Fic: Copycats, Chapter 4 (Criminal Minds, Reid / Morgan, Sean / Cain)
Title: Copycats, Chapter 4
Pair: Spencer Reid / Derek Morgan,
Sean Hotchner / Cain Christensen
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, etc.
Feedback: Always Welcome
Criminal Minds Main List
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Thursday 20:14
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Airport, Houston
“Do we get overtime for this?” Morgan asked and buried his face deeper into the shoulder of Reid’s coat. The airport chairs were hard plastic and he could already hear the dirge his back would sing in the morning.
“No.”
“Where is everyone?”
“J.J. and Prentiss went to get something to eat and Rossi tries to avoid all security cameras.”
“Why?”
“He’s absolutely sure that Peterson hacked her way into the system to keep an eye on him.”
“Are you serious?”
“Well, he is. And Hotch went to call Chad, he’s coming back from Cleveland soon.”
“And why are we waiting here?”
“Because you fell asleep and I didn’t want to wake you up. Besides, the pilot said we would be ready to leave in an hour.”
“He said the same thing two hours ago.”
“You want to leave before they can fix the problem?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Then can we just wait for the food? They should be here pretty soon.”
“They don’t even have nice chairs…..” Morgan leaned on the genius’s shoulder and closed his eyes.
“The facility is used mainly for delivery flights, they don’t have passengers very often.”
“So why did we have to land here?”
“No idea.”
“Why do they need to fix the plane right now?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why do we have to wait here?”
“Just go back to sleep, please. I’ll wake you up when they bring the food.”
“You’re trying to silence me, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
Morgan’s only comment was a faint snore.
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Thursday 20:41
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Briery Creek, Virginia
Sean looked at the scene. He wasn’t sure if he should ask about it, but curiosity went over caution.
“Cain?”
“Yeah?”
“I know you like to go all mushy and romantic on me, but isn’t this a real cliché?”
“What is?” Cain came from the kitchen carrying two wine glasses.
“This. Fire, a bearskin rug, red wine and you without your shirt. We could do a cover pose for some cheesy romance novel here.”
“Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“Like what?”
“How cold it can be at night if I don’t set up the fire. The bearskin rug was here when we came, and you brought the wine because your neighbour gave it to you when we were leaving. Red wine gives her a migraine and some inconsiderate relative had given it to her as a birthday gift.”
“I forgot that….”
“It was yesterday. And my shirt is off because you spilt barbeque sauce on it.”
“Sorry….. It seemed like a set up!”
“If I want to take you in front of a fire on a bearskin rug, I’ll tell you.”
“Okay.” Sean was quiet for a minute. “Are you gonna tell me anytime soon?”
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Thursday 21:05
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Airport, Houston
“You know…..” Morgan was once again dozing against Reid’s shoulder. “We would be home already if we had gone on a commercial flight.”
“We wouldn’t.” Reid commented. “Three different conferences just ended in Houston, all the flights out of here are probably booked.”
“Thanks for that, Sunshine.” Morgan rubbed his nose against the tweed.
“You’re welcome.”
“I’m warning you both right now.” Prentiss walked in and slumped down on one of the plastic chairs. “If they find Peterson dead at Garcia’s lair tomorrow, I was nowhere near and I have never expressed any desire to kill her.”
“Duly noted. What did she do now?”
“Same thing she does every time we have to talk on the phone.”
“She called you Madam? Again?”
“Yeah, I feel like I should be running a whorehouse in the old West.”
“She means it as a sign of respect.” Reid tried. He tried to shove Morgan’s head off his shoulder, but didn’t succeed. The snoring just became louder. “She’s not trying to get on your nerves, she just…. accidentally gets on everyone’s nerves.”
“Did you see Hotch when she called about those phone records? I’ve never seen him look like that.” She let out a deep sigh. “You think we could bribe Garcia to come back early?”
“I doubt that…. Last time I heard from her-”
“When was that?”
“About an hour ago. She’s been calling all the time to brag about their games.”
“What kind of games?”
“Do you really want to know? I’m asking because I can’t get the weird mental images off my head.”
“How bad is it?”
“Well…. Do you want to hear about Wraiths and gatecodes laced with some really dirty innuendos?”
“Forget it. I have enough nightmares already.”
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Thursday 21:27
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Briery Creek, Virginia
“Itchy.” Sean complained.
“What?”
“The rug’s itchy.”
“I’m the one laying on it, you’re laying on me.”
“Yeah, but I spend enough time on it to make my whole back itch.”
“So that’s why you were moaning.”
“No, that wasn’t from the itch.” Sean nuzzled more comfortable against Cain’s chest. “I got a question for you.”
“Shoot.”
“Why do you wear that sometimes?”
“Wear what?”
“This.” Sean picked up the chain that has rested on the dip of the other man’s collarbone. “Dog tags. You’ve never been in the army, right?”
“Right. I got them as a present when I finished my third stint in Baghdad. I’ve been there so many times, I got some friends in the troops.”
“Are they still there?”
“Some of them are, and some were send home. When I came back between my stints there, some of the guys gave me letters and stuff to mail when I got here.”
“Why?”
“Have you ever tried to send mail from Baghdad? It takes ages.”
“So what does it say?”
“Try to read it.” Cain smirked.
“Not letters or numbers…. Arabic?”
“Yeah. The guy who handled the day to day supplies for the units we were close to had it done by some local engraver. He gave him a blank tag and he did the text.”
“Are you gonna tell me what it is?”
“It means Brothers by Destiny. I think he borrowed it from some local expression. Everyone’s under the same risks there. Soldiers, journalists, humanitarian workers, everyone.”
“And joined destiny connects people?”
“Something like that.”
“Makes sense.” Sean let go of the tags and the metal slid against the sweaty chest. “You know…. This is really depressing for a Pillow Talk.”
“We don’t have a pillow.”
“Speak for yourself, I got a really nice pillow.”
“Are you gonna fall asleep on me?”
“Your fault, you’re too comfy.”
Chapter 5