moonstruck 2 // criminal minds fanfic

ch. 8

Hotch sat in his bed feeling restless with no one to talk to. The manager from the Green Valley Inn had personally dropped off their to-go bags, not without giving Hotch her best wishes, an overly eager smile, and her phone number, which he gave to Morgan. The rest of the team had left to get washed and changed. Even Rossi had been allowed out of bed and cleaned up.

"Maggie, you said you would do it," Morgan said.

"I know but - "

"No buts scarface, get your ass in there." Morgan grinned as he shoved Maggie into the room where Rossi was sitting reading a book.

"Hey, Rossi," she said.

"Hey," he said, lowering the book. She sat on his bed and, although she was disguising it well, Morgan could practically feel the embarrassment radiating from her.

"Okay, listen," she said. "I made a deal with Morgan down in the mines when, frankly, I assumed I was going to die, so please don't read anything to into this."

"I won't," he said. He looked unfazed but Morgan thought he could see the shadow of a smile on his lips.

"We were comparing how many people we had slept with, and we both assumed the other person was a little more promiscuous than they were. . . "

"You want to know if I do live up to my reputation," he said with a laugh, putting the two and two together. "I would tell you, Maggie, really I would, but a true gentleman never reveals that king of thing."

Maggie laughed. "Well, I tried! I made good on my dare. You want to get a coffee, Derek?"

"Sure," he said. Maggie walked out first and as soon as she was out of earshot, Rossi spoke.

"Want to know the truth?"

"Hit me," Morgan said.

"I lost count a decade ago."

XXX

Later that night, Rossi was the only person still awake, making himself as uncomfortable as possible to stop him from falling asleep and disturbing the rest of the team with his snoring. So he had spent the evening people-watching, which became distinctly less interesting when all the people he was watching fell asleep, but it was something.

The entire team was crammed into his and Hotch's room where they spent the evening talking and laughing and sharing stories. The memory of their ordeal still hung over each of them, but being together was enough to keep everyone smiling, especially since Garcia arrived. She had told them the story of threatening Strauss and Camilla yelling at Strauss at least four times now, and she had become less modest and more detailed with every retelling.

Prentiss had been the first to fall asleep, squashed onto the little chair beside Morgan. In true slumber-party style, Morgan had taken the liberty of drawing a long and twirly mustache on her face. Before falling asleep with his arm draped over Garcia who was asleep on his other side. Camilla had fallen asleep next, squashed onto the little hospital bed beside Hotch. Reid was out cold beside Rossi, with his skinny limbs hanging off every edge of his armchair. Maggie was at the foot of Hotch's bed sitting in her chair leaning over on the bed. And JJ on the other side of Rossi.

Rossi saw Hotch stir in the small hours of the morning. He had been woken by the pain in his shoulder.

"Hey," Rossi said.

"Hey. Can't sleep?" Hotch asked quietly.

"Nope."

"What's up?"

"I just can't help thinking that maybe this was all . . ."

"Don't say it, Rossi," Morgan mumbled, turning over in his chair, only half-awake.