It was March 17th, St Patrick's Day. Mick, having been raised in England, close neighbours of Ireland and having Irish cousins always celebrated St Patrick's Day. He wore green, pinned a shamrock to his shirt, and attended the parade in his home city of Manchester. His cousins who he barely saw, often visited for St. Patrick's Day, and that made the day more special. As a kid it was one of his favourite days, and that didn't change as he grew up. He even loved St Patrick's Day more than his own saints day, St George's Day. And he used boast to the kids at school that he had Irish blood. They got so annoyed at him that one day they decided to test this claim. He fell one day and cut his knee, and they all gathered round to check the colour of his blood. To their surprise it wasn't green.
He decided that this St Patrick's Day, Emily and him were going to do something special. She had never really celebrated St Patrick's Day. She saw the parade once or twice but that was it. To her, and her team, St Patrick's Day was a day to drink green beer and to get drunk off that green beer.
He begged her to go to the parade in DC, but she didn't really want to go. She could think of better things to do on her one day off for the next few months than to go to a parade. But when Mick begged and pleaded and even got down on his knees and did his cute puppy dog face, and with the adorable Rose on his side, she gave in.
They dressed Rose in green, and found her some shamrock to wear. Mick painted a shamrock on one of her cheeks and an Irish tricolour flag on the other. They even found her a nifty hat. She looked like a true Irish lass.
Mick had a green shirt with shamrock pinned on. Emily had a green jumper and had put on the emerald earrings Mick gave her for Christmas. Looking back, he must have thought ahead when buying her gift. They looked like a proper Irish family.
Mick kept going on about St Patrick's Day, and how great it is. It was cute at first but got really irratating. It was like being married to Reid. ''Mick why do you keep going on about how Irish you are when it was like yesterday when you were saying you were a true Brit?'' she asked as they left the apartment, with Emily holding an excited Rose's hand.
''Uh, I have Irish relatives,'' he answered.
''But that doesn't make you a true Brit then does it?''
''No I am, just a true Brit with Irish relatives.''
''Give it up Mick.''
''Fine, but I am a true Brit!''
''Of course you are.'' They were in walking distance of the parade, and made it to a good vantage point in ten minutes. ''Daddy I can't see,'' Rose whined, tugging on Mick's green shirt.
He hoisted her up on his shoulders, so she was higher than everybody. ''What about now?''
''Perfect.''
The parade started shortly. Nearly an hour of floats, people dressed up in costumes, the usual. Rose was really excited, it was her first St Patrick's Day parade, and all the people dressed in funny costumes and all the sounds, created a great atmosphere that she really enjoyed. Mick was nearly worse, he was grinning like an idiot and pointing out all the floats to Rose. He was more excited than her, and he was thirty-three years older.
Emily wasn't so excited. It was exactly what she expected, but she found herself having fun. Most of the fun was from laughing at Mick. When it ended, Mick bought Rose a green balloon from a street vendor. She cherished it, and it was her favourite thing until Emily bought her a green teddy bear. The balloon was deposited on to Daddy while Emily smirked at him because her present was better.
They went home then, because Emily was going out with her team that night, and they had invited Mick along too. There was hardly any 'outsiders', as they called them invited to these nights, but seeing as Emily was married to him they were making exceptions. Kevin was also coming, as well as Reid's girlfriend Kelly. Kelly was all the team's idea, they were hoping she would distract Reid so he wouldn't be telling them random facts on Ireland.
They left Rose at her cousin's, and went to the Irish bar they were celebrating St Patrick's Day in. JJ, Hotch and Morgan were already there when they arrived, Hotch had to be first for everything, it was his thing. And Morgan was probably there early because the green beer sometimes ran out.
''Hey Em. Happy St Patrick's Day!'' JJ welcomed. ''I saved you a seat. And you too Mick,'' she smiled. ''Green beer?''
''Ya, sure,'' Emily replied.
''Just keep control on the amount you drink Em. You know how you get when there's alcohol around,'' warned Mick playfully. She hit him, but he was right. She did have a habit of drinking too much, especially on night's out. One example of this is when they went to Las Vegas, since then the team knew to watch Emily carefully when there was drink around.
JJ arrived back with the drinks and sat down next to Emily. ''So did you go to the parade?'' she asked.
''He made me,'' she said, pointing at Mick.
''Rose wanted to go. I was only doing what she wanted,'' he defended himself.
''Ya right. Ugh, why do we even drink this? It's horrible,'' she grimaced as she took a swig of the green beer.
''It's St Patrick's Day! You have to go green!'' JJ said. JJ herself was wearing a green top, and green shoes to match. Hotch had a green jumper and Morgan had a green t-shirt. She took a swig herself and grimaced as well. ''Uh this is horrible.''
''I know right! But still being St Patrick's Day...'' Garcia and Kevin arrived later. Garcia went a bit overboard. She was wearing a ''Kiss me I'm Irish,'' t-shirt, green leggings and neon green boots. She had also dyed her hair green for the occasion. Kevin looked very meagre in comparison next to her with his green shirt.
Reid arrived next with his girlfriend. He had a green tie and green Converse. Kelly looked stunning in a green dress, that stopped just above her heels, and green stilettos. Rossi arrived last, with a pathetic green handkerchief. Garcia tore into him straight away, outraged at his lack of effort. ''How could you not even wear green? This handkerchief is not acceptable! For all we know it might be white but there was so much snot on it it turned green!'' Everyone went to take a drink before she said that, but as soon as she did they all placed their glasses back on the table. She put them off.
They had a good night. They were all chatting among themselves, Morgan had found a few Irish women to dance with, and Mick had even dragged Emily out on the dancefloor. A sure sign she was drunk. Reid spent most of his time chatting to the gorgeous Kelly, who was actually really nice, and not the annoying smart like Reid. She didn't blurt out random facts like Reid, and actually was good in social situations. Morgan sat down after dancing with two girls, and getting two numbers. He was breathless. ''Whew, I love ,'' he commented, taking a swig of Emily's beer. ''Hey!''
''Morgan do you even know anything about St. Patrick?'' Reid asked.
''Oh no Reid please don't. Tonight is supposed to be fun.''
''There's two theories on him. The first and most common is that he was actually born in England-''
''Ha see Em!'' Mick said.
''Son to a Roman family of a high rank, and when he was about sixteen, was kidnapped and sold as a slave to an Irish chieftain called Milchu. He was sent to tend his master's flocks on the Slemish Mountain and-''
''Reid please stop.''
''Then one night in his sleep he heard a voice telling him to leave his master. He did, and ended up in France.''
''Reid.''
''But then he eventually returned to Ireland and converted them to Christainity. He did this using the shamrock-''
''Reid, stop!'' Morgan begged.
''But I'm just saying-''
''Don't say. Please. Just one night, can you be normal? And if you can't give us the short version.''
''That is the short version.''
''Spencer, I think it would be best if you kept quiet,'' Kelly whispered in his ear. ''Ok.''
''Anyone else find it strange how he listens to her and not me?'' Morgan asked.
''Not really. No-one listens to you,'' JJ replied. Emily laughed along with each her.
''I'd stay quiet if I were you girls, you know the whole lesbians thing and all? Oh wait does Mick know?'' he teased.
''He knows. I told him. We tell each other everything. Because we have a real relationship, and not one based on sex or how hot the girl looks and is barely going to last a week anyway,'' Emily said as she shared a bowl of peanuts with JJ.
''Ooh burn!'' JJ said, high-fiving Emily.
''At least I wasn't suspected of having an affair with my best friend,'' Morgan jeered.
''At least I have a best friend.''
''Oooh another burn! You go Emily!'' JJ was really getting into this. ''Ya well at least I uh...uh...''
''Can't come up with anything?'' Emily smirked.
''At least my boss isn't watching me like a hawk, making sure I don't get up to anything gay.''
''At least I'm not a homophobe.''
''Oh! Em, you are so winning! Just give up Morgan!'' chanted JJ.
''Never! At least Strauss made me Unit Chief and not you Miss Perfect.''
''I didn't want to be Unit Chief. It's Hotch's job, and anyway, you weren't that good.''
''Oooh what's he gonna say to that?''
''JJ shut up! At least I have an office and don't have to listen to Reid rambling all day.''
''At least I understand what Reid is rambling about. Most of the time.''
''Oh you can't beat that,'' JJ sang.
''JJ what are you even doing? And at least I have women falling all over me?''
''Why would I want women falling all over me? I'M MARRIED! TO A MAN! And forget about Reid being smart. You're a person of rare intelligience. You rarely show any.''
''BURN!''
''JJ I swear to god! Ok I can't come back from that one. You win.''
''Hey, I'm sorry Morgan, I'm not being rude, it's just that you don't matter and if I've said something to offend you, I mean it. Oh and Morgan, someday you'll go far, and I hope you stay there.''
''Whoa, what's with all the insults?''
''Don't you ever get tired of having you around?''
''Ok, I'm going meeting some ladies. They have to be nicer than you,'' he teased.
''Ok Jayje, you can get rid of it,'' Emily said.
''Get rid of what?'' Mick asked.
''Ok I looked up a load of disses on my Blackberry and Emily used them.''
''You cheated?''
''Kind of.''
''Emily, you are so amazing,'' he complimented her.
''I know.''
Mick and Emily stayed until twelve, when they had to go and pick up Rose from her cousins. Meanwhile, Emily and Morgan had a drinking battle, which Emily won. But she was going to regret it in the morning. They said goodbye to everyone, and got a taxi to the house. They collected a sleeping Rose and got the taxi back home. After putting Rose to bed, they changed into their pyjamas and lay back in the bed. ''So what do you think of St Patrick's Day Em?'' he asked.
She snuggled in closer to him and said ''Eh, there's worse days.''