Spencer Reid graduated high school as valedictorian at age 12. He graduated College at 15, and by the age of 23 he had 3 doctorate degrees and was working for the most elite team in the FBI. The idea of returning to high school where he had been tormented and mocked during his formative years was not appealing. Even worse was the "style" that Morgan had helped him pick out. Morgan had insisted that Reid buy no pants other than well worn jeans, and declared he couldn't wear any shirts that were a) sweaters, b) had collars, or c) had buttons. To make matters worse, Morgan had made him cut his hair--which while Reid vehemently protested, Morgan eventually tackled him and forced him into the barbers chair. Now, looking in the mirror, Dr. Spencer Reid felt like he was looking at himself just after he had achieved his first doctorate in criminal law. He had no idea how to be a regular high school kid, 'how in the world is this supposed to work?'
JJ was not having any more luck in her own room. Having picked out one of the outfits that she had purchased yesterday and completing her hair and makeup, she too gave herself a final look in the mirror. 'No one is going to believe this.' She thought finally before packing up the rest of her clothes and getting ready to leave. She was meeting Spence, Morgan, and Prentiss in 10 minutes, but she didn't really want to be out in public any more than she had to be. 'I'm a grown woman! This is ridiculous!'
Prentiss and Morgan had quickly gotten ready and were waiting long before Reid and JJ joined them in the main lobby. Both wanted to inspect the work of the other, excited to tease their coworkers' youthful appearances. Reid came out of the elevator first. Prentiss gaped in shock as he walked over to them. He was wearing distressed jeans, and a brown t-shirt that complimented his chocolate eyes. His hair had been cut, and was now short and shaggy--giving him a youthful appearance. Overall, it was simple and did make him look like a kid. But, it was attractive enough that Prentiss suspected the girls at his 'school' would be fawning all over him.
"Good work Derek!" Prentiss whispered to Morgan before Reid approached them.
"We all ready to go?" Reid asked nervously
"We're just waiting for JJ" Morgan replied, smugly nodding at Prentiss.
JJ followed about 3 minutes later, and now it was Morgan's turn to gape. She was dressed in low-rider jeans that had a little flare and a embroidered pattern of something on the pant-leg and on the back pocket. Her light blue form fitting t-shirt showed her figure and complemented her eyes. Adding to her youthful appearance, her hair had also been cut a little shorter with long bangs and her hair seemed to dance along with her as she stepped.
"Wow" Morgan breathed as Prentiss smirked and JJ approached.
"You ready?" Prentiss asked JJ who nodded silently.
The ride to the airstrip was pretty uneventful. JJ stared out the window while Prentiss and Morgan sitting in the front seemed to idly chat to diffuse the silence. Reid was studying his hands, almost afraid to look up at their colleagues. Both Reid and JJ were feeling ridiculous in their new wardrobe. Prentiss and Morgan on the other hand, couldn't keep from looking in the mirror and watching their two younger coworkers. Finally they reached the airstrip and boarded the plane, knowing that Rossi and Hotch would already be on the plane. JJ and Reid were the only ones with actual luggage, the rest traveling with their ready bags. Prentiss and JJ began to move towards the plane after Morgan had insisted on taking her luggage to the plane. Hotch was up in the cockpit talking with the pilots when the four boarded the plane. Rossi raised an eyebrow as his coworkers found their seats.
"Hotch should be back in a second."
Almost as if on cue Hotch made his way back to the sitting area in the plane. "Wheels up in 5" he said smiling at the appearance of his youngest agents. "Let's go over covers," Hotch demanded passing out the files. "I kept first names all the same, just to make it easier. I know that is irregular, but because of the limited time we have to prepare, I just figured it'd be easier. Look over your covers, let me know if you have any questions." Hotch finished.
Emily grabbed her file and began to slowly read over the details. She knew in some capacity Hotch had assigned them together, but it was just another job. She was a 38 year old second wife of…Aaron Hotchner. 'This should be interesting'she thought as she continued to read the cover. The plane ride was awkwardly silent as everyone studied their covers. David Rossi was too famous with law enforcement throughout the country, so Reid became the 17 year old nephew that lived with Rossi after his parents died in a car accident, much to Rossi's chagrin. Hotch pretended to sleep on the couch of the plane while Rossi attempted to avoid Reid's inane questions.
When the plane landed, they separated into separate cars. Rossi and Reid heading to their 'house' for the next little while.
Prentiss, Hotch, and JJ stepped into the black SUV. "So, JJ….you excited to go back to school?" Prentiss teased to break the silence, as Hotch laughed and JJ groaned.
"You're as bad as Garcia" JJ retorted, "She called me this morning full of one liners, 'who's your daddy?'" JJ mimicked. "As if this isn't all bad enough, everybody thinks they're a comedian!" They pulled up to the small home the bureau had secured for them.
JJ and Emily began to wander through the home, setting down their stuff and getting a feel for the layout of the house. They had only been in the house five minutes when the doorbell rang unexpectedly. Hotch was closest to the door having just been in the kitchen looking at the empty refrigerator, and moved to answer the door. Checking through the peep hole, he found a middle-aged couple on their doorstep with a teenage son and daughter.
Hotch quickly opened the door to survey the family more closely. The boy was obviously older than his sister but both seemed in their late teens. "Hi! We're the Johnson's!" The mother said brightly, quietly surveying the home. "Wow! You sure moved in fast! The Wheelers only moved out last Tuesday!" Hotch smiled, this woman was obviously the neighborhood busybody.
Hotch raised an eyebrow as Prentiss and JJ came into the main living room separately. "Aaron Hotchner" he said, introducing himself as the family moved to the living room, leaving Prentiss and JJ in the entry way. "Umm, this is my wife, Emily, and my daughter Jennifer." Prentiss smiled and JJ nodded at the mention of their names. "These are our…neighbors? The Johnsons" Hotch said.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I must have forgotten, I'm Molly, this is my husband Eric. We live across the street. Nathan and Rebecca both go to Midland Academy, he's a senior, she's a sophomore." Emily smiled as JJ attempted to remain impassive while struggling not to roll her eyes. This woman was so over the top that it was unbelievable! "So, Jennifer, how old are you?" Molly asked JJ condescendingly.
"Umm, I go by JJ, and I'm a uh, sophomore." She stated.
"And where will you be going to school sweetie?"
JJ attempted not to cringe as the woman spoke down to her. "Um, I am going to Midland."
"Oh, well Rebecca why don't you go show Jennifer around while the grownups talk?" Molly smiled and said sweetly to her daughter. The young girl practically jumped out of her seat at the opportunity to leave. As her brother went to join them, Molly corrected him saying "No, Nathan, you stay here with the adults, let the girls have time to themselves."
The girl, Rebecca, was almost out the door when she looked back to make sure that JJ was following her, "you coming?" With a small look at Hotch, and his almost imperceptible nod, JJ made her way out of the house following the teenage girl.
"Wow! I don't know about you, but I hate that introduction stuff…my mom always makes us come, and it's always super awkward. Sorry about her…she is a little over the top sometimes. Call me Becca…everyone else does (beside my mom) and she's just weird about stuff like that…sorry, I'm rambling, I tend to do that a lot…I'll just stop talking now." Becca said with a smile. JJ laughed. This girl seemed nice, even if she was only 16.
"So, what about you?" Becca asked after seconds of silence, "you don't look like you're parents at all. What do you like to do? Where're you guys coming from? SORRY! Rambling again!"
JJ smiled as she remembered the cover "I'm from DC, I like to play soccer—it's kind of my passion. Emily's my step mom," she finished trying to answer all of the girl's questions.
"Wow! That's so cool!" Becca started, and seemed that she couldn't stop the words from flowing out her mouth, "So what happened to your mom? Oh! You probably don't want to talk about that! Sorry! What does your dad do?" Without allowing JJ an opportunity to answer she continued, "My dad's a lawyer and my mom stays at home, 'Susie Homemaker', you know the type. What're your parents like? They seem nice."
She smiled sheepishly at JJ, "Sorry," and taking a deep breath continued, "my brother Nate says that I'm a motor mouth."
JJ laughed "No, I like it, I'm not a big talker, so it's all good. My mom died 2 years ago, dad just remarried, and he and Emily got jobs out here so here we are!"
JJ chatted with her new found 'friend' for what felt like hours before she questioned whether they should go back, to which Becca replied defiantly, "I bet my mom's still at your house trying to see what type of people you are. Nate's probably ready to just DIE of boredom, and my dad is probably silently reciting football statistics as he pretends to be interested. It's what always happens. Let's stay out here for as long as we can!"
"So, what's this place like?" JJ ventured, if she were supposed to get 'in trouble' she'd have to know what to do. Odd, it was, that she was selected for this assignment. She had always been the straight-laced girl, never getting into trouble, always working hard. She was a small town success story, and now she was trying to be the opposite.
"I don't know what DC is like, but it's really boring here. There's not much to do EVER!"
Minutes later, JJ finally convinced her confidante to return to Hotch and Prentiss. Entering the home, JJ could see that Becca's mother was still in their living room, droning on about how Prentiss could cook the perfect roast. Just as Becca had described the older gentleman was looking directly at his wife, but it was though he were staring straight through her and the son seemed as though he would rather be doing hours worth of copying words out of a dictionary than listen to his mother anymore.
"Oh, you two are back so quickly, I was just thinking we should--" Molly attempted to continue her monologue.
"Actually, we've got to go get dinner ready, it was a pleasure to meet you." Emily said politely but forcefully. She had never been more grateful for her political upbringing that taught her how to get people to respond the way she wanted them to. Ushering the family of four out of the home she smiled as she shut the door before Molly could interrupt.
"I thought that woman would never get out of here." Hotch said exasperated while the two women smiled as he voiced their own opinions.
"Let's get to work."
AN/ So, what'd you think? I have decided to probably not go with the H/P ship, just 'cause it would be a little too much. But, you never know, I might change my mind :)