Title: Media Relations
Author: Sam
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Pairing: Gideon/Reid, Hotch/Morgan
Rating: PG-13
Summary: What would happen if the boys met under different circumstances? An AU where not everyone joined the FBI.
Warnings: A drabble with no redeeming plotline. I may add more alternate careers and make this a collection. I already have another in mind with a Gideon/Hotch, Reid/Morgan pairing...

***

"There's got  to be a clue to all of this in here somewhere."

Letting out a huff of  breath, FBI agent Derek Morgan scanned the crime scene
one more time.  They  hadn't missed anything; logically he knew that.  As
much as he hated to  admit it, sometimes the evidence just wasn't there.  "Reid?
What do  you think?"

Taking his own last look around, rather an imitation of his  senior field
agent or not, the young profiler’s eyes narrowed, his lips pursing  before his
tongue flicked out, white teeth scoring the bottom one in thought.  "No, we
didn't miss anything,"  his head shook firmly once,  finalizing his assertion.
"There was nothing left here *to*  overlook.  All we can gather from the chaos
is that the unsub is both  ruthless and methodical.  He's also quite probably a
sexual sadist.  Someone who takes great pleasure in the pain of others,
despite the fact -  or maybe because if it - that there is very little blood."

"Damn.  I  hate it when they're smart."

At the slightly indignant tone, Spencer  smiled.  "We're smarter."  It wasn't
a boast, Morgan knew.  Spencer alone probably had an IQ of both him and the
unsub  combined.

"Yeah?  Well all right brainiac.  Why don't we go see  if the reporters
hovering like vultures might have caught something we  missed."

Hands in his  pockets, head turning to the crowd of reporters holding
cameras, microphones,  notebooks and greedy expressions, avarice eyes looking over at
the quiet  suburban house marred by this mornings violence, Spencer nodded.  “After you.”

---

"Here  they come."

Smiling a bit in satisfaction, Jason Gideon, lead reporter  for KLM News kept
his head down; admonishing his cameraman,  "Don't  acknowledge them.  Let
them come to us."
“What makes  you think they’re coming for us?”
Eyeing the  laid back smirk coming from under the backwards ball cap, Gideon
just smiled,  confident in his assessment of the situation.  “They will.”
After all,  Gideon and Hotch were the best in their field.

Occupying himself with  coiling up the lead cable and stowing it away with
the rest of his equipment,  Hotch smirked, knowing his anchor too well.  "We
trying to psych them out  or you just wanting a better look at the younger one?"

Rather than take  offense at the suggestive tone, Gideon's smile grew,
handing the younger man his  microphone to lock back in its case. Aaron Hotchner was
his friend as well as  his cameraman after all, and had been for years.
"Yes."

"Thought  so.  In that case, on your six and coming up in 15."

So armed, Jason  finished his putter-packing and timed his turn to coincide
with the two agents  arrival at their news van.  "Something I can help you
with, gentlemen?"  he asked politely.  No point in making enemies with the FBI if
they  didn't have to.

The darker one, Gideon assessed his age at mid thirties,  maybe a bit
younger, flashed his badge, announcing,  "Agent Derek Morgan  with the BAU."  Nodding
to his companion, Agent Morgan added,  "This  is Doctor Spencer Reid."

Nodding once to the both of them, Gideon shifted  his attention to 'doctor'
Reid, briefly wondering just what a younger man who  looked to be only in his
mid-twenties could possibly be a doctor of.  The  longer hair, caramel strands
tucked severely out of the way behind his ears,  certainly didn't foster the
image of a proper FBI agent either.  Unlike  Morgan who's sunglasses left no
doubt about the brown eyes not-quite hidden  behind the lenses, Doctor Reid's
glasses were dark, giving no hint as to the  younger man's eye color or
expression.

Rather than comment on any of that  however, all Gideon asked was, "BAU?"

To his surprise and secret delight  it was Reid who answered rather than
Morgan; the young voice mellow and strong,  if a bit eager to please.  "Behavior
Analysis Unit.  We're here to  analyze the crime scene to better able the FBI
and the police to catch the  killer." 

"All very interesting I'm sure, “ Gideon turned  slightly to face Reid.  Time
to see what they could manage to pick up from  the FBI that might add that
edge to their story and it would appear the good  doctor would be the one to
ask.  Still polite, Jason added, "However, I fail to see what this has to do
with us?"

Again to his surprise it was Reid who answered, fidgeting a bit  under the
direct scrutiny.  But only for a moment. Gideon could all but see  the silent
transition taking place right before his eyes as the FBI training  took over.
"We were hoping you might be able to help us."

"Help you  how?" 

Jason could  hear Hotch quietly snickering the background and he was sure,
from the small  frown to mar the handsome features, so could Agent Morgan.  The
posture  that tensed the lean body as well as the slight abortive move made as
if to  somehow protect the younger doctor were both very telling.

Also telling  was the fact that, not only had Reid caught both reactions, he
had also read and  inferred their reasoning and decided he didn’t need any
help. 

His denial of  needing any assistance was much more subtle.  Rather than
retreat, he  stepped slightly forward, taking off his glasses and peering up into
Gideon's  eyes, saying only,  "By allowing us to view any footage you might
have shot  of the crime scene and surrounding areas from the time you arrived
until twenty  minutes ago."

Damn.  Direct, assertive ... but if he didn't know any better, Gideon would
swear the boy was flirting with him.  The direct eye contact, the slight
smile playing around the lips parted just so... 
Far be it from  him not to answer it.  "And why  would I do that?"

"Because it's your civic duty?"  Reid suggested,  smiling with a cheerful
naiveté that Gideon couldn’t decide if it were  completely false or not.
Definitely flirting, Lord help him.  "And we  would be grateful for any help you
could lend us in expediting the capture of  this man."

"And for this assistance, "  the anchor thought about it,  making sure to
shift the tiny bit that would bring himself *just* inside  the young man’s
personal space.  "What would we get in return?"

"Our  eternal gratitude?"

This time it was Morgan's turn to chuckle.

Brought out of his intense study of Agent Reid's eyes - they were hazel  - by
that small sound, Gideon dropped the confrontational act and laughed
himself.  "Fine.  I'm sure my cameraman has already dubbed you a copy  while we were
speaking."

He was fairly  sure he was the only one to hear Hotch snort in the
background.  “Speaking?  Is that what it’s being called these  days?”

As if they  had rehearsed it in fact, Hotch handed a cassette to Gideon from
over his  shoulder.  "Already on it boss."

"Thank you, Hotch."  Gideon  smiled again, handing the tape to Agent Reid,
noting Aaron had already written  Jason's office and cell number on a post it
stuck on top.  "I hope this  helps."

"Just like that?"  Morgan asked.  No longer so  territorial now that Gideon
had backed off, the other agent smiled, though the  expression was laced with
suspicion.  The part of Gideon not watching Reid  tuck the black cassette
inside the soft, battered leather satchel slung around  his neck noted that the
darker man was eyeing Hotch as he asked,  "So  what's the catch?"

"No catch,"  Jason assured him.

"Jason  likes helping out the authorities, " Hotch shrugged.  "Calls it media
relations.  Besides, we only need  one copy to do our job so why get in the
way of you doing yours?"

"Good  point."  Morgan admitted.  "I wish every member of the press were as
helpful."

“Yes,”  Reid  piped up, dry smile reaching his eyes as he added his own
thanks.  “You’ve been very helpful, Mister  Gideon.”

Gideon  just smiled.  "We aim to please.  If you need anything else, my
numbers are on the card.  Oh, and  Doctor Reid?  It’s just Jason.  No mister.”
“Understood,”  Reid nodded, one hand tucking an errant  stray behind his
ear.  Turning to  go, Doctor Reid threw one last smile over his shoulder.  “Jason.
”

Watching the pair of FBI  agents head back to their crime scene, Gideon had
to admit it was a very nice  view.  He may be old but he certainly wasn't dead.

"Well he  certainly was cute."  Moving up beside him, Hotch grinned.

"Yes.  Yes he was."  Laughing out right at the absurdity of mid life crisis,
Jason shook his head and admitted he *wanted* the very young Spencer Reid  to
call him.  He got the feeling if he did, his life would be a lot more
interesting.  Sparing his friend a  sideways glance, Gideon offered,  "Agent Morgan
was a very fine looking  man."

"Yes he was."  Hotch returned archly, causing Gideon to laugh  outright.  It
was clear that he wasn't the only one eagerly anticipating  *this* call-back.

"Yes he was."

---

Casting  a sly look over at his partner, Morgan just waited. 

He  didn't have to wait long.  The  small, embarrassed quirk of Reid's lips
told him that Spencer knew he was  looking.  "What?"

"Were  you..."  Moran trailed off, making  it look as if he couldn't believe
what he had seen back there.  And in a way, he couldn't.  Never had he seen
the young genius react  like that, to anyone.  Not even that  blond starlet
actress they had been protecting last year in LA.  "Were you actually *flirting*
with that man?"

Reid  glared as best he was able without actually looking at him, nuttering,
"Shut up."

"Seriously,"  Morgan teased.  "He was cute.  Bet he thought you were cute,
too."

"You  know," Reid sighed sadly.  "That  was the one thing I hated to be
called in high school.  Cute."

"Didn't  help you were literally years ahead of the other kids,  huh?"

"Not  really, no."

"If  it's any consolation, I don't think Jason Gideon would mind."  That
made the younger man look at him  and Morgan grinned.  "You going to  call him?"

"What?  No!  I... I mean..."  this look Spencer threw him wasn't  nearly as
confident as he one he had used on the news anchor.  "You think I  should?"

"Yeah,  kid,"  Morgan told him  seriously.  "I think you  should."  Waiting
a moment while  Reid thought it over, Morgan threw an arm around his young
colleague's shoulders  and added slyly,  "After all, I need  someone to call
him and ask him for his cameraman's number.  Seriously yummy.  I mean, did you
*see* those  dimples?"

That  and an exaggerated waggling of the eyebrows over his light sunglasses
earned him  a laugh.  "You're such a  dog."

"Woof,  woof, baby."

End