Disclaimer – I own nothing related to Criminal Minds!
Talking is Overrated was by far one of my favourite stories to write and the muse bug bit me again and so here's the prelude to the sequel, if there's something specific people want to see in the sequel just let me know, but for now, here's the beginning of the yet to be named follow up, which will probably be posted sometime after the New Year.
Let me know what you think.
...
Emily Prentiss stepped out of the elevator as it reached the ground floor. She'd been travelling for the last eight months, her most recent location, London, was her second of last stop before heading back to the States. Since she had been transferred out of the BAU, life as an FBI agent hadn't exactly met her previous standards, and after wrestling to the ground a teenager dressed in hotdog suit in Tulsa, after mistaking him for a benefit cheat, her supervisor had strongly suggested some time off. The brunette had gone round Asia with her estranged Ambassador father on a diplomatic tour, met some Australian Post-Grad students on a gap leave as she travelled South Africa and visited some of her mother's family in France before sightseeing in London.
The hotel's reception was bustling with people, an unusually warm summer had taken over the English capital and swarms of tourists had descended on the city.
Before she could reach the rotating glass doors, a hand tapped her shoulder, to seek her attention. Turning, Prentiss found the formally attired concierge, a small man with a northern accent whose cheeks were always appeared to be flushed, staring at her. "Miss Prentiss, there's a message for you at reception"
...
"Penelope, I'm going to need an exact location" Morgan stressed, his phone was stuck to his ear, each second Garcia took to locate the phone signal felt like hours to the unit Chief as he looked towards his newbie recruits who were surrounding him, in an alley way in Charleston, South Carolina.
"Give me a minute my hunk of burning love... erm, sorry boss" The red head smirked as she typed frantically.
It had been a year since the team had been disbanded and the new team was slowly gaining more and more courage under Morgan's leadership, but Garcia's flirty had soon returned, after a period of transition. Getting a result, the technical analyst grinned broadly, towards the screen at her success. "1140 Cussler and West, you're about four streets away"
"Thanks baby-girl" Morgan praised, ignoring the bewildered glances his younger colleagues were throwing him. "Erm one more thing, my Prince"
Pausing momentarily as he let the other agents pass. "What's up Garcia?"
"We just got a visit from Strauss" Garcia bit the inside of her cheek in anticipation.
...
Rossi smiled thankfully as he looked around the book shop at the standing ovation. His latest book had been number one in the New York Times bestseller list for the last three weeks and his national book tour was running to an end. He was due in Europe at the end of the month, but the experienced agent was just looking forward to returning back to his not so little cabin in Little Creek. After teaching at the Academy for four months, the profiler returned to writing, his long term memory forgetting the trials and tribulations related to his deadline led publishers.
"Thank you for coming out tonight, Burbank. Goodnight" Rossi smiled, signing a few of books that were thrust in his hand as he tried to make it across the room to his publicist.
Shaking the shop owner's hand, Rossi and his brunette publicist strolled out into the warm Californian air towards the car. "So did I do well?" He whispered into the younger woman's ear, hoarsely.
"You managed to smile this time. That was a bonus" The woman smirked as she placed her hand on his forearm, stilling the former agent. "Dave, you got a phone call while you were up there"
...
Reid added the last file to the pile that had grown over the long day. It was softly raining outside as he glanced out of the blinds of the fourth floor in the DC Field office. Still deskbound, the move to non active duty hadn't been as difficult as the young doctor first anticipated and since he was moved to white collar, the former youngest member of the BAU was slowly starting to feel like a member of a team again. "You know, with eidetic memory of yours, you'd think you would have been done earlier" The female agent sitting opposite him smirked at his exasperated look.
"I would have been done sooner if you and Porter didn't add files to my workload" Reid shook his head free from the memory of Morgan and Prentiss doing similar things when they all worked together.
The female agent stood and came round to his side of the desk. "So are you going to come to Porter's birthday party on Tuesday?"
Shrugging, Reid shifted uncomfortably as his flirty colleague flicked her dark auburn hair as she looked down at him. Before he could reply a figure emerged from his supervisor's office. A burly man, the young doctor's SAC, cleared his throat, his expression grave as he indicated towards the lanky man to follow him. "Reid I just got a phone call from Quantico, we need to talk"
...
JJ struggled to balance her squirming son along with her handbag and case files under the bright red umbrella as she jogged to her front door, from the car while the rain pelted down in the Portland suburb. Taking her key out of her mouth, the blonde finally nudged the door handle down and opened it with her elbow, placing Henry down on the door mat and freeing the hyper boy from her arms. Watching as the fair hair child ran towards the living room and his toys that were scattered around the disorganised L-shaped room. Flicking on the light as the summer thunder roared in the distance, the newly promoted unit chief smiled at her son's ability to create such destruction in a few seconds as she picked up the trail of clothing left behind him while he sat on the floor, playing with his cars. "I'm going to make dinner now sweetie, can you tidy some of your toys away, please"
"Uh-huh" Henry nodded, fully emerged in his racing his blue truck alongside his red sports car.
Sighing, JJ pressed the button on her phone, listening as various colleagues and family member's voices left messages asking the Pennsylvanian to call them back. She rifled through the fridge to find something edible for the pair of them after a long week that, involved no food shopping, however the sound of her former supervisor and close friend caught her attention.
"JJ, it's me. Everything's okay, we're still at Jack's Grandparent's in Florida, I hope Henry's feeling better now. I just need you to call me back as soon as you can, okay. Thanks"
...
Hotch watched Jack carefully as his young son splashed around in the pool with his grandfather, while the former profiler sat with his ex mother in law under the shade. Over the last year, he'd spent most of his time trying to reconnect with his son and adjusted to life outside of the Bureau. He'd gone back to Law and was living in New York, so he could be close to his brother, enjoying the closer to nine to five life-style he'd negotiated to have with his company but, the normal life style his former wife had begged for him to go back too, was slowly driving the controlled raven haired man insane. A part of him missed the intense Bureau work, but in reality he knew it was the feeling of being a part of something.
The greying woman besides him placed a hand on the experienced man's forearm, as she intently watched her grandson. "He's happy Aaron. You're doing a great job with him. After Haley... well, I had my doubts"
"It's been difficult but all I want is for Jack to be happy, Gail. I know things didn't work out for my marriage with your daughter, but I did love her and would do anything for my son" Hotch smiled grateful for the small compliment, coming from a woman's mouth, he'd never got praise from.
"Thank you for bringing him down here for his school vacation, he reminds me so much of her" Gail smiled sadly listening to Jack's laugh he inherited from his mom.
The interrupting vibration of Hotch's cell startled the pair. Picking up the small object, he excused himself from the table and wandered over to the house before answering. "Hey JJ, how are you...? That's good... yeah we're fine. I know I sounded off, it's just, I think we have a problem"
...
I'd love to hear your thoughts. Merry Christmas!