After the Fall
Feb. 14th, 2007 01:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
why_me_why_notTitle: After the Fall
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
why_me_why_not
Fandom/Pairing: Criminal Minds, Morgan/Reid
Rating/Word Count: PG, 2000 words
Beta:irisgirl12000 (any remaining mistakes are mine)
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Criminal Minds. No harm intended.
Summary: Set directly after the events of "Revelation", Morgan sits with Reid at the hospital.
Morgan's still full of tension and restless energy. He paces back and forth in the small waiting room, wishing someone would tell him something. He almost regrets not hugging Reid out in that damned cemetary when he had the chance, but he hadn't because he doubted his ability to let him go after that. He just hadn't realized it would be so long before he got another chance.
On his next pass of the room, he checks to make sure JJ is okay. She doesn't look very comfortable, scrunched up in the hospital chairs she pushed together, but at least she's finally asleep. She needs it.
Morgan stops abruptly at the sound of approaching footsteps. Hotchner.
"He's sleeping," Hotch reports, his voice weary with the events of the last few days but still tinged with the relief of having Reid back with them. "They've given him an IV for the dehydration, and most of his physical wounds are relatively minor. However, Hankel was injecting him with a heroin-like drug, so he's going to be kept under close watch while he detoxes."
"Can I see him?"
"We should go back to the hotel and try to get some rest."
"Good idea. You should wake JJ and take her back with you. I'll stay with Reid."
"Morgan, we can come back first thing in the morning. Between what he's been through and the drugs, he'll probably sleep straight through."
"Yeah, but what if he does wake up? I don't want him to be alone. I'm staying, Hotch."
Hotch studies him for a moment and sighs. "Okay. I'll take JJ. At least try to get some rest while you're here, all right? Reid's in room 321."
Morgan waits until Hotch gets JJ up and then watches them walk down the corridor to the elevator before turns around to find Reid's room. He meets a nurse coming out the door as he reaches it.
"Agent Derek Morgan," he introduces. "I'm here to sit with Dr. Reid, if it's okay?"
"As the doctor told your colleague, Mr. Reid will probably sleep through the night."
"Yes, ma'am, Agent Hotchner passed that information on to me, but I'd like to be here anyway. Just in case. Dr. Reid isn't exactly known for doing the predictable thing."
"That's fine. Just let me know if you need anything." She glances back into the room. "He's kinda young to be a doctor, isn't he?"
Morgan grins at her as he walks past. "Our boy's a genius."
His grin disappears as soon as he sees Reid.
It seems Morgan's still collecting images of Reid to add to his mental files of things to keep him from sleeping. The sight of Reid with his hands covered in Nathan Harris' blood. The video from Hankel's hideout. That brief eternity watching Reid on the floor, not breathing, and God, Morgan was ready to rip Hankel apart with his bare hands. The blank and desolate look in Reid's eyes as they walked out of the cemetary. Now this, lying in a hospital bed surrounded by machines, looking so damned young. He's got an IV attached to one arm, replenishing fluids he never should have lost, and on the other Morgan can see the marks where Hankel injected his own brand of poison.
Morgan wants to hit something, tear something apart, rage at someone that this entire situation is wrong and unfair. He settles for taking a seat in the chair beside the bed and looking for distraction on the television.
Of course, the first channel he comes across is a news network. "The citizens of Georgia are resting a bit easier tonight. The man responsible for several brutal deaths that were recorded and posted to the internet was located following the abduction and subsequent abuse of an FBI agent. The killer, who has been identified as Tobias Hankel, is confirmed dead. The name of the agent involved in the incident has not been released, but we have learned that he was a member of the Behavior Analysis Unit, which is a branch of the FBI that..."
Shit. Perfect. There was no reason for the news station to have that information, much less be releasing it.
He shuts off the television and reaches for his cell phone before he remembers it's been turned off since he got here. He uses the hospital phone and his credit card to place a call to Chicago.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Momma, it's me."
"Derek! Your sisters and I have been so worried! I've been trying to call for hours!"
"I'm sorry. I didn't think it would hit the news that the BAU was involved or I would have called sooner. I can't use my cell here in the hospital."
"Are you hurt?"
"No, ma'am, I'm fine. It's... it was Reid."
There's momentary silence on the other end of the line, and Morgan knows she's trying to keep from him hearing her tears. "Baby, I'm so glad to hear you're okay, but that's horrible. How is Spencer?"
Morgan looks over at the sleeping Reid before answering quietly, "He'll be okay." Morgan hates lying to his mother, but it's only a half-lie. Reid's wounds will heal and physically he'll be fine. It's the psychological injuries that Morgan is worried about.
Morgan realizes that he's missed part of the conversation. "I'm sorry, what?"
"I said, you will let me know if you need anything? Or if there's anything I can do for Spencer?" When Reid had been in Chicago helping to clear Morgan of murder, Morgan's mother had taking a liking to Reid. She made a point to ask about him each time Morgan called and had told him more than once since then that he needed to bring Reid back for a visit because "that boy's too skinny and needs a few good, home-cooked meals."
Morgan agrees to call if they need anything, and his mother tells him to get some rest before they hang up.
Morgan contemplates turning the television back on, but instead tries to find a comfortable position in the chair and watches Reid sleep. The rise and fall of the blanket over his chest provides Morgan more comfort than all the blinking machines. This is something he's familiar with, the pattern of Reid's breathing when he sleeps, and he finds himself slowing his own breathing down to match it.
He dozes off sometime, but he doesn't know when. He only knows that he has because he wakes up to Reid shifting restlessly on the bed and mumbling words Morgan can't make out. He jumps up and leans over the bed, placing a careful hand on the pillow next to Reid's head. He wants badly to touch him, but he's not sure of what Reid's reaction would be, so he doesn't.
"Reid."
The mumbling stops and Reid blinks open bleary eyes. He seems to have a hard time focusing on Morgan but he manages it after a moment. "Hi."
"Hey." It seems like a silly exchange of words; it's simple and banal conversation, but to Morgan it's so much more than that because it's proof that Reid is here, alive. He gives in and brushes back the hair that has fallen across Reid's forehead. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For not getting there sooner." He hadn't meant to go into this, especially here and now with Reid, but once the words are out he can't keep the rest from following. "I'm sorry we didn't figure out the location sooner. I'm sorry we didn't put the pieces together before we ever sent you and JJ to talk to Hankel. I'm sorry that we've been taking our boy genius for granted."
"Are you sorry I joined the BAU?" Reid's voice, though still quiet and rough, has a bitter edge to it that Morgan never would have expected.
"Of course not; why would you even think that?"
"Well, you're apologizing for all these things that you had no control over. Do you regret having me around, having to look after me like I'm some kid?"
"Reid." Morgan sits lightly on the edge of the bed beside Reid. "The team needs you; all of us are glad to have you. And the rest of the team is just as upset about this whole situation. It's because we care about you and I thought you knew that."
"I do know that. Just... none of this is your fault. It's not JJ's fault. There's nothing anyone in the BAU could've done to stop this." Reid draws a shallow breath that turns into a raspy cough when he exhales and Morgan reaches for the water pitcher beside the bed. He gently helps Reid sit up enough to take a few sips before he lays back against the pillow.
Morgan runs his thumb lightly over the bandage on Reid's temple, wishing he could magically soothe away the hurt, both inside and out, but the damage was something he had no control over and it made him feel helpless. Helpless was not a feeling he had often or handled well.
"Do you plan on cataloguing my wounds or are you going to kiss me and make me better?"
Morgan can't tell from Reid's tone whether he's serious or not, but the faint light in his eyes and that charming little half smile are answer enough for him. He leans down and places a soft kiss against Reid's lips, a bit surprised when Reid kisses him back more aggressively than he expected. When his tongue slips over Reid's lips and into the familiar taste of his mouth, he lets himself think that the past few days have been nothing but a nightmare. That both of them were whole and unchanged. Then Reid pulls away and when Morgan opens his eyes, he sees a worry and uncertainty in Reid's expression that unnerves him.
"What?"
"Is this a sin?"
"What?"
"What we're doing, is it a sin? Is this what I should have confessed to Hankel? Maybe I was supposed to be punished."
Morgan hopes the words are still affected by the drugs, but the feeling of violence in the pit of his stomach is back. "Reid, Hankel was mentally ill. You didn't have to confess anything to him. And you have nothing to be punished for, you hear me? Nothing. The God I believe in wouldn't condemn us for this, but if you feel this is wrong for you..."
"No," Reid answers quickly and reaches for Morgan's hand. "I don't want... I don't want things to change. I'm just... I don't know, there's a lot to think about."
Morgan nods. "Take your time and think about it. I'm not going anywhere."
"Actually, I do want you to go somewhere."
"What?"
"I need you to go to Las Vegas, to see my mom. I doubt she knows what happened, and I don't even know if she'll understand, but she's my mother. I need for her to know that I'm okay. Would you do that for me? Please?"
Morgan hesitates. He really can't deny Reid anything, but he doesn't like the idea of leaving. He knows that the rest of the team will be around; no one was going home until they could all go. He remember the conversation with his own mother, and thought about how much Reid loved his mom. He didn't know all the details, but it seemed that Reid had been looking after and protecting his mother more often than she had taken care of him. "Yeah, I'll go. First thing tomorrow, okay?"
Reid nods. "Thank you." His words end with a yawn.
"Get some rest, boy wonder. I have a feeling your visitors are going to be here early in the morning." He watches until Reid falls back into a restless sleep, still holding his hand, and wonders what he's dreaming. He doesn't really want to know, because they don't seem to be very pleasant, but he can't help Reid conquer his personal demons without finding out what they are.
Author:
why_me_why_notFandom/Pairing: Criminal Minds, Morgan/Reid
Rating/Word Count: PG, 2000 words
Beta:
irisgirl12000 (any remaining mistakes are mine)Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Criminal Minds. No harm intended.
Summary: Set directly after the events of "Revelation", Morgan sits with Reid at the hospital.
Morgan's still full of tension and restless energy. He paces back and forth in the small waiting room, wishing someone would tell him something. He almost regrets not hugging Reid out in that damned cemetary when he had the chance, but he hadn't because he doubted his ability to let him go after that. He just hadn't realized it would be so long before he got another chance.
On his next pass of the room, he checks to make sure JJ is okay. She doesn't look very comfortable, scrunched up in the hospital chairs she pushed together, but at least she's finally asleep. She needs it.
Morgan stops abruptly at the sound of approaching footsteps. Hotchner.
"He's sleeping," Hotch reports, his voice weary with the events of the last few days but still tinged with the relief of having Reid back with them. "They've given him an IV for the dehydration, and most of his physical wounds are relatively minor. However, Hankel was injecting him with a heroin-like drug, so he's going to be kept under close watch while he detoxes."
"Can I see him?"
"We should go back to the hotel and try to get some rest."
"Good idea. You should wake JJ and take her back with you. I'll stay with Reid."
"Morgan, we can come back first thing in the morning. Between what he's been through and the drugs, he'll probably sleep straight through."
"Yeah, but what if he does wake up? I don't want him to be alone. I'm staying, Hotch."
Hotch studies him for a moment and sighs. "Okay. I'll take JJ. At least try to get some rest while you're here, all right? Reid's in room 321."
Morgan waits until Hotch gets JJ up and then watches them walk down the corridor to the elevator before turns around to find Reid's room. He meets a nurse coming out the door as he reaches it.
"Agent Derek Morgan," he introduces. "I'm here to sit with Dr. Reid, if it's okay?"
"As the doctor told your colleague, Mr. Reid will probably sleep through the night."
"Yes, ma'am, Agent Hotchner passed that information on to me, but I'd like to be here anyway. Just in case. Dr. Reid isn't exactly known for doing the predictable thing."
"That's fine. Just let me know if you need anything." She glances back into the room. "He's kinda young to be a doctor, isn't he?"
Morgan grins at her as he walks past. "Our boy's a genius."
His grin disappears as soon as he sees Reid.
It seems Morgan's still collecting images of Reid to add to his mental files of things to keep him from sleeping. The sight of Reid with his hands covered in Nathan Harris' blood. The video from Hankel's hideout. That brief eternity watching Reid on the floor, not breathing, and God, Morgan was ready to rip Hankel apart with his bare hands. The blank and desolate look in Reid's eyes as they walked out of the cemetary. Now this, lying in a hospital bed surrounded by machines, looking so damned young. He's got an IV attached to one arm, replenishing fluids he never should have lost, and on the other Morgan can see the marks where Hankel injected his own brand of poison.
Morgan wants to hit something, tear something apart, rage at someone that this entire situation is wrong and unfair. He settles for taking a seat in the chair beside the bed and looking for distraction on the television.
Of course, the first channel he comes across is a news network. "The citizens of Georgia are resting a bit easier tonight. The man responsible for several brutal deaths that were recorded and posted to the internet was located following the abduction and subsequent abuse of an FBI agent. The killer, who has been identified as Tobias Hankel, is confirmed dead. The name of the agent involved in the incident has not been released, but we have learned that he was a member of the Behavior Analysis Unit, which is a branch of the FBI that..."
Shit. Perfect. There was no reason for the news station to have that information, much less be releasing it.
He shuts off the television and reaches for his cell phone before he remembers it's been turned off since he got here. He uses the hospital phone and his credit card to place a call to Chicago.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Momma, it's me."
"Derek! Your sisters and I have been so worried! I've been trying to call for hours!"
"I'm sorry. I didn't think it would hit the news that the BAU was involved or I would have called sooner. I can't use my cell here in the hospital."
"Are you hurt?"
"No, ma'am, I'm fine. It's... it was Reid."
There's momentary silence on the other end of the line, and Morgan knows she's trying to keep from him hearing her tears. "Baby, I'm so glad to hear you're okay, but that's horrible. How is Spencer?"
Morgan looks over at the sleeping Reid before answering quietly, "He'll be okay." Morgan hates lying to his mother, but it's only a half-lie. Reid's wounds will heal and physically he'll be fine. It's the psychological injuries that Morgan is worried about.
Morgan realizes that he's missed part of the conversation. "I'm sorry, what?"
"I said, you will let me know if you need anything? Or if there's anything I can do for Spencer?" When Reid had been in Chicago helping to clear Morgan of murder, Morgan's mother had taking a liking to Reid. She made a point to ask about him each time Morgan called and had told him more than once since then that he needed to bring Reid back for a visit because "that boy's too skinny and needs a few good, home-cooked meals."
Morgan agrees to call if they need anything, and his mother tells him to get some rest before they hang up.
Morgan contemplates turning the television back on, but instead tries to find a comfortable position in the chair and watches Reid sleep. The rise and fall of the blanket over his chest provides Morgan more comfort than all the blinking machines. This is something he's familiar with, the pattern of Reid's breathing when he sleeps, and he finds himself slowing his own breathing down to match it.
He dozes off sometime, but he doesn't know when. He only knows that he has because he wakes up to Reid shifting restlessly on the bed and mumbling words Morgan can't make out. He jumps up and leans over the bed, placing a careful hand on the pillow next to Reid's head. He wants badly to touch him, but he's not sure of what Reid's reaction would be, so he doesn't.
"Reid."
The mumbling stops and Reid blinks open bleary eyes. He seems to have a hard time focusing on Morgan but he manages it after a moment. "Hi."
"Hey." It seems like a silly exchange of words; it's simple and banal conversation, but to Morgan it's so much more than that because it's proof that Reid is here, alive. He gives in and brushes back the hair that has fallen across Reid's forehead. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For not getting there sooner." He hadn't meant to go into this, especially here and now with Reid, but once the words are out he can't keep the rest from following. "I'm sorry we didn't figure out the location sooner. I'm sorry we didn't put the pieces together before we ever sent you and JJ to talk to Hankel. I'm sorry that we've been taking our boy genius for granted."
"Are you sorry I joined the BAU?" Reid's voice, though still quiet and rough, has a bitter edge to it that Morgan never would have expected.
"Of course not; why would you even think that?"
"Well, you're apologizing for all these things that you had no control over. Do you regret having me around, having to look after me like I'm some kid?"
"Reid." Morgan sits lightly on the edge of the bed beside Reid. "The team needs you; all of us are glad to have you. And the rest of the team is just as upset about this whole situation. It's because we care about you and I thought you knew that."
"I do know that. Just... none of this is your fault. It's not JJ's fault. There's nothing anyone in the BAU could've done to stop this." Reid draws a shallow breath that turns into a raspy cough when he exhales and Morgan reaches for the water pitcher beside the bed. He gently helps Reid sit up enough to take a few sips before he lays back against the pillow.
Morgan runs his thumb lightly over the bandage on Reid's temple, wishing he could magically soothe away the hurt, both inside and out, but the damage was something he had no control over and it made him feel helpless. Helpless was not a feeling he had often or handled well.
"Do you plan on cataloguing my wounds or are you going to kiss me and make me better?"
Morgan can't tell from Reid's tone whether he's serious or not, but the faint light in his eyes and that charming little half smile are answer enough for him. He leans down and places a soft kiss against Reid's lips, a bit surprised when Reid kisses him back more aggressively than he expected. When his tongue slips over Reid's lips and into the familiar taste of his mouth, he lets himself think that the past few days have been nothing but a nightmare. That both of them were whole and unchanged. Then Reid pulls away and when Morgan opens his eyes, he sees a worry and uncertainty in Reid's expression that unnerves him.
"What?"
"Is this a sin?"
"What?"
"What we're doing, is it a sin? Is this what I should have confessed to Hankel? Maybe I was supposed to be punished."
Morgan hopes the words are still affected by the drugs, but the feeling of violence in the pit of his stomach is back. "Reid, Hankel was mentally ill. You didn't have to confess anything to him. And you have nothing to be punished for, you hear me? Nothing. The God I believe in wouldn't condemn us for this, but if you feel this is wrong for you..."
"No," Reid answers quickly and reaches for Morgan's hand. "I don't want... I don't want things to change. I'm just... I don't know, there's a lot to think about."
Morgan nods. "Take your time and think about it. I'm not going anywhere."
"Actually, I do want you to go somewhere."
"What?"
"I need you to go to Las Vegas, to see my mom. I doubt she knows what happened, and I don't even know if she'll understand, but she's my mother. I need for her to know that I'm okay. Would you do that for me? Please?"
Morgan hesitates. He really can't deny Reid anything, but he doesn't like the idea of leaving. He knows that the rest of the team will be around; no one was going home until they could all go. He remember the conversation with his own mother, and thought about how much Reid loved his mom. He didn't know all the details, but it seemed that Reid had been looking after and protecting his mother more often than she had taken care of him. "Yeah, I'll go. First thing tomorrow, okay?"
Reid nods. "Thank you." His words end with a yawn.
"Get some rest, boy wonder. I have a feeling your visitors are going to be here early in the morning." He watches until Reid falls back into a restless sleep, still holding his hand, and wonders what he's dreaming. He doesn't really want to know, because they don't seem to be very pleasant, but he can't help Reid conquer his personal demons without finding out what they are.
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Date: 2007-02-14 04:33 pm (UTC)I look forward to future fics from you!
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Date: 2007-02-14 10:01 pm (UTC)Thank you so much for reading and leaving me a comment! And there will be more fic, hopefully better fic, sometime. Thanks again!
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Date: 2007-03-15 08:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-19 05:48 pm (UTC)Thank you for reading and for leaving me a comment! It means a lot to me (and my muses)!
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Date: 2016-03-31 04:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-05-10 09:11 pm (UTC)