Chapter 4

This chapter started out differently…I usually just start typing away and go with the flow of the story…but this one I actually went back and revised…I'm saving my original idea for a later chapter…but I think I like where this one took me too as well. As always, reviews feed the muse! Thank you for everyone who took the time to give me their thoughts so far.

"Dr Reid's office."

"This is SSA Alvez. I need to speak with Dr. Reid please."

Luke tapped his finders on his desk as he waited to be connected.

"Dr. Reid."

"Heya Reid…it's Luke. How's classes going?"

"Luke! They're going well…how's everything with you?"

"Good…good. We were in Arizona last week, but back in Quantico now."

"Have you heard from Emily lately?"

"Ahhh…I think Rossi spoke to her last week, but she's busy getting her new team operational in Denver."

"Yeah, I figured it might be a while before I would hear from her."

"So…I called to get some advice."

"Sure…what kind of case?"

Luke was quiet for a beat. "Ummm... no, I mean, yeah, I'm sure I'll need to get some help on cases from you, but this is actually…more a personal nature."

"Oh, okay. How can I help?" Reid's curiosity was evident; what could the handsome FBI agent need from him?

"Well, I asked Garcia to dinner, but I wanted to know…I mean…you two have always been so close…" Luke took a deep breath and just quickly got his question out of his head. "What restaurant would impress Garcia?"

Reid thought before carefully speaking. "You want to impress her." The statement sounded more like a question.

"Well, yeah…I mean…I always try to impress dates, but Garcia is… you know..."

"Special," offered Reid.

"Exactly. So, what kind of dinner should I take her to…to…you know…make a good impression?"

Reid sat down at his desk and turned his chair around to look at the campus outside of his window. "Do you know how Penelope always finds the perfect birthday gift for everyone?"

"Yeah," Luke drawled out slowly. "She's good with the shopping."

"It's more than that. I mean, I thought that too, but when I analyzed how much actual free time she has between working on the team, her volunteer hours, taking care of Sergio and given a certain amount of time for social activities, she actually has a surprisingly minimal amount of free time for actual shopping."

"So…you're saying she gets lucky?"

"Actually, no. The opposite. She gets the perfect gift because it is personal for her."

Luke tapped the end of his pen against his mouth while he considered Reid's point. "So, I need to take her somewhere personal?"

"Of you want to make a great impression on Garcia, showing her something about yourself and that you value your friendship is the key."

Luke smiled. Somehow without giving Luke an answer Reid had managed to be helpful…more than helpful actually.

"Thanks Reid…really."

"Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't start something with Penelope unless you're serious. She may act like she's impervious, but she's not had an easy path in the personal relationship arena. I mean, yeah, she's had more dates than, well, me…but…"

"Reid," Luke interrupted. "I like her…. a lot. This is important for me."

"Okay then…I'm glad we understand each other."

Garcia juggled her bag and her morning coffee. Her heels clicked sharply down the marble tile hallway,

"Good Morning Ms. Garcia."

"Andrew, I've asked you to call me- "

"Penelope, yes I know. It's…. going to take me a little while to get used to that. The previous director was much more… direct."

"If by 'direct' you mean uptight and overly concerned with social protocols, I would have to agree with you."

Andrew reached for her bag and held open her office door. "Yes ma'am."

Garcia rolled her eyes. "Andrew…don't call me 'Ma'am'"

"Yes M- I mean Yes Penelope" he stammered.

Penelope walked over to her desk and sat down. Andrew placed her bag on her desk then pulled out his phone. "I've sent your messages to your daily planner. You have a nine o'clock teleconference call with the project managers."

"Thank you, Andrew." She pulled out her tablet reviewed the new emails in her inbox. Andrew left the room, softly closing the office door behind him. It wasn't long before Garcia's personal phone rang with a video call.

"JJ!"

"Guess what Henry insisted on bringing to "Show and Tell" today at school?" Garcia smiled at the sound of JJ's voice.

"Spencer's old ID badge?" she guessed.

"You would think, but no. Nothing would do except for Aunt Penelope's Unicorn plant."

"Awww…that's so sweet."

"He said the teacher wanted them to bring something that made them feel happy. It was the first thing he thought of and no matter how much we tried to suggest something else, he insisted that was the only thing he wanted to bring."

Garcia smiled as she felt a single tear well up in her eye. "Well I'm thrilled to hear that my unicorn is making others happy."

JJ laughed. "Let's just hope it makes it back home in one piece. Last week the kids decided to have Jedi Master tryouts during recess."

"Oh no!" Penelope laughed.

"At least they haven't graduated to 'Weapons Class'…yet." JJ added wryly. "So, how's your new job going?"

"It's good. Different, but good."

"Have you heard from the rest of the team/"

"A few. It's only been a week and a half."

"Hmm…true." JJ was silent for a moment, then asked, "What about Luke?"

Garcia turned her chair towards the window. "What about him?"

"Penelope. Don't try to be coy."

"I hate profilers."

"You love me…now dish."

"Okay, fine. He called me yesterday. The team was on a case and he just got back into town. We went and picked up Roxy and had some take-out."

"Take out?! What kind of first date is that?" JJ exclaimed.

"It wasn't a date…it was just time to get something to eat."

JJ frowned. "I thought you said he asked you out at the party."

"He did…but he was letting me get settled in here at the office, then the team got sent to Vegas."

JJ nodded. "Okay….so when is this date going to happen?"

Garcia rolled her eyes. "Saturday."

"This Saturday? Like in three days Saturday?"

Garcia nodded.

"Where are you going? What are you wearing?"

"I'm not sure yet. He was going to call me later today to let me know where and what time."

JJ looked at Grcia through the camera. "And?"

"And what?"

"Aren't you excited?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, he's a nice guy…I'm sure we'll have fun."

"A nice guy." JJ repeated flatly.

"What?! He is," said Garcia indignantly.

"He's a frigging hottie and you know it."

Garcia felt her face warm. "Wh-What? I mean, yeah, if that's the kind of thing you go for…"

JJ rolled her eyes. "Let's see," she ticked off her bullet points on her fingers. "He's smart, gorgeous, loves animals, and he speaks English and Spanish fluently. He's got a quirky sense of humor, has muscles for days, volunteers when he can and calls his mother every Sunday."

"True.," answered Penelope quietly.

"And he can shoot a gun. I think he more than qualifies as a 'hottie'".

"Ok fine…He's a gorgeous specimen of a man, are you happy?"

JJ laughed. "Girlfriend, I'm married…the question is are YOU happy?"

Garcia smiled. "I'll let you know after Saturday." She shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe it will turn out we both just sit at dinner with nothing to talk about. I mean, he is a little out of my league."

"Penelope Rose Garcia!"

"What?"

"You know damn well what."

"Look, you're the one that wanted to point out all of his good qualities."

"You have just as many Penelope. You know I hate to hear you downgrade yourself."

"Just trying to be realistic." Penelope murmured as she picked at an imaginary piece of lint on her pencil skirt.

"You have just as many good qualities as Luke Alvez. Why wouldn't he be interested in you?"

"Look, I know what my shortcomings are…I do okay in my own way…I learned my lesson from Jacob. But I think Luke's probably looking more for a good friend than a girlfriend. It wasn't that long ago that Jackie moved out of their apartment."

JJ shook her head. "You know they were over long before she left, don't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Penelope, Lisa really was never the same after what happen to Phil. For the last six months or so she and Luke were basically just roommates."

"But he never said anything."

"He did…but you had to really read between the lines."

"Listen, I have to go…I have a conference call I need to get ready for…can I call you back later?"

"Of course. Call me tomorrow night…We can pick out what you want to wear for Saturday. Any Penelope?"

"Yeah?"

"Luke asked YOU out. Trust me…He's interested. This isn't just for show or so he has a buddy in town."

Penelope nodded and ended the call. She turned back around and started pulling up the files she needed for the morning call. In the back of her mind though, she considered what JJ had shared…

Penelope groaned and stood up, stretching her back. She glanced at the clock and realized it was after 1 p.m. She hadn't even stopped for lunch yet. She walked over to the minifridge and pulled out her packed lunch. She sat down in one of the chairs in front of her desk and tried to relax for a moment.

Her office phone rang. She sighed and leaned over the desk to turn on the speaker.

"Penelope Garcia speaking."

"Well hello Ms. Garcia. I was looking for the Oracle of all Information."

She smiled.

"The Oracle is taking a break. What are you up to?"

Luke chuckled. "Just left a briefing. Have to head to Arizona for a training session in a few hours."

"Oh," she said disappointedly. "I suppose that means you have to cancel our pans for Saturday?"

"No no…I'm the instructor on this one. I should be back on the early evening flight Friday."

"Oh, well, that's good…I mean…that you won't be out of town too long."

"Yeah, well…I have plans for this weekend I don't really want to change."

Garcia was quiet, then asked "Are you sure Luke?"

"Why wouldn't I be sure? I mean…it's taken me three years to get you to agree to have dinner with me."

He waited and when she didn't respond he asked, "Penelope, have you changed your mind?"

"Yes…I mean no…I mean…Yes I still want to have dinner with you…no, I haven't changed my mind."

"Good. Well, I have two questions for you then."

"Okay. What are they?"

"First, how does Santorini's sound for dinner? I'll pick you up around 7?"

Garcia smiled. "That sounds great."

"Awesome." Garcia could hear his smile over the phone.

"Oh, and…this one you should feel free to say no to…but…any chance you would mind watching Roxy? Her sitter is on Spring break and Dan and his wife have to go out of town until next week."

Garcia thought for a moment but before she could answer Luke rushed to fill in the silence. "I mean, don't feel like you have to say yes. I can find other arrangements…it just seemed like you had fun with us last night…and I know she would love to be with you rather than cooped up in a cage or in my apartment waiting on the sitter to come and walk her twice a day."

"Of course, I can…but how can I get into your place?"

"I can send an extra key by messenger. I'd bring it by myself, but I have to be at the airport to fly out in about an hour. Are you sure that's okay?"

"Of course. Roxy and Sergio will be fine at my place. Can you text me what I need for her food?"

"Actually, I went this morning to the store before work and stocked up. Everything for this week is packaged in the fridge."

"Okay, great. So I'll pick her up this evening and just take her back to my place, if that's okay."

"She will love it. She's got a couple of tennis balls you can take with you…she loves paying catch at the end of the day. And her leash and collar are there by the front door on the side table."

"Sounds good."

"Thanks Penelope. I'll…umm… I'll call you when I land…to check on Roxy I mean."

Penelope smiled. "Sure. We'll be around. I'll tell Roxy."

Luke chuckled. "Okay then. I'll talk to you soon."