Well here I am back for another story. Writing these are so fun hehe, never thought I'd enjoy it this much.
Profilers on Ice
It was already late in the evening on this cold December day. The members of the BAU were hauled in a hotel in Detroit.
The case was closed and the profilers had been met with a breakthrough. It had been a tough one but in the end they had managed to save the Clarke family from a brutal serial killer. All that was left now was the return trip home.
"So what's the plan?" Garcia said to her fellow blond. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't bored out of her mind.
The two were bunking together since all the single rooms had been booked, not like either minded the situation though.
"Well we were going to get a bite to eat and then head back." JJ replied.
"Aww," Garcia pouted. "That sounds real boring if you ask me."
JJ laughed. "I guess it does, but the team is pretty exhausted. Not to mention they're in a crappy mood."
"That's nothing new JJ." Garcia replied. "The team is always like that after a case. That's why I'm saying we need to save the day from the clutches of boredom."
"So what do you suggest?"
"I'm glad you asked my angel because it just so happens that I, the oracle of technology, have an idea."
JJ raised a brow. "Oh?"
"I couldn't help but notice a skating rink while on the drive here and—"
"You're a genius." JJ cut her off.
Garcia smirked. "So I've been told." She hopped off the bed. "Now let's round up the others. Put your game face on cause we aren't taking 'no' for an answer."
JJ nodded, her previous mood of exhaustion now completely out of her system. "Yeah!"
... ... …. …. ... ... ... …. …. ... ... ... ….
The first door they knocked on was Reid's, his door being across from theirs.
"Yeah, what is it?" The genius asked.
"Glad you're dressed handsome, because we're going out." Garcia said.
They didn't miss his tired groan. "Another case?"
"Nope," JJ chimed in. "We're just going out to hang out."
"Where too?" Reid asked curiously.
"We're going ice skating together," Garcia answered. "And you're coming with us."
Reid's eyes lit up. "Wow, I've never been ice skating before. Count me in."
And next the trio headed to the door adjacent to Reid's.
"What is it kids, get in trouble or something?" Rossi asked jokingly.
"Agent Rossi you are coming ice skating with us." Garcia ordered.
Rossi raised an amused brow. "Ice skating?"
"Yeah it sounds fun doesn't it?" Reid added excitedly. "You should come along."
"It actually isn't negotiable." Garcia warned.
Although Rossi was tired he decided he'd humor them, especially since he was extremely bored too. "I guess it sounds fun."
"Yay, Rossi's coming." JJ cheered.
Now the group of four went to knock on the room across from Rossi's, which was the door of Emily Prentiss.
"What's wrong?" Emily asked with a concerned tone. She found it a bit strange that they'd be knocking on her door. She inwardly prayed it wasn't another case.
"Hey Emily we're going ice skating and you're coming too." JJ stated.
"Don't even think about denying." Garcia added.
Emily glanced at the TV in her room —which had been showing constant holiday movie reruns— and then to her team. "I'm in."
"Awesome." Reid replied happily.
Now it was time for Morgan's door. To any onlooker it would look quite comical to see them going door to door.
"Okay what's going on?" Morgan questioned curiously.
"Well my chocolate thunder we're all going ice skating and it just so happens that you have a special invitation." Garcia answered.
Morgan paused and briefly wondered how they'd managed to get Rossi to come along.
"Oh yeah, and we're not taking 'no' for an answer Derek." JJ added after noticing Garcia hadn't mentioned it.
Morgan glanced at the team. He then glanced at the TV, which was currently showing 'Home Alone' again. Finally he returned his gaze back to his colleagues huddled together in the small hallway. "Sold."
Garcia led her group towards the last member of the team. There was a reason why this was the last one, and that reason was because of who the person was.
Hotch stared blankly at the crowded mess in front of his door. "Yes?"
"We've come with a great proposition for you boss man," Garcia began, taking a deep breath to ready herself for the battle. "You're coming ice skating with us and there is absolutely no way we're taking 'no' for an answer."
"No."
"I told you he'd say no." Morgan said.
Garcia wasn't giving up. "C'mon it'll be fun, don't be such a joy killer."
"No." Hotch reinforced his previous statement.
"Well it's not like you have anything else going on Hotch." JJ exclaimed.
"It'll be fun." Reid said.
"Don't be such a buzz kill Hotch. Let's go have some fun." Morgan exclaimed.
"Yeah what else are you gonna do?" Emily added, backing up the others.
"The children have made their minds Aaron; let's not break their hearts now." Rossi stated. If he was being forced to join them than Hotch won't get the privilege of being spared out of it.
Hotch pondered the situation he was now on and began weighing his options. He turned momentarily to the TV —which in case you didn't know was showing reruns— and then settled his gaze to his fellow BAU members. Each was patiently waiting for his answer.
Again he paused to eye his TV before finally releasing a defeated sigh. "Fine."
"And victory goes to me!" Garcia cheered as she dragged Hotch out.
"I thought we'd grown tired of each other already." Hotch exclaimed as Rossi drove.
"Are you kidding me Hotch, I could never get tired of you." Morgan replied. "You may be an uptight Grinch in a suit but I still can never get tired of you."
Hotch chuckled. "Thanks I guess."
"Morgan is right though," Emily agreed. She was seated in the back of the car next to Morgan. "I can't get tired of you guys."
Rossi sent Hotch a quick glance. "Who knows, it could be fun Aaron."
They arrived at the Campus Martius Park a few minutes afterwards.
"Here we are!" Garcia cried exuberantly as she exited the car.
Reid's eyes examined the skating rink like a kid in a toy store. "It's big."
"Let's not stand around here wasting time, let's go." JJ said.
The profilers headed inside and each rented their own set of skates before heading on to the skate rink.
There were several people already out on the ice. Children clinging to their parents while the braver ones tried to show off to their younger siblings.
Emily stared hesitantly at the skating rink. She'd never actually skated before. When you're the daughter of an ambassador you don't really get to skate. Now that she thought of it maybe it would've been a better idea to stay at the hotel. A fleeting remembrance of the TV made her immediately cast that thought out of her mind.
"What's wrong Emily?" Rossi asked with a small laugh. "Are you getting cold feet?"
"No," Emily ignored his joke. "I've just never been skating before. I don't even know how it works."
"Ice skating is all about the metal blade at the bottom of the skate, it glides with very little friction over the surface of the ice therefore making it possible for movement over the terrain." Reid explained.
Emily frowned. "I thought you never went ice skating before."
"Oh I haven't, I just looked it up on the way over here."
"I'm going in already slowpokes." Garcia declared as she stepped onto the frozen territory. "Do try not to fall on your butts."
Emily winced at that. That sort of humiliation was definitely one she didn't need.
Reid stumbled forward trying not to fall over. He clung to the railing and balanced himself rightward.
"Harder than it looks huh?" JJ joked as she swiveled passed him.
Reid's jaw dropped slightly. "How are you so good JJ? That's not fair!" Trying not to be outdone by the blond woman he attempted to skate again, only to almost fall over.
He stumbled over again and this time almost landed face first onto the ground, luckily JJ was there to catch him.
"You okay there Spence?"
"Yeah I got this." Reid replied, but JJ wasn't convinced at all since he was still latched on to her.
She found it a bit amusing to see the prodigy struggle with ice skating. "Here let me help you out Spencer."
"I can handle it." Reid said but didn't protest when JJ began helping him. He was inwardly relieved when he saw Hotch was having a struggle as well.
"Skating 101 kids, it's all in the balance." Rossi taunted as he skated pass the two.
"No way, you too Rossi?" Reid groaned.
"Just ignore him." JJ said.
Across from them still not on the ice was Emily. She stared pensively down at the rink. It seemed to be intimidating her slightly, heck, she swore she could see a smug look engraved on the ice.
"What's up Prentiss?" Morgan asked as he approached her. Having returned from his bathroom break he had expected to find everyone on the ice.
"Nothing." Emily replied.
"Hey what are you two waiting for?!" Garcia called.
Morgan had to suppress his laugh as Hotch dangled on Garcia's arm.
"Move it already you two or I'll drag you out here!" Garcia shouted before turning back to give the '411' to her superior.
"Be right there!" Morgan called. He shifted his gaze back to Emily and grinned. "Let's go."
"Oh uh..." Emily fumbled for the right response. "Go on without me, I wouldn't wanna cramp your style. I'll be right with you."
Morgan paused and eyed her with a small smug smile. "Are you scared Prentiss?"
"No of course not!" Emily retorted.
"Then let's go."
"I'll go on my own pace."
"Hah! I knew it! You're scared."
"I'm not scared jeez!" Emily said, crossing her arms and facing away.
"I can't believe miss independent is scared of a little ice." Morgan teased.
Emily shot daggers at him. "I'm warning you Morgan, if you don't knock it off you'll be finding yourself six feet under."
"Okay, okay, I'll lay off." Morgan resigned with his hands up. "But seriously, what's holding you back Prentiss? Don't you wanna have fun for a change, I mean that's the main reason we were dragged out here against our will."
Emily sighed, averting her gaze. "I just... don't want to fall."
Morgan released a small gasp. So that's what it was about.
At her partner's scrutinizing gaze Emily felt like just crawling back into her hotel. Her reason had sounded pretty lame. She waited but the taunting or teasing never came. Instead she was met with a soft gaze.
"Come," Morgan said with a smile as he extended his hand out to her. "I promise I won't let you fall Emily."
... ... …. …. ... ... ... …. …. ... ... ... ….
"Hey JJ look I got it!" Reid cheered as he steered towards JJ.
"Good job Spence, I knew you could do it!" JJ replied with a chuckle. He resembled a kid who had just proven he didn't need training wheels on their bike anymore.
"Yeah this is nothing. I bet I could even catch an unsub in this ice." Reid replied being completely proud with himself.
"If you inflate your ego anymore you'll end up falling inside the ice." Rossi joked.
"Actually since the ice has been frozen solid due to the climate it's pretty impossible to fall in." Reid said oblivious to the fact that it was only a joke. "Did you know that on the surface of any body of ice at a temperature above about 20 degrees Celsius or −4 degrees Fahrenheit there is always a thin film of liquid water, ranging in thickness from only a few molecules to thousands of molecules. This is because—"
"And that is my cue to take off." Rossi cut him off and quickly sped away from the notorious Reid rants.
"Huh?" Reid muttered cluelessly. "Oh don't worry I'll finish telling you on the jet!"
JJ laughed at his childlike innocence.
Meanwhile Garcia had also made some results with her student.
"How you hanging in there big guy?"
"Well I'm not falling anymore if you call that progress." Hotch replied.
"I call that a step in the right direction sir, before you know it you won't need my guidance anymore." Garcia said.
"You're implying that we're going to do this again?" Hotch asked with actual fear to what the answer might be.
"You kidding me, we're making a holiday out of this."
And Hotch swore he felt himself die a little on the inside. "Joy."
Garcia scanned the rink in search of two profilers, whom she'd specifically told to get on the field. Finally she tracked them down on the edge of the rink. She couldn't help but smile at the sight.
Morgan moved slowly on the ice with Emily behind him holding onto his hand. She noted that it was surprisingly warm even with this weather. She was allowing him to guide her and had placed her trust on him just like she does when they are dealing with an unsub.
"Okay," Morgan warned. "I'm going to let go now."
"Hey wait not so fast!" Emily protested and tried desperately to reach his hand, but Morgan had anticipated that and held his hand up higher. Emily mentally cursed his height advantage over her.
She was instantly shocked when she noticed she hadn't fallen. Emily glanced at the ground to reassure herself and there it was. She was skating.
A satisfied smirk was plastered on her. "Heh, how's that!"
Before Morgan could respond it seemed that Emily, in her overconfidence, had taken a step forward to quickly and lost her balance. In record time Morgan reached forward and used his arms as a support for her to grab on.
"I gotcha!" Morgan said as he helped her back onto her feet. He gave her a small laugh. "I told you I wouldn't let you fall."
Emily smiled. "Sorry, and thanks."
Morgan returned the smile. "Don't sweat it."
"Hey guys!" Reid called out. "Time to go!"
"C'mon we don't wanna be left behind." Morgan said as he watched the others heading towards the exit.
"Hey Morgan," Emily said and she held her hand out timidly. "Do you mind?"
Morgan smiled softly. "Not at all."
"Wasn't that fun guys?" Garcia said as the jet was currently flying them home.
"I'll admit it was actually entertaining." Rossi confessed. "I enjoyed seeing Aaron attempt to skate."
Hotch shot him a glare which only made Rossi laugh even more. "Enough try to get some rest everyone."
"I won't argue with that." Morgan said and he began placing himself onto a comfortable position.
Emily who was seated next to him followed in suit. She placed her pillow on his shoulder and snuggled onto it before allowing her weariness to overcome her.
Garcia collapsed onto the couch-like chair to recharge her batteries. After all how can she be Garcia without her beauty sleep.
The only ones still getting comfortable were Rossi, JJ, and Reid.
JJ rested her head back on her chair. "I'm going to get some sleep guys."
"You go right ahead, I'm not that tired." Rossi replied as he eyed the book in his hand.
"Oh good, since you're not tired why don't we continue that conversation we had before?" Reid suggested.
"Oh actually on second thought I—"
"Did you know that most skaters are afraid of falling in the ice as that is the most primary danger." Reid cut him off. "Although chances of serious injury are unlikely, especially in public places like a skating rink. The chances of falling depend on the roughness of the ice, the design of the ice skate, and the skill and experience of the skater."
Rossi turned to JJ with pleading eyes. "Make him stop JJ."
JJ kept her eyes shut but a smile indicated she was still awake. "Sorry can't help, I'm sleeping."
Rossi sighed and shifted back to Reid who was now ranting about the molecules inside ice and something about the measure of its thermal energy. He had no clue as to what he was saying only that it was torture. "Is this because I teased you a bit?"
Reid eyed him quizzically. "You were teasing me, when?"
Rossi buried his hands in his head and released a huge groan.
This was going to be a long flight.
Friends are like walls sometimes you lean on them and sometimes it's just enough to know they're there.
- Denise Clark
Author's Notes
I hoped you enjoyed the read (*nudge* Get it, hint hint). Anyways so drop a review if you can.
