Chapter 13: Epilogue
A/N: This is the last chapter of this story, I am getting emotional that this story has come to an end. I'd like to thank all of you who took time to read, review, favorite and followed this story. You are all the reason I kept writing and didn't give up. This chapter is for all of you, I hope you'll enjoy it please let me know what you think.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Although I'd love to own CM I don't…
Previously
Emily returned not long ago to find him already asleep on the bed over the blankets, he had turned to his side and was hugging Bear Hotch who was sitting previously on her side on the bed. She smiled at the picture in front of her, she left the pills on his bedside table, kissed his cheek and left the room, but not before taking a couple of picture for future references (BLACKMAIL!)
Chapter 13
Hotch woke up feeling the sun on his face, there was a weight on his hand and he smiled remembering that he wasn't sleeping alone anymore. He opened his eyes watching Emily sleep next to him peacefully. It was amazing how things changed since he was released from the hospital. His mother left after a couple of days, not before giving him a huge ear bash for his behavior and making him promise that he will call her more often that twice a year or so. His name was cleared and Matt told him that he is welcomed to return to the BAU wherever he saw fit. He felt Emily stir next to him and he smiled when he saw her open her eyes.
"Hey, you're watching me again!"She said with a smile on her face.
"Sorry couldn't help it. I missed waking up with you so much" she smiled and snuffled closer to him. "I missed it too."
The pair sat in silence for a while just enjoying the company. He was content with that, he really was, he missed the hectic paces of the BAU but that didn't mean that he couldn't appreciate the slower pace.
"Oh I think we'll have visitors soon." She said smiling a bit wider. They heard Jack's steps on the hallway outside their room and the knock on the door.
"Come in!" Emily said and the door cracked open, he sneaked his head inside and smiled "Are you up? I'm hungry!" Aaron laughed and got up from the bed
"Right away!" he said smiling. "Get up sweetheart the master is hungry!" Emily laughed and got up following her men in the kitchen. It was a good life… nothing could change it.
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Waking up with her son sleeping next to her was one of the best things she had felt; the little boy was sleeping peacefully, his little thumb in his mouth. It's been around a week since she had told Dave about him and the man embraced fully the title of fairy godfather had showered the boy with gifts. Of course Garcia wasn't that far behind, or JJ, or Spencer, or Derek or… well pretty much everyone.
Everyone had met Gideon on separate occasions, Hotch and Emily met him when she went to visit them and talk to Hotch about the offer Matt had made to her…
Elle was standing in front of the door with Gideon in her arms, the little boy was awake looking around him in amassment, he always liked exploring new things and this was a building he'd never visited. She ringed the bell and waited staring at the dark wooden door in front of her. Emily opened the door with a smile on her face, she could hear voices from the living room, one of which she could identify as Hotch and the other as Jack.
"Elle!" Emily said with an even bigger smile on her face. "Is that Gideon?" she asked looking at the boy in Elle's arms who suddenly had turned extremely shy and turned his head away.
"Yeah, he gets shy when he meets new people." Emily smiled and stepped aside "Come in." Elle walked in the apartment and saw Hotch sitting on the couch, Jack was curled against him and they were watching a TV, "They're watching Avengers Assemble again." Emily said looking at the two of them in the couch.
"Aaa okay I get it. Hey Hotch, Jack." Hotch and Jack raised their heads momentarily and said hi before they turned their attention back at the TV.
"The episode is over in ten minutes, I suppose you want to talk to Aaron right?" Emily said while guiding her to the kitchen. An older woman was already there sitting on the table drinking a cup of tea.
"Patty, this is Elle Greenaway, she works with Aaron and I in the FBI, Elle this is Patty, Aaron's mom."Elle smiled at the woman and took her hand in a tight handshake.
"Nice to meet you dear, and who is that shy gentleman?" she asked looking at Gideon who was still hiding in his mother's hair.
"Oh, that's my son Gideon, he tends to get a bit shy when he meets new people." She said sitting down and getting the boy away from her shoulder.
The three women sat and talked for about ten minutes before Aaron appeared in the kitchen, he was using the cane, something that surprised Elle a lot.
"Hey, I'm glad to report that Jack is back in his room finishing his homework." He said smugly and sat down on the only empty chair. "Thank you and you're welcomed." Emily rolled her eyes and turned to fill her glass with orange juice again.
"Smug aren't you?" Elle joked.
"Well, I told them that if they let Jack and I watch the new episode then he'll go and do his homework without a hitch and they didn't believe me. I was right!"
"Wow, well I need to talk to you." She said, the smile on his face flattered a bit before answering to her.
"Sure, let's go in the office." Emily walked closer "I can take care of Gideon if you'd like." Elle kissed the boy's head and passed him to Emily. He immediately started studying her face, and Elle turned and followed Hotch in the office. He was walking significantly slower than she remembered, but then again last she remembered his knee wasn't filled with fluid either.
"Take a seat" he said softly, Elle walked to the other side of the dark oak desk. "You want to talk about Matt's offer don't you?" he asked her after he sat down on his leather chair.
"How did you know that?" she asked shocked, sometimes the man's ability to know everything was driving her crazy.
"Matt told me. So what are you thinking?" he asked.
"I think I'm coming back, I'm here to ask you how you feel about working so close with me again. When I left things weren't the best and I wouldn't like that to influence how the BAU works" Hotch smiled and took her hand, "Water under the bridge Elle. Nothing changed for me, I still think you as a friend and I hope you can think of me the same way as well." He said smiling.
"I do Hotch, I do."
…Matt met him when she went back in the building to give him her answer…
Elle walked in the building, Gideon was sleeping in his stroller, as she walked through the entrance and into the elevator. She reached the sixth floor in silence, everyone was probably already home or on their way. Although she only cared about one man in the building and she knew for a fact that he was still in the building.
She pushed the stroller down the hallway leading to Cruz's office and knocked on the door.
"Come in" the man from the other side answered, his voice was tired. She entered and noticed that the room was in much better stated than it was last time she was there. The blankets were picked up from the floor and the couch, his jacket and tie weren't hanging from chair.
"Hey." She said softly and walked farther inside the room.
"Oh, is that baby Greenaway?" he asked walking softly to the stroller.
…Dave had almost dragged Alex to meet his godson…
Elle opened the door to see an overexcited Dave standing there with Alex next to him. The woman looked as if she had just gotten out of the bed, wearing sweatpants and an oversize shirt.
"Sorry for the hour but I couldn't help it, I wanted Alex to meet Gideon, is he awake?" Elle laughed and let them in.
Dave was really good with Gideon, she could see exactly why Jason wanted him to be the baby's godfather. Although she had to admit that his excitement level was a bit too high.
"He dragged me from bed to meet his godson." Alex said with a flat expression on her face "I hope you have coffee."
…Derek and Savannah visited with Penelope who demanded to be introduced to her new BAU baby…
She had just gotten off her daily call with Dave when she heard the doorbell. She placed the phone back on the counter and walked to the door opening it to reveal a hyperactive Penelope on the other side of the door with a smiling Savannah and a Derek who was carrying a dozen of bags and boxes.
"Get me to my new BAU baby!" was the only thing she said.
… JJ, Will and Henry visited after Derek and Savannah had left with Henry asking her shyly if Gideon would like to be his cousin and play with him and Jack and Kai and Michael and Hank when he grew older…
Derek and Savannah had left just an hour ago, Penelope was still in Gideon's bedroom playing with the boy when Elle heard the doorbell. She excused herself and went to the door opening it to find JJ, Will and Henry standing there.
"This is for Gideon." Henry said giving her a green wrapped box.
"Thank you." Elle took the box and let the family in. the three of them walked in and into the living room.
"I couldn't wait I wanted to meet him" JJ said apologetically.
"It's okay, you don't have to apologize for wanting to meet your godson." She said smiling.
"Aunt Elle, can I ask you something?" Henry said, Elle had stopped being surprised when one of the boys referred to her as aunt Elle. "Sure sweetheart, go ahead." She said kneeling down to his level.
"Is Gideon going to be my cousin and play with me and Jack and Kai and Michael and Hank when he grows older?" Elle smiled widely to the kid in front of her.
"Of course kiddo."
…Kate met him just yesterday when she offered to babysit so she could get in a meeting with Matt and the director…
Elle was pacing up and down her new office rocking Gideon in her arms. "Hey boss." Kate said smiling. They had just been officially stated as the BAU Alpha two, Elle had to admit that her team was small but she liked it. Only herself, Kate and Alex, three people that was all, today though she had a meeting with Matt and the director to discuss about adding more people to the team and today was the day she didn't book a sitter.
"I have a huge meeting with Matt and the director and I didn't book a sitter and I'm pretty sure, no matter how much Matt likes Gideon, that he'll be welcomed in that meeting." She said.
"Well I can babysit for you. I don't have anything else to do."
"You are a lifesaver!"
…Tara was the last to meet Gideon she did though was the one who he seemed to like the most; he liked her voice and the necklace she wore, for some reason…
Elle walked back in her office after the end of the meeting, Gideon was sleeping in Tara's arms, his little hand was wrapped around her necklace.
"He couldn't sleep and apparently Tara is a baby whisperer." Kate said looking highly amused from her seat.
She liked having them all close again, in the last week they've been proven to be a great help. Greatest than she could even imagine.
Her phone beeped from the nightstand and took it in her hand looking at the text message she got from Dave "9 p.m. my place get Gideon too."
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Derek was in the kitchen making breakfast, everything had changed so rapidly in the past week, he wasn't complaining though. Last night he had a talk with Savannah about what to do from now and on. He wanted to return to the BAU at some point but he wasn't willing to leave Hank yet, he wanted to witness the "first", first steps, first words, in the end they had decided that he was going to go back after Hank's fifth birthday full time because Matt, that little devil, had offered him a part time consultant's position, he would do some teaching at the academy, consult in cases mostly from Quantico, minimum to no traveling and a pretty 9 to 5 schedule. According to Savannah, if he didn't take the job then she will either shoot him with his gun or accept the job herself. That was pretty much a no brainer in the end.
"Hmm, something smells delicious!" he turned and saw his wife standing at the doorframe, she wore his old FBI t-shirt and a pair of shorts, her long hair were up in a loose bun, she looked as if she just came out of a dream.
"Pancakes my lady." Derek walked to her wrapping his left arm around her waist pulling her closer and kissing her.
What an amazing feeling of contentment was that he felt right now.
"Perfect, I'm starving!" she said with a smile on her face, "Then please my lady take a seat and I'll serve you right away." She laughed and walked to the table pulling out a chair to sit. "What time is your appointment?" he asked placing a plate in front of her "11 a.m. then we need to go buy the things Pen told us yesterday and drop them off for her to make the cake and the pie she is planning. What time do we need to be at Dave's" Derek looked up from his plate "9 p.m. he said to bring Hank too." she smiled and his whole world lightened up, what a wonderful feeling of happiness was the one he felt.
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Life was too short to fight. That was Penelope's new motto as she woke up seeing Kevin sleeping next to her he was lying on the floor she was on her couch, last night they spent it talking, working out the kinks between them, all those things they had left unsaid last time and it shredded them, slowly piece by piece.
She got up slowly and walked to the bathroom trying not to wake Kevin up looking at herself in the mirror she looked at a happy content woman, she always wanted to say she was that, it was good that after everything that happened in the last year she finally was too.
Walking out of the bathroom after she finished her morning routine she saw Kevin sitting on the couch, "Morning." He turned his head and looked at her walking from the bathroom in her pink sweatpants and blue shirt, and he had to wonder how the heck did he gave her up? What was wrong with him? "Morning."
"I'm gonna make some breakfast you want some?" how was it possible one question to make everything fall into place?
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Dave woke up to an empty bed, he looked around startled, he was convinced that he went to sleep with Hayden last night, where was she? He got up from the bed and went to get dressed, walking to the balcony door and watched the sobering scene going on below him, Joy was running playing with Kai around in the yard, he could see Shawn setting the table on the porch for breakfast. It was a beautiful moment, he loved it when his whole family was there, only if the team was as well. He felt good for the first time since he bought this house. When he did he didn't know why for the love of god he would buy suck a big house with so many rooms, three stories height, about ten bedrooms, what the heck was he thinking? Right now he has to admit that he was glad, hopefully one day soon the house would be full of his grandchildren and great grandchildren if he was lucky enough to see them.
"David!" he turned and saw Hayden standing at the door. "Good morning bella." He walked to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, "I don't like waking up alone." He confessed.
"Well Kai wanted grandma's special pancakes. Who was I to refuse?" she said with a huge smile on her face.
"That's a perfect reason to leave the bed I have to admit."
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Matt groaned as he rolled a little too far in the bed, he woke up suddenly realizing he was on the floor, he looked around him at the blankets and the sheet tangled up around him. He heard a loud laugh from the door and raised his head to stare at Katie who was doubled over laughing. "Yeah laugh it off. How about to help me up?" he said after he tried to get up but failed.
"Seriously Matt this is the fifth time you fall off the bed. We have to do something." She said smiling as she helped him up the floor.
"Yeah buy a new goddamn bed! One that fits at least three people in it." She smiled at his comment and helped him pick up the blankets from the floor.
"What time do we have to be at Dave's" she asked when they dropped all the blankets on the bed.
"9p.m. but I have to go to the office for a while first." He said leaning in for a short kiss.
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Kate looked around the bullpen, it was empty that was a first. The floor was clean the glass repaired, the desks in perfect condition. Everything looked like as if nothing changed, she knew it was wrong, everything, everything had changed since last time, she had a son now, she and Meg were back on the track, the teenager telling her everything, from school matters to boys matters, she and Chris were better than ever, she was back at the BAU which she loved, everything was truly amazing, but so, so different.
She had to admit though she didn't mind that. Different often was good. Different meant growing up, meant maturing, meant moving on with your life after tragedy.
And after the mess they had just got through they deserved to move on… although something was telling her that the storm wasn't over just yet.
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Walking in D.C. was the first thing she had missed in Boston, walking down the busy streets seeing the people walk her by the cars driving down the street it was a sobering moment, she loved D.C. so much, it was home, and although it was hard, harder than she'll admit, being away from James she liked it here, she liked it here more than she liked Boston, remembering all the horrible things that happened to the BAU in Boston didn't help either.
The morning breeze was refreshing, it was a great day, the sun had just gone up, she could still see the soft oranges and purples in the sky suck a beautiful sight.
Such beauty, what could go wrong with a beautiful sun rise as such?
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He slept in, it wasn't something he did often, if he was being honest with himself it was something he wasn't doing at all, but he did today, he slept in turning around to check the time he saw that it was already 10 a.m. he had no idea when was the last time he had slept in that late, probably never. He got up and went to the kitchen start the coffee and purr himself a generous portion. He noticed his phone vibrating on the coffee table and walked lazily there, it was a text message from JJ, he smiled at the text, and replayed fastly, before going to get dressed.
He would have never guessed but he loved lazy days…
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JJ woke up feeling Will place a soft kiss on her forehead. "Mmhmm." She murmured in her pillow.
"Sorry for walking you sweetheart, I'm off to work, I'll take Henry to school, go back to sleep." He whispered in her hair and he kissed the back of her head softly.
"Love you." JJ whispered in the pillow, making Will's smile widen even more, "I love you too sweetheart."
The second time JJ opened her eyes was almost 9.30 a.m. she looked around the house was quite, Michael probably still asleep, having finally started sleeping full nights. She got up from the bed and walked to the bathroom standing in front of the mirror, she liked what she saw, the woman on the other side of the mirror was relaxed, she was fresh and energetic. She liked the face staring back, maybe she should catch more sleep wherever she can.
Getting out of the bathroom she walked to the nursery seeing Michael still sleeping continuing to the living room taking her cell phone and wondering whether she should or not call Matt to check in on the BAU. In the end she decided to text Spence, coffee and breakfast with her best friend was something that she hadn't done in a really long time.
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Tara Lewis was a woman who was happy with the little things; she loved the feel of the air on her face, the thrill of putting a criminal behind bars, the scent of an old well kept rare bottle of wine, the feel of the raindrops falling onto her head down her face and arms. She enjoys the little things, the hug of a friend, the coffee Dave brings to her or the beagle Reid will get from the bakery next to his apartment every other day.
She was happy with the little things, she still is if someone would ask, but she wasn't sure if the little things were enough for the long run any longer. Sharing her life between two departments, two lives basically.
She stopped running and walked slowly to the bench on her left sitting down overlooking the Potomac, her life was almost spiraling out of control a few days back and now she is trying to pull it back together… she isn't sure she can do that yet, she needs to talk to the others, Dave, Reid, J.J., Hotch… she needs to talk to them before she chooses where to align herself for good.
She guesses that's just another conversation that will be addressed in tonight's dinner.
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9p.m. came sooner than anyone had expected, they had all gathered in Dave's house just on time, it was the first time they met Hayden without the whole gloom of the past weeks over them. Emily and Tara managed to make small talk with the woman in extreme ease in French causing Dave and Hotch stare at them in confusion.
"What are they saying?" Dave asked while standing at the grill, flipping the burgers.
"I have no freaking clue!" Hotch said, he was sitting on the chair next to the grill trying not to put much weight on his knee, "How is it for you? You're healing alright?" Dave asked, he turned to the younger man with the spatula in his hand.
"I've been following the doctor's instructions to a t." Hotch answered smugly raising his beer to his lips and taking a sip.
"Good my friend, how about things with Emily, how are you two adjusting to living together again?" Dave turned to his burger
"We've successfully navigated through our first fight as adults, we took some time thought it over and then I called and apologized." Hotch could see the smile on Dave's lips forming although to his credit the older man had tried to hide it.
"You my friend keep this up and you're never getting another divorce."
"I plan on it."
Emily was helping J.J. put the finishing touches on the table while Penelope and Joy were bringing the plates and the glasses out.
"Is it weird for you too?" JJ asked looking at Emily placing the crystal glasses on the table "What's weird?" she asked, looking up from the task at hands.
"Not working, I mean you run the London INTERPOL office for four years and now you are just sitting at home, doing nothing. I mean I wake up at home with Michael, Will already gone to work, Henry to school and all I have to do is wait around, cook dinner and do the groceries. It's… it's not bad, I'm not complaining I like the extra rest I'm getting but it feels…"
"Like someone else's life?" Emily finished her sentence with a knowing smile on her lips.
"So you do understand."
"Well for me it's slightly easier, Aaron is at home too, I drive Jack to school because he isn't cleared to drive yet, we're looking for a house at the same time, Aaron's mom was here, she just left so I didn't have the time to feel like I'm living someone else's life yet. I guess I will if the stand-down goes on longer." Emily turned her head to the grill where Aaron, Will, Dave and Shawn were sitting together laughing about something that Dave had said. "So far I'm content with that." She said showing the picture on their left. "Seeing them all happy, hearing the boys play in the tree house. Knowing that everyone is alright is enough for me… for now. One day will come that being a housewife won't be enough and I'll start picking a fight with Aaron over the smallest things, and he'll be frustrated that he has nothing else to do other than sit around in the house. I guess you can say… so far so good." Emily smiled at her friend.
"Well the potatoes are ready I'm taking them out of the over in few minutes can you see if the boys have finished the stakes and the burgers?" the two women rose their head to see Hayden, she had walked out of the house, a big smile on her face. "Of course, I'll go." Emily said and turned to walk to the group of men in the corner.
"Dave is a good man." Hayden turned her head to JJ when she heard the woman speak "I'm sorry?"
"I said that Dave is a good man, and he deserves to be happy, life had been unfair to him all those past years. He seems happy with you, I like that. I guess what I want to say is… welcome to the family." JJ smiled and hugged lightly the older woman, letting her stand on the same spot in a state of shock for a few minutes before she turned and walked back into the house.
"Well, boys did you finally finished up here?" Emily walked to the guys and leaned on Aaron's chair smiling widely, Aaron wrapped his arm loosely around her waist pulling her closer to him "Dave's been trying to teach Shawn how to flip the burgers 'correctly' he fails." Emily smiled at his comment.
"Well boys the answer? Hayden needs to know." Dave turned at her waving the spatula to her "We'll be ready when we're ready woman!"
Aaron chuckled "You my friend are on the fast track for your fourth divorce if you keep it up."
They all sat down on the table after putting the kids to sleep on their bedroom, Jack and Henry squealed at the surprise Dave had for them since he redecorated a whole room with an en suite bathroom, for the three of them with high beds and desks. They were relaxed laughing and joking, having good time.
"Alright Aaron and I have something to tell you all." Dave got a mischievous look on his face, knowing what Emily was going to tell them.
"Please be good news I had a crappy day so far." Matt said groaning as he remembered the day he had.
"Well Emily and I are… we're going to…" he looks at Emily
"We're having a baby." She said smiling widely, Aaron's smile matched Emily's while the shock set in their faces, followed by the overwhelming smiles of happiness.
"Now these are good news." Matt said smiling "To the Hotchners who in few months time will grow their family some more!" he continued raising his glass.
The unusual family was sitting all together in the table, Emily and Hotch's news had significally lifted their spirits.
"Oh I know I know what we should so!" Penelope said happily, she had already drank two glasses of wine and they started to have an effect on her. "We should play a game! We'll get to know each other better that way." Elle lowered her glass slowly looking around the table "Like what?"
"Like… truth or dare!" everyone on the table but Kate and JJ groaned at the idea. "This is a horrible idea Penelope!" Alex said trying not to sound too harsh to the already intoxicated technical analyst.
"But it's gonna be fun!"
"Alright fine let's do it." Hotch said finally caving in to the puppy dog eyes Penelope was sporting.
"Yey! Okay the rules are simple, you either chose Truth or Dare, no changing, if you chose truth you have to answer truthfully, if you chose Dare but won't pull it through then you'll have to pay the prize, which will be simple, strip to your underwear for the rest of the game." She had a huge smile on her face for the whole time, "God woman you are salvage!" Derek said taking another sip from his beer.
"So let's start!" she said and Spencer started to complain about not joining in, although his protests were fastly ignored.
"So…" Penelope looked around wondering who would be her first victim "My chocolate stud muffin truth or dare?" she asked with a huge mischievous smile on her face.
"Dare mama. You know me!"
"Well… I dare you to let me and JJ put make up on you and you have to let it on for the whole game!" she said in triumph, JJ had a glint in her eyes that almost scared Morgan who to his credit nodded and sat back. JJ and Penelope went to work immediately and in less than ten minutes Morgan was sporting bright blue eye shadow with matching mascara and bright neon pink lipstick.
"Is it my turn?" Morgan asked as soon as the two women sat down in their chairs again. "Sure Stud muffin." Penelope said, "Good, JJ truth or dare?" JJ put down her wine glass and looked at Morgan in the eyes trying to figure out if truth or dare was going to be the most harmless way to go. "I guess I'll go with truth." She said smiling, the smile on Morgan's face though scared her, "JJ do you or don't you have one of Hotch's shirts and if you do why, when and how you got it." JJ's mouth fell to the floor, "You did not!" she gasped, the rest of the table the looks on their faces varied Elle, Reid and Hotch had a frightened look on their faces while the rest have a look of question mixed with amusement. "Oh I did darling, as history have taught this team what happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas. So spill." He said.
"It's truth, we were in Vegas, in January 2006, we got late in the hotel and they had given our rooms away, there was only one room and in Caesar's Palace, one of the suits, it was a huge thing, two bedrooms and a big living room, so Gideon and Spence were going to share one room while me and Elle would take the other room and Morgan with Hotch would sleep on the couches. Thing is when we did get to the room, we couldn't sleep so we decided to just get a couple of drinks. We had a couple of them and Morgan suggested we should play strip poker. At some point the only ones with clothes on were Hotch and Spence, the rest of us were in underwear, that was the line if you were down to your underwear you'd lose, so Hotch is in this shirt and pants and loses the hand, but before he could take it off on his own my vodka filled brain thought it was a good idea to rip it off of him and I did, Elle and I later drew on it with glitter glue and I still have it in a paper bag in the back of my closet… it smells like alcohol and regret by the way."
"No way!" Emily said looking from Hotch to JJ and back, "Really?"
"Yes really that's why I am complaining about not travelling with you guys, you get crazy in other towns. Every time I'm with you things are so bad that you never want to go out and get drunk with me or something." Hotch was biting his lower lip trying to stop himself from laughing.
"Well, my turn" JJ stopped Garcia's rumblings, trying to get this game over with, "Elle truth or dare."
"You guys are dangerous no matter what I'll chose, Truth." She said, "Be careful what you'll ask Jareau."
"Is it true that you have painted members of this team while they were passed out or not? If yes tell us who, when, where and why." Elle gasped and Emily was especially intrigued to see Aaron cower down in his chair.
"Oh Jareau you will pay for that! It's true, it was in Vegas, the same time JJ ripped Hotch's shirt off, so when 2006, where Vegas, why I was drunk, who Hotch." She took a drink from her wine glass leaning back at her chair. "Oh come on!" Emily cried "I need to know the story!" Hotch's face from next to her was one of pure despair.
"Seriously? Hotch your wife is crazy!" Elle said looking at Hotch with her eyes wide.
"She's also pregnant so spill, and after I can help you dig both our graves."
"We got drunk, after the strip poker, and Hotch passed out on the floor, Penelope had got me some kind of glitter markers and we ALL drew things on Hotch. I specifically had written the lyrics of the friends' theme song. Spencer had written the oath we swore, JJ some Disney songs and I think Morgan drew I think all of us in stick figures."
"By the way that shit wouldn't leave even after I took three showers. Hayley screamed out like crazy when she saw me, before she started laughing. I slept on the couch for a week, till they were completely gone because she would start laughing every time she would see me, thanks a lot." He said sarcastically.
"Sorry" JJ said, but her face was anything but sorry.
"Alright, shut it!" Elle said stopping them "Callahan, truth or dare."
"You guys are freaking crazy, dare."
"Ah come on I had the perfect question for you. Anyway, I dare you to eat a spoonful of Penelope's guacamole." Elle said showing the bawl with the guacamole in the middle of the table which for some reason came off especially hot this time and no one managed to eat much of it.
"Oh I really hate you boss." She said, Kate took the spoon with the guacamole and brought it closer to her mouth slowly, "If I suddenly ignite please tell my family I loved them." She said before eating the whole thing. Everyone on the table looked at her for few minutes before she started feeling the burning sensation from the guacamole.
"Quick get some bread or potatoes." Dave said pushing both in front of her. Kate started quickly eating the potatoes in front of her hoping to mild the burning in her tongue and throat.
"I really hate you." She said as soon as she was able to talk.
"Sorry, you should have picked truth." Elle said smiling, "Whatever, Alex, truth or dare."
"Well, I think I'd like to take truth, seeing what happened in the last two dares" she said mentioning at the slightly red Kate, and Morgan who's pink lipstick still stayed even though he had drank and ate since it was applied.
"Well, what you thought of the team first time you met them." Kate asked Alex who leaned back in her chair trying to remember.
"Alright, I don't exactly remember but… well first person I saw was Hotch, who at the time looked as if someone kicked his puppy, so I thought he must have not been in good mood. Then I met Dave, whom I thought was immature, by the way I found him playing Pro evolution in his office, yelling at the TV in Italian. Then I met JJ, whom I thought was the most normal, till we flew to Seattle and I heard her singing in the bathroom 'I'll make a man out of you' and then on the way back she started dancing to 'If you're ready come and get it' in the middle of the plane. After I met Spencer, who I thought was sweet and shy, and last I met Penelope and Derek, Derek I thought was normal till I saw him drinking after the case in Kentucky and I was really scared by the amount he managed to consume without passing out and Penelope who I thought she was some sort of overprotective mother hen, till I realized in reality she is the baby of the family." Penelope smiled widely at Alex and threw her arms around the older woman, "I love you too." she said loudly, before kissing her on the cheek and returning back to her chair.
"Alright, Rossi, truth or dare."
"Oh why thank you my dear Mrs. Blake, I'll take a truth."
"Oh boy, when was the last time you lied and what was the lie you said. And remember Rossi I'm letting you go off easy." She said taking her wine glass in her hand.
"It was a week ago or so when I called Hotch and told him I was sick when in fact I was just fine, but Hayden was going to leave the next day for San Francisco and I wanted to spend the day at home." Dave said smugly, "I knew it. I just let you get away with it because I was planning on doing the exact same thing when Emily was going to come back."
"How the heck did you know that?" Dave asked starring at the grin on his friend's face.
"Because you didn't sound sick or even tired, and I did hear a woman's voice, in the back. Next time maybe you should pretend to be a little bit sick if you're calling in sick."
Dave rolled his eyes at Aaron's comment "Fine, Shawn! Truth or dare?" Dave saw his son in law pale at the question, "What? Everyone in the table plays." Dave explained.
"Alright I guess I'll take truth. It can't be that bad." Shawn whispered the last part looking at Joy who had an amused smile on her face.
"When was the last time you lied kid." Dave was starring at the younger man in the eyes while he was frowning trying to remember when the last time he did lie was.
"A couple weeks ago, when I told Kai that you were just fine on the way to the airport, although he had no fricking clue if you were or not." Shawn said, Dave's smug smile fell while the rest on the table started looking down, trying to forget the mess that was the last two weeks of their lives.
"Alright, sorry for that." Dave apologized; he knew how much Shawn despised lying to Kai even for the smallest things. Firmly believing that it's better for the kids to know the truth, rather having to find out the truth at some point of their lives and having to struggle with the consequences of it…
"Anyway, it's not a big deal, in the end I was right." Shawn smiled trying to forget the last two weeks as well. "Joy, truth or dear." His wife smiled and thought over what she should pick. "Well let's say truth, but I want to remind you that, both my parents are here, and one of them carries a gun, so be careful what you'll ask." She warned him.
"Fine! Do you have any tattoos? If yes, how many, what and where." He finished his question and looked at her with a sweet smile on his face.
"I have one, it's on my hip and it's a mermaid sitting on a rock in front of a waterfall." Joy said, she looked at her husband, a look that said thanks on her face, he smiled back at her and gripped her hand under the table, they both knew that there were far worst question he could have asked, thankfully he asked one of the best. "Mom, your turn, truth or dare."
"Truth." Hayden asked, she knew her daughter and the last thing she needed was to have her give her a dare.
"How long are you and dad back together." Joy asked smugly, Dave cursed under his breath, the kid was starting to pick on all of his bad habits one after the other.
"Three months, since Kai's birthday." She answered the question calmly and Joy turned to her father who nodded his head confirming the answer, "And now it's my turn." She said quickly before her daughter had a chance to ask anything else.
"Tara, truth or dare?"
"Oh this is turning so cliché, truth."
"Well, which was the craziest moment with the team?"
"Oh well this is easy; after I met Emily, we got to eat Mexican and we all had gotten a few drinks too many and everyone started picking on Hotch about the whole let's get married in Vegas so much that he started blushing, and then he got back starting to pick on Dave about his Vegas wedding and JJ about her last minute surprise wedding. In the end I have to say that I heard things about my teammates that I never wanted to hear, such as that Hotch and Emily are loud during sex, which by the way if it's true I do not want to be in a room close by!"
Emily and Aaron turned to each other in complete shock, "Were we that drunk that night?" she whispered in his ear, "I don't know sweetheart, probably, because I don't remember that."
"Savannah truth or dare."
"I never thought I'd say it but I choose truth, you guys are not safe to choose dares." She said remembering the last time they played truth and dare when they almost got arrested.
"Alright, when was the last time you had sex." Tara asked keeping her voice straight as if she was asking about the weather.
"WHAT?" Derek yelled, "No, no, no!"
"Before Hank was born." Savannah answered causing Derek's eyes to widen even further. "What? It's not like it's a secret that for at least two months after birth you can't have sex, you are not the first not the last. Katie, truth or dare?" as soon as Savannah asked though before Katie could answer Matt, Penelope, Hotch and Elle's phones started ringing, Aaron was the first to look at the screen, the smile on his face fell immediately, Matt seeing the look on his friend's face opened his own phone starring at the almost identical message he got, he turned and looked at Elle who was starring at her phone, her eyes open wide. Everyone in the table felt the change in the air, everyone felt the happiness and carefree feeling they had few minutes back disappear into thin air.
"Maybe we should take this inside." Dave told them, his voice not taking no for an answer, everyone got up from the table and picked up as many from the plates as they could in their hands walking inside the house not bothering to pick up the table, chairs, and other things.
They walked inside the house, leaving all the things they carried in the kitchen, Dave was walking around closing and locking all doors and windows.
"Aaron what's going on?" Emily said as soon as Dave closed the patio door
"There have been nine more prison breaks 22 serial killers have escaped. The DOJ wants us back in the BAU immediately." His voice as cold, he really was looking forward to the time off and frankly he wasn't that ready to go back working for the FBI just yet.
"I can tell them that you can't come back yet" Matt offered. Hotch was touched by his offer
"No, it's our job. We're going to do it. Together?" he asked looking around the others there.
"Together!" Elle confirmed.
"If we're doing this no one is staying alone, last time a psychopath with a grunge against one of us was on the lose things went south real fast real hard. That's not something I want to relive any time soon. Till this is over all of your asses are staying here," Dave's voice just told them that this wasn't up to discussion.
A/N: This is the end of "A Storm just Came" I want to thank you all who supported this story, my first multi-chaptered story. The sequel will be coming soon; it's called 365 Days and follows their lives for the next year while living in Casa Rossi as well as having the whole conspiracy solved.
Instead of a sneak peak I'll give you some of the criminals that will appear (who else would you like to see?)…
Peter Lewis "Mr. Scratch"
Thomas Yates "The Womb Raider"
Vincent Perotta
Jeremy Sayer
Brian Cochran