For the CCOAC Masquerade Challenge
Pairing: Spencer Reid and Ashley Seaver (I'm sure you're all familiar enough with my fics that you know how much I love to ship them).
Summary: Garcia's having a Halloween party and is making all the guests randomly choose their costumes. Ashley is appalled at the outfit she must wear. Spencer thinks it's adorable.
Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the Microsoft Word document that this fic was written in. If the circumstances were otherwise, Seaver would still be on CM or at least have a recurring role and have appeared already as Reid's girlfriend.
"Alright, my crime-fighting angels…and company," Garcia said as she had everyone gather around in the conference room. The rest of the BAU team was there, along with some guests. With JJ was her boyfriend Will and almost three-year-old son, Henry, while Hotch had brought his own son, Jack along. Reid had brought his girlfriend of four months, Ashley Seaver, with him and Garcia herself had dragged her boyfriend, Kevin into the mix as well. Rossi had even gone so far as to convince his first ex-wife, Carolyn, to join. Meanwhile, Prentiss and Morgan were on their own.
"Yes, Baby Girl?" Morgan asked in his usual flirtatious manner, which then caused him to receiver a glare from Kevin. However, that went unnoticed by the agent.
"Well, as you all know, I will be hosting our team's annual Halloween party this year, and I've decided to put in my own little twist to it this time," stated the technical analyst, which was then met with several groans from her teammates as well as Will and even Jack.
"Tut tut tut! You don't even know what I'm making you all do and you're complaining already. Now, if you would all gather around the table in an orderly fashion and have a look at the two bowls I have placed."
Garcia's audience obeyed her and gathered around the table to see two large bowls, one labeled "Boys", and the other "Girls".
Garcia continued to explain.
"Now, whichever your gender, you will draw a slip of paper from that bowl, and whatever it says on said slip of paper, that will be the costume you are required to wear to the party," she said.
The BAU team and company continued to simply stare at Garcia.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Go pick one!"
With that, everyone began to reach out immediately for the bowls, eager to find out what they would be forced to dress up as. After Henry had tried to grab multiple pieces of paper in his small hand, his father proceeded to take one for him. In just a few moments, everyone had a folded slip in their hand.
"Oh, and before I let you all find out what you'll be dressed up as, I do have one more rule," Garcia said. This was once again met by multiple groans, this time by everyone in the room.
"It's not that bad. You simply may only tell one other person attending the party what you will be dressed up as. That way, there's more of an element of surprise."
Ashley frowned at her paper as she sat in the driver's seat of her car. Spencer was next to her looking at his own, but with the opposite expression.
"Is she serious?" Ashley asked while continuing to stare at the slip.
"Believe me, Ashley. I've learned a long time ago not to question Garcia. It's either that or hoping that your remains are never found," replied her boyfriend.
Ashley couldn't help but crack up at this.
"What did you get?" she asked.
"Mickey Mouse."
"What? How can she go from giving Mickey Mouse to," she grimaced before continuing, "…Strawberry Shortcake."
"What's wrong with Strawberry Shortcake?" Spencer asked.
"Didn't you ever watch that show as a kid?"
Spencer shook his head.
"I was raised on The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show," he said.
Ashley sighed.
"Well, it was another one of those weird cartoons. I never really liked it, personally," she said.
"It really can't be as bad as you say it is," Spencer said simply.
"Oh yeah? I'll even show you a picture when we get back to my place," Ashley said matter-of-factly as she started up the car.
A couple of days before Garcia's party, Ashley finally had her costume finished and decided to show Spencer, mainly just to prove to him that she had actually worked on it.
"You look adorable," he said, grinning from ear to ear.
Ashley chuckled lightly.
"Alright, I feel a little bit better about it now. But the next time Garcia makes us do something like this again, I'll remind her that I'm fairly good with a gun," she said.
"Oh yeah? I don't recall you ever having to take a shot while in the BAU," said Spencer.
"I believe you've forgotten that I work in Human Trafficking," Ashley said as she sat down on the couch next to her boyfriend.
"Now what about your costume?" she asked.
When the day of the party finally came, Ashley was surprised to find out that JJ, Emily, and Carolyn had also befallen the Strawberry Shortcake curse. JJ was dressed as Angel Cake, while Emily was Ginger Snap and Carolyn was Orange Blossom.
"Oh my, glad to know I'm not the only one," said Emily as Ashley joined the trio while Spencer went off to find out what had become of Morgan. Apparently the older agent had to dress up as Pluto.
"What are we all going to do with our dear friend, Penelope?" said Ashley nonchalantly.
"I'm not sure if we should do anything. Whatever it is that any of us can do with a gun, Garcia can do even more damage with a keyboard," JJ stated.
"What do you mean?" Carolyn asked.
"They mean you never want to get on Penelope Garcia's bad side and that it'd be best if you didn't know why," said Rossi as he came to join the group of women. The man himself was dressed up in a "Puss in Boots" costume from the Shrek franchise. "By the way, I'd just like to say that all of you ladies look absolutely stunning this evening."
"Don't go sugar coating it, Rossi. We know you're just trying to flirt with us all at the same time," said JJ, which was met with laughter from the entire group, Rossi included.
"Well, I don't see why that shouldn't be a surprise since all four of you lovely ladies look just wonderful!" said Garcia herself as she joined the group. Ashley thanked God to see that the hostess was also dressed as a Strawberry Shortcake character – Apple Dumplin'.
Was that a good one-shot? And just to clarify, most of this was written before "From Childhood's Hour" aired, so I've basically stayed away from Carolyn and Rossi's ALS storyline.
Karoline out.