Chapter Two:
The next time he saw her was two days later when she was holding a cafeteria tray looking slightly lost.
He looked to J.J., Lewis, and Garcia. "Do you mind if I invite her over?"
J.J. smiled. "Invite anyone you want Spence."
"Jane!" Reid called out and she looked surprised to see someone call her name. She slowly approached them.
"Come sit with us," he said beckoning her forward.
"Sure," she said nervously and then took a seat next to Reid. "This is my first time down here as I usually pack a lunch and eat at my desk but I thought I'd try here. Though I didn't realize how much it would feel like high school."
"Well you're at the cool kid's table today," Lewis said with a grin. "I'm Tara Lewis, this Penelope Garcia, and this is J.J."
"I'm Jane. I was never at the cool kids table in school. I sat out in the hot sun with the Mathletes."
"So where are you from?" Reid asked.
"Albuquerque and no I don't know how to cook meth or how Bugs Bunny went wrong."
This got a laugh from everybody but Reid who looked confused.
"The methamphetamine use rates are on par with the average city of that population."
J.J. leaned in. "He hasn't seen a popular TV show ever," Morgan said.
"Oh I never saw the show either," Jane said. "I just got sick of being asked if I knew how to cook meth by half-drunk coworkers at parties and decided to read up on the show."
"So what brought you to D.C. if you don't mind me asking?" Lewis asked.
"I followed my now ex-boyfriend up here and decided to stay," she said. "Now three years later I got sick of helping rich people get richer and decided working for the FBI might sound cooler."
There was a lull in the conversation as people started to eat their lunch.
Jane gestured towards them. "So you guys are serial killer hunters right?" she said. "I see you leaving and coming in the building at random hours."
"That's us," J.J. said. "We work in the Behavioral Analysis Unit."
"I stay here most of the time. I'm the technical analyst," Garcia said. "That's the way I like as I prefer the creepy stuff to stay behind my computer screens."
"I don't think I'd have the stomach for your job either," Jane said.
J.J. opened a bag of cheese doodles. "So pending we don't get called on a case: Who has plans this weekend?"
"I'm going to car show with Rossi," Lewis said.
"I'm going to do touristy things with just Henry for some special bonding," J.J. said.
"I'm going to see the new exhibit on Nigerian culture at the Smithsonian," Reid said.
Jane sighed. "I am just going to laze around my apartment with my Magicians."
Reid's eyes lit up. "You like that series too?"
"I've read the books and the show while it obviously going to different, it isn't terrible. I've missed the last couple episodes."
"I have read the books too but only saw the first episode," Reid said.
"Then you should come over and we can watch it together," she blurted out.
Reid turned red and so did Jane.
"I'm sorry my boyfriend left behind this big HD TV and I thought you might like to see it on mine if you don't have a better TV."
J.J. was smiling. "He doesn't. His TV is older than my first son."
"I'd love to drop by and watch it with you," Reid said nervously. "If you don't mind re-watching a couple episodes.
"No, not at all. How about six o'clock Friday?" she pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled down her number and address.
Jane quickly finished eating and got up. "It was nice meeting all of you," she said hurried away.
No one said another word as they finished eating. There were grins all around the table. They quietly got up from the table and put their dishes away. No one spoke in the elevator.
Hotch and Rossi were talking on the upper level when they arrived. Rossi stared at them.
"The cafeteria food can't be that good," he said.
"But it was a really good meal for Reid," J.J. said with a broad smile.
"Very good," Lewis added.
"Excellent," Garcia said.
Reid didn't say a word as he sat down behind his desk. He too was smiling.