She had seen the box when she first walked in to get her coffee at 8:30. She had left, with all six cups, not noticing the slight rain.
At 10:30, she returned to get 6 more coffee's. In this little South Carolina town, it was the only place to go. Even the station was without a coffee maker. She ran across the street, hiding under her jacket, as the rain had picked up. She got the coffee again, and left, not noticing the saggy cardboard box wilting on the sidewalk.
At 4:30, once the case was closed, the suspect had confessed, and everything had been packed up to go, she ran back to the coffee shop to get coffee for the plane ride back. It was down pouring now, but her boyfriend had supplied her with an umbrella She ordered the coffee and then stacked them with practiced moves. She was walking outside into the storm, when she heard the sad little noises. They tugged at her heart. She looked around for the source, and saw the deflated box, soggy and gross from the rain and mud. She placed her coffee on a table under the awning and bent down to look in the box.
"Aw, you are so cute" She cooed, petting the animals head. The little thing nuzzled her hand gently. He was soaking wet and shivering. Without thinking, she took off her expensive designer jacket, a gift from her mother, and wrapped the little thing in and pressing the bundle against her chest, cooing over it.
"Don't worry, you're coming with me" She told him. She placed him wrapped up in her large tote bag, making sure he could breathe. In one arm was the bag and umbrella, and the other hand contained the balanced coffee. She made her way slowly back, not wanting to scald the little creature or make his ride bumpy.
When she arrived back at the station, the team was already squishing into the one SUV they had been provided with. Apparently the other had technical difficulties before they arrived. Hotch was in the front seat, car on, waiting for her. She took her seat beside him, placing her bag gently on the floor.
"Alright, we have mocha venti latte" She passed it to Rossi. She passed the black to Morgan, the 8 sugar one to Reid, the herbal tea to JJ, that left her with a rainforest skim and 2 sugars, and a rainforest skim 3 sugars. She tasted both before handing the 2 to Hotch. He drank a sip without problem. They were driving cautiously down the winding road now, on the way to the airport, which was about 10 minutes away.
"Long line Emily?" JJ asked.
"Not exactly" Emily said quietly. Hotch arched an eyebrow at his girlfriend of several months.
"Trouble?" He asked.
"A little" She admitted.
"Em?" He asked. They were pulling into the airport now.
"Don't be mad" She started. His eyebrows arched again.
"Just tell me what happened" He told her calmly.
"Where's your coat?" Rossi asked suddenly, noticing the way she shivered as she stepped into the cold rain. Hotch grabbed her bag and hugged her close to him, her tote bag was thankfully on the other side of him.
"Emily, your bag is moving" Reid stated confused. Hotch looked down at her, curious. Rossi stared her down too. Morgan was already laughing, knowing what was going to happen. JJ had a slight smile on her face. Emily motioned for them to get onto the plane first. They ran so as not to get even more wet. Emily settled herself on the couch, Aaron and Reid next to her. Rossi, Morgan and JJ all sat on the couch across from them. They all looked at her, expecting an answer. Emily stuck her hands into her bag and pulled out the wet shivering lump of fur encased in her jacket.
"Awe, he's so precious" JJ cooed, scratching his head. He nuzzled into her hand as well.
"He's adorable" Morgan stated, petting his tummy. Rossi, Reid, and Hotch looked on with varying expressions.
"Where did you find him?" Hotch asked finally.
"In a soaking destroyed box outside of the coffee place. He was crying and shivering and soaking wet" Emily said, trying to play on his compassionate side. She lived in his house now, with him and Jack, she needed his approval.
"He seems to be in good health, despite the shivers" Reid announced after poking at him. He refused to pet him.
"Come on Reid, he won't bite, he's just an itty bitty thing" I told Reid.
"Uh, Emily?" Rossi asked. "Look at the size of his paws and the length, that itty bitty puppy is going to grow into an itty bitty German Sheppard" Rossi laughed at her stunned expression.
"German Sheppard?" She asked. Reid nodded along with Rossi, as did Morgan.
"You can clearly see by his markings and coloring what breed he is" Morgan said. Emily nodded faintly. She turned to Hotch.
"Can we keep him, please?" She begged. He seemed to hesitate to answer. She kept going, "Please Hotch" She whined. The puppy barked. She smiled.
"Hotch?" She asked. He barked again. The whole team laughed. "He already knows his name, we have to keep him" Emily stated.
"You named the dog Hotch" Hotch deadpanned.
"I'm sorry Aaron, but he likes that name, right Hotch?" The puppy barked again. "You know Jack always wanted a dog" Emily stated. Hotch groaned.
"Fine" He sighed. Emily passed the dog to Reid quickly and engulfed Aaron in a huge hug, kissing him deeply, while the team looked away politely. After a few minutes, Morgan yelled at them.
"Geez, get a room"
"Sorry" Emily blushed. Rossi was now holding the dog, petting his tummy as his hind legs jerked. Emily giggled at the sight. Rossi looked up and passed the dog back to her. Emily held him up and nuzzled his nose with her own. The puppy licked her face happily. She kissed his cheek. After he settled in for a nap on her lap.
"That's so cute, he loves you Em" JJ smiled fondly and snapped a picture, "As does the other one" JJ motioned to Hotch who had fallen asleep on her shoulder. At one point he had fallen onto Reid's shoulder, but the startled profiler had pushed him off and went to sit in a chair.
"You know, Hotch always reminded me of a German Sheppard" Rossi said lightly. The team laughed, they had all thought the same thing.
"I heard that" Agent Hotchner said suddenly, his voice still laced with sleep. Everyone blushed a little but laughed even harder after Hotch started snoring again.