So my laptop is finally back and fixed which means i can write again yay! hope i still have some readers with as long as i was gone.

I Don't Own Criminal Minds Or Scandal or any thing associated with either show i just own Lacey, Guiliana, Clair and Carlos


Friday came as quick as ever but thanks to Clair, lacey was sure that tonight's dinner was going to go off without a hitch. Clair had made arrangements and a few gardeners had come by the house that morning and a cleaning crew had just left leaving lacey to get ready. Lacey doubled checked that all her prep work was done with the food, that she has plenty of ice for the ice bucket and three bottles of wine chilled in the fridge. Thirty minutes later lacey was showered and wrapped in a towel looking at her hair in the mirror deciding to just apply some hair moisturizer and spray then tying it in a pigtail. Applying the works of concealer, lipstick, eye shadow, eye liner and mascara. Lacey did a quick double take in the mirror before picking up the outfit she had hanging on the back of her door. After a total of ninety minutes lacey was finally ready she did a double take in the mirror. Her sky blue skinny jeans looked cute paired with her white ballet flats that had a big blue crystal in the center and her long white tunic with the wide brown belt around the center looked even better with them. Her look was simple but good. Lacey took her hair out of the pigtail and luckily as she wanted, the pigtail had made her hair twist into four big curls which she ran her fingers through to make it look like waves.

Lacey was so busy finishing up she didn't even notice anyone walking into the room.

"Well don't we look absolutely adorable?"

Lacey turned and spotted Giuliana leaning against the door smiling at her

"Thanks gigi, wait what time is it I didn't think it was that late" lacey asked a bit panicked looking around for her cell to check the time

"Calm down its only ten till five you have about thirty or forty minutes before the team arrives I just came early to see if you needed any help" Giuliana replied taking a seat on lacey's bed

"Oh good and thanks but I got this or at least me and Clair do where ever she is" lacey said walking around the room

"Down stairs entertaining Spencer for me until I come back" Giuliana replied

"Well then let's not keep them waiting" lacey said holder her arm out for Giuliana

Lacey switched off the lights to her bed room and followed Giuliana down the stairs into the main hall following the voices that lead them to the kitchen

"What is so interesting you two?" Giuliana asked as she walked toward spencer seated at one of the stools placed at the kitchen island

"We were discussing the chances of a nationwide change of going completely green and environmental" spencer answered

"Clair you meet Spencer ten minutes ago and you are already trying to convert him to your green ways" Lacey asked shaking her head

"No we were just discussing it" Clair replied laughing at lacey

Lacey just ignored her replying "Uh huh sure"

Lacey left the three of them to their conversation and went to begin setting up for the rest of the guest. She went out the back yard and threw a match into the charcoal grill allowing it to begin to burn and turned on the gas grill to preheat as well then hit the switch to turn on the outdoor lights.

Lacey walked back into the house and took her iPod out of her pocket and handed it to Giuliana "Gigi pick a playlist"

"You still have that 2 cellos playlist" asked Giuliana as she began to scroll through lacey's music library

Lacey grabbed her iPod back and tapped a few things on her iPod before placing it on the dock system on the patio as the sound of music filled her backyard

"Wow your yard is amazing, are those fish real" spencer asked her as he followed Giuliana and Clair out to the back yard

"Thanks and yes they are I only purchased them a few days ago and please don't ask me what they are I only got them because they were pretty colors" lacey told him laughing

Lacey left Clair and Giuliana to show spencer around the yard which they had been in many times and returned to the kitchen pulling out two of the bottles of wine and a few wine coolers placing them on the counter she went over to the storage closet and pulled out a small ice bin and went to the freezer and filled it with ice then placed the wine, wine coolers and a few bottles of water into before taking it outside and placing it on a small table which was located beside the big main table which was currently decorated with festive colors of blue and white. Going back into the kitchen lacey took a covered tray from the fridge and went back out to the grill. Checking it was hot enough she lined the steak and chicken kebabs along the grill and put the lid on. She went back into the kitchen and pulled all the bowls out of the fridge and made final touches to them. She gave the tossed salad which consisted of lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, onion and orange peppers one final toss and decorated the top with slices of boiled eggs and fresh bacon bits. Next she mixed the bowl containing the broccoli salad once more to make sure it was ready and well mixed before she places serving spoons in each one and placed them on the counter near the door to go outside. As she went on to place the rolls in the now hot oven she heard the bell from the front of the house ringing, a glance at the clock on the wall showed that it was already 5:35. Placing the rolls in the oven lacey wiped her hands on a dish towel and did a quick check around to make sure the kitchen looked ok before heading to the door. Upon opening the door she was greeted to the whole BAU team minus spencer who was already there.

Penelope was the first to speak "Hi sorry were a little late"

Lacey smiled at her and laughed a little "Five minutes isn't even late it's still technically on time"

"Well are we too early then" Emily added into the conversation

"No its perfect timing I'm just finishing up plus spencer and Giuliana have already been here a while, come on in I'll show you all to the back yard"

"Wow your house is like amazing the contrast from the outside is totally different from the inside" Morgan said looking around at the design

"Thanks Derek I wanted to keep the old school charm to the outside it sort of reminded me of an Italian style villa but on the inside I wanted a little more personality to make it a real home you know"

"Well it is very beautiful" he added

"Well thanks and if you all are up to it after dinner I would be more than happy to give you a tour" lacey said guiding them to the backyard

"That would be nice" Penelope said

Lacey guided the group through the foyer to the living room and out through the doors that led to the end of the patio"

"Oh my goodness look at this yard this house just keeps getting better and better it's so beautiful" Penelope said admiring the large backyard

"You aren't lying there baby girl, lacey your yard is amazing" Morgan agreed

"thank you it's one of my favorite places in the house it took me a while to get it to look like this I had the vision I just wasn't sure how to make it a reality though" lacey said enjoying their admiration

"Well it looks as if you found your vision and it is spectacular" Dave said entering into the conversation.

Lacey smiled "Thanks "

"It's Dave" Dave told her returning the smile

"Dave" lacey replied back

"Hey you guys finally" Giuliana said interrupting them all

"We were here on time as I heard you got here early" JJ said hugging Giuliana

"Maybe so" Giuliana said shrugging her shoulders and hugging JJ back

"Well you all the table is set and ready to go I just have to bring the food out and get the kebabs off the grill but please help yourselves there is an ice bucket over there I put in two kinds of wine, some wine coolers and bottled water there is more ice in the ice chest over there in the kitchen area by the cabana and the glasses are in the cabinet beside the bar and most importantly please you guys make yourself at home I want you all to be comfortable it's the weekend you all don't have to be big shot FBI agents here"

"Thank you lacey we appreciate that" Hotch stated

"No problem" Lacey relied

"Do you need any help in the kitchen?" Emily asked

Lacey put her hands up "No I got this you guys relax I'll be back in about ten minutes"

Lacey left the group to talk and headed back into the kitchen. She took the rolls from the oven and placed them on the counter to cool for a few minutes. When she looked up Clair was walking toward her

"Hey where did you disappear to?"

"I had to take an important call" Clair replied taking a seat on the island counter

"Well everybody is here now and the food should be just about ready" lacey said as she washed her hands to set up the food

Clair helped lacey get two bread baskets and line them with tissue paper before placing some rolls in each one. Together the girls got the table set up and the food lined just as Giuliana had finished showing the team around the backyard.

The group all came and sat around the long rectangular table. Lacey sat at the top and to her right was Giuliana, spencer, Morgan and then Penelope, to the left sat Clair, jj, Emily, hotch and at the end opposite lacey was Dave.

"This all looks so good lacey I hope you didn't go through too much trouble" Emily asked

"thank you and no I enjoy cooking I just hope you all like it there is yellow peppers, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchini and yellow squash on the steak and chicken kebabs, there is a bowl of sharp Vermont cheddar if anyone wants cheese on the salad and in those bottles right there is the dressing I made it myself Italian or ranch and in the little bowls in the center is the butter I made to go with the rolls"

The team looked at the incredible spread in amazement

"Wow you didn't really have to go through all the trouble this looks like it took you all day to do" Hotch told her

"Like I said I love to cook so honestly it wasn't much trouble at all this for me was a simple meal and second you all deserve it none the less with what you all do throughout the week"

"Well thank you for this it's wonderful I have to get you to write down the recipe for this Italian dressing it's so good" JJ spoke as she began to eat

"Aww thanks and just remind me and I will it won't be a problem"

Most of the dinner went on with simple conversations of everyone getting to know Lacey better and also getting to know Clair a bit. After cleaning up from dinner Lacey started a fire around the fire pit and started a pot of coffee and set a kettle on the stove for tea. Since the night was Turing out to be nice Lacey invited the team to stay a little longer and enjoyed everyone's company. Once settled the team sat around the pit eating dessert.

"Lacey this cherry compote is delicious I have honestly never tried grilled cake before it's really good" Penelope told her

"I'm glad you all like it really I do appreciate it"

Giuliana interrupted adding to the subject "Speaking of cake do you want cupcakes, cheese cake or ice cream cake?"

Lacey took a sip of her coffee and rolled her eyes "Please not this again, Ugh how about neither"

Giuliana ignored lacey and continued on "Oh come on lace if you don't pick one you know me and Clair will just buy all three and maybe some of those little cake pop things they are so cute" Clair snickered a little knowing Giuliana was right "And I've been thinking what about a spa day this year I know usually we go shopping but how about we change it up a little this year"

"I don't know what the occasion is but I want to come" Penelope said getting excited

"Yea me too" Emily added

"Penelope, Emily you both would be more than welcome to join us but it's not happening" lacey said leaning back in her seat and shooting Giuliana a dirty look

Giuliana got up and went over and sat on lacey's lap "Oh come on what's not to celebrate if I was turning 32 and had accomplished all that you have in that little bit of a time span I'd be ecstatic" Giuliana said putting her arms around lacey

"Hell just celebrate the fact your turning 32 and don't look a day over 20" Clair said pointing at her

"Ok enough we have a few weeks can we talk about it later tonight is not about me or my birthday" lacey said pointedly to them both

"I swear your like my dad he hates his birthday too, he's so moody on his I mean yes you're getting older but a person is only as old as they feel and view themselves" Giuliana replied rolling her eyes at lacey and taking a sip of lacey's drink.

Lacey rolled her eyes and replied "Cause it's just a birthday i mean technically a person gets older each day should we celebrate that too" Lacey left her question in the air as she slid out her sit leaving Giuliana sitting there "I'll be back I need a refill thanks to you"

Going over to the kitchen area lacey refilled her wine glass gulping down what was in it and refilling it again

"You were thirsty huh"

Lacey turned around coming face to face with a smiling David Rossi

"Yea sorry did you need anything"

"No need to apologize I just came for a refill myself" Dave told her holding up his empty glass to show her

Lacey filled Dave's glass and then her own

"So you birthday not your favorite thing to celebrate I'm gathering" Dave asked her taking a sip of his drink

"No not really I just choose to look at it as another day" lacey told him

"Well contrary to what Giuliana said it's not really that I dislike my birthday it's just that with this job there isn't much joy usually to celebrate with" Dave explained to her

Lacey nodded in understanding "I guess I understand with as much as you all travel and work I can see where it may be difficult to stop and take the time to celebrate a birthday or special occasion"

"So would I be prying if I asked the reason you don't enjoy celebrating yours too much" Dave asked

Lacey thought of what to say before replying "No its fine it's just that I've never really celebrated it even as a child I was in boarding school full time since the age of six so I never really had many birthday parties growing up and my family was usually too busy to come visit around then so after a while birthdays became less meaningful I guess"

"Dave nodded in understanding "I'm sorry to hear that"

lacey smiled "No don't be I've gotten over it now and I should be used to this by now honestly ever since our first year in college and Giuliana found out I didn't celebrate my birthday she has done something every year so I at least celebrate a little"

Dave laughed "Giuliana loves planning parties no matter how small she enjoys doing things for others"

Lacey agreed "She does that's why I want to take care of her now with the wedding which I know usually the bride's family pays for so I hope I wasn't stepping on any toes with all that I have done so far"

Dave smiled and grabbed lacey's hand "I am so very happy that Giuliana has an amazing friend like you I know that the two of you are very close like family so when she told me you wanted to help with the wedding I understood believe me I do all those people over there they aren't just my co-workers and team they are also my family so no you aren't stepping on any toes here"

"Good I happy to hear you say that" lacey said hugging Dave

The hug could have lasted forever with the spark lacey felt from hugging Dave it was something she hadn't even felt when being that close to Carlos or any man really but the hug was cut short when Giuliana began shooting for them to come back to join the rest of the guest to finish enjoying the night.