Derek Morgan sat at the long glass table in the BAU conference room, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed. He wasn’t in his usual playful mood—this was briefing time, and briefing time meant business. Across from him sat you, his best friend, his right-hand man, and the one person Morgan trusted most on the team.

The case notes were spread out in front of you, your voice steady as you explained the unsub’s movements, piecing together a pattern that the rest of the team hadn’t noticed yet. “If you track the times and the locations, it’s not random. He’s circling back to—”

“Actually,” a voice cut in.

It was the rookie—wide-eyed, eager, still dripping with that overeager academy confidence. He leaned forward, interrupting you mid-sentence. “It looks more like he’s just hitting targets of opportunity. I read a similar case in Quantico, and the unsub didn’t have any pattern, so—”

You stopped, blinking at him. The room went still.

Morgan’s jaw tightened. He uncrossed his arms, leaned forward, and let his voice drop into that smooth but steel-edged tone that made rookies remember exactly who they were dealing with. “Hey,” he said, his dark eyes locking onto the younger agent. “You hearing yourself right now?”

The rookie faltered. “I—uh, I was just saying—”

“No, what you did was cut him off,” Morgan interrupted, his voice firm. “He was explaining something important, and you decided you knew better. That’s not how we work here. We listen. We respect each other. Especially when someone’s laying down facts we need to solve this case.”

The rookie swallowed, shifting uncomfortably.

You gave a small nod, appreciative but quiet. Morgan glanced your way, his expression softening just a little. That was the thing about him—he could switch from protective steel to warm loyalty in a heartbeat, especially when it came to you.

“Go on,” Morgan said, his voice gentler now, directed at you. “You were saying?”

You picked up right where you left off, this time uninterrupted, explaining how the unsub’s pattern matched an older string of break-ins and murders in the same region. The room was hanging on your words now, the respect restored.

When the meeting ended, Morgan caught up with you in the hallway, draping an arm casually around your shoulders like he always did. “You know I got your back, right?” he said, that smirk playing at his lips.