DISCLAIMER: I do not own Criminal Minds and I do not own any money from it.
Introductions
"So what do you want to do tonight?" Emily asked Penelope as she was watching as she slowly got dressed for work.
"I don't know, we could either go out eating or eat in, what do you feel like?" asked Penelope as she walked over to get Emily to zip up her dress.
"I was thinking that we maybe could go and see that new move you talked about the other day," said Emily.
"Really, I didn't think that was something you would be interested in," said Penelope, looking at her with excited eyes.
"Well I figured it wouldn't hurt to see it as you seemed so excited about it," said Emily.
"You're the greatest, so will you book the tickets or shall I?" Penelope asked, putting on a hairband to match the dress.
"I'll do it, when do you think would be the best suitable time?" asked Emily, knowing just how time-consuming her work was.
"I would say round nine or so, if that's not too late for you?" said Garcia, her eyes showing some sign of insecurity.
"No, no, that's fine, do you want to eat first, and shall we meet here or…?" Emily wanted to know.
"I say we eat before and here, I'll come home first," Garcia answered smiling at her.
"Good, will you call when you are on your way?" asked Emily.
"Always, well see you later princess," said Garcia, giving her a quick kiss before she left her apartment.
Emily sighed as she slowly got out of bed and into the bathroom before getting dressed. Then she started to clean up a bit around Garcia's apartment, before she flopped down on the couch to read a book.
Garcia looked nervously at the time, it was getting close to 8 Pm, and she knew she would soon have to leave if she was going to make it to her appointment with her sweetheart.
"Are you okay Babygirl?" Morgan asked, looking at her with worried eyes.
"Fine, it's just that I had made plans tonight and I really don't want to cancel them," said Garcia.
"Really, is it with the same person you have been seeing over the last five months?" he asked her.
"It is yes," she said, blushing like crazy. She had of course told Morgan she was seeing someone, only not who.
"Must be getting serious then," he said and smiled a bit amused over her blushing cheeks.
"It is, we are practically living together," Garcia admitted.
"Really and when are we to meet the person that is making you so happy," she heard Reid ask behind them.
She turned to look at him, his eyes was showing some sort of excitement in her behalf, something that had been really rare over the last ten years. He had taken her dissapernence hard.
"I really don't think that would be a good idea," said Garcia honestly, not knowing how they would react to the news, considering how she had reacted at first.
"Come on Babygirl, I promise you we'll behave," said Morgan with a sly grin.
"I'll try not to be too hard on this guy, I mean how hard can he be if you are going out with him," said Reid and smiled at her.
"Can I at least discuss it with him first," said Garcia.
"I do suppose that would be fair to do, all things considered," said Reid with a nod.
"And now I really have to go, see you guys tomorrow," said Garcia as she practically stormed out.
"I am so so sorry," said an overstressed Garcia when she got inside her apartment about twenty minutes later. She had called Emily on her way, making sure she was already there.
"It's okay tech girl, we still have time to each and get there in time before the movie starts considering how much commercial it is upfront," said Emily in a calm tone, before giving her girl a peck on the cheek.
"I know, but I still wish we had better time, it was just Morgan and Reid, they wouldn't let me leave," she said with a heavy sigh.
"Really, what did they do," asked Emily, looking at her with concerned eyes.
"They kept asking when they were going to meet my wonderful person, and what are we eating?" asked Garcia, she was starting to get really hungry as she had hardly had anything to eat all day.
"I am actually surprised they haven't asked about that before and what did you tell them? Pizza, I figured I would do it easy as I didn't know when you would arrive. Got it from the place you like so much," Emily answered as she went over to the kitchen counter to get two boxes and bring them back to the living room table.
As they both sat down Garcia answered, "I said I had to discuss it with you first and then get back to you on it. So what do you think? This looks delicious, you're the best."
"I am okay with it even if it will be shocking for them. I mean considering we are dating there would only be a matter of time before the truth came out one way or another, and I know I am," said Emily with a giggle, taking a piece and starting to eat.
"I agree, so how do you want to do it, have them over for dinner or…?" said Garcia taking another bite of her piece before giving Emily a peck on the cheek for being wonderful. At least she thought she was.
Emily blushed slightly as she answered, "What was that for? Dinner sounds great, what about this Friday I don't think we have any plans then."
"I thought that would be obvious, for being wonderful, Friday at six it is then, or is that too later?" she asked.
"No, no, not at all. There is something I have been thinking about," she said.
"Yes…?" Penelope answered, picking up another piece.
"How would you feel if I asked Hotchner for my old job back?" she asked.
"I actually think that would be great, but how would that be considering you are dead?" asked Garcia.
"I suppose I would work under the name of my new identity, considering that's who all my papers say I am," she said with a heavy sigh, looking down.
Garcia let a hand go to lift her chin saying, "I love you no matter what name you papers may say, but to me you will always be Emily Prentiss."
"I love you to tech girl," Emily said as she bent over to give her a kiss that made sure the rest of the dinner would be pushed aside. At least for then.
It was around 5 Pm the following Friday that a much stressed Penelope was running around tidying her apartment while Emily was in the kitchen cooking the food.
Penelope looked over at her saying, "What if it goes all wrong?"
"Sweetheart, will you relax, it will be fine, Hotch was coming too right?" she asked, just to be sure.
"He was you, I know he helped you get away, but I still think even he will be shocked to see you here," said Penelope, looking at her with insecure eyes.
"Easy sweetheart, easy," said Emily as she gently hugged her.
"You know Reid seemed most excited about it," said Penelope and smiled.
"Of course, he doesn't get invited out a lot," said Emily with a sigh.
"It will be fine, it will just come as a shock first," said Penelope, carefully kissing her.
"I don't know, maybe it was a bad idea after all," said Emily.
"Well it's too late to cancel now, why don't you check on the food and then set the table while I finish up here," said Penelope and gave her a gentle kiss.
Emily nodded, but as she slowly walked towards the kitchen area Penelope carefully slapped her ass making her giggle sweetly. Penelope smiled at her before she placed some of the content in her hands on their right places.
It was a little before six that the doorbell rang, Emily was in the bathroom getting ready as the food had taken a bit longer than planned. Penelope answered letting Hotchner upstairs.
"So this is where you live," he said looking around at the purple walls, with colorful decorations on them. He wouldn't expect anything less of the colorful Penelope Garcia.
"Yes this home when I am away from home sort of speaking," she said as she considered her work place as home as it was there her family was.
"It's cozy, I got you this," he said and handed her a bottle of red wine.
"Thank you," she said and smiled at him and was about to lead home further in when the buzzer rang again. She could by their voices tell that it was both Morgan and Reid and let them up.
The guys greeted each other and Penelope before Reid said, "Well Morgan and I wanted to give you something, but we couldn't agree, so we ended up with two things."
Reid handed her two small presents, Penelope opened them only to find a burned CD she assumed contained songs and in the other a recent photo of Reid and Morgan framed.
"Awww thank you so much," she said and hugged them.
"So where is he?" asked Reid, curiously looking around.
"In the bathroom getting ready, so if you come into the living room and I'll make sure you get refreshments while you wait," she said guiding them back into the living room where they sat down around the living room table.
As soon as Garcia had made sure everyone had something to drink, she walked over to the bathroom door and knocked gently on it, saying, "Princess, are you ready soon."
"I am," Emily said opening the door and looking at Garcia asking, "How do I look?"
Penelope's jaw dropped seeing Emily in a perfect long black dress, a gold necklace with matching earrings and makeup to match. Her hair was hold back by black hair cliffs.
"You're…you're stunning," Penelope stuttered, managing to close her mouth.
"Why thank you and you are sure I am not too overdressed?" Emily asked, looking a bit insecure.
"No, you're perfect, just perfect, so are you ready?" Garcia asked, looking insecure as well.
"As ready as I will ever be," said Emily, taking a new breath.
Penelope nodded and put an arm around the waist as she walked towards the living room. As she entered she calmly said, "I know this is a bit shocking, but I haven't seen a man, but a woman, and I think you already know her."
The three men that were in a middle of a conversation regarding an old case looked up and saw Emily standing next to Garcia and gasped.
"How is that possible," said Hotchner, even if he knew she was alive, he assumed she would be far away from the stated.
"I thought you were dead," Morgan managed to get out.
Reid was the only one not being able to speak; he just looked at her in disbelief.
"Well I was told to never to return here, but I missed Virginia and since the coast was clear sort of speak I decided that we would come back," said Emily calmly.
"We?" Morgan questioned.
"Declan," she answered.
"Wow hold it, so if you have him, what about Ian?" Morgan asked, still not believing she was alive.
"He's no more," she said with a heavy sigh, squeezing Penelope's hand. She pressed gently back.
"So let me see if I have this right. You pretended to be dead, deceiving us all so you could go after Ian and save Declan. And then I take it you became a mother to him. God Emily why didn't you tell us, have you any idea what we went through, what I went through," Said Reid, that finally had managed to get his speech back.
"Actually that was not my decision," she said looked over at Hotchner.
"You… I can't believe you did that," said Reid, looking at him in disbelief.
"I did what seemed most logical to do at the time, so that Ian would think she was dead; it would be easier to save Declan that way. Then again I never expected her to come back," said Hotchner.
"Speaking of would it be possible to start walking at the BAU again?" Emily asked, looking over at Aaron.
"Are you insane, you can't come back there after being dead for ten years, that wouldn't look good," he said in a serious tone.
"Says the one that helped me go underground," said Emily with a sigh, sitting down on a chair close by, Penelope standing behind her, looking at her family, that were looking back at them.
No one was speaking; they were just looking at each other, thinking their own private thoughts. Penelope could tell Emily was starting to be insecure about it all, but at the moment she didn't know what to say or do.
"So what is the name you go by now?" asked Reid, breaking the tension.
"Emily Lauren Jones," she answered him, giving him a half smile.
He nodded and was about to say something when the timer on the oven called for the kitchen. Emily excused herself as Penelope turned to Hotchner saying, "Can't you just give her a chance?"
"Give me one good reason I should even take the risk of doing that," said Hotchner.
"Because you may not realize this, but she is the best of what she does and we need her," said Reid before anyone had time to say anything.
"You are asking me to do the impossible," said Hotchner with a sigh.
"If nothing else do it for me," said Penelope and looked at him with pleading eyes.
Hotchner looked at her, she hadn't asked him for much over the years as she was satisfied with what little she had. He of course knew he should say now, every bone in his body told him so, but he knew he had to give in. Not only because Reid had a good point, but if he didn't Penelope would be crushed and that he didn't have the conscience to.
"Fine, I will make the arrangements before this week is over," he said.
"Thank you," said Penelope and hugged him hardly. Reid just gave him a friendly nod as Emily joined them, saying, "Dinner is ready and what is going on."
"Hotchner is going to reinstate you, isn't that great princess," said Penelope happily.
"You are sure about this?" asked Emily in a serious tone.
"I am," said Hotchner.
"Thank you," said Emily and flashed a smile as she put down the food on the table, gesturing for them all to sit down and start eating.
Dinner ended up being a lot more pleasant than the two women had first thought and before they knew it was 2 AM and their guests were leaving. They had ended up playing a very long game of scrabble while catching up.
Penelope yawned as she finished up the last of the glasses, putting them in the dishwasher. Emily was watching her as she was standing by the kitchen counter.
Penelope turned and smile saying, "What are you looking at princess?"
"My beautiful woman," she answered, smiling back.
"I am not all that," said Penelope with a giggle, blushing just a little.
"I do think that you are, and thank you for helping to convince Hotch on letting me back," she said.
"You are welcome, I would be completely lost without you there in the long run as I hate when we are not together," said Penelope, looking at her with puppy dog eyes pretending to be sad.
"Why aren't you the sweetest? So ready for bed?" asked Emily.
"Do we really have to go to bed, I'm not tired," said Penelope with a groan of dismay.
"Who said anything about sleeping," said Emily with a sly grin, pulling her girlfriend towards the bed. Penelope had no intentions of protesting to that whatsoever. She was just happy it had all worked out and she now could enjoy Emily both at work and in private. What more could she really desire.
Feedback always welcome and very much appreciated :o)