---- I'm sorry I haven't updated in what feels like (to me, at least) a million billion years. It may be another million billion years before I update again. Who knows? But if you've stuck with the story then thank-you, sorry, and enjoy. ----

"Damn," Nicolet said with a frown, looking down at the invitation she had found, dropped on her desk. She'd already opened the envelope and read the contents of the invite inside – to her colleague's wedding.

"Cole!" Giselle Wands, that very colleague, snuck up on her an shrieked, "You've gotta come!"

"I didn't even think you and Jerry were that serious," Nicolet commented, knowing her words were lies. Giselle had been dating Jerry for three years and had been engaged to him for six months. What she had never been expected was to be invited to the wedding.

Giselle rolled her eyes, "Oh Cole. Come on. It's my wedding! You'll have fun, I promise!" she gave her puppy-dog eyes.

Nicolet looked away. She hated being so mean. She and Giselle were good friends. They – when eating at work – ate lunch together, spilled gossip, shared books, and painted one another's nails while on break.

But Giselle knew all to well that Nicolet didn't like social events.

"Pleaseeeee?" Giselle pleaded. Nicolet sighed. She tapped her finger against the part that was troubling her the most – the words, "plus one".

"I'm guessing that doesn't mean Deb?" Nicolet inquired, and Giselle laughed.

"Of course not! I know you're totally head-over-heels for that guy you've been seeing. Invite him! I sooo want to meet him!" Giselle grinned.

Nicolet groaned. Deb was immature. Giselle was almost just as bad. And yet she called them her best-friends.

"I really wanted you to be in the wedding party," Giselle went on, "But my sister is the Maid of Honour and there's already three bridesmaids, which I think is enough. And let's face it, you're young, but not young enough to be a flower girl."

Nicolet rolled her eyes, "You're only three years older than me," she reminded Giselle, but her mind was still caught on the Maid of Honour bit. She knew her Father would never give her away at her wedding, and that Sofia and Kayla would never be present, and that her Mother would never cry.

She supposed Hannah would be doing most of that. A shiver went down her spine when she thought of Hannah – it had been four days and Hannah assured Nicolet Mr. Shaefer hadn't tried anything more, but thinking of him still put Nicolet on edge.

"So will you? Please please please?" Giselle begged, and Nicolet gave.

"How couldn't I?" she smiled, "But I'll still have to check with Reid…"

"Of course!" Giselle nodded, and Nicolet tucked the invitation away.

***

Reid was on the subway, standing awkwardly, when his cell phone began to ring.

He had it so that it would play a bleep of three notes when it was one of his BAU teammates. But this time his cell phone rang for a bleep of four. Which didn't make sense, because other than his co-workers, no one called him on his cell – Except, he suddenly remembered, Cole…

Reid smiled and fished his phone out of his pocket. "Hello?" he answered.

"Reid. Hey. It's Cole. I have to…ask you something." Came the voice of Cole herself, along with some delirious giggles in the background, which he figured belonged to Deb.

"Ok, what is it?" Reid asked.

Cole sighed, "This girl from work…my friend, Giselle, well she invited me to her wedding…" she began.

Reid thought about their plans made for the following weekend. "If it coincides with our date then go to your friend's wedding," he replied, just a tad disapointed.

"Er, that's not it," Cole corrected him, "See, she wants me to bring a date and, um…you're kind of the guy I'd take for a date so, um, I need you to, uh, come with me?"

Despite himself, a smile broke out on Reid's face.

"Yeah," he nodded, "Yeah Cole I'll come that'd be…that'd be nice."

In the background he heard celebratory hoots coming from Deb and then Cole said, "Alright. I'll tell you the details next time I talk to you, then? It's not for a while…"

"Sure," Reid replied, "Goodbye."

And when Cole gave her own goodbye and hung up, well, the packed subway car seemed just a little bit empty.