Alex adjusted her blouse as she unbuttoned her coat before knocking on the door to David Rossi's house. She had been surprised to receive the invitation to his New Year's Eve party, given that word around the office was that Erin Strauss was also coming. It shouldn't bother her, per se, since they had been working together cordially for a year and a half, despite how much she hated the woman.
"Alex, you're here!" Garcia squealed as she opened the door, wrapping her arms around her in a tight hug. "Come on in." She let herself be dragged inside, her coat stripped from her shoulders as Garcia threw it over the coat tree.
"It's still early yet, PG. What's your hurry?"
"Oh, you'll see." There was something devilish about the woman's smile, and Alex began to wonder what exactly she was in for that evening. The others were all gathered in small groups, Hotch with Beth and Jack, his arm slung low around her waist. They were laughing about something, and she smiled at them as she picked up a glass of eggnog, going over to where Reid was.
"So, nice party, I see."
He turned, smiling at her a little. "I guess."
"How are things between you and Maeve?" It had been some time since the young man had made mention of his girlfriend, and she wondered if they were still together.
"Oh, we broke up a few months ago. I have too much drama on the job, I didn't need her drama, too. And I know the whole stalker thing wasn't her fault, but she almost got my friends killed, and I guess I could never reconcile that with my feelings for her."
She led him over to the sofa and they sat, Reid rubbing his stomach absently. "I thought you were in love with her."
"You as well as I know that love is nothing but a chemical reaction in our brain." He looked at her like she was stupid and she recoiled from the look, like it had physically slapped her. "Besides, I've moved on with someone who understands me. And tonight is going to be the night we let everyone know about our relationship, since we have good news to share."
Once more, he rubbed his stomach, and she wondered if she was reading the situation correctly. It appeared, on the surface, that he was implying his new girlfriend was pregnant. That would be a surprise, since he had mentioned on more than one occasion that he didn't want to pass his genes on, just in case they should receive the same one his mother had.
Shaking her head, Alex drained her glass of eggnog, wishing she had something more potent than the tiny bit of non-alcoholic rum that flavored the drink. Either that was Rossi's concession to Strauss or Reid's pregnant girlfriend, she wasn't sure which. "I need to get me another one of these. Excuse me." She stood and went over to the punch bowl and quickly refilled her glass, draining it down before filling it a third time.
Scanning the room, she saw JJ and Will talking with Anderson and Gina, and she went over to them, needing someone to talk to, someone who actually made sense. "So, do you guys know who Reid's new girlfriend is?" she asked without preamble.
"No, cher, we don't. Anderson, honey, who did you say you thought it was?"
Alex felt her eyes bulge a little at the term of endearment that slipped from Will's lips, and she looked at JJ from the corner of her eye, trying to determine if she had caught it as well. The woman looked perfectly calm, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, and so Alex let it pass by without comment. "I said that I thought it was Ashley. She has been acting super secretive lately."
"That is impossible," Alex said and they all looked at her. "She's going out with Kevin, remember?"
"Um, that would be me, Blake," Gina spoke up, frowning at her. "Unless you know something that I don't know."
Alex felt herself begin to blush as she looked down at her hands. "No, nothing, Gina."
"Oh, that is one of the prime signs that someone is being deceptive," Morgan remarked as he and Penelope joined their little group.
JJ nodded, grinning as his arm came to rest around her waist, pinching her hip lightly. "He has a point, Alexandra. What are you keeping hidden from us?"
Alex shook her head, feeling overwhelmed by just how much this situation was spinning out of control. And then, Penelope wrapped her arm around JJ's waist, sliding her hand up to cup her breast in front of all of them, thumbing the nipple to a stiff point in an instant. She pretended to shake out an invisible wrinkle from her skirt so as not to let them know how turned on she was by the sight. "I thought you were married to Will…"
"We were," she replied, arching into the touches of Penelope and Derek. "But things change." She nodded, trying not to focus on what those devilish hands were doing. "You still haven't answered our question, though, Alex. What do you know about Kevin and his magical dick?"
Alex blushed, looking at Gina. "I may have caught him making out with Ashley the other day, in the women's room," she said in a rush. The woman glared at her. "I'm sorry, I didn't know that you two were still dating."
"Whatever. It's no wonder that Erin hates you, you're such a bitch." The woman huffed off over to Reid and began to engage him in a conversation. Alex's heart hurt from the insult lobbed at her and she hugged an arm around her waist, wishing her husband was home. He would know what to do, how to comfort her.
"Hey, why are we divided into group?" Dave asked as he and Erin appeared from the kitchen. Each held a tray of finger foods and she went over to his side, picking up a stalk of celery and crunching into it, needing something to do with her mouth before she said something stupid. "Come on, let's all pile onto the couch and chairs in front of the fireplace. There's only a few more hours until midnight."
He shepherded them into the other room, and Alex gingerly sat on the edge of one of the far chairs, Penelope taking the spot on the couch closest to her. "So, are you and Derek together now?" she asked the young woman, hoping to engage someone in friendly conversation.
"Sort of. We haven't made it official yet, it's kind of awkward to go from being best of friends to lovers. And how's your husband doing?"
"Okay, I guess. I haven't heard from him in a few days, but that's to be expected. His work gets in the way more frequently than ours does. I miss him a lot some days, but others, it feels nice to be on my own, you know?"
"Independent, like me. You're a cat person, aren't you?"
Alex nodded. "How'd you know?"
"It's just something that I can tell, based on how people like their relationships. Rossi and Derek are dog people, and it tells in their relationship choices. When they find the right person, they'll be loyal to a fault. We, on the other hand, prefer to keep our distance until we know for sure if the person we're with it true."
She smiled widely at her and they fell into a soft conversation, Alex eventually losing track of what was going on around her until the television popped on. Ryan Seacrest was blathering on about how he hoped the new year would be a good one, that now was the time to get close to your beloved and prepare for the last and first kiss of the year.
As if this was some cue to the others, they began to pair off, JJ into Hotch's open arms, Dave to Beth, Derek to Penelope, Will to Anderson. Gina eyed her warily and moved even further away from her, closer to Will and Anderson. That just left…
Whirling around, she focused in on Erin and Reid. They were standing mere millimeters apart and she was looking at him with eyes in love. The countdown began and the space between them disappeared by the time the people on television shouted "Happy New Year!"
Something inside her broke as Erin kissed Reid possessively, burying her fingers in his hair as she held him close, her hand curling around his stomach. "Erin, you're pregnant?" she said loudly as she continued to stare at them.
They broke apart and Erin gave her a feral grin. "Why, no, dearest Alexandra. He's pregnant with my baby. We really weren't expecting something like this to happen, after all, it's so rare for it to happen in men. But, our love has proved strong enough to give him his fondest wish, a child of our own, born from his body. The doctors are amazed, too, you know, given the rarity of the situation."
Alex felt her mouth gaping like a fish, words escaping her as she stared at the pair, so obviously enamored with each other. "Is this the good news that you had to share with us, Reid?" Hotch asked, squeezing JJ's waist.
"Yes, it is!" Garcia squealed, hugging the pair tightly. "I was the one who found out first, and I had the hardest time keeping it under wraps until Reid reached the first trimester. Erin and I have picked out the cutest theme for the nursery and everything! Another BAU baby to join our family!" She kissed both their cheeks, grinning widely.
"None of this is real," she murmured as she sank onto the couch, trying to get control over her breathing once more. "None of this."
"Oh, but it is. Here, feel Spence's baby bump." Erin led her lover over to Alex, lifting his sweater and showing the gentle rise that gave proof to her words. It was too much for her, and Alex slumped back in a dead faint…
"…up! Alex, honey, wake up, you're having a bad dream! And on the first night of the New Year, too." Soft lips pressed against hers and Alex returned the kiss, turning her lover onto their back and deepening the kiss, running her hands down to their ass and squeezing. "Um, what has gotten into you?"
"I dreamt that you despised me, that you had turned your back on me and fallen in love with another. I know the fine line we walk on at work, but…"
"You love me. That's why you sent Cam his Dear John letter."
"And you love me, which is why you broke things off with Dave." Erin drew in a deep breath as she nodded. "I want to tell the others. I think this secrecy is what's fueling my nightmares."
"Whenever you're ready, Alex." Erin kissed her once more. "Thank you for giving me my second chance."
"Thank you for not giving up on making amends with me. I missed you, more than you knew, in those years we were fighting." Another kiss was shared between them and then Erin yawned deeply, snuggling close to her. "Go back to sleep now, we'll talk more in the morning."
"Yes," she murmured, resting her head on Alex's chest. "I love you."
"I love you, too." Their eyes fluttered closed, and Alex let herself relax, resolving to never let this beautiful creature out of her arms ever again.