"Did you tell them to get here at six?" JJ mused half to herself, half to Spencer; admittedly she was a little nervous. It was her first Thanksgiving with a boyfriend since her disastrous relationship with Will.
"Jayje, breathe," Spencer soothed, his slender fingers ghosting over her shoulders. She opened her mouth to protest, but fought against it; now was not the time.
"What if there's traffic? Or it snows?" she continued to ramble.
"Jayje, it hasn't snowed here in 4 years, and statistics show that the optimum time for road traffic accidents is-" JJ covered her boyfriend's mouth with her hand.
"Spence, any other time, you know I'd love to listen to you reel off statistics, but now's not the time, okay? This has to go well. How do I look?" she stepped back and looked at him, her cheeks almost rosy against her sun-coloured hair. The royal blue satin material of her dress clung to her curves like it was a river sliding over perfect rocks, and her eyes looked inconceivably blue in comparison. Spencer twitched a smile;
"You look perfect, you always do, there's never a moment where I don't think 'Wow am I lucky or what?' Truly," he gently tossed the flyaway bangs that shielded his eyes.
She narrowed her eyes, and concluded he was being sincere, she smiled radiantly.
"Okay, the turkey is in the oven, the veg is simmering, the potatoes are ready to be mashed and the table is set. Why do I feel like something's missing?" she looked around, her eyes scanning the room; the table was indeed laid; complete with centrepiece, there were eight chairs crammed around their rustic, wooden dining table and Thanksgiving garlands dawned the archways and beams.
"Everything is just perfect," Spencer replied, wrapping his arms around the waist of his girlfriend;
"And next year, we'll need one more chair," he smiled widely, as his hand settled on the bump of her stomach, which by now was just beginning to show. JJ shared in his smile, and stroked the hands of the man whom she loved dearly. Their tender embrace was rudely interrupted by the doorbell.
"Dammit! They're here!" JJ fretted, her eyes widened in her mild frenzy.
"Calm, Jayje, remember? Zen," he took a couple of deep breaths until she followed suit, and then he wandered towards the door, and the impatient bell ringers. He opened the door and grinned in a big way when he saw it was Derek; the two had formed a fast friendship over the years, and despite the relentless teasing and "Pretty Boy" remarks, they were almost like brothers.
"Hey Pretty Boy," he smirked sauntered through the door. Spencer rolled his eyes;
"I thought we were past that," he sighed only half seriously.
"Dude c'mon, we'll never be past that. You're always gonna be Pretty Boy, deal with it," he smirked wider and patted Spencer's shoulder before walking into the open-plan living room slash dining room. Spencer was just about to close the door when a chastising voice stopped him;
"Whoa, is that how you treat all your guests Reid?" Rossi stopped the door with his hand and raised an eyebrow;
"Oh, uh sorry Rossi! I wasn't paying attention, see I was-" Spencer began, before he was silenced.
"Reid? Breathe," Rossi chuckled softly, bottles of wine in the crook of his arm. Spencer ushered him in and closed the door, checking this time before closing it. In the living room, Derek had made himself quite at home, removing his shoes, putting his feet up and turning on the game, beer in hand. Rossi stuck his head into the kitchen to talk to JJ; he loved to cook, and he always liked to help out at gatherings.
"Need some help in here JJ?" He asked, taking his jacket off and hanging it on the back of the door;
"No, no, no, just uh, just get a drink, relax, I have everything under control..." Just as she uttered those immortal words, the milk she was boiling for the mashed potatoes bubbled over and flooded the oven top. She sighed angrily.
"Really? Because it kinda seems like you don't," he smiled, and spoke kindly; he was not in any way mocking her. Thankfully she chuckled and looked pleadingly to Rossi;
"Help me?" she whimpered and started to mop up the milk. Rossi grabbed an apron and washed his hands;
"Okay so what you want to do...-
The doorbell proceeded to make itself know once again, and Spencer jumped up like a scalded flea.
"Easy, Pretty Boy. Why so jumpy?" He didn't even turn from the TV. Spencer shushed him and walked to the door. He opened it and looked out awkwardly, seeing it was his boss; Hotch, and his son Jack.
"Oh! Uh, hey Hotch! Come in, hey Jack," he hoped he didn't seem too manic, and he smiled at Jack, who waved and smiled back politely;
"Hello Spencer," he actually smiled as he spoke and Spencer frowned
"Spencer?" he sounded confused, Hotch narrowed his eyes;
"I was lead to believe that was your name," he tried his best not to show his amusement at his subordinate's nervousness.
"Y-yes of course, I'm just so used to you calling me Reid," he laughed nervously;
"Well Hotch-" he began, and was once again interrupted;
"We're not at the office now Spencer, call me Aaron," he raised his eyebrows. Spencer nodded wildly and stepped aside to allow Hotch and Jack to pass. He walked in and addressed the others as he found them;
"Evening Derek," he walked past the sofa where the younger man was seated;
"Hey Hotch," he spoke unflinchingly.
"It's Aaron outside of the office Derek," he spoke more warmly than any of them had remembered. Derek nodded and lifted his beer to acknowledge Hotch's words. "Daddy, can I go and play with Henry now?" Jack asked quietly.
"Sure you can buddy, I'll bet he's up in his room. Why don't you go and show him your dinosaurs?" He smiled and wandered into the kitchen;
"Dave, JJ," he nodded in greeting.
"Hey Aaron," Rossi smiled.
"Taking over the cooking already? That was fast," Hotch quipped and leaned on a nearby counter.
"I needed the help, my milk exploded," JJ cringed and shook her head in defeat. Hotch laughed softly.
"I let Jack go upstairs to play with Henry, I trust that's alright?" he asked;
"Oh of course! Henry's been chattering all morning about showing Jack his new Transformer models," JJ smiled and started to mix the fresh batch of milk into the mashed potatoes.
The doorbell chimed once again to announce the final guests' arrival. Spencer once again made his way to the door and opened it to reveal Emily Prentiss and Penelope Garcia. They smiled warmly at their host;
"Hey Boy Wonder," Garcia smiled and fuzzed his hair up. Spencer groaned;
"Does anyone just call me Spencer?" he sighed in exasperation. Garcia giggled;
"Now 187, where would be the fun in that?" she continued, gleeful mirth in her eyes. Emily smirked and handed him a bottle of his favourite brandy;
"Relax Reid," she uttered as she sauntered past, her red dress draping behind her. Spencer traipsed into the living room for the final time and sat down.
"Hey baby girl," Derek finally tore his eyes away from his precious football game to kiss Penelope on the cheek;
"You're looking fabulous as always," he grinned playfully.
"Stating the obvious, my Chocolate Thunder, but I'll take it," she smirked. Emily clinked her beer with Derek's and leant over the back of the couch. Conversation was rife between the team, and JJ and Rossi began to bring out the various food items, unbeknownst to the members of their team, who were currently engaged in casual dialogue.
"Okay everyone, it's dinner time," JJ smiled;
"Henry! Jack! Come and wash up for dinner please!" she hollered up the wooden staircase. The team made their way to the table in groups of two and sourced out their prime seating.
"It's a little cramped in here," Hotch chuckled, accidentally elbowing Spencer in his pursuit of a wine glass. Spencer yelped and pulled his arm back quickly, causing him to knock a glass over onto Emily's lap, she gasped, catching Garcia with her hand, causing her to accidentally kick Derek. They looked at each other, startled for a second before erupting into fits of laughter at the ridiculousness of the situation. Jack and Henry thought it was hilarious and proceeded to pretend to be sardines stuck in a tin can. JJ and Rossi finally brought out the turkey and everyone feasted upon it with their eyes. They sat down, or more, slotted themselves in like Tetris blocks and looked around the table;
"Who wants to say grace?" JJ spoke, looking among her friends;
"I'll do it," Spencer piped up, and the entire table groaned;
"Preferably someone who can finish a speech so we don't all starve," Derek exaggerated, rolling his eyes. Spencer tutted and pouted, his arms folded like a child who'd been sent to a time out. Hotch opened his mouth to say grace when Henry piped up;
"Are we going to give the baby food too Mommy?" he blinked, and a shared bamboozled look blanketed the room. The only people who did not share this look were Henry and Jack, who looked as pure and innocent as angels, and Spencer and JJ, whose eyes has widened in shock. JJ squeaked and fled the table, scurrying quickly up the stairs, her heels clattering on the wood. Spencer picked at a loose thread on his napkin to avoid the gaze of those around him. Hotch cleared his throat;
"Well...this is awkard," he curled his mouth to the side in a half smile, which had nothing to do with the usual reasons to smile. Nervous laughter rippled through the team.
"JJ is pregnant?!" Garcia turned to Spencer, her mouth agape. Spencer nodded wordlessly and stood up;
"I'd better go and see if she's okay," he said quietly, his words only just making it out, he too scurried up the stairs, tripping in typical Reid fashion as he went.
"And you said you didn't want to come?" Garcia smirked at Emily and ate a yam, figuring all hopes of a normal Thanksgiving dinner had been shattered.
Spencer walked into the bedroom he shared with JJ, and found her lying on their bed, a pillow over her face;
"Honey," he uttered softly and sat down next to her on the bed.
"Go away," she mumbled, her tone irritated. Spencer blinked a few times, then reached for the pillow across her face. She turned to look at him as he moved it;
"Spence-," she started but Spencer held his hand up to quell her words.
"Jayje, we were gonna tell them anyway," he reasoned. JJ pouted;
"I know, but we weren't ready yet," her tone was midly whiny.
"I know," Spencer replied and laid down next to her, wrapping his arms around her;
"But maybe it's a good thing, I mean it saves us worrying about how to tell them or how they'll react. Now they know," he smiled and kissed JJ's temple lovingly. She sighed again:
"I guess you're right. How did they react?" she replied, her face cringing, imagining the reactions of her peers.
"Shocked mostly. I think...I think they're okay Jayje," he smiled softly.
"-...no that's not right, use the peas for eyes. What are you using a yam for? You don't know if it's a boy or a girl! Not like that!" Garcia frowned;
"You're doing it wrong!" she whined.
"Sorry baby girl," he held his hands up in defeat;
"What do you think then?" Derek looked at the blonde for a response.
"Use the stuffing for hair," she smirked. Hotch and Rossi shared a look that the pair had gone mad, and they sipped their wine in a mutual, appreciative silence.
"-...Do you think we should go back down there?" JJ asked, her hand on Spencer's cheek. Spencer nodded and kissed her rouged lips tenderly.
"God only knows what they're doing. Hotch and Rossi are probably drinking us out of house and home, Morgan and Garcia are probably engaging in some kind of food fight, which means the kids are probably running riot..." Spencer sat up, imagining all sorts of things that could potentially be going wrong downstairs. JJ giggled and sat up. She smoothed down his hair and kissed him hotly;
"You worry too much Spence," she smirked;
"I worry too much? You were the one who-" JJ's raised eyebrow was enough to stop him in his tracks. She took his hand and they rose together;
"Come on, let's go and wrangle the rebels," she laughed as Spencer's face became a picture of concern again. She shook her head and lead him towards the stairs.
"-...Shhh, they're coming, put the napkin over it like I said," Garcia hissed and they placed the finished masterpiece on JJ's plate. The couple descended the stair case and looked puzzled upon seeing that nothing was amiss. There were a few wine bottles discarded, some food had been made the victim of sacrilege, but it was vastly unchanged from when they had left.
"We made you a Thanksgiving food baby, to celebrate your actual baby," Garcia grinned and pointed at the baby, made from mashed potatoes, stuffing, peas and yams. It had a napkin for a blanket. JJ giggled and got closer to have a look.
"I'm impressed," she chuckled. She picked up some mashed potato in her hands and added a few touches herself, accidentally flicking some in Rossi's direction.
"Hey! This is expensive!" he chastised and flicked it back.
"Don't throw food at my girlfriend," Spencer said, only half serious, a small smirk on his lips;
"Okay," he grinned and threw a stuffing ball at Spencer. He closed his eyes and sighed;
"That was a mistake," he licked his lips.
"Was it now?" Rossi returned, as much fire in his voice. Spencer answered by picking up a handful of mashed potatoes and placing them calmly on Rossi's head. Garcia squeaked tentatively;
"Food fight?" Hotch rolled his eyes;
"Garcia, we're adults, not children. I don't think we're that-" he stopped speaking and closed his eyes as a yam hit him square in the nose.
"Alright, that's it," he grabbed the yams and threw them like projectiles towards his assailant; Derek, who managed to duck most of them. A stray one landed in Garcia's cleavage;
"Oh hell no," and so it began. A team of the most elite profilers in the country, were engaged in what could only be described as a high school food fight. One thing that couldn't be denied, was the fact that laughter, true, unrestrained laughter rang through the house of Spencer and JJ; and by God, what a sound it was.