The car's quiet. It's late, the city's about as mellow as he city gets, and Derek's just sort of listening to the sound of air and water whooshing against the front and sides of the SUV while Reid dozes in the passenger seat. In the back, Prentiss lies across the seats, asleep as well. Derek's no less tired, but Reid's concussed and Prentiss hasn't been sleeping well since they took this case.
He switched on the radio earlier but it was mostly static, and the one radio station he got was too up-tempo for the mood he's been in. Now he just doesn't want to wake the others up. They're almost there, anyway -- left at this traffic light and down the road to the hotel. He'll have to wake them up then.
When Derek pulls into the hotel parking lot, though, he just sits there for a moment as the car's engine cools down. Then, with a sigh, he opens the door and climbs out, opens the driver-side back door and shakes Prentiss awake. "We're here," he tells her, quietly, and she nods and rubs at her face with the heel of one hand.
"Need a hand with Reid?" she mumbles.
If she weren't Derek shakes his head. "Nah, I got it."
He walks around to the other side of the car and knocks on the window; Reid looks up and blinks at him a few times. Derek opens the door and says, "Time to go inside," and then for a moment things get weird.
It happens like this: Derek reaches forward to help Reid out of the car, Reid unexpectedly jerks forward like he's just realised he needs to move, their faces collide, and Reid's mouth drags against Derek's before they both pull back in surprise.
"I'm sorry!" Reid's turning bright, bright red. Some other time Derek might have taken the opportunity to tease him, might have had to tease him to make it okay, but it's late, they're tired, Reid's concussed, and they're good enough friends that this isn't gonna faze Derek. He braces himself for a flashback but it doesn't come, and he's still got a hand on Reid's arm but it's companionable, not threatening at all.
He says, "It's fine, Reid," and backs up so Reid can carefully pull himself out of the car. When he stumbles, Derek's there with an arm around his shoulders for support, and they walk up to the hotel, and that's just about all there is to that.
FILLED - Together We're Not So Bad
He switched on the radio earlier but it was mostly static, and the one radio station he got was too up-tempo for the mood he's been in. Now he just doesn't want to wake the others up. They're almost there, anyway -- left at this traffic light and down the road to the hotel. He'll have to wake them up then.
When Derek pulls into the hotel parking lot, though, he just sits there for a moment as the car's engine cools down. Then, with a sigh, he opens the door and climbs out, opens the driver-side back door and shakes Prentiss awake. "We're here," he tells her, quietly, and she nods and rubs at her face with the heel of one hand.
"Need a hand with Reid?" she mumbles.
If she weren't Derek shakes his head. "Nah, I got it."
He walks around to the other side of the car and knocks on the window; Reid looks up and blinks at him a few times. Derek opens the door and says, "Time to go inside," and then for a moment things get weird.
It happens like this: Derek reaches forward to help Reid out of the car, Reid unexpectedly jerks forward like he's just realised he needs to move, their faces collide, and Reid's mouth drags against Derek's before they both pull back in surprise.
"I'm sorry!" Reid's turning bright, bright red. Some other time Derek might have taken the opportunity to tease him, might have had to tease him to make it okay, but it's late, they're tired, Reid's concussed, and they're good enough friends that this isn't gonna faze Derek. He braces himself for a flashback but it doesn't come, and he's still got a hand on Reid's arm but it's companionable, not threatening at all.
He says, "It's fine, Reid," and backs up so Reid can carefully pull himself out of the car. When he stumbles, Derek's there with an arm around his shoulders for support, and they walk up to the hotel, and that's just about all there is to that.