Chapter Text
Tension wasn’t lacking around the office. They were plentiful. The gang was ripe, chock-full, overflowing with it. They could open up a wholesale store with the amount of tension they had lying around and turn quite a profit.
Half of the office could feel it, but didn’t know why it suddenly appeared and tried to strangle them. The others, including Garcia, had to suffer with knowledge that they couldn’t do squat about it.
Reid and Morgan were barely speaking. Not at all if speaking in the same room didn’t count. They conducted themselves like normal just without each other.
She extinguished the burning bridge between them before it could collapse. Garcia was itching to make things right but there were two problems with that. One, she was finished with meddling, no matter how amazing she was at it. Two, she didn’t know what set the thing ablaze in the first place.
Curiosity was killing her cat. Straightup bludgeoning the thing. Fucking murdering it in cold blood. Her cat was lined up to be the next BAU case. But she’d learned her lesson. Even the best intentions, hooking up the two loves of her life, could go wrong.
Her advice had been sound but Morgan was an idiot what became more idiotic when he was on that special sauce. A lovable, well meaning idiot, but still an idiot.
Garcia had pestered, pleaded, and pried but to no avail. The close quarters conversation was a mystery and Reid was keeping it under lock and key. Just bringing it up had him dissolving into a blushing, stuttering puddle.
Morgan was too downright despondent. Whether he blamed her for the advice, or was plain embarrassed, either way he wasn’t saying a peep.
Not for the first time, Garcia wished she was a profiler, able to weasel and grill them into giving it up the answers she pined for.
But life went on. Cases came, were solved, and went on their way. Time kept chugging. Before she knew it, Morgan’s birthday was right around the corner and a party needed to be thrown.
“What are you doing for your big day?”
“What big day?” Morgan didn’t even look up from his boring file to gaze at the magnificence that is her, just kept on working, with a little bit of hesitation.
“The anniversary of your existence, of course! What else?”
“Working, probably.” Morgan huffed. “Why?”
“Because birthdays are cause for celebration, especially in this line of work. You probably don’t know this about me but I am a top knocking party planner, if I say so myself. So if you’re not doing anything, I was thinking-”
“Thanks, baby girl, but I’m not really in the mood for a whole big thing.”
“Whole big thing, shmole big thing. It can be anything you want. Or a surprise. Or a nice night in, with the whole gang and some pasta a la Rossi? Maybe a little vino?
“I’m not really the life of the party right now.” Morgan said, rolling his head back and forth, giving his eyes a rest from glaring at the paperwork in front of him.
“Come on, I see a beautiful night in with a whole lot of people that love you in your future and you’re loving it. It doesn’t matter what day we do it and it doesn’t have to be a big thing. Leave it all to me. Please.”
“I don’t really feel like celebrating lately.” He gave her a flat look and it wasn’t going to fly.
“No, no, no. That’s what you can’t do. You can’t mope around and then refuse to tell me what you’re moping about.”
“Watch me.” She stared him down, waiting for him to wimp out on their staring contest. After a moment, his gaze twitched and she had the upper hand. “We’d have a case anyway. No use planning something that’s gonna get canceled.”
She kept staring. He was going to crumble like a cookie. A delicious double chocolate crumbly cookie that had a birthday coming up.
“If you want to, I’m not going to stop you.”
“That’s right you’re not. Two questions: what kind of cake do you want?”
“Ice cream cake.”
“You keep surprising me,” She grinned. “Two, who’s invited? You know what, just send me a list and I’ll take care of the rest! This is going to be the cat’s pajamas!”
“Don’t go overboard,” Morgan, looking like a frowny face emoji, turned back to miserably fill out his small molehill of paperwork. Garcia had a party to plan!
She had to pester him but by the end of the week she had a guest list, a theme, and an ice cream cake reserved at her local grocery. It was a lot more simple and understated. With effort, she held back the things that would ruffle his feathers.
The invitations were cute, little interactive things that spit confetti all over the screen, announcing the bash to end all bashes. She let that little pop of flavor slide.
They were a week out.
Garcia was totally not looking at a beautiful, to die for, costs more than she should even think about spending on a single item, dress, when there was a knock on the door. By the time she had swizzled around, a beanpole of a man had walked in and was pacing back and forth.
Running fingers through his hair, eyes red, face pale and flushed at the same time, Reid looked like a walking embodiment of tangled christmas lights. “Do you have a minute?”
“For you, my love, always. What’s up?” She comforted in a soothing ASMR-ish voice. Maybe she should get into that little market. “What has you wound tighter than a ball of yarn?”
The gears were cranking and grinding, thoughts slowly processing into words. She fiddled with her pen and straightened her skirt while she waited for him to get the words right. The empty seat in the corner of the room was offered and declined in quick succession.
“I can’t.” The words buzzed by like a siren on a highway with the speed he’d gathered.
“You can’t what?”
“There must have been a mistake. I can’t…” Reid rubbed his hands together, like an anxious evil genius, or evil little rabbit. “I’m sorry but I don’t think I should go to Morgan’s party.”
“Why? Is this about that night, because I know Morgan won’t start something like that at the party. He learned his lesson. And I’ll be there the whole time and I’ll make sure that no dirty dancing breaks out.”
“He doesn’t want me there. It’s his birthday and he wouldn’t want me there.”
“Of course, he wants you there. It wouldn’t be the same without you. He’s the one that invited you.”
“He said that?”
Well, he put Reid on the list, so yeah. Not specifically, or anything, but he invited him. And she knew the party wouldn’t be the same for him if Reid wasn’t there. “He wants you there.”
“But, he can’t look at me. He won’t talk to me.”
“I thought you wouldn’t want him to talk to you. You haven’t been talking to him either.”
Reid paused for a moment but then kept on going.
“Do you want to talk?”
“I… I don’t know.”
“What do you mean, ‘I don’t know’?”
“I want to talk to him. I want to talk like before, like that… that didn’t happen. I want to talk to him but not about that.”
“Has he brought it up?”
“No, he hasn’t spoken to me since that night.”
“Maybe he’s not talking to you because you aren’t talking to him. He’s probably giving you space.” He stopped pacing. It was like his little machine was saying error, error, error. “Okay, I feel like I’ve got my wires crossed here. You aren’t mad at Derek?”
“Correct.”
“But you think Derek’s mad at you and invited you by mistake?”
“Or to be polite.”
“Or to be polite, and you don't want to go to the party?”
“I don’t think I should go to the party.”
“Because you think Derek is mad at you?” It was all coming together but there was a key piece of the puzzle missing.
“We were dancing and he said something. I didn’t know what to do and I froze. I don’t know how to dance and the lights were too bright, and then he said… he said… And I freaked out. And I-I…” He trailed off.
“What did he say?” It came out calmer than she thought possible, giving herself an imaginary pat on the back.
“You’re going to think I’m stupid.”
“Excuse me, you’re a genius.”
“Sure, but you’re going to think I’m an idiot at emotions.”
“Babe, whatever he said doesn’t change the fact that your reaction was and is valid. You don’t have to tell me. I’m curious, and it kinda pained me to say that, but I’ll live.” She smiled and that seemed to lighten his load a little. “You wanna sit down?”
“Uh, yeah.” Reid scooted the chair over and sat all of his 120 pound soaking wet into the chair. The grinding was back and she waited. “He said… It’s not even that bad. I just wasn’t expecting it and i didn’t know what to do and his hands were everywhere and-”
“Take a deep breath.”
Reid breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth with her.
“He said, ‘you’re right where I want you, fit so perfect in my arms’, and something about his bedroom having a sale.”
“A sale?” She thought for a minute. “A hundred percent off sale?”
“Something like that.” Reid said, letting out a breath that reached the bottom of his lungs for the first time since he walked in.
“I’m going to need a minute.”
Oh-my-fucking-goddess.
Garcia was gonna need to flip a coin because she couldn’t decide if she should high five or punch Morgan in his beautiful, stupid face. When that man stepped up his game, he really stepped up his game.
“That wasn’t so hard right.”
Reid nodded, looking calmer than he had in awhile, a tiny smile on his face.
“Do you want to hear what I think?” She waited for a nod. “I don’t think Derek is upset with you. I just think he’s embarrassed. Have you ever regretted something and didn't know how to act?”
“Yes, but if he regrets that then he wouldn’t want me at his party.”
“No, I mean, he’s probably embarrassed about how he did it, not that he hit on you.” Reid started shaking his head back and forth, slowly, unconsciously. This wasn’t meddling, she reminded herself. She was done with all that jazz. She was keeping out of it...“Okay, if you tell anyone I told you this, your ass is grass, okay?”
“Okay…? How is my ass going to be grass?”
“I’ll mow you down.” Garcia said and he rolled his eyes. “Both of you… the two of you... I gave Morgan some advice, which was completely fine on it’s own, but disastrous when mixed with tequila and vodka, and goddess knows what else he drank-”
“Did you tell him that I-?”
“No! Of course not. He told me.”
“He told you that I- How did he know that I…?”
“No, he told me… Again, you didn’t hear this from me. Not a word, not a syllable, okay? Morgan would legit excommunicate me if he knew I was telling you this. I’ve already pushed some buttons lately and the next one is going to be the ejector one. You know that fight we had a while back?”
Reid nodded, his floppy hair making the most of the motion.
“His wrath would be nothing compared to that. Okay?”
“Okay,” He said, chomping at the bit, biting his lip. Here goes nothing.
“Derek likes you. Likes you, likes you. He has for, like, forever and I’ve been trying to get him to make a move because I was sure that you liked him back, and he made a move you weren’t expecting and now he thinks he messed it up, and you think he was drunk, and both of you are just trying to spare each others feelings when you guys have the same feelings, for each other I mean.”
Years in the making and it was out in the open. Reid sat stunned. She let him have a moment for it to sink in. Garcia had had a while to adjust to the reality of their idiocy but he was learning the whole other side to the story in a bite sized nugget.
“You still want to skip the party?”
That shook him out of his stupor.
“I don’t have a gift,” he said in the most adorably panicked voice. From one thing onto the other, life goes on.
“There’s time and I’m sure that you’ll find something perfect. Well, it’ll be perfect because it’s coming from you, and I have a few ideas if you can’t think of anything. Redeemable coupon book? Free hug? Lunch on you? maybe hot make out session in his office, you know, whatever you want.”
“I need to go,” He said, standing up suddenly.
“Wait. I mean, if you like the idea you should totally do it but I know the best thing to give him would be you. Not in a dirty way. Just letting him know that you guys are on the same page would be a great day. I mean, you can always get him a t-shirt or something, but maybe you can both get something out of your gift. And also because I’ve known about this for years and I can’t take it anymore. The sooner the better. I’m not kidding, ASAP.”
“Thanks, Garcia.” He chuckled, pivoting to the door looking like a man with a plan, but stopped just as quickly. Reid runed back to her and asked, “Can I give you a hug?”
“Omigod, of course! Come here!” She said, shooting up out of her seat.
She could count on one hand how many times she’d hugged Reid, and none that he’d initiated. He was boney but warm and if she had a little, baby tear in her eye when she pulled back, it was completely valid.
“Thanks.” Reid smiled and she beamed.
“Remember, if you need any help, I’m one hallway or a phone call away, okay?”
“Okay. I think I have an idea. See you later, Garcia.”
Things were looking up.
Party time was here, finally, and Garcia was at Morgan’s with bows, bells, and bedazzled earrings on. She was only ten minutes behind him after work and he let her in begrudgingly. Before she crossed the threshold, he made him promise her that all of her amazing decor would be cleaned up and taken with her after this whole shindig is over.
He left her alone to spruce up the place and by the time he got back everything was covered in adorable but understated birthday decorations. She hung up a ‘it’s your birthday’ banner over his fireplace, put some balloon bouquets at key points around the room, and a few more things here and there.
When he came back, Morgan looked adorably scruffy, changed out of his tough guy henley and his tight slacks to a casual jean and plain t-shirt look, but still wearing his less than pleased expression.
“Okay. Rossi should be here in like fifteen minutes to start cooking and then the rest of the gang should be here around 7ish. The place looks amazing, if I do say so myself. If it was me, I would consider keeping them up year round.” She smiled at his obvious dismissal. “Is there anything I forgot?”
“Nothing that I can think of.” Morgan said, walking over to her and tucking her under his arm. “Thank you again for putting all of this together.”
“See it’s not too bad. It’ll be fun.” She said wrapping her arm around his waist in return.
“We’ll see.” He replied with lackluster energy. Garcia would have settled for shiny, or even sparkly in a certain kind of light, like vampires in twilight, but lackluster was unacceptable.
“Actually there is one more thing. We need to sort out this pouty, down and out look that you’ve been sporting for the past, oh, I don’t know, since the night at the bar.”
“Not this again.”
“What are you gonna do? It’s your apartment. It’s not like you can leave like you do at the office. We’re talking about this once and for all.”
“Fine.” He barked, crossing his arms in front of him, looking like the big tough man he wanted to be. “You want to talk about it, huh? Talk about how I pushed myself on Reid? How I groped him? You want to talk about how handsy I get when I’m drunk, apparently. You want to talk about how I screwed up a friendship I was trying not to screw up in the first place, all because I took your advice.”
“Hold up, buddy boy. This isn’t on me. You’re the one that took my advice the wrong way. No, not even the wrong way. The only thing I said was you should make sure he knew you were serious. The rest was all you.” Morgan took a deep breath, eyes wide and filled with challenge. “That’s not what I wanted to talk about. I just… I talked to Reid and-”
“Fuck. Peneleope, why can’t you just mind your own damn business?”
“How about you let me finish?” She said, cutting off the beginning of a long ass rant that she knew didn’t want to hear. “I didn’t seek him out. He came to me saying he didn’t think he could come to the party because he thought you wouldn’t want him here. Not that he didn’t want to be here, just that he didn’t want to ruin your whole night because he thought you were pissed at him. But I managed to talk some sense into him, and I’m about to do the same thing to you, so buckle up.” She jabbed him in the chest for good measure.
He unfolded his arms, but still had a little challenge in his brow.
“So you dirty danced with him in the middle of the club? Get over it. Yeah, it sucked and Reid was kinda uncomfortable with it but not for the reasons you think. Both of you are idiots and keep trying to let each other have their space, which is adorale and stupid. He is coming tonight because he wants to. And I know you want him to be here, even if you’re in a ‘fuck the world’ mood. So you’re going to suck it up, have a good time, and remember that you guys have been friends for years and one night isn’t going to change that.”
A knock on the door interrupted her.
“That’s probably Rossi. You get the door. I’m going to go to the bathroom, and by the time I get back you better have your head out of your ass.”
With that, giving Morgan a final glare, she turned on her heel as elegantly as she could and walked to the bathroom.
Where the hell had that come from? There hadn’t been a pit of anger that she’d been holding onto that she knew of. But, there it was, bursting out of her and attacking the first person to poke it with a stick. If she wasn’t so mortified, she would be proud.
Cupping her hands under the sink, she took a drink of water, getting the taste of those words out of her mouth.
They needed to be said. If anyone at the party was gonna have fun, they needed to be said. Tonight wasn’t going to be a tension filled gathering, like another day in the bullpen. And Morgan started it. If he couldn’t deal with the heat, he shouldn’t have poked Mama Bear.
Still it didn’t mean that she had to say them like that
One more swig, a makeup check, and she was ready to be the hostess with the most-est.
Rossi was laying out supplies in the kitchen when she got back, with Morgan sitting on a bar stool across from him. She wasn’t ready to see the look in his eyes so she kept her gaze trained on Rossi and his delicious smelling ingredients.
“Hello, my lovely. Aren’t you looking dapper tonight? With those rolled up sleeves, you might just turn me.”
“I’d be a lucky man. You’re looking good yourself.” Rossi gave her a once over that left her blushing, in a totally chill, respectful kinda way.
“Why, thank you.” She replied with a smile and a wink. “What have you got cooking?”
She pulled out the chair next to Morgan, a pause to make sure it was cool, but with her head held high, she sat down.
She pulled the stool out next to Morgan, with her head held high but a good pause to make sure it was cool before she sat down. He didn’t look over at her but he didn’t get up and leave so she considered that a win.
Listening to Rossi was like a cooking show but even better because the host was right there, you could smell their food, and he threw in facts that he knew you’d find interesting.
Time flew by and before she knew it, most was cooked and the other peeps had arrived.
Hotch was the first one there, looking like he came straight from the office, which he probably did knowing him. JJ and Will came along a few minutes later, sadly without their adorable ragamuffin, Henry. Blake showed up next with a nice bottle of wine in hand that would surely be gone by the time the night was through. The only one left was Reid.
“Can I get y’all anything to drink?”
“Y’all? Making fun of my accent?” Will joked, hopefully.
“Of course not.”
“I’m just playing.” He said, after JJ elbowed him.
“You don’t have to do that, Garcia. We can get them ourselves.”
“Nonsense. Let me guess… Some kind of hard liquor for the gentleman and a beer for you.”
“Sounds good to me. Thanks,” JJ smiled, looking happy to hang up her liaison and mom hat for the moment.
“No problem.”
Garcia sashayed into the kitchen, catching the end of a conversation.
“Do you think he’ll come?” She heard Blake asking Hotch. Rossi had a drink in one hand, the other trying to keep the two from getting into the food before dinner.
She walked in before Hotch could answer.
Drinks were poured, small talk started and ended, people got peckish. Her thoughts started to weave a beautiful spider web of theories. Maybe he talked himself out of it. His anxiety could’ve spun him into a similar web of worries. What if he didn’t find a gift and thought it was better not to come at all?
That fear was untangled with the sound of a timid knock.
“I got it.” She claimed before anyone could move, and there he was looking as adorkable as ever.
“Hey, good looking! Come on in and let me take that coat.”
“Uh, thanks.” She noticed the package he held in a white knuckle grip as he switched hands to get his jacket off.
“What is that, may I ask?”
“You’ll have to wait and see,” He grinned, handing her his coat and shaking his imaginary dust off. “But I think he’s going to like it.”
“Just the fact that you’re here…” He nodded and she didn’t need to say the rest. “Look who’s here!”
“Does that mean we can eat now?” Hotch called from the kitchen.
“Who are you, Oliver Twist? You’re not starving.” Rossi replied. “You can wait a couple minutes.”
“Hey, Reid,” Morgan waved from across the room, not making a move to walk over. “Thanks for coming.”
“I wouldn’t miss it.” Reid smiled back, a hint of confidence that made her want to do a happy dance.
“Come on,” Garcia said, linking his elbow with hers after making sure it was okay and started to circulate around the room. “You know, if you want to leave at any point, don’t feel like you have to stay.”
“Thanks,” He patted her arm in a very Reid way.
There wasn’t enough room around Morgan’s dinner table for their motley crew so they ended up eating in the living room, everyone being extra careful to keep the food off their laps, or the plush comfort of his couches.
Seats were first come, first serve, and by the time she got to the table after making sure everyone got food, the last seat was next to Rossi, not like she minded. Reid and Morgan were looking cozy in the corner, even if there was a lot of room for Jesus, or a friendly spirit. They were looking at each other which was better than most days.
Dinner went by with laughter, chatter, and silverware clatters. Rossi and Hotch bickered like an old married couple about nothing in particular, laminating over details to stories that she didn’t know, getting caught up in the little things. In the end, they didn’t tell the stories at all but the rest of them didn’t seem to care.
Henry and Jack were doing well in school, learning and sharing new things everyday in the cutest ways possible. Blake’s husband was coming home for a week and she was taking a week off. The gang pitched some ideas for outings but it sounded like a lot of their time was going to be spent at home, wink-wink.
Shop talk was the farthest from their minds.
“I’d like to make a toast.” Rossi stood with his class raised when the conversation dipped. “To Derek Morgan, the man of the hour. This past year has been one of friendship, strength, and triumph. Day after day, you have been a kind friend, a strong leader, and a hero to many. Let your next year be filled with more of the same, with happiness and with joy. Cheers.”
“Here, here.” Will agreed, a little too enthusiastic to be sober. JJ’s elbow twitched but stayed at her side. Garcia wondered if he was going to have a bruise tomorrow.
“Thanks, Rossi. Same to you, old man.”
“Who are you calling old man?” Rossi said, sitting back down, a few joints popping in the process.
“I think that just answered your question.” Hotch rolled his eyes and Rossi swatted him.
“Morgan, cake or presents first?” Garcia asked, before Will could fully stand up, looking ready to blather on. JJ thanked her with a look.
“The cake needs to thaw.” Reid piped up.
“Presents it is! I’ll get them while you guys put your dishes in the sink.” Garcia dropped off her dish and scooped up the pile of presents she’d left on the counter.
“No, no. I can open them later.”
“Nuh-uh. We want to see what the rest got you. See who gave the best gift,” Rossi said, putting his dish on top of Hotch’s when he wasn’t looking. Maybe he’d had a bit too much too.
“I know you’re going to love ours,” JJ chimed in.
“Guys…”
“It’s decided. The people have spoken. You must open their offerings. Reid, can you take the cake out of the freezer.”
“Yep!”
“Ours first!” Will said, coming back in the room, picking a present out of the stack and placing it in Morgan’s hands.
With a sigh and a pleading look around the room that no one took pity on, he got to it.
JJ and Will got him a nice set of wrenches for his house flipping side business. From the look in his eyes and the hug, they were the good ones. Hotch gave him a card that Jack had made and a nice set of liquor glasses. Rossi got him a signed something from some sports thing that Morgan was pretty psyched about.
Garcia got him a new leash for Clooney, the cutest dog in the entire world, and a fun little movie snack pack with a coupon for a movie night of his choosing. She would have the final say of course. She wasn’t going to make the mistake of watching something like Saving Private Ryan again. He could’ve warned her.
Next up was Reid’s, a boxy little thing wrapped in the comic section of the newspaper, which was an oldie but goodie trend. If she didn’t know better, she’d think Reid was a grandpa trying to ration for the war effort.
Morgan picked it up, giving it a little shake and rattle but it gave no clues.
“There’s a card,” Reid piped up, sitting closer than he was before. Morgan looked up and neither looked away, not that she could blame them. Both of them had dreamy eyes, to say the least.
Someone, who’s to say, not so subtly cleared their throat and the spell was broken. Focusing back on the task and the gift in hand, Morgan flipped over the box and plucked the envelope off. With a clean rip, the card was out and open. From what she could see, there was a little spacescape on the front with a Star Trek logo on the front.
Morgan’s eyes flitted over it, reading and looked back up at Reid with a light in his eyes that was brighter than a minute before. Reid smiled back.
“Go on. Open it,” Reid said quietly.
Carefully ripping open the packaging, and untapping the box, Morgan opened it up to find a travel mug and a rolled up t-shirt.
The travel mug was just like the card, wrapped up in a galaxy with a star trek logo front and center, coming up behind it was the ship from the original show. The shirt was similar, from when she saw when he unrolled it.
“Your other travel mug was leaking. It seemed like you could use a new one.” Reid went on. “The shirt was right there. I thought they’d go together.”
“I love ‘em,” Morgan said, folding the shirt in his lap, looking fondly at Reid. “Thank you.”
Reid grinned from ear to ear, his hair falling down in front of his face when he tried to hide it.
“One more left,” Garcia added after a moment, the two love birds caught up in each other.
“Yeah.” Morgan said, still looking at him. “Oh, yeah. Sorry.”
Blake got him a book on something or the other that he was sure to read. It looked colorful. She wasn’t too concerned with it.
Conversation picked up after gifts were done. Coffee was served and after a grand, off key rendition of Happy Birthday so was cake. Out of the bunch of them, Will and Hotch had to be the loudest and the worst.
By the end of the fabulous night, the gang was all tuckered out on good times and cheap wine.
“Early morning for me tomorrow,” Hotch mused.
“Isn’t every morning with a rugrat?” Will slurred from the corner.
“But they’re so cute, you can’t get mad.” JJ sighed, taking a last sip of her coffee, head on his shoulder.
“Yeah, too cute.”
“This was great, but I think I better call it a night and head out.” Hotch said, standing up and stretching.
“You better thank this guy with you unless you want him passed out on the couch,” Garcia pointed out, helping a wobbly Rossi get up off the couch. Hotch ambled over and slung Rossi’s arm across his shoulders, pulling him against him. “Come on, let’s get you home.”
“Happy Birthday, Morgan.” Rossi cheered as Hotch shut the door behind them.
“Well, we better get going too.” JJ sighed, with Will wrapped around her like a koala, eyes half closed. “This was great. Thank you guys, for everything tonight.”
“Oh, no problem. I hope Henry hasn’t missed you guys too much.”
“He’s probably fast asleep by now.” JJ waved her off.
“Hopefully,” Will murmured, lips nibbling her neck. She swatted at him half heartedly.
“TMI, but have fun.” Morgan chuckled, clapping JJ on the shoulder and then leaning in for an awkward hug, with Will’s arms still around her middle. Garcia was next for hugs. Will patted Morgan’s arm and gave Garcia a spirited high five.
Blake ducked out with them, giving them a wide berth, and just like that the three of them, Garcia, Morgan, and Reid, were alone.
“You know what they say: ‘Two’s a party, three’s a crowd.’ I’m gonna hit the head and then I’ll get this mess out of your hair.” Garcia said, rolling her neck from side to side.
“Don’t worry about it, Garcia. You set this up, I can take it down. Why don’t you call it a night?” Reid said, waving off her protests.
“No, it’s fine. I’ll be quick.”
“I insist.” Reid said, giving her a wink that Morgan couldn’t see.
“Well, okay then. I’ll just…” She trailed off, didn’t see the point and continued when they were too wrapped up in each other.
A quick piss and sprinkle, a powder, and a little stalling was enough to buy her a couple of minutes. As quietly as she could, she crept back down the hall, listening to the murmurs and the clinking from the kitchen. Stopping right before the doorway, she paused and didn’t dare peek around that corner. With those eagle eyes on the two of them, always looking out for danger, it was a guarantee she’d be spotted.
“No, no. Don’t worry about that.”
“It’s fine. I got it.”
“But I can get that later,” Morgan kinda whined.
“Well, now you don’t have to.” She could hear the smirk in Reid’s voice.
There was a clinking of dishes, the dishwasher door closed, and then an expectant silence.
“Thank you again for the mug.”
“I remember us a few months ago, talking about Star Trek, and you seemed to like it. And you needed a new one.”
“You’re the reason I started watching that show in the first place, you know.” Morgan said. “The card was nice too.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“I thought you’d like that.”
Someone moved, hopefully getting closer to someone else.
“About that night…” Morgan started quieter than before.
“We don’t have to talk about that right now.”
“I wanted to apologize. I came on pretty strong.”
“It was fine, I just…”
“No, it wasn’t. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable or leave. I just-”
“I shouldn’t have left.” Reid interrupted, voice fast. “I mean… The dancing… When we were dancing, I…” He started and stopped, started and stopped.
“Slow down, pretty boy.” Morgan murmured. “Take your time.”
There was some shuffling and the sound of clothes moving against each other.
Her ankle was cramping but she didn’t dare move, in case the floorboard creaked or she bumped into something.
“With the lights and the people, I was overwhelmed. It’s not that I dislike that kind of dancing. Not that I dance, really, but I wasn’t prepared for it and I couldn’t wrap my head around it. It was all too much, too fast.” Reid said in one breath. “I wouldn’t be opposed to dancing like that again, just with some warning.”
“I don’t mind taking it slow. I have been so far.”
“What do you mean so far?”
“What do you mean what do you mean?” Morgan chuckled. “I’ve pretty much been coming onto you since day one.”
“What?”
“Yeah, just wasn’t very good at it, I guess. So believe me, I can do it slowly. How does dinner sound? Maybe some Star Trek after. Then we’ll see about dancing.”
“Not too slowly, I hope.”
“We can go whatever speed you want.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.”
She’d been in the bathroom too long, and it sounded like they were about to get started on the next part of their evening. The tension, the good kind, tangible in the air. And she had a new B99 episode waiting for her. Now or never.
“Well, I’m going to head out.” Garcia said, stepping into view, finally getting a glimpse of the happy two.
Morgan had Reid cornered against the counter, hands on either side of his body, and an outright filthy look on his face. Reid had his hands clutching Morgan’s shoulders, looking like he was right where he wanted to be.
“You boys enjoy your evening.”
“Oh, we will,” Reid assured her, eyes bright like twinkly lights.
“See you Monday.” Morgan said, biting his lip, giving her a look that said, ‘please get lost’.
“Okay, I can take a hint.”
“Baby girl,” Morgan said, “Thank you again, for everything.”
“It was my pleasure.” She couldn’t help herself. "And yours..."
“Goodbye, Garcia!” Morgan warned as Reid tucked his blushing face against Morgan’s neck.
“Okay, okay.”
If she did a little happy dance when she got in the living room, that was her own business. Picking up her purse and coat, out of the corner of her eye she saw that, oh, so mysterious card.
Was it so wrong? If someone had the chance to read that card Jim gave to Pam on the office, wouldn’t they take it? No one could blame her, and no one needed to know. After all she'd done, a little peek was well deserved.
As quietly as she could, she tiptoed over. Inside, under the generic printed greeting and well wishes, there was a neat line of messy letters: “Beam me up, Hottie. Love, Reid.”
There was action starting up in the kitchen again, and no matter how much she wanted to see the two of them together, she didn’t actually want to see them together. She’d have time to marvel over the majesty of that line anywhere but here.
“Happy birthday!” She called out, opening the front door. “Don’t forget protection!”
“Get out!” Morgan growled and Reid laughed.
“Love you too!” She said, closing the door behind her.
What a happy birthday indeed.
When Monday rolled around, after a weekend of netflix bingeing and apartment tidying, Garcia was ready for the day, feeling more chipper than normal.
After the awesome events of last week, she didn’t know what to expect. It was almost like the office was back to normal, with tiny changes here and there.
Morgan and Reid came in separately, to her despair, but they talked closer. Morgan brought Reid coffee, with the usual and disgusting pile of sugar mixed in, staying to talk for longer than necessary. Their smiles were more frequent. Their laughs were a bit louder. It was the same but better.
A new case was on the docket first thing when she arrived, local this time, and the round table was gathered. She was close to last, like normal, taking her time to make sure she had everything they needed to know.
When she walked in, something felt different, off. The gang was all there but Reid was in JJ’s seat, Morgan's and Reid's chairs side by side. JJ gave the pair a look when she got there but smiled and sat in the free seat without a word.
“We have three victims. Coroner found all three had massive amounts of opiates in their system. But the initial interviews of the families painted the three as upstanding citizens, who were close if not totally sober. Each victim went missing 24 hours before they were found and the time between kills is increasing.” Garcia debriefed, clicking through the images on the screen, which was out of her line of sight.
“Do local police have any leads?” Rossi asked, swiping through the pictures on his screen, old man reading glasses perched on his nose.
“The three don’t have much, if anything, in common. They were all local so their lives overlap but no common friends. Different jobs, different everything.” Garcia followed up, bringing up pictures of the people she had found in the little corners of the web of when they had some life in their eyes.
“We’ll be working with local police and have interviews scheduled with the families of the victims.” Hotch explained. “We’ll drive over together in an hour. Until then, get something to eat, get yourselves right, and pack a bag. It’s local but with this timeline, the unsub will most likely kill before the day is through. Don’t plan on going home.”
The group broke up, going their own way. Garcia was local enough that she didn’t have to go with the gang. Her superior skills would be better used while in her super awesome lair.
Garcia packed up her stuff, putting her lucky remote, that she should definitely bedazzle when she had the chance, on top of her files.
Hotch dialed his phone as he walked out of the room, surely calling Jack to let him know what his day had just turned into. Rossi, looking severely decaffeinated, headed out to get a coffee at the cart a few floors down, Blake not far behind. JJ and Blake muttered about unfinished paperwork as they went
“I’m thinking about getting some lunch,” Reid said, slinging his bag around his back. “Der-Morgan?”
“Yeah,” Morgan grinned up at him. “Yeah, that sounds good.”
“I know a great place close by.” Reid said, blushing a bit. “Uh, Garcia, would you like to come with us?”
“Oh, thanks cutie but I’m good. There’s some leftover risotto in my mini fridge that’s calling my name. But you two should go and have fun.”
“Why don’t you go grab your blazer and head over to the elevator?” Morgan suggested, hand on Reid’s shoulder. “Just need to talk to Garcia for a minute and I’ll meet you there.”
“We'll bring you back dessert.” Reid grinned, walking out, with a small smile and a bounce in his step.
Morgan turned to her after he was in the bullpen. Neither of them had to say anything. The forgiveness, and the apologies were there. Without a word, she held open her arms and he filled the space, hugging her close.
“I know I said it Friday, but thank you. I’m sorry for what I said. Your methods, however unorthodox, paid off, as you can see.” He said into her shoulder.
“Yeah, I noticed that hickey on the doc’s neck. His hair’s long but not long enough,” Garcia smirked, hugging him closer. “I’m sorry too. I’m not sorry that this happened but I’m sorry I crossed a line.”
“Well, I think that can be overlooked.”
“Oh, you think so?” She said, leaning back. “I’d hope so.”
“You know so.” He said, taking one of her hands in his.
She picked up her folders, walking out the door and through the bullpen with Morgan by her side.
“Movie night at your place soon?”
“Absolutely. No looking up the endings, though.” He said, holding one of the double doors open for her.
“No promises.”
Reid was waiting for them by the elevator, speed reading a few chapters of a book he’d pulled out. She couldn’t help but smile at the way he scrunched up his nose. When she looked over at Morgan, she saw that she wasn’t the only one admiring. Morgan caught her looking but he just smiled wider.
Reid saw them coming, with seconds to spare and pressed the down button when he saw them coming.
“Have fun, you two, and remember there is no such thing as too much fun.”
“Talk to you later, Garcia.”
The elevator dinged and the doors opened.
Garcia made a U-turn, on her way back to her fabulous fortress. Out of the corner of her eye, the elevator doors started to close. Just before they shut, Reid reached over and took Morgan’s hand in his, lacing their fingers together with a smile.
She had officially earned her title as matchmaker. Her job was done. Sure, there was some trial and error with her methods but the results spoke for themselves.
Wouldn’t matchmaker look great on a button or a jacket patch? She might just have to needlepoint it and hand it on her wall.
Her mind wandered to the prospect of a new project, being the bustling busybody she was. Hotch and Rossi came to mind but there was a lot of work to be done there. Intel to gather, ideas to hatch.
For now she was going to bask in the glory of her success, heat up some mouthwatering pesto risotto. and make sure to save some room for dessert.