Staying Together
Disclaimer: I do not own any of characters in this story that you recognize, the ones that you don't I'll take credit for!
Notes: Some people seemed to like the idea of the sequel. I'm currently like five or six chapters into the story and working between two different options. Because I'm having such a hard time figuring out which way I want to go with the story I might go one way for now and then explore the other way in part 3. It's exciting! So, continue to read, enjoy, and review so we can get to part 3!
Warning: Slash. Reid reminds me so much of a friend of mine who is gay that I can't ever see him as straight, even though the show has had him stumbling around two or three girls.
Summary: SLASH. Part 2 in the Together Series. As Reid journeys on his road to recovery with Morgan they are bound to hit some speed bumps along the way. (Reid/Morgan est. couple)
The last name Morgan expected to see on his caller ID was his mother's when he grabbed the phone. He heard Reid's question from the couch, asking if it was the team calling, and in a way he kind of wished they were. The team was predictable, they really only called for two reasons: they had a case or they wanted to make dinner/social plans. His mother on the other hand, never called for the same reason twice and he had a feeling this was not a social call, but a scolding one.
Morgan usually made sure to call his mother at least once a week, more when they didn't have cases, and he began to rack his brain for the last time he called her. It was before their last case, before Reid was hurt, over a week ago. His stomach dropped.
"No, it's my mom," he quickly told Reid before taking a deep breath and flipping the phone open. "Hi mama," he said, sounding sheepish and preparing himself for the tirade he knew was coming.
"Derek Morgan, don't you 'hi mama' me. Do you know how long it's been since I last heard from you?" she asked sounding stern, angry, and upset all at the same time.
"I know mama, things were a little hectic here," Morgan said, trying to calm her down. He spared a glance over to Reid who had placed his book down and was looking at Morgan with concern, his long dexterous fingers running through Clooney's soft fur. Morgan offered him a small smile that told him not to worry; things would be fine - as soon as his mama stopped yelling.
"Don't you dare. You are never too hectic to call your mama up and tell her you're alright. I don't ask for much, just check in once a week," she said, starting to sound more upset than angry. Morgan could tell, just by the slight change in the pitch of her voice, that she was going to start crying soon and it broke his heart. He didn't want to make his mother cry, he had just been so caught up with Reid being shot, and then him recovering at his house, not to mention their blossoming relationship. In all that was going on, he simply forgot, he felt terrible about it without the added guilt his mama was laying on.
Now Fran Morgan was not an unrealistic person, she knew her son's job required him to fly around the country and hold odd hours, she didn't expect him to visit once a month or even more than twice a year. All she expected was for him to call her at least once a week. To his credit he had never missed a week, even when he was out on some of the toughest cases, until the past week. Because he had never missed a week before, when the seventh day passed and she had not heard from her baby boy she instantly panicked and thought the worst. When her call was answered with a casual, slightly sheepish, '"hi mama," she snapped.
"Mama I'm sorry. One of my teammates was hurt and I've been sleeping at the hospital…" Morgan began, trying to explain but he was quickly cut off.
"What? Who was hurt? Why didn't you say something about that earlier? Are they alright?" she quickly interrupted, her motherly instinct kicking in full force at the thought of another mother's child being hurt. Her greatest fear was that her son's job would take him from her, anytime someone was hurt that fear became a little more real for her.
"It was Dr. Spencer Reid," Morgan offered, knowing she would understand why Morgan had been caught up with Reid's recovery. Often when he called her he would update her on the young doctor and how he was doing, Fran Morgan had taken quite a liking to Reid when he had come to help on the Carl Buford case. Over on the couch Reid's eyebrows shot up in question at the mention of his name and Morgan mouthed "I'll explain later" to him so he didn't worry.
"Oh that poor boy, what happened to him? Is he alright?" Fran asked, anger completely gone from her tone and tears beginning to fall for an entirely different reason. She was well aware of who Spencer Reid was, and ever since her boy had told her about his childhood her heart had gone out to the young man; knowing that he was hurt and couldn't take comfort in his mother's arms made her heart hurt.
"He was shot in the arm while speaking at a college. He will be fine in a month or two. Don't worry I'm taking care of him, just like my mama taught me," Morgan said, seeing Reid return to his book, knowing the conversation had turned from Morgan being scolded to an update on his well-being.
"Good boy," she said, "but how?" she asked, knowing that he rarely got any days off with the nature of his job, after all serial killers didn't exactly take a vacation so the people who chased them also didn't.
"Hotch gave me some time off. Reid's mobility is limited right now so he needs some help around the house. I volunteered and Hotch made sure to swing it," Morgan explained, holding the phone to his ear with his shoulder as he put his instant oatmeal in the microwave.
"How long do you have off?" Fran asked, Morgan could swear he heard something in the tone of her voice that made him think she was up to no good.
"Hotch said two weeks but I could be called back at anytime," Morgan said, knowing exactly what was coming next. He loved his mama but when she really wanted something she was so predictable.
"So do you think you could make it over here to visit at all? I haven't seen you since Christmas and then you were only able to stay for half of Christmas Eve and left on Christmas day. If you don't want to leave Dr. Reid alone you can bring him, you know I love that boy. With both of your sisters having moved out over the last year I have more than enough room," she was beginning to sound like Reid when he became overexcited about a fact or statistic.
"Mama, I'll see. I have to talk to him about it; I can't just drag him along. I got to go, my breakfast just finished cooking. I'll call you in a couple of days. I love you," Morgan said before hanging up the phone and grabbing his oatmeal from the microwave.
Sitting down next to Reid on the couch Morgan took a big spoonful of oatmeal as he looked over at what Reid was reading. Ignoring him for a moment in order to finish the page he was on, Reid soon closed the book and asked, "How's your mother?"
"She's good. A little put off that I forgot to call her recently, especially after the Christmas fiasco we all went through this past year," Morgan replied, enjoying just sitting next to Reid on the couch. It was so calm, peaceful, and domestic.
"I'm sorry," Reid said, automatically feeling like it was entirely his fault. Maybe if he didn't need Morgan's help for every little thing he would have remember to call his mother and not cause her to worry so much. Why would Morgan want to be with someone who was so dependent, just like a child? Morgan immediately tuned into Reid's negative thinking and knew he had to nip it in the bud. Throughout the last week or so he had to be very careful to watch Reid's moods, because of his lack of relationship experience and his childhood Reid wasn't used to being with someone who truly loved him for who he was and wanted to be with him. He often shied away from Morgan's attention and felt that he was unworthy of it.
"Hey there, you have nothing to be sorry for. Once I told her what had my mind preoccupied she automatically wanted to know how you were doing. She's not even mad anymore; in fact she would have been madder if I wasn't taking care of you and hadn't stayed with you in the hospital. There is no need to apologize," Morgan assured Reid, leaning over and kissing the side of his head affectionately. "In fact, she wanted to know if you would be up for visiting her in Chicago. I'm sure she's love to mother you to death," Morgan said casually, hoping that Reid wouldn't take it the wrong way.
In all honesty, Morgan really did want to visit his mother. He had felt extremely bad about his short visit on Christmas but they had gotten back late on a case right before the holiday and then they were called in the day after because of the high profile case that came in. His mother had looked heartbroken, but understanding, when he kissed her goodbye those three months ago. He also had another reason that he wanted to go home, and it was the man sitting next to him at that very moment. He wanted to be able to tell his mother that he had finally found someone in person and it would be an added bonus if Reid could come with him when he did that.
He was broken out of his musing by Reid's genuinely shocked statement, "Why would she want to do that?" Morgan looked at Reid sadly; he really didn't see much worth in himself. He was unable to see how incredible he was and it just killed Morgan sometimes. He often cursed Reid's father, classmates, local LEOs, and even some people at the Bureau (though no one on their team) for the constant put downs that led him to this lack of self-worth and self-confidence.
"Reid, my mama loves you. After she met you in Chicago she always made sure to ask how you were doing every time I called. When I was home for Christmas my sisters asked how you were and what you were doing for the holiday season. You are so amazing and people are drawn to you," Morgan said, putting his bowl down on the side table and moving the book off Reid's lap. Reid watched his movements with a careful eye, knowing a serious conversation was coming next by the look on Morgan's face.
Reid heard what Morgan was saying, he really did, but he just didn't believe it. How could something that everyone in his life had told him be wrong? Throughout his life he had been told he was smart, even a genius; but when he heard Morgan tell him how amazing he was, he had a feeling it had nothing to do with his IQ of 187.
"Reid, you're not only insanely smart, but you're funny, caring, loving, and pretty darn cute too," at that Reid blushed down to his collarbone. "Your smile lights up a room and though some people don't always enjoy your statistical rants they are what make you who you are so I love them. You always put others before yourself, which drive me crazy because you need to be top priority sometimes, but you do it because you're unselfish and compassionate. I've said it before, and I'll say it again a million times, you could have done anything with that big old brain of yours and yet you decided to help catch bad guys and save the day, it takes a special kind of person to do that. You are such a special person Spencer," Morgan said with such conviction that Reid was taken aback.
"Derek – I –" Reid began, completely unable to form words. He was almost numb; he hadn't heard something like that since his mother's illness was almost completely under control with her meds over twenty-four years ago.
Twenty-four years, three months, and eighteen days ago Reid had been sitting on the couch with his mother, she was reading Keats to him and he was just basking in her presence. All of a sudden she had stopped reading and turned to him before simply saying, "Spencer, do you know how special you are?" Young Spencer had just shrugged his shoulders, figuring she was referencing his intelligence. "You really are Spencer, and you have such a pure and wonderful soul. Trust me, a mother knows." Shortly after she said it she opened the book back up and returned to reading like nothing had happened.
As Reid thought about that tender moment between him and his mother he was reminded of all the times throughout the years when people had tried to tell him the exact opposite. After hearing how strange, gangly looking, and annoying you are for twenty years, you begin to believe it. He could tell Morgan was shocked that he didn't already know all the things that he told him but in reality, he really didn't believe it. He knew he annoyed people with his facts, he knew that he looked like "a pipe cleaner with eyes," and he knew that few people cared about the same things he did, marking him as strange. Those were facts, and Reid did well with facts.
Morgan felt his heart break a little as he realized that Reid really couldn't see himself the way he did. He lifted one hand and gently laid it on his face before leaning in a capturing his lips. At first Reid's mind was clearly elsewhere, probably thinking about all the ways in which Morgan was incorrect, but eventually he focused and began to return the kiss. As soon as Morgan knew Reid was back on this world with him he began to deepen the kiss, nipping at Reid's bottom lip and running his tongue along it, asking for entrance. Though they had spent some time kissing during the past few days, exploring each other's likes and dislikes such as where they liked to put their hands, Morgan had yet to introduce French kissing into the mix.
Reid tensed up at the sensation of Morgan's tongue running along his bottom lip which was tingling due to Morgan's other ministrations. Morgan made sure to take things slowly, letting Reid get used to the feeling, and eventually he felt the tension leave Reid's body and his mouth open hesitantly.
Morgan was careful with his movements as he deepened the kiss, his tongue gently making its way into Reid's mouth only to be met by Reid's hesitant one. He was making sure that first and foremost was his feelings for Reid; he wanted him to feel how special Morgan thought he was and how much he loved him through this kiss.
When they both mutually pulled back moments later they were breathless. Reid's cheeks were flushed and his eyes were wild as he processed everything that had happened in those few short moments. Morgan, on the other hand, was grinning and as happy as could be.
Riding the high he felt from kissing Reid, Morgan decided that very moment was the time to say, "I love you, Pretty Boy."
A little more romance in this chapter. Everyone has to kind of keep in mind that this is Reid's first real relationship and he is definitely going to take it slowly. I'm kind of basing some of the firsts off of my friend's experiences (what he doesn't know won't hurt him, right?) so they will be as realistic as I can make them. Don't despair though, there will be some action coming up soon.