[CM] THE CASE

Let nature take its course, everything will eventually have an answer. — The Beatles

Morgan attended Rick Ware's funeral.

His two children were hugging each other, the older sister was crying, and the younger brother was ignorantly grabbing the older sister's cuff.The wife hugged the two children, and the tears were still wet.

Funerals all over the world seem to be the same. People bury the dead, leave each other with real and fake pain, and wait for time to heal everything.

Emily followed Morgan and waited for everyone to leave before she patted him on the shoulder and said that the plane would be too late.

This is their last case of the year.

The weather is getting colder and the snow seems to be falling at any time. Griffith dare not open the window to sleep anymore.The coffee machine in the office is very popular, and even people from other offices come to drink coffee. Reid is often depressed because he can't get coffee.

"It's not a big deal. You can drink it wherever you want when you're on vacation." Morgan slid a sugar from his table and said with puffy cheeks, "And according to the amount of sugar you add to coffee, a coffee-flavored sugar can satisfy you."

Reid retorted: "I don't want sugar, I want caffeine!"

Griffith had just completed the third revision of the report, and he put on a tangled expression upon hearing this. Reid has seen it many times in his face, which means "I don't think it's good but I'm embarrassed to say it".

Although Reid expressed his willingness to accept help very frankly, Griffith was still afraid of offending Reid, and suggested that care must be tactful, and Reid was tired of him.

Griffith didn't know any of this.When the report was printed, he knocked on Hotch's office and handed in Morgan's copy—Morgan's was the fifth time, and as usual, he would receive the revision within an hour or so before he left work notify.

Of course, the only report he had left was unfinished.A lot of the work is handed over to another team, JJ and Garcia don't have as much vacation as they did, and will stay at the bureau to prepare for their work when they come back from vacation.

Griffith had just come out of the supervisor's office when the door of the next office opened a crack and Gideon stopped him with his head.

Gideon took off his glasses and motioned him to sit down.

Griffith thought he was going to ask something about himself, but Gideon asked, "How is Reid?" He froze, realizing that Gideon was still waiting for his answer.

"Uh... I think he's much better, and the symptoms before are lessening." Griffith considered, "The problem wasn't too big at first, and it's estimated that he can fully recover within half a month."

Gideon raised an eyebrow: "But?"

"However, addiction is divided into two processes, physical and psychological. Reid itself is involuntary and does not require psychological detoxification. I am just worried..." Griffith licked his lower lip, "I have volunteered in a withdrawal clinic and have been exposed to Some involuntary victims, or originally involuntary, couldn't bear it later."

Gideon interrupted his lengthy foreshadowing: "Are you worried that Reid will do the same?"

Griffith didn't say anything, and seemed to think so.

Gideon thought for a while, then said, "I talked to Reid once. He hid the withdrawal, but told me another thing." He looked up at Griffith, "He said he 'empathized' .”

Griffith was taken aback, unable to believe if he understood what he meant.

"I hope you can enlighten him." Gideon interlocked his fingers and smiled at him, "Also, I have collected some information and suggestions, you can take a look. If it is useful, just mention it to Reid, he is smart, point to That's it. He trusts you, and so do we."

Griffith felt inexplicably left alone, and didn't know how to answer.Fortunately, Gideon didn't expect his answer, turned the topic to his state, and let him go after a few words of advice.

Reid was still reading the file, and a figure blocked the light.He looked up and saw a middle-aged man in a suit and leather shoes smiling politely at him: "Hello, is Foster Griffith in?"

Reid glanced at his badge - Scott Nelson.

He stood up bewildered, noticing that his colleagues were not there: "Griffith, he's off to hand in his report. Is there anything I can pass on, sir?"

"Oh, that's okay, I can wait for a while." Nelson smiled kindly. "What's his desk?"

Reid pointed, Nelson thanked him, and sat down.

Griffith was a little surprised when he saw Nelson, and Nelson raised his watch and smiled at him: "There's still a five-minute lunch break, I guess I can book your lunch time?"

Griffith knew he wanted to talk.It's been half a year since he's been transferred to BAU, and he's seen Sally a few times, he's seen John, but Nelson hasn't.They didn't even get on the phone.

"Of course." Griffith put the materials in the drawer, "There are still five minutes."

"Five minutes, I don't think your boss will say anything." Nelson blinked like a naughty child, "Come on, I know a Japanese ramen restaurant that is delicious."

It was rare for Griffith to leave early, and Emily came back by chance, knocked on Reid's desk, and said gossipingly, "What's the matter?"

Reid shrugged, bewildered.

When Griffith first arrived, many speculated whether he might be a victim of office politics. Nelson pretended to forget about it and never asked Hotch about Griffith.Until today, Griffith has become familiar with the people in the group, so he came to the office to find him openly.That cleared up any doubts about Griffith.

That Japanese ramen shop said it was not far away, and it was not close at all, and it must be too late to walk. Nelson drives, Griffith sits in the passenger seat for conversation. As soon as Griffith got into the car, Nelson asked straightforwardly, "How are you doing?"

Of course, this is not a simple greeting, Griffith said truthfully: "It's much better, Gideon taught me how to control, maybe I can get rid of it in the future."

"Don't worry, it's fine now." Nelson said, "I heard from Sally that you often visit her?"

"Well, but I'm also busy, so I don't have 'frequent'." Griffith said, "But I will go there when I have time. After all, I don't have any friends. It's better to go out than to stay at home."

"That's right, come to my house for Christmas?" Nelson said, "Both Sally and John are here. You are our benefactor. Even if I don't ask, Sally will call you."

Griffith didn't rush to agree, and said vaguely, "Let's see."

Nelson nodded: "Okay, tell Sally when she calls you."

"How's Sally?" Griffith asked.

"The doctor said that she is recovering well, and the gauze will be removed in a few days." Nelson looked for a parking space while talking, "She passed the psychological evaluation, except... besides rehabilitation, she still has some homework, and she didn't know how to do it when she was discharged from the hospital." What is good, so we are still discussing."

"You can leave the hospital earlier or later, it depends on Sally's own wishes. I am very happy to hear that she has come out."

"Yeah, after all, she has such a close relationship with her sister. I believe that there is a connection between the twins that cannot be explained by science. Sandra's pain may really reflect on Sally. No one can tell, right?" Nelson pulled out the car Key, "Here we are."

The conversation came to an end.

In fact, as soon as December entered, the streets and alleys were hung with Christmas decorations.Even Griffith, who isn't Christmassy, ​​gets a friendly treat from the neighbors: an adorable Santa Claus, the kind you can hang on your door.In keeping with the style, the Japanese ramen shop has also been decorated with lights and has a Christmas tree at the entrance.

"Americans are still very enthusiastic about Christmas." Nelson fiddled with the decorations on the Christmas tree. "It's very atmospheric, isn't it?"

"There is always a time of reunion and relaxation throughout the year." Griffith agrees, "Chinese New Year, Christmas, apart from the religious meaning, they are still very similar today."

Nelson nodded. "People just need an excuse—see what's for dinner?"

"Do you have any recommendations?"

"If you want me to recommend it, I'll order." Nelson didn't even look at the menu, and directly called the waiter to order.

"By the way, when does your vacation start?"

"next week."

Nelson smiled: "That's fine, can you do me a favor?"

Griffith felt calculated: "...what's the matter?"

"Give a lecture to a forensic doctor-in-training?"

Griffith hastily declined: "No, no, no, I can't speak well, and I will mislead people. Besides, I have been a serious forensic doctor for three months, and I have been in BAU since then, so I am not outstanding."

"It's okay, they don't lack professional knowledge, what they lack is actual combat experience." Nelson shook his head and sighed, "You also learned this way, and you know these students better than I do. Although forensic doctors only undertake the work of analyzing objective facts, they also have their own inferences And the method of measurement and writing. They don't know the scale, and some deduction is more exciting than Murder on the Orient Express."

Griffith smiled bitterly: "It takes experience, one speech is not enough."

"Of course it's not enough, but it's somewhat useful." Nelson said, "It's good to open your eyes, and you don't need a crash course. And you can earn money by giving speeches, and you won't be allowed to work for nothing."

If this kind of speech is given by Gideon, it is called making money.If it was Griffith, the bureau would pay a little hard work fee at most.

But Griffith said yes.

His speech level was nothing more than scripted, and Nelson didn't dislike it, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet—after all, he was the boss's boss, so he didn't dare to offend.

"Just come before Christmas, get ready." Nelson smiled, "You have a lot of admirers, just don't lose face."

"Worshiper?"

"You don't know?" Nelson blinked. "What happened to Sandra made you a big hit in the forensics department. The newcomers have heard your story."

"..."

"You really don't know?"

Griffith shook his head, suddenly regretting agreeing to speak.