Luke Alvez has known Penelope Garcia for over a year but Garcia hasn't stopped giving him that mean "Newbie" attitude of hers, so Alvez asked Garcia's favorite lady, Emily Prentiss for some advice.
One midnight flight home from a case, Simmons was on his phone saying goodnight to his wife and kids. JJ, Reid and Lewis were sleeping. Rossi was writing a new book chapter and Prentiss was writing her end of case report. Alvez walked over to Prentiss and he sat down across from her.
"Prentiss," said Alvez. "I need some advice."
"About what?" asked Prentiss.
"Garcia," answered Alvez.
"What about Garcia?" asked Prentiss.
"I don't know if you've noticed," said Alvez. "But Garcia always seems to be giving me a hard time whenever we are together."
"Yes," said Prentiss. "I have noticed that."
Alvez continued, "Reid and JJ keep telling me that Garcia is this happy and fun loving person, but I've only seen her happy twice this past year. The time when we recently cleared Reid's name and freed him from prison was one time. And the other time was that day that I met you."
"Luke," said Prentiss. "I don't want to talk about that again. I've already apologized to you."
"And I've already accepted it," laughed Alvez. "I'm talking about when you said 'Hi' to Garcia. I remember her saying to you that having you here was 'a dream come true!'"
"Uh, wait a minute," said Prentiss. "Are you Reid now?"
Alvez laughs.
"No," answered Alvez. "I actually remember that because that day you inspired me."
"I did?" asked Prentiss. "How?"
"Garcia clearly adores you," answered Alvez. "She always talks about you being one of the smartest people she's ever known. I want Garcia to one day stop hating me and calling me 'Newbie,' and for her to one day hug me, just like she hugs you, and for her to say to me, 'Luke Alvez, having you in this team/family is a dream come true.'"
"Wow," said Prentiss. "I didn't know that."
"The only time I've seen her having any fun was when she wanted to celebrate you choosing to be Hotch's successor as Unit Chief," said Alvez.
"Well," said Prentiss. "I don't know all of the reasons why Garcia is so hard on you. But I do know one reason. She misses Morgan and Hotch."
"When you were a 'Newbie,'" said Alvez. "Was she this hard on you?"
"No," answered Prentiss. "Not at all. She practically fell in love with me the first few months that we've worked together. Hotch was the one who was hard on me! Long story for another time. But, you're wrong. She doesn't hate you. She hates change. As you know, I spent four years running the London field office. Reid and JJ told me that she was hard on every 'Newbie' who came in after me mainly because she missed me. Dr. Alex Blake, Agent Kate Callahan and Dr. Tara Lewis."
"Lewis?" asked Alvez while looking over at Lewis. "But, I've never seen her hard on Lewis.
"No," said Prentiss. "Because she's found a way to earn Garcia's love. And so will you. Don't ever give up this inspiration that I've given you. You gave Reid some inside protection while he was in prison for Garcia, right?"
"Right," answered Alvez.
"Well," said Prentiss. "If she could love somebody as stubborn and controlling like me, then she can love somebody as kind, giving and caring like you."
"Thanks," said Alvez.
Author's note: I hope you enjoyed reading this story. It was inspired from the fact that Luke Alvez was the "newbie" who Garcia was the most hardest on since his arrival, while Emily Prentiss was the "newbie" who Garcia was the most easiest on. Alvez always wanted to find a way to have Garcia bring down her stone cold treatment wall that she had put up whenever she was around him alone. He wanted Garcia to be just as warm and loving to him as she always was to Prentiss.
Alvez's note on his first meeting Prentiss was from Season 12's "Taboo" when in the bullpen, Prentiss had profiled Alvez to Reid and JJ without knowing yet that Alvez was standing right behind her. That was also why Prentiss said that she apologized to Alvez. "Taboo" was also the episode for Alvez's inspiration to earn Garcia's love and friendship because he saw Garcia and Prentiss hugging each other lovingly at the round table. Alvez never saw Garcia acting so warm and loving before she hugged Prentiss.
Prentiss's note on Garcia falling in love with her was from Prentiss's very first case with the BAU team in Season 2's "Lessons Learned." At the round table, JJ had handed Prentiss a transcript written in Arabic and Prentiss read it easily in English. That impressed the whole group, but the way that Garcia smiled at Prentiss was priceless.
Prentiss's note on Hotch being so hard on her was from Season 2's "Sex, Birth and Death" when Hotch accused Prentiss of leaking a prostitution murder case's information to Congresswoman Steyer because Prentiss knew her. And because neither Prentiss or Hotch knew yet that Erin Strauss had secretly brought Prentiss into the team in an attempt to get Hotch fired as team leader. Wheels up, gang!