Satan's Slumber Party-Chapter 1
~This story is set in the 'Family Ties' Universe, and it is set in the down time between chapters 24 and 25 of that story.
I know, I have NO business starting a new story when I have so many others that I haven't updated in awhile! That being said, this one came to me after a discussion with ilovetvalot about her daughter's slumber party and I realized I HAD to write it! I don't envision this story being more than about 5 chapters and it's going to be mostly fluff.
~Again, thanks to ilovetvalot! This story is based on her recent real-life slumber party experience.
~Be sure to check out this week's featured Author of the Week at the CCOAC forum.
David Rossi looked up from his desk when he heard a knock on his open office door and was surprised to see his boss standing in the doorway.
"Is there something I can do for you, Erin?" While the two were former lovers and shared a child…a child that Erin was slowly acknowledging and warming up to, the two did not communicate directly unless they absolutely had to. Things weren't as bad between them as it once was, but it still wasn't the greatest relationship on the planet.
"I'm sorry David, but I heard something about you and I have to confirm the accuracy of the story. Is it true you're letting Katie have a slumber party tomorrow night?" The Section Chief asked with a twinkle in her eye. The very idea of the legendary profiler surrounded by a dozen screaming teenagers was enough to put a very large grin on her face; a grin she'd forced herself to wipe off before knocking on his office door.
"You heard right, Erin," Dave said as he scribbled his signature across the bottom of a completed file. "She's been bugging me to have one for awhile now and I figure with all that's happened in the past couple of months, she's due for some fun."
"And you're going to chaperone this get together of young teens?" She asked as she took a seat in one of the chairs across from his desk.
"Well it's either that or let them fend for themselves and since I don't think many parents would like that…yes, I'm chaperoning the shindig," he told her with irritation in his voice. He knew he had to be civil toward her for their daughter's sake but there was only so much ribbing he would take from his former lover before he threw her out the window.
Thankfully, while Strauss was not a profiler, she'd been around Dave enough to know his moods and she could tell his was slowly turning into a bad one, so she kept fought the large grin that continued to threaten to take over her face and she attempted to school her features into a somewhat professional expression. "David, do you know what to expect at a slumber party?"
"Sure," he said, shrugging. "They come to the house, eat some pizza, giggle about boys, play a few games, watch a movie and then go to sleep. How hard can it be?"
"Oh you poor, delusional bastard," she said softly as her head shook from side to side. "Dave, normally a slumber party doesn't have much to do with actually slumbering. The girls will stay up as late as they can, which may mean all night, and they'll take over the entire house. Not only will there be loud laughter, there will be truth or dare, pranks, makeovers, the ingestion of large amounts of food and dozens of other things you've never experienced before. Believe me, one cannot over prepare for a teenage slumber party."
"Oh, for Christ's sake Erin, you're making it sound like a war zone!"
"A war zone is probably quieter and much less frenzied," she shot back, not joking. She had experienced slumber parties both as a teen herself and with her eldest daughter Ellen. Thankfully Ellen had grown out of them but Clara was just entering the age where they seemed to happen every weekend and once Clara was done with them, it would be Allie's turn. By her calculations, Erin still had another eight or nine years before she was safely out of the 'slumber party era' with her girls and she couldn't wait.
Dave snorted at her response, "You know what? I've gone head to head with arsonists, rapists and serial killers; I think I can handle a group of twelve and thirteen year olds."
Once again the section chief just sadly shook her head. She was about to say something else when there was a knock on his door. "Hey bossman," Garcia said as she entered the office, not bothering to wait for an invite. "Here are those files you asked-oh! Chief Strauss! I didn't know you were in here…I didn't mean to interrupt anything."
"You didn't, Penelope," Dave said as he took the files from her. "Erin was just trying to rattle me about Katie's sleepover this weekend." The technical analyst eyed the section chief warily; while she knew Strauss was trying to get to know Katie better and be a part of her life, she was very protective of the teenager and until she proved herself, she would never fully trust Erin's actions.
"Please tell me you're going to be there, Garcia," Strauss said. To her dismay, the woman shook her brightly colored head.
"No ma'am, he's on his own for this one," Garcia said as a mischievous smile over took her face. "I have to go out of town this weekend, so it's just going to be Dave and eight teenagers."
"Good God you two," Dave said in exasperation, "I'll be fine! I know my daughter and things are not going to get too crazy and if I need help, I have Hotch on speed dial." There were simultaneous snorts as both women tried to imagine the straight laced Aaron Hotchner helping out in a situation that involved almost a dozen teenage girls.
"Can I offer you one piece of advice sir?" Garcia asked rhetorically. "Sleep with one eye open this weekend."
"That is excellent advice Penelope," Erin agreed, nodding her head emphatically. "You'll want to know what they're doing at all times."
"Why is that?" Dave asked. He had planned to hunker down in his study while Katie had her party. That way he would be close enough if they needed anything, but far enough away so he could watch various sporting events on the television he kept in the room.
"Because once they get bored with each other, they'll turn on you!" Garcia told him with a cackle.