! Why?!"

Spencer pondered, "Maybe it's because it's true."

JJ began to laugh, "Reid, that sounds like a nightmare. How did Hotch react?!"

Spencer ran his hand down his face, "He was livid. He thought Derek and I were together, you know, because I said his name five billion times, and if the phone was under my back, it could have sounded like anything."

JJ gasped, "He thought he'd heard you and Morgan… instead of just you?"

Spencer nodded, "Yeah. You had to imagine how embarrassing it was to explain to him that I was just desperate and horny at one in the morning."

Derek shrugged, "And the best thing Spencer could think of to get himself off was me? Makes sense."

JJ rolled her eyes, "You were always one for modesty, Morgan."

Derek stared off into space, "Heh. Now I'm thinking about how hot that must have looked. Spencer laying there on his bed all alone and turned on—"

"How many vote for changing the subject?!" JJ raised her hand in surrender.

Spencer's hand shot up in the air, "It's unanimous, Derek. Shut up."

Derek shrugged, "Guess I'll just have to think about it tonight. Jayje, your room is right next to mine, right?"

JJ groaned, "Oh, my God, Derek. Please don't."

Derek wiggled his eyebrows, "Mischief."

Not much happened by way of information on the case for a few hours. Derek's earlier words were taken into consideration by Hotch and the PD, as their premature profile begged to look for each and every personal file the PD had on hand about recently booked criminals for misdemeanor. The unsub's recent trigger was probably getting caught defying the law, since he showed such disregard for it in his murders. His killings weren't hidden, nor out in the open. This guy just didn't plain give a damn.

JJ was still pinning the piling up evidence to the board in a cohesive format, Spencer was on his way back from the basement with maps and directories, and Derek was up to his ears in paperwork. As Spencer traipsed back into the room with an armful of papers and an unnatural grin on his face as he dumped them on the table in front of Derek.

Derek grimaced as he looked down upon it in anguish, "Oh, come on, man! This is a fuckton of paperwork, you can't be this excited."

"Yes, I can be this excited. It's called free will." Spencer plundered down beside Derek, "And technically, it's a shitload, not a fuckton."

Derek paused, "…what?"

Spencer explained, "Three hundred plus is a shitload, four hundred and above is a fuckton. I brought up 367 files, so this is a guaranteed shitload."

Derek stared at Spencer long and hard before shaking his head and chuckling, "What do I see in you?"

Spencer shrugged, grabbing a file off of the top of the mountain of papers, "I don't really know, but you keep coming back, so I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth."

Spencer's eyes grazed the papers in the file and he separated them according to what they were looking for: a man in his late twenties to early thirties convicted of battery against minorities. There were 143 people arrested in their late twenties to early thirties in the past few months. 84 of them were men. 46 of them were convicted of battery. 22 of them were convicted of battery against minorities. He must be in this pile.

Jumping up, Spencer said loudly, "I've got 22! Der, call Garcia and tell her to background check these guys, and we'll start on a geographical profile when she calls us back."

Derek looked over at Spencer, "But, I've still got files to look through."

Spencer held up a gigantic book, "And I have the archives."

Derek paused, "But…then, why did I have to look through these files?"

Spencer shrugged, "Someone had to keep you busy."

Derek grumbled and pulled out his phone, dialing Garcia's phone number to hook everything up, sliding a piece of paper over at Spencer. Spencer opened it and it said simply.

im visiting my mom tonite when we get out of here. is it ok if i ask u to come with me?

Spencer flipped the paper over on its side and scribbled into it lightly with a pen that he'd fished out of his shirt pocket and began handed it over when he had finished.

Of course, I will. You know you can count on me for anything, Honey Bee.

While on the phone with Garcia, Derek scribbled underneath Spencer's words and handed the paper back to him.

thanks. please get rid of the pocket protector. its just a tad bit too much.

Spencer glared at Derek and replied back.

You're welcome. Please get a dictionary. Your grammar is just a tad bit too shitty.

Derek ended the call with Garcia as she had agreed to background check and wrote on the paper.

ur face

Spencer chuckled, scrawling out on the paper and sliding it over to his boyfriend.

Please, don't ever father offspring. Their comebacks might be as bad as yours.

Derek read the paper and gasped, "Damn, Spencer, do you even have a soul?"

JJ asked, "What did he say?"

Derek shoved the paper in his pocket, "Nothing."

Derek's SUV pulled up beside his mother's house and as he parked the car, his hands were shaking. He completely avoided the topic of visiting his mother other than the paper scratches in the PD. Even on the way there, he didn't say a word. One hand was always on the steering wheel and the other was tapping against his thigh. The man was scared. It was plain to see, and Spencer felt damn bad for him. There wasn't much he could do except offer support, and if Derek wanted Spencer beside him for this, he would be there.

The key was yanked out of the ignition and Derek stole a glance at Spencer, "I don't think I can do this."

Spencer pressed a palm against the wildly tapping fingers on his leg, "Tough, I think you can."

Derek sighed, finger tapping away under Spencer's hand, "Man, I can look in her eyes and see…that."

Spencer leaned forward and replied, "It'll get better. She'll come around. Wouldn't you want that to happen sooner rather than later?"

Derek nodded, "Yeah."

Spencer smiled lightly, "Then, come on. Let's introduce me to your mother…again."

Derek yanked open the driver's door and Spencer got out of the car, walking around it to meet him. They walked side by side toward the door and as they reached it, Derek took a deep breath and knocked on it. Minutes later, Desiree opened the door and gasped, darting outside and wrapping her arms around her brother, "Rekkie! It's been forever! Oh, my God! Why didn't you call? We would have cleaned up!"

Derek's face lit up and returned his sister's hug, "Because I know with them big ears of yours, you would have heard me coming from Asia."

She shoved him out of the hug and teased, "Well, my big ears heard that you are in trouble. Mama won't say, but I bet Sarah five bucks you—"

Derek raised his hands in surrender and gestured to Spencer, "Okay! Okay. Just…"

Desiree glanced over at Spencer and looked back at Derek, giving him a look that only siblings must understand before extending her hand to Spencer, "It's nice to see you back, Dr. Reid. You two must be on a case. It's the only reason Derek ever comes down here anymore."

Spencer leaned his hands in toward his body, "I… don't shake hands."

She shrugged and retracted it, "It's all good. Tell you the truth, Sarah's not really into hand shaking either. Speaking of, she'll want to see you again. We baked a chocolate cake last night, there should be plenty left. Come on in."

She brandished her hands toward the door and Spencer stepped through first, hearing quiet bickering among the siblings behind him as he made his way to the couch. He heard Desiree whisper, "But I thought you…", "Isn't he…", "You told me that you had a…", and lastly, "SHUT UP!" Derek rushed forward and sat beside Spencer, giving his sister a harsh look. The one he usually gives when Spencer spends way too much time filling him in on the Death Star.

Desiree gave Spencer a big grin, "Is it true?! Are you two...?"

Spencer looked over at Derek whom nodded, prodding Spencer to reply, "Well…we…uhm, we are..."

Derek sighed, "We're together."

She clapped her hands in excitement, "That's great! Oh, you two are just the most adorable couple to ever exist. You know, Derek, I always that you might have a thing for Caucasians, Dad did and—"

Derek groaned, "Des, come on. I don't have a thing for Spencer because he's white."

Desiree teased, "Ooh, so it's Spencer now?"

Derek glared at her, "Girl, you better not start."

"Watch me," Desiree gave Spencer an evil grin, "Whenever he'd visit or call, he'd be just non-stop 'Dr. Reid this and Dr. Reid that'. I mean, one would think you were Allah or something. Me and Sarah would tease him about having a crush on you on the daily until he admitted it, tears in his eyes and in a pink sweater as he begged on his knees for us not to tell a soul!"

Derek turned quickly to Spencer, "She's lying. I don't cry, I don't own a pink sweater, and I have never been 'on my knees' in my life."

Spencer raised his eyebrows wordlessly and Desiree gasped, "Ooh, Rekkie! No, you didn't!"

Spencer began to blush, catching on quickly, "Oh! No, I wasn't raising my eyebrows to the ending statement. I was challenging the fact that he must have cried at some point in his life. Humans all cry, especially mammals in the same phylum as us. It's not a sign of weakness, but more of one of emotional expression. Whether it's pain, happiness, displeasure or uncomfortability, it shows how in sync us homo sapiens can be with our minds and bodies. Tears are quite marvelous things actually, and are very closely studied. Did you know that contact lens fluid is actually based highly on the chemical construction of tears which is so close to the real thing that your eyes cannot tell the difference?"

Desiree wagged her finger at the two, "Likely story. I'm going to go tell Mom you're here. You might want to…" she motioned toward their linked hands, "Fix that before she gets down here. You know how she is. Try not to get rug burn on your shins, Rekkie."

Derek hissed back as she left the room with a cackle, "Try not to be a ugly bitch, Des."

Spencer looked over at Derek as his sister headed up the stairs, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Derek nodded, "I have to. She can't tell me what to do anymore, and I can love the both of you."

Spencer let out a grin as Derek pulled his hand free from Spencer's and rubbed his hair, "But… one bombshell at a time."

There was a quiet creaking down the stairs and Derek rose. The footsteps heard were light and quick across hardwood as his curly haired mother turned the corner. She wore a green dress, one that brought out the flecks of green in the hazel eyes she shared with Derek. Her red eyebrows were arched and biased as she leaned against the wall, "Derek."

"Hi, Mom," Derek spoke quietly, stepping forward with his arms open. He stopped as she raised a hand to cease his movement.

She looked away from him, "I thought we talked about this. You don't come around for months, you don't call, and suddenly you drop this tragedy on me and show up unexpected? I hope you don't mistake me for being in the embracing mood, Derek."

He nodded, "Well, we were in the neighborhood and—"

His mother asked with a raised eyebrow, "We?"

Derek took a deep breath, "My boyfriend and I."

She folded her arms across her chest and walked around Derek with a judgmental look in her eyes until Spencer came into her line of vision. Spencer stood respectfully and smiled, "Hello, Ms. Morgan. It's a pleasure to meet you again."

His mother paused, pressing a hand to her chest, "D…Dr. Reid? You… you and my son…"

Derek took Spencer's hand and said with strength, "We're seeing each other."

She gave Spencer a strange look, "But, you were so polite and intelligent. You must know that what you're doing… it's not practical."

Spencer replied, "With all due respect, Ms. Morgan, I find it extremely practical. We have a lot in common, we enjoy each other's company, our minds are very well matched, and our relationship is an asset to the team. I've never been happier than I am when I'm with your son, and to be honest… I've fallen in love with him. I've found it impossible not to, and I do wish to make him happy in every way I can."

Derek nodded, "What he said."

Spencer began to laugh and Derek tightened his grip on Spencer's hand, leaning his head over to rest against Spencer's. Derek shrugged, "I'm not sorry for being in love with him, and I never will be. I can't…apologize for being happy, and falling for someone that others say I shouldn't. I mean, think about it, Ma. How hard must it have been for you and Dad to be together?"

His mother gave a conflicted look, "It's not the same as that, Derek, your father and I… we…"

Derek answered for her, "Weren't accepted? Weren't the norm? Weren't practical? I'm here to tell you that you both had the strongest, most beautiful relationship I've ever seen. And, when I was a boy, I wanted that. Then, as I got older, there were things I didn't like that I should have, things that I didn't understand that made clear sense to everyone else. Then, Carl ruined my life, and, Mom, I felt so alone. I had no one to turn to. Nowhere to go. So, I pretended I had nothing to worry about. Then, this kid came along and changed everything." Derek smiled over at Spencer, "He showed me that I had someone to talk to—someone to lean on, and someone to lean on me. Someone who knew how to tell me when I'm being an idiot, and someone who would stand with me when I accomplished something great. Mom, I had someone to love with my whole heart. I've never had that before. And I'm not sorry."

She looked Derek in the eyes, "Don't you dare. Don't you dare make me feel like—"

Derek shrugged, "I can't make you feel anything."

His mother sighed, "I want to be upset with you. I really do. This makes no sense to me at all, how two men can… be in love with each other, but… you are my son. And if you say you love him… I'll have to respect your decision. You are an adult, and I gather that you've thought long and hard about this."

Derek looked over at Spencer, "Yes, I have."

She looked over at Spencer with a struggling smile on her face, "I always did like you, Dr. Reid. And, if it was anyone but you, I would have even more of a problem than I already have."

Spencer paused, "Thanks... I guess?"

"Now, don't get me wrong. I don't approve. But," Ms. Morgan raised her hand, "…Dr. Reid, I would like it very much if you joined us for Easter."

Spencer grinned widely, "That sounds great."

She smiled and clapped her hands together once, "Good, good. I need an excuse to cook, you are wonderful company, and—when it comes to family—the more the merrier."

Derek wrapped his arm around Spencer and replied, "You consider him family?"

His mother gave him a heatless glare, "I consider him the brilliant FBI agent who had lapse in judgment enough to pick my idiot son to fall in love with."

Derek shrugged, "I wonder why this great guy chose me every day…"

Spencer smiled, "And then, I start talking about biochemistry and he remembers that he's settled for less."

Derek's mother began to laugh and beamed brightly, stretching out her arms, "Come on. Mama's baby hasn't given her a hug since he's been here. You too, Doctor. You're not off the hook either."

She strode toward them and pulled them into her small arms. Spencer liked the Morgan family. Even though Ms. Morgan had a long way to go, she realized that Derek found someone he truly loves, and soon, she will find that that's what she wanted for him in the end. Sooner, rather than later, hopefully. During the hug, he felt a hand squeeze at his rear and he gave a confused grunt. Derek's mother pulled away from the hug and winked at Derek, "Nice choice."

Spencer sighed, "Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, I suppose."

She wagged her finger at Derek, "I do hope my boy's keeping his hands to himself."

Spencer scoffed, "That'll be the day."

She paused, "Wait…you two aren't sleeping together, are you?"

Derek and Spencer shook their heads and lied vigorously, "No! No, no, no."

His mother rolled her eyes, "Separate rooms when you spend the holiday, Doctor. Is that understood?"

Spencer nodded, "Of course. We are so abstinent. No sex. None. We wouldn't even consider sleeping in the same room. That's just… nutty."

Ms. Morgan sighed, "Honey, work on your lying."

Spencer blushed, "Affirmative."

A/N: Important News!

While I was gone, I got bored during my doctor's visits and wrote a 5N1 (The Five Times X Character_, and the One Time He/She Did) for y'all Morgan/Reid shippers. It's COMPLETELY UNRELATED to The Essentials, so if you want to check it out, I will be updating it every single day. Since that's a 5N1, that means you will get a chapter from me for the 5N1 every day until Saturday. Then, Sunday, this baby ends.

Happy Fall, Everyone!

-BLuE