Dana turned to the side and rested her hand on her pregnant stomach. Her Harry Winston engagement ring and wedding bands glistened in the light. Today was her twenty week checkup and ultrasound. She couldn't believe how quickly the time had gone. It was like yesterday that she and Neal had celebrated their second wedding anniversary. They had thrown a large dinner party with all of their closest friends and family. It was at said party that they had announced Dana's pregnancy. Everyone was overjoyed and the celebration had taken on a whole new meaning.
She smiled to herself as she suddenly felt the fluttering of her baby. She rubbed the spot on her lower belly. Yes life was great.
"I am completely yours the rest of the morning through lunch."
Dana turned to look at her handsome husband who had come strutting into the master suite. He crossed the huge space and wrapped his arms around her kissing her gently.
Dana sighed wrapping her arms around his neck. "Good because I expect your undivided attention."
"And you will have it." He moved his hands from her lower back to her stomach. "How are you feeling?"
"Great. He's extremely active this morning."
He rubbed the sides of her stomach. "I wish I could feel him."
Dana nodded. Neal had been waiting to feel something ever since Dana felt the first flutter three and a half weeks ago. "The doctor said anytime now. You have to be patient."
"That's not exactly my strong suit." He kissed her. "So you really think it's a boy?"
"I do. Of course if it were a girl that would be fine as well."
Neal nodded and took a deep breath. "I agree whatever this baby is it's going to be perfect."
"We can find out the sex today if you want."
" She bit her bottom lip hoping he would feel the same way she did. She wanted to know.
It's been their main conversation topic since they found out she's pregnant- girl or boy?
Neal is confident it's going to be a girl. He's done his research (Google search) and the way Dana is carrying the baby, the range of its heart rate, and of course the ever reliable Chinese Lunar Calendar gender predictor; all signs point to a girl.
Dana secretly agrees with her husband, but generally plays devil's advocate and says it'll be a boy.
Today is Dana's mid-term ultrasound, and if their child is cooperative, at 18 weeks they should be able to settle their bet.
The stakes are high between Dana and Neal; veto power in choosing their child's name.
Dana wants to honour someone special from one of their lives while Neal wants something strange and exotic.
He shrugged. "I'm not sure. There's a part of me that would like to know and then there's a part that thinks there are so few surprises in life. You know?"
She nodded. "I wanna know. I want to prepare and have everything ready and perfect for him when we bring him home."
Neal smiled at her. "Fine, we'll find out." He glanced at his watch. "We need to go."
He kissed her one more time and grabbed her sweater off the chaise wrapping it around her. They left the master suite hand in hand excited at the prospect of seeing their son or daughter shortly even if it was only on screen.
The man looks at the women's elegant figure that walks through the street, seeing her long brown hair flowing in the wind was breath taking. While smelling the crisp air of cherry blossoms the women looks at a man who was looking for her and smiles at him. Seeing the curves of the women gave the man unholy thoughts and made him heat up between the legs. Her flawless skin made the man think she was saving her skin for someone, maybe for him.
As the cool air reaches the man's lungs, he inhales deeply. Thinking he might have smelt the women's perfume, causing a sensation of chills to consume him.
He watched thewoman closely. He'd been watching her for weeks, monitoring her and noting her program. He'd always see her disappear out of his sight and could never find her until he returned. He tried looking everywhere for her. He'd became slightly obsessed with the woman in a way. He loved her fiery temper and her rage that could ignite her fire in an instant.
Watching her was becoming a routine taht he enjoyed but it was soon becoming something that is a necessity to his life.
The man always tries to find clyes on what she liked or hated. So far he found out that she liked do ther job, and had the ability to have a very high taste in fashion. Her dislikes were pople eho pick on her stuff and mocl her or go against her.
He watches her wondering when she'd even lost the capacity to care.
He can't remember the last time she smiled at someone. She'd just casually turn her head away (as an aversion to the truth) with her brown fringe covering her azure eyes and a grimace hidden behind her lips.
He'd see her; breaking apart, lost and fading in the reflection of her dilated eyes.
He wants to saver her, take her away from the people who hurt her everyday. He had saw who people call her names and use her , take thing without give something in returnd. Torturing herself for her mistakes and everyone blame her for them , treat her like she was the devil. A woman like her must treat her with love and respect not like she was a criminal.
Watching the woman enter in the building he tries to remember how it all started.
FLASHBACK
The man is sitting in a coffee shop reading Mary Shelley's Frankenstein when a woman about his age begins walking toward the door with a large coffee cup. The woman smiles as she sees the book, their eyes meet and the woman says "I love that book."
The man smiles uncomfortably, mumbling that it is the first time she's read it. The woman's face lights up and he starts to ramble on and on about the psychology of Schopenhauer Arthur. The woman's hands moved excitedly as she rambles, her face alit with joy and excitement and he stares at her in awe.
''She's beautiful. And perfect''He thought , smiling awkwardly, the man is speechless. The woman cuts off suddenly, looking apologetic.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to talk your ear off. I can't help myself when it's a subject I'm passionate about. I'll just go. Sorry again!" the woman murmurs looking chagrinned. Man's brain freezes, wanting to talk to the woman but only able to watch her hurry away.
''I don't even know her name! How will I find her?'' The man jumps up and runs out, looking frantically for the woman on the street but she is nowhere in sight.
One week later:
The man is despondent. He has gone to the coffee shop every day since their meeting and the woman has not been back. How will he find her if she doesn't come back? Kryupt stares blankly at the news, tears of hopelessness and sorrow trickle down his cheeks. A moment later, his body jumps and he fumbles for the remote. Getting a hold of the remote, his finger stabs at the button. The man stares at the image frozen on the screen.
''It's her!''His heart looked like a press conference, and the mayor, was talking about the work the law's had done. the woman was just one step behind the mayor, so naturally Rafael paid her little to no mind, keeping his eyes on the woman the entire time.
"The search for the serial killer in Dallas is finally at an end. Norm Carter has been arrested for the murders of seven women and will be in jail for his rest of his life thank to law firm..''The man stops listening to the reporter, rewinding and playing back the image of his woman. The man quickly grabs his computer and starts researching the her. Going through the many stories of the law firm's cases, he shouts
"There! There she is! ." The manhas a name, hugging himself joyfully. He says it over and over, loving the taste of the name as it forms on his lips and tongue. Every scrap of information he finds about her only makes him love the woman more. She is smart and brave, compassionate and caring, cruel and vicious. She is every bit the perfection that man had thought her to be.
END FLASHBACK
The man started to put cameras everywhere , in her house ,office even in her car. While doing this, he on the side was trying to woo the woman secretly. He at first wrote her some poetry and sent them to her, he didn't tell her in was from him. He also didn't want to watch her for her reaction because he thought it was something that he should have to herself. However the man still knew that the poerty wasn't enough for the woman. he needed to do something a bit little more. A
After all was her birthday.
''Can I help you?'Asked the friendly receptionist at the lobby of Pearson -Specter.
'Yeah, I am looking for my platonic-wife?'
Harvey would recognise that voice everywhere. The last time he saw her was on his way to his office. Glaring and glowing at him about the charity ball and admitted that stole his clients and that she leaves , it had felt like a cold punch in his stomach. He hadn't seen a lot of her the past weeks. She could be infuriating and throw him all the looks she wanted, but hell, he missed her. Already feeling miserable , there was no use denying that anymore to himself, just adding more misery to misery. He missed her fire, missed her being in his face, giving him hell, never backing down, never afraid of him, always meeting his gaze head on with her clear blue's.
He turned towards the place her voice came from. Just like that, after months, she had walked into his firm like she had never left. Harvey had expected to see brown curls and a dress but he took in her pants and a well fitted tank top in surprise. A small purple stone that rested on her smooth skin, right above the curves of her breasts.
Damn, she was fucking stunning.
Harvey watched her warm smile, watched brown hair fall over her shoulders, watched how Jessica pulled her close. Standing in the middle of the corridor ,they locked eyes, but there was a hint dangerously close to a smile forming around her lips, directing at him. Harvey did not give a fuck right now if anybody would notice, but he threw her a charming smile and could not take his eyes away from her.
He should have dragged his ass back office, but his mind decided otherwise. He waited for her, right outside the reception.
'Look who's back.' Harvey decided to go for the casual approach, not knowing for sure if world war three was about to break lose. He watched how she slowly turned his way, he couldn't turn his eyes away from her. 'Missed me so much huh?'
'God, you can be a self centred full of yourself son of a bitch Specter.' She threw him a look, filled with fire. He followed the movements of her right hand, slowly landing on the curve of her hip.
'But yes, I missed you. Not much though,' She shrugged her shoulders at him, but there was a challenge in her eyes that woke something up inside of him, he tried to push away since the moment she turned him down. Bastiana took one step closer to him.
He gave a file to the reception and walked towards him. She did not even flinch. Of course she didn't. Hell, this was Bastiana Wolf . She never took one step away from him. That's what was part of what always seemed to get him into trouble when it came to this woman. It had intrigued him from the first time he laid eyes on her.
'Let's save the fighting and battling for tomorrow, you know, when you are sober and can use all your mental capacity. Just wanting to give you a fair chance' a soft smile around her lips, lifting one of her eyebrows, mocking tone in her voice.
'Is that so?' he watched her intensely, finding the exact same need in her eyes that he felt building up in himself. It had been a long time since he had to listen to her challenging him, and fuck, he missed this. The hand she placed on his chest was burning though the fabric of his shirt. It was all the invitation he needed.
''Tomorrow is the ball.''the skin of her neck was close to his lips, when he moved in closer.
Harvey felt how Bastiana's body answered him by closing a little bit more of the remaining distance between them, he watched how her lips parted, her eyes going over his lips. He touched her cheek with his fingers, like he had done once before everything went to hell.
''See you there''
Dana Scott-Caffrey watched Bastiana and Jessica go. It was interesting to watch the struggle between Harvey's pride as a man, and a lawyer, against his natural womenwiser ways. If they was a way to describe Harvey it would be chaotic neutral. He did what he wants because he wants to, laws or morality wasn't going to stop him. The only thing that ever makes him hesitate is consequences for what he did. However thoughs rarely stop him, although ..
Harvey had the power to destroy people but Bastiana Wolf was out of limits because of him. Mike was the only reason he had still yet to unleash his full power, destroy the female lawyer and her firm.
For Mike he had put his plans of Bastiana on hold. He knew that should he attempt to take over his ssiter's law firm and succeed it would spell the end of their relationship. Mike would never forgive him. Mike would want nothing to do with him, determined to stay true to Mike cause and loyal to the people of this world. Mike'd turn against him, fighting him every step of the way until he fell, stay next to his sister and leave him.
And unlike Donna and Harvey, Dana did not regard Bastiana as foreign. She and Bastiana were the outsiders, and as far as she could tell, neither of them wished for the fall of Pearson-Specter law firm. Therefore Jessica did not seem threatening to her. Bastiana simply seemed like a master of sorts, and Mike, Jessica, Dana and everyone had a ringside seat at the arena where Bastiana was at work taming a arrogant lawyer. Danna was watching Bastiana and Jessica lauging , but with a bit of envy in her eye. It now seemed to her as though she had two older sisters, serious warriors both, and that they preferred one another's company to Lola or hers.
From of other side of the city, Amy was her boss talking with Jessica Pearson and Olivia Benson.
The three of them needed no words.
The Trinity was in tune with each other in ways well-honed.
Amy could see it in the way Olivia would lean over and touch Bastiana on the shoulder, or Jessica and Olivia would communicate without telepathy during a meeting, or Jessica and Bastiana would speak of trials and cases, or all three would sit and enjoy coffee in a cafe and finish each other's sentences.
It was a friendship of rare beauty, a triad of Power, Intellect, and Compassion.
Power throbbed in each of them, Bastiana Wilson and Jessica Pearson the two most powerful lawyers in the courtrooms .Power resided in Olivia`s mind and wealth and gift of ninja-style movement.
Intellect shone in each of them, with Jessica getting the lion's share of the credit but Olivia and Bastiana his intellectual equals.
Compassion was worn on Olivia's sleeve. Jessica and Bastiana's compassion was well-hidden, but was obvious by those who knew the way they had taken in a small, sobbing children on a tragic night, or how their case was fueled by the belief that no child should ever cry over parent ever again.
When forging ahead into battle, they spoke without words, their leadership inspiring as they easily fell into sync, leading powerful colleagues and friends into life-and-death.
And in peace, they simply 'hung out', which is a major undertaking to get the Bastiana to relax his wings.
Their friendship is easy, contentious, empathic, and a meeting of equals in intellect, drive, and power.
Amy need not read their minds to know that Jessica , Olivia and Bastiana are on the same page.
Fashion magazines like Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, BoF, Marie Claire, V were around the coffee table in Bastiana's office. The three women were trying to decide what dress they going to wear at Bar's charity ball after all Jessica and Bastiana's quote is I don't "dress to impress" I dress to depress. I look so good I make people hate themselves.
They had planned a shopping trip with Amy, Dana, Lola and Rita Calhoun but work came up ,so they decided to buy theor dress online.
Olivia was sitting in a black leather couch while Jessica and Bastiana argue about Olivia's dress.
"Black"
"Indigo"
"Teal"
"Blue gray"
"Maroon"
"Can I say something?"
"No"
Olivia could shrug as she continued to watch the two argue with growing amusement.
"I have to pick Noah up from the daycare" Just as Olivia was about to run off, Jessica and Bastiana placed a hand on either side of her shoulder and pulled her back, scowling at her.
"Absolutely not!" They growled in unison.
"Olivia wants a blue one"Jessica informs Bastiana.
"What?!"She said to Jessica in a soothing manner." Olivia's color is green and black."
"Try telling her that," Jessica scoffed.
"I know. I have. She's just too stubborn to listen," Bastiana replied with a smirk.
"SHE is right here, you know," Olivia said in irritation. "And SHE can hear you."
"We know," they both said at the same time. Jessica burst out laughing and even Bastiaan cracked a smile. Olivia gave them both a mock-glare and got up to refill her drink when a young man arrived with a small black box. Bastiana thanked him, and put it on her desk."
''Who are it from B," Jessica asked, peeking over her own computer.
Blushing into a pink , Bastiana shrugged. "I don't know," she said with a smile.
Olivia hunted for a note, jumping triumphantly when she found one. "'Genuine beauty,'" she read, frowning. "There's no name."
"A secret admirer," Jessica said excitedly. "Who could it be?"
Bastiana took the note and read it.
I love the way your eyes light up when you smile ,the light that can go on for a mile. May this day be as sunny as your smile, and as beautiful as you are. You shine every day, but on this day you will shine the brightest. Happy Birthday.
Love always.
Your Secret Admirer
She rolled her eyes and then opened the box to reveal a shimmering piece was made entirely of jade, shaped into the form of a butterfly. At the center of each beautifully curved and pointed wing sat a deep red gemstone that matched her monk robes perfectly. The hair clip was simple, elegant, and obviously an antique.
''It is your birtday?''
Bastiana blinking.
Oh… it was her birthday.
Olivia cocked her head at her friend's behavior before she huffed. "You forgot your own birthday, didn't you?" Bastiana shrugged his shoulders and smirked. "It's not important to me. You should know."
Bastiana hated birthdays. She really didn't want to go through another birthday because of birthdays in the past, but she knew that this birthday wasn't going to be like the past. Unlike the past couple of years, she didn't have to worry about her asshole of parent ruining her birthday. All she had now were her family, and of course she knew that her siblinds wasn't going to let her work on her birthday and just sit there on her computer, typing away while sulking. Bastiana loved her family, but sometimes family could just be annoying to her.
"Sorry, what was that?"Bastiana asked, focusing on her friend.
"I was saying it's your birthday is today. What do you want to do?" Olivia repeated what she had just said to her distracted friend.
''I hate my birthday." Bastiana shrugged. Normally for birthdays Neal or Sonny organised a meal or drinks for their circle of friends, she was the only one who always knew what was going on in people's love lives so Bastiana always left the organising to her.
"Well there's drinks, or a nice meal." Olivia began excitedly running over the possibilities. "Or even a small party."
''You hate birthdays?''Jessica asks.
Bastiana rolled her eyes.
"I don't have birthdays anymore. I stopped at 40."
''40?''
Growing older was difficult for everyone. Everyone that is except Bastiana Wolf. She had graciously accepted the inevitable, convincing herself that age only enhanced her spectacularly good looks. It must've started at a young age, the acceptance of growing older; with a name like Bastiana Vestia Wolf, how could you not? Her younger brothers was a constant source of trouble, in the fact that they attracted it or exhibited it. Bastiana spent most of her time trying to shield them and fix the problems caused. Shehad grown up too quickly after her time with her grandfather and learning her grandma's lie, the lie itself causing her to withdraw into herself and put up walls to guard her own brothers.
Whatever the reason, Bastiana didn't dread the coming of her birthday for the fact that she was another year older; no, she dreaded it because it caused an endless amount of embarrassment for her around the office. People were constantly stopping her to say their congratulations on another year survived. They stopped her mid-sentence when talking to a client, making the client themselves obligated to also offer their best wishes. Then there was that year that the whole firm sang her Happy Birthday.
The thing that made the day better were the large amounts of presents she was given. Yes, even as a woman in her late 40, she still received many presents. And she accepted them gratefully. Presents from grateful clients, other partners, and her family. Good alcohol, fine chocolates, expensive knick knacks that she would never buy in a million years but kept because someone else had paid a lot for them. That and they made great re-gifts for Christmas. It was a good thing that rich people didn't remember what they bought for their lawyers.
Cody once said that Bastiana only looked forward to her birthday because it was a day specifically made to stroke her ego. Bastiana grinned and replied that yes, stroking her ego was exactly what Cody's husband did for her. Cody stuttered and produced the same excuse that he didn't have a husband, but Bastiana had walked away already, chuckling to herself.
So, all in all, her birthdays weren't too terrible. She just had to get through the embarrassing well wishes from everyone. In recent years, Bastiana spent his time in her office and didn't speak to anyone. The presents would steadily grow on Amy's desk and she would spend most of her time watching Amy try not to open them. It was amusing to watch, to say the very least. Amy's fingers would dance across the keyboard at a rapid pace that Bastiana only sees once a year. She would try to distract herself from wanting to know what was in the boxes and bags next to her. Her back would slump about two inches with the weight of the unknown on top of her shoulders. If there was one thing Amy hated, it was not knowing something. Sometimes, Bastiana would spend an hour lounging in her chair with a pen at her lips, simply watching Amy. Bastiana would watch as her head would turn a fraction of an inch, enough to see if Bastiana was in the office. Then she would turn her head away, looking as if she was looking at a paper or a file, but Bastiana knew better. She was trying to get a glimpse into a bag that was stationed next to her. She wanted to know who it was from, what it was and would Bastiana hate it enough to give it to her. The lawyer would chuckle at the performance.
"I don't want to discuss it." Bastiana said with a groan.
Jessica was about to say something, when Bastiana phone rang. The lawyer groaned as the phone rang. She hesitated for a moment, but kept in mind that only a few people knew her work was there to fear?
"Hello?"
''Neal?'' Bastiana tried for dismissive, but only achieved soft and caring.
If someone asked Jessica about what Bastiana Wolf was, Jessica would answer: lawyer, daughter, friend, colleague, enemy, , maybe one day a mother but the most important was a sister.
Everyone knew that Bastiana was an amazing lawyer ,a loving daughter as her brothers describe ,the sarcastic friend who every clique has ,a competitive and cunning colleague who always wants to be the best ,an enemy who play dirty. Bastiana may have been all of them but above all she was a sister who loved her brothers even if they were done something wrong or stupid, maybe the second .Jessica had noticed that the brothers treat their sister like she was a queen or as if she were a diamond and Jessica hoped she would have had such a connection with her sister, but she thought about it once and she preferred to have the relationship she has Bastiana with Neal.
She had seen the way they worked around each other and that a wink had many words for them, they did not need words to communicate and they knew where the other was without locating its mobile. They were thinking the same thing and they filled the other's sentences, they have common the expensive taste in alcohol and in clothing.
Bastiana sighed and hung up without saying goodbye.
''Bastiana?''Olivia asks quietly.''Are you ok?''
''Yes''She assured them, as Olivia and Jessica exchanged a worried glance. Bastiana narrowed her eyes as she stared at the phone.
It's a girl
The words echo in her mind, they bounce from wall to wall, crashing her heart.
Bastiana turned away slightly because if she looked at her phone for one more second she knew that there was no way for her to hold back her tears.
Stepping into the bullpen, Spencer kept his face down and went straight to his desk, dumping his satchel beside him and booting up the dreaded computer. Glancing to his left, he saw the stack of files beside him and noticed with dull amusement that it was at least twice as high as on anyone else's desk. The realization that the rest of the team were probably already around and that they had all slipped him files made him laugh quietly, but he quickly decided he'd need at least one mug of coffee to deal with the day. Sighing, he got up and made his way over to the coffee machine, carefully avoiding looking up until he reached it. It was only when Derek called out his name that he instinctively looked up, sighing again when he saw the look of shock and horror on his friend's face. Apparently, his black eye was as bad as it had looked in the mirror before work this morning...
"What on earth happened to you Kid? Who did that to you, I swear I will make them pay for it." Derek was trying to get a better look at his eye now but Reid ducked away.
"It's nothing Morgan, I, uhm, walked into a door last night..." The look on Morgan's face said it all, there was no way he, or anyone else, was going to believe that story. As if on cue, Prentiss appeared behind Derek.
"What did they do and why are they going to pa- Oh, Reid, what happened?" She had just caught sight of his slightly swollen black eye and she was now staring at him with just as much worry as Morgan. Sighing, Spencer finished making his coffee, dumped in five sugars and turned to face his friends regretfully.
"Please stop fussing over me, I'm not a baby, really. It was nothing."
At that moment Garcia appeared and smiled at her friends grouped around Reid and the coffee machine, rushing over, she continued grinning until she caught sight of Reid's face and her face transformed into a mask of horror and worry.
"What happened Jr-G man? Who did that to you?" As Garcia spoke with a tone of worry, Spencer ran his free hand through his hair, wondering what on earth he could say. Then he saw Aaron Hotchner appear in the bull-pen and realized that it was over. If there was one person he could never lie to, it was Hotch, after all he was the boss.
"It was nothing, I was out last night with a few friends and got into a bar fight, can we just leave it there?" He turned to leave but found himself face to face with Hotch who just gazed at him in worry, with a sad look in his eye.
As Reid looked at Hotch, Morgan stepped forwards and pulled Spencer to face him a half-disbelieving and half-amused look on his face.
"You were in a bar fight? Really? You went out, and got in a bar fight... You are joking right kid?" As Derek continued to stare along with Garcia, Prentiss and Hotch, Spencer felt a little uncomfortable.
"Yes Morgan, I was in a bar fight. Statistically, a lot of alcohol consumption mixed with close contact often leads to fights. It is not uncommon to end up in a fight over a simple, but offensive, even if only slightly, disagreement and so the fact that I got into one last night should not be such a surprise. Merely a somewhat unusual event for me in particular..." As he finished his spiel, having barely been aware he was speaking.
''What happened?''
Reid made a face.''''Some guy violated my sister''
"WHAT?" Hotch held his gaze for a moment letting his acknowledgment hang in the air before Reid pulled them both out of the there small staring contest.
''My family celebrated my brother's wedding anniversary ...we were at a bar dancing and drinking until a guy tried to ask my sister for a dance 'Reid 'paused a moment and then added.''The man was not aware of the word no..''
''And after that?''Hotch's voice had taken on an irritated tone.
''Bastiana refused to dance with him but when the guy grabbed her wrist ..''Reid sighed and decided to bite the bullet."You see the guy kinda… grabbedBastiana'sass." The last three words were said in a rush, as though he was forcing them out.
''He touched my sister. Our sister'' There was fire in Reid's eyes, a strange kind of heat, anger that touched Bastiana on a deep primal level. ''I could not stand it and punched him.''
The BAU team blinked in surprise, but Garcia was the first one to break out of her reverie.
''You punched him.''Garcia asked, her voice a strangled whisper.
''Neal wanted to skin him alive , Mike wanted to slash his throat and Sonny almost pull his gun out.'' Spencer said with a slight smirk, returning his gaze to his report.
Garcia, Prentiss and Morgan were staring at Reid while Hotch leans forward, his eyes narrowing with anger ,thinking about this guy and Bastiana. Some piece of scum touched Bastiana in a such bad way ,the guy to lie a finger on his godness..
WHAT? HIS WHAT?
Focus, Hotch. Bastiana does not belong to you and you have not kissed her yet. Yeah, like her brother will let to near her after what happened yesterday at the bar.
''Something else?''"This was the wrong question to ask, but Hotch couldn't help himself. His heart was beating too loud for his to hear her own thoughts.
The young man looked irritated with him, and Hotch shot him a raised eyebrow.
''I need the perfect gift.''Spencer retorted.
''Sexy underwear if is for your wife''Moragn said smirking.
That was a dick thing to say. Reid was angry enough to punch his friend out. Garcia sensed this and decided to change the topic.
''A gift for who?''
The brunette finally turned to the blonde, his eyebrows arching upwards.''My sister''
Prentiss frowned in concern, ''You don't know what gift to buy for your sister?''
''There is no gift for Bastiana.''The young doctor barked. ''She gets what she wants, and she doesn't want what she doesn't get.''
What do you give a woman who has everything on her birthday?.He loved this time of the year but was always frustrated. What do you get your sister who thinks her birthday is nothing more than another day and doesn't want anything? The doctor bit his lip. He wanted something special. Something that Bastiana would never think to get for herself. He knew that he couldn't get her another criminal-law themed object this year. Reid groaned and sat down on one of the metal chairs, slamming his head on the table in front of him. Tomorrow was the big day and like every year, he requested off that day while the busy lawyer refused to do the same.
Hotch walked toward his office and sat on his chair, , thinking about the important date that was today. October 25th.. It was Bastiana Wolf birthday and he had no idea what to do!. He should buy her a gift or let it goes unnoticing. After all,it was Bastiana Wolf he was dealing with. The brunette was completely and utterly unpredictable.
Hotch picked his phone up and slammed his finger on speed dial two impatiently.
"Pick up, pick up, pick up!" He muttered harshly to the phone, as if his prompts would make the person on the other side of the line wake up quicker, keeping one eye on the office door at all times to make sure no one didn't come in of the room.
"Who died now?" Came the sleepy response of David Rossi on the other end of the line when he finally answered, after what felt like hours.
"Me if you don't help me!" Hotch hissed impatiently.
"Jesus Hotch, you're not seriously calling me Reid cought you having sex with his sister..something that's probably ridiculous.'' Rossi exclaimed, more than a little pissed off at his friend.
''Guess whose birthday that is!" Hotch hissed quietly.
"Damn!" Rossi exclaimed slowly. "You know I'm pretty sure that's how one of my marriages ended." He added, trying his best not to sound amused at how panicked the normally composed Hotch was becoming.
"Oh yea, thanks, reassure me why don't you." Hotch growled.
''You wants to buy Bastiana a gift?''
"Well that my friend is your problem... good luck." Rossi told him before hanging up the phone swiftly, not allowing Hotch to get another comment in.
Just as Hotch was about to throw his phone across the room... yea because breaking that would make his day better.
What was the Special Agent supposed to give the famous lawyer?. Money? No, she had enough of that already. Sex? Well, obviously Bastiana has every day. A gift? But what could he get Bastiana? The boss let out a loud groan, interrupting what Prentiss was saying.
"Aaron, are you alright?"
It staggered Hotch a little, the warm, caring tone. There was the tiny spark that had flickered to life during cases. The light gilded the soft angles of his agent's face. Her hair hung loose over the pale sweep of her shoulders. All that remained upon her slight frame was a thin, white shift, a wisp of silk that did little to hide her form from his eyes.
She was strong, and beautiful, with a wit as keen as a knife. Any man might give his balls to share a night with her. Perhaps, in another life, he could want her. Maybe even love her. If he was not met Bastiana Wolf.
The man blinked his amethyst eyes and sighed, forcing a smile. "I'm fine. I am thinking about the case!''
Emily frowned as she began to think up a solution for this problem.''You can talk with Benson or Reid's brother about the case!''
Hotch's eyes brightened, his smile brightening to one of happiness.
He knew what he was going to do for his boyfriend.
Prentiss stared at her boss, her head cocked to the side. "Um.. Why are you smiling like that?" Hotch sat up and headed towards the front door, the smile never leaving his face. "I know what to do for her birthday." Was the reply before the front door was shut; leaving Prentiss sitting at the table with a confused look.
There was a new addition to his home when Spencer got home, it seemed. One that was currently sitting on the table by the window, where Lola normally set a sizable stack of books as she read. However the stack had shrunk considerably to make room for this new addition.
This new addition that was flaring its gills at The young doctor as he peered into the tank.
"Lola?"
"One sec!" She called, and Reid heard the oven shut before she appeared, an oven not in her hand and her apron covered in flour.
How did she make baking look so darn cute?
"What's this?" He asked, pointing to the small tank, the fish swimming back and forth, flaring its gills every now and then.
"A fish." Lola said with a warm smile. "He's a betta. Isn't he gorgeous?"
"I meant what's it doing here?"
"He is my new reading companion." She said, walking to the tank.
The fish immediately swam to her, it's long find flowing as he circled. Somehow the fact that his gills didn't flare at Lola made him frown.
"Is he now?"
"I thought he was too pretty to not have a home." Lola said. "The shop keeper said no one liked him. Something about his color. But I loved him."
Spencer glanced back at the fish. He didn't know much about them but he didn't suppose it was particularly beautiful. Its find were long and flowy, yes, but an odd combination of gold and green tipped with some black every now and then. It's scales were the same dull gold color, and the only thing Spencer even liked about it was it's oddly blue eyes.
"He kinda reminded me of you." Lola said. "He was grumpy when I picked him up, but it seems he warmed up to me well."
This was ridiculous. The way the fish flared its gills at him but not at her. The way it circled and chased her finger as she traced the glass of the tank. The way she giggled when it splashed or blubbed.
He was not jealous of a fish.
reid was not jealous of a fish.
"I haven't named him yet." Lola said with a pout, oblivious to the way Spencer was glaring at a fish. A fish! "I was thinking of naming him after you but then it'd be confusing when I talked to him…"
She was going to be talking to him?!
Spencer opened his mouth to say something. To somehow tell her the darn fish couldn't stay. At the very least needed to be put in the library rather than the main room. But then something in the kitchen beeped.
"Oh! Cookies are done. You want one, Spenc?" She asked as she stood.
All he could really do was nod as she gave him a kiss on the cheek and scampered off. He wondered for a moment of she suspected his ridiculous envy, but then the fish splashed and was flaring his gills at him again.
"You make no mistake." Spencer said. "She's mine."
And he walked away from the tank to find Lola in the kitchen. Perhaps if he kissed her silly he'd feel better.
Bastiana stormed in her condo, wanting to relax after a stressfull day. The woman took her cat off her ,throwing her purse on the ground and the instincts of the fighter turned on hearing strange noises in the living room. Bastiana pulled the gun in front of his bag and she kicked the door, listening to voices to saying. ''HAPPY BIRTHDAY BASTIANA''
Bastiana stared at the spectacle in front of her. Her siblings with spouse, William Dodds , Amy, Travis, Jessica, Olivia, Cody Mozzie and some friend of her like Jack Bass, Christian Gray, Oliver Queen ,Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes and namy others were grinning at him. Behind them, the living room was deracinated with colorful streamers and balloons and the other rainbow things that made Bastiana sick.
A huge pile of boxes and gifts bags towered in front of the door, all black.
"What is this?" Bastiana asked, mainly directing the question toward her twin. Bastiana wondered if she'd done something bad to Neal without realizing it, and this was her punishment.
"We're having a party for you," Neal replied. "To celebrate your forty- two birthday!"
Bastiana crossed her arms and glared at him. "Why?"
''It was my idea' 'said a voice and everyone takes a step back opening a path between the lawyer and her secretary, Amy. ''Bastiana, just because you don't like your birthday doesn't mean you can't celebrate it with your family and friends. Our parents are gone
Bastiana embraced younger woman and Neal, Mike, Sonny and Specter could not be more compassionate about the friend her sister has.
''LET'S PARTY BEGIN' 'yelled Bastiana and everyone laughing as they saw a piece of happy woman returns.
All of her friends were sitting at the tables eating and laughing like a normal family.
Sonny brought out the birthday cake and everyone quieted down. Bastiana stared at it, eyes wide. It was Mike's chocolate cake! She could already tell! The way Logan had explained it once was that holes were poked in the cake and when Logan poured the liquid frosting over the cake, it seeped into the holes, making everything deliciously moist. On the top of the cake were the words "Happy Birthday, Bastiana" in blooded icing, and forty- two black candles were lit around the edge.
As Bastiana gaped at the most delicious looking cake she'd ever seen, people around her began to sing.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday, dear Bastiana! Happy birthday to you."
Bastiana smiled. "Make a wish," Sonny told her, holding out the cake.
Bastiana closed her eyes and thought, I wish every birthday could be this great.
Bastiana took a deep breath and blew out all candles.
Everybody cheered.
When Sonny handed Logan the cake, Bastiana said, "Thank you, Amy. For all of this. This was the best birthday ever."
Bastiana hugged his secretary ,when Amy walked away from her boss all the siblings run toward their sister for a hug. All the siblings stood near to each other waiting for someone to talk while everyone looked on with wonder and amazement.
"Group hug," Sonny said as he turned to look at Bastiana who was smiling at the boys.
"Okay," Bastiana laughed getting into the group hug with tears in her own eyes. Bastiana looks at the boys which she loved them all and she cared for them. She never favored one over the other; she treats them all the same. She doesn't know what he would do without them in her life. She was brought out of her thoughts by Mike.
''Logan ,Dana, Mikey and Lola get your ass here now.''He said, smiling serenely at his siblings-in-law and fiance . "Come here and be a part of our family.''
Lola ,Dana and Mike Dodds obey their brother-in-law. He may been called the gentle brother of Ross but when he is set in his ways, there is no dissuading him.
"You too Mister Sander," Lola says and Logan shakes his head.
"I don't do hugs," he says with a hint of a smile.
"Get over yourself," Dana says and Bastiana nods before Logan walks over giving them all a tight squeeze.
After their group hug the family split around the room with their spouse ,Bastiana walks toward her office throwing herself into a chair staring at the at the presents. There were so many more since she got back from her meeting. Before left the office had saw many presents over Amy's desk and now all of them were at her own desk at her condo. A lot more. She may have to rent a U-Haul truck to get them out of the office. Hell, she might just have to get a crane to pull them out of the window. She was tired she surmised as she rubbed her eyes.
"Bastiana, are you in here? I can't find you through all these boxes. What are you going to do with them all?" Travis wondered loudly, sarcasm dripping from every word. Bastiana cocked her head and pursed her lips in annoyance but remained silent. The man smirked widely,'Ammy, next year you should screen these before you take them home.' That's exactly what's going to happen next year." He said. Bastiana still remained silent her eyes looking off to the side at the new presents.
"Hell, we should put them in another room and wait until Christmas. Then give them to the other partners." Bastiana said. Travis rolled his eyes.
"Isn't that what you do anyway?" Travis asked. Bastiana blushed a bit.
"Just for the ones I don't have to impress." Bastiana chose her words carefully not wanting to use the word 'care' in any shape or form. Travis sat in an unoccupied chair.
"So, wanna crack open the champagne and start opening these bad boys? I got the garbage can from the custodians for the presents that need to be removed ASAP. Oh, what's better, we can set up a fire in the parking lot for the really bad ones." Travis gushed. Bastiana smiled brightly, lips turned up in amusement.
"That sounds like an idea." A voice sounded from the open door. Amy strode into the office, heels digging into the carpet. "Dangerous, but so you." She added smiling at Bastiana. She pulled a bottle of champagne from behind her and three flutes. As if Bastiana's smile could grow any bigger, she let herself laugh at the secretary's insight. She set the glasses on the desk and popped open the cork.
"Bastiana Vestia Wolf 42 years well lived." Amy toasted. Travis whooped and lifted her flute in agreement. Bastiana smirked and lifted her. The three clinked glasses and drank at the same time. They set the flutes down with a giggle and felt content. Bastiana's eyes were glowing with delight as she picked one of the boxes from the ground and ripped off the paper.
After opening the half of the present Bastiana walks toward her room sending fake smiles to everyone before ran up to her room and grabbed her treasure from her drawer and ran out of her own condo.
The lawyer took off her shoes and threw them into the pavement and sat down and indifferent to the dress she wears that may cost more than a house.
For the first time, she was thankful to have the peace and quiet she so often was ready. She picked up the cigarettes and matches from ther pocket, withdrawing one from the pack and pulling a match from the box. Lighters simply did not do it. Matches brought out the best taste, while lighters tainted it. Striking the match along the side, Bastiana heard the old sizzle as the match burst into flame. She brought the cigarette to her lips and set the fire at the end and inhaled. Sweet, heavenly smoke filled her chest. It was absolutely fantastic, she thought, as she took a deep breath and exhaled. Her eyes watched as the smoke swirled around her in a dance, the wisps creating a beautiful curved pattern in the air, and it was like she could see her own visual contentment.
Perfect. Everything was perfect. She could enjoy a full cigarette. Her brothers were onjoy themselves, so Bastiana would have plenty of time to clear the air of any scent long before he returned. But for now, he reveled in the joys of the dangerous little stick and smiled.
However, what he didn't count on someone to show up just to say happy birthday to her.
"Those things will kill you, you know"
"Aaron?" she said, tilting her head at him quizzically.
Hotch looks at the woman in front of him. Obviously, Bastiana was trying to appear collected, but xhe'd been caught and had very clearly not been expecting to be caught. The mask of hdf face did not fool Bastiana for a second. Aaron gave Bastiana a concerned look.
"Are you smoking?"He asks.
Not bothering to try and lie, and accepting that she was very much busted, Bastiana sighed dramatically, "A nasty habit I picked up shortly after I got to New York," she replied before taking a drag. "I don't do it very often now; in fact this is the first time in a few years that I've actually felt the need."
"And the contents of the bottle?"
"Suki," she said, handing it to him. "Go ahead, take a swig."
Recognizing the name of a very strong alcohol drink from East Asian made from fermented tubers, he lifted the bottle to his lips to take a sip, grimacing and coughing when he was done. "Ugh, that stuff is awful! Why would you drink it?!"
''I am a fan of vodka but my nerves are shot about for my birthday.''
"Whatever happened to Mistress Unflappable?" he asked as he handed her the bottle back.
She chuckled. "She's still in there, somewhere. I just haven't had to use her recently."
''You should be inside celebrating with your family.''Hotch noted, sitting down next Bastiana.
"I did not see the harm in one," Bastiana said dismissively.
When Aaron suddenly put a hand on her arm and Bastiana was stunned by the electricity that shot through her at his touch.
"Aaron—"
His eyes were hard but she could see he was genuinely concerned for her. "You ok?" he cut her off.
She brushed it off. "Oh yeah, why wouldn't I be? It is my birthday and I ma getting old ..''
"Maybe because you got the same look on your face as you did at the SVU building when toy spoke with your brothers…" he practically whispered.
Pain shot through her as memories threatened to rush forth. She pushed them back, determined not to lose it again. She was all right, she was in control, she reminded herself.
She let her fingers dance over his hand momentarily. Something she couldn't name flickered in his eyes making her hold her breath in anticipation. He leaned towards her slightly and in surprise she moved her fingers away. The look disappeared from his eyes.
"I'm ok…" she reassured firmly. "Just… I'm all right…"
He nodded his head, stepping back from her. The look from a moment before was gone, but he still watched her intently, warmly; somehow, she knew that look from before wasn't a mirage. And it was that look from a second ago that fueled her mouth's next movements.
"Aaron, would you—" she stopped, hesitating.
She took her lower lip between her teeth and bit at it with indecision. She saw his eyes move to her lips before speaking.
"Would I what?" he said quietly.
Bastiana pushed Hotch away from her saying.''Why are you here ,Aaron?''She ran her hand through her hair and took a deep breath.
Hotch's brow furrowed and he turned to her, pain shining in his eyes.
''I brought you a gift''
Was it his imagination or was Bastiana blushing?
Gift?. Her grandfather had never given either of them birthday or Christmas presents. It was a sign of weakness to accept a gift for something you had no control over. According to him, birthdays were useless. Big deal, so you had been born. That was no cause for celebration at all. And Christmas? It was just a corporate excuse to take a holiday and indulge in too much drink and food. A time for businesses to make money off the poor fools that bought into the whole idea of good will to all men and who spent huge quantities of their paycheques buying things for those they loved.
With that, the small box from his pocket was placed in front of her on the pavement , narrowly avoiding that drop of suki. The red and green paper glittered prettily under the gold bow he had carefully placed on top. Bastiana still hadn't made a move and Hotch smirked, proud of himself for surprising her as she had him. "Go ahead, open it, Bastiana."
In ten minutes, he'd turned her world upside down, inside out and reversed it all for good measure. Glancing up at him as he stood beside her, she saw the gentle smile on his lips and returned it. Glancing down at the present, she gave a little start. The golden bow was the exact same one that she had put on his gift. With a small gasp of delight, she grasped the small, slim box. One hand gently pulled off the golden bow that crowned the gift. Setting it off to the side, she turned the small box over, looking for the seam that held the paper on. Carefully peeling the tape away in several spots, she took the red and green paper off. A small white box now rested in her hands. With trembling fingers, she separated the top from the bottom and peered inside. The present itself was still hidden under a layer of silver tissue paper. Sighing, she pulled the edges aside and revealed what was underneath.
And gasped in surprise, her eyes wide with appreciation. "Aaron, it's beautiful!" she exclaimed, knowing he was right. A long, delicate, silver chain rested on another layer of silver tissue paper inside the box. That wasn't the exciting part, though. The pendant on the end of that chain was what had really grasped her attention. Golden flames engulfed and surrounded a heart-shaped diamond. The light in the street was caught and reflected in the facets of the diamond and she looked up at him once more. "Thank you, Aaron. It's wonderful. But you didn't have to get me anything, you know."
"'We're supposed to be friends, right? Well, friends get other friends presents for special occasions'.Her blue eyes sparkled merrily as she looked back down at the necklace he had spent hours designing before taking it to a custom jeweler to have it made. It was all worth it, though.
"Would you help me put it on, Aaron? Please?" Bastiana asked, picking up the chain and holding it out towards him. His fingers touched hers again as he claimed possession of the chain and separated it. Her heart beat a little faster at his touch and her cheeks reddened as he moved to stand behind her chair. "Hold on, it'll be a lot easier if I'm standing. You can see better to do up that little clasp." She stood up and moved a little ways away from the table, hoping he didn't see how nervous she was all of a sudden. He moved to stand behind her and the heat she felt from him made her want to melt. His arms lifted the chain over her head and held it before her eyes.
"This would be a lot easier if you'd move your hair out of the way," he commented mildly. Control was now his as he took another small step closer to her, inhaling the soft scent of her shampoo as her hands lifted the mass of chocolate hair up into a temporary ponytail. His fingers brushed against her cheek as he brought the necklace down to rest against the fabric of the turtleneck and did up the tiny clasp. Her skin was nothing like the wrapping paper – her cheeks were much softer and warmer. "There, all done." She released her hair and he groaned silently as the silky strands caressed his fingers. It was as soft as her cheeks.
"Thanks, Aaron," she said, noting the receding redness on his cheeks as his eyes flicked down to look at the chain encircling her neck. "How does it look?"
He swallowed once, twice before he could even look at her face. The pendant rested against the gentle swell of her... he hadn't realized how long the chain was when he'd bought it. "It looks good." He caught the flash of laughter in her eyes and knew that she knew what he'd been thinking about. He flushed slightly.
"Can you come up with something better?"said a male voice causing Bastiana and Hotch jump from surpise.
''Who is there?' asked Hotch, wrapping a protective arm around his friend. Bastiana had stopped flinching when people touchned her in not-sexual way and had gotten far more used to showing and accepting affection since Amy became her secretary.
Like a predator, Harvey Specter stepped out of the shadows. The agent and lawyer caught sight of him.
Harvey walks toward them wearing a three-piece blue navy suit. Harvey has his hand behind his back, hiding something and Bastiana narrows her eyes at the hidden object before raising he eyes to meet Harvey's.
''What are you doing here, Specter''
''To see my favorite little wolf!''Harvey grinned, looking at Bastiana with nothing but lust and passion.''And give you this''He finally pulls out whatever is behind his back, revealing a small bouquet of red roses. He became eager to see her reaction on the flowers, but he closes his eeys to take a deep breath. until he hears a gasp from her, he looks back to see her reaction. Harvey saw that Bastiana was actually smiling. And not even a smug or evil smile but rather a friendly happy smile. She also had one hand held out to Harvey and he just placed the present into Bastiana's hand and hoped that Bastiana at least wasn't going to throw it in the bin. She lows her head to take a better look at the vibrate colors of the flowers to smells them. Bastiana became intoxicated with the scents of the flowers she felt the blush increase and looked away a little again. Harvey must have heard Bastiana and for some reason was nice enough to not make fun of her and go easy.
"I would have gotten you a box of chocolates but I didn't think you would eat it."
"First off, I do occasionally eat junk food and candy, Specter. I'm not that strict," Bastiana says.
Harvey has an amused smile on his face. "Really? I would have never guessed."
Hotch stood there , watching the two laugh together. Hotch felt anger race through his veins as Harvey leaned in a little closer to Bastiana's space. He knew he couldn't have her, but the idea of Bastiana with anyone else was more than unappealing. He plain didn't like it.
He was so in trouble.
Bastiana leans onto Harvey and says in the sexiest voice ,''Why are you really here, Specter?''
Harvey grins at her question,''To wishe you happy birthday.''he looks at her with interest,''Are you calling me a liar?''
Bastiana stops in front of him, to trial her fingers down his chest,''I ain't callin' you a truther! ''
Harvey was grinding his teeth, until she softly says, ''You are here about the charity Ball''
''You will be my date!''Harvey's smugness made Bastiana wants to throttle him. She rolls her eyes at the remark and his hands squeeze tighter. He brings his face closer to hers and Bastiana begin to feel her eyes shutter. To be honest, living as Bastiana Wolf is lonely and she is terribly touch starved. She wasalmost grateful for his hands on her waist. It feels like he is grounding Bastiana to this place and she feels real again. She feels his lips brush against her and she is lost.
''Charity ball?''a voice suddenly spoke up.
Harvey fell deadly quiet. Bastiana smiled back at Hotch, if just to be polite. Harvey looked back and forward between the two. His frown was deep. Inwardly, Bastiana was laughing. The Specter-creep didn't like being double-teamed, did he? That must be why he was so sour now.
''Bar's charity ball is for..''Bastiana was cut off by a loud shout that rang throughout the street.
''BASTIANA. BASTIANA?. WHERE ARE YOU MT LITTLE WOLFIE''which was followed by a low chuckle.
Bastiana stood silently after the outburst, deep in thought as she recognized that voice. Her shock slowly turned to irritation as the words that were spoken slowly sunk in.
''Little wolfie? looks like we now have something to tease you by.", Hotch said trying hard not to laugh.
The blush. Oh, the blush that followed that. Harvey looked away, eyes cast down. He couldn't watch anymore, for some reason.
''LITTLE WOFLIE?''
Bastiana groaned and turned away from them, muttering something about hiding bodies. Harvey wasn't sure whose bodies she was talking about, but he figured Travis Tanner might want to sleep with one eye open. At least for tonight.
"Hocthner?" ventured Harvey, once Bastiana had left.
"Yes?"
"If you touch Bastiana again, I'm coming after you."
"I never doubted it." replied Aaron.