Disclaimer: See chapter 1
A/N: I have once again in this story ignored the fact that JJ has a boyfriend and a child because I hate it.
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Reid sat at his desk, trying to work after agreeing to go out on a double date with Morgan and the two women. What had he been thinking, he asked himself? He had been about to tell Morgan that he'd changed his mind when his friend had said he'd called Cassandra and they were on for dinner tomorrow night at Remington's, a stylish and popular Washington restaurant. He'd given Reid the thumbs up and Reid's stomach had started to churn. Why hadn't Morgan asked Hotch, Reid pondered. He would have been the better choice. He knew how to talk to women. Maybe the boss should start dating again after his divorce from Haley. He'd heard rumors that Haley had moved on. Why was he sitting here speculating on Hotch's love life? He had his own problems, namely dinner tomorrow night with someone named Phoebe.
Relax, he told himself. It's just a woman. You talk to JJ, Emily and Garcia all the time and they're women. He went back to the consult he was attempting to work on when the ringing of his cell disturbed his concentration. He didn't recognize the number, "Reid," he said into the instrument.
"Hi, Spencer?" said a child's voice.
"Yes…" he said slowly, then, "Fletcher, Fletcher is that you?"
"Yeah, it's me. How are you?" the boy replied.
"I'm good Fletcher. Is that why you called, to find out how I am?"
"No, I called because I'm here, in Washington. I won the California Science Fair so now I'm here for the National Science Fair that starts on Saturday. Tomorrow we have to do set up and the judges walk around and look at our work and ask some questions before it's open to the public. But today's pretty much free so I thought I'd call you and …um, say hi."
"Fletcher, that's terrific," Reid squeaked. "Who's with you, your dad? He'd be a big help in a science project. I'd like to meet him."
"No, my parents couldn't come. Theresa's with me," the boy explained.
"I see," Reid said in a clipped tone but then thought Fletcher might think he was angry at him. "So," he said lightly, "Are you and Theresa doing anything for dinner?" He heard the boy say something to Theresa.
"No, we're not doing anything special," he said.
"Okay, after work I'll drive over to your hotel and we'll have dinner and you can tell me what you've been up to and about your project. Okay?"
"That's…that's great," the young genius squealed into the phone. "I'll see you later then."
Fletcher was about to hang up when he heard Reid calling, "Fletcher, Fletcher."
"Yeah," the youngster said.
"You forgot to tell me where you're staying," Reid said and Fletcher told him. "Okay, I'll see you later." Reid smiled into the phone as he talked to the boy. When he ended the call his smile became a scowl.
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Theresa walked into the fashionable boutique located in the lower concourse of the hotel. Fletcher had promised to stay in the room and not answer the phone or the door. She'd told him she wouldn't be long. She looked at the racks of clothes of all different styles and became more confused by the moment. A young woman with long blond hair that revealed dark roots approached her. "May I help you," she asked.
"I want to get a dress for dinner but I do not know what to get," Theresa told the woman in heavily accented English.
"What kind of dinner is it?" the woman asked. "Do you know where you're going?"
"Here in the hotel, I think," Theresa responded.
"Okay," the woman said, "Is this a business dinner?"
"No, not business," Theresa replied.
"Is this dinner with a man?"
"Ches," Theresa said, "Very handsome man."
"Uh huh," the clerk said. "You've got three basic options. Option number one is just what you're wearing now. It says you took some care to look nice. Or option number two," she pulled out a very dressy sequined top with a round neckline and three quarter length sleeves, "Something like this could be worn with dressy pants or a skirt. It says you took extra care to look nice for dinner. Or option number three," she pulled a black chiffon cocktail dress with ruching on the low bust line. A silk band wound around the garment just below the bust and the skirt fell in soft waves to just below the knee. It was held up with spaghetti straps. "This says you might be interested in more than dinner."
Theresa surveyed the clothes the clerk had picked out and looked at the ensemble she now wore and said with a shy smile, "I think I will take option number three."
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Reid knocked on the door of room 321 and it was answered almost immediately by an exuberant Fletcher who threw himself into Reid's arms. "Hi buddy," Reid said as the child seemed to burrow deeper into Reid's embrace. "You okay?" he asked.
"Uh hm," the boy said into Reid's shoulder.
Reid walked into the room the child still in his arms, "Where's Theresa?"
"In there, getting ready" the boy pointed to the bathroom.
Reid set the boy down on the floor and sat on the bed. "So what have you been up to besides getting ready for the science fair?"
"Nothing," Fletcher said quietly. Reid didn't like the sound of this from the boy who'd told them he was never bored. The door to the bathroom opened and Theresa came out. To say she didn't look anything like the last time Reid had seen her was an understatement. Her hair was shorter, not short but shoulder length, cut in such a way that it framed her face and she had bangs now. She wore eye shadow and red lipstick which Reid had never seen on her before. But most noticeably, the uniform was gone and had been replaced by a black cocktail dress with a pleated bust and spaghetti straps. It accentuated Theresa's body very nicely.
"Hi," Reid squeaked as he stood up.
"Hello Agent Reid, how are you?" she asked.
"Good, I'm good and you," he replied. "You uh, look uh, nice."
"Gracias."
"Do I look nice too?" Fletcher asked and Reid noticed the boy's apparel for the first time. He wore black corduroy pants with a gray woven shirt topped with a blue sweater vest featuring argyle pattern stitching.
"You look very handsome Fletcher," Theresa said.
The threesome proceeded down to dinner where Fletcher babbled about his project, none of which Theresa understood. She was concentrating on the very attractive Agent Reid. When Fletcher excused himself to go to the bathroom Reid said, "Theresa is something wrong with Fletcher? He doesn't seem like himself."
"I have to talk to you, but I cannot do it while he is here. Can I see you tomorrow?" Theresa asked.
"I can't tomorrow, I have an engagement. Can I see you on Saturday while Fletcher's at the science fair," Reid inquired.
"Ches, that will be fine. You are not going to like it."
Fletcher rejoined them and they talked about mundane subjects during the remainder of the meal. David Rafferty sat at a table near the back of the restaurant alone; eyeing the beauty he'd seen this afternoon. She looked like she was ready for some action but she wasn't getting it from the guy she was with. Now he could give her some action that she'd never forget. He'd show her what a real man was like. She'd have to ditch the kid though. That could be arranged. He paid his check and left the restaurant to find just the right place to watch and wait.