Ch. 2 A childs curiousity
Disclaimer: I own nada Now that thats out of the way a litte side note, I'm ending this one in a less than organic fashion and I apologize but it was just getting too long.
Five minutes later saw them inside the door of the Japanese resteraunt. They had considered walking but it was really too cold this time of year. "Reid!" The man already in the private party room greeted. Morgain gaped I really should have put that together.
"Rossi." Spencer greeted,"I'd like you to meet Morgain-"
"David!"
"-My fiancee. You two know each other?" Spencer asked a little deflated.
"Davids a regular" well this won't do.
"So you're the reason Reids been so happy lately?" David laughed. "congratulations Reid. " His brow furrowed, "When did this happen? That ring wasn't there this afternoon."
"Seven minutes and," Spencer checked his watch,"Twenty eight seconds ago."
Morgain hissed her amusment then clapped her hands together, "Ok boys chit chat later, now we have some work to do."
"Oh?" Spencer asked archly.
"Yep first thing to do is rearrange the tables so we can all see each other."
"Yes ma-am." he said pulling chairs out of their way.
"Ah, Reid? My ASL isn't very good, what is she up to?" Dave asked.
"Morgain has taken it upon herself to be hostess and entertainer tonight. She wants to rearrange the tables."
David snorted, "You're not even married yet and she's got you moving furniture."
Morgain snapped her fingers to get their attention. Amidst good natured ribbing they got the tables settled so that everone would be in sight of each other. She nodded in satisfaction and placed Spencer's and Dave's gifts for dirty Santa under the fake tree that was up. She nodded to herself and pulled out a jar of M&Ms and a guessing chart. Morgain dug in the bag for the tape then, "ok you two out." she shooed.
Dave raised an eyebrow, "excuse me?"
"Out! out out out."
"Lets go Rossi. I don't even know everything she's planned.", Spencer laughed.
"I'll be just a minute." she reassured him. She watched carefully as they rounded the corner. she pulled out a sheet of computer paper and chose a chair at random. Morgain taped the paper to the underside of the chair quickly. checked to make sure it was back in place and went to retrieve the men.
"Why are we standing out here?" she heard another male voice ask as she got closer to them.
Morgain popped around the corner and tapped Spencer on the shoulder before he could answer. He jumped a little, "All done?" he asked snaking an arm around her waist. She nodded, pecked his cheek and turned her attention to the newcomer.
"Hotch this is Morgain-Morgain this is Hotch and his son Jack ." Spencer introduced.
Morgain smiled and shook the proffered hand, "It's nice to meet you Miss?" Hotchner said
Morgain reclaimed her hand, "Morgain is fine Sir." she signed as Spencer translated. Morgain dropped down to Jacks level and waved a little. The boy looked at her curiously from behind his fathers legs and waved back.
Morgain stood and motioned for them to go back into the party room. Hotch was studying her, "You're deaf?" He asked making certain that she could see his lips.
"Not deaf, mute. You do have impeccable ettiquette for talking to someone who is deaf. Most people raise their voices or over-enunciate when they first meet me."
"Thank you." He answered a little non-plussed as she ushered them back in again. Everybody settled back in the private area.
"Go guess."
"Oh right!" Spencer added, "Everyone the team and guests gets to guess how many are in the jar, whoever's the closest without going over wins."
"Who counted these out?" Hotch asked sounding amused.
Morgain jerked a thumb towards Spencer, "I did." He answered sounding put out.
Morgain scoffed, "He ate as many as he counted." she signed.
"I did not." Spencer argued.
"Oh yes you did, how else did we go through 5 jumbo bags?"
"Don't tell them that. Everyone will be able to just figure it up." he laughed
"You might Reid", Hotch put in lifting Jack up so he could see the jar better, "The rest of us will have to settle for guessing. How many do you think are in there buddy?"
The little boy pondered for a minute then said, "Four"
Hotch blinked, "Only four buddy? Don't you think-" Morgain cut him off with a sharp whistle.
"Four is his guess and technically its correct. There "And such a good guess deserves a special prize."
Jack looked up at his father for permission once Spencer finished translating. "Go ahead buddy looks like you've won a prize." Hotch said looking bemused.
Jack toddled over and Morgain pulled out a lumpy package from her bag, "This is your prize for your very good guess. We'll let the big people get a prize for second best guess later ok?"
Jack gave her a toothy grin, "OK! um Miss?"
"Miss Morgain." Spencer supplied smiling down at him.
"Miss Mor-Mor"
Spencer leaned down and faux whispered in the boys ear, "Sometimes she'll let very special people call her Miss Gainy"
Jack looked up at him with wide eyes, "Do you think I'm special enough?" he asked innocently.
Spencer's eyes twinkled with suppressed mirth, " I think you're very special Jack. As a matter of fact I think Miss Morgain would be quite happy to have you call her Miss Gainy. Right Morgain?" He winked at her and she nodded dramatically.
Jack smiled at her hesitantly, "Can I open it now Miss Gainy?"
"Of course. Prizes are always best opened fresh."
"Woooww. thank you Miss Gainy." Jack chirped.
"You're welcome sweetie."
"Daddy look!" Jack crowed holding his new treasures up for inspection.
"Wow buddy, looks like you'll have lots to do while we wait for our food." Hotch approved, "Why don't you go sit down so you can color."
"Ok daddy, can I sit by Miss Gainy?" Jack asked.
Hotch raised an eyebrow at his son saying, "If its ok with her. And as long as you don't pester her too much."
Morgain pulled the empty chair beside her out a little in invitation to the four year old and patted it, "Of course its ok."
"You and children." Spencer snickered after he had translated for her.
"I was wondering how the Morgain effect and the Reid effect worked out." Rossi put in.
"Reid effect?"
Hotch actually smiled a little as he explained, "Reid doesn't-mix well with annimals and children" He said diplomatically.
"Oh that. They just usually go around him to get to me.
"And they swarm Morgain." Rossi injected afte Spencer had finished relaying her response.
"Yeah, we don't usually go into family resteraunts anymore," Spencer said. "I kid you not, every meal was interrupted at least once by a kid coming up to our table."
"So the Morgain effect overides the Reid effect then?" Hotch asked.
"Most of the time." Spencer affirmed.
Morgain heard the door to the party room open and looked up expectantly. An African American man entered bearing a package.
"Morgan!" the three men greeted almost in unison.
"Hey guys, Jack, and?" He looked at Morgain with a silent question.
Morgain stood to shake his hand as Spencer said, "Morgan this is my fiancee Rev. Morgain Stone."
Morgan did a double take, "Wait-fiancee? When did that happen?"
Spencer opened his mouth to answer but Morgain stopped him by gently laying a hand over his mouth, "Right before we came over" she signed and released him.
"What was that for?" He asked in mock indignation.
"I rather doubt they want a countdown love."
"Thank you for that." Rossi called from his seat.
"O-k" Morgan said confused.
Spencer took advantage of Morgain's distraction, "15 minute and 28 seconds ago."
"Miss Gainy can't talk." Jack piped from his seat not looking up from his coloring book.
"I see." Morgan said giving her a sidelong glance.
"Miss Gainy?" Jack asked pausing mid color, "Why cant you talk? Did a bad guy get your voice?"
"Jack!" Hotch scolded sounding scandalized. Morgain saw agent Morgan wince.
Morain shook her head at Hotch with what she hoped was a reasurring smile. She looked down at Jack and nodded.
Spencer coughed, "Yes Jack a very bad man stole Miss Gainy's voice from her."
Before his father could stop him Jack nodded sagely, "Just like a bad guy took my Mommy but Daddy got rid of him."
Morgain froze, Ooooooh shit. What do you do with that bombshell?
Hotch looked striken for a moment then the mask slid back into place, "Would like me to read the book Miss Gainy bought you?" He suggested.
Distraction: a parents best friend.
"Yeah!" Jack said turning away from Morgain to Hotch excitedly.
Spencer leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Sorry about that should have warned you."
"It's ok. It's not the first bomb I've had a kid drop on me. The sad part is its not the worst I've heard either.
"Its not?" Dave asked sounding a little shocked.
Morgain nodded sadly, "You know how people open up on my table . Lets just say sometimes when I'm working at Brenners I hear more about daddy/uncle/grandpa than I want to."
Morgan scowled when Spencer finished translating, "You mean?"
She nodded, "I report each one of course but..." she trailed off. "fortuately its rare but one a lifetime is one too many. My babies are already dealing with so much its just not fair."
Dave cleared his throat and steered the conversation to lighter ground, "Don't forget to guess on the candy jar there. Apparently Reid counted them all out."
Morgan picked up the jar and shook it experimentally, then wrote down his guess. He took the seat across from Spencer, "So who's idea was all this?" Morgain grinned and raised her hand, "Why do I get the feeling you like to craft?" He teased.
"Ah because you're a profiler and I'm obviously a nester?"
"She's not joking either," Spencer put in after he had relayed for her, "You should see the appartment."
"you weren't complaining at Samhain"
"Yeah, that was Halloween, the place looks like the north pole now!" He exclaimed.
"Hey, you got your haunted house I get my Yule."
David laughed while Morgan looked lost. He started to ask something when a 6 people came in all at once.
"What were you guys shopping together or something?" Morgan quipped looking at the trio of women and their guests.
"Something like that" the dark haired woman answered giving Morgain a curios look.
"Morgain these are Prentiss, JJ, Will, their son Henry, Garcia and Kevin. Everybody this is my fiancee Morgain."
"!" Garcia squeeled and glomped them both much to Morgains surprise. Garcia rounded on Morgain "Now you call me Penelope. So long as you treat my Junior G-man right I'm sure you and I will be great friends."
Junior G-man?
Garcia continued, "If you hurt him-" she started to threaten.
Morgain raised her hands in mock surrender, "Don't worry" She signed quickly, "I love him far too much for that. Please don't turn my computer into a useless box!"
Prentiss laughed before Spencer could translate and signed as she spoke, "Congratulations you two. Its so nice to finally meet you Morgain. I'm Emily."
Morgan blurted, "Wait, you knew?"
"Of course we knew." JJ putin coming around to hug Spencer and Mor gain, "Who do you think helped pick out the ring?"
"You ladies have imeccable taste then."
Temporary chaos reigned for a little after that as everyone got settled and placed their orders. After the servers left Morgain signed,"Every one ready for some games?"
AN: I hope every one has a happy and safe Thanksgiving. If you still want more BAU Yuletide silliness hit the little button. also a vote: would any one like to see Morgains ex (the one who "stole her voice" to quote Jack) put in an appearance and be promptly givdn his just desserts? I just can't decide wether or not to do it. Next chappie singing games, wounded chairs, and the MM winner.