Playing Games by JuliaBC

The tacos arrived the moment after Morgan announced that Reid was going first. He left to get them, and the team paused for a moment. Garcia picked up her tablet, and leaned over to show Rossi a picture.

JJ was talking to Reid about a picture Henry had drawn, and Kate could slowly feel the team drift away from her.

She brought her hand up to her forehead again, massaging her temple. She couldn't bring herself to try right now, not when she suspected what she did. She looked down at her stomach and resisted the urge to rub it.

She hadn't taken a test yet. She didn't know. She wasn't sure.

And then there was Meg.

"She's been acting out," Mr. Roberts had said, during their phone conversation. "She talked back to me, and earned herself in-school detention when she got into a fight during lunch. We understand that you cannot come today, and your husband Chris is already here. We're just updating you."

Kate wondered how it had come to this. Meg had always been a reserved child, and when she entered Middle School, it had increased. She had chosen a close circle of friends, and hadn't strayed from them.

But Mr. Roberts said that the cafeteria monitors reported that Meg had seemed to start the fight, and she had slapped the other participant.

It honestly shocked Kate. But, as she'd said to Reid, she had to wait to hear Meg's side of the story. Kate knew what trials and rumors school life had. Maybe the other girl had started a nasty rumor.

Of course, Kate would never condone Meg slapping her, but if there was at least an explanation to rationalize Meg's behavior.

Behavior.

Kate wanted to laugh at herself. For God's sake, she studied behavior!

And yet she couldn't figure out what was bothering Meg.

And God knew she'd been trying.

"Okay, got chicken, steak and vegetarian tacos, plus some sides," Morgan announced, walking back through the door with his hands full of food. "I didn't order anything with anyone specific in mind, so just take what you want, I ordered plenty."

"It smells delicious," JJ said, and Garcia leaned over Rossi to talk to Kate.

"You love burritos, does that love extend to tacos?" She said. "What kind do you want?"

The smell was permeating the room. Kate blinked, then turned a bit pale. "Oh, god," she whispered, shoved her chair back and ran from the conference room.

"What the—" Morgan said, as a short, dark flash streaked past him. "What bit her?"

"Looks like the flu did," Rossi said. "I think she'll be back. We should just get started."

"Go ahead and spin, Pretty Boy," Morgan said, and Reid promptly spun One.

"Scholarship," he explained.

"You would," Morgan said. "Your turn, Jayje."

She spun a five, and moved to the corresponding space. "Cram for Exams. Lose next turn." She pressed her lips together as Garcia picked her career.

"I got so lucky," she exclaimed, when her random pick turned out to be Computer Consultant. "Yes! And my salary isn't half bad either."

She spun two, which was a Raffle Prize of $10,000, and as she collected it from Morgan, who'd been self-appointed as Banker, Kate returned.

"Sorry about that," she muttered. "I don't think I'll be having tacos after all."

"Can you still play?" JJ asked. "If you still feel sick..."

"I'm fine," Kate said. "I ate some funny eggs this morning, and I think that's all it was."

JJ's gaze pierced her, and Kate turned her head away.

Rossi spun, and bit back a curse as the wheel jumped from its place.

"I get $10,000!" Garcia crowed. "That's my job!"

Rossi tried again, and spun a five. He took his turn, and gestured for Kate to go.

She spun a nine, neatly passing JJ and Reid.

It wasn't a favorable space; write term paper. Lost next turn.

She shrugged, and took a water bottle from Morgan's stash.

He raised his eyebrows, but didn't comment as he took his own turn. "Lucky!" He exclaimed, when he picked the career card Police Officer. His salary was a little low, but it was obvious he didn't mind as he spun a six and moved quickly onward.

They went around and around.

JJ was the first to get married, surprising everyone with some very high numbers that made her pass everyone.

Reid got the knack of the wheel down just right, and he seemed to be going as slowly as possible to get as many favorable spaces as he could. While Rossi had to pay $10,000 in car repairs, (because he hadn't bought insurance) Reid neatly skated over that space and earned himself another LIFE chip.

The pile of LIFE chips was rapidly diminishing, and Garcia and Kate hadn't even earned one yet.

Garcia was raking in lots of money from Rossi tipping the wheel, and the other players were starting to think that he was doing it on purpose at this point.

Morgan picked out the worst house, the 'split level' that, in its picture, had a jagged cut going through the middle of the floor. His choice very obviously puzzled JJ, since he had also been given the chance to take the nicest house, a purple mansion that she had been aiming for, but hadn't picked.

JJ didn't seem to like the random selection.

"I'm going to repair my house," Morgan explained to her. "It's going to become a tourist destination, I'll get millions of dollars in fees."

"The game doesn't work that way," Reid said, before he realized that Morgan was joking. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

"I'm not surprised," Morgan said, looking at Reid's Doctor career card, and his coveted $100,000 salary. "Counting your money again?"

"No," Reid said, so into the game he didn't realize he was being teased. "I decided I just saved a ten year old boy going into surgery. He'd been hit by a car, but my area of expertise—"

"That's not necessary," Rossi interrupted, and earned himself a really sharp elbow from Garcia.

"It is so necessary," she said. "As for me, I have gone from Consultant to boring rich people, to consultant for the FBI. And I got a makeover," she said, frowning at the card, which portrayed two very stiffly dressed avatars; the male had brown hair and a suit, and the female was blonde—one point in her favor—but she was wearing a yellow sweater and her hair was in a very lackluster ponytail.

"Fine!" Rossi said. "My Salesperson just earned a $50,000 commission, and is going to Tahiti and blowing off work for the rest of his life! And then he's going to blow up the spinner. Kate, how about you?"

Kate had picked Teacher, and now looked at her card rather blankly. "Um, I'm...teaching troubled kids, and my most wild student just became Vice President, all because of my guiding influence."

"Very nice," Rossi praised.

Morgan was liking this version of the game, and spent a moment preparing his statement. "Okay. There was this crime ring in the city where I worked; it extended everywhere, from the Mayor to the lowest junkie. I've been working my ass off trying to get a clue, and all of a sudden, something just lands in my lap. I radio my partner, and we're advancing on their hideout."

"Hang on," JJ said. "Let me go before you make this too hard for everyone else to beat." She looked down at her Career card: Accountant. It portrayed a sweet looking couple, both in their sixties; the woman had a gray bun and the man was bald. "I've gotten a very high profile account. My boss wants me to cook the books. I'm just about to call Morgan, the friendly Police Officer, when suddenly the door bangs open!"

The door to the conference room banged open, causing everyone to jump. Kate dropped her bag on the floor, and had to bend down to get it.

Hotch stood in the doorway, his eyebrows raised to an extreme. "What are you doing in here? Playing games? During work hours?"

"It's our lunch hour," Morgan explained, but then Garcia tut-tutted, and he checked his watch. "It's not our lunch hour."

"Not anymore," Hotch said. "I don't mind these kinds of things, but to play them during work hours is unacceptable. Please, return to work immediately. Leave the board set up, don't waste time putting it away."

"I'm sorry, sir," Garcia said, scrambling past him. "We didn't realize how late it had gotten."

"We really didn't," JJ said, and shot him her own glare in passing. "This is a bit extreme."

Hotch folded his arms, and continued to wait for the rest of the team. "He's just mad cause we didn't ask him," Rossi said loudly, and Hotch rolled his eyes.

"How did your meeting with Cruz go?" Reid asked, and Hotch softened.

"That remains to be seen," he answered, and Morgan clapped his hand on Reid's shoulder to push him out of the conference room before him.

"It won't happen again," Morgan said. "We just felt the need to loosen up."

Hotch softened again. "I know. But not during work again, okay?"

"Okay," Morgan grinned, and the corners of Hotch's mouth twitched.

"Get on," he said, then started after them before he realized that Kate hadn't left yet.

"Callahan?" He called, and she quickened her pace until by the time they reached his office, she almost passed him. "Step in here with me for a moment." Hotch said, and her quick about face was almost comical.

"Is something bothering you?" He asked, moving to his desk.

She stayed standing in the doorway. "Yes. Meg is...causing trouble. I can't figure out why."

"What kind of trouble?" Hotch asked, and she sighed.

"She got into a fight at school today," she said, realizing that Hotch deserved the details since it was obviously affecting her work.

"Do you need to go and pick her up?"

"Chris went," she said. "I don't have to leave early or anything, but it's definitely knocked me off my game."

"Were you the one to suggest playing a game?" Hotch asked.

Kate tensed. "I...yes."

Hotch frowned. "I...am appreciating what lengths you are taking to integrate yourself into the team. I especially appreciate all the time you've spent with Reid during and after cases. All of us need that unwinding time, and Reid shouldn't be alone too much. But during work hours..."

"It won't happen again," Kate promised, her hands going behind her back in military stance.

"You can go," Hotch sighed, and she turned to leave. "Wait. Is there something else you aren't telling me?"

His gaze dipped to her stomach, and her eyes widened.

"I don't...I'm not sure yet," she admitted. "I haven't let myself find out. I'm...scared."

"Don't be," he said.

A/N: Does anyone conclusively know whether or not Kate will also become pregnant because JLH did?

Because I saw two semi-official articles, one which said she probably wouldn't, and then one that said she probably would...

And Shemar Moore posted a pic on Facebook from episode 19 in which you can clearly see she has a bump. But I'm still hesitant to write it in before seeing whether Canon will actually have it.

Does anyone actually know whether or not it will happen?

Because if it isn't, I will just write into Playing Games that Kate had a stomach bug.

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