Puzzle Pieces
By Spense
Chapter Three
Hotch tapped on the door of the nondescript house in a middle class neighborhood of the suburbs. As he waited for the door to be answered, he looked around. All completely normal for dusk on a Tuesday night following the Labor Day weekend. The seventies style split level homes were full of families, recovering from the first day of school, or the retired, retreating from the humid heat. Normal activity. Unremarkable activity. The house, whose porch he was standing on, was just as unremarkable. Slightly overgrown foliage, cleverly planted to conceal comings and goings, was exactly in the same state of repair as the others surrounding it. All was as it should be.
The door opened to reveal JJ. Hotch looked at her in surprise. "Aren't you supposed to be home with Will and Henry by now? I though Prentiss and I were taking the night shift."
The media smiled. "Well, yes. But Spence is still really unsettled. Not that he'd say anything. I talked to Will, and he agreed that I should stay. Spence seems calmer if I'm here."
Hotch gave JJ one of his rare smiles, looking affectionately at the blond. "What would we do without you, JJ? You keep us all grounded. We're all calmer with you around."
Smiling in response, she stepped aside to let him in, the gun that had been held ready behind the door, now casually in sight. "What's for dinner?"
Hotch glanced at the bags he was carrying. "Chinese. I got a lot, figuring we could eat on it for a day or so. Besides, Reid and Morgan eat a lot."
"That they do. And it was a good thought, but it will probably be gone by tonight." At Hotch's quizzical look, she elaborated. "Garcia and Kevin are here as well."
"Kevin?" The disapproval in Hotch's voice and expression made JJ elaborate quickly.
"They're playing Dungeons and Dragons. Garcia knew you wouldn't like anybody else besides the team knowing, but she thought this was the best way to distract Reid, and Kevin is part of their regular group."
Hotch sighed. "Ok. What's done is done. Has he been warned of the risks?"
JJ grinned. "Oh, yeah. Basically he's stuck here with Reid, and he knew it coming it."
Hotch moved towards the kitchen. "Good. Where's Prentiss?"
JJ began to unload the cartons onto a huge tray she found in one of the cupboards. "Playing with them."
Hotch stopped dead as he was setting plates onto another tray. "You're kidding." He was incredulous.
Laughing, JJ answered. "She's part of the regular group as well. She's a complete science nerd, just like the rest of them. I thought you knew that."
Shaking his head, Hotch answered, " I did. But I didn't realized that she'd 'come out' and admitted it publically, and joined them on game nights."
"We all have our hidden depths," JJ pointed out, adding drinks to their loads.
Hotch just nodded agreement. Just when he thought there was no surprises left, one of them always managed to do just that.
Walking into the game in the dinning room just brought that thought home even further.
The four players were all on the edge of their chairs, leaning forward, intent on the game. Game paraphernalia was all over the table, as well multiple beverage glasses. Some were half full of various sodas, leaving wet rings on the table, others were empty and abandoned. Clearly, they'd been at this for some time.
Hotch stopped and looked on in amusement for just a second. They looked like college grad students with nothing more serious to think about that the game. Who would have known that the four sitting at the table arguing animatedly were some of the top in their field in the FBI. They knew from their jobs that appearances could be deceiving and never believed the obvious of criminals, but it was true of the 'good guys' as well. This just brought that fact home.
"Dinner!" Hotch announced, and began moving toward the table. "Clear it off, or the food goes on top."
"Ack! No! Do not mess with wizards, mortal!" Garcia announced, diving for the game.
"Sorry, Hotch," Prentiss looked up, distressed, as she hurried to clear spaces. "I didn't know you were here already." She was clearly uncomfortable at being caught playing Dungeons and Dragons.
"No problem. But food is here and hot," Hotch smiled reassuringly at her and was pleased to see her relax.
For a moment, there was complete chaos, as gamers cleared the game off to the side of the large table, and Hotch and JJ set down their burdens. Then the bedlam settled as they began to serve themselves from the bounty. But everything halted when the doorbell rang.
Hotch looked around. "Expecting anybody?"
"No," Prentiss said shortly, getting up and pulling her gun as Hotch did the same.
The group at the table waited nervously until they answered the door, then relaxed once more at the familiar tones of Rossi and Morgan.
"Just in time for dinner, I see," Rossi said looking pleased the enormous load of Chinese food cartons on the table.
"What are you two doing here?" Reid asked as Morgan followed Rossi into the room. Hotch and Prentiss rounded out the group and everybody settled down at the table.
"Oh, we just figured you'd be bored with just Prentiss and Hotch here. And it looks like we weren't the only ones who thought that," Rossi answered, helping himself.
"Ah, it's okay. You didn't have to come. We were just playing D&D," Reid said, even as he looked pleased.
"Dungeons and Dragons? Seriously?" Morgan asked, incredulous. "I thought that went out in the 80s. Aren't you behind on the times? Games are on computers now. Stuff like Halo is much better."
Before the four players could refute this, Rossi unexpectedly stepped in. "D&D lives on in more intellectual minds. We don't all need to play the 'shot 'em up' games with everything and every move spelled our for us. And, I brought something even more fun." He paused expectantly.
"What?" Prentiss asked suspiciously.
"Trivial Pursuit – Star Trek edition!" Rossi announced triumphantly.
The four D&D players whooped their approval.
Morgan just stared open-mouthed. "Rossi? You can't be serious."
"Oh, but I am. And I'm going to clean you young'uns clocks."
"No you aren't!"
"But I'm the king of Star Trek trivia!"
"In your dreams, old man."
The enthusiastic denials came thick and fast, to Hotch and JJ's open-mouthed astonishment.
"You're okay with this?" Morgan demanded of Prentiss.
"Not only okay, but I'm so going to ace this," she said laughing.
"Emily, this is a new side of you," JJ commented.
"You ain't seen nothing yet!" She responded.
"Rossi, I didn't know this about you," Hotch was saying on the other side of the table.
"What, that I like Star Trek?"
"No, that you were part of the gaming set," Hotch indicated the four gamers with a general wave of his hand.
"I play weekly with them. I guess we all have our hidden sides," Rossi shrugged, unconsciously echoing JJ's comments earlier.
"I guess," Hotch muttered, turning back to his food, and listening to the good natured arguing around the table as the gamers engaged Morgan in verbal battle.
The evening passed quickly and in a remarkably pleasant fashion given the circumstances. The good thing was that they were successful in diverting Reid's attention from the fire to at least enjoying the present few moments. In between the Trivial Pursuit (Star Trek Edition) battle, the conversation ranged far and wide, and unspoken, was firmly directed to safe topics and away from the fire.
One of the first of which was the shopping trip. Morgan made sure he asked how it went right out of the gate, a wicked grin on his face. The glare from Reid was obvious and the delight of the women was apparent.
"I love spending somebody else's money!" Garcia announced with glee, at the same time JJ commented with characteristic tact that accommodating Reid's taste was a bit of a problem. Emily seconded that resoundingly, and with a lot less delicacy.
"I like what I like!" Reid protested.
"Where did you go?" Rossi asked curiously.
JJ shrugged resignedly. "Normal places. Macy's. The Gap."
Reid scowled. "It's all stuff that's all alike."
JJ broke in. "We got khaki's and polo shirts at The Gap."
"I was okay with that," Reid agreed.
JJ continued, "Then we hit Macy's for more basics."
"They at least let me shop for underwear on my own," Reid muttered.
"Only because we were picking out some basic dressier clothes that you need, and that we knew you'd never agree too. And frankly, they will look terrific on you," Prentiss pointed out. "We're not letting you look like a seventy year old anymore."
"How did you get him to buy them?" Morgan asked, curious.
"He didn't have a choice," Prentiss said, her eyes narrowed. "I carry a gun."
A round of laughter at that from all but Reid, who glared at her.
"Did you get anything that you liked?" Rossi asked curiously.
Reid brightened. "I got some converse tennis shoes. And when they were off buying the dress stuff, I got some shirts and pants and a couple of ties that I liked."
JJ inserted, "And they were really very nice. Very Reid." She sounded a little bemused at that unexpected development.
Reid ignored her and continued. "And we finally stopped at a thrift store. I wanted to go there first. Emily and JJ didn't want to go, but Garcia was all for it, so we went there last. I got some stuff I liked a lot there."
"No cardigan sweaters. Please tell me ladies, that you didn't let him get any cardigans," Morgan moaned.
JJ and Emily's expressions suddenly became quizzical, which Reid and Garcia looked like the cat that had swallowed the canary. Emily said slowly, "You know, it was pretty uncanny what Reid and Garcia could find. JJ and I couldn't find anything, but Reid and Garcia came back with some pretty nice stuff."
"You should see the vest the genius here found," Garcia gushed. "It looks great with the pocket watch and chain he found there as well. And a couple of wonderful wool blazers in amazing tweeds. And fun ties."
Reid smiled. "I found some great clothes there. Garcia and I are going to check out another second hand store in the area tomorrow."
Garcia explained. "We got him the basic clothes he needed today, except for a good suit, and we all agreed that Reid and I would go to the second hand store for more stuff, and JJ and Em would go scouting for housewares tomorrow , and eventually, Hotch, Morgan, Reid and I will go looking for the suit."
"I don't care about any of that stuff," Reid pointed out. "Except a coffee machine."
"Exactly," Garcia emphasized. "So we go for the stuff he likes, including books. And JJ and Em can decorate his new apartment. When we find it. We'll just store the stuff here."
Morgan broke in. "Excuse me, but I thought I just heard my name in connection with shopping here."
"And mine," Hotch commented, bemused.
"You did," JJ grinned.
"Reid here," Prentiss spoke up thoughtfully, "Turned out to be unexpectedly stubborn about his taste in clothes. He likes what he likes and while we all know that having a good suit is a necessity, Reid isn't convinced. It's going to take a couple of well-dressed males to get him into one."
"I can go with along as well," Rossi commented, somewhat affronted to be left out of the 'well-dressed male' comment.
"Excellent!" Garcia crowed. "And I'm along to make sure you don't turn him into a Stepford FBI agent."
"Hey!" Morgan glared. Hotch looked as affronted as Rossi.
Garcia was unrepentant. Reid was clearly resigned.
The women all nodded happily at this arrangement; satisfied that they at least got Reid into enough reasonable clothes, that now he could happily search for the 'unique' items he liked.
Hotch was amused at this rendition. From what he could see, the ladies were surprised that Reid turned out to have such a strong opinion on clothes. Everybody had always believed that Reid just wore what was at hand. That may have been true when he began with the department, but apparently he had slowly developed his own sense of style along the way without any of them really noticing. Thinking back on it, Hotch thought he could see the progression. Some group profilers they all were.
Smiling at his thoughts, he pointed out, "Looks like you've found a kindred spirit in Garcia, Reid."
Reid looked happy. "Yeah, she can find exactly what I like."
Looking at the flamboyant Analyst, whose taste was as eccentric and non-mainstream as Reid's own, somehow that seemed about right. She'd always had her style, and she would definitely help Reid continued to mold his.