The night was full. Across from her, JJ laughed at something Morgan had said. Hotch and Rossi debated frivolously about the origins of the word "template", while she contributed every once and a while.
As the group chatted idly, the sounds of clinking china and ice rattling in glass cups filled the air. Emily laughed and swatted at Derek Morgans hand as he plucked a French fry from her plate.
"Watch yourself!" She warned. Popping the fry into his mouth, he grinned smugly. Emily sighed contently and popped a fry into her own mouth.
This was her favourite, the time between cases when they could all just sit and enjoy each other. When she could sit and enjoy her all friends. Her family.
Well, almost all of her friends. There was one person missing. Even in the noise of the night, she could still hear the silence where his laugh belonged. His voice, spewing statistics, his gentle intake of air before he started talking. Though there was no visible gap, she could see the place where he belonged. Directly across from her, in between JJ and Derek.
How many times had he smiled his smile at her from right there? Glancing away before she could return it. She didn't know. But it was still too few for her. Or maybe too many. She wasn't sure. She had avoided considering, in depth, what that smile meant to her. Or what the butterflies that came after it meant to her.
Now she glanced up as the check came. Frowning, she took it and placed it on the table. It always amused her how quiet the group got when the check came. Like someone had muted them as a collective as they tried to remember whose turn it was to pick it up. Morgan got there first.
"Damn," he chuckled, "It's Reid's turn." Rossi shook his head, smiling as JJ laughed.
"Of course it is." She said as she plucked the check off the table, picking up Reids slack quite literally. Hotch slapped a ten down on the table and Emily followed suit. They were copied by Morgan and Rossi, leaving JJ only her own meal to pay for.
"Where is Reid, anyways?" Emily asked, beyond casual. JJ furrowed her brow.
"He said he was busy. Wouldn't say doing what.."
"Or who.." Derek cringed as JJ smacked him.
"He's asked to take some time off." Hotch didn't look up from his plate while everyone turned to look at him.
Emily tried to guess whether he was joking. If he was, it was totally unlike himself. If he wasn't, it was completely unlike Reid. What would he take time off for? She looked at JJ, hoping she would have some kind of answer, but she looked just as confused as Emily. Finally, she found her voice.
"What-" She swallowed. "For how long? And why?" Hotch looked up at her, confused.
"Two weeks.. And I didn't ask." He considered her carefully and she looked away, flustered.
The rest of the team moved on, discussing the news only a little, while Emily let the information fester. Why would Spencer take time off so suddenly? What had she missed? Had he mentioned this before, some time when she hadn't been paying attention? She glanced up at Rossi, the only other silent person at the table, and saw he was looking at her. When their eyes met he smiled and glanced away, but not before Emily saw the consideration in his eyes. The question waiting for an answer.
She wondered why she kept getting that look. Was is really so queer to be confused about Reids absence? Her thoughts were interrupted by JJ.
"Oh man, how does it get to be so late? I really have to get going, I left Will at home with Henry." She sighed as she stood. Emily got up too, the legs of her chair scraping the floor as she pushed it back.
"I should probably go too." She said absent-mindedly. Morgan nodded and she smiled at the men still sitting. "You boys stay out of trouble, now."The three of them laughed as they bid the girls farewell. Emily walked with JJ out the parking lot, chatting idly along the way.
Outside, the night was crisp and a little chilly, but without wind. Wrapping her sweater around herself, she waved to JJ and got into her small sedan.
