Detective Reid (Criminal Minds / One Chicago FanFic)

Chapter 9

Spencer Reid's Apartment, Quantico Virginia

Lauren had been discharged from Med earlier that morning, stopped by Lauren's apartment to grab some stuff for a few weeks, she could wash and rewear what she packed when she wore everything. Spencer drove the whole trip in 1 go stopping a few times for gas and food along the trip as Lauren slept 95% of the trip like she had planned anyways. 

The Reid sibling's got back to Spencer's apartment at almost 9 pm that night and Lauren instantly went and lay on her brother's couch. "Are you hungry?" Spencer asked after setting begs down the hall in the guest room before she could take them. "A little, but I'm more tired even though I slept all day," she replied letting out a yawn. 

"It's because your body is taking all its energy to heal and you're tired because of your concussion," Spencer explained as he walked into the living room looking at Lauren as a knock sounded on the front door. "Were you expecting anyone?" she asked him confused. "No," was all Spencer said with a confused expression as he went over to the door looking through the peephole for a moment before he pulled the door open. 

"Welcome back wonder boy," Morgan said. "We coming bringing food," Garcia said as she walked into the apartment setting a tray on the kitchen table as Lauren pushed herself off the couch. "We heard you were coming back late and figured we'd come to visit and bring you, kids, some food," Rossi said walking to the apartment along with JJ, Prentiss, and Hotch. 

Garcia walked over to Lauren with a bit of a shocked look, "They said you'd been in an accident but, you look like Hell," the blonde said before she pulled Lauren into a hug causing her to groan in pain a little. "Sorry," Garcia said letting her go. "Who knew seatbelts were so essential," Lauren said sarcastically laughing lightly only to wince in pain. 

"Aren't you supposed to be resting?" Spencer said noticing Lauren wince. "I slept for the last 13 hours straight Spence," she replied as she took a seat on the couch not wanting to stand. "And you need more rest than that Lauren, You have 3 fractured ribs and a mild concussion," her brother said again. 

So how are you feeling mini Reid?" Morgan asked walking over and taking a seat on the other side of the couch. "Like a voodoo doll that keeps getting stabbed in the ribs and head," Lauren replied honestly. "The team your working with seems nice," Prentiss said walking over and taking a seat in a nearby chair. "Intelligence is an awesome team, all from different backgrounds and yet we all ended up in the same place working some crazy cases," Lauren replied. 

"That detective Halstead, he's kinda cute," Prentiss said, "Ouuu," Garcia said looking at Lauren. "And he's clearly into you," JJ added causing Lauren to roll her eyes at the comment. "Jay's been my partner since day 1 with intelligence. Nothing more," Lauren said. "What about you and the Tech guy what was his name again? Reid help me out- Mouse," Spencer said more than asked finishing Morgan's question. 

"What about mouse," she replied looking at the carpet awkwardly thinking about how she kissed him and then left the city for a month and forgot to message him before she left the city like she said she would. "Are you blushing?" Garcia asked, "is something going on with you and mouse?" JJ asked with a smile curiously. "What? No nothings going on," Lauren replied more defensively than she meant to be. "You sure? You got a bit defensive," Garcia said causing Lauren to sigh. "I hate profilers," she mumbled more to herself. "You hate that you can't hide how you react to things around us," Spencer corrected. "So... out with it, You and Mouse..." JJ asked Lauren. 

"We kissed, it's no big deal. Look I'm gonna go get some sleep, I'm exhausted." Lauren said as she got up from her seat and went down the hall and into the guest room immediately laying on the double bed in the middle of the room letting out a sigh. She didn't lie to them she just kissed him and who knew what the hell that meant. Lauren decided to pull her phone out of her bag for the first time all day. 

She was limiting how much time she was on her phone still wanting to let her colleagues know she was still alive. Lauren decided to message Mouse. 

Hey sorry for not messaging you before I left the city this morning I ended up sleeping for 99% of the drive here lol How's everything going? -Lauren 

It's all good, I kinda figured you'd be resting, How was the drive? Things are going, the office has been weird without you - Mouse 

The drive was long as hell, 13 hours almost. I miss you guys too, the minute I'm cleared I'll be back and try not to let Halstead beat himself up over this - Lauren 

I look forward to you coming back, and it's not just Halstead that feels guilty about what happened, you were less than 100 feet from the entire team when it happened. The whole teams taking it hard -Mouse

Well I was the idiot that went to get an energy drink and snack and let my guard down, so again try not to let them blame themselves, - Lauren 

I'll try, you should try to get some sleep it's probably late and your probably tired from the drive. Take a minute to enjoy some of the herb I gave you it'll help you sleep -Mouse 

By the way... that was one Hell of a kiss ;) - Mouse 

Lauren could feel her face heat up as she read the message over, did he send her a winky face? does that mean he liked it? Lauren felt confused but left it alone thinking over what mouse said. She could feel the smirk on the other end of the message and that alone made her heart skip a beat. The brunette sighed getting up from her bed to retrieve her phone charger from her bag as the small bag mouse gave her fell out onto the floor. 

Lauren picked up the bag and put it in her pocket along with a lighter before she left her phone on charge and walked down the hall and snuck out the front door past everyone since they were all lost in a conversation in the living room while they ate. 

Lauren took the stairs from the second floor to the lobby and out of the building and walked around the corner to the building entrance before she pulled the second last joint out of the bag and lit it inhaling the chemical before exhaling a small cloud of smoke. 

The brunette leaned against the building as she took another long inhale of the burning cannabis that started to relax every muscle in her body as she slowly exhaled another cloud. "I thought I heard you sneak out," a voice said causing Lauren to look in the direction like a deer caught in headlights as Morgan was standing just around the corner of the building where the brunette was in view. 

Lauren when to hide the joint behind her figure, "Are you smoking?" the agent asked her already smelling the burning joint that gave her away before Morgan even saw her. Lauren to another puff of the joint blowing the smoke in the opposite direction of him. "Not often, the CBD helping the pain subside more than the pain killers, don't tell Spencer I really don't need the lecture about how marijuana stunts brain development- I won't say anything even through you traveled through 2 states to get here where marijunan hasn't been decriminalized but I need you to explain why you left the agency, what happened?" Morgan asked Lauren. 

The brunette took another long puff of the joint and exhaled slowly. "Fine but it's gotta stay between us...Please," Lauren said looking at the agent who hesitantly agreed. "Truthfully, I didn't wanna leave the bureau but one of my bosses kept..." Lauren paused trying to find the right words as she took one last drag of the joint and put it out in the dirt. "making unwanted advances, I'd shut him down and it just wasn't worth it I guess." Lauren said. 

"Why didn't you report him?" Morgan asked trying to hide his anger, Lauren laughed lightly at his words. "To who? He was my unit chief, he was the person I was supposed to report those things to, not to mention who'd believe me?" Lauren stated as Morgan looked at the brunette in disbelief. "I took a detective job in Nevada so I could stay close to home and it was great until the local field office helped us on a case a few months after I resigned and it continued. That's when I took the detective job in Chicago and left and I haven't had an issue since then," she replied looking at Morgan who looked shocked and angry.