AN: This is it, guys, Reid's new home.

'Half quoted' words indicate the vocabulary that Reid's learned in the process of his home makeover.

COMING HOME

Reid closed the door behind the delivery guys and looked around his new home, because for the first time, that's what this apartment really felt like, a home. His new home filled with family.

Emily had been right, the forest green, microsuede furniture looked great against the ice green walls, 'clean lines,' none of that 'poofy, overstuffed look.' The long couch on the wall across from the t.v., the easy chair - he had really liked Hotch's easy chair - angled to its left, and the love seat to the right. Emily had called it a 'conversation group.' He was now the proud owner a maple coffee table and two end tables, with 'decorative, but functional,' lamps in a dark green that almost exactly matched the painted molding around his doorways and floorboards. His computer desk sat in its corner with a real office chair instead of the spare kitchen chair he had had before, his bookshelves - now painted a single color, white - were spaced out between the other furniture instead of lined up along one wall as he had had them and the single window now boasted a white Venetian blind and dark forest curtains hanging from a brass curtain rod.

He moved to the kitchen where his new dark pine table and chairs - which matched the cupboards - had been installed. He was very pleased with the pale yellow/cream walls and dark yellow/gold trim in this room, it was pleasant, soothing. Haley had come back last week with enough cleaning supplies to keep him in business for a couple years, and after cleaning his refrigerator, sink and oven, and then his bathroom, had installed the cleaning supplies in the small cupboard over the fridge so Jack couldn't get into them when they came to visit.

Her hunt through his cupboards had also revealed his lack of cookware, cutlery and 'tableware,' a lack that had been swiftly corrected when Emily realized she hadn't given him back his credit card yet and headed out with Haley in tow. He now had 'full service' for sixteen, including wine glasses, and a complete set of pots and pans. He wasn't sure where anyone intended to put seven more people - maybe a buffet party - but the idea was nice. They'd also come back with a wooden dish strainer that matched the table very nicely.

They had gotten the placemats, pot holders, and dishtowels and -cloths the first time around, all in either the same dark yellow as the kitchen trim with green patterns, or in the dark green of his living room trim with dark yellow patterns.

Haley had also noted the state of his food cupboards and informed him the Chef Boy Ardee was fine once in a while, but was not supposed to be a 'staple.' Over the past week she had taught him several recipes and how to make up homemade t.v. dinners. His freezer now held thirty Gladware containers with meatloaf, pork chops, steak and chicken, each with a pasta or rice side dish and a vegetable. All neatly labeled with the contents and the date cooked.

The color scheme had been somewhat repeated in the bathroom with the cream walls and the gold trim, 'complimented' by the dark forest bath and hand towels, shower curtain, with liner, and bathmat. There was even a new matching wastebasket and soap dispenser in dark green with marbled gold 'accents.'

Finally he moved toward the bedroom, the girls had forbidden him to enter today until they had time to get the bed finished. He had decided that he really liked the ice blue walls with the midnight blue trim that they had chosen for him. The single window had a midnight blue Venetian blind and 'drapes' - which Emily informed him were thicker, and therefore better at keeping light out, than curtains - also hung on a brass curtain rod.

He had chosen a queen-size - Emily insisted with his height he'd appreciate the extra length, Morgan, he was sure, would soon be teasing him in an entirely different vein - 'platform' bed - no posts or footboard - with a bookcase headboard, a four-drawer dresser with a mirror, two nightstands, and a storage trunk to go at the foot of the bed, all in maple like the living room tables. The girls had selected decorative blue reading lamps for the nightstands and light blue sheets and pillowcases with dark blue blankets for the bed. He knew his trunk held a second set, dark sheets with light-colored blankets.

He wandered over to his closed bedroom door, how long did it take eight people to make a bed anyway? Sure, Jack was probably getting in the way more than helping, but with one person holding him, that still left six people to make the bed, it wasn't that big. He was about to knock when Garcia opened the door, "You may enter now, my sweet."

He stepped through the door and froze, "It's beautiful. Who? You guys -- this is -- it's great. Thank you." He looked at the quilt draped over his new bed, a few years ago he'd interviewed a witness who collected quilts, the whole process had fascinated him so he'd learned about it, if this was authentic Amish or Mennonite then it was the most expensive gift he'd ever received. Also the most beautiful. He stepped forward, looking closely.

It was a Mariner's Compass design in various shades of blue, the stitches were longer than from a sewing machine, different sizes in different areas, very even without being machine perfect. This was real. A handmade quilt. "I can't believe you guys did this. How did you get it done so fast?"

JJ spoke up, "Can you believe Garcia? She has friends everywhere. Even Mennonites can't resist her charm."

Garcia stretched up to place a kiss on his cheek, "I told you, you could trust me."

He reached an arm around and pulled her close despite the crutches and whispered in her ear, "thanks."

Reid was saved from tears when Jack started bouncing in his father's arms yelling, "Me jump bed now, me jump bed, pwease?"

"Not right now, Jack," his father was firm, but amused. "When we get home, you can jump."

The group laughed as they headed out of the bedroom removing the youngest Hotchner from temptation.

As they moved from room to room, Morgan called out, "We need to do this right, guys." He held up his cell phone, "Chinese or Italian?" He counted four shouts for Italian and four for Chinese, the only one who hadn't voted was Jack, tiebreaker by a two year old. Morgan looked at Hotch who held Jack up and said, "What's it gonna be, Buddy, pizza or chicken balls?"

"Balls!"

Morgan laughed as he looked to Reid for the number, "Balls it is." As he dialed people called out their favorites. He added sides of steamed and fried rice and noodles and gave the address.

Garcia sat down at his computer and opened the music program. She smiled as she looked through the wide variety of songs he had loaded. All the computers she'd hacked -- examined, she didn't think she'd ever seen such a wide variety of music. Just for fun she selected a tune by Metallica, then queued up a little of something for everyone, Evita for Gideon, Taylor Swift for Haley, Nickelback for Morgan, Shania for JJ, I am Woman for herself, a couple rock ballads for Hotch, jazz for Emily, and though he wouldn't know it, My Heart Will Go On - JJ's favorite romantic ballad for Reid. After selecting about forty songs she hit shuffle and turned her attention to her friends.

She quietly maneuvered the group so that Gideon and Jack would up in the recliner, Morgan, Emily, Hotch and Haley wound up on the couch, which left the loveseat for Reid and JJ. There was no way she could fail to see the look JJ shot her way, but some day she would manage to convince her friend that Reid really did see below the surface, if JJ only knew the things Reid had sworn her to secrecy about.

Over time he had told her that JJ was beautiful and sexy, she knew it, she used it, and he was amazed at how quickly she could wrap a seasoned FBI agent around her little finger with nothing more than a smile and a look. And that she was brilliant and he'd nearly wet himself the first time she had stepped up during a profile briefing, he didn't even think she'd realized what she'd done until much later, but she'd nailed it and now it was happening more and more frequently. That she had the patience of Job, she wrangled reporters all day long and never lost her temper, no matter how stupid the questions they asked. That she was wonderful with kids, if he had to interview a child, there was no one he'd rather have at his side. That she was compassionate, she'd broken the news to hundreds of loved ones and never complained, she'd even taught other law enforcement officers how to do it. That she was strong and brave, she was one of the few people who could stand up to Hotch and not be shaking in their shoes the whole time.

And not once in all the times he had waxed poetic about JJ had he mentioned how physically attracted he was. Of course he was, but Garcia knew that in no way, was that the first thing on his mind when he looked at JJ. If that was all he cared about then he wouldn't care if she told him no. Besides if he was interested in meaningless sex with a beautiful woman, he would have called Lila back. And Garcia knew for a fact that he'd never called the woman, even the two times the team had been called back to L.A.

Now, when a man preferred to admire you from afar when he could have a beautiful young starlet, that was more than lust, that was love. Of course, Garcia couldn't tell JJ that he'd never called Lila since she hadn't exactly acquired that knowledge legitimately. Hey, she meddles; it's who she is. Nothing wrong with pulling a few phone records for a good cause.

She jumped up from her seat when the door buzzer rang and crossed the room to buzz the deliveryman in.

Reid watched as Garcia crossed the room to buzz the delivery guy up and winked to acknowledge her not-so-subtle machinations with the seating. He had originally planned to spend some time in his new recliner tonight, but this was much better. Tonight just might be a good time to give those chopsticks another try. He was sure JJ'd be willing to take another shot at giving him lessons.

By the time the deliveryman arrived at the door Reid had managed to get up to meet him. He watched as Morgan paid Chen and exchanged his usual greetings and salutation. He'd learned it phonetically by copying Chen and the other Chinese delivery guys from the restaurant. He closed the door and turned to find Emily stifling a giggle behind her hand. "What?" She just shook her head and started laughing out loud. "What?" He crossed the room and nudged her leg with a crutch, "Out with it. What's so funny?"

"He wasn't --." She stopped talking, laughing too hard to continue.

He pushed at her leg again, raised the crutch to stomach height, threatening her with a good poke, "Tell me now." He knew she wasn't going to be actually threatened by his tone of voice, but the joke was apparently on him, and he wanted to know what it was.

"All right, all right, just give me a minute." He lowered the crutch and waited while she composed herself. "You just -- you just told him -- you told him 'Enjoy -- enjoy y -- your din -- dinner, pl -- please order -- please order -- order again.' But at least you -- you said it r -- right."

On his way to the kitchen he decided that maybe the worst part about crutches was that it was physically impossible to stomp with them, because if anything required a good stomping exit, this was it. Morgan followed behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Hey, Buddy, relax, it's not a big deal."

Reid turned to him, let him see the laughter in his face, "Two years, two years I have been telling the delivery guys from that restaurant to please order again." He burst out laughing, saying, "But just think of the look on his face next time when I answer him, 'thank you, I'm sure it'll be delicious.'"

"Oh, man, who'da guessed you got such a mean streak in ya?"

They set to opening cartons and inserting spoons. The others started filtering into the kitchen, Hotch bringing Jack first to make sure he was able to get his chicken balls as well as a good variety of the other choices. Everyone filled their plates and returned to the living room to eat, talk, listen to music and watch JJ try again to teach Reid how to use chopsticks.

&&&&&&

"You're sure you don't want to stay with us a little longer? You're welcome to."

"Thanks, Hotch, I really appreciate it, but I'm good."

"Well, if you need anything, don't hesitate to call."

"I'll be fine. I'll see you at work on Monday."

"Bye-bye, Unca 'Pencer." Reid returned Jack's hug good-bye with a smile on his face and closed the door behind them. He looked around his new home and smiled to himself. Life is good.