She was standing on her tip toes her arms wrapped around his neck, kissing him back. He lifted her up, wrapping his arms around her waist, holding her close to him carrying her to the couch. He sat down with her on his lap never breaking this incredible kiss. Her commons senses was screaming at her.
"Stop! This is your boss! Nothing good can come of this! If he isn't going to stop it, you should, stop it before it goes too far. This could end your career at the BAU!" The irrational side was arguing just as hard. "This feels really good. It has been so long since you've been held and kissed. Don't stop, no one got hurt by playing kissy face. So what if it's your boss."
Her cell phone going off broke through to her irrational side, she pulled away from Aaron and slide off his lap, he continued to kiss her neck and ear.
"Hello? Jay? Oh my God!" She got up from the couch and walked away. "When? What happened? I'll fly into Lambert tonight. Tell Eric thank you. I'll call you with my arrival information." She stood in shock, tears streaming down her face. Aaron came up behind her and touched her shoulder.
"I need some time off. My grandparents were in a car accident. My grandfather is dead and my grandmother is in ICU. I'm flying out as soon as I can get a flight." She started to walk away, he turned her around.
"Of course. Take whatever time you need."
She went up stairs to pack a suitcase for at least a week, she picked up the phone and booked a flight for five am to St. Louis. She called Jay and told him she'd be there around seven thirty that morning. She went back down stairs and was surprised to see Aaron still here.
"What time is your flight?"
"Five, I'm getting ready to leave for the airport now."
"I'll take you."
"Thank you." She was feeling weird about playing kissy face with him just minutes before. He took her suitcase and she followed him out to his car. The rode in silence to the airport, she got her ticket, checked her bag. She hag a hour before her flight was due to leave, she expected Aaron to drop her at the curb and leave her. Instead he had stayed with her to check her bag. She bought a cup of coffee and was walking to the gate. He stopped her before she could walk through security.
"Call me when you land."
"I will."
"Let me know if you need anything."
Before she could say anything he brushed the hair from her face, and kissed her lips. "Have a safe flight." He stayed until she went through security.
She boarded the plane and found her seat, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
XXXX
She landed at Lambert at seven thirty, Eric Anderson was waiting for her outside the gate. He hugged her. "I'm sorry Izzy."
"What happened?"
"The brakes failed. John lost control on the last curve on PP, he slammed into a tree. Brenda is still hanging in there." They walked to baggage claim and she got her bag. They walked out to Eric's car and started the three hour drive to Poplar Bluff.
She picked up her phone and sent Hotch a text.
Landed at Lambert. Headed to Poplar Bluff.
She put her phone in her purse and leaned back in the seat. "So how's the big bad FBI agent?" Asked Eric
Izzy laughed at her friend. "I'm fine, considering. How's law enforcement in PB?"
"Oh you know the same as always. Don't let Jay put you to work." He laughed.
She looked at him and smiled, Jay Wilson was the Butler County Sheriff, and Eric was a city police officer. They were the only two friends from her high school days, she was pretty sure their career paths had shocked their entire class. They all three had shared Valedictorian for their graduating class, everyone thought they would be doctor's not law enforcement officers.
She heard her phone beep several times in a row, she pulled it out of her purse. She had a text from each of the team members letting her know they were sorry, and let them know if she needed anything. She returned a personal text to each of them, thanking them.
Three hours later they pulled into the city limits of Poplar Bluff, they went straight to the hospital so she could see her grandmother. She walked into the hospital and was greeted by the ICU nurse.
"I'm Izzy Cooper, Brenda's grand daughter. How's she doing?"
The nurse looked at her sympathetically. "The doctor will be into speak with you."
Her heart sunk to the pit of her stomach, that wasn't a good sign. She prepared herself for the worst case scenario. The doctor knocked on the door and came in the room.
"Ms. Cooper, I'm Dr. Bird."
She shook his hand. "How's she doing."
He looked at her for a moment before going on. "There is no easy way to say this."
"Just tell me."
"We've done a number of tests, there's no brain function."
She clinched her jaw. "I see."
"We recommend..."
"I know what you're going to recommend, if you think there's no hope, she wouldn't want to be kept alive this way. Bring me the papers."
She would not fall apart, not now. She would wait until she was alone to have her come apart, in just a matter of a short time she would be totally alone. The doctor left the room to get the nurse, they brought back the papers and she signed them. She sat down beside her grandmother and held her hand, she stoked her hair. She watched as they unhooked the life support, she held her hand and she left this world.
She sat for a few minutes longer, she picked up her purse and left the hospital. She checked into renting a car so she wouldn't have to rely on others, she drove out to her grandparents house to start planning their funeral. She walked in the door, sat in her grandfather's chair and cried.
XXXX
She must have fallen asleep, her phone ringing woke her up.
"Cooper." Her voice was raspy from crying, she looked at her watch it was noon.
"Hey, it's Reid."
"Hi."
"Is everything okay?" She knew better then to lie, she worked with profilers.
"No, my grandmother passed this morning."
"I'm sorry. Do you need anything?"
"No, I'm fine. I have to head back to town. I'll talk to you later." She ended the call and went to town, time to start planning their funeral.
She already had a good idea of what they wanted, by six she had everything planned out. They didn't have much family left, she was really one of the only one left. She planned the wake for Wednesday and the funeral for Thursday. She wanted to be alone that night, she went back to the house and looked around. She had sixty years of their things to go through, eighteen years of hers, and then her mom's things. Might as well get started. She started in her mom's old room, she was sure her things were stacked up from her. She opened the door and was hit by a smell of must, she pulled down a box that was filled with pictures.
She was thumbing through them, they spanned her mother's life. From babyhood to right before her death, she paused on the ones dated May of 1971. They were vacation pictures, she was posing with a man. He was dark haired and dark eyes, he looked familiar. Izzy couldn't put her finger on it, the back said: Italy; Izzy's dad.
Damn mom! No name! She had always wondered about her dad. She may never know who he was.
She continued to pick through the pictures, when she found several pictures of her mom and the man she made a pile. She counted fifty pictures of them from all over Italy, she put the pictures to one side. She planned on keeping the box, but she wanted these separate.
Her phone rang, she looked at caller ID it was Hotch, she didn't feel like talking to him. It was way to awkward. Maybe they could forget about the kiss or kisses, not that she wanted to, they were very memorable. She looked around the room, it was going to take her years to do this, she gave up for the night and went to lay down in her old room.
She remembered the ignored call, she pulled the phone out of her pocket. Hoping he hadn't left a voice mail, the icon was at the top of her phone indicating she had a voice mail. She listened to her message.
"Izzy, it's Aaron. I'm sorry about your grand parents. Let me know about the arrangements so we can be there. We need to talk about this morning. Call me."
She moaned and covered her face. She looked at the time, it was late in Washington so she bought herself a by. Her phone rang again, she looked at caller ID, it was Hotch, again.
All right Cooper, buck up and answer the damn phone! Face the music!
'Hello."
"It's Aaron. How are you?"
"Tired..."
"Were you sleeping?"
"No, going through things at the house."
"Do you have a minute to talk?"
"Sure."
"About this morning..."
"What about it?"
She heard him exhale. "How did you feel about it?"
"Common sense said to stop and run. The irrational side..."
"What did it say?"
"I didn't say much it was too busy kissing you back."
She heard him laugh, there was silence. "I don't think it's a good idea.."
"I know."
"There are several reasons why we shouldn't."
"I know."
"Izzy..."
"My grandparents arrangements are the wake is Wednesday evening from 5-9 and the funeral is Thursday at 2. I've got to go." She ended the call, it was probably for the best anyway.
XXX
She went into her grandparents room and picked out the outfits they were to be laid out in and took them to the funeral home. She got a few groceries and went back to the house, she started in her mom's room again. She was making a dent, when her phone rang, Hotch. She let it go to voicemail, she didn't have time to talk to him. It's better to keep it business.
The last box she opened had papers in it, she put it to one side to go through later. She walked back into the living room, and sat down on the couch. She heard a car in the drive, she wasn't expecting anyone. She stepped out on the porch to see who it was, Jay and Eric got out of the car.
"Izzy, we need to talk to you." Jay said
"What's wrong?"
"We don't think your grand parents car accident was an accident." Eric replied.
"What are you talking about?"
"Their brakes had been tampered with." Jay said looking at the report in his hand.
"Do you have any leads? Any idea why someone would want to kill them?"
"Have you talked to your supervisor today?" Eric touched her shoulder.
"No, why? I'm on leave."
Her phone rang. "Shouldn't you get that?" Jay asked.
"No. Come in a tell me what the hell is going on." Her phone rang again and she let it go to voicemail.
"Call your supervisor." Eric said.
She left the room and checked her phone, three missed calls from Hotch, all with voice mails. She listened to each one.
'It's Hotch. Call me ASAP!
VM2: DAMN IT COOPER! THIS IS IMPORTANT! CALL ME BACK! IT'S ABOUT YOUR GRANPARENTS
VM3: IZZY, CALL ME NOW!
Well shit! He sounded mad as hell! She hit redial, the phone didn't even ring a full ring before he answered the phone.
"Where the hell have you been?"
"I've been busy taking care of things. What is the problem?"
"Have you talked to the sheriff or the police?"
"Yes, they are both here. What's going on?"
"You stay with them until I get there."
"Hotch, it will be fine."
"I mean it Cooper, that's an order!"
She ended the call before he could yell anything else out. Too bad I'm on leave, and I'm not following orders."
She walked out into the living room and told Jay and Eric everything was fine and they could leave. They looked at her with uncertainty.
"Boys, I'll be fine. Go home to your wives and kids. I have things to do."
She locked the door, pulled out her gun and waited for Hotch.