Disclaimer: Even on my 200th story, I still don't get to own even a smidgen of Criminal Minds!
A/N:So... seeing as this is the BIG 2-0-0, that means I've gotta be packing punches and making this story one of the best ever... So let's hope I achieve said quota and you enjoy it!
Expect updates every other day for this one... I need to find a perfect balance between this and real life!
A special thanks to Jekkah for being amazing pre-reader and keeping the teasing going all over facebook... ;)
I hope you enjoy!
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Fate's Monster -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
It should have been another celebratory night out, Emily thought as she allowed herself to loosen up on the dance floor with Rossi. End of a case should have been cause for a team celebration. However, her focus kept switching. She looked to Derek and his three new notches, to Penelope who sat with JJ looking serious and then to Hotch and Beth who sat alone catching up.
They weren't the team they were, they were all being driven apart by different forces and everything was changing too quickly that it made her head hurt ten times the dozen and she felt like she was losing track on everyone and everything. With it, she felt like she was losing her family.
"What's wrong?" Rossi called out to her over the call of the music. He stepped in close, pulling her towards him as he listened.
"Something's not right with us anymore," She told him and her eyes widened as she realised how that would sound. She quickly got his hand and put it back on her waist as she rectified that comment. "I mean with the team! Not us, Dave. Something's not right with the team anymore and we're falling apart."
"I know, Bella," He told her back and held her a little closer, "But what can we do?"
"I really don't know," Emily worried, but as she looked at Rossi she had to smile. "I guess it's down to us to make it right though?" She queried and she knew that by the look on Rossi's face he was already concocting a plan in his head. "I knew you'd be on my side," She smiled at him and began to feel a sense of optimism that all wasn't a lost cause.
"Anything's possible," He said jokingly and with a shock of self righteousness to his tone. "I am the Godfather after all," He told her with a wink and brought her close to his body for reassurance.
Emily laughed loudly at that and hit him teasingly. "I love you, but please don't do that again," She scolded him playfully. "You make yourself sound so old and we both know I know differently."
Chuckling he indulged his needs and kissed her tentatively, "Monday we fix this, Em. You and me together, we can bring the team back together and knock some heads together whilst we're at it. You'll see."
"You're right," She relented with ease.
"For now, there's not a lot we can do apart from enjoy some time together whilst watching the kid get to grips with the women in Quantico." He nodded to Reid as he stood with an attractive woman, finally looking comfortable that he had found someone to match his babbling ways. "There's hope for us all."
Emily smiled at that, at Rossi's certainty. She was sure their lives would fall back together.
For once she couldn't wait for Monday.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Fate's Monster -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
JJ had never been the jealous type. She never wanted to be and when she had met Will and gotten a gorgeous son with him, she was definitely sure that she would never be jealous again. Not over a man at least.
Back when that conclusion was drawn she was young (well younger!) and in love and a new mom - there really wasn't any room for envy. However, now nearly four years down the line she was a single mom with joint custody and she was trying to suppress the jealous rage as it began to fizzle up through her system.
When had she finally put it all together and realised she was in love with Aaron Hotchner? The day she realised that her relationship with Will was dead and gone? Or the day Aaron Hotchner had met Beth Clemmons? She knew it had been building up, but she had never known she had fallen so hard for her boss until the day he mentioned another woman. The green eyed monster was a lot scarier than anyone ever made it out to be! And every time she looked in the mirror, she was faced with it. Faced with its ugliness and its catapults of emotions and she hated it.
She hadn't thought about her jealous rage until Penelope had left her moments ago to go to the bathroom, but it seemed to just rear its ugly head every given opportunity. Now she realised she had been left far too long without her right hand woman and her thoughts were consuming her and the jealousy was flaring all the more.
She needed Penelope back to distract her.
Even though they hadn't spoken about her distant mood over simple areas, she was pretty sure Penelope was beginning to sense something was a matter and the inner profiler in the tech kitten wouldn't allow for anything to be left unsaid.
"You've got that look in your eyes, Sweetums," Penelope chirped a little off key for her usual self as she slipped onto one of the stools at the table. She watched her blonde headed friend look at her with wide blue eyes, "You're jealous."
JJ felt her heart balloon as she looked to her best friend and felt herself calm a little before realising that she was clocked and couldn't hide from it now. "What makes you say that?" JJ asked as she tried to cover up.
Laughing, Penelope leaned towards her, "I know jealousy when I see." She stated coolly and raised one of her eyebrows pressingly. "So, c'mon on, is it Hotch and his new woman?" She asked him out right and she smirked as JJ tried to think of a new excuse. "It is, isn't it?"
JJ shrugged, trying not to make it seem like a big deal.
"So why don't you tell him how you feel about him?" Penelope asked her friend, "I mean, he and Beth are fresh in the relationship department, but you need to tell him before you lose him."
JJ shook her head. "He doesn't want to take on a single mom," JJ tried to wash it aside. She didn't see her son as baggage, she loved him too much and was proud of him, but she was pretty sure other men would see it as a massive turn off.
"He's a single dad, you two are in similar predicaments," Penelope told her plainly, pointing out the obvious to her friend. "I don't see the problem there."
"Of course you don't," JJ chided out and gave out a small smile to try and ease the moment. "Are you okay by the way?" JJ asked out of the blue, changing the subject promptly. "I mean, Morgan's barely spoken to you since that blow out at the bar a fortnight ago and tonight you seem to not be able to take your eyes off of one another."
Penelope smiled, albeit sadly, before she spoke; "Jealousy." Shrugging, Penelope looked at her drink before taking a large gulp of it to cover her nerves. "The same thing that tore us apart is still ripping me to shreds, Jayje."
"Have you told him that?" JJ asked as she tore her eyes off of Hotch and Beth and looked across the table at her friend.
"And have to put up with a snide remark from one his entourages?" Penelope asked and looked at Derek as he lapped up the female attention, his smile bright, but to Penelope – who knew him best – it wasn't bright enough. "No way," She finally answered her own question and looked back at JJ. "I had enough embarrassment that night; I really don't fancy being made to feel the ugliest girl around by women that only want him for sex again."
"But sex is good," JJ pointed out as she put her back to the world in the bar and stirred her drink.
"So you and Boss man..." Penelope trailed off questioningly changing the subject. "Anything happening before Beth came on the scene or did you bottle it?"
"I didn't say a word," JJ told Penelope and sighed heavily. "Plus he and Beth are moving along nicely, so really, there's no need to disrupt that," JJ retorted and sighed again. "I really wonder why I bother with men y'know that right?"
"Yes," Penelope snorted as her face scrunched up with disappointment. "Just a whole load of running around and not much reward from the one you really want is there?"
"Nope, and that's the problem. Us girls wear our hearts on our sleeves and we're always the ones that have to get it out from under their feet."
Penelope laughed a little as she finished her gulp, "Bit of a squishy analogy there, Jayje, but I'll go with it," Penelope commented as she thought about it for a moment. "The only way I'd be able to salvage the Morgan Garcia sinking ship was if someone trapped us in a room."
"It can be arranged," JJ observed sarcastically, trying to take the seriousness away from this evening. "He can be your hero if that were to happen."
Penelope snorted at that final remark, "He quite honestly hates me at the moment, so I'm pretty sure he'd save himself and then, if I'm lucky, he'd get help for me."
"You can't believe that's true?" JJ asked in shocked, "It's Morgan, no matter what, he'd do everything to protect you."
"Once upon a time I believed that, but now, I'm really not too sure," Penelope replied nonchalantly. "You okay here? I think I just want to go home." She continued as she couldn't escape the feeling like she was being watched and even in a crowded bar, she could hear the irritating giggle of the three women lavishing the man she was in love with.
"Erm, sure, I might come over to yours in a bit, I just want to see Emily," JJ mentioned, hoping that name dropping would make Penelope prolong her goodbye. "Maybe you can bounce off her over this?"
"Nothing to bounce, Sweetie," Penelope chimed with a bright smile as she came to stand. "I will be up with a glass of wine or three and multiple films so call me when you're downstairs and I'll have the door open and a glass ready."
"You're the hitting the wine?" JJ questioned with an eyebrow cocked – this was serious! "You're hitting the wine?" She repeated with a laugh, "Tomorrow's hangover's going to be fun."
"Good thing I can stay in bed all day then," Penelope almost sang positively. "Head's me up and all and say goodbye to my remaining superheroes for me and apologise. I just need to get out of here."
"Okay," JJ told her and said goodbye with their usual way before letting her go, "Oh Pen!" She quickly called out and watched Penelope turn back, "Their laughs are really irritating me too." She quipped and saw Penelope grin at her, "I'll see you in a bit!"
JJ let her smile fall as she watched Penelope almost flee the bar and she looked to Derek to see his attention revert to Penelope as she rushed passed, a blast of colour and no goodbye and she frowned as he looked devastated over her silent departure.
What confused her more was Derek's next set of actions. He snapped back to the moment and looked at the three girls, he was now looking at them differently and as they poured more touches and giggles and sexual innuendos at him he stood up straight. His face was now contorted with a serious nature and then he left.
Derek leaving the bar in the same manner that Penelope had - Without a goodbye to anyone.
JJ couldn't help but smirk smugly as all three women looked at one another with equal confusion. Served them right!
Looking out to the dance floor, JJ saw that Emily and Rossi were being too intimate and she took that a sign to leave and go to Penelope's earlier that she anticipated. A glass of wine, some time with Pen and a few films seemed like a perfect distraction right at that moment. Tomorrow she could get up and go and get son and then go back to a normal life.
Downing her drink, she stood and grabbed her back; pretty sure she could slink off too without being noticed.
"Let me give you a lift if you're going anywhere," Hotch spoke from behind her as he came back to the table. "I see Penelope and Morgan have gone."
"Literally just left," JJ told him and turned to him. "No Beth?" She asked casually.
Hotch shook his head, "So that lift?"
"It's fine, Aaron," JJ told him truthfully and offered him a reassuring smile. "I'm going to Pen's and that's in the opposite direction so I'll just catch a cab."
"I'm giving you a lift," Hotch told her sternly.
JJ couldn't get rid of the sense of foreboding that was attacking her every nerve, but she guessed being in close proximity with the boss that you had fallen madly in love with would do that to you.
Surely there wasn't something else up fates sleeve?
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Fate's Monster -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-