Prompt for 15.12.:
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Character: Penelope Garcia
Theme: Reconnecting with family
Words to include: 'fairy lights', 'fajitas', 'feline', 'fetching', 'fire'.
Disclaimer: I don't own a thing about Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Criminal Minds; only thing I get from this is the semi-satisfied feeling for succeeding to cook something up in time.
A/N:If someone wonders the jump in the days, the 14th day's prompt answer is a pure Leverage fic, so it didn't really fit here. It can be found in the Leverage category under 'Not His Brightest Idea'.
A Get-Together
It was a few days before Christmas and Penelope Garcia was busy making sure everything was perfect for her little get-together.
Kevin stopped her as she was straightening the table cloth for the third time and gently pulled her in his lap. "Babe, relax. Everything's fine. Decorations are great and you look positively fetching in that dress of yours."
"But I have to check we have enough food for everybody," She gestured towards the kitchen. "And what if someone wants to eat traditional Christmas foods after all?"
Everyone would get enough Christmas foods on the actual Christmas dinner, so they'd decided on something else entirely; fajitas would be the main dish today.
"There was a vote," Kevin reminded her. "No one wanted them then, I doubt they've changed their minds in two days."
"Okay," a deep breath, "everything's going okay," Penelope said aloud, trying to convince herself. She really hoped so; this would be the first time her cousin met her family away from family and she wanted them to get along.
They'd finished the diner and were chatting and sipping some refreshers; eggnog or red wine by their personal preferences.
Buffy was speaking with JJ and Rossi about her job in the Council and JJ's short employment in the DoD. There was a halt in the conversation. She looked at the tree in the middle of the room with a thoughtful expression, making her companions glance at it as well.
"Am I the only one who's thinking that-" Buffy paused as she looked at it and tried to find a word to describe it.
It was layered with countless decorations; baubles, fairy lights, gingerbread figures, ribbons, tinsel, candy canes, little chocolates… You name it, it had it.
She was forced to settle with a classic, "that thing," she gestured at the tree, "is going to catch on fire?"
"Don't be silly, it's fine," Penelope brushed her comment aside as she passed her to fill a bowl of candies.
People around them wore amused expressions; Buffy wasn't the only one who'd thought about that. And at least the way Hotch had taken a look and moved further away from it indicated he didn't trust it to stay upright with all the weight it was carrying.
"Actually," Reid interjected, "did you know that there's every year an average of 240 fires that are caused by Christmas trees? And that's only in the States," Reid enlightened them.
"See?" Buffy directed at her cousin. "The smart cookie here agrees with me."
"He's not agreeing with you," Penny denied shaking her head, "he's just relaying the statistics. Besides, I remember hearing something about a Thanksgiving diner a while back from aunt Joyce…" she trailed off.
"Oh, you wouldn't," Buffy narrowed her eyes.
"But I would."
"You're evil. How can you be that evil?"
"Ladies," Morgan interrupted from the sidelines, "I'm sensing a story here?"
Buffy's "nuh uh" was drowned out by Penelope's gleeful "oh, yeah".
"Do tell," JJ grinned.
"Well there might have been some kinks in the cooking department as well as some uninvited guests, but that's all I'm willing to share," Buffy told them.
The topic changed to Morgan's youth's cooking mishaps.
Buffy got up from her seat, stretching herself in a decidedly feline way.
"Penny, thanks for the diner. I had a lovely time," she smiled.
"You're leaving? Already?" Penelope pouted.
"Afraid so, I have to arrange some things for Dawn's stay." Dawn would come to spend the holidays with Buffy, and all of them; Buffy, Dawn, Penelope and Kevin would be spending the Christmas eve together.
"Okay, I'll see you in a few days," they shared a hug.
"Bye everybody," Buffy waved at the door, "it was great meeting you all. I'll see you later. JJ, call me about the shopping trip!"
A/N: Okay, this one run a little on long side, and it's unbetaed as is the previous one so I'll gladly hear if there's typos or something else wrong. Next one will be a Castle crossover.
