They were not ready.
The team sat around Rossi's dinner table, completely full, a little buzzed and blissfully ignorant.
They had no idea what was about to happen.
Rossi sat back at looked at his actors and actresses. He should feel some sort of way about this; using people for his own entertainment, but he really didn't. Not when they were too blind to see what was happening.
After Will's untimely death, it had taken JJ a while to even come out with the group, let alone confess to Garcia one stormy night in the bull pen that she was head over heels for Spencer Reid.
'And speaking of Kitten', Rossi thought, 'she and Morgan were going to need a serious push if either one of them were going to confess their true feelings.' The office atmosphere had gotten particularly electric the past few weeks.
If Morgan and Garcia bumped into each other or hugged a trite too long, the energy would be intense, igniting the whole atmosphere.
JJ did every thing she could to get Spencer to notice her and Spencer did everything he could to stay away from JJ without appearing to be distant.
And then there was Hotch. Hotch was doing well considering Emily was back and had rejoined the team. After his love affair with Beth fizzled and failed, he gave up on having what he really wanted. He once confessed to Rossi that Beth was attractive, but reminded him so much of Emily, it hurt.
Now sitting around the table, everyone was smiling and laughing. Hotch looked totally relaxed and even Spencer was letting JJ lean on his arm as she laughed at Garcia's story.
Time for Phase Two.
"Ahem", Rossi said, getting the teams attention. "I'm glad everyone s having such a great time. I was hoping you guys would help me out with a social/psychological experiment, purely for research on a book I'm writing." Rossi took a sip of his wine and watched the team closely. If they were good and tipsy and past the "keeping things hidden" stage, this could go off without a hitch. The one sure fire way to tell was Hotch. If he answered first, it was a go.
"I'm game Dave", Hotch said. "What do you need?"
David Rossi smiled to himself and took another sip of wine.
"We're going to split up into groups. I have a questionnaire here, and you just have to get the other person to answer the questions, by any means necessary."
"Well that sounds like fun", Garcia said. "Do we choose our partners? 'Cause if we do, I choose Hot Stuff over here."
"While that sounds perfectly logical, Kitten, I actually have you paired up already. So Hotch, you'll be paired with JJ. Morgan, I need you with Emily and Spencer that leaves you with Garcia." Rossi handed out pens to everyone and the questionnaire. At the top of the sheet, it read: Phase Two.
The team split up in their appropriate groups and looked at the questions. They were mostly basic, run-of-the-mill questions about inter-office relationships. But there was one question that was out of place and every person was both eager and dreading to answer.
Who do you dream about?
The questionnaire said to be truthful, so when Garcia and Spencer sat down to answer the questions, Garcia answered hers right away, getting it out the way.
"I guess you know who I dream about, huh Boy Wonder?" Garcia asked.
"I would be remiss if I didn't say Morgan, but I wanted to give you a chance to say someone else if you do."
"Nope, it's him." Garcia said, glancing over at Morgan. "We kid all the time Spence, but lately it's become very, very…"
"Tense?" Spencer finshed.
"That's one word. I was thinking along the lines of electric." Garcia said, sipping her drink. "It's like lighting every time we touch. Do you ever feel like that?"
Spencer averted his eyes, but failed to keep them away from JJ.
"What not tell her how you feel?" Garcia said.
"Pen, I can't. Will…"
"Has been gone almost 3 years. JJ has moved on, I can tell you."
"Really?" Spencer said eagerly. "Is she dating?"
"No. She's waiting for…" Garcia put her hand over her mouth and giggled.
"C'mon Pen, tell me", Spencer begged.
"I can't. Nope." She shook her head. "So is it JJ that you dream about?"
Spencer zipped his imaginary lip and folded his arms.
"Be that way", Garcia said. "Rossi said 'by any means necessary'."
"I'm not afraid of you." Spencer said eyeing Garcia suspiciously. "Besides, what can you do?"
Garcia put her drink down and walked over to Spencer's chair. She gently grabbed his hands and held them behind his back…
"Hey!" Spencer exclaimed.
Garcia took her free hand and began tickling him mercilessly while the team looked on and chuckled.
"Garcia, no, ha ha ha, please, ha, OK, OK, hee hee, I'll tell you!" Spencer said through laughter.
"I'm listening, Genius."
"I do dream about her." Spencer said quietly. "Just about every night." Garcia let his hands go and came around and faced him, sitting down.
"Then perhaps you need to tell her how you feel. How about we make those dreams a reality!?" Garcia finished the questionnaire and held up her hand.
"Teacher! We're done!" Garcia said to Rossi as she laughed and he came and took their papers.
"Good. Let's give the class a few more minutes, eh?" Rossi scanned the papers. "Just as I thought", he said quietly.