Morgan felt a wave of relief wash over him as he maneuvered his car into the parking lot of Reid's building. The younger agent remained asleep in the back seat. Morgan paused for a moment to survey the challenge of getting Reid up the stairs into his apartment alone- at least at the airport the others had been there to help him. He opened the back door and said Reid's name a few times but his friend barely responded. Carefully, Morgan knelt down and draped Reid's arm over his shoulder and his own arm over Reid's shoulder, forcing him to stand.
Reid was not much help but Morgan managed to slowly finagle him up the stairs and used his key to open the door to his apartment. He deposited Reid gently on the couch and turned the light on, taking a second to look at him. He seemed to be sleeping, propped up half-sitting, half-lying down on the corner of the big couch and couldn't help but notice how child-like he looked, wearing Morgans giant hoodie and loose scrub pants he'd gotten at the hospital.
Morgan let out a yawn, exhausted, yet knowing his night was probably far from over. He left Reid sleeping on the couch and went back down to the car to get their go-bags. He was only gone for a couple minutes, but when he opened the door, his eyes immediately focused on his friend, who was now wide awake and standing up, albeit leaning pretty heavily on the couch, fumbling at his hip for where his gun would normally be, as if he were ready to defend himself.
"Morgan?" He asked, seeming surprised.
"Yeah, kid, it's me," Morgan held his hands up, "It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you or anything."
Reid seemed to relax when he realized it was just Morgan, but continued to look around, seeming confused.
"You know where you are?" Morgan asked.
"My…my apartment?" He murmured as if it were a question.
"That's right," Morgan dropped the bags and moved toward him slowly, "You're at home, you're ok."
"Where's my gun?"
"Evidence. They recovered it at Hankel's house. What do you need a gun for right now? You going to shoot me?" Morgan forced a smile.
"No…" Reid shook his head, "Just…in case."
He cast a sideways glance around the room as if he was expecting someone to jump out.
"Look at me, kid," Morgan approached him, and helped him back onto the couch, "You're ok. No one is coming after you. Besides, I'm right here. Ok?"
He sat next to Reid, one hand still on his shoulder, and squeezed him gently.
"Yeah, ok," Reid muttered uneasily.
"Okay, so what you want to do now? Eat? Go to bed? Talk?"
"No."
"Alright, tough guy," Morgan sighed and leaned back on the couch, pulling the younger man into him, content to sit in silence if that's what Reid needed. He felt Reid relax as he leaned into Morgans shoulder and when he looked back the younger man had fallen asleep.
"Sweet dreams, kid," He whispered.
When Reid opened his eyes again he was once again unsure of where he was. He felt a cold wave of panic rush over him as his eyes darted around the dark room. After a moment, he realized he was at home in his own bed, but this realization did nothing to soothe him. He could only recall faint memories of the journey home.
Where's Tobias? Was the first thought that raced through his frightened mind, Is he still out there?
He took a deep breathe and tried to calm himself. He's dead. I'm sure of it. I shot him. He took another deep breathe and tried to reconcile the events of the past few days in his mind. It's ok, He told himself repeatedly, It's ok.
But try as he might, he couldn't bring himself to believe it. Outside, he could hear a harsh wind whistling through the tree outside his window. When a branch scraped against the glass, his mind suddenly turned back to the cold breeze he felt as he was being dragged through the cornfield. He suddenly felt every ounce of the dread and fear that he had felt that night hit him in a rogue wave of terror.
"Derek!" He shouted, without knowing why, Derek, I need help!"
Within seconds, the door burst open and Derek Morgan appeared. Reid gasped, realizing that although had called for him, this had been more out of instinct than understanding that Morgan was actually there. Morgan lingered in the doorway for second, before turning the light on and making his way to the bed.
"I'm here," He said soothingly, "I'm right here, kid, what do you need?"
"I…." Reid was baffled, "I don't ….I don't know."
"Okay," Morgan said easily, sitting on the bed next to Reid and touching his arm, "You don't need to know everything right now. I think the sedations wearing off, finally. You're at home, and you're safe."
"And Tobias? He's dead?"
"He's dead," Morgan reassured.
"I know," Reid was visibly shaking now, "I just…feel like…he's still out there. He's still coming for me. I know that doesn't make sense."
"Sure it does," Morgan said, "What you went through out there was more than anyone should ever have to go through. It makes total sense that you'd be scared. But I promise you, no one is going to hurt you tonight. I'm right here. I'm gonna stay right here with you."
Morgan observed his friend, who was now visibly shaking. Without a word, Morgan wrapped both arms around him and held him. He could feel the cold sweat as the young man sat shaking in his arms. Morgan squeezed him gently in an attempt to calm him down a little.
"Morgan, I'm scared," Reid admitted, tears welling up in his eyes.
"I know."
"I'm scared that..I'll never be the same again," Reid admitted.
Morgan rubbed his back gently with his large soothing hands, then pulled back enough to look the terrified young agent in the eye.
"Reid, it's normal," He assured, "The things that happen to us change us, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. It could make you more empathetic, a better profiler. Hell, even a better person. You don't think the things that have happened on this job have changed me? Remember when I first started in the bureau I was this cocky, know-it-all, hard ass?"
"You still are…just a little," Reid let out a little laugh.
"See, there's my pretty boy," Morgan smiled, "My point is, I've grown a lot through all of this. Learned to listen and to be softer and kinder. Hell, look and you and me. Five years ago, I would have been to pig-headed to ever talk this way with another person, and definitely not some geeky little white boy, but know you're my best friend. Our experiences may change our perspective a little, but you'll always be that accidentally funny little genius that we all love."
"Thanks, Morgan," Reid hugged him back and for the first time started to really relax, "Unintentionally funny?"
"Funny looking," Morgan flashed his brilliant smile, "I'm sorry, Pretty Boy, I couldn't help it."
Morgan looked up and was relieved to see that Reid was smiling too.
"You want to try to get some sleep?"
Reid nodded. Morgan stood up and walked over to turn the light off.
"Good night, Morgan," Reid said, feeling the fear start to return at the idea of Morgan going back out to the living room, or worse, going home. But instead he walked right back to the bed and said, "Scoot over. I told you, I'm gonna stay right here with you."
Reid said nothing but Morgan sensed his relief as he moved over to make room for his protector.
