Thank you to those who read the first chapter, and a special thanks to those few that left a review. It's always nice to know how well my stories are being received. Also, I will probably be posting semi-weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays. I've got about 25 chapters left, so stay put for the long haul.

REID

"I don't see what the big deal is," he shrugged his shoulders as Prentiss scoffed in the seat next to him.

"Oh come on!" she exclaimed. "She was practically all over you. You should call her."

"Who?" JJ twisted in her seat to look at the two agents in the middle of the SUV. Their latest case had taken them to eastern Tennessee, and Hotch knew driving a few hours would be cheaper than sending the jet. Rossi was stretched out asleep in the back, so Hotch had volunteered to drive home. Reid was beginning to regret turning down JJ's offer of the front seat as Prentiss' teasing increased.

"The friend of the victim's sister, Amanda Payne? They exchanged phone numbers." Prentiss' grin was almost predatory, and Reid squirmed uncomfortably when JJ turned just a bit more to smile at him.

"Oh yeah?"

"It's nothing guys!" His protest was just a little too loud, and Hotch looked up from the road to eye them in the rearview mirror. "I gave her my card and told her call me if she wanted to talk - like any good agent would do."

"And then?" Prentiss teased.

"Then nothing," he replied, probably a little too quickly.

"She wrote her number on your hand!" Prentiss grabbed his wrist and held it up triumphantly.

He snatched his hand back and scowled. "I'm not calling her," he said with finality. "Hotch, back me up here."

"Getting involved with someone from a case isn't a good idea," he confirmed. JJ just shrugged and turned back around as Prentiss rolled her eyes.

"Men," she muttered just loud enough for Reid to hear, but out of earshot of their boss. She turned away to look out the window, leaving Reid to his thoughts. He had endured Prentiss' teasing ever since they'd left, and he was grateful she'd finally relented. He knew none of his teammates were intentionally malicious, and he took their teasing in stride, but he'd always been notoriously uncomfortable with interpersonal communication - what Morgan would refer to as "small talk." He was suddenly thankful that Morgan wasn't with them - the older agent would never let him hear the end of this.

He knew he'd been luckier than most with his particular brand of intelligence. At CalTech he'd been a genius among geniuses, and though he'd been quite a bit younger than his peers he'd never felt ostracized or unwelcome. By the time he was 20, he'd acquired a Ph.D in Mathematics, Chemistry, and Engineering. He'd taken a few courses in Criminal Justice for fun and more than a few in Psychology for his mother, ultimately completing two more degrees. One of his professors had been an FBI agent in his prime, and after a few calls and several tests Reid had entered the FBI at 21, two years shy of the Bureau's minimum age.

"Hey, boy genius," JJ's voice pulled him out of his reverie. He blinked a few times and looked at her with a sheepish expression. "What's going on in that big brain of yours?"

"Technically, my brain is no larger than yours, I just -"

"Just a figure of speech, Spence," she laughed. "It just looked like you were thinking pretty hard. Anything I can help with?"

"No," he shook his head. "Just thinking." His mind often wandered, but he didn't think JJ cared about his reminisces. "Hey, how's Henry?"

If she was surprised by the subject change, she didn't show it. Her face lit up as she answered. "He's great," she said. "He'll be walking soon. I can't wait."

"Yes you can," Hotch interjected with small but rare smile. He was obviously recalling a memory of his own son, Jack. "You'll be begging for a return to the crawling days. The first time he takes off at a run, your heart will stop."

"Will is so paranoid," JJ chuckled. "He's already stocked up on bandaids, antiseptic ointment, and cold packs. I thought I was going to be the parent who went overboard with everything we see on this job."

Reid cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter in his seat. "Statistically, children who grow up with one or more overprotective parents are more likely to be obese. Also, overprotected children are more likely to be bullied, leading to a higher risk of -"

"Spence, Spence," JJ interrupted him before he could take off, "I get it. I'll keep an eye on Will."

Reid nodded awkwardly and sat back. He wasn't sure exactly what being a godfather meant beyond the literal definition, but he was determined to live up to whatever expectations JJ had for him. After his father had left, it had been just him and his mom. Extended family had kept their distance as Diana's condition deteriorated, and so Spencer had grown up alone. Ever since he'd joined the BAU, he'd gained more than a group of coworkers and friends; he'd gained a family. He was determined to do whatever he had to to keep it.

"We still going to Gloria's tonight?" Nights out with the team had been a ritual instituted long before he'd joined, and this month it was Reid's turn to pick. Garcia and Morgan usually picked places with loud music, a dance floor, and lots of people, but Reid preferred a more intimate setting with those closest to him. It was a ritual they all needed to relax and recharge after weeks spent traveling the country dealing with the worst humanity had to offer. In the years he'd been with the team, none of them had ever missed a night out. The nods he received in answer to his question confirmed that the tradition would continue.

They walked through the glass doors of the BAU a little over an hour later, muscles weary from the long drive. Hotch and Rossi disappeared into their offices as the rest of them moved to their desks. JJ walked in last, her phone pressed against her ear.

"Yeah, I should be home in half an hour." She smiled widely and shouldered her bag. "I love you, too." She keyed her phone off and looked up at the team. "I'll see you at the restaurant at seven. Get some rest, guys." They all waved goodbye as she disappeared down the hall, eager to see her husband and son after a long case. The door had barely closed behind her when it opened again, allowing a rather perky technical analyst into their office.

"Welcome home, superheroes." Garcia was beaming as she strode into the doors. "What's new in the world of my favorite profilers?"

"Reid got a girl's number," Prentiss replied excitedly, and Reid shot her a contemptuous look.

"Oh, details, lover boy!" Garcia bounced in place as she whirled on the youngest member of the team. "Was she pretty?"

"Um...Ye-yes...I guess so," he stammered.

"Aww," Garcia clicked her tongue sympathetically. "Doesn't sound like she had the spark."

"The spark?"

"You know," Garcia sighed wistfully, "that moment when your eyes meet across the room and you get that bubbly feeling in your tummy and in that second nothing else matters except the two of you and you just know that she's the most beautiful person you've ever seen."

"Have I had you drug-tested recently?"

"And a special hello to you, Bossman." She looked up as Hotch descended the stairs to the bullpen. "Did you get my report?"

"I did," he nodded. "Now if only the rest of the team was as efficient as you." Her grin doubled at the rare praise from their team leader. Reid knew she often felt like she was outside the team when they left her to go out into the field, though they kept in contact almost constantly. And though she worked on cases for other BAU teams, Reid knew Hotch wouldn't use any other technical analyst in the pool. It was the highest form of praise from their normally stoic leader.

"Well I'm off, my loves. Morgan comes in in just a little over an hour. See you tonight!" She breezed out the door with as much spirit as she'd entered, and Reid found himself smiling.

"I swear she could power a small city," Prentiss joked from across the aisle, and Reid laughed his agreement as he settled into his desk to finish his own report.

Forty minutes later he closed the file, satisfied that he'd recorded everything of importance. His reports tended to be a little more lengthy than the others', but Reid attributed that to the fact that he recalled more than they did. His memory allowed him to recall even the tiniest minutiae, and Hotch had often praised his attention to detail.

"Here you go," he said as he entered Hotch's office, holding the report out for his boss. But Hotch wasn't listening; his attention was focused completely on his computer screen. "Hotch?"

"Reid," the older agent's voice was steady and low, as though he didn't want to alert anyone else. "What was Morgan's flight number?"

Reid instantly recalled the text they'd all received from Morgan detailing his departure and arrival times. The flight number had been tacked on to the end more as a habit than a necessity.

"United Airlines 1214. Why?"

Hotch gripped the side of his screen and rotated it so Reid could see. The bold headline stood out above a picture that needed no caption.

UNITED 1214 CRASHES IN RURAL WEST VIRGINIA; TEAMS STILL SEARCHING FOR SURVIVORS