Thank you so much to andrewjeeves for favouriting and following this story and thanks to Kitarah who commented. You guys made my day so this chapter is dedicated to you guys.
Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or The Mentalist. I do own Sarah and Annie though! (I didn't own it last chapter either)
Sarah POV
"Yeah, I just got off the plane, how was it in St. Louis?" I asked through the phone as I handed my bags to the limo driver to put in the vehicle. The person on the other end of the phone paused, "It was the best you could hope for in the situation, I guess." Media Liaison Jennifer Jareau then launched into the story about the two killers that competed for attention that I didn't pay much attention to because I had gotten into the sleek black stretch limo and given the driver directions.
"-and then Hotch and I got married in a cute little chapel." I tuned back in to hear JJ waiting for an answer.
"WHAT!" I exclaimed, "I swear to God Jayje that is not funny at all." I told her as I heard muffled giggles.
"You so love him!" She teased me. The worst part is that we both knew it was true and that he is currently married AND that he has a cute kid named Jack. I sighed heavily, "Whatever, JJ. Anyway do you and the team have plans or are you up for a-"I looked at my watch, "-9 o'clock dinner on me at the L'écrivain mignon. "
"Oh my gosh! That new French place? I will drag the team there." She said seriously. I laughed, "I don't see you in 3 months and it takes an overpriced restaurant to get you and the team to see me again?! Oh well, I'll pick you guys up in 10 minutes so be ready." I hung up, not waiting for an answer, and leaned my head against the back of the seat in the limo, trying to calm my nerves.
3rd Person POV
As soon as she had hung up, JJ was a blur of blonde hair knocking on doors and yelling at the rest of her team to meet her in the conference room immediately. After receiving many questioning looks, and many pointed death glares, JJ reached the last team member to call on, Hotch. She burst into his office, only to find a brunette woman with him, talking.
"-Fine, you are on the team you start tomorrow, Agent Prentiss. What do you need JJ?" Said the tall dark-haired man. JJ ignored him, "Good she can come too! Both of you in the conference room, NOW!"
~SarahJaneSarahJaneSarahJane~
The conference room was quiet when JJ entered, all of them stared at her curiously. Hotch had introduced their new team member and they seemed to still be processing that.
"I just got a phone call from Sarah Jane, she just landed a half hour ago." JJ says happily looking around to see everyone's reactions. From the new agent-Prentiss- there was confusion, Hotch had his poker face on but JJ could see happiness in his eyes, a "YES!" came from Spencer Reid and Derek Morgan, and a small smile from Jason Gideon. JJ was about to tell them about the invites when a flustered Penelope Garcia burst in with her laptop in hand, "Sorry, I had to finish the last bits of the report before coming here. Sorry! I got a text from SJ saying that she would be pulling up to the front of the building soon."
"Yes, we are all going out tonight to L'écrivain mignon. So hurry up and get ready people." JJ walked out swiftly.
They all started to get ready after they explained to Prentiss who Sarah was. Morgan glanced at Reid on his way out, "Women! Can't live with them, can't live without them!"
~SarahJaneSarahJaneSarahJane~
A couple of minutes later, the team was standing at the elevator waiting for it to arrive. They had all changed into an extra set of nicer, and, in some cases, cleaner clothes, except for Prentiss and Garcia, and had all met up at the elevator with a nervous silence hanging over them. Meanwhile, Sarah was in the elevator, jumpy and nervous to see her adoptive family. She had changed in the limo into a figure hugging; little black dress that went down to above her knees and had a narrow V-neckline. To accessorize she had a black clutch, silver and black heels, a gold chain necklace with her dead sister-in-law's favourite plain silver ring and Annie's favourite ring hanging on it, and little silver heart earrings.
When the elevator doors opened, Sarah was immediately tackled by Penelope then handed off to JJ. She shook hands and introduced herself to Prentiss and tackled Reid, throwing him momentarily off-balance.
"It's so good to see you all!" Sarah said while hugging Morgan. "We have all missed you" he said.
She finally reached the last two; Hotch and Gideon. She chose to hug Gideon first, "I don't know how I've managed without your constant guidance." She softly whispered in his ear before pulling back and smiling at him. Sarah then looked to Hotch and looked at him uncertainly. She made up her mind and put on a poker face, holding out a hand for him to shake. The members of the team shared knowing glances with each other while Prentiss raised her eyebrows. Agent Prentiss may have been new to the team but she could see the difference between the way she had greeted the others and the way she greeted Agent Hotchner. Hotch glared at her hand, "We don't see each other for 3 months and I'm downgraded to a handshake" he said disbelieving.
"Maybe" Sarah partially squeaked out, glancing at JJ for help but JJ just was by herself trying to hold in her laughs. Hotch bent down a little and hugged her.
"You are shorter than I remember." He teased her after she pulled away.
"I'm 5ft 5! It's not my fault you're a giant." She complained.
"Actually, the average height for grown adults has soared in the last hundred years. Did you know, in medieval times that-"Reid's blabbering was cut off by Sarah walking over to him and putting a hand on his mouth.
"As much as I have missed you, I didn't miss you enough to go through a whole night of learning new things. Anyway, we should get going." Sarah didn't wait for an answer as she turned around and they all got into the elevator.
~SarahJaneSarahJaneSarahJane~
Sarah POV
L'écrivain mignon was not a let down. Upon arrival, we were immediately escorted into a private dining area on a balcony overlooking the city. The eight of us were seated at the lone round table talking about stuff going on in the past couple of months. I was talking quietly to JJ, who was on my left, about one of my latest obsessions; The X men series and it turned out she secretly loved them too!
"What do you think about Dr. Jean Grey?" JJ asked me mischievously. Jean Grey was a mutant and had telekinetic and telepathic abilities.
"I don't like her because she killed her fiancé, Scott Summers. I mean, I get it was her power-hungry alternate persona but how could you even kill someone like him?" I said earnestly.
"Scott Summers? Oh yeah! He's the mutant with the laser beam eyes right? He seems your type."
"My type?! I don't have a type." I rolled my eyes, sneaking a glance across the table at Hotch.
"Oh no way you have a type. You only like tall, dark, slightly controlled, slightly dangerous men. That's not a type at all!" she'd seen my not-so-inconspicuous glance.
"Glad you see it my way" I smirked.
"That was sarcasm, sweetie" she shot back and before I could say my nonexistent witty comeback, a waiter approached our table.
"Would you like some wine?" The woman was in her early 30s and very pretty.
"A bottle of red and a bottle of white wine, please, sweetheart." Derek said giving her his 'sexy' look. The woman looked as if she would pass out as she staggered away. Once she had gone Derek looked pleased, "Good to know I still got it."
"Oh please," I scoffed."It's so easy to seduce someone these days! You just have to know the secret, you never had any talent."
The table looked at me in surprise. Well not the table but the people seated at it.
"So what's the secret?" Penelope asked, very interested.
"For women? Love and affection." I stated, rolling my eyes. It's not that hard to figure out.
"Really?" Hotch asked, his lips twitching, "And what's the secret to seduce men?"
"Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring Banana phone do do do do do-" I opened my clutch and searched for my phone. Why would Cho be calling me? I finally found it next to my emergency Swiss army knife and pressed the 'Talk' button.
"Hi, SJ?" came Cho's voice.
"Hi Cho, just give me a sec." I turned back to the team with apologetic eyes, "Sorry, I have to take this."
"So Cho, you guys decided after only three days of my allotted suspension time that you need me back?" I joked, walking over to the edge of the balcony and staring at the traffic below.
"No. We got called in on a case that looks to be Red John." He said seriously.
"Red John, are you sure?" I said slightly panicky as I ran a hand through my blonde locks.
"It looks to be that way. I called Jane and he said he'd call you any minute now."
"Okay." My voice thick with emotion.
"Are you okay?" he asked, a hint of concern appeared in his voice.
"I have to call my brother. Thanks, Kimball, for telling me. Bye." I hung up the phone before he could get another word in.
I looked down and studied the traffic briefly. The lights blurring together from the tears I was fighting to hold back. My hands gripped the stone so hard my knuckles turned white. 'It may or may not be Red John, right?' I asked myself, 'Didn't Cho say that it looked to be Red John'. I took a shaky breath, trying to calm myself down. I dialed my brothers' number on my Android phone.
"Hello" Patrick picks up on the first ring, his voice sharper than normal.
"It's me. Cho just called." I said, not being able to say much more.
"I'm going to go to the crime scene. Stay in Quantico, I'll tell you more later but do not come over here."
"Excuse me! You are not going to keep me from this; I lost a lot to this too!" I hoped he could sense my glare over the phone.
"Look, I'll tell you everything I find out. We don't even know if it is Red John yet so let's not rush into things." He said trying to calm me down.
"Fine. Keep me posted." I said shortly, hanging up on him. I hated when he won.
I turned towards the table and walked back. They had already started to drink the wine, laughing happily, but once they saw me approach, they quieted down. They looked at me, studying every move, every micro-expression.
"Jason," my voice, though soft, rang out clearly on the balcony, "May I please speak to you?"
The team, sans Emily Prentiss, all looked variously offended that I chose to speak to Jason instead of all of them. Jason looked mildly confused as he got up and followed me as I lead him to where I had occupied just minutes before, and looked at me expectantly.
"Do you remember 5 years ago when Annie and I went to visit my brother and sister-in-law?" I asked, looking anywhere but his eyes.
"The Red John ordeal." He took my hand and turned it so my palm was facing the sky. He touched the smiley face scar on my wrist before lowering my hand back down and withdrawing his touch.
"Cho called and said he may have killed again and I-I'm" I couldn't get the last few words out.
"Scared," he finished for me, "You should tell them." He told me, glancing back at the team.
"What would I say? Hi, guys, I was drugged by a serial killer and he gave me a scar of his mark on my wrist and I can't remember much of that night. When I woke up my brother was broken and Angela and little Charlotte were dead. Yeah, that would go well." I practically hissed at Jason. I looked back to the team with sad eyes.
"I want to tell them, but I can't."
"I could tell them for you and you don't even have to be around when I do. Just don't shut them out of your life," Jason put a hand on my cheek as he spoke quietly to me, "They should know the reason you wear hazel contacts and how you got your scar because this team is and always will be a part of you."
"Tell them when I go back to California." I decided. I didn't want to be around when they found out. I was scared they may abandon me or pity me or not pity me...
"And when would you be going back?" he inquired pulling me from my insecurities.
"I don't know. I'll wait for Patrick to update me to decide since I'm still on suspension, I guess." The smell of food caught my attention. I looked to the table to see the waitress serving a delicious-looking meal. She gave a shy smile to Derek and he returned it with one of his heart stopping grins.
"Let's eat. Knowing you, you waited until you were with us and haven't eaten since before your flight." Jason smiled softly at me and led me to the table.
I hope you like this new chapter and please review. No flames please!
-SS