Anote: Fast forward a few days

Chapter 25- At least tell us his name.

'What's going on?' Emily asked anxiously as JJ kept a firm grasp on her hand to prevent them from getting separated in the packed bar, filled with the usual Friday night mob. 'Is Penny sick?'

They had almost reached the back of the room when the dark haired woman spied the vivacious computer tech standing guard over a tiny table and four chairs. The table was so small that it could only hold a few glasses and maybe a carton of fries if you were desperate but it was a piece of prized real-estate with the crowd tonight. In addition it was a bit quieter over here, which was an added fringe benefit to people who wanted to talk, as opposed to drinking themselves senseless.

Emily felt a bad feeling come over her as she grabbed a chair. She had been involved in enough 'interventions' to recognise the tension in the air.

'Garcia, are you alright?' she asked quietly reaching out to squeeze the hand of the unusually sombre looking blonde. 'Is it Kevin?'

It was also probable that it could have been Morgan but she was not touching that can of worms with a ten foot pole. Even though it would appear that the tech had made her peace with that whole situation with the black man, she sometimes did wonder how Garcia really felt.

'What did I miss?' Reid wanted to know.

Prentiss whipped around to discover the genius profiler behind her, carefully balancing four drinks in his long, elegant fingers. Without hesitation, he distributed their favourites without inquiry before squeezing in between Garcia and JJ. As her three co-workers simultaneously picked up their drinks to take a sip, the dark haired woman realised with a start that it was not Garcia on the hot seat but her.

She squeezed her hands together in fear. Had she and Hotch let something slip? She wasn't ready to talk about this! Oh god, she could bluff them separately but together she didn't stand a chance.

'I'm fine,' Garcia answered her earlier question. 'We were just wondering what's going on with you.'

She picked up her glass and forced herself to take a moderate taste when all she wanted to do was drain the mixture in one gulp.

'What do you mean?' she neatly deflected back into their corner.

JJ frowned at this response. 'Why are you being so defensive? We just what to know who he is? Don't you want us to know? Why the secrecy?'

It was on the tip of her tongue to blurt out something along the lines of, 'you're a fine one to talk about secrecy,' but she refrained. Reid would see through that like a sheet of glass.

'Well I want to know who he is too,' Emily joked, looking confused which wasn't hard to do because she knew Hotch wouldn't have said anything not without her permission. The trick to lying effectively was using words to fit the emotions you felt at the time. Trying to control both at the same time was pointless.

It had been just a couple of days since Hotch had come over to her apartment and except for the fact that he had started staring at her a lot, he was respecting her request for space. She had to speak to him sternly about the staring though. It upset her that he thought she would vanish into thin air without so much as a goodbye. He had given her a bone melting smile then and reassured her that he didn't think that all; he looked because he enjoyed what he was seeing. That tidbit of information had given her a….err…. adrenaline rush so strong, she had to work it out by running up and down the stair case.

'Oh come on, honey bear,' Garcia huffed. 'Share. He must be someone really grand. Look at you. You're putting on more lipstick, and wearing all your best clothes and your hair looks awesome.'

Reid stirred his drink vigorously with his straw trying to get his cherry to float to the top, 'she always looks awesome.'

The women all smiled at his matter of fact comment. He may be socially awkward at times but he had a charm all his own.

'Thanks, Reid. But I don't get you Garcia. You girls say that I dress too mannish and when I try to do something about it, you assume it is because of a guy.'

'Well it usually IS about a guy,' the young doctor interjected pinning her with an unreadable look. 'It's not Mick, right?'

'Who?' Garcia asked glancing sharply at him as the first bit of real information was placed on the table.

'Mick Rawson from Cooper's team,' JJ elaborated. 'Good looking Brit who saved Emily's life.'

The dark haired woman scowled in annoyance, 'well as obviously JJ and the boy wonder missed, the man and I rub each other the wrong way, Penny.'

'Bullshit,' JJ stated unexpectedly, which caused Reid to inhale his drink up his nose. 'You two rub each other hot enough to set fire to plaster.'

Garcia's eyes widened in pleased surprise at this development while Reid choked and coughed on the side.

'Do tell,' she said in her best conspiratorial voice, leaning closer as if this would help her access the information faster.

Emily had just opened her mouth to state empathically that it was NOT Rawson but then paused, glancing furtively at the rest of the team at the head of the bar.

'So what if it was Mick?' she hedged in what she hoped was an uncomfortable sort of voice.

JJ and Reid let out pained groans and she rejoiced that they had taken the bait. It's not that she WANTED to lie, but nothing had been decided upon besides which she and Hotch had to make that decision of disclosure together.

'Oh for the love of …' the young doctor started angrily. 'Em he's a player. You can't possibly tell me you don't see that?'

JJ nodded her head vigorously. 'Please Emily, anybody else but him.'

As could be expected Garcia kept quiet, clearly not willing to give her two cents on the topic of 'men who were players,' and why you shouldn't date them. Emily let her curious colleagues stew for a bit as she stared at the television set above their heads which was showing a repeat of a football match for what was probably the umpteenth time that night.

'You guys ever notice how hairy all those footballer player's legs are? I mean is that some sort of requirement?' the dark haired woman asked the table in general.

'Emily,' Reid tuned up using his 'I am about to give a lecture' voice. 'I don't understand what you see him. Don't you think at your age your priorities should be different?'

The young man wilted under the piercing stares he was receiving from all three ladies.

'What?' he said in a small voice. 'It's the truth. You don't have much baby making years left Emily. Don't you want to use them wisely?'

'I know I don't have many baby making years left Reid!!!' the woman roared in exasperation, wondering how the conversation had spiralled out of control like this.

Curious eyes turned to their table at her loud shout.

The young man sadly picked up his drink preparing to depart as it was evident that he had put his foot in his mouth again. As it was, he almost upset his glass when the girls suddenly reached for various parts of his arms and shoulders trying to stop him from leaving.

'Don't go!' JJ cried while apologises came from the others.

He sat back down on this chair with a happy expression, pleased that his company was still desired.

More silence reigned as all eyes refocused on the female agent infront of them and Emily could clearly see the love and worry in their eyes. When she had first joined the team, they hadn't accepted her and she worked long and hard to gain their trust but that seemed like another life now. They had come a long way since then, moving from colleagues, to friends to people she would give her life for.

'It's not Mick,' she confessed quietly looking each one of her friends in the eye so they would know that she spoke the truth.

They exhaled in relief almost as one body.

'It's a nice guy,' she tacked on and she saw a stunned look sweep the group probably because she was admitting that there WAS a guy. 'You will like him.'

The trio before her exchanged nervous looks, evidently trying to determine if she would be willing to at least share his name.