AN: Thank you so much for reading this character study story. We really appreciate the warm reviews we got. Since I wrote this chapter, I get to do the author's note (YAY!)! It was both an honor and a pleasure to work with Jenny and Harlie on this; they are both fantastic authors and beautiful friends. Thank you for sharing the ride with me. Love, Kricket

Chapter 10- The Epilogue Chapter

The entire BAU team decided to head out to dinner. It had been a long, trying day, and everyone was exhausted, but nobody wanted to go home. There was a feeling, a driving need to just be together.

It started out innocently, exactly like any other day at the BAU. Morgan was standing with his long frame resting against the wall. "Hey, Baby Girl?"

"What, Hot Stuff?" The bubbly redhead smiled a very winning smile and walked over to lean next to him.

"Wanna go see a movie or something?"

"Oh, mon cher," she teased, wiggling her eyebrows. "Is that a date or something?"

He grinned back at her. "It can be anything you want it to be, sweetness."

"In that case," she said with a wicked smile. "Reid, Em, JJ! You wanna come with? We're having a team outing."

"Team outing means the whole team," Hotch said, his eyes twinkling.

"I vote Italian for dinner," Rossi said, rubbing his stomach. "I haven't had a good cup of pasta fagoli in forever."

"We'll get the table," Morgan said, wrapping his arm around Garcia's waist and walking out the door with her.

"I've never had a cup of pasta fagoli," Reid answered honestly, grabbing his jacket.

"Me, neither, but I'm not going to admit it," Prentiss said, roughing up the young genius' hair before she headed for the door.

"You just did!" Reid squeaked in outrage, straightening his hair. He watched the brunette walk out. He turned to look at JJ. "She did, didn't she?"

JJ grabbed her purse as she answered, "I'm not getting involved."

"Mama Vitale's?" Hotch asked, reaching for his briefcase.

"Where else?" Rossi clapped his friend on the back as they walked out together.

Once at the restaurant, David Rossi watched the team. JJ was laughing at Prentiss, who had dropped a big piece of tomato from her spaghetti on her shirt. Garcia was trying unsuccessfully to eat her breadstick; every time she went to take a bite, Morgan would lean over and take it for her. Reid was telling Hotch the finer points of drinking red wine, including all the antioxidant powers.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Rossi said, holding up his glass. "This calls for a toast."

Everyone looked at the most senior member of the BAU and held up their glasses, too.

"As my grandmother would say, priorita alla famiglia."

"Here, here!" Prentiss cheered.

"What?" JJ looked a little confused.

"Family comes first," Reid translated.

"Hell, yes," Morgan said, nudging Garcia with his elbow. "Momma, get your glass up."

"Always talking about my glass, aren't you?" she teased, raising the cup.

"To family," Hotch said, and all the glasses clinked in the warm candlelight.