Disclaimer: Don't own Criminal Minds or its characters. Only borrowing for simple enjoyment.

Reid sat alone at a table against one wall of the bar wondering what he was doing there. How it was that once again Morgan had managed to talk him into going out, when he really didn't want to?

Reid stared into the ginger ale in the glass that sat on the table in front of him. The glass that felt cool to his skin on his fingers which were wrapped around the glass. Holding onto the glass gave him something to do with his hands as he sat there alone, feeling very self-conscious.

Growing tired of watching the bubbles move their way to the top of the pale liquid, Reid glanced toward the bar where Morgan had been. The older profiler was still there, standing next to a pretty blonde who had caught his eye. From his vantage point, Reid couldn't see the blonde's face. Couldn't judge her reaction, though if he had to make a bet, he would put his money on the blonde being completely captivated by the dark-skinned FBI Agent. Most women were. Which was why going out for a drink with Morgan was always a bad idea and yet Reid had allowed himself to be talked into it once again.

Why?

~Because you didn't want to face the alternative of sitting alone in your apartment,~ Reid thought, answering the question. ~Sit there and jump at every little sound. Check and recheck the security chain on the door. Lie to yourself when you promise that no matter what, you're not going to turn to the clear drug that was in a vial, always near-by.~

Three days had passed since Reid had sat in the New Orleans club and told Gideon that he would not miss another plane. He had meant it. Leaving the BAU wasn't something that he wanted to do.

~But it is something you might be forced into doing if certain people find out about your addiction,~ he told himself.

Even realizing that hadn't given him enough resolve to get rid of his stash. Hadn't stopped him from carrying a vial with him in his messenger bag. Reid had told himself over and over that this time would be the last time. Yet, it never was. As soon as he would find himself alone, experiencing the first signs of withdrawal, he would give in. Fear of what he would go through without the drug always led him to injecting the drug again. To escape.

Feeling beads of sweat on his forehead, Reid reached up and wiped them away. Morgan was still engaging the blonde.

~Apparently he's forgotten all about me,~ Reid thought bitterly. He looked from his friend down to his messenger bag. It was in there, just like it always was. Slipping away and shooting up wouldn't be hard.

Letting the glass sit on the table, Reid reached for his bag. Pulling it into his lap, he opened the bag. It didn't take him long to find the vial, sitting there beckoning him. Next to it though was a fortune cookie.

~From last night when I had gone out for Chinese with JJ,~ Reid recalled, reaching into the bag and removing it. He placed the bag back on the seat next to him, and looked down at the cookie. He hadn't eaten it, because he had started feeling nauseous due to not having the drug. ~Last night was the longest I had made it. Perhaps if I hadn't told JJ that I was fine and had let her take me home she would have realized the truth. Perhaps I wouldn't have finally given in at four a.m. when the shaking, and vomiting was too much to endure any longer.~

Reid opened the package and took the cookie out of the plastic. He broke it open as Morgan sat down across from him. Reid looked across the table at his friend.

"Let me guess, you want to know if I can find my own way home tonight?"

"What?" Morgan asked, wondering what he meant. "Oh, are you referring to the blonde?" he added, realization hitting him. "Nah, I struck out. She told me I wasn't her type. Where did that come from?" he asked, indicating the fortune cookie Reid held.

"From last night when I went to dinner with JJ."

"So what does it say?" Morgan asked.

Reid looked down at the two pieces of cookie he held. Pulling the paper out he read the words and smile. ~Apparently, I was suppose to read this tonight,~ Reid thought.

"What's so amusing?" Morgan asked, seeing the smile on his friend's face.

"I think this is meant more for you than me," Reid replied. "The world may be your oyster, but it doesn't mean you'll get its pearl."

"Let me see that," Morgan said, reaching across the table, thinking Reid was making something up. He took the paper from Reid's hands and read it himself. Sure enough, those words were written on it. Morgan tossed it back across the table.

Reid reached out for it, his hand shaking. Morgan noticed it, and it caused him to look at Reid a bit closer. He noticed the sweat on his friend's forehead.

"You feeling okay, Kid?" Morgan asked.

~No. I'm feeling the symptoms of not having my fix,~ Reid answered in his head. He couldn't find the courage to say those words though.

"Yeah. Fine," Reid told him. "I think I'm about ready to call it a night though," he added.

"Sure," Morgan said, not buying the answer any more than he had his friend's excuse for missing the plane down in Louisiana. Something was wrong. Reid was hiding something though Morgan wasn't sure what. Or maybe he was afraid to admit he did know what it was. "Just let me pay the bill and I'll drive you home."

Reid nodded. This wasn't JJ. There was no way he was going to talk Morgan out of driving him home.

~Nor do I really want to try,~ Reid thought, as he watched Morgan head over to the bar to pay for the few drinks they two of them had consumed.