It was JJ's idea. She wanted Henry and Will to be apart of her BAU family. So she invited the team, and a plus one to a barbecue. She liked the idea of Jack and Henry playing together while she and Emily eyed their men as they played caveman and argued over the grill.
The idea seemed to appeal. Kevin offered to make potato salad, Emily said she'd come stag as she was happy being by herself at the moment. Hotch brought Jack, Morgan the woman he had been dating for the past month, Amy, and Rossi brought Cassie.
Cassie was Rossi's age, she was short and was headkeeper of the owls at the zoo. Amy was Bolivian, she was in her mid-thirties and had lived in America for only ten years, she worked as an immigration lawyer and her accent kept Morgan in a state of almost contestant state of arousal.
The two women knew how important the BAU were to each other and want to make a good impress, they were nervous and it didn't help the the team was so cliquey.
Reid arrived with a man who he introduced as Ferka, a second generation Hungarian immigrant. He was average height and of average build, he was so very average looking, Morgan had a brief flash of fear when he first met him because unsubs are never more successful than when they are average. But he trusted Reid who as a fully trained FBI agent was more than capable of looking after himself.
Ferka stayed by Reid's side who gave him his full attention, his hands waving around in the air as he spoke. Intrigued as to who Ferka was, and a little embarrassed for Reid, didn't he know he was suppose to bring his girlfriend not a friend, she approached the pair.
Coming up behind Ferka she called a greeting out to them, Reid smiled and wave at her "JJ, this is Ferka" he was still looking at the other man, "I'm so relieved you've thought to do this I've wanted to introduce you all but never quite knew how". All the while Reid still waved his arms around, he got so excited sometimes.
"So, tell me about yourself Ferka, how long have you known Spence and how did you meet?"
"Five years now", he voice had a slight accent, "we met at the supermarket, there was only one pot of live mint left and we argued over it, an old man snap it up while we were arguing, we commiserated each other over a cup of coffee."
JJ never really imagined Reid to be able to make a friend so causally, sometimes she and the team were guilty of forgetting that Reid was a profiler and knew exactly about human behaviour, he may not conform but he knew what he was doing.
Ferka went on to explain that he was a stay a home dad and that his estranged wife, a successful historical romance author, supported him and their child. It was her weekend with their daughter, Rebeka, and so sadly she missed this weekend's barbecue but they hoped to bring her to the next.
JJ was shocked, Reid and Ferka must be really close, seeing that Morgan was encouraging Jack and Henry to play with their football inside she her excused herself from the pair. Scolding the three boys and receiving promises that they'll behave JJ went to join Prentiss by the grill. She had shooed away Hotch and Will and the food was actually being cooked properly now.
"They're dating you know, the way they stand so close, the lovey dovey eyes, the small smile they have only for the other, sickeningly madly in love." Prentiss was gazing at Reid and Ferka who was now joined by Cassi who seemed to be doing an impression of an owl. JJ looked at them and saw it, how could you miss it, it was adorable they way they kept finding any excuse to touch. Hotch suddenly spoke, causing JJ to jump "they live together too". Prentiss hummed in agreement and then laughed, Kevin and Rossi were arm wrestling while Garcia and Amy were placing bets.