After a case, everyone had their own way of burning off steam, whether it was cooking pasta, spending time with their kids, reading or, in Derek Morgan's case, going to the gym.
So that was why he was in the gym at half past six in the morning after a particularly rough case.
The entire team had been given a rare day off to recuperate and he was planning on spending it working on his latest property.
When he walked in, he expected it to be empty due to the time but he was pleasantly surprised by the woman running on the treadmill in the corner that still had a decent view of the door and was the one he usually chose for that exact reason. He can't completely switch off the things he's seen.
Today he didn't feel like running though, he had done enough of that yesterday, so he went over to the weights and left her alone.
However, every so often he glanced back over at her, her long wavy brown hair swept back into a ponytail, the way the wire of her earbuds bounced with every step despite Derek being pretty sure there was no music playing as she jumped slightly every time he made a noise.
This combined with the strategic treadmill choice and her athletic build made him curious about her. They weren't too far from Quantico so there's a high chance she either works for the government or is ex-military. His vote was on ex-military.
She stayed on the treadmill for an entire hour, running at a consistent pace the entire time, clearly pushing herself to her limits.
"12 miles in an hour and a half, impressive." Derek commented, having walked over to her as she got off the treadmill, he meant well but she jumped at the sound of his voice. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He quickly apologised.
"It's okay, and thanks." She replied, her eyes roaming his body as if she was assessing him as a target. He figured it was her military training but it was just an instinct. "I'm Lia." She introduced herself after deciding he seemed normal.
"Derek." He said. "What do you do for a living then Lia?"
"I teach third grade." Lia said.
"So you're not ex-military or anything?" Derek asked, the genuine surprise showing on his face.
"Nope, that's what you expected?" Lia said, a smile growing on her face.
"Yep, so you just run for fun?" Derek asked.
"Yeah, I usually run with my sister but she ditched me to spend time with her kid because she's just got back from a work trip." Lia explained.
"That's too bad." Derek said. "I'd be down to run with you sometime, maybe grab a coffee afterwards?"
"I wouldn't want to hurt your ego." Lia joked.
"You think you could beat me?" Derek challenged.
"Oh, easily." Lia said laughing.
"It's so on." Derek said, reaching into his bag to grab one of his cards. "My schedule's pretty crazy but I'm sure I can find time to thrash you." He said as he handed it to her. Lia's smile faltered slightly as she read the card.
"You're in the BAU?" She asked despite it being written in black and white on the card.
"Yeah, don't think you can beat me now you know I'm a fed?" Derek teased, thinking that was the reason for her shift in confidence.
"No, I can still beat you. It's just my sister, well she's technically my sister-in-law, works there." Lia said, glad that her phone started ringing before he could ask questions as she knew JJ and Will had never mentioned her. "Speak of the devil." She muttered as she swiped to answer the call. "Hey Blondie." She teased lightly. "Sure, you know it's no problem. As long as I can use your shower." Lia said, only then looking up enough to see Derek realising who she was talking to. "Of course I'm at the gym, you know I practically live here." She paused for a second before speaking again. "Yeah, I'm on my way."
"You're Will's sister?" Derek asked as soon as she hung up the phone.
"Yep." Lia said. "I hate to break it to you, but you've got a case and she's going to call you in 3, 2, 1." As Lia said 1 Derek's phone rang.
"Hey JJ." Derek answered the phone, sending Lia an amused look as he did so. Whilst he was on the phone, Lia walked over to the lockers that lined one wall of the gym to grab her stuff. "I guess that ruins my plan." Derek said as he walked up behind Lia who was searching through her bag for her car keys.
"What plan?" Lia asked.
"To go on a run and fake an injury so you have to look after me but I have basically the same schedule as JJ." Derek explained.
"You're not bothered by the fact I'm Will's sister?" Lia asked, having expected him to stop flirting when he found out her relation to one of his co-workers.
"No, are you?" Derek asked.
"As long as JJ doesn't find out." Lia said, looking up from her bag when she found her keys to see him looking at her, clearly surprised by her wanting to keep the fact they met a secret. "Long story, which we don't have time for as we both need to go." She said, turning on her heel and walking towards the door.
"So you'll call me?" Derek asked, jogging to catch up with her as he had quickly pulled his bag from his locker.
"Sure."
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"Hello! Anybody home!" Lia called into the foyer of her brother's house, after letting herself in with her key.
"Auntie Lia!" A blonde blob replied as he hurtled towards the woman who was arguably his favourite person in the universe.
"Hey Henry." Lia said with a chuckle as she lifted the six year old off the floor and onto her hip way too easily. "Where's your mum and dad?" She asked, looking around the house.
"Daddy's at work, Mummy's in the kitchen." Henry said, Lia began walking in the direction of the kitchen.
"Hey Lia." JJ greeted as she placed a bowl of cereal in front of a seat at the counter where Lia swiftly sat Henry down.
"Hey, Will's at work?" Lia asked, confirming the information she had received from her nephew.
"Yeah, he's took a double shift because we thought I had the day off and our sitter's out of town." JJ began to ask Lia to look after Henry.
"JJ, it's no problem besides, it means we can get ice-cream." Lia said, making Henry squeal excitedly. "That means you're coming to my room after school remember." She reminded the kid.
"Thank you." JJ mouthed.
"I'm gonna take a quick shower so you can get to work." Lia said, walking out of the room.
Becoming a teacher at Henry's school had been JJ's idea when Lia had moved from New Orleans to Virginia two years ago. Not only had it allowed Lia to get back on her own two feet and move out of their house pretty fast but it meant if no one showed up to pick Henry up for whatever reason, he had someone to go to.
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"What's got you in such a good mood?" Prentiss teased Morgan as they sat in the briefing room waiting for JJ and Garcia.
"Nothing." Morgan replied too fast.
"Oh there is so something." Prentiss continued to tease.
"He has checked his phone five times since he sat down which is three times more than he usually does after a one night stand." Reid stated.
"Why do you know that?" Rossi asked, Reid simply shrugged in response.
"So... who is she?" Prentiss asked.
"There isn't anyone okay?" Morgan said defensively.
"Lying to profiler's ain't gonna work." Rossi said.
"Who say's I'm lying?" Morgan said.
There was no time for any more questions as the rest of the team walked in and Hotch began the briefing.
YOU ARE READING
A Little Too Much | CM
Fanfiction*UPDATED 18/05/23* Amelia LaMontagne was born and raised in New Orleans alongside her older brother Will by their single father after the death of their mother. Will became a detective and fell in love with a federal agent. Lia became a teacher and...
