Despite the exhaustion and the sleep-deprived headache, Emily had never felt so happy and at ease. The next morning, she stood alone in the break room, absentmindedly stirring her coffee, thinking about the best date of her life. After their dinner and dancing, they had spent the rest of the night in the bedroom. The enthusiasm hadn't dispersed once they were in bed, either. Their sex had been more than just a means to satisfy physical needs. It had never been that way; she had always suspected they had a stronger connection than that, considering the countless hours afterward they would spend talking, how easy it was to be comfortable with him. Now, though, it seemed that wasn't just her imagination.
Maybe this wasn't completely one sided. Even if Morgan hadn't been thinking about it… maybe he wouldn't be so turned off to the idea of turning their affair into a real relationship. She had never been so hopeful about that before. With the few previous men she'd managed to get serious with, a relationship seemed more the next step than a confident desire. It wouldn't be long before everything fell apart, but maybe it could be different this time.
Emily Prentiss never thought she would think that. Let alone be secure about it.
She hadn't even noticed anyone had walked into the room. JJ came in for coffee, pouring herself a mug. Leaning against the counter, she stared at the distracted woman for a long time before finally pulling her attention.
"Alright," JJ called, "Who is he?"
Startled, Emily finally realized there was an entire office coming alive around her. "What? What brought that on?"
"Please, Emily, there is only one reason for a woman over the age of thirteen to look like that." She whispered in case of eavesdroppers.
"JJ… it's nothing," She hoped her face wasn't blushing, but that warm sensation in her cheeks could mean only one thing.
"And does nothing have a name?" JJ couldn't hide her pleased smile.
"Does who have a name?" Garcia asked as she brought her bubbly self into the room.
"Just some guy who makes Emily more relaxed than an epidural," JJ pointed out with a smirk.
Garcia shrieked, "Oh my God… I know who it is!"
Emily tried to hide her fear, though her stomach clenched in a vice grip. They were supposed to keep this secret from the team… but maybe he did tell Garcia.
"It's Steve, right?" she asked.
"Who's Steve?" JJ asked, just as confused as Emily.
"The bartender from the wedding." Garcia explained. "You spent an awful lot of time up there and I saw the way he was checking you out."
"It's not Steve," Emily shook her head. She nearly collapsed from the relief.
JJ considered something, "What about that one guy you were seeing? Malcolm, you seemed to really like him. Did you go out with him last night?"
"It's not Malcolm, I haven't seen him in… what, a year." She desperately wanted a change of subject, searching around for something to focus on. Right at the unit doors, she found it.
Morgan stood with a woman at the glass doors. If you could call her a woman, she barely looked legal. Most definitely an intern, her bright blonde hair curled around her in a black dress that did not look regulation, unless she was serving drinks in a cocktail bar.
She recognized that attitude, with the smile and gestures. And the way her manicured fingers kept trailing down his arm made her want to pull out her gun and shoot the whitened smile off her face.
That was a bit overdramatic. But still, Emily did not like him talking to her. She didn't even like him looking at her.
Before the girls could notice, she gave a roll of her eyes and a heavy sigh. "I see Morgan's shopping in the Little Miss section this morning."
The girls checked. JJ rolled her eyes. "Well, that's my boy for you." Garcia said with a shrug.
"Still, you think he could set his sights on a girl with more than two brain cells." Emily turned and slammed her mug on the counter, sloshing liquid onto the granite. "I swear, I would like just one day where I don't have to watch him find the next notch in his bedpost."
They both looked at her in shock, "He's a player, Emily, that's what he does." JJ stated. "I mean… I don't see the appeal in that lifestyle, but to each his own. You never cared before."
"I don't care, now," Emily's voice was sharp. She grabbed a paper towel to clean up her mess. "I care just as much about him as he does about me."
She heard Garcia exhale, "I really wish you guys could make up already."
"Yeah, don't you think this fight has gone on long enough?" JJ asked.
"We're not fighting anymore." Emily explained.
"But you certainly don't like each other." She corrected. "The only time I ever see you together is when you have an assignment. We can tell you want to be friends, you just don't know how to get back to normal."
"You were talking at the wedding, what was so different then?"
"I had about five glasses of champagne in me, Garcia, that's what. I could have had a meaningful conversation with my mother." That was a complete lie. Emily had plenty of practice over the years; she could hold her liquor. "I was so drunk, I couldn't even drive myself home."
"And he did it without complaint." Garcia explained, not taking kindly to being yelled at. "I think that could be the opener you need to move past that which has been going on way too long."
Feeling like a rat, Emily thought of a reply. She knew they couldn't stop this mock dislike at work. It was for the protection of the team and their careers… but she hated having to lie to her friends.
She was saved from a statement as Morgan stopped in. "Morning Ladies," Morgan said, stepping in. "Baby Girl, how you doing?"
"Fine, now that you're here," She replied. "Who's your lady friend?"
He hadn't looked to Emily once since he stepped in. That didn't change as he replied, "Oh, that's Cheyenne. She's been working here for three months… said she finally worked up the courage to ask me out." He shrugged with a grin, "I couldn't turn her down. What would that do to her confidence?"
"Great, you can pick her up after her Girl Scout meeting." Emily muttered bitterly. She turned back to replenish the coffee she spilled.
There was a long silence. "Jealous, Prentiss?" Morgan asked.
Emily waited until she turned back around, taking a careful sip. "Of that?" she said after she swallowed. Her eyes narrowed at him a bit. "No. If I feel anything, it's pity. For her."
"Ah, that hurts, Prentiss," He said mockingly, filling his own cup. "All I know is, all three of you would have been jealous if you could have seen the girl I had last night. Now she was fantastic."
He flashed a smile at Emily as he headed into the bull pen. JJ and Garcia took that as an insult for their friend, trying to remain neutral and not take sides. Emily pretended to be mad, not to show her delight at that comment.
"See, if you two just apologized and hugged it out, that wouldn't happen anymore." Garcia said.
Emily was done talking about this and wanted to get to work. "Look, Morgan doesn't bother me. If he wants to be a jerk, that's his business… I can handle it, you don't need to be concerned."
"Sweetie, I'm sorry," Garcia said sadly, "I hate all the stress and dirty looks and I want things back to normal. I just want you guys to be friends again."
"We all do," JJ agreed.
Emily nodded, "I'm sorry, guys… but I don't know if that's possible right now."
With that, she headed into the bull pen. JJ glanced at Garcia, "Well, if they're not going to grow up, then we need to do something."
"Sounds like you have a plan, Baby Doll." Garcia replied.
"A small one," She agreed. "When Reid gets back… we have some work to do."
Meanwhile, Emily took a seat at her desk. She avoided looking to Morgan in case the girls joined them. After a quarter of an hour, opening another file, she asked casually, "Are they gone?"
"Yeah," Morgan replied. She looked up to meet his smiling face. "Beautiful performance, Prentiss."
"I try not to disappoint." She replied, trying not to smile and draw attention. "So… when are you going out with Cheyenne?"
He hesitated, pretending to rifle through his desk. "I'm taking her for drinks after work… maybe we'll grab dinner." He glanced at her, "If that's alright with you."
Morgan had gone on dozens of dates over the past year, but this was the first time he'd asked permission. She abandoned her files, not caring if someone saw them talking. "Yeah, it's fine… it doesn't matter how I feel."
"Yeah, it does, Prentiss," Morgan corrected. "I don't want to upset you."
This was not the place for this conversation. She never wanted to have it, to be honest, but the bull pen of the BAU was on the bottom of the list. "I'm not."
"Good." Morgan replied with a nod. "Because if it weren't… you could tell me. I wouldn't go…"
"No, go," Emily said sincerely, "I'm fine with it. And even if I weren't, it doesn't matter. This is the deal we made. It's worked so far, and I'm happy with it. Aren't you?"
No, he was not happy with it. He hadn't wanted this in the first place, but with the job, it seemed the only way to get close to her. A real 'cake and eat it, too' situation. "Yeah," he nodded.
That was disappointing, but what did she expect? She gave him a smile as she stood up, grabbing a few finished files. "Have a good time; don't do anything I wouldn't do."
"That doesn't leave much, Prentiss." His eyebrows raised, emphasizing his point.
"You're such a dirty boy," she growled softly, pretending to search for something in order to continue talking. "Since you won't be coming over tonight, you want to go to my place at lunch?" Her eyes caught his quickly.
"Definitely," he replied. "I'll leave at 12:30 and meet you there."
She could stall no longer. "Remember, the key is taped under the fire extinguisher." She whispered, walking past him, folders in hand.
Morgan watched her walk away, loving her every move. He'd much rather have drinks and dinner with her.
Though they had to go to work, Reid and Riley were both in good spirits the next morning. The streets were cold and quiet, minimal people were around. This wasn't much of a residential area, either. A few apartment buildings were nearby, but they were more for wealthy occupants, not the average daily worker. The threat of rain was upon them as they waited for a cab.
Just before eight, they made it to Scotland Yard. Inside the squad room was much like the other police stations the BAU team had visited. There wasn't much commotion yet, most of the detectives gathered in morning activities. A few questioning glances landed on them as they were lead to the conference room by another young constable.
Inspector Bradbury was already waiting for them inside with two other people. "Dr. Reid, Mrs. Reid, good to see you this morning. We're happy to have your assistance, from both of you."
He seemed to be the only one of the three who had that opinion. "Well, we're happy to share our expertise."
"These are Inspectors Oliver Paul and Evelyn Eden," Bradbury said, introducing them. "They've been working the case with me these last two months. They have everything you'll need to know."
"I hear you're supposed to be on your honeymoon." Inspector Eden muttered, almost gloatingly. "It's an odd way to spend a holiday."
"How did you spend your honeymoon, Inspector?" Reid asked.
Riley looked at him in question as Eden replied, "I'm not married."
"You were," Reid pointed out. "As the fading band on your ring finger implies, and I assume it was recently. Your attitude doesn't suggest someone who would… hang on to something once it was officially over. Which means you didn't stop wearing your ring until the divorce was final, also telling the decision for severing the marriage wasn't yours."
He suddenly realized he was stepping over the line. "I don't mean to offend you… I just know how to read people."
She fixed Reid with a cold stare, the sting of her broken marriage fresh in her mind. "Leo, can we get started, the sooner we catch this killer, the better… unless the Yanks disagree."
Everyone took a seat around the table. Riley let out a whisper, unheard by everyone but her husband. "Oh, it's going to be a long day."