Authors Note and Disclaimer: This is a fan-made work of fiction: I don't own Criminal Minds or any of the main characters.
Kindest of thankyous to all of the favourites/follows/reviews. You're all a blessing!
Chapter Three: The Five Mojitos
The girls were the first ones at O'Keefe's.
Tara held down the table, while JJ, Penelope and Emily headed to the ladies' room to fix their makeup and hair.
They weren't vainly into their appearances but admitted it was always fun to put some effort in sometimes and let their hair down.
"I did not think Alvin Phillips was going to detonate the C4" JJ was the first at the mirror, and swiped some gloss on her lips.
Emily turned to Garcia, "I'm glad you and Luke found out about the C4, otherwise we might not have been as prepared for it as we were".
"Wasn't me, pussycat" Garcia fluffed her hair, and shook her head, "That was mostly him. I just gave him the bank locations and he double checked the files".
JJ playfully slapped Penelope on the shoulder, "You really don't like him, do you?"
Penelope shrugged, "What do you mean?"
"I mean..." JJ fluffed her hair as well, before tying it up into a loose ponytail, "You've been nothing but funky with Alvez since the moment he got here. Even Morgan said so himself, you should really be nicer to him".
Penelope tied a necklace around her neck, "Excuse me ... I am nice" she protested.
JJ shook her head, "Luke's not a bad rash, Penelope, he's sweet".
"He's not Morgan"
Emily agreed, nodding, "You sure got that right".
But then she realized: what exactly was she agreeing with... that Luke wasn't Morgan?
Or that he was sweet?
JJ fixed a baby braid into Garcia's hair, while she applied her own blush and gloss.
They laughed and flourished with makeup brushes, silver hair clips, and hair pins.
Meanwhile, Emily was done -
She adjusted her leather jacket across her shoulders, and fixed a buckle on her boot.
"I'm headed back to Tara, you two good?"
They both nodded, and the two turned back to continue their gossip in the mirror.
Emily left the washroom and returned to the table where Tara had purchased four mojitos - one for each of them.
Emily picked up her glass and joined Tara in a cheers, "Thank-you, you didn't have to get the first round".
"Oh my pleasure" Tara nodded, "Rossi definitely paid for enough the other night".
They both took a sip of their drinks and started their own small talk.
Their conversation featured the usual vanilla starters:
How work was going.
What they thought of their mojitos: which they agreed in unison were delicious.
What they could only assume Penelope and JJ were giggling about in the bathroom.
Finally, what was taking Matt and Luke so damn long to arrive.
"Speak of one devil" Lewis chuckled, as in entered Matt with a giggly Penelope and JJ on each of his arms.
"I've been taken hostage" Matt joked, before speaking more seriously, "Our neighbour offered to babysit though. So, I brought Kristy - she's just up at the bar"
Over at the bar, Kristy gave a friendly wave.
The group all sat down, and were joined by Kristy who returned with a beer for Matt and a lemonade for herself.
"Someone has to be the responsible driver home" she teased Matt before giving him a quick peck on the lips.
After another cheers clink, JJ sipped from her straw, and turned to Matt, "So ... where's Luke?".
Matt shrugged, "Not too sure sorry", he reached into a pocket and fumbled with his phone, "I got a message before, and he's definitely on his way".
"Ah well - the night goes on" Penelope raised her glass and took a big sip, enough to nearly fall out of her chair.
The group all chuckled.
Tara ordered some nachos and pizza from the kitchen and once the food arrived, the group all conversed and dined happily.
Finally, when they got to dessert, and Garcia had ordered a fondue fruit and chocolate platter - Luke showed up.
His hands upright in this apology, "I know, I know, I'm late" he met hands with Matt in a fist punch and greeted Kristy with a hug too.
"We thought something happened to you, Alvez" Kristy teased.
Luke couldn't wipe the smile off his face, and he rubbed his hands together smugly, "You see, I got a bit of a surprise".
They all turned their attention to the O'Keefe's entryway, when in walked Lisa.
Red dress. The Christian Louboutin heels, you know the ones. A gorgeous smile.
Lisa had that look tonight, where all the gentleman's eyes were definitely gazing as her heels clipped past them, and Luke was definitely loving every second of it.
Emily almost froze in her place.
The breath had been knocked out of her, and she wasn't too sure why.
Jealously wasn't the word: Lisa was sweet, and she and Luke were good together - but, there was definitely a lump that started pegging Emily in the throat.
"Lisa" Matt smirked.
"She's back" Luke kissed Lisa gently on the cheek, pulled a chair out for her, and they both joined the table.
"What are you drinking, you two?" Matt reached for his wallet while Luke and Lisa both looked at each other and smiled.
"Umm" Lisa wiped some hair out of her eyes and stared at the other drinks, "Mojitos do sound good".
Emily was worried her body language was going to give something away - so, when she noticed her own empty glass, she thought she could use a distraction.
She quickly stood up from the table, and waved her hand at Simmons, "Don't worry, Matt, I'll go".
"Thanks" Matt smiled, as he sat back down.
Emily quickly grabbed her purse and headed up to the bar.
She got a few steps away, when she heard Luke's familiar voice in the background, "I'd better go help too" followed by the footsteps of his shoes.
Luke met Emily at the bar.
"So, Lisa's back?" Emily's voice was quick.
She tapped her card almost impatiently at the bar as they waited to get served.
She smiled gratefully at the bartender when it was her turn to order and she ordered four... wait five ... mojitos and a beer for Luke.
Luke was smitten, and kept staring at the table back at Lisa, "Yeah, she's the best. I met her for breakfast today before I caught up with Phil, and we just decided that we missed each other".
Emily nodded.
The bartender brought the drinks and placed them on the counter. Emily paid and included a tip, while Luke grabbed one of the black plastic trays.
Much like the other night, he balanced them all on the tray and took the drinks back to the table.
Emily followed behind, carrying nothing but her own purse.
They both rejoined the table, and they all meet in a cheers clink again.
Emily sipped at her mojito and watched the scene play out.
It was in no doubt an accident; because she knew no one would let her be outnumbered, but, for a second, just a second; she felt alone.
Matt had Kristy.
JJ was still laughing with Penelope.
Luke had Lisa.
Emily turned to Tara beside her and smiled gratefully as if she had almost forgotten for a second that Tara was still there.
Lewis sipped at her own drink and watched thoughtfully.
"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, but only in a voice loud enough for only Emily to hear.
Emily shook her head and pretended to be dumbfounded, "Talk about what?".
"I don't know ... " Tara smiled, "What's bugging you?".
"I really don't know what you're talking about" Emily insisted.
"I'd kill for her Christian Louboutin heels too".
Emily shared a smile with Tara.
They ordered cheesecakes each, and Emily picked at her whipped cream, while she watched the rest of the table in their happy conversations.
Lisa popped a strawberry into her mouth, puckered it to Luke, and Luke met her in a sweet kiss.
Emily brushed at her jeans, and folded her knife and fork closed under her napkin.
"I love you all dearly" she spoke aloud, "but I'm bailing".
She quickly gave Tara a hug, and shuffled out of her seat.
Then, she went around in turn, giving hugs and hand touches.
"I'm so ready for bed" she announced, "but I'll see you tomorrow".
She reached Matt and Kristy who both stood up to give her a hug, and then finally she got to Luke and Lisa, leaving them for last.
"It's wonderful to see you Lisa, it really is" she smiled, honestly, and with the fullest sincerity.
"It's wonderful to see you too, Emily. If this is a regular thing - maybe I'll see you another time" Lisa smiled.
Emily smiled back, but then her eyes met Luke's.
She pondered reaching out a hand for a handshake instead, but he was too quick; stood up and hugged her.
"See you tomorrow, Em".
Their eyes met again and Emily shivered. She grabbed her scarf, pretending it was cold in the room.
"See you all" she waved again, and then all beamed and waved goodbye back.
Emily quickly walked out of O'Keefe's, opening the exit door almost a little too abruptly.
No one was worried about her though.
She could look back in the glass door and see her friends, altogether at the one table, having a great time.
No one looked on.
Emily sighed a deep breath to herself; relief it was. Pure reverie.
In no means of an escape, but - she knew she just needed to get home.
She reached her everyday car and sat in the front seat for a moment before starting the engine, twirling her little keychains between her fingers.
She'd only had two drinks, and enough food, dessert and water to balance it out - she was fine enough to drive.
She rubbed an eye tiredly.
Perhaps a good sleep in her own bed, would bring a new and better day?
She could almost hope so.
Because she certainly could not have a crush on Luke Alvez.