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It's A Surprise
Hotch/Emily, Rossi/Garcia
Disclaimer: I don't own them, I'm just playing with them.
Summary: Oh the crazy things that happen when we sleep!
Note: CCOAC Writer's of the Silver Screen Challenge pinch hit fic for starrmyst. Pairing is Hotch/Emily and the prompt was While you Were Sleeping.
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Aaron quietly slipped out the back door and gently closed it behind him. He turned to face the team gathered on his deck. Dave was stretched out on a deck chair with his eyes closed; JJ and Penelope were sitting on the stairs chatting animatedly while Morgan and Spencer were leaning on the railing staring at the back yard. Morgan and Spencer turned around to look at him. He relaxed and smiled at their expectant faces.
"Hotch," Morgan said breaking the silence. "What is going on?"
"Yeah. Why did you tell us to meet you on your back porch?" Spencer inquired.
JJ and Penelope stood up and joined them on the deck.
"And where is your baby Momma?" Garcia demanded.
"She's asleep on the couch," Aaron replied.
"So what are we doing here?" JJ asked.
"We're going to throw a surprise baby shower," Aaron announced.
"Baby shower," Dave and Morgan repeated simultaneously.
Aaron glanced over at Dave who was still stretched out on the chair. His smile widened. "The baby is due really soon as you all know, and she and I are both going to be taking leave. So I want to make sure we have one last good memory with all of you before the baby is born."
"Bossman," Garcia cut in. "What about gifts? What about cake? And decorations?"
"I've got it covered," he assured her. "The gifts you guys already gave us are hidden in the garage. I've ordered a cake which needs to be picked up. And I have decorations that need to be hung up."
"What room do you want us to set up," JJ chimed going into work mode.
"The living room," Aaron said solemnly.
"Didn't you say your wife was sleeping in the living room?" Dave asked.
"Yes," Aaron grinned. "So you and Morgan are going to need to be very quiet."
"What?" Morgan cried.
"You heard me," Aaron said. "Dave and Morgan are in charge of decorating. Spencer, you're going with Penelope to get the cake. JJ, I need you to prepare the other snacks and I will dig out the gifts from the garage."
"Where's Jack?" JJ asked.
"He's with his Aunt for now," Aaron supplied. "He'll be home in a couple of hours."
JJ nodded. "That's good. Will has Henry; maybe I will call him and ask him to bring Henry here at that time too. The boys can entertain themselves."
"Sounds good," Aaron murmured.
"How long is your wife going to be asleep?" Morgan inquired.
"She took a mild sleeping pill that the doctor prescribed. We've been assured that it won't hurt the baby which is the only reason she took it." He took in a deep breath and let it back out. "She hasn't been sleeping much at all lately."
"I don't understand why we have to decorate the living room," Dave complained. "Wouldn't it make more sense to do this shindig in the kitchen or the dining room?"
Aaron laughed. "I want her to wake up and wonder what the hell happened."
Dave and Morgan exchanged a look as Penelope clapped her hands in glee. They all dispersed to their assigned areas. Dave and Morgan followed Aaron to the garage and retrieved the decorations while Pen and Spencer took off for the bakery. JJ walked into the house and began prepping snacks and drinks for the party.
Aaron opened the trunk of his car and began handing bags to Dave and Morgan. After the fifth bag exchanged hands Dave and Morgan looked at each other in mild panic.
"Please tell me this isn't just for us," Morgan pleaded.
Aaron glanced up as he handed Dave another bag. "That's the last of it."
"All of this stuff is decorations?" Dave asked as he peered into a bag.
"There's party favors too," Aaron mumbled as he walked away. "Some of that needs to be assembled too."
"Are you kidding me?" Dave grouched. "How much time do we have?"
"Until Emily wakes up so hurry," Aaron ordered.
Dave and Morgan trudged out of the garage and into the house passing through the kitchen where JJ was already setting out food.
"What is that?" she asked as they set the bags on the dining room table.
"Decorations and party favors," Morgan told her. The two men started pawing through the various bags both of them frowning.
"What is this stuff?" Dave asked.
"Don't ask me," Morgan countered. "I've never done this before."
"Let's start with the things we know," Dave suggested. He rummaged through the bags tossing various items on the table then moving bags to the floor. "Balloons, streamers and hanging thingies."
JJ snorted. "Hanging thingies?"
Dave held up two packages and showed them to her. "What would you call it?"
Ceiling hangers and garland," she replied.
"Show off," Dave muttered as he turned away from her.
"How many freaking balloons are there?" Morgan asked as he looked through the pile on the table.
Dave shrugged. "Let's start with the streamers."
"Sure," Morgan replied as he began picking the streamers up. "There's only six rolls of it."
"I got the tape," Dave said as they headed for the living room.
Emily was lying still on the couch softly snoring. She was on her side facing the wall her hand resting protectively over her protruding belly.
"How are we going to do this?" Morgan whispered harshly.
"Very carefully," Dave replied lowly. He pointed to a corner away from the sleeping woman. "We'll start over there."
Derek tossed all the streamers onto the table except for one package that he ripped open. He climbed on a chair and took the proffered piece of tape from Dave securing the end of the streamer to the wall. They moved randomly around the room securing the streamer with tape every ten feet or so.
With the second roll of streamer, Derek moved over to the couch and carefully climbed onto the arm above Emily's head. He stepped up to the back of the couch and tried to balance himself suddenly he started to fall backwards and came to an abrupt halt when a pair of hands landed on his ass.
"Careful," Dave whispered harshly.
Morgan looked over his shoulder to confirm that David Rossi did indeed have his ass in hand. Emily suddenly moaned and turned onto her back. Both men froze as they stared at her. As she settled her right arm flung out towards Dave stopping with her hand resting on his crotch. Dave looked down at her hand and stopped breathing for a moment. When she didn't wake he looked up at Morgan.
Morgan was trying hard not to bust out laughing. Hurry up, Dave mouthed angrily. Morgan turned back to secure some streamers to the wall.
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Penelope and Spencer walked into the bakery and looked around. The place was filled with people and the powerful smell of freshly baked goods. Both of them stopped and took a deep sniff of the air. They looked at each other and smiled.
"Cookies!" They yelled simultaneously. They made their way to the counter and peered through the clean glass at the products on display.
"They have cookie monster cookies," Penelope giggled.
"Cookie Monster cookies?" Spencer frowned.
"Please tell me you know who the cookie monster is," Penelope begged.
"Do you want me to lie?" Spencer asked.
She shook her head sadly. "You need a Sesame Street intervention," she told him.
"Elmo?" he suggested.
"Yes, Elmo. Good job," she praised.
An employee approached them and they told her what they needed. Penelope also placed an order for a dozen various cookies as well.
"Hotch didn't ask for cookies," Spencer pointed out.
"No," she smiled. "But I know someone else who will want them."
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Back at the house, Aaron had finished retrieving the gifts and began blowing up balloons. JJ also finished her task and was putting together the party favors and organizing the party games.
"Do you have gifts for the winners?" JJ asked.
Aaron smiled. "Yes, I thought of that as well."
"This is a lot of stuff you have here," she remarked.
He smiled proudly. "Since we are having twins, I wanted to have two of everything."
She looked at the pile on the table. "I think you accomplished that."
Dave and Morgan walked into the room.
"Here are some balloons," Aaron said as he handed each man a bag of balloons. "Start blowing."
"Don't you have some already done?" Dave asked. "I don't blow anything."
"That's not what I heard," Morgan teased.
"Don't start with me," Dave warned. He leaned down and attempted to grab an armful of balloons. As he squeezed them to his chest one of them popped and the others squirted out of his grip flying around the room. Everyone burst out laughing until Aaron warned them to be quiet. Morgan peered around the corner to see if Emily was still sleeping.
"Well?" Aaron asked.
"She looks asleep," Morgan answered.
"Take a couple of them at a time," Aaron ordered.
"Where do you want us to put these things Aaron?" Dave asked sarcastically.
Aaron glared at him. "I have a suggestion but you're not going to like it."
"Never mind," Dave growled as he picked up a couple of balloons and headed for the living room. He tossed the balloons on the floor then went back for more. He made several trips then began taping the balloons to every surface he could find.
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Penelope and Spencer arrived at the house and climbed out of the car. "Why don't you leave that in the car Sweetie," Penelope suggested as Spencer reached for the cake. One of the bakers had placed it in her car for them and she was certain it weighed quite a bit.
"I've got it," Spencer assured her.
"Why not let Morgan or Hotch get it?" Penelope asked.
"I've got it," he said again as he headed towards the back door on shaky legs. Penelope followed him up the stairs laying her hand on his back as he stared to sway. She ran around him and flung open the back door causing it to crash against the wall and startling Aaron and JJ.
"Careful," Penelope warned. Aaron started to rise from his seat when he saw Spencer carrying the cake.
"I told you I'm fine," Spencer said as he stepped through the door. Suddenly he tripped on the doorframe. His eyes went wide as the cake suddenly tipped forward. He leaned forward trying to rebalance the cake in his grip. He lost his own balance and pitched to the floor. The cake landed underneath him as his torso crashed into the baked good.
"What the hell?" Dave asked as he and Morgan stepped into the dining room from the living room.
Spencer pushed himself up cake dripping off of his chest and abdomen.
"I am so sorry," Spencer whispered as he looked at Aaron.
"Oh my God," JJ whispered horrified.
Dave and Morgan were leaning on each other trying to contain their laughter. Aaron was frowning so hard and trying to contain his anger. Penelope was still standing by the door looking terrified.
"Spencer," Aaron said quietly. "Go upstairs and clean up. Help yourself to my closet."
Spencer picked himself off of the floor and stepped over the cake remnants. "I really am sorry."
"I know," Aaron replied quietly. "Dave, if you can pull yourself together, I need you to go get another cake."
"Ok," Dave said soberly. "Any particular place I should go?"
Aaron shook his head. "I don't care. Just make sure it has chocolate in it."
"Got it," Dave said as he fished his keys out of his pocket and headed to the back door.
"And hurry we don't have a lot of time," Aaron reminded him.
Dave rushed out the door leaving the clean up and the rest of the set up behind him. JJ and Penelope began cleaning up the ruined cake.
"Let's get this done," Aaron said rallying the troops.
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"What the hell is this?" Aaron questioned. He held up the lid of the cake box.
"It's a cake," Dave defended.
"Why does it say 'have a happy birth day'? Aaron asked.
"What's wrong with that?" Dave frowned.
"It's not her birthday, dumbass. It's a baby shower," Aaron explained.
Dave huffed. "Fist of all, DUMBASS! It says birth day – two separate words. You know for the day of the children's birth."
Aaron glared at him. "I hope you and Penelope never procreate."
"I dare you to tell her that," Dave responded.
"Why she puts up with you I don't know," Aaron grumbled.
"Guys," Spencer whispered excitedly. "She's waking up!"
They hurried into the front room where everyone was waiting. Emily moaned and rubbed her face with both hands before slowly opening her eyes. She stared at the ceiling for a moment as a look of horror slowly encompassed her face. She took in the entire room until her gaze fell upon the smiling face of her husband.
"What the hell threw up in here?" she asked.
Aaron's smile faltered. "It's a…. surprise! We're having a baby shower."
Emily sat up slowly with the help of JJ.
"Are you kidding me?" she asked again. She looked around at her friends. "Whose idea was this?"
Everyone pointed at Aaron. He hung his head.
"This is probably the last time we will get to be with everyone before the babies are born," he told her.
"That's great honey," Emily said absently as she stared at the ceiling trying to figure out why it looked three feet lower than normal. "I'm going to take a bath. You guys have fun."
"But…"
She leveled her gaze at him. "Yes?"
"We have cake," he said quietly.
"Save me some for later," she told him. She reached for his hand and pulled herself to her feet. "I'm sorry. I'm really not up to company."
"That's ok, honey," Penelope smiled at her.
Emily smiled at her friends. "Thanks anyway guys. I appreciate the effort." She looked around at the room again. "How the hell did you get this stuff up without waking me?"
"It wasn't easy," Dave grumbled.
She shook her head. "I can't believe you guys did this while I was sleeping!"
Emily left the room and everyone turned to look at Aaron.
"Now what?" Morgan asked.
Aaron shrugged. "I guess we clean it up."
"You clean it up," Dave growled. "I'm eating some cake!"
"Wait for me!" Penelope cried. She got out of her chair and followed her husband into the kitchen.
"I want cake," Spencer stated. Aaron watched as the team deserted him in the living room. He sighed and looked around at the mess.
"Honey," Emily said softly from the hallway. He looked up at her. "Come join me in the bath."
He looked towards the kitchen. "What about them?"
She smiled. "They'll figure it out and leave on their own."
"Ok," he smiled in return and followed her down the hall.